Brussels Sprouts with (Turkey) Bacon and Dates

My husband and I used to go out to dinner much more than we do now.  When the kids would to go to bed at 7:00 pm, it was a lot easier to tuck them in, leave them with a babysitter after they were asleep and still manage to have dinner out at a reasonable hour.  Well, (bed)times have changed and so has my desire to out to restaurants.  Call me a party pooper, but I’d much rather enjoy a simple meal at home with a few good friends and end the evening with a competitive game of Sequence or Bananagrams.  Can you imagine how much fun I’m going to be when I’m 60?

I do have a few favorite restaurants, though, one of which is the wildly popular, (but not in a cheesy LA-way) Gjelina in Venice, California.  It’s earthy, rustic, but still sophisticated and there’s kale on the menu in three or four different dishes.  And most importantly, they make it all taste divine in a way that I can’t.  Last year, I had these incredible char-grilled Brussels sprouts with bacon and dates that I became obsessed with.  I literally dreamt about them and all that sweet, salty, lightly charred goodness.  I was incredibly excited when my friend Laura had her birthday dinner there a few months later and I was able to enjoy the Brussels sprouts again.  But unfortunately, Gjelina is not the type of restaurant which gives out its recipes.  I knew some version of these sprouts had to be on our Thanksgiving table last year, so I set out to make my version of the dish, which I like just as much and it doesn’t cost me $8/serving.

What’s funny about my obsession with Brussels sprouts is that I despised them as a child most likely because my mother bought them frozen and then boiled the life out of them.  But if you can roast them or sear them in a pan and cook them until they’re tender, they are just amazing.  Brussels sprouts are also incredibly good for you, as are all the cruciferous vegetables.  They contain loads of fiber, folate, potassium, Vitamin C and some very powerful anti-cancer sulfur compounds.  And if Brussels sprouts’ nutritional profile doesn’t impress you, the green color adds some vitality to a normally very beige Thanksgiving spread.

These Brussels sprouts are fabulous and will have an encore appearance at our Thanksgiving buffet this year, although it’s not the best dish to make for an enormous crowd (more than 25 or so.)  Last year I had three large skillets going on the stovetop and I don’t think I could have wedged in another.  I pull the turkeys out of the oven to rest for about 30-40 minutes and start my gravy right away since that can sit on the stove on low heat while I tend to the salads and vegetables in the remaining 20 to 30 minutes or so.  If you would like to make this to bring to someone else’s house, do ask your host if he or she can accommodate your making this on the spot.  Otherwise, you can make it before you leave your house and reheat it gently just before dinner with a few tablespoons of stock.  Of course, these Brussels sprouts are no one-hit wonder.  They’re easy enough to make any night of the week, which you’ll just have to do since Gjelina was crazy enough to take them off the menu!

Brussels Sprouts with (Turkey) Bacon and Dates

Pamela, inspired by Gjelina Restaurant
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Servings 6 , depending on how many other sides you are serving

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Tablespoons unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 ½ pounds medium Brussels sprouts ends trimmed and halved
  • 4 ounces nitrate-free turkey bacon chopped (optional)
  • 1 large shallot finely diced
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 4-6 large pitted dates, chopped (they’re much easier to cut when cold)
  • 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • ½ cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large skillet (12-14 -inch is good) over medium high heat. Add olive oil and butter.
  • Make sure you are wearing an apron so any splattering doesn’t mess up your outfit. When butter is melted, add Brussels sprouts cut side down and season them with 1 teaspoon sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Allow the sprouts to brown without burning and then turn to brown on the other side. Lower the heat to medium and cook the sprouts another 3-4 minutes, until they soften slightly.
  • Move the sprouts to one side of the pan and add the diced turkey bacon to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until it starts to crisp around the edges.
  • Stir in the shallots, garlic and dates and cook another minute or so until the shallots are tender.
  • Pour in the balsamic vinegar to deglaze any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken stock and cook until just a glaze remains. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Notes

