Savory Pumpkin Bread Pudding

When I was a kid, June was by far my favorite month. School got out for the summer, it was my birthday, we had that perfect spring weather�sunny and warm but not full on summer hot�and our field was filled with little purple flowers. And did I mention my birthday is in June? Of course I loved summer and also other months with holidays (particularly ones where I received gifts and/or cake and/or cookies), but I didn�t see how anyone could love any month better than June.


Now that I�m an adult and live in a place where spring is usually rainy and grey, I�ve grown to really love October (except for when, you know, it�s also rainy and grey). I�ve always loved Halloween and cuddling up with a warm treat and a scary movie (oh and my mom�s birthday� happy bday ma!), but didn�t always fully appreciate the changing colors on the trees, the crisp and cool but still sunny fall days, the pumpkin everything (sidenote, Evan and I saw a sign on a bank for a Pumpkin Spice Membership Level� sorry pumpkin spice, that�s just too far). Now I love all those things, and appreciate the opportunity to slow down and rest and stay indoors guilt-free, something that Seattleites don�t do during the summer months. Oh, and did I mention my wedding anniversary is in October (we celebrated our 2nd wedding anni earlier this month... with a trip to Italy... which I'll eventually hopefully tell you about)? #allthegiftsandcakesplease

In honor of all things pumpkin and October, I�ve once again teamed up with the best of the best to give you all the pumpkin recipes you�ll ever need�sweet, savory, pumpkin spicy, pumpkin squashy, and everything in between. It�s Sara at Cake Over Steak�s #virtualpumpkinparty (plus co-host Aimee of Twigg Studios!). And I�m bringing a savory, cheesy pumpkin bread pudding that should also have a place on your Thanksgiving table next month, because it�s basically stuffing/dressing on steroids. To see the full list of amazing pumpkin party recipes (there are TONS) head over to Sara's site and Aimee's site! 

Unrelated: if you want to talk Westworld theories...LET ME KNOW! I�ve been aggressively debating certain storyline and character theories with friends all weekend, and am basically scaring them all away� so you know, I need new friends to scare away. 

Savory Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Bacon, Mushrooms, and Caramelized Onions
Note: there are a few different steps, so be sure to read through the whole recipe before getting started. 

1 small sugar pie pumpkin (or other pumpkin or winter squash)
6 thick slices of bacon, diced 
1 medium sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
8 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
� teaspoon salt
1 loaf of stale/ crusty french or rustic bread, cubed (about 8-9 loose cups)
2 cups shredded gruyere cheese 
3 eggs
1.5 cups heavy cream
� cup chicken broth 
Heavy pinch of salt + fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 

Cut pumpkin in half, and scoop out the innards. Save for roasted seeds (or whatever). Cut into roughly 3 inch pieces, and place on a baking sheet. Roast in oven for about 30 minutes--pumpkin should be just tender but not super soft. Let cool enough to handle it, and then remove peel (either peel off or cut). Cut pumpkin into bite-sized cubes, should have about 4-5 cups worth, and put in a large bowl. Set aside. 

While pumpkin is in oven, prepare the other filling ingredients.

Once you remove pumpkin from oven, turn temp down to 350 degrees F. Spray two 8x8 pans (or one larger, or many smaller) with cooking spray. 

Note: if your bread is fresh, just put the cubed bread on a baking sheet in the oven for about 20 minutes, until it�s a little crustier. 

Cook bacon in a skillet, until crispy, set aside to drain, but leave grease in skillet. 

With heat on medium, add onion, and caramelize until golden (turn down heat if they�re getting too dark). About 15-20 minutes. Add mushrooms and butter, and cook another 5-10 minutes, until mushrooms are saut�ed through. Add thyme, garlic, and salt, and cook until garlic is fragrant, a couple of minutes. 

Add bacon and onion mixture to the pumpkin cubes. Toss lightly until combined, and then add cheese and bread, tossing gently until everything is evenly mixed. 

In a smaller bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, broth, salt, and pepper. Pour over bread mixture, and using your hands, toss to make sure everything is coated. Add to baking dish.

Bake for 30-40 minutes (depending on the size of dishes you use). It�s done when the cheese is all melty, it�s golden on top, and springy to the touch. 

Don't forget to visit Sara's site and Aimee's site for a giant list of #virtualpumpkinparty recipes... from cakes to drinks to savory to sweet and everything in-between! 

