Roasted Root Vegetables with Cumin
Comments (0) | Sunday, July 4, 2010
OK fine. It's been a while, and here I am with nothing to offer but a pan of roasted vegetables in the midst of a summer heat wave. What can I say? This, my friends, is dedication.
After all, Thanksgiving is a time for roasting. Whether you scatter these vegetables under your turkey in place of the roasting rack or spread them out on a baking sheet (as I did here) and stick them in the oven while the turkey rests, they're a great no-fuss side dish that everyone loves. As root vegetables roast, their sugars intensify--carrots become mild and subtly sweet; parsnips develop a deep, caramel flavor; and fennel takes on a licorice-y taste. Adding just a little cumin ties those flavors together and tones down the sweetness (so you'll have plenty of room for sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping, cranberry sauce, and candied yams).
If you're craving roasted veggies and there's no turkey in sight, they're delicious on a bed of couscous, served either hot or cold.
Feel free to use any root vegetables that strike you fancy--try celery root, rutabagas, turnips, or sweet onions--but make sure you adjust the roasting time as necessary.
~Peggy
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Fontina Polenta with Herb Oil
Comments (0) | Thursday, June 24, 2010
While Polenta may not have been on the Pilgrims' table that memorable day, it is made of corn, so I figured that it could easily work with a Thanksgiving feast. If Northern Italy had a Thanksgiving, it would have most definitely been included. This recipe makes a creamy polenta, rather than the cake-like form. I loved the subtle taste, which would definitely meld well with a multitude of dishes. The only problem is that once it cooled, it turned into a not-so-attractive polenta pancake. I am not giving up on this one though – there must be a trick in keeping the creamy consistency for a longer period of time (any suggestions would be greatly appreciated).
~Gretchen
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Sweet Potato-Rosemary Bread
Comments (0) | Monday, May 3, 2010
The best Sundays begin with an early wake-up--no alarm necessary--then a fresh pot of coffee, honeyed toast, and a stack of catch-up reading, all savored well before the rest of the world stumbles out of bed. If I've got nowhere to be and no work to complete for a looming 9 a.m. Monday meeting, even better.
On a morning such as this, all the little projects schemed up on the commute to work seem possible. Sure, I can build a shelf over the window for my herbs and pepper plants. While I'm at it, why not organize the mystery cleaning supplies that have accumulated under the kitchen sink and the random nails and tools that live in the miscellany drawer? And, oh yeah, I should totally bake that bread I keep thinking about--so what that my apartment is already a freakishly humid 80°F at 8 a.m.?
I never did build that shelf (maybe next Sunday?) and my efforts at organizing were short-lived (I may have gotten side-tracked by a walk around the neighborhood), but I sure did bake that bread, and oh man was it worth the labor...and the heat. The crust came out crunchy but not too thick, and the bread itself is light, airy, and moist, with subtle hints of sweet potato and rosemary. Since it's not very dense, this is the perfect Thanksgiving bread--and a great vehicle for sopping up any last drops of gravy.
~Peggy
~Peggy
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Sage Carrots
Comments (1) | Thursday, April 22, 2010
For my first entry, I decided to go with something super easy. As I have learned, a Thanksgiving meal has to incorporate some easy recipes in order for your feast to be a success (unless you are superwoman, which I am not). To bring your stress levels down even more, peel and cut the carrots in the morning, so all you have to do is throw the carrots on the stove while you are working on the turkey gravy for the grand finale. This dish is not only simple, but it looks and tastes great - no one has to know that it only took 15 minutes to make!
~ Gretchen
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A Bit of Related Miscellany
Comments (0) | Tuesday, April 13, 2010
226 days until Thanksgiving!
Sadly, we have no recipes for you today, so we've compiled a few things that will whet your appetite and make for good lunch break distractions.
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The First Eastergiving (Cranberry Sauce, Green Beans, Scalloped Potatoes, and Roast Chicken)
Comments (2) | Tuesday, April 6, 2010
233 days until Thanksgiving!
Although it may never be granted its own page in history, the first Eastergiving, like the first Thanksgiving, was a cornucopian affair that brought together peoples of a certain community (Brooklyn) around a communal table (mine), surrounded by the season's harvest (my just-about-to-sprout seedlings, which sat under a grow light on a table nearby). With eight of my friends hunkered down in Brooklyn for Easter weekend, and my refusal to let a major holiday go unfeasted, this seemed the perfect opportunity to test four Thanksgiving classics in one shot...and host my very first dinner party.
Here's what I learned:
1. No one turns down a homemade feast, even if the theme is a bit out of season.
2. Sous chefs are very important, especially when they come bearing wine.3. Good food photography is harder than it looks (bear with me...I'm learning).
4. Scalloped Potatoes, when done right, create pure joy.
~Peggy
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Plain Old Scalloped Potatoes
Comments (0) | Tuesday, March 30, 2010
240 days until Thanksgiving!
We tried. We really did. But sometimes it just isn't meant to be. Who knew something as simple as scalloped potatoes would prove to be so frustrating? Potatoes, milk, and butter. Add cheese and rosemary, and you've got something worth blogging about, right?
Well let's just say that it wasn't all we dreamt of--not nearly creamy enough for our tastes--but if you're looking for a lower-fat version of scalloped potatoes with a bit more flavor than old classics like Fanny Farmer and Better Homes and Gardens provide, this recipe will not disappoint. The potatoes have a great al dente texture with nice caramelization on that top layer, and the rosemary and cheddar flavors definitely add dimension to this often bland Thanksgiving staple.
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Rustic Apple Cake
Comments (0) | Tuesday, March 23, 2010
247 days until Thanksgiving!
I know, I know, it seems so far away, especially now that we’re smack dab in the middle of March, with spring showers dribbling down the window, baby green crocus shoots poking up from thawed garden plots and cracks in the sidewalk, and buds forming on the knobby tips of bare tree branches.
So in this first post we’re easing in, dipping our toes into the Great Thanksgiving Recipe Project of 2010 and testing the water with a deliciously modest apple cake.
And who doesn’t love apple cake? I’ve adapted this recipe from a smattering of sources, tweaking a measurement here, adding or omitting an ingredient there, so by now it’s safe to say that this is an original…a really yummy, moist, chunky, simple-to-make original.
Make your life easier by baking this a day or two before T-Day. It also makes for a great breakfast if, by some miracle, there are any leftovers after the big feast.
~Peggy
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