Do ahead: Wash, dry, trim and halve the Brussels sprouts the day before and keep refrigerated.
You can dice your bacon, shallot, garlic and dates the day before, too, but I usually do this about an hour before I start the recipe.
If you must make this ahead, reheat gently with an extra few tablespoons of stock.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Planning a Happy Thanksgiving — 2 Weeks and Counting

Thanksgiving is 2 weeks away!  Is the exclamation point there to emphasize panic or joy?  I’m excited!  I’ve been teaching quite a few Thanksgiving-themed classes as of late and I’m feeling spirited.  One of my students said to me today that my Thanksgiving planning blogs are stressing her out.  Yikes!  Of course that was not my intention.  The whole point is to show you what you can do in advance, not what you must do in advance.  All these tips and strategies are most relevant to the hosts and hostesses who are preparing most or all of the meal themselves and who have a busy schedule leading up to the holiday.  If I didn’t get a lot of these tasks completed early, I don’t see how I could pull off this meal without tons of stress.

Here’s what you can get done this week:

  • Get your knives sharpened Especially your carving knife.  A razor-sharp knife is the most important tool in your kitchen.  In my area, you can get your knives sharpened at Sur La Table, the farmer’s market and at the local cutlery store at the mall.  I think Sur La Table charges $1/inch.
  • Make your grocery lists  I make three lists:
  1. Non-perishables (e.g., flour, spices, wine, nuts, dried fruit)  I buy these now.
  2. Perishables to buy one-week ahead (e.g., winter squashes, butter, hard cheeses, potatoes)
  3. Perishables to buy two days before (e.g., turkey, dairy, bread for stuffing, all other fruits and vegetables)
  • Buy to-go containers  I always make too much food and I like sending care packages home with my guests to enjoy the day after, especially our single friends.  This year I am definitely packing up all the extra desserts so that they aren’t tempting me the next afternoon when I’m shopping for holiday gifts online.  I love the idea of having people bring their own reusable containers, but for me it’s easier to get these disposables from my local Smart & Final.

  • Clean out the refrigerator  I’ll get to this over the weekend.  Now is a great time to get rid of food past its prime or to get creative with the last spoonful of nut butter or those four olives just to make more space in the fridge.  I have a second, inexpensive refrigerator in the garage which really comes in handy for big dinners.  If you don’t have the extra space, see if one of your neighbors is going away for the holiday and can store your chutney and jam collections for a few days.

  • Check your instant read thermometer   This tool the only way you’ll be able to tell if your turkey is cooked properly, so it’s important that it’s accurate.  If you’re unsure, stick the tip of the thermometer into boiling water.  If the temperature reads 212 degrees Farenheit, you’re good to go.

 

Butternut squash salad with pomegranates and toasted pumpkin seeds

butternut squash salad with pomegranates and pumpkin seeds | pamela salzman

Although I love planning and cooking the whole Thanksgiving meal, a few years ago I decided I was just plain bored with the same old same old.  The problem was that no one else was.  My family and regular Thanksgiving guests wanted no deviation from tradition.  I hinted at the notion that maybe, perhaps I would replace the standard stuffing with a fabulous grain-based recipe I had been testing.  A rebellion!!!  Oh, come on people.  Like you need more bread?  Fine, the stuffing stays.  But that didn’t prevent me from trying to show everyone how overly starchy Thanksgiving is.  So I asked, “Can we do away with the mashed potatoes or make them more interesting with some roasted garlic or cauliflower puree?”  I’m sure you can guess how that went.

 

 

Someone asked me the other day what is my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal.  I’ll give you three seconds to guess.  Okay, time’s up.  The vegetables!  Too obvious, I know.  Actually, it’s really the salad that is the highlight of the meal for me because I can change it up every year and it’s the only way I get to have any fun at all.  The beautiful colors of the vegetables do a lot to balance out all that beige, not to mention balance out all the carbs.  I also love eating something raw with all that cooked food.  But from a logistical perspective, salads can be made without the use of a stove or oven, which is a saving grace on Thanksgiving.  And, as if it couldn’t get any better, salads, for the most part, can be prepped in advance.

