Holiday Baking: Nutella Shortbread Brownies

Many years ago, when I was living in Paris and working as a part-time English teacher and part-time nanny, I catered a Christmas party for a Parisian family. The pressure was high, cooking for this group of sophisticated Parisian food-lovers, but I was determined to wow them. Now this crowd, despite the typical French willpower in the face of dessert, loved sweets. In fact, I recall that at least half of the items I made that night contained sugar. They wanted American desserts, so I obliged, with pumpkin cupcakes (and cream-cheese frosting), pecan bars, chocolate chip cookies, and my homage to both France and America, these decadent little Nutella shortbread brownies.

Now the guests at this party may have been a tad skeptical at first, upon hearing about the young American cook, but by the time they had tasted the Nutella brownies, all doubts had turned to bliss. I was swarmed with admirers (of the brownies): "Qu'est-ce que c'est?" (What is it?!) "C'est une reve!" (It's a dream!) "Elles sont magiques... superbes... ravissantes!!" (They're magic... superb... delightful!) I have never heard a more appreciative crowd than these French party-goers post-dessert. Perhaps they were just in a sugar coma (or maybe it was the Champagne talking), but after such an enthusiastic response, I've been making these hazelnut brownie bars ever since.

These are actually inspired by a recipe for Fudgy Brownie Bars I discovered on Epicurious.com years ago. I've changed the recipe a good bit, adding Nutella and vanilla, reducing the sugar by half a cup, and adding in whole roasted hazelnuts. I also swapped out salted butter for unsalted in the shortbread base, and I love the salty-sweet contrast. The result is a crisp shortbread base and a decadent, fudge-like Nutella brownie topping. In other words: heaven!

If there's one thing you bake this holiday season, I'd strongly recommend these show-stoppers. Yes, the butter content is alarmingly high. Yes, they take over 30 minutes to make. And yes, they probably have a zillion calories. But you will be hard pressed to find a more crowd-pleasing confection. Cut them into bite-size pieces for a party, or make a batch and freeze half for a snowy day. They also make fabulous holiday hostess gifts, packaged in a cellophane bag and tied with a pretty ribbon. Happy baking!

NUTELLA SHORTBREAD BROWNIES

Makes 24 bars

Salted Butter Shortbread:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons salted butter, cut into small pieces

Hazelnut Nutella Brownies:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup Nutella
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole roasted hazelnuts, skins removed•

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

For the Salted Butter Shortbread: Combine the flour, brown sugar, and salt in bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is full of pea-size lumps. (If you don't have a food processor, just combine the mixture in a bowl. Using a fork and knife, cut the butter into the flour to create pea-size lumps. Or just use your fingers!)

Sprinkle the mixture into an ungreased 13"x9"x2" baking pan; press the mixture evenly into the pan with your hands (or a metal spatula). Place in the oven and bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly while making the brownie layer. Keep the oven set to 350°F.

For the Hazelnut Nutella Brownies: Melt the butter and the chocolate in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and beat well with electric beaters (or a whisk). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until thoroughly combined. Add the vanilla and the Nutella and continue beating.

Stir in the flour and the salt, until no streaks remain. Stir in the hazelnuts. Pour the mixture over the shortbread base and smooth the surface with a spatula.

Bake on the middle rack for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs attached. (The middle of the brownies may crack a bit–this is normal.) Cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.

TO CUT: Using a sharp knife, cut around the edges of the brownies to loosen them from the pan. Using one hand on the bottom of the pan and one hand on the brownies, carefully flip the pan upside down onto a cutting board. Tap the pan a few times, then remove it–the brownies should be shortbread-side up on the cutting board.

Flip them over so the shortbread side is on the cutting board and the brownies are on top. Dip a sharp knife into hot water and carefully cut the brownies into 24 bars (cleaning the knife and re-dipping it into the water between cuts). It's important to have a sharp knife for this process to cut through the hazelnuts!

Store the brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days (or freeze).

*To roast the hazelnuts, place them on a baking sheet and roast them in a 350°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned and the skins are beginning to split. Dump the hazelnuts into a bowl and using a kitchen towel (so you don't burn your fingers!), rub the skins off and discard them.

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Quick & Healthy Leftover Turkey Chili

I hope everyone had a marvelous Thanksgiving! Several of you wrote me and told me you brined a turkey for the first time...congrats!! That's really exciting. I ended up brining my turkey again this year (thankfully without any of the disasters of last year) and it was so deliciously moist and flavorful. I am officially a brining convert.

(By the way, this post is about chili, I promise–but we have to relive Thanksgiving first! Bear with me...)



The yellow table was packed to capacity (it fits 12, barely) again this year, and we had a ball. Somehow we only have 11 plates, 11 glasses, etc. so we had to sort of improvise with the twelfth setting. We also only have six matching chairs, so the rest were sort of a hodge-podge of spare folding chairs, drum stools, and anything else that resembles a seat. But despite our lack of sophistication, I'm still glowing a bit. I'm weird like that...every time I throw a dinner party–despite hours of prep and piles of dishes–I'm walking on clouds for days. I just love cooking for friends, and nothing gives me more joy than seeing the faces of good friends eating and laughing around the table.

I kept it low-key this year, just making the turkey and a few sides (butternut squash with red onions, spinach, and dried cranberries, farro with wild mushrooms, and roasted Brussels sprouts with lemon and Parmesan) and leaving everything else for friends to bring. That made my life easier AND it allowed for the culinary talent of our friends to shine through. We had fantastic cranberry lemon thyme cocktails to start (thank you Seth) and a lovely hors d'oeuvres spread of big green olives and carmelized nuts (thanks Kristen), Tuscan white bean tapenade with crudites and a slew of cheeses (thanks Vicki & Gabe), and amazing spinach cheese balls (thanks Katie!). Along with dinner, we had a beautiful loaf of zucchini corn bread (thanks Rachel & Tiago), plus cranberry sauce and mashed sweet potatoes (thanks to Vicki's mom!). And for dessert: pumpkin pie and gelato (thanks Esther & Chidi) and the most gorgeous apple cranberry pie I've ever seen (thanks Rachel!). And a few pumpkin spice macarons from BisousCiao (I couldn't resist).



