Tag: fall

Roasted Vegetable Medley with Cranberries

Hello darling friends, I must apologize for the laziness that is lying ahead in this post.

In the midst of planning my family’s Thanksgiving dinner, I got a bit carried away into marshmallow heaven and realized I’d forgotten to add some fiber to the dinner. Perhaps you guys are having this issue as well. This recipe is a quick but delicious attempt to fix that problem.

Honestly, I admire the simplicity of this recipe – everything from the turkey and gravy to the mashed potatoes to the buttery desserts can be overwhelming. I lied, they’re all delicious and dreamy but sometimes I just want a balance on my favorite holiday so I can feel less ashamed about inhaling everything else on the dinner table. (more…)

November 11, 2015
Turkey Kale Hash

So after my favorite holiday comes my favorite leftovers. For Thanksgiving I make extras of everything just so I can have a ton of food to ‘snack’ on later. I am shameless about this and this is why I stay in a food coma for about a week after Turkey Day has passed.

However, I do occasionally grow tired of eating the exact same plate of food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This dish is a lighter take on brunch while utilizing what you may already have in the fridge from the big feast. I suppose this is a way to ease myself out of guilt when I go back to injecting stuffing and mashed potatoes into my veins.

Don’t feel limited to only using the ingredients I have listed below. Go scavenge for whatever is left in the refrigerator and then throw it altogether like a wiz. This is merely a suggestion.

Go wild.

– W. (more…)

November 30, 2014
Pear Cake with Caramel Chocolate Drizzle

Everyone thinks I’ve ruined Thanksgiving.

This year, I thought it would be fun to try a new dessert. I just decided that if Thanksgiving comes every single year, then there’s no harm in playing around with new food. If it doesn’t work out or if my family hates me for taking away their pie, then I can do better next year.

And honestly? I’m tired of pie. I like it just fine, but I’m bored with always eating the same ones. In the past I’ve been known to make chocolate cake in addition to pies for Thanksgiving, just so I would have something a little different on the table.

That’s the other problem I wanted to fix: lack of chocolate. As I’ve mentioned before, I need it to survive. It baffles me that there is not a single ounce of chocolate in a traditional Thanksgiving. So I took it upon myself to finally put an end to this madness.

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November 25, 2014
Buttery Mashed Potatoes

Allow me to ask you guys a serious question: What are the holidays without a big bowl of mashed potatoes? Well, just a regular Thursday dinner.

I’m only teasing. Mashed potatoes always remind me of family; they are the starchy nostalgic equivalent of chicken noodle soup. Of all the dishes you could make for the holidays, I think this has to be the simplest. This side dish requires very few ingredients but packs a lot of buttery richness. Concerning the butter usage, I have to say the butter carries as much weight as the potatoes here. You don’t have to use the full amount of dairy products I have posted here, but you really, really should. Your family and your taste buds will crown you as regional manager of mashed potatoes.

This dish requires no garnishment, unless you want to throw some chives in.

Tip: Since one of the main ingredients is butter, I highly recommend using the nice European kind.

– W. (more…)

November 21, 2014
Mushroom Gravy with Herb Buttered Chicken

That holiday with the turkey and the family is just around the corner and I could not be more excited. I love any excuse that encourages me to over-indulge on food without any morsel of guilt. Well, not entirely.

For me, gravy is kind of a big deal. It’s that side dish that goes well with everything: turkey, mashed potatoes, chicken, rice, all of it. Gravy adds a special, classic touch to the Thanksgiving dinner. This recipe is very hearty and easy to make.

Gravy can seem a little intimidating at first because it is a step-by-step process and it requires some patience. But once you break down this recipe, you’ll see how simple gravy really is. I’m separating this into two parts since you can’t start the gravy without any fat. Besides, you can totally use this method for another type of poultry in ten more days.

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November 17, 2014
Apple Stuffed Waffles

You GUYS. I made waffles today. Waffles that turned out more beautifully than I could have ever asked for: soft and fluffy inside yet crisp on the outside, filled with juicy, fully-flavored apples, and easy enough to make on a lazy Sunday morning.

Whabam! Fall just kicked you in the face with these babies.

I actually feel a little guilty about something: I have yet to go apple picking this Fall, and to be honest it’s been years since I’ve been able to make it happen. We’re in New England, and it’s sort of a big deal around here. In addition to the actual picking of apples, I remember there being apple cider doughnuts, caramel apples, gallons of warm apple cider, and a lot of little kids with their sticky hands running around. I remember coming home with a huge bag of apples that I had picked myself and feeling kind of proud that I was going to use the fruits of my labor (pun definitely intended) for a great pie or cake or apple challah bread. And whatever I made would be completely and totally the product of my own hard work (apart from actually planting the apple tree – ain’t nobody got time for that).

You only need two apples to make these, so if you were to go apple picking you’d have to find other uses for the rest of them. Did I mention apple challah bread!? It’s pretty great.

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October 10, 2014