My goal every year is to get creative with my Thanksgiving side dishes. I love traditions and classics, but if we never introduce anything new, we’ll never create any new traditions or classics. At least that is the way I look at it.
So at least one new thing is always my goal.
Brussel sprouts season is upon us! Every time I think I’ve made roasted Brussels sprouts in every way possible, another idea strikes.
This recipe is super simple and it’s one you will love if you are a tahini fan. If you are unfamiliar with tahini, it is a paste the consistency of natural peanut butter that is made from sesame seeds. A standard ingredient in hummus, it can be worked into everything from snack bars to soups and salad dressings.
Or as it turns out, roasted Brussels sprouts.
I know it’s more common to look back at the year and reflect on December 31st. This year, though, it feels more appropriate to do it on this day that is so strongly associated with pausing to consider what we are thankful for.
The more I dive into the world of photography, the more I find feelings of gratitude creeping up inside me.
For me, moments are easily forgotten. When I take a second to photograph that moment and then flip back through what I’ve captured, those memories instantly become real again. It’s as if I’m there.
And I’m thankful all over again.
I’ll let these images speak for themselves. They are simply moments from this year that fill me with all kinds of gratitude. Some involve travel, others are in our backyard. Some involve a hint of my work, others leisure, and many food.
I hope you enjoy them as much as I do, and Happy Thanksgiving!
I love Brussels sprouts. LOVE them.
Maybe you can tell since this is my second recipe in just a couple weeks. But sometimes there is a problem.
I love them so much that I forget that other people don’t. I have some news if you fall into that category.
You may actually like this salad.
Why do I think that?
A few years ago, I posted about a really great pumpkin dish I had when we were living in southern Brazil. Pumpkin is used there year round, and not solely associated with fall and the holidays as it is in the U.S. So I’d often find it on the lunch buffets, a popular business dining option during the week.
So this dish I speak of combined roasted pumpkin and Gorgonzola cheese. It was the best combination with the sweet pumpkin and pungent cheese.
I made it the same way that I could guess it was made there, but ever since that encounter I’ve envisioned a more exciting and luxurious version. Perhaps one with a different winter squash, fit for the holiday table.
I finally got around to acting on those visions this year.
My Thanksgiving preferences typically go in this order of importance –
√ Pumpkin pie (specifically my grandmother’s recipe)
√ Stuffing
√ Sweet potatoes
√ Brussels sprouts (yes, a vegetable!)
You can really just leave turkey off my list entirely. I’d rather dip into my calorie and carb savings account for the four options above.
I don’t have time this November to do a full Thanksgiving post series like my Thanksgiving Cooking for Two last year, but I can’t let the season slip by without sharing a few menu options. Specifically this one from my top four categories of Thanksgiving foods.
This delicious pie is the final post in my series, Thanksgiving Cooking for Two. You’ll find the other recipes in this special series at the end of this post.
I am a huge pumpkin pie fan. I know it can be hit or miss with some people, but that’s not the case for me. If you line up a selection of pies, I might give chocolate meringue a second glance, but I will always pick pumpkin.
There is a catch, though. I’m not crazy about the traditional, out of the can pumpkin, type of pie. My grandmother’s recipe will always be my favorite and if I can’t have that, well, it’s a pumpkin pie that I’ve gotten creative with.
First, roasted, pureed pumpkin. It makes such a difference and it’s completely worth the minimal effort. Then, it needs a wow factor — a variation in the spices, a gingerbread crust, maybe a meringue topping. Give me any of those and pumpkin remains number one.
This post continues my series on Thanksgiving Cooking for Two. Be sure to check out the recipes for Beer Basted Turkey and Green Olive Pecan Sourdough Stuffing that go along with this meal.
I never had a Brussel sprout until my 30s. There was no turning up my nose at the dinner table or refusing to clear them off my plate as a child. They simple never made an appearance in our house growing up. At least not that I can remember.
Then a few years ago, when they seemed to hit a peak of popularity on food blogs, I gave them a try. My first thought was how did I overlook this vegetable all these years and my second was why in the world do they have such a bad reputation!
My husband and I often celebrate Thanksgiving by ourselves a few days before we join our families for the big meal. This year I decided to share some recipes for those who might also be doing some Thanksgiving cooking for two. This is the first post in the series. Be sure to check out the side dishes that go with this main course.
I’ll be the first to admit that Thanksgiving isn’t my favorite holiday of the season. It doesn’t make much sense, though. I love fall and pumpkins and I love to cook. Seems like I’d be all over a holiday that has those things well covered.
I can offer no explanation other than my fondness of a winter wonderland, warm cocktails, cookies and cheesy Christmas movies. It simply beats out Thanksgiving every time.
Despite it not being my favorite, I still like to cook and I like to get creative. We typically travel to the homes of our families for Thanksgiving dinners. (Yes, dinners. As in two in one day.) There, the family has traditional covered. But it rarely satisfies my need to try some new and creative.
This butternut squash dish is not sweet. I repeat, this dish is not sweet.
If you are like me, no matter how many versions of winter squash you’ve made or been exposed to, your brain still thinks of nutmeg, cinnamon and maybe even maple, when you envision the rich, orange, tender squash.
Okay, I’ll admit that this does contain cinnamon. But cinnamon is one of those interesting spices that can swing sweet or savory. It this case, it’s savory.
The secret to this recipe is some heat. You don’t have to burn your mouth off, but use at least a medium spicy chili powder. I could even see a chipotle chili powder working. When you use these deeply flavored spices you get a beautiful balance of slightly sweet squash, with earthy pear, a bit of heat and crunchy walnuts.