Happy Thanksgiving! on CBC's Weekend Morning Show!

 Tomorrow I will be presenting these recipes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod.  I am so thankful for such an abundance of beautiful products here in Manitoba!  These dishes can all be prepared in advance, to make your Thanksgiving feast a celebration for all.  

I prepared Eye of Round Beef, because it is versatile and as an option from Turkey.  For other Turkey ideas, please look in my blog.

1. Wildrice pancakes

2 cups cooked wild rice (Black Duck Lake Wild Rice at St. Norbert�s Farmer�s Market)*

4 large eggs (I used Nature�s Farm eggs)

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup flour (optional to use wild rice flour or potato flour, for gluten-free alternatives)

� tsp ground nutmeg

Optional spices:  Cajun, Turkish, Moroccan, Italian blends

Olive oil

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.  In a hot skillet, heat oil and form pancakes.  Cook until crisp and brown on each side.  Enjoy as a side dish with cranberry sauce or relish, chutneys, etc.

*I boiled the wild rice in a pot of water for 40 minutes, then drained the water.

2. Walnut fig orange stuffed Eye of Round roast

1 3 lb eye of round roast beef (Wildfire Farms at St.Norbert�s Farmer�s Market)

Optional marinade:  � cup red wine, rub with Ras el Hanout, salt, to taste, drizzle olive oil, 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed

Filling:  � cup walnuts, chopped , zest of one orange, juice of one orange, � cup chopped dried figs (or other dried fruit), 1 egg, salt and pepper, � cup chopped parsley

Dijon Mustard, to coat roast

Cut open an eye of round roast to lay flat.  Marinate overnight, if desired.  Remove from marinade and reserve liquid.  Lightly coat both sides of roast with Dijon Mustard and place filling inside, roll and tie roast.  Preheat oven to 350F.  In a large pan, sear roast to brown all over and place in baking dish.  Bake with liquid over chopped onions and carrots for 20 minutes a pound for rare meat.

Let meat rest before cutting.  Enjoy hot or cold.  Prepare a sauce with drippings by pureeing and cooking, adding a bit of butter and red wine.

Chef's Notes:  You can also cook the roast in a slow cooker for fall apart tenderness.  If cooking rare, slice thinly after resting the meat.
 

Enjoy!

3. Solberry CurdTarts

� -3/4 cup Solberry Puree (Available at Co-op stores and Vita Health)

1/2 cup butter (I used Notre Dame butter)

1 cup sugar

3 eggs (I use Nature�s Farm eggs, available at the St. Norbert�s Farmer�s Market)

Mix sugar, eggs and Solberry in a bowl

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a double saucepan over a very gentle heat.

Gradually add 1 cup sugar, 3 beaten eggs, the grated lemon zest and the Solberry.

Stir until thickened.

Put into sterilized jars while still hot and cover with wax paper, pressing the paper on the surface of the lemon curd. (If using curd for Lemon Meringue Pie/tarts, cool in fridge), or cool in a container until needed.

Enjoy in tarts, as a spread, with meringue, over pavlova, etc.

Thanksgiving Menu 2015

THANKSGIVING WEEEEEEEK (forget Oprah voice, we're singing that with Jean-Ralphio flush-with-cash voice)! I�m hosting for the first time, and I�m so excited! I usually help my ma out in the kitchen, and make one or two dishes, but I've never been in charge of the full meal, or the turkey. I'm stooooooooked to do the turkey! I'll probably post some updates on Instagram (is this what Snapchat is for? Ugh. I just feel too old for Snapchat... I mean... be real, it's just for d**k pics, right??), to let you know how it all turns out. If you need any last minute inspiration, here�s my menu!


I�m making:

• Dry brined, spatchcocked (!) turkey & gravy
• Mashed sweet potatoes (with nutmeg, butter, and milk...no egg or sugar) topped with spiced pecans and bacon and toasted maple meringue 
• Honey Dijon roasted brussels sprouts 
• Homemade green bean casserole (but with French�s onions because I love them)
• Massaged kale salad with apples, pomegranates, shaved parm, and roasted delicata squash 

Our guests are bringing:

• Classic mashed potatoes 
• Caramelized onion and kale stuffing
• Rolls 
• Cranberry sauce 
• Papa's marinated olives & pickles 
• Cheese & crackers
• Pumpkin pie & whipped cream 
• Cheesecake 
• Pecan pie with chocolate and caramel drizzle

We�re drinking:

• Sparkling cider
• Prosecco
• Wine 
• Beer
• Apple peel bourbon cocktails, for the kids table 

Have a happy, happy Thanksgiving, and remember, the people around your table are more important than the decorations or the food on your table! Enjoy your friends and family, be thankful for your loved ones, and don't stress out!