This butternut squash salad is something I made for Thanksgiving a few years ago and I still make it often for entertaining or for potlucks during the fall.  It’s beautiful, healthful, delicious and showcases the season’s great produce.  I have a theory that fruits and vegetables that grow during the same season usually complement each other very well.

On that note, there aren’t too many fall salads that wouldn’t be more fabulous with the addition of a handful of pomegranate seeds.  In fact, I think every Thanksgiving salad I’ve made in the last 8 years has had pomegranate seeds scattered throughout.  My kids and I are obsessed with them.  It was a happy day in our house the day I came home from the farmer’s market with the first pomegranates of the season.  I’ve even taught my kids how to seed them — Mr. Picky, who is a Virgo, is rather meticulous about getting every last seed out.  We open the pomegranates under water and gently push the seeds away from the peel.  It’s actually quite therapeutic, but more importantly, it keeps me from making a trip to the dry cleaner.  Also, people tell me that the already seeded pomegranates always seem a bit soggy.  They’re certainly much more expensive and why would you pay your grocery store a premium when you’ve got kids to do the job?

butternut squash salad with pomegranates and toasted pumpkin seeds | pamela salzman

butternut squash salad with pomegranates and toasted pumpkin seeds | pamela salzman

Butternut Squash Salad with Pomegranates and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pamela
5 from 1 vote
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Servings 6 -8

Ingredients
  

  • 1/3 cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds pepitas or chopped pecans
  • 3 Tablespoons unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil or unrefined melted coconut oil + 1 teaspoon olive oil for the pumpkin seeds
  • 1 3- pound butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into ¾ -inch dice
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary I accidentally left it out in this picture.
  • 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 8 ounces mixed baby greens
  • ½ cup fresh pomegranate seeds
  • Dressing:
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh pomegranate juice or orange juice
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • A few twists of freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons minced shallot
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup or raw honey
  • 6-7 Tablespoons cup unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Place the pumpkin seeds in a skillet and toast over low heat until lightly browned. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Remove from heat and set aside. Try not to eat them all while you’re cooking everything else.
  • Toss the squash with thyme and olive oil or coconut oil and place on 2 baking sheets. Season with sea salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes, turning once until tender and caramelized.
  • For the dressing: in a small bowl combine lemon juice, pomegranate juice, shallot, maple syrup, sea salt and pepper. Whisk in olive oil until emulsified.
  • Place salad greens on a platter and toss with enough dressing to coat lightly. Separately drizzle the butternut squash with some dressing and add to the greens. Sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds and pumpkin seeds. Taste for salt and pepper.

Notes

Dressing can be made a few days ahead and kept refrigerated.
Pumpkin seeds can be toasted the day before.
Salad greens can be washed and dried a few days in advance and rolled up in a damp kitchen towel or plastic bag and kept in the refrigerator.
Butternut squash can be cut up the day before and kept refrigerated.
Pomegranate can be seeded several days in advance and kept refrigerated.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

 

Pumpkin pie

 

There are very few recipes that debuted on my first Thanksgiving menu 16 years ago that are still going strong today.  Roast turkey, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes are staples year after year, as is a traditional pumpkin pie.  Despite all my rantings about how destructive sugar is to your health,  I honestly can’t imagine Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie.  I wouldn’t even care if no one liked it, I would still make two of them.  I remember the first pumpkin pie I ever made when I was in high school.  I followed the recipe on the can of Libby’s pumpkin puree and poured it into a store-bought pie crust.  Heaven.