In the midst of much laughter and story-telling, we did take time to go around and share what we were thankful for, which was considerable. It was great to take time to reflect on the past year and realize just how blessed we are. I feel so grateful to have such a wonderful NYC "family" with whom to celebrate life, around the table.

OK, OK enough about Thanksgiving...now for the promised chili recipe. After several meals of leftovers, I decided it was time to use up the rest of the turkey in a big pot of three-bean chili. I sort of made up the recipe as I went, and I loved the end result. The San Marzano tomatoes make all the difference–they provide the vibrant red color and intense sun-ripened tomato flavor. I personally don't like a fiery hot chili, but if you want more heat you can add in some cayenne or some more chili powder if you want. The recipe below (minus the optional cayenne) is just fine for me, heat-wise. I love this chili, not only because it's the perfect way to use up your leftover turkey and feed a crowd, but because it's so versatile! If you don't have roast turkey lying around (say in January), you can substitute roast chicken or use ground turkey, or you can just eliminate the turkey all together for a delicious vegan three-bean chili. It's also super-quick to make (less than 30 minutes), inexpensive, high in protein and fiber, and low in fat. Not bad!

I highly recommend making a big pot of this and watching an old-school Christmas movie. We watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and laughed hysterically. A perfect ending to a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.

THREE-BEAN TURKEY CHILI

Serves 6

2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large yellow (or white) onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano peeled tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans
2 1/2 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded (or cubed) roasted turkey
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the vegetable oil in pot over medium high heat. Saute the onion 4 to 5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne and saute an additional 2 minutes, stirring well to combine. Add the tomatoes and the juices, crushing the whole tomatoes gently with a wooden spoon.

Drain the beans into a strainer and rinse. Add the beans and the water and bring to a boil. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper (feel free to adjust those proportions according to your tastes). Reduce the heat and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened.

Remove from the heat, stir in the turkey and let sit, covered, for several minutes to heat through. Stir in the cilantro and season with additional salt and pepper if you like.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
• Garnish with diced avocados, sour cream, shredded cheddar, or crushed tortilla chips (or any combination of these four toppings).
• If you happen to be making this at a non-Thanksgiving time of year (i.e. you don't have gobs of roast turkey sitting around) you can substitute ground turkey. Just add in about 1 pound of raw ground turkey to the recipe after the onion, garlic, and spices. Saute until it turns white (about 3-4 minutes) then proceed with the recipe as written.
• You can substitute the roasted turkey for roasted chicken.
• Feel free to eliminate the turkey all together for a vegan 3-bean chili (equally delicious!).

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Thanksgiving Guide 2011

Thanksgiving needn't be a stressful time of year. In fact, hosting Thanksgiving can be a lot of fun. This year, rather than obsessing over the food and the table decor, I've tried to reflect more on the meaning of Thanksgiving. To be thankful for what I have, and for the people I love. After all, Thanksgiving is just one day, but we have so much to be thankful for every day. Keeping that perspective takes a lot of the pressure off of trying to create a perfect meal (which, by the way, does not exist outside magazines!). All that aside, planning is a key component of hosting any event. Below, I've laid out a series of Thanksgiving day recipes and ideas–mostly healthy, mostly simple, and most of which can be made (at least partially) in advance. Here's to a fun, relaxed, and joyful Thanksgiving!

	Herb Roasted Turkey with Apple Cider Brine Sick of having a dry turkey? Brining your turkey–soaking it overnight in a saline solution before roasting–definitely creates the moistest, most flavorful turkey you can imagine. Full disclosure: it does take a bit of work, but the end result is fantastic. Give it a try!
	Winter Squash Salad with Kale & Pomegranate Seeds This salad is a perfect canvas to experiment with different types of winter squash. I used acorn and Delicata, but you could really use any type–butternut or Kabocha would also be nice. The gorgeous colors make it an ideal side dish for the holidays.
	Farro with Wild Mushrooms This is a healthy adaptation of my favorite Thanksgiving Day dish growing up: my mom's Brown Rice. I took out the stick of butter and the cans of soup, and substituted farro for the rice and fresh mushrooms for canned. The end result? Still intensely flavorful–without feeling so heavy.
	Brussels Sprouts & Red Cabbage Slaw Super healthy and easy to prepare, Brussels sprouts are a must for me on Thanksgiving day. Studded with dried cranberries and pine nuts, this slaw is delicious and takes only 20 minutes to prepare.
	Simple Roasted Cauliflower If you're not a cauliflower fan (as I used to claim I wasn't), try roasting it. Tossed with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper and blasted in a hot oven, this normally bland vegetable is utterly transformed.
	Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Red Onions & Arugula This is one of my all-time favorite ways to eat sweet potatoes. I love the amazing combination of flavors: sweet potatoes and roasted red onions with rosemary, salty Parmesan, and peppery arugula.

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Simple Roasted Cauliflower

If you're not a cauliflower fan (as I used to claim I wasn't), try roasting it. Tossed with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper and blasted in a hot oven, cauliflower is utterly transformed. The normally bland, white, cruciferous vegetable (most commonly seen on crudité trays with ranch dip) turns into a golden, salty, addictive snack, with a slightly crispy exterior and meltingly soft interior. I love it simply roasted, or with the additions listed below.

SIMPLE ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

Serves 8

2 heads cauliflower, stalks removed and broken into bite-size florets
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425°F and line two sheet trays with aluminum foil (this makes for easier clean-up).

Toss the cauliflower and olive oil in a large bowl and spread evenly onto two sheet trays. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown (and beginning to turn dark on the edges). Switch the trays once during cooking.

Let cool slightly before serving.

VARIATIONS:
• Substitute the cauliflower for broccoli.
• After cooking, toss with some fresh lemon juice and some grated Parmesan.
• For a Mediterranean variation, toss the roasted cauliflower with capers, chopped Kalamata olives, and chopped parsley.
• Sauté a minced garlic clove and 2 anchovies in a tablespoon of olive oil until the garlic is fragrant and the anchovies have melted. Drizzle this mixture over the roasted cauliflower.