Corn Pudding with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese

When I was growing up, my little family of four�my parents, my sister, and I�created some very, very strong holiday traditions. Like, the kind where if one tiny thing changed, we revolted. We were so rooted in those traditions and rituals that giving them up has been hard. Last Thanksgiving, our first without my dad, was really, really hard. He wouldn�t be there to cut the turkey, to joke with my sister and me about the fuckingyams, to give his annual thanksgiving toast. So, to counter the sadness and weirdness of his absence, my mom invited tons of people. Like 30. Or more. It was a huge party.


What people may not know about me, is that I'm an introvert. I�m pretty outgoing, I love public speaking and entertaining people, and I�m not shy� so a lot of people probably don't realize that I get stressed and a little uncomfortable at parties and social gatherings (which leads to me doing really awkward things, like when I showed everyone how to whip and nae nae at Halloween this year). I didn�t really put it all together myself, until I read that extroverts get energy from being around people, and introverts get energy from being alone. That is totally me. I like being with people, but man, sometimes it completely drains me. As does networking and small talk. I can speak at a room just fine, and I love having conversations with a few close friends. But small talk and working a room� no way, man. I'd rather whip and nae nae in front of a crowd.

So Thanksgiving last year� I was already super emotional about my dad, and stressed about the crowd, and started drinking champagne with breakfast, as one does. And kept drinking champagne all day, as one does. And then, because I was a little tipsy, I decided not to change out of the zebra print harem-type jogger pants and baggy Seahawks t-shirt I was wearing during morning food prep. And then, one of our family friends did a makeup demo on me� as one does? So, last Thanksgiving, I was the drunken hot mess in mismatched PJs, with a full face of makeup and a bottle of bubbles, crying and laughing and spilling champagne all over a toddler (sorry about that, Brit!).

Whew, we made it through that one!

My friend LZ came to last year's Thanksgiving celebration, and we laugh all the time about what a shit show it was, from the toddler-champagne incident, to us taking selfies with our friends' sleeping baby at the bar, to LZ's boyfriend burning off his eyebrows at the bonfire. (ok... all of this is adding up to a story about how I'm not fit to be around children). I'm so grateful for the friends that helped me through that hard time, and help me look back at it with joy and laughter. 

This year�s turkey day is also going to break tradition. My mom will be spending Thanksgiving with my aunt in Idaho. So, for the first time ever (except for the one year we went to my cousin�s wedding around Thanksgiving), my mom won�t be hosting and making the meal at my childhood home. Which means� I�m hosting my in-laws and my sister and her fianc� at my house! I�M HOSTING FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.

Obviously I�ll try to keep the pre-game bubbles to a minimum. No guarantees on the zebra pants though. 
   



Corn Pudding with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese
Corn pudding is my friend LZ's "it's not Thanksgiving without it" dish. She makes a basic Memphis Corn Pudding. You could also add jalapenos or green chilis, which then makes it Santa Fe Corn Pudding. My variation has caramelized onions and goat cheese... I'm gonna go ahead and call it Seattle Corn Pudding. 

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
Salt and pepper
One can sweet corn, drained
One can creamed corn
One egg
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) melted butter
1 box jiffy corn bread mix
1 cup sour cream + 2 tablespoons
4 oz Ch�vre goat cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and grease a 2.5 quart casserole dish.*

First, caramelize the onions. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions, and cook, slowly (low to medium-low) until golden brown. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Remove from heat, and let onions cool for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, stir together corn, egg, melted butter, corn bread mix, and 1 cup of sour cream until well combined. Mix in cooled onions. 

In a small bowl, stir together ch�vre and 2 tablespoons sour cream, until smooth and creamy.

Add half of corn mixture to baking dish. Dollop on half of ch�vre mixture. Top with remaining corn mixture, and then dollop on rest of ch�vre. Leave in dollops or swirl in a bit if desired.