 

Since then I have adjusted the recipe to be much more wholesome, and dare I say, much more delicious.  I traded in store-bought piecrust for homemade, canned pumpkin (bye-bye BPA) for freshly roasted (hello yummy rich pumpkin flavor), refined sugar for maple syrup (and much less of it), and canned evaporated milk for heavy cream.  Sure, heavy cream is rich in saturated fat, but I would rather eat a couple of spoonfuls of a high quality organic cream than canned milk.  Would you ever drink canned milk or feed it to your kids?  I didn’t think so.  I use organic raw cream when I can get it, or I buy a nonhomogenized, but pasteurized organic cream from Straus Family Creamery.  I have made a dairy-free version of this pie using coconut milk and it’s just as delicious (it does not taste like coconut, either.)  Of course there’s still lots of butter in the crust.  Last year, I made one pie with a white flour-based crust and another with a whole wheat pastry flour-based crust.  Only my sister-in-law and I liked the whole wheat one.  As my mother-in-law says, “You two like anything that you know is good for you.”  Partially true.  This year I will go back to all white flour pie crusts and the wholesomeness comes to an end right there.

Speaking of which, I am quite conscientious about consuming very little sugar during the year, but come Thanksgiving I feel like I have earned a piece of pie (or two) and I don’t feel bad about enjoying it.  The problem comes the next day when I’m looking for that sugar fix again at 4:00 in the afternoon.  And the next day.  And the day after that.  Guess what?  I’m not alone.  Thanksgiving starts not only the beginning of the holiday season, but a time when lots of people pack on a few extra pounds from overindulging too often.  I love celebrating just as much as the next person, but I definitely don’t love trying to lose weight (it’s not as easy as it used to be!)  I look forward to Thanksgiving dinner and dessert, especially after I’ve worked so hard to make it special and delicious, but this year I’m going to be a little more mindful the next day.  At least until Christmas.

 

Pumpkin Pie

Pamela
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Ingredients
  

  • Pie Crust:
  • 1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose white flour or spelt flour
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ cup 1stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
  • 2-4 Tablespoons ice water
  • Filling:
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup heavy cream or coconut milk not light
  • 1 3/4 cups fresh or canned pumpkin puree 1 15-ounce can
  • 3 large eggs
  • 6 Tablespoons pure maple syrup or brown sugar

Instructions
 

  • Make the crust: Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add the butter and pulse 10 times.
  • Turn the food processor on and slowly pour in 2 Tablespoons ice water. Stop the machine and carefully (watch the blade!) grab a small handful of dough and squeeze it in your hand. If it holds together well, you’re done. If it’s crumbly, add another tablespoon of ice water and blend. The goal is that when you squeeze the mixture in your hand that it forms a moist, but not sticky ball of dough. Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap and shape into a disc. Wrap well and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, flour a rolling pin and roll dough into a 12-inch round. While you’re rolling out the pastry, you should always be able to move it easily around the work surface without sticking. Add additional dustings of flour as needed. Fit the circle into a 9-inch pie plate and crimp edges. Refrigerate if it feels too soft.
  • Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork. Line the crust with a piece of parchment (like the one the dough was wrapped in), and fill it with pie weights or dried beans (the ones in the photo I've had since college!). Bake until lightly golden around the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove parchment and weights. Return crust to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes until light golden all over. Cool completely on a wire rack (this can take up to an hour so you may want to turn the oven off.)
  • Preheat the oven again to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the salt and spices (if you are using brown sugar instead of syrup, add the sugar now.)
  • In a large bowl or with a mixer, whisk together cream, pumpkin puree, eggs and maple syrup. Add spice mixture and combine thoroughly.
  • Pour mixture into the cooled crust and bake until filling is set (it will jiggle like gelatin, but it will be a little soft in the center), about 50-60 minutes. The filling will firm up as it cools. This can be made the day before. I like to keep it refrigerated.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Planning a Happy Thanksgiving — 3 Weeks and Counting

If you followed the advice in my post last Thursday, by now you probably have a general idea of how many guests you will be hosting on Thanksgiving.  If not, it’s time to get on the phone and do some inviting!  Do you have a good balanced menu and have you taken guests up on their offers to bring something?   This week we have a few more tasks that we can check off the list.