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Healthy Living: Brussel Sprouts and Red Cabbage Slaw

Though I hated them as a kid, now I LOVE Brussels sprouts. Usually I just eat them roasted with a little olive oil and sea salt. And maybe a squeeze of lemon juice or a sprinkling of grated Parmesan. I also love them in pasta, on a pizza, or alongside roasted fish or poultry. But recently I discovered how delicious they are raw–grated or thinly sliced into a slaw or salad. This salad was inspired by a recipe I saw in Food & Wine last year that combined roasted Brussels sprouts with raw red cabbage in a colorful slaw. I loved the idea of combining Brussels sprouts with red cabbage, but I thought it would be great to keep it simple and just to serve everything raw, tossed with a tangy Dijon vinaigrette.



Super healthy and easy to prepare, Brussels sprouts are a must for me on Thanksgiving day. This slaw is delicious served with roast turkey (or chicken or pork) and is really simple to make. Thinly slice your Brussels sprouts and red cabbage, combine with toasted pine nuts and dried cranberries, and toss with vinaigrette. And if you want, top with some Parmesan shavings. Less than 20 minutes and you're done! Thanksgiving never looked, tasted (or felt) better.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS & RED CABBAGE SLAW

Serves 8

1 pound Brussels sprouts, woody ends removed (as well as any discolored leaves)
1 1/2 pounds red cabbage (about 6 cups)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan shavings (optional)

Slice the Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise and slice as thinly as possible. Slice the red cabbage in half, remove the core and slice as thinly as possible. (You can use a mandoline if you have one–just be careful!).

In a large bowl, combine the Brussels sprouts and the cabbage with the dried cranberries and toasted pine nuts. In a separate bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, honey, and sherry vinegar. Add the olive oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the vinaigrette over the slaw and toss well to combine. Serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan shavings, if desired.

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Turkey Talk: To Brine or Not to Brine

A few weeks before Thanksgiving last year, my in-laws threw us a lovely post-wedding reception near their home in Richland, Michigan. Because we were spending Thanksgiving in NYC with friends, my mother-in-law Jan insisted on cooking a Thanksgiving feast for us while we were there. I'd heard for years about her legendary turkey from Brandon, and it more than lived up to his praises: it was ultra-moist (a feat in and of itself) and so flavorful. When I asked her what her secret was, her one-word response surprised me: brining.

Though I had heard of brining, I had certainly never tried it myself, and I wasn't exactly sure what it entailed. Basically, brining involves soaking the bird for a day or two in a salt-sugar-water-herb mixture. Scientifically speaking, this soaking process breaks down the proteins in the meat tissues, allowing the turkey to absorb water and flavorings (and thus producing a much plumper, moister bird). Though you can make their own brine mixture, Jan swears by World Market's $5.99 turkey brine mixture. The stuff is amazing–you just add it to boiling water (and in her case, apple cider, maple syrup, and spiced rum) and stir until the salt and sugar melt.

You have to cool the mixture for a few hours, then you submerge the turkey in the brining liquid. 'And how in the world do you do that?' I can hear you asking. You can either place the turkey and the liquid in some unscented garbage bags (I highly recommend double or even triple-bagging it) or a sealable brining bag, or if you don't have the space in your fridge, you can use a a big cooler. Then just let the mixture chill for 12 to 24 hours. It does take some planning ahead, but I figured with an end result that good, I had to give this recipe a try.

Jan gave me a couple bags of the brining mix to take home, and I was inspired to brine my own turkey for Thanksgiving a few weeks later. We were having 12 people over, so I bought a 14-pound fresh turkey and two days before Thanksgiving, started the bringing process. Everything was going really well until I realized I didn't have a deep enough container to fit the brining bag with the turkey and brining liquid. I ended up using my deepest roasting pan, which was fine except for the fact that the liquid-filled bag was bulging over the sides. I made sure it was sealed well and carefully slid the whole thing into my refrigerator, praying that there would be no leaks for the next 24 hours.

Everything was fine until it came time to remove the turkey from the brining liquid. I gingerly carried the roasting pan with its bulging liquid contents over to the sink. I slowly unsealed the bag, intending to dump all the liquid into the sink before removing the turkey. I never had that opportunity. As soon as I opened the bag it collapsed, creating a flood of brining liquid–all over me, the counters, the floors, down into the burners on the stove, into the oven, and down in every crack and crevice of the kitchen. It was the biggest sticky mess you could imagine (I had put maple syrup and apple cider in the brine). I had to laugh–here I was trying to create the perfect turkey and I had created a Lucille Ball-type disaster. I wished I had an Ethel to call at that moment!

Though it took me several hours to clean my kitchen, fortunately the turkey was salvaged–I just rinsed it off, patted it dry, and proceeded to roast it as planned. And amazingly, the flavor and the moistness were as good (or even better) than I could have imagined. Brining really does make a tremendous difference. Though I'm still convinced that my mother-in-law's turkey is the best in the world, I'm on the fence as to whether I will brine this year. In a small kitchen, with a small sink and a small refrigerator, it is quite a challenge. And the memory of the last year's brine bath still haunts me! But there's no arguing that the turkey was delicious. Fortunately I still have another couple of days to decide.

The brine recipe below is based on my mother-in-law's and the turkey recipe is adapted from Alton Brown's Good Eats.

THE WORLD'S BEST THANKSGIVING TURKEY

Serves 10 to 12

1 (12 to 14 pound) fresh or frozen turkey

Brine Mixture:
1 bag (2 cups) World Market Turkey Brine (sea salt, sugar, dried cranberries, garlic, sage, apple, orange peel, juniper berries, black peppercorns, thyme, and rosemary)
1 gallon water
1 gallon apple cider
1 cup maple syrup

Turkey Seasonings:
1 pear, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cloves garlic, peeled
4 tablespoons softened butter
Salt and pepper

If you are using a frozen turkey, make sure to thaw it completely in the refrigerator (for about 2 to 3 days) before starting the brine. Remove the innards (set aside if you want to use them for gravy later).

In a large pot, combine the brine mixture and the water and bring to a boil. Stir until the sugar and salt in the brine mixture has dissolved. Remove from the heat, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Place the thawed turkey breast-side down in a 5-gallon container or brining bag (or large unscented garbage bags). Carefully pour the chilled brining mixture over the turkey, along with a gallon of chilled apple cider and a cup of maple syrup. The turkey should be completely submerged in the liquid (you may need to weight it down to assure the turkey stays submerged).