Bake uncovered for 1.5 hours, until golden brown on top. It shouldn�t really jiggle when you shake the dish. Let rest for a few minutes to firm up. Enjoy hot or at room temperature. 

*You can also use a big flat 9 x 13 baking dish. It will come out thinner and more cakey/ less puddingy. Instead of layering goat cheese, just dollop all of it across the top. Reduce baking time to about 50 minutes. 

Thanksgiving Feels

I'm feeling ALL THE THANKSGIVING FEELS. 
I'm thankful that my mom, sister, and I made it through a full year without my dad. That first year was hard. It's still hard. He is missed so, so, so much. But I find my grief has become less of the daily gut wrenching variety, and I'm grateful for that. 

I'm thankful for my family, and so, so sad and hurt for my family. My aunt, my mom's sister, is fighting stage 4 cancer right now. Sometimes life feels so unfair. 

I'm thankful for my friends. The older I get, the harder it is to keep in touch with people. Even people who are just down the street. Time just flies so quickly that before you even blink, weeks have gone by without catching up. But then, with this handful of people I hold dear to me, when we do catch up, it's like no time passed at all. It's cheesy, but they truly fill my cup.

Of course, I'm grateful for my husband and my cat, for unlimited binge watching tv possibilities, delicious food, and the nice, warm house we get to come home to everyday. 

I have a family and friends and a warm house. I have suffered heartbreaking losses and people I love are fighting huge battles...and beyond me and my small world, we see mass shootings in the news everyday now, I'm terrified for the next Presidential election and the wars being waged in this country on women's health, gender and marriage equality, the insane amount of injustice people face because they weren't born into privilege... and beyond that, I can't even begin to list the atrocities in other parts of the world. SO WHY THE FUCK ARE PEOPLE WORKED UP ABOUT RED COFFEE CUPS.  

We're all fighting battles... fight the ones that matter, and be thankful for a warm cup of coffee. And if matters to you that much... order the fucking Christmas blend already.

On that note, here are some appetizer, salad, and dessert recipes for your Thanksgiving table!

Papa's Marinated Green Olives

Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Truffles

Pear & Bleu Crostini with Salted Maple Caramel

Sweet Potato, Pear, and Wild Rice Salad

Date & Chorizo Kale Salad

Mini Cranberry Tarts

Pumpkin Cream Pie

Slice & Bake Spice Cookies with Citrus Glaze

Mini Cranberry Tarts

My mom has such a generous heart. Mel�s kitchen has always been open-invite, for any meal, any holiday, any time of year. If you need a place to eat at Thanksgiving, she�ll never turn you away, and you�ll always leave happy, with a full belly.

This year�s Thanksgiving will be no different in that regard. In fact, we�ll have a very full house. There will be one very important person missing this year, but we�re hoping to fill our hearts (and my mom�s home) as much as possible by surrounding ourselves with friends. Lots of friends. Like� around 20 people.

Our Thanksgiving dinner has never been a formal affair. We don�t have place cards at the table, we don�t care if you wear sweat pants (honestly, why wouldn�t you go for the elastic waistband!?), and we don�t have rules about what items to put on the buffet and what items to put on the table. This Thanksgiving etiquette article? Go ahead and read it, and then forget everything you read, because it doesn�t apply at my family�s turkey day celebration. The only rules are that Mel makes the mashed potatoes, Amanda doesn�t make the deviled eggs (she has a problem with over-mustarding things), and that everyone laughs and eats and eats and eats.

This year, with so many guests, I think it will be even more casual. Everyone is bringing a dish or two, there will be seating at the table, counter, couch, floor. And� we�re having a bonfire! I figured that with such a laid-back but also busy and crowded Thanksgiving, it would be good to add some quick finger food snacks to the menu�things that can be eaten standing up, without a plate. Enter: mini cranberry pies!

These little bite sized beauties are tart, buttery, and just a little bit sweet. They�re also really simple, with a quick dough (no chilling, no rolling), and an equally quick filling of fresh cranberries, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and lemon juice. If you like things a little sweeter, then by all means, up the sugar or top with some sweetened whipped cream.

PS. This is my first baking project and photo shoot in Evan and my new place! Look at all that light! Ignore the makeshift staging area, and focus on all that beautiful light! 