3 weeks before thanksgiving

  • Order the Turkey  If you eat turkey on Thanksgiving, it’s a good idea to order it now.  I have always ordered a fresh, free-range, organic turkey, because in my opinion they have a tasty turkey flavor and are better for you than most other alternatives.  The only thing that may be better is a heritage turkey, which has a much stronger turkey flavor and supposed to be more moist.  It will have less breast meat though and will be more expensive.  Avoid “self-basting” turkeys which are injected with anything from chicken fat to salt to chemicals.  True, they are easier to cook, but I think they taste more like salt than turkey and they are just full of stuff you don’t want to feed your family.

Here are some questions that will help you decide size:

How many ovens do you have?  If you have one large oven that can accommodate two turkeys side by side and an extra oven to spare (you’re so lucky!), then you have the option of cooking two smaller birds versus one large one.  But with two small ovens, you may not want them both being monopolized by turkeys.

Are your guests dark meat-eaters or white meat-eaters?  You will get more white meat by weight from one large bird than from two smaller.  Likewise, you will get more dark meat from two smaller birds than from one large one.

How big a turkey should you buy?  The rule of thumb is one pound of turkey per person.  So if you are expecting 16 guests, you should order a 16 pound turkey.  That doesn’t mean that you will have 1 pound of meat per person, though.  This is a good rule if you don’t want leftovers or if your guests are not big eaters.   So last year I cooked 2 17-pound turkeys for 20 adults and 5 kids and I had just enough leftovers for the five of us for dinner the next day.

Do you have a bad back?  What does this have to do with anything?  A very large turkey is mighty challenging to keep pulling out of the oven to baste.  I find two smaller turkeys much more manageable, if you have the oven space.

  • Planning Your Table Decor  I don’t do anything fancy for my table decorations, but it’s nice to make the table look special.  Now’s the time to check your linens for stains and make sure you have enough napkins, plates and glassware.  I generally like to do something simple with fresh flowers in autumnal colors and add in a few of the kids’ Thanksgiving art projects from years past.   I just adore Jenni Kayne’s table setting at the top of the post.  Check out all her lovely holiday photos and ideas on her ripplustan.com blog — beautiful!  But you can put out bowls of apples and pears or gourds and nuts, add in a few votive candles and it will look beautiful.  This year I’m doing something craftsy with help of my kids and my friend Marcie, who started a very cool line of paper table decor called Mixt Studio.  I’m not sure if her stuff will be ready for Thanksgiving, but if it isn’t, I’m going to copy this cute paper flower and use it as a place card attached with an inspiring quote.  Love that idea!  I have another talented friend, Lee who owns a local flower shop called Growing Wild along with her equally talented (they’re twins!) sister Lisa.  I couldn’t help but admire their lovely arrangements, one of which I pictured below to give you some inspiration.  If tablescape isn’t your thing, you can always order from your local florist or full service market.  Just get on it this week.

  • Make your pie crusts and freeze them  You can freeze them in disc form or roll them out, fit them into pie plates and freeze them, well wrapped.
  • Make your homemade stock and freeze it  I use over a gallon of chicken stock on Thanksgiving for soup, stuffing and gravy.

  • Make your dry mixes for pie fillings, cornbread and other baked goods.  Not only are there never enough ovens on Thanksgiving day, but there are never enough measuring cups and spoons either.  I measure out the dry ingredients, store them in a glass jar and label each jar, e.g. “Dry Mix for 2 Pumpkin Pies.”  I didn’t label them the first year I did this and let me tell you — pumpkin pie spices smell A LOT like apple pie spices.
  • Check your inventory of helpful tools and appliances  Here’s my list of Thanksgiving essentials:
  1. Instant-read thermometer— the only way to know if your turkey is ready.
  2. Roasting pan(s) and racks(s)
  3. Fat separator
  4. Twine for trussing
  5. Baster
  6. Potato ricer— for making the best mashed potatoes
More recipes to come, but these would be perfect for Thanksgiving:
Muhammara (roasted red pepper dip)
Butternut Squash, Beet and Apple Skewers (if you only have to make one thing or if the kids can skewer for you)
Sweet Potato-Coconut Soup (it doesn’t taste like coconut!)