Make sure the bag (or container) is well sealed and place it in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours, turning the bird once during the brining process.

Remove the bird from the brine (taking care not to dump the brining liquid on the floor like I did!!) and rinse inside and out with cold water and pat dry. It's ready for roasting!

Preheat the oven to 500°F. Remove all oven racks except the lowest one. Place the turkey on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan. Place the pear, red onion, rosemary, thyme, and garlic in the cavity of the bird. Tuck the wings beneath the turkey and tie the legs together (this helps it to roast more evenly). Using your hands, coat the entire turkey with the softened butter and season with salt and pepper.

Roast the turkey at 500°F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast (I use the electronic kind that sits out on the counter while the bird roasts) and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Roast for about 2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 161°F. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil, for 15 minutes before carving.

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Healthy Living: Farro with Wild Mushrooms

One of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes growing up was my mom's Brown Rice. (And let's be honest–it still is!) It's actually not brown rice at all: it's regular white rice that is baked with a can of beef consommé, a can of French onion soup, a can of mushrooms, and a stick of butter. The end result has a golden brown color (thus the name) and a deliciously rich flavor. And the house always smells heavenly while it's in the oven. However, the high levels of fat (from the butter) and the intense levels of sodium (from the canned soups) made me a bit hesitant to make this dish for our Thanksgiving this year.

So I set out to create a healthier version of my childhood favorite. I wanted to make a dish that still had the lovely golden color, intense mushroom flavor, and pleasantly grainy texture as my mom's Brown Rice, but with less fat and sodium. I got to work, substituting farro (a high-fiber Italian grain) for the rice and replacing the canned mushrooms with sautéed fresh mushrooms. I eliminated the cans of soup just added a little white wine, garlic, and fresh thyme for flavor. And rather than butter, I just used a bit of heart-healthy olive oil.

The end result? Definitely different than my mom's original dish, but it was still intensely flavorful–without feeling so heavy. I love the nutty flavor and the chewy texture of the farro, and of course, the fresh mushrooms taste so much better than the canned. I certainly won't turn down my mom's Brown Rice the next time she's making it, but in the meantime, it's nice to have a healthy alternative. I'm actually serving this in lieu of a traditional stuffing at my Thanksgiving dinner this year–hopefully it will be so good that nobody will miss the Brown Rice or the Stove Top!

FARRO WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

Serves 8

One (1.1 pound) bag farro
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1 1/2 pound assorted mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, chanterelle, porcini, etc.), cleaned, trimmed, and sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup white wine

Place the farro in a large pot and cover with cold water. Let soak for 15-20 minutes while you prep your other ingredients. Drain the farro and place back in pot. Cover with 2 quarts of water.

Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 25 minutes; drain. The grains should be tender but still slightly chewy.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Sauté the garlic and shallot for 2 minutes or until fragrant (do not let brown). Add the mushrooms and thyme and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the mushrooms are softened and beginning to brown. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Add the wine and let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes or until the wine evaporates. Stir in the cooked farro and turn off heat. Pour the mixture into a bowl and let cool slightly.

MAKE AHEAD: Cook the farro mushroom mixture a day or two in advance and keep in the refrigerator. Just before serving, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the same skillet and add the farro mushroom mixture. Sauté for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently, until the farro mushroom mixture is heated through. Season with additional salt and pepper (if needed) and garnish with extra thyme leaves.

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Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Red Onions & Arugula

Today I'll be rolling out a series of healthy Thanksgiving side dishes. Turkey Day may be the most decadent meal of the year for Americans, but who said every dish had to be drowning in butter and cream and shredded cheese? (Though, admittedly, growing up in the South, our Thanksgiving meals had a lot of all three!) Thanksgiving is actually a great time to eat your veggies, from sweet potatoes to Brusels sprouts to cauliflower to mushrooms to arugula and kale–in the following recipes I've got a little something for everyone. All of these recipes have maximum flavor and minimal fat (except for the heart-healthy kind), and as an added bonus, they're packed with vitamins and minerals. No need to end Thursday in a food coma...with these deliciously healthy side dishes, you'll end the day with energy to spare.

This is one of my all-time favorite ways to eat sweet potatoes. I love the amazing combination of flavors: sweet potatoes and roasted red onions with fragrant rosemary, salty Parmesan, and peppery arugula. This is inspired by a recipe I found years ago on Epicurious, and have since tweaked quite a bit. Rather than separating the sweet potatoes and red onions during roasting, I just mix them all up and let them roast together with the rosemary. I also love the addition of arugula with a Balsamic vinaigrette and a sprinkling of pine nuts. Delicious and healthy any time of year.

ROASTED SWEET POTATOES WITH RED ONIONS AND ARUGULA

Serves 8

4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 small red onions, halved lengthwise and cut into half-moons
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
4 cups (or one 5-ounce container) baby arugula
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line two sheet trays with aluminum foil.

In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes, onions, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and rosemary to combine; season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture evenly onto the sheet trays and roast for 30 to 35 minutes or until tender, stirring once or twice while cooking. Let cool slightly.

Toss the sweet potato mixture in a large bowl with the Parmesan. In a separate bowl, whisk together the Balsamic vinegar and the 2 remaining tablespoons of olive oil. Toss the arugula with the vinaigrette and add to the sweet potato mixture. Toss lightly to combine. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts (if desired) and additional grated Parmesan.

MAKE AHEAD: The sweet potato mixture can be roasted and tossed with Parmesan a day in advance. Just before serving, reheat the mixture in a 375°F oven for 10 minutes (or until warm) then toss with the arugula mixture and pine nuts.

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Thanksgiving: So Much More Than a Meal

Funny how life sometimes throws you curveballs. I had mapped out a whole slew of Thanksgiving posts to write this week: "Turkey Talk: To Brine or Not to Brine," "Healthy Side Dishes," and "How to Host a Beautiful (and Stress-Free) Thanksgiving." Food was made, photos taken...all that remained was to write the text and the recipes. Then this week hit. Brandon's been sick, then I got sick. I had a TV shoot to prep and style and an article to write for an online magazine. Somehow now it's Friday, I'm exhausted, my house is a wreck, and I only blogged once this week (and I still haven't written that article). So much for my Martha Stewart intentions!



