Apples and onions just go beautifully together and if  you add a cider-bourbon reduction? Amazing.  This is a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving or any autumn meal. It would be great with ham as well. In fact, after I made it I thought that cut in a small dice it would be perfect over grilled chicken breast.

Remember that roasting vegetables gives them a sweetness that can’t be achieved in any other manner.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. I can’t believe it. Autumn is my favorite season and each year it seems to be the one that disappears the quickest.
Thanksgiving is usually a no brainer around here. I made a menu over ten years ago and we pretty much go by it completely, adding a new dish or two every year to try. It is just that everyone has things they just “have to have” and adding something new is impossible without taking away something old, comfortable, and traditional so…we don’t.

What I have found is that it is great to make Thanksgiving …read more

I have something to admit. :::hangs head::: I like cranberries but they are not totally off the charts for me. Nope..I can take ‘em  or leave ‘em. They are good in things like cookies and such..but I would rather have a big, fat blueberry any day. And, canned cranberry sauce is just…ick. We have it because some of the kids like it…but my daughter Erin makes a rockin’ from fresh cranberry sauce so I usually just concentrate on other things…Like dessert.

When I saw this recipe for chipotle cranberry sauce in Bon Appetit I was somewhat skeptical. But I …read more

O.k. I was planning on doing this with cranberries and then I didn’t have any…so I went with what I did have which was golden raisins. This stuffing is addictive, I promise. It is so flavorful, even without roasting in the turkey, that you will be lucky to get ti to the table. I added chipotle in adobo for a smoky little kick and because of that I think it would be amazing to serve with a deep fried turkey.

This recipe is based on one in the November issue of Bon Appetit. I liked the way that the bread held …read more

You have to love the color of cranberries. They add vibrancy to any table, holiday or otherwise. And the tangy flavor is perfect with the heavier meals we eat in the fall and winter. I wanted a crisp that was purely cranberry yet not too tart. I didn’t want apple or pear or anything else with it…just pure cranberry flavor bursting open in every bite.
I put a layer of streusel on the bottom as well as on the top for added texture and sweetness. I really like the result.

This is a great, comfort food type dessert but would also work …read more

O.k. I bet you are wondering why I would call this Pumpkin Pie Noir aren’t you? It isn’t just the color here. I intentionally caramelized everything so that the filling was dark and sticky and very intense pumpkin.
Now, usually when I am making a pumpkin pie I stick with the Libby’s recipe. I know, I know…in a rut..but there is just not that much that can be improved there for a traditional pumpkin pie. This time, though, I wanted something that was sultry, and smooth, and sophisticated…sort of like the Libby’s recipe wrapped up in black leather, you know?

You have …read more

 
I cannot believe that Thanksgiving is a mere two weeks away. It is going to be fun this year because Erin and Jon (my daughter and son in law) and their kids will be here this year…but sad too, because Chris will be in Iraq still.  You  gotta feel sorry for the boy, here I am writing a food blog, publishing a cookbook…and the only thing I have sent him is colloidal silver, echinacea, and other herbs and natural medicines…LOL!
What is that quote about the cobbler’s kids not having shoes?

So, the turkey is eaten, the dishes are washed, the alka seltzer is fizzing. What do you do with all the Thanksgiving leftovers? Here are some ideas to get you started!

 
Thanksgiving
(Edgar Albert Guest, 1881-1959)
Gettin’ together to smile an’ rejoice,
An’ eatin’ an’ laughin’ with folks of your choice;
An’ kissin’ the girls an’ declarin’ that they
Are growin more beautiful day after day;
Chattin’ an’ braggin’ a bit with the men,
Buildin’ the old family circle again;
Livin’ the wholesome an’ old-fashioned cheer,
Just for awhile at the end of the year.
Greetings fly fast as we crowd through the door
And under the old roof we gather once more
Just as we did when the youngsters were small;
Mother’s a little bit grayer, that’s all.
Father’s a little bit older, but still
Ready to romp an’ to laugh with a will.
Here we …read more

I had some time this morning since I have my dinner basically finished (evil laugh) and I wanted to post some ideas for what to do when, all of a sudden, you find out YOU are hosting Thanksgiving, and cooking.
It happens. Maybe the relatives that were going to host got sick, or decided to join a commune in Oregon, or maybe you misunderstood something, or….
Well. It happens. I envision the scene from A Christmas Story where they eat Christmas dinner at the Chinese restaurant. Roast duck, anyone?
So…here are some ideas, mine and around the web, …read more