Vegan Lentil Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

Photography by Devon Francis

I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving and that you enjoyed every moment with your loved ones.  The food took a backseat to the time I spent with my three kids and my husband, as well as family and friends.  Don’t get me wrong, I love a delicious feast, but I was beyond grateful that we were all together.  I took the rest of the weekend “off” in the sense that I pulled away from social media for a few days and didn’t really cook too much.  We repurposed leftovers the entire weekend, turning turkey and green bean casserole plus homemade turkey stock into a turkey-mushroom-green bean-barley soup.  I combined leftover stuffing and eggs for a strata of sorts. And I made a huge braised root vegetable salad with fresh greens and a light vinaigrette.  My daughters got creative with pumpkin pie, frozen bananas and almond milk for smoothies as well as cranberry sauce on yogurt. In my notes for next year’s Thanksgiving, I will put in all caps that I make too many desserts!Continue reading

Sumac-Spiced Chicken with Pomegranate Glaze Recipe

This post is sponsored by Moink Box. All opinions are my own.

‘Tis the season for entertaining!  I know many people toss aside the clean eating when they invite friends over for a dinner party, but I am not that way.  I love the opportunity to share healthy food with those I care about.  And I also notice that more and more people are trying to eat “better” and are relieved when they don’t have to eat outside whatever plan they have committed to. I recently had a dinner party and everything I made was fresh and whole foods-based, nothing heavy or over-the-top.  My friends were delighted to leave feeling satisfied, but not regretful!
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Easy Tuna Dip Recipe

This post is sponsored by Chicken of the Sea. All opinions are my own.

I don’t usually post a Thanksgiving recipe this week because I like to assume we’ve all committed to our menus by this point!  But I know something that I wouldn’t turn down right now is a super fast, easy, healthful appetizer recipe that could be made with pantry staples in 5 minutes flat.  Tell you more? Of course.

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Planning a Happy Thanksgiving 2018 – 1 week to go!

This post has been edited from the original which was published on November 17, 2011.

It’s always hard to accomplish your Thanksgiving tasks when you don’t know how many people you’re having over!  I think I have the final count and we’re only going to be 20 people this year, including my two daughters who will be coming home.  I am so excited to have all my kids in the kitchen this year prepping and cooking with me.  I had a stroke of genius seven years ago, which was to tack my Thanksgiving to-do list on the refrigerator and have everyone sign up for three tasks.  Even my husband helps out!

My last class is tomorrow, but I have a few fun things to keep my busy until Thanksgiving.  Today (Thursday) at 2:30 pm PST/5:30 pm EST, my friend and Sprinkles Cupcakes founder Candace Nelson and I will be doing an Instagram LIVE. We’ll be answering your questions about making pies.  Please join us!  I’ll be getting busy on Sunday when I start making applesauce and cranberry sauce.  Monday, I’ll be coming to you on Instagram LIVE from Thrive Market headquarters at 5:00 pm PST.  I always plan Thanksgiving day down to the last detail because I don’t like forgetting things and a schedule makes me feel more relaxed, which equals more fun for me! But just because Thanksgiving is the star of the show this week doesn’t mean that I can forget about normal life on very other day. So I think about regular meals and activities, too. Here’s what my schedule will look like from Sunday until we eat on Thursday at 4:00 pm (-ish). This shouldn’t make you feel exhausted, but merely show you what you can do ahead for your own Thanksgiving!  The Chalkboard Mag published a really great blogpost two years ago with tons of tips from lots of food experts (including me!)  I highly recommend giving it a quick read.

My Thanksgiving ebook is available for only $15!  This PDF contains all my Thanksgiving recipes, tips and tricks, in one document!  You will have everything you need to plan and execute your best Thanksgiving ever.  Click here to access the Thanksgiving ebook.

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Roasted Vegetable Salad Recipe

Photography by Devon Francis

I have been holding onto this recipe for sooooo long!  It is one of my absolute favorite fall/winter salads and I have made it countless times over the last 2 years.  I originally ate a similar salad at a cafe called Clementine in Century City (LA) and I knew that I would have to duplicate it at home.  I proceeded to make it once a week for many weeks on end and then subsequently teach it in my classes.  Everyone flipped for it, and even though I taught it in a February cooking class, this salad is made for Thanksgiving!Continue reading

Planning a Happy Thanksgiving 2018 – 2 Weeks and Counting!

This post was originally published on November 10, 2011.

Life is unpredictable, but Thanksgiving is not and it 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.  Don’t let these Thursday posts stress you out.  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.

I’m so thrilled so many of you are happy with the Thanksgiving ebook!  Thank you for sharing all of your feedback.  For those of you on the fence, if you are planning ANY large holiday gathering or meal with many components, this ebook will be the best $15 you have ever spent!  Click here to get your ebook.  ðŸ™‚

Join me on Instagram this Monday, November 12th at 5:00 pm PST/8:00 pm EST when I will be LIVE answering your questions about planning for Thanksgiving.  Think of it as a Thanksgiving hotline!