But this morning was a blessed reminder of what's important. I met a friend for breakfast who was unexpectedly passing through NYC for a day. Over lattes and cranberry walnut toast (me) and baked eggs (her) we caught up on life and shared our hearts. We talked about our love of cooking and what a creative outlet it is for us. I heard about her amazing work with a non-profit that works with orphans and sex-trafficking victims. We talked about dinner parties and our upcoming Thanksgivings and what a joy it is spending time with friends and family around the table. She's a new mom and she told me how amazing it is seeing the world anew through her daughter's wide eyes. Though her little girl is only one, she already loves being in the kitchen and trying new types of food. As she talked about motherhood, she made it sound like such a beautiful journey that is equal parts humbling, exhilarating, exhausting, and life-giving. I don't have any kids yet (and probably won't for while), but hearing her talk actually made me excited to have a family of my own one day. Marriage definitely teaches you about loving someone more than yourself, but motherhood sounds like it takes it to a whole other level. And here I thought I had life sort of figured out...

I left our conversation inspired–not to go write a blog post on how to host a picture-perfect Thanksgiving, but rather to reflect on the meaning of Thanksgiving. To think about what it means to live a life of thanksgiving, not just celebrate one day with a big turkey and a ton of food. In our crazy busy lives, it is so easy to lose sight of what's important; to base our significance on the mundane–job promotions or paychecks or Twitter followers–and to forget just how blessed we are, as we focus on what we don't have.



It doesn't matter how beautiful a Thanksgiving day table looks–it's who's around it that counts. The picture above is from last year's Thanksgiving which we hosted here, around the yellow table. Brandon and I had just been married a couple of months, and my mom and I had driven the table in a U-Haul truck all the way from Nashville to NYC just in time for Thanksgiving. Having the yellow table in NYC was a dream come true for me, and having all our friends around the table for Thanksgiving was the perfect christening. The table and food may be magazine-worthy, but it doesn't even compare to the sounds of laughter and clinked glasses and stories told, and the sight of so many people I love enjoying the meal and each others' company. This year we are having friends around the yellow table again, and I cannot wait. I am still planning to write those posts on what to make and how to host (hopefully by Monday!), but right now I am just brimming over with thankfulness and had to share.

My biggest blessing this year is my husband Brandon. Our first year of marriage has has been such an adventure–full of incredible joys, as well as some pretty heavy heartaches. No matter how much two people love each other, learning to live with each others' quirks and selfishness and insecurities is going to be a challenge. But God has given me an amazing life partner who loves me deeply and knows me so well–who rejoices with me in my triumphs, lifts me up in my times of discouragement, and is my biggest cheerleader always. B is full of good advice, he's a great taste-tester, an amazing photographer and designer (The Yellow Table would certainly not exist without him!), ridiculously smart (and good-looking!), and always knows how to make me laugh. And in spite of dealing with a chronic illness, he refuses to give up the fight and continues to make plans to change the world. I know he will–he's certainly changed mine.



Other things I am amazingly thankful for (in no particular order): two loving families–one in Nashville and one in Kalamazoo, the best friends a girl could ever ask for (you know who you are and I love you!!), two very feisty kittens who have destroyed all our furniture but still manage to be adorable, the chance to live in the greatest city ever: (besides Paris!) NYC, getting to do what I love (cooking and writing) every day and having a blog that allows me to do both, steady freelance work, a cozy apartment with enough space for the yellow table, a fantastic church, dinner parties, opportunities to travel, daily doses of good coffee, wine, and chocolate, runs over the Brooklyn Bridge, yoga classes, avocado toasts at Cafe Gitane, margarita pizza from L'Asso, bubbly (as often as possible), live music, pumpkin season, walks through Central Park when the leaves are changing, the very real power of prayer, inspiring conversations, daily unexpected moments of beauty, belly laughs, and most of all, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I've probably left out a lot of things but suffice it to say, I am so thankful. For the gift of life and the many gifts that life brings. I am looking forward to celebrating all of this not only next Thursday, but every day. We have no idea how many days we have left, so give thanks today.
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Winter Squash Salad with Kale & Pomegranate Seeds

Full disclosure: I am obsessed with this salad. I started making it a week or so ago and have now eaten it almost every day. It is that good. (And super-healthy and dinner-party beautiful!) It was inspired by a salad I ate last winter at Emporio, a great Italian restaurant in our neighborhood. I loved their combination of kale, roasted winter squash, pomegranate seeds and Pecorino shavings and figured it would be easy enough to recreate at home. As it turned out, it was (with a few tweaks of course!). Between the squash roasting and the ingredient prepping, it is a little bit time consuming, but the end result is well worth the effort.



This salad is a perfect canvas to experiment with different types of winter squash. I used acorn and Delicata squash the other day, but you could really use any type–butternut or Kabocha would also be nice. The acorn squash skins are particularly tough so I'd recommend roasting them in halves, and cutting them into smaller pieces after they are baked. The Delicata have thinner (edible) skins, so I went ahead and cut them into half-moon pieces before roasting them.

While your squash is roasting, you can prep all your other ingredients: clean and chop the kale, remove the pomegranate seeds (see below for tips on how to do this), toast the pine nuts, make the vinaigrette, and shave the Parmesan. I love to serve this buffet-style on a big platter and let guests serve themselves, but you could also serve this on individual plates as a beautiful first course.



The gorgeous colors in the dish, and the sweet/salty/earthy flavor combinations, make it an ideal side dish for the holidays. I plan on serving it next Thursday as a welcome healthy addition to the Thanksgiving spread!

ROASTED SQUASH WITH KALE, PINE NUTS, & POMEGRANATE SEEDS

Serves 8

2 pounds assorted winter squash (acorn, butternut, delicata, or kabocha)
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 bunch Lacinto kale
2 to 3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds*
2 to 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts**
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan shavings for garnish

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Using a sharp knife, cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. If using acorn or butternut squash, roast the squash in two halves and cut into pieces after it is baked. For Delicata or Kabocha squash, cut the squash into half moon pieces. Brush the squash pieces with one tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for about 45 minutes or until soft. (You may need to remove the half moon pieces before the acorn or butternut squash halves.) When cool enough to handle, cut the large pieces of squash into half-moon pieces.

