or ideas for your Leftovers...
If you haven't already made it to the store to buy all your vittles, here are some last minute tips and tricks that can help you.
I loved that the first step was to start with something fun!
I got to thinking about what makes a holiday meal or gathering memorable. I remember the funny shaped veggies trays, the interesting meal ideas or new recipe additions that come when new members come into the family. My Dad fried a turkey several years ago and it was fun sitting out in the cold enjoying the funny conversations and safety tips from my Dad the fireman. What's a Thanksgiving without a butter mold shaped like a turkey or a funky jello mold?Here's a new twist on beans...
1 1/2lbs trimmed green beans (french are best)
1/2 cup slivered almonds
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Two oranges imperial cut and zest from 1 orange Instructions here
1 pomegranate seeded (I just bought the seeds in the produce dept)
2 Tbsp good olive oil or grape seed oil/coconut oil
squeeze of a lemon
1 tsp. black pepper
salt to taste
Steam your beans until half tender. Set aside. Bring your oil to a shimmer in a saute pan, add garlic and almonds and cook until fragrant, making sure not to burn them. Add beans back into pan and saute them until they are coated with oil and nuts and garlic. Squeeze on lemon and remove from heat. Toss with oranges, zest,and pomegranates, salt and pepper.
Grain- and Gluten-free Cranberry Orange Cake if you're not gluten free, use the same amount of flour and add 2 Tbsps oil to the recipe
2 oranges
zest of 2 other oranges
3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
3 cups almond meal or almond flour
1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
2 cups fresh cranberries
Method
Preheat your oven to 340°F/170°C. Spray a round 8" spring-form pan with baking spray to grease. Line the base with parchment paper.Put the oranges in a pot and cover with cold water. They will float a little, though. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 15 minutes. Drain and then cover the oranges with cold water again and boil another 15 minutes. Rinse with cold water and let cool for 10 minutes or until you're able to cut them without burning your hands. Coarsely chop the oranges and remove any seeds.
Process the orange pieces in the bowl of your food processor until smooth. Add the zest of two oranges and give it another whirl.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together using an electric mixer. Beat until pale and thick and then gently fold in the orange, almond meal and baking powder. Then fold in half of the cranberries.
Pour into the prepared pan, sprinkle the over half of the cranberries over the top of the batter, and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan before cutting.
Brussel Salad
 |
| Recipe and Photo Courtesy of http://www.saveur.com/ |
1 lb. brussels sprouts
2 cups toasted walnut halves
⅓ cup grated pecorino, plus more for garnish
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper
1. Working over a large bowl, shave brussels sprouts into very thin slices on a mandoline, starting from each sprouts top while holding it between thumb and forefinger by its stem. Discard stems.
2. Add walnuts, pecorino, olive oil, lemon juice, and black pepper to taste. Depending on the saltiness of the cheese, season lightly with salt to taste.
3. Toss with a spoon until just combined and divide salad between 4 bowls or small plates. Using a peeler, shave more pecorino over the top; drizzle with more olive oil and add more pepper to taste.
Wild Rice Pilaf
It's better to use real rice for this, not the cultivated variety, for this salad; it takes longer to cook but has more flavor and a better texture. You can actually find quick cooking wild rice in the grocery store on the upper shelf and it's great. It's in a small box.
1⁄2 cup wild rice
5 cups gluten free chicken stock
4 slices bacon, coarsely chopped
3⁄4 cup dried sour cherries
1 rib celery, diced
1 scallion, trimmed and chopped
1/4 cup toasted almonds
Leaves with 5 sprigs parsley, chopped
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Put rice into a medium pot, cover with water, and swish around with your hand. Drain; repeat process until water is clear, 3-4 more times. Drain rice; return to pot. Add stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir rice once or twice and reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover pot and cook rice until grains are swollen and tender but not blossomed, 50-60 minutes. Drain rice in a colander and let rest, undisturbed, for 10 minutes. Transfer rice to a large bowl to let cool.
2. Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon and 2 tbsp. of the rendered bacon fat to bowl with rice. Add dried cherries, celery, scallions, parsley and vinegar and toss well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish salad with a sprig of parsley, if you like, and serve at room temperature.
I picked up some tri-color carrots at Trader Joe's the other day, I wasn't quite sure what to do with them. I made carrots salad with half of them and roasted a couple for dinner one night. They are delicious.
Tri Color Carrot Salad with Pomegranate & Raisins
1 lb carrots, peeled and shredded
1 cup crushed pineapple
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 tart apple diced
1 small squeeze lemon juice
Combine and refrigerate. I shredded my carrots in my Cuisinart. You can also purchase carrots already shredded.
Persimmon Sauce
2 persimmons
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar in the raw (you can use regular sugar or a mix of brown and white)
1 sweet apple
1 cup water
1 cinnamon stick
Peel persimmons and apple. Cut them in small pieces. In a saucepan, combine all ingredients, except the vanilla and cook on medium until the apple begins to break down. Once the sauce begins to mash up, add vanilla and use an immersion blender to make more smooth or crush with a spoon or fork until it is your desired consistency. This sauce is really good cold as well as hot. Serve it on your turkey or even mixes into your mashed potatoes, on a roll...or spooned onto a cracker with some cream cheese. Oh so good!
No comments:
Post a Comment