Mini Cranberry Tarts

1.5 cups flour

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (1.5 sticks)

3 ounces of cream cheese, softened (the 8 oz packages have easy measurement lines on the foil)

Pinch salt

2 heaping cups fresh cranberries 

1/2 cup sugar

juice from half a lemon

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 325. 

For dough, mix together flour, butter, cream cheese, and salt until combined into a ball. Divide into 24 equal sized balls. 

Press each ball into an ungreased mini muffin pan, pressing evenly up the sides as well.

For filling, chop cranberries in a food processor, and toss with remaining ingredients. Spoon filing into each dough cup. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until dough is just slightly golden. Loosen tarts by running knife along inside of muffin cup, and let cool before removing. 

Adapted from this recipe 

Pumpkin Cream Pie

I�m back� and with PIE!

A lot has happened around here in the last couple of months, and I struggled a little with how I wanted to come back, and what I wanted to say. In the wake of so much sadness (my dad passing) and so much joy (my wedding), I just couldn�t seem to put pen to paper (or�fingers to keyboard) about food.

Also�grief and stress can do weird things to you, appetite wise. For weeks I was sick to my stomach and couldn�t eat, then I had a few weeks of eating all the chocolate and donuts in the land, followed by a brief stint just before the wedding where I seriously forgot how to cook.

I didn�t know if I should talk to you about my dad, because sometimes he�s all I can think about�but ultimately, I decided that should wait�I�m not really ready for that here. And then, my wedding! And honeymoon! I have so much to share with you, but I�m waiting until we have all the photos back from our (amazing) wedding photographer. That will come soon enough. Here's a sneak peek. 

So, in the meantime, I knew I needed a conversation starter� but I just felt� lost. And then, I saw this pie. Now THAT is a conversation starter! I knew immediately that I wanted to adapt it for Thanksgiving, and for a few days, it was all I could think about. I seriously stared at pictures of this pie for a week. This pie reminded me why I love cooking and blogging. It inspired me to get in the kitchen and create something. To wipe the dust off my camera. Oh, and also� it�s really good.

The original pie is a peanut butter cream pie, but the moment I saw it, pumpkin cream pie was all I could think about. I�m not the biggest fan of standard pumpkin pie, but fluffy, creamy, cool, whipped pumpkin pie, with a cream cheese base!? Yeah, that I can get behind! And let�s not forget the chocolate crust (with chocolate shell layer!) and bourbon maple whipped cream topping! It�s not overly pumpkiny and texturally, it�s pretty fun. You have the contrast of the looser bourbon maple whip, the creamy, tangy pumpkin filling, and then the crunchy chocolate crust. I think your Thanksgiving dessert table could use one more addition, don�t you? 

PS. I missed you guys!

Pumpkin Cream Pie with Chocolate Crust and Bourbon-Maple Whipped Cream

Adapted from this recipe

Crust

1 cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (I used half a sleeve of the Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafer cookies, in crumb form)

1 tablespoon sugar

Pinch of salt

Pinch of cinnamon

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Just under 1/2 cup dark chocolate pieces (chunks, chips, etc)

Pie Filling

1.5 cups heavy cream

1 package cream cheese (8oz), at room temp

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling�the only ingredient should be pumpkin)

Bourbon-Maple Whipped Cream

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon bourbon

1.5 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350.

Make the crust: Combine the cookie crumbs, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add butter, and stir until combined. Pour into 9-inch pie dish, and press tightly into bottom and sides with your hands. Bake 13 to 15 minutes�it might be puffed up right when you take it out, but it will fall a little when it cools. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Melt chocolate pieces (in double boiler or microwave) and pour into cooled crust. gently spread evenly on bottom of crust. Let cool completely before filling (helps harden chocolate shell if you put in fridge to cool, but wait until pie dish is no longer warm to refrigerate).

Make the filling: With a stand mixer, hand mixer, or if you�re really buff, a whisk, beat the cream until it holds medium-hard peaks. If using a stand mixer, transfer to a separate medium-sized bowl.

In the same stand mixer bowl (with the paddle attachment) beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add the brown sugar, salt, vanilla extract, spices, and mix well. Beat in the pumpkin puree until smooth. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the whipped cream, a quarter at a time, until mixture is well combined but still light and fluffy. 