While the squash is baking, prepare the other ingredients. Rinse the kale, remove the stems, and cut into bite-size pieces. Place the kale in a colander and let air dry.

*You can buy pomegranate seeds in some grocery stores in the produce section. OR you can extract the seeds yourself from a whole pomegranate. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the pomegranate in half, then in quarters. (Be sure to wear an apron, as the pomegranate juice will stain light clothes.) Fill a medium bowl halfway with cold water and using your fingers, separate the seeds from the membrane and let drop into the water. The seeds will sink to the bottom and the membrane will float to the top. Once you get all the seeds out, remove the white membrane and pour the water and the seeds into a strainer. Dry them off with paper towels and keep in an airtight container for 2 - 3 days.

**To toast the pine nuts, cook them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until lightly toasted and nutty smelling. Keep a close eye on them, swirling the pan and/or stirring often, as they can quickly burn. OR roast in a 350°F oven for 6 - 7 minutes until lightly browned, stirring them once or twice to make sure they cook evenly. After either method, dump the pine nuts onto a plate to stop the cooking. Let cool.

Whisk the Balsamic vinegar with the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the kale in a large bowl and toss with half the vinaigrette until evenly coated.

To assemble the salad, arrange the squash slices on a large platter–you can leave the skin on and people can cut it off themselves (though you can eat the Delicata squash skin, FYI)–and drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette. Layer with the kale and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, and Parmesan shavings (use a vegetable peeler and a chunk of Parmesan).

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Cranberry Orange Scones with Toasted Pecans

In general I'm a pretty healthy eater. I mean, I have delicata squash roasting in the oven right now to go in a kale salad. I try and eat my veggies every day, I do yoga, and run a couple times a week if I'm lucky. But I have a weakness for baked goods. And you know what, I'm OK with it! All part of a balanced diet, right? Back when I worked in an office, the sweets craving hit every afternoon between 3 and 4 p.m. I'd run out for a much-needed coffee (or tea) and something sweet. I'd usually head to Starbucks or Le Pain Quotidien (the two closest options), but I'd always be disappointed with their baked goods–they were always too big, too sweet, and sort of stale.



Now that I work from home, when my sweets craving hits I usually just bake something. This is great because I can use fresh ingredients and tweak the recipe to make it a bit healthier. But it's also dangerous, since there are just two of us here and I really don't want us to polish off whole batches of sweets! I try and bake on days when I'm meeting up with friends or have people coming over. Otherwise I just freeze half the recipe.

The other day I picked up a bag of fresh cranberries at the store (hooray for cranberry season!) and when the sweets craving hit, I was ready for it. I decided to make some cranberry orange scones with toasted pecans. It's funny that I even like cranberry orange scones, because as a kid I remember my mom serving them for breakfast one morning and I HATED them. After taking one bite of a scone, I scrunched up my face and refused to eat any more. So, she pulled the typical parent response: "Well you're not leaving the table until you finish your scone." And being the very strong-willed child that I was, I sat there for at least 3 hours until I finally got so bored and frustrated that I stuffed the scone in my mouth (I probably swallowed it whole) and got down from the table. Needless to say she never made those again!



As an adult, however, I'm a huge fan of anything cranberry orange: bread, coffee cake, scones, muffins...I just love the way the citrus compliments the tart cranberries. I found an old Gourmet recipe for cranberry lemon scones and adapted it to create the version below. The key with scones is not to overwork the dough. In this recipe, you pulse the butter into the dry ingredients in a food processor (you could use a fork and knife if you don't have a processor) then transfer everything to a bowl to add the cream and eggs. Combine the ingredients just until everything holds together, then dump the dough onto a floured surface. The dough will be really sticky at first, so flour your hands, and keep sprinkling the dough with flour. You'll shape it into two 8-inch rounds that look like this:



At this point you have a choice: you can either make triangle scones (by cutting each round into 8 triangles) or round ones (by using a floured biscuit-cutter). I actually made round ones out of half the dough, cut the other half in triangles, and froze it for another day. (You can put frozen scones directly in the oven to bake–no thawing necessary!) Arrange your scones on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush with cream and sprinkle with sugar. After 15 minutes or so, start boiling the water for tea. Because there's no better pairing than a warm scone and a cup of Early Grey.

CRANBERRY ORANGE SCONES

Makes 20 round scones (or 16 triangle ones)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
1/4 cup chopped pecans (toasted)
1 egg + 1 yolk
1 cup heavy cream + additional for brushing
Turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two sheet trays with parchment paper.

Pulse the flour, 3 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder, salt, and zest in a food processor a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles course meal.

Transfer to a large bowl. Toss the cranberries in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Add the sugared cranberries and pecans to the flour mixture, stirring to combine.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, and cream. Add the cream mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and sprinkle with additional flour. Knead the dough (it will be sticky!) a couple of times with floured hands. (Do NOT overwork the dough! The less you handle it, the more tender the scones will be.)

Divide the dough into two roughly 8-inch circles (the dough will be about 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick). At this point you can do one of two things:

Option 1: With a sharp knife (dipped in flour), cut each dough circle into 8 triangles.

Option 2: Using a 2-inch biscuit cutter (dipped in flour), stamp out about 7 or 8 rounds into each circle. Roll the scraps together and stamp out additional rounds. You should have about 20 scones.

Place the scones on the parchment lined trays about one inch apart. Brush the tops with a bit of cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar (if you don't have turbinado sugar, just use regular granulated sugar).

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a pale golden color. Let cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.

Serve with butter and jam and a cup of tea!

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Q&A with Chef Todd Perrin

On my recent whirlwind trip to Newfoundland, I was blown away by the culinary talent in its capital city, St. John's. After cooking stints in mainland Canada or abroad, many young Newfoundlander chefs are returning home to open restaurants highlighting the island's fantastic local ingredients. Roots run deep on this island, and the chefs I met there were proud of the sheer natural beauty of their home–with its rugged landscape of cliffs and coves and glaciers and all manner of wildlife–and wouldn't want to live anywhere else.