Pumpkin pancakes with sauteed apples

Now that my daughters are teenagers (sigh), I encourage them to invite their girlfriends to have sleepovers at our house on the weekends.  I don’t always get my wish, but I do like having them home so I can keep an eye on everyone and then I don’t worry so much.  Not only that, but the girls’ friends give me more gossip than they do, and enquiring moms want to know!  Last weekend, my husband and Mr. Picky were away on a guy’s trip and I had 6 girls keeping me company.  I used to dread sleepovers because there would always be one early bird that would wake everyone up at 5:00 am and then you had a Miss Cranky Pants to deal with the rest of the day.  Let me tell you, some sleep mechanism kicks in when the kids hit middle school and then you can’t wake them before noon if your life depended on it.

Last Sunday, I was able to get in a workout and shower before I heard the first signs of life at 10:30 am.  Still foggy and misty out, I wanted to make a cozy breakfast for everyone.  I had cooked some fresh pumpkin puree the day before with pumpkin pancakes in mind — my absolute favorite!  Before I even got started, the 13-year-olds were mumbling something about not being hungry.  I would not be discouraged.  I noticed two sad-looking Golden Delicious apples on the counter that I knew no one would ever eat.   I decided to peel and slice those and gently saute them in a little butter while I preheated the griddle and assembled the pancake batter.

This is just a twist on the classic buttermilk pancake recipe that is a weekly staple in our house.  The pumpkin puree adds a beautiful copper color to the batter as well as a little Beta-carotene.  And then all those fantastic warming spices add the flavor that says Fall!  If you have pumpkin pie spice, I’m sure that would work fine here, too.  Just like my standard pancake recipe, you can make this batter the night before.  I have taught my girls how to cook their own pancakes, so very often I will leave the batter on the counter for them to cook with their friends at whatever time they saunter downstairs and I’m free to get my day going.

I normally just serve these pancakes with a little maple syrup or with this incredible apple cider syrup we picked up at a roadside farm in the Hamptons this summer.  The girls like to add chopped pecans to the pancakes when they’re cooking on the griddle, but the sauteed apples were a special treat and ridiculously simple to make.  When they were tender I drizzled on them the tiniest amount of syrup and a dash of cinnamon.  Crazy good!  I made a plate to photograph and then said to the girls, “Look how pretty this is.”  Their eyes bugged out and someone said, “Yum!  Like that actually looks good.”  Actually??  Like, whatever.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Sauteed Apples

Pamela
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Servings 4 -5

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour*
  • 1 ½ teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • pinch of ground cloves
  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk**
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup fresh or canned pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
  • 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • Coconut oil for brushing the griddle
  • Sauteed apples as accompaniment optional:
  • 2-3 apples peeled, cored and sliced
  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • a dash of cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • Preheat a griddle to 400 degrees or medium heat. (On some stovetops, 350 or 375 degrees is fine.)
  • If you are making the sautéed apples, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter and add the apples. Lower the heat slightly and gently sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon maple syrup and a dash of cinnamon and toss to combine. Remove from heat.
  • Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a large mixing bowl.
  • In a blender or medium mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, pumpkin puree, maple syrup and melted butter until well blended.
  • Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
  • Brush the griddle with coconut oil and spoon about ¼ cup of batter onto the griddle. Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the surface, if desired. When bubbles start to form on the surface of the pancake and the edges turn slightly dry, flip it over and cook until done. Serve warm with sautéed apples or maple syrup.

Notes

To make the pancakes gluten-free, substitute 1 ½ cups of Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Mix + 1 ¼ teaspoons of xanthan gum or substitute ¾ cup brown rice or GF oat flour and ¾ cup buckwheat flour.
**You can also substitute half yogurt and half regular milk for the buttermilk. Or, use 1 ½ cups milk, omit the baking soda, and use 2 teaspoons baking powder instead.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Smoky Braised Lentils with (or without) turkey sausages

Do you have a son younger than college age?  Did you ever have one?  Do you know that he probably doesn’t eat lunch at school?  I know you pack him something wonderful and maybe he even helped pick it all out.  But here’s the reality:  if your school is like mine and permits recess as soon as the kids are “finished” with lunch, most boys are only focused on one thing.  Playing ball.  I have figured out that my son only eats what he can on the way to the field and leaves everything else in the lunchbox.  He eats it all when he comes home, but he does NOT want to miss being picked for the better team or waste time sitting around eating when he can be doing his favorite thing in the world.  Playing ball.

