Rich, easy and leftover
Cranberry Bean Soup with Smoky Cornbread Croutons. The ultimate leftover. Delicious like it should have been the main act, not the afterthought. And a perfect example of protein complementarity. Say what?
Turkey matchmaking
Even if your turkey's tender, you may think it's tough to find the right thing to drink with it. The good news: some unusual and relatively inexpensive wines work really well. I'd go for something bright, fruity, spicy. Something to refresh. Something to add interest to the next mouthful.
Quick, raw and refreshing
Two wonderful and interesting salads you can whip together in a few minutes. While everything else Thanksgiving is roasting, baking and bubbling along. Fennel-Celery Salad for my Short Ribs. Butternut Squash & Bosc Pear Ceviche for everything seasonal.
Fall Fruit Upside Down Cake
Apples. Pears. Cranberries. They're everywhere. They're cheap. They're ripe and ready for Thanksgiving. Turn that pumpkin pie tradition upside down with a luscious Fall Fruit Upside Down Cake. Takes about 10 minutes and $4 to prepare. Makes 8 -12 happy people.
Pilgrim Pop: Cranberry Ginger Ale
So what're you drinking for Thanksgiving? What're the kids going to drink? I'm working on it, mixing up food-friendly flavored sparkling waters. Refreshing, satisfying alternatives to wine and beer when you just don't feel like alcohol with your turkey or short ribs
Sweet Potatoes: Beans, No Marshmallows
A hugely flavorful, protein-laced sweet potato dish. Trade in the empty-calorie refined sugar for essential amino acids. It's Thanksgiving, not Halloween. Don't embarrass your sweet potato with a marshmallow costume.n
Thanksgiving Short Ribs
These ribs are like turkey anti-matter. Melt in your mouth. Rich and juicy. Powerfully aromatic. You don't have to carve them.
Bread & Breakfast: Better French Toast
This started as an experiment. It turned out so well that I didn't even put maple syrup on it. Or butter. Honest. The idea was to make something like a really good breakfast pastry - but without highly refined flour and sugar. Ten minutes and a dollar later, four great slices.
The Crouton Upgrade
They're somewhere in the Top 10 reasons to make bread, more bread than you think you're going to eat. These fresh, crunchy, flavorful croutons are a quick, cheap upgrade for every salad and soup.