Todd Perrin, owner of The Chef's Inn and a recent competitor in Season 1 of Top Chef Canada, is not only proud of his home, he's quite the ambassador. The first weekend of October, he organized the Roots, Rants, and Roars festival, a celebration of NL food and music which brought chefs from all over Canada to compete for the "King of Cod" title, and then headed to NYC with a bevy of NL chefs to cook for a James Beard Foundation dinner. But things don't look like they're slowing down any time soon for Perrin–he's working on a new restaurant, set to open next summer. I caught up with him recently to talk about his chef's table dinners, his favorite local dish, and what it was like competing on Top Chef Canada. (I also managed to nab a recipe for his fabulous seafood soup...see below.)

When did you start cooking? What inspired you to become a chef?

I started cooking school in 1994 at the Culinary Institute of Canada. I was inspired by good cooking at home by my folks, but mostly because I love to eat good food and always have.

You live in St. John's, Newfoundland. Can you share with us some of your favorite local ingredients and dishes?
Living in NL of course Cod is King! Having said that the supply has been short for the past number of years, but beginning to show some great signs of recovery. My favourite local dish would have to be a simple “peasant” dish of fish stew consisting of loads of onions, salt fat pork, salt beef, potato and fresh cod. The ultimate NL comfort food!

You were recently on Top Chef Canada...what was that experience like for you? What advice would you give a chef who is considering being on a competitive cooking TV show?

It was an amazing experience! Super-tough, but fun at the same time. I met some great friends/chefs that I keep in contact with still and get to work with from time to time. For chefs considering a run at reality TV, my advice is to be yourself and do your thing. There’s more than one way to “win” the show.

Currently you and your wife run a B&B called The Chef's Inn, where you cook regular Chef's Table dinners. How do you like this style of cooking versus being on the line in a busy restaurant?

It’s great! You get to cook your food the way you want and you literally get to touch every element in every dish. It’s a great way to cook, less stress and ultimate quality control. Having said that, we are about to start building a restaurant hoping to open next summer.

You and several other chefs from Newfoundland and Labrador recently came to NYC to cook for a James Beard Foundation Dinner? What was the experience like? Best moment? Biggest challenge?

Awesome. I mean it’s like a baseball player going to Yankee Stadium. It’s an important stop on any culinary map and I can’t wait to do it again. We are working on a return engagement for next year. Best moment- Showing up and seeing the sign on the front door –a “We made it” moment. Challenge – traveling the ingredients and equipment around Manhattan. No easy feat!

If you had to prepare an impromptu dinner party for eight, what would you make?

If it was today – White Bean and Kale Soup...Seared Cod on Root Vegetable Ragu and an Orange, Fennel, Coriander Reduction...Confit Duck, Gnocchi, Parmigiano Reggiano....Pork Rillons, Parsnip Puree, Roasted Garlic, Grilled Beets.


What do you want readers to know about Newfoundland that they may not know?
Just what all of us who live here know – It’s one of the most amazing places on Earth that almost no one has seen.

Visit Todd's website or follow him on Twitter @toddperrin.

TODD'S SEAFOOD SOUP

Serves 8 to 10

1 onion
1 leek
1 bulb fennel
2 stalks celery
1 carrot
2 tablespoons fennel seed
1/2 tablespoon dried chilli flakes
1 cup white wine
1 cup fish stock
2 (28 oz.) cans whole tomatoes, crushed
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt, pepper
2 lbs. Atlantic cod or halibut, 1-inch dice
8 oz. crab leg meat, shredded

Finely dice all of the vegetables and sauté in a large pot over medium-high heat until slightly softened. Add the fennel seeds and chilli flakes and stir. Add the white wine and fish stock; simmer and let reduce by half.

Add the crushed tomatoes and cherry tomato halves and bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar, stirring well. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.

Add the cod (or halibut) and continue simmering until the fish is just cooked through, around 7 or 8 minutes. Reserve a couple of ounces of crab meat for garnish, and add the remaining crab meat to soup and just heat through. Warm the reserved crab meat in a little simmering fish stock.

Serve the soup; garnish each bowl with a little of the reserved, warmed crab meat and fennel frond.

Healthy Living: 30-Minute Black Bean Soup

I love black beans. As in LOVE. I could eat them every day: with rice, in tacos and quesadillas, in salads (with mangoes and cilantro), and–my favorite way–in this deliciously spicy soup. Lucky for me, black beans are incredibly healthy–they're full of protein (a 1-cup serving has 15 grams) and packed with fiber. This weekend I was craving black bean soup, but only had 30 minutes to throw it together before we headed over to a friend's house for a potluck dinner. I was missing a couple of ingredients, but I was able to run to the corner store AND make the soup in half an hour. (No joke!) Of course if you really wanted to go all out, you could make this soup using dried beans, but that would require soaking and waiting, and frankly I'm far too impatient.


When I make this soup for friends, I like to serve it with several little bowls of garnishes: Greek yogurt, finely chopped red onion, chopped cilantro, diced avocado, or even chopped hard-boiled egg. For a dinner party, I'll also make a simple frisée citrus salad (with sliced oranges or grapefruit or both) and some avocado toasts (toasted bread topped with mashed avocado, lemon, red chili flakes, sea salt, and olive oil) to round out the meal. On Saturday, my friend Rachel made a fantastic roasted squash gratin for our potluck meal, and paired with a simple arugula salad and my black bean soup, we had a gorgeous fall vegetarian buffet. (I think the boys may have been a bit disappointed at the lack of meat initially, but there were clean plates all around afterwards!)

If you're looking for a delicious, healthy, easy-to-prepare idea for dinner this week, look no further. Added bonus: this soup is even better the next day reheated for lunch. Bon appetit!

SPICY BLACK BEAN SOUP

Serves 4 to 6

This soup freezes really well, so double the recipe and freeze half for a rainy (or snowy!) day.

1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, minced (optional)
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
3 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
3 to 4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, divided
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste
Greek yogurt, for garnish (optional)

Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion and garlic (and jalapeno if using) for 3 to 4 minutes until the onion is soft and the garlic is fragrant, stirring frequently. (Do not let the mixture brown).