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Apple-Tart Cherry Pie with Crumble Topping Recipe

I bake way too many pies on Thanksgiving – 2 pumpkin, 2 pecan and 2 apple.  Plus I usually make 1 non-pie dessert.  I do this because pies are my favorite thing to make for the holiday.  I am trying to simplify my menu this year, but I can’t bring myself to bake fewer pies.  In fact, in the last couple of years, I have expanded the apple pie selection to include this apple crumb pie, as well as the classic.

I adore apple desserts in the fall when the fruit is in season.  There are so many wonderful varietals of apples, from tart to sweet and everything in between.  And I love using several different types of apples in pies and applesauce for a more interesting flavor profile.

I taught this pie last year in my classes as an alternative to the typical double crust pie.  A crumb topping is much easier to work with.  There’s no crimping of the top crust, no pressure to create a Pinterest-worthy work of art with the dough, no rolling – it’s almost foolproof, but still looks very impressive.  The downside is that we’re adding a bit more sugar in a crumb topping than in a pie crust.  But the crumble topping has wonderful texture and flavor.  This pie is very easy to make look good even if the bottom crust doesn’t look great (i.e. if you have a vegan or gluten-free situation happening.)

Photo by Devon Francis

I have actually successfully frozen this pie, defrosted it and reheated it with success.  It’s certainly worth a try if you can’t manage to pull off your own great Thanksgiving pie bake-off the night before Thanksgiving.  This recipe can also be adapted to many different types of fruits.  Just ask yourself what would taste good as a fruit crisp, and it would be great as a crumble pie.

If you are interested in making your own pie from scratch, I’ll be doing an Instagram Live with my friend and cupcake queen, Candace Nelson, next Thursday, November 15th at 2:30 pm PST/5:30 pm EST.  Come join us and bring your pie-making questions!

For ALL my Thanksgiving Recipes and Tips, check out my new Thanksgiving eBook!

Here’s a link to my previous dinner planners.

I have LOVED seeing all your creations of my recipes on Instagram.  If you make any of my recipes, please tag me @pamelasalzman #pamelasalzman so I can check them out!

Click here to learn more about my online cooking classes and my cookbook!

Shop the tools for this recipe by clicking on the images below:

Apple-Tart Cherry Pie with Crumble Topping

Pamela
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • All-purpose flour for dusting countertop
  • 1 recipe for single pie crust see below
  • 1 pound tart apples such as Granny Smith
  • 1 pound sweet apples such as Fuji
  • 1 pound soft apples such as Golden Delicious
  • ¾ cup dried tart cherries rehydrate for 15 minutes in warm water until plumped, drain
  • ¼ cup cherry preserves look for an all-fruit one without added sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ cup organic cane sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • pinch ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter cut into small pieces
  • Crumble Topping:
  • ½ cup walnut or pecan pieces, chopped very fine
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour or white flour
  • 6 Tablespoons packed sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Instructions
 

  • Roll pie dough* out on a lightly floured countertop, regularly checking to make sure disk is not sticking to counter. Roll into a 12-inch round. Fit pastry into a 9-inch pie plate. Crimp or flute the edges as desired. An easy thing to do is to press the crust with the tines of a fork. Refrigerate.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Peel, core and slice apples crosswise into ¼-inch slices. Transfer to a large bowl and mix with soaked dried cherries, cherry preserves, lemon juice, sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Combine well. Arrange apple mixture in pie shell and dot with butter.
  • Make the walnut crumble: stir together the walnuts, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and butter in a medium bowl. Top the pie with small handfuls of the crumble, covering everything evenly.
  • Place pie on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking until the crumble is golden and the juices are bubbling around the edges and have thickened, about 50 minutes more. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool for an hour before serving. Pie can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Notes

Pâté Brisée:
1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose white flour or white spelt flour
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional)
½ cup (1stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
2-4 Tablespoons ice water
Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse a couple times until blended.
Add the butter to the flour and pulse until the mixture resembles small peas. 
Pour 2 Tablespoons of ice water on top of the flour mixture and pulse about 10 times. Avoiding the blade, carefully grab a small handful of dough and squeeze together. If the dough holds together without crumbling, it’s ready to be formed into a disc. If it’s too dry, pulse in another few teaspoons of ice water until dough holds together.
Transfer dough to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a disc. Wrap well and refrigerate at least 30 minutes at which point it will be ready to roll out. Or you can keep the dough refrigerated for 2-3 days, or in the freezer, well wrapped for 2-3 months.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Creamy Corn Pudding Recipe

This creamy corn pudding is the LAST recipe I ever thought I would fall for.   Whenever I load up my plate on Thanksgiving (or any meal for that matter), I go for color, freshness, non-starchy vegetables.  If I eat something creamy, it’s likely risotto, or a cashew-based dressing, or ice cream LOL.  But I can’t teach salads and vegetables every Thanksgiving because that’s not what my peeps want.  I know most of you are looking for comfort food, traditional ingredients, and starch.  Yes, starch.Continue reading