Spoon the filling into the fully cooled, prepared crust, and smooth top. Loosely cover and chill up to 4 hours or overnight.

Bourbon-Maple Whipped Cream: Beat the cream, bourbon, and maple syrup until it holds soft peaks. 

Just before serving, top pie with a sprinkle of cinnamon, and serve each piece with a heavy dollop of bourbon-maple whipped cream. Let the pie sit at room temp for a minute, to make cutting through the chocolate shell a bit easier. 

Turkey Schnitzel and Tomato Coulis for CBC's Weekend Morning Show!

This morning I had the pleasure of presenting the following dishes for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod.  

Make Thanksgiving easy but full of flavour!  

(from top:  Turkey schnitzel, garlic roasted potatoes with yoghurt tahini, squash and pear with Frangelico, Carrot Thoren, tomato coulis and centre cranberry relish)

Turkey Schnitzel

1 turkey breast (for 3-4 servings) (available at Millad�s)

~1 cup Corn Flakes crumbs or Panko or combination

� tsp grated nutmeg

smoked paprika (optional) (available at Millad�s)

salt and pepper

1-2 eggs

� cup milk

2-3 tbs butter

drizzle olive oil

Cut the turkey breast into even slices across the grain, cover with wax paper or plastic wrap and pound flat without shredding the meat.

Mix egg and milk in one bowl and crumbs and seasonings in another bowl. 

Dip pounded meat into egg/milk wash and then cover in crumbs.  Saut� in medium-high heat pan with butter and olive oil. 

Serve immediately with your favourite toppings, cranberry sauce, chutney or try a tomato coulis.

Enjoy!

Tomato Coulis

4 medium tomatoes

4+ oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained

1 clove garlic,

2-3 tbs. olive oil

small bunch basil

dash of crushed red chilies

salt and pepper

Blend all ingredients and chill.

Enjoy!

Cranberry Relish

 In a food processor or blender, combine the following ingredients until a fine relish consistency.

1 pkg cranberries

1/2 cup orange juice or 1-2 chopped peel-on oranges

2-4oz Frangelico or Disorrono liquor

scant cup sugar

Chill and serve with Turkey, sandwiches, curries, etc.

Thanksgiving Stuffing Roundup

Thanksgiving is only two days away!? How did that happen? I had all these great plans for you. A few more T-day side dishes, some desserts, maybe even a cocktail. But then this crazy thing happened that fully derailed everything� I GOT ENGAGED. Our whole relationship has been a crazy whirlwind of excitement� we met, fell in love, moved in together, and got engaged. So fast.

 

Just kidding about the fast part� we�ve been together since spring of 2004, when we were wee little freshman babies in college. Most people probably think we�re already married. The general response to our engagement has been �IT�S ABOUT TIME!�

But more on that later, because it�s almost Thanksgiving! So, let�s discuss stuffing. Or dressing, which is technically what it�s called when baked separate from the bird. This is how I prefer it, because it�s not a soggy lump of a mess, but instead it�s crispy in places, soft in places, all around amazing. But I still call it stuffing.
 

First, the bread: start with super crispy dry bread, whether it�s 2-days old or popped under the broiler to crisp up. Try classic French bread, or mix it up with cornbread, ciabatta, or a combo! Second, the additions: I think there are 6 main categories here. Mushrooms, fruit (cranberries and apples), winter veg (squash, sweet potatoes), pork (bacon, sausage, chorizo), nuts (chestnuts, pecans, walnuts), and herbs (thyme and sage are classics).
 

Since I didn�t have time to make a million stuffing recipes for you, I scoured the internetz for some really tasty looking recipes that you can make as-is, or use for T-day inspiration! A little something for everybody. Happy cooking!

• Kale and Mushroom Bread Pudding via A Thought for Food: Savory bread pudding is a lot like stuffing/dressing, just a bit eggier. This one looks amazing.
• Apple and Herb Stuffing via Smitten Kitchen: Two of the main stuffing additions, together in one glorious dish.
• Andouille Sausage and Cornbread Stuffing via Food 52: This sounds like an amazing year round stuffing with a southern twist.
• Butternut, Sausage, and Fennel Stuffing via Gimme Some Oven: I want to eat this for every single meal this winter.
• Ciabatta Stuffing with Chorizo, Sweet Potato, and Mushrooms via Food 52: Another recipe that takes several of the addition categories and mashes them all together for perfection.
• Pancetta Sage Stuffing Muffins via A Cozy Kitchen: WHAT! Stuffing in adorable hand-held muffin form. Genius.