Add the cumin, coriander, and cayenne and let cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the black beans, stirring to combine. Add about 3 cups of vegetable stock (enough to just cover the beans) and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in 1/4 cup of the chopped cilantro and reduce heat to a simmer. Let simmer for 15 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

Stir in additional broth if you want a thinner consistency. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro, the lime juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt and additional chopped cilantro.

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Pumpkin Spice Pancakes for a Lazy Saturday (or Sunday)

I LOVE weekend mornings. Despite the fact that I work from home, weekday mornings are still early and a bit chaotic, with Brandon rushing off to work, and me stumbling around making coffee and plopping in front of the computer. But Saturdays and Sundays are different. Lazy. Luxurious. No alarms, no agenda, and (usually) nowhere to be. On weekend mornings, we wake up when we want, and while making that first cup of coffee I start thinking about what to make for breakfast. Monday through Friday, breakfast usually consists of toast and yogurt, but Saturdays and Sundays the possibilities are limitless. Pancakes, waffles, French toast, bacon, omelettes, muffins, crepes, fruit salad...the list goes on and on. I'm on a total pumpkin kick right now, so the other day I decided to make pumpkin pancakes.

Typically, I love buttermilk pancakes–they're tangier and lighter than pancakes made with regular milk (and frankly, they just taste better). So I decided to find a pancake recipe with buttermilk AND pumpkin. I did a little research and found a recipe that I proceeded (per usual) to play around with. I replaced some of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. I added a few extra spices and used butter instead of oil. I reduced the sugar a bit. In the end, the pancakes were light and tangy, with a great pumpkin spice flavor that tasted like fall. They're delicious with butter and warm maple syrup, or if you really want to go all out, you can add some roasted apples or toasted pecans.



Given that it's Friday, I'm already thinking about tomorrow morning–and pumpkin pancakes are definitely in the picture. Along with some bacon and plenty of coffee (and a stack of magazines I have every intention to read). Topped off with two highly energetic cats darting around the apartment. That's our typical Saturday morning. What about you?

PUMPKIN SPICE PANCAKES

Makes 8 to 10 pancakes

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 cup buttermilk*
1 egg
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
2 tablespoons melted butter**, plus more for the griddle

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour(s), sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, pumpkin puree, and melted butter until smooth.

Whisk the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just combined. Let sit for five minutes.

Heat a non-stick pan or griddle over medium-high heat and brush with melted butter. Drop 1/3-cupfuls of batter onto the hot griddle and let cook until bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes.

Flip the pancakes with a heatproof spatula and let cook for another couple of minutes, until golden brown on both sides and cooked through.

Serve them as soon as they come off the griddle, with butter, warm maple syrup, and a couple slices of bacon. (Roasted apples, toasted pecans–or both!–would also be DELICIOUS with this recipe.) You can also keep the first batch warm in a 250°F oven as you finish making the rest.

*If you don't have buttermilk, you can use this easy substitution: Place 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup. Pour in enough milk to reach the 1-cup mark. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes until it is beginning to curdle. It's ready to use!

**Feel free to substitute the butter for canola oil.

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Spaghetti Carbonara with Garlicky Greens

It's been an exciting week so far. First of all, I got to spend the weekend visiting with my family in Fredericksburg, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Sadly I missed the big snow in NYC (!!) but still got plenty of cold, drizzly weather–enough to wear a scarf and hat and wish desperately for a fireplace. Second, The Yellow Table was featured on Gourmet Live as their Food Blog of the Week!! I am so honored, and excited that more people are getting the chance to read the blog. And last, but certainly not least, I created a dish the other night that might be my favorite food ever: spaghetti carbonara with garlicky greens. (Just ask Brandon–I had to stop myself from going back for a third helping.)

I made this dish on a cold, rainy night when I was craving something warm and cozy–preferably involving bacon. And what goes better with bacon than eggs and cheese? Voilà–pasta carbonara! I love this simple pasta dish, where crisp bacon is tossed with hot spaghetti, a raw egg, and some Parmesan. The heat of the pasta gently cooks the egg into a silky sauce (thinned with the pasta cooking water) that coats each strand perfectly.

As much as I love this not-so-healthy combo, I wanted to add some greens into the mix. I had some kale in the fridge, though I could have just as easily used spinach or Swiss chard. After cooking the bacon, I sautéed some shallot and garlic, then added the greens. I quickly sautéed them, seasoned them with salt and pepper, then tossed them into the pasta. It was truly a match made in heaven. I still got that bacon-egg-cheese combo I was craving, but the whole wheat spaghetti and vitamin-packed greens nudged the dish out of the totally indulgent category.



It was not a yellow table evening, I confess. We curled up on the couch with with bowls of pasta, glasses of red wine, and watched a movie. Funny enough, three and a half years ago, also on a rainy night, I made spaghetti carbonara for Brandon (and his old roommate Joel). It was the first thing I ever cooked for him. And he–the former non-veggie eater, confessed that the dish was even better now with the greens. My, how marriage changes a man!

SPAGHETTI CARBONARA WITH GARLICKY GREENS

Serves 4

It's important to boil the pasta and prepare the other ingredients at the same time–you want to combine everything when the pasta is piping hot. Prep everything while the water comes to a boil: cut the bacon, mince the garlic and shallot, etc. Once the pasta goes in the pot, start cooking the bacon, then the greens. Then toss everything together as soon as the pasta is al dente.

1/2 pound whole wheat spaghetti
4 ounces (about 5 slices) nitrate-free bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 shallot, minced
1/2 bunch of greens (kale, spinach, Swiss chard), rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 egg
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for topping

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. (The water should appear cloudy from the salt.) Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 to 9 minutes. Drain pasta, saving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon over medium-high heat in a large sauté pan until crisp,about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease.

Sauté the garlic and shallot for 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant and softened (do not brown). Add the greens and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes or until softened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Whisk the egg and the Parmesan together in a small bowl. Season with pepper.

Add the drained pasta back into the pot along with the egg and Parmesan mixture. Toss quickly with tongs, adding some of the pasta liquid to thin the sauce out a bit (I used about 3 tablespoons), until all the pasta strands are coated evenly. Add the bacon and the greens, tossing well.

Season with additional pepper, if desired, and serve in bowls with freshly grated Parmesan.

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