If I’m being honest, half the reason I opted to roast a duck for Friendsgiving was so that I could get my hands on some duck fat. Why? Because it’s delicoius! It’s got an amazingly light, savory flavor that’s not overpoweringly rich like other fats, and silky-smooth mouth feel. You can use it to cook just…read more »
Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Nothing will never take the place of mashed potatoes in my heart, but this browned butter sweet potato concoction is pretty high on my current list of favorite Thanksgiving side dishes. Just a little bit of brown butter and cinnamon to enhance the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes, and a whole lot of nutty, fragrant…read more »
Pancetta & Sage Stuffing
Duck aside, this stuffing was, for me, the highlight of our Friendsgiving meal. I will always secretly love out-of-the-box stuffing best, but this pancetta/sage version is truly killer. To start with, the base of this recipe was the most glorious loaf of white bread (from the Chinese market up the street, oddly enough). I know white bread is supposed…read more »
Whole Roast Duck
For Friendsgiving this weekend I roasted a duck. I’m all about turkey alternatives this time of year (turkey is not my jam), and duck is one of my favorites. Dark meat, crispy skin, melty fat…I love it all. I’ve been dying to roast one myself for years now, but for some reason it seemed more daunting than…read more »
Blueberry Brie Pull Apart Bread
Are you guys suckers for commercials the way that I am? Dan always says that when he sees something ridiculous being advertised on TV, his first thought is “I bet Tina would like that.” Sadly, he’s not wrong…my mind is really susceptible to suggestion (and gimmicks…and jingles), you guys. As a food blogger, my favorite commercials are,…read more »
Pumpkin Chili
Keeping up the theme of “hearty, rib-sticking, warm-you-from-the-inside meals for cold weather“, I’m back today with a recipe for pumpkin chili. Strictly speaking, there’s more than just pumpkin in this chili (ground beef and onions and garlic and tomatoes, for example), but it’s pumpkin season, so the pumpkin takes precedence! To be honest though, if…read more »
Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup
Happy almost-Thanksgiving, everyone! I’m sure you all have your menus planned out already (I hope!), but in case you’re still looking for some inspiration, here are a few of my favorite recipes: Appetizers Marinated Mozzarella Bites Three Cheese Crab Dip Veggie Mozzarella Pesto Crostini Fig, Bacon and Honey Goat Cheese Crostini Chili-Crab Deviled Eggs Roasted Potato…read more »
Fennel, Leek & Onion Stuffing
Other than mashed potatoes (and now gravy), stuffing is the best part of Thanksgiving dinner, isn’t it? I mean, that pre-packaged stuff my parents used to get from Safeway was generally pretty mediocre, but even then I would eat several helpings because I’m a carboholic with no self control. Homemade stuffing though…that’s where it’s at. Bread tossed with various vegetables and/or…read more »
Caramelized Shallot Bacon Gravy
Does anyone really like turkey? I mean really really like it? As in, like it so much that it’s the highlight of Thanksgiving dinner for them? I’m guessing no. No sane person with taste buds actively enjoys turkey. That may seem like a pretty hard stance to take with an inoffensive bird, but I’m sticking to it. Ground turkey,…read more »
Snacktastic Sundays: Thanksgiving Sliders
This week’s Snackstastic Sunday post is inspired by one of my favorite sandwiches from the soup/sandwich shop near my office, and is something I’ve been meaning to make since last year. Turkey + brie + cranberry sauce + raw onions on pumpernickel = Thanksgiving mouthgasm. Except, instead of pumpernickel, I decided to go with buttermilk…read more »