Mr. Picky is in second grade and this has been going on since he started elementary school and from what other moms tell me, it doesn’t end.  So it was a big day in the Salzman household when Mr. Picky announced that he would like to take a thermos to school.  Why?  Did the state cut the budget for soccer balls?  Not yet.  Mr. Picky wanted a thermos so that he could take these lentils to school.  For lunch.  This is big, people.  And the thermos came back empty.

It is not at all important to me why he likes lentils, only that they are an amazing source of low-fat protein and super high in fiber, so they keep him full for a long time and help stabilize his blood sugar.  So I thought I would share this recipe with you just before Halloween since it is keeping in line with my strategy for the big night o’candy.  I can’t/won’t forbid my kids from eating candy on Halloween.  How unrealistic is that?  (Rhetorical question.  Very.)  My strategy is to get them really full with a good dinner before they go out so that they have no room in their bellies for too much candy.

My mom used to make braised lentils which is kind of like making lentil soup, but with less liquid.  Only she used to put a piece of pork or a smoked ham hock in the pot and it gave the lentils great flavor.  I don’t eat pork, but I started adding smoked paprika to my lentils to give a similar smokiness and it’s delicious.  Mr. Picky says it tastes like there’s a hot dog in there.  In fact, that wouldn’t be a bad idea to put a (nitrate-free) hot dog in the pot to persuade your kids to try lentils.  Just a thought.  I very often make them as a vegetarian dish since they have so much protein, but here I served them with my answer to fast food — Applegate Farms (Precooked) Organic Chicken and Turkey Sausages.  No matter how busy you are, I am sure you aren’t too busy to warm up these sausages.  I bake them, which is so much easier than cooking them in a skillet and having to clean up any splattering on the stovetop.  But the best part is that there are no spooky ingredients to worry about!

Smoky Braised Lentils with (or without) Turkey Sausages

Pamela
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Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tablespoon unrefined olive oil
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 1 carrot diced
  • 1 clove garlic finely chopped
  • 2-3 teaspoons smoked paprika Spice Hunter is a good, easy-to-find brand. Spicely Organic has no flavor.
  • 1 cup organic black or French lentils* sorted and rinsed
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme optional
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt + ½ teaspoon if you don’t cook sausages with lentils
  • 2 ½ cups water
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1-2 packages precooked Applegate Farms Sweet Italian or Chicken Apple sausages 4/package

Instructions
 

  • In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until tender and translucent, about 8 minutes.
  • Add the carrots, garlic and paprika. Cook for 2 more minutes.
  • Add the lentils, thyme, salt and water and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes** or until lentils are tender. Halfway during the cooking process, preheat the oven to 350.
  • Bake sausages on a baking sheet until heated through, about 15-20 minutes. Slice into thirds and serve with the lentils. Or alternatively, cut the sausages in half or thirds and add to lentils halfway through cooking lentils and heat sausages through.
  • If lentils seem too liquidy, simmer a little longer uncovered. Taste lentils and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Notes

*There seems to be a wide variety of lentil cooking times. 365 Brand takes about 30 minutes, but I have used some imported varieties that take up to 50 minutes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Planning a Happy Thanksgiving — 4 Weeks and Counting

I adore Thanksgiving.  I love the traditions, the food, the Macy’s parade on television while I am making my pies, the football games.   I love moving the family room furniture after the last football game is over to extend the dining room table.   I love hearing everyone share why they’re grateful.  I have cooked every Thanksgiving for the last 16 years, as well as dozens of Thanksgiving-themed cooking classes.   I have made lots of mistakes and in the process learned a thing or two about how to execute and enjoy  a very happy Thanksgiving.  Every Thursday from today until the big day, I will share my best tips, strategies and a few good recipes to set you up for a successful holiday.  Let’s get started!