 

Cranberry Pecan Sweet Potato Quick Bread

Warning: this post contains explicit language & delicious bread.

I don't think I've told you guys about the fucking yams yet, have I? Well, it happens to be my very favorite holiday story. 

So, to set the stage� my parents certainly didn't have the mouth's of angels when I was a kid, but the F-bomb was a place they never went. I think I heard my mom say it once my whole childhood, when a thrift store wouldn't accept her donation (she was really riled up that day). Then, when I was in like, 7th or 8th grade, Amanda, Mel, and I spent one super hot summer reading through Stephen King's The Green Mile out loud together. That's what you do out in the country when you don't have cable TV�sort of like old timey radio stories. So we all took turns reading chapters. We were at one super intense part in the story, my mom was reading and Amanda and I were leaning forward in anticipation of what would come next. All of a sudden, Mel stopped reading, her face got super red, and then she continued "Eff-You-See-Kay, Percy Said!" Amanda and I looked at each other, then fell on the floor laughing. She couldn't even read the F-word out loud to us, she had to spell it out. Needless to stay, we lost our steam after that, and it took us awhile to carry on with the story. 

So, fast-forward to a few years ago. It's Thanksgiving day, and Mel is hard core stressin'. We have a house full of people, and she's pulling everything out of the oven, just about ready to serve dinner. From the living room, we hear a giant crash in the kitchen, so we all run in, and Mel is standing there, covered in yams. Orange mush on the walls, the floor, every where. My dad asks "what happened?" And then she bursts into tears and wails "THE FUCKING YAMS!" So, of course, Amanda, John, and I all die laughing. And then, to make her feel better, one of us says "we don't really like the yams anyway." If bullets could shoot out of peoples eyes, that's what would have happened at that moment.

The next year, Amanda and I wandered out Thanksgiving morning in shirts we had made with a cartoon yam and Mel's new catchphrase "THE FUCKING YAMS." Needless to say, this time her tears were laugh-tears, and the phrase sort of just stuck. So now every year we make sure we add some sort of fucking yam to the Thanksgiving menu. 

But the truth is, we weren't lying when we told her that we didn't really love the yams. The mushy, sweet, marshmallow covered yams. So ever since that day, we try to do something new with them. Roasted sweet potatoes, scalloped sweet potatoes, etc. This year, I figured we could go in a whole new direction, and make a sweet potato quick bread!

I based this off of the pumpkin quick bread in my trusty Fannie Farmer cookbook, and was inspired by the recipe just below it for cranberry quick bread. Full of nuts and tart cranberries, with warm fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, this bread is perfect for the main meal, the dessert table, or even breakfast the next day.  

Cranberry Pecan Sweet Potato Bread

Based loosely on a Fannie Farmer recipe

Plan ahead so your puree has time to cool before mixing with the egg, otherwise you'll have weird cooked egg pieces. To make the sweet potatoes, I just peeled and cubed one orange sweet potato, then steamed it (in a veg steamer) for about 15 minutes, until it was super tender, and then mashed with a pastry blender until smooth. You can also roast a whole, unpeeled sweet potato, or try boiling the peeled chunks, ala Martha Stewart (minus the salt & pepper).

1.5 cups flour (I used half whole wheat, half all purpose)

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup sweet potato puree, cooled 

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 teaspoon fresh nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1 cup pecans, chopped

1/4 cup water

1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped

2 teaspoons course turbinado sugar

Preheat oven to 350, and butter a loaf pan.

Whisk together flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, stir together potato puree, oil, eggs, spices, and water until properly mixed. Add sweet potato mixture to dry ingredients, and stir until just combined, don't over mix. Stir in nuts and cranberries. Pour into loaf pan and sprinkle course sugar over top. Bake 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on rack. 

Roasted Vegetables with Harissa Yogurt

Hey guess what!? I mentioned this on my Loves Food, Loves to Eat Facebook page, and also on twitter, but if you're not following along at either of those places (you should be!) then I'll tell you here too. I'm doing NaNoWriMo! NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month, and it takes place every November. I've been very, very slowly writing a story for the past two years, and decided to use NaNo as an excuse to push through and finish it. The goal with NaNo is to write 50,000 words, which is the average size of a novel. I'm up to 30,000! Anyway, my novel has nothing to do with food. It's a mystery type story. My mom likes it so far, so�I'll consider that a success. Stay tuned, maybe I'll let you read it someday. 