4 Weeks Before Thanksgiving

  • Guest list  Now is a good time to invite family and friends for the holiday, even if they are regulars.  I send an email out to all our guests with the schedule for the day, especially when we will sit down for dinner.  We live on the West Coast, which means the last football game is over at 4:00.  Anyone that wants to come for the earlier game is welcome to do so.  There’s coffeecake, fruit and coffee in the morning.  A mugful of soup and cornbread around noon; hors d’oeuvres at 3:00 pm and dinner is at 4:00 or whenever the game is over.  You know that I pray for no overtime!
  • Plan your menu Planning the Thanksgiving menu requires a bit of strategy and balance.   Make sure you have a balance of cooked and raw food (One thing I have learned is no matter how big your kitchen or how many ovens you have, it’s never enough on Thanksgiving!); protein, starches and vegetables (I find most Thanksgiving menus to be too starchy;) and ingredients (make sure not every recipe has dried fruit and nuts in it.)  Know what dishes need an oven and when because if you’re making turkey and you have one oven, you won’t be baking too much in the hours before dinner.
Also, know your audience.  I love trying new recipes, but my family looks forward to the same traditional standbys every year.  There was almost a revolution when I took Breaded Cauliflower off the menu in 2007 ( I now serve it as an hors d’oeuvre.)  So I compromise by making the classics (traditional roast turkey with gravy and cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pumpkin pie), but I also try out a new salad or vegetable side dish every year.
But just because you’re cooking overtime for Thanksgiving dinner, doesn’t mean your household won’t be needing dinner the night before and breakfast the morning of.  Instead of ordering takeout pizza on Wednesday night, make and freeze a casserole in the weeks ahead or plan for your easiest 20-minute meal.  The same goes for Thanksgiving day, especially if you have young children in the house.  You can save your appetite and get by on a piece of fruit for the day, but your four-year-old cannot.  I always make a pot of butternut squash soup the day before and a pan of cornbread to be served around noon to tide anyone over until the big meal.
  • Outsource    Do as I say here.  Don’t do as I do.  You don’t have to make everything yourself.  In fact, most people would be delighted to contribute something to the holiday which will alleviate the pressure on you.  But you must be specific otherwise you’ll end up with 4 pumpkin pies and no green vegetables and we all know what I think about that.  “Thank you, Caitlin for your offer to bring something.  I think I’ll take you up on it.  We have neither stuffing nor apple pie yet.  Would you like to tackle one of those?”
  • Write out a schedule Take the time to plan everything that you need to do over the next four weeks and put it on the computer so you have it for future holidays.  By taking a little time now, you will save yourself stress, anxiety and HOURS later.  Trust me on this.  You can see my detailed schedule as an example.
  • Photocopy your recipes from books and magazines I remember my first Thanksgiving with a stack of cookbooks and magazines taking up valuable counter space and my wasting so much time looking up each recipe multiple times.  Ugh!  Put your photocopied recipes in sheet protectors and create a dedicated Thanksgiving or holiday three ring binder organized by category.  This just might be the most useful tip I give you.
Here’s what I am probably making this year:
Breakfast:
Coffeecake, fruit, coffee and tea
Lunch:
Butternut Squash or Sweet Potato-Coconut Soup and Cornbread
Hors D’oeuvres:
Breaded Cauliflower with Tomato Dipping Sauce
Dinner:
Applesauce
Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes
Maple-Rum Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Whole Grain Stuffing with Mushrooms, Leeks and Herbs
Roasted Green Beans with Lemon, Shallots and Thyme
Individual Harvest Chopped Salads or Butternut Squash Salad
Dessert:
Apple and Tart Cherry Pie
Gingerbread Cupcakes
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
Freshly Whipped Cream
Fresh Seasonal Fruit