But anyway, enough about that. Let's talk about your Thanksgiving table. There's the turkey, the mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing/dressing, something orange, green beans of some sort, bread rolls, and cranberry sauce. Right? 

Well, I like to also add some roasted vegetables with a little spice. These vegetables, delicata squash, carrots, parsnip, and onions are roasted until they're all caramelized, and the coconut oil adds just a hint of sweetness. Then the whole thing is topped with harissa yogurt, which is cool, sweet, and spicy all at once. Throw some crunchy, juicy pomegranate arils on top, and it's ready to serve.  

Roasted Winter Vegetables with Harissa Yogurt 

1 delicata squash

1 large carrot, peeled and cubed

1 parsnip, peeled and cubed

1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 can drained, rinsed chickpeas (not pictured..*)

2 teaspoons coconut oil, melted

salt & pepper

6 oz plain greek yogurt

1/2-1 teaspoon harissa spice blend (dry)**

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons olive oil

juice from half a lemon 

Pomegranate arils (the fruity seeds)

Preheat oven to 400.

Slice delicate in 1/2 inch slices, and clear out center of each slice with a spoon. Separate and save the seeds (like with pumpkin seeds). 

Toss squash slices, squash seeds, carrots, parsnip, and onion with coconut oil, and spread out on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with a fairly generous amount of salt and pepper (you can also sprinkle on spices here if you'd like. I've tried za'atar and thyme, both were great!).

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until everything is tender. If you want more color on it, stick under the broiler for thirty seconds to a minute (keep an eye on it).

Stir together yogurt, harissa, honey, olive oil, and lemon juice. Add salt to taste.

Serve vegetables hot, topped with yogurt mixture and pomegranate arils.

This is also pretty good cold the next day, or tossed with arugula for a little salad. But, since it's cooked in coconut oil, once it's refrigerated, the coconut oil hardens again. 

*Edit: Aw man! I completely forgot that when I made this before I added 1 can of drained, rinsed chickpeas! I would definitely recommend doing that. 

**I've tried both the spice blend and the paste in this, and prefer the dry spice blend. You can buy it bulk in a lot of places or try this. 

Papa's Marinated Green Olives

THANKSGIVING! Just a few weeks away! I have a few recipes that you can adopt for your Thanksgiving table this year, and the first is so, so perfect: a simple little snack that also happens to be a really special family recipe for Evan. 

Every time Evan and his family visited his paternal grandparents, his grandpa, Frank "Papa" Piro made his signature marinated olives. Evan said these olives were always a highlight of the trip. And he said that as a kid, he was amazed that his Papa could make olives, he had no idea how he did it! PS. Evan was a really cute little boy, and this is my favorite picture on Earth. Those sandals! 

Unfortunately, I never had the chance to meet Papa or Mamo Piro, but luckily I get to hear tons of great stories from Evan and his family, and we ended up with a copy of the recipe for Papa's Olives! 

These are so easy and flavorful�just a jar of store-bought green olives, marinated in garlic, red pepper flakes, olive oil, and oregano. We like to make a jar and just keep them in the fridge for snacking, but they would be such a perfect addition to the Thanksgiving feast�a simple snack you can prepare ahead of time, before you get all crazy with the turkey and ninety seven side dishes. 

Thanksgiving is for giving thanks, so this one, this thank you is to Evan's family, for making me one of their own, being supportive and caring and welcoming to my family, letting me whisk Evan away all the time, sending me awesome hilarious childhood pics (Thanks Mary Ellen!), and for sharing their amazing history and traditions with me. And for these olives.

Papa's Olives

You can make these right in the jar they came in, or if you buy canned olives, just mix it up in a bowl or other jar! The flavors intensify as they sit and meld, but feel free to add more garlic, pepper flakes, etc, as your tastes desire! 

1 6-7 oz jar or can of green olives, drained

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon dried oregano

Add garlic, pepper flakes, olive oil, and oregano to jar, and shake to mix well. For a pretty presentation, serve in a little dish, or transfer to cute jars for gifts (!!).