Scenes From Thanksgiving 2014

Time for a photo dump! I figure since it’s almost halfway into December and Tim and I got our Christmas tree last night, I should probably share some scenes from Thanksgiving.

Our Thanksgiving actually started the weekend before Thanksgiving because Slesh and Will hosted our annual Friendsgiving that Sunday. Tim and I spent a good part of our Saturday in the kitchen with music and red wine as we prepared lots of delicious food to bring over.

We made his and her stuffed mushrooms because we couldn’t agree on what kind to make. I made a Mediterranean version with quinoa, feta, walnuts, and sun-dried tomatoes, and Tim made a reinvented version of the bacon and blue cheese ones I posted eons ago. We also prepared a winter kale salad with homemade cranberry vinaigrette and this homemade cranberry sauce. It was fun having a day together in the kitchen, although I guess we do spend a lot of time in there anyways!

Slesh and Will’s was really fun. It was full of friends, laughing, lots of food, festive accessories (from Bridget of course!), game playing, face timing with Erica, drinks, and more. I left feeling grateful for the friends in my life!

On Thanksgiving morning, Tim and I woke up early for a little workout action. We did a quick metabolic resistance workout that consisted of 10 deadlifts, 10 pushups, 10 weighted step ups, 10 single arm rows, and 10 kettlebell swings, AMRAP in 25 minutes. I posted this status on Facebook after our workout which pretty much sums it up!

After our sweat sesh, it was time for family and food! We started at Tim’s aunts for the earlier part of the day and finished up at my aunt’s with my family. We brought more stuffed mushrooms to Tim’s aunts (we doubled the batch we brought to Slesh and Will’s so it would be one less thing to make the day before Thanksgiving), and I made brownies to bring to my aunt’s. My aunt has a nut allergy, and my uncle has a coconut allergy, and I never realized how hard it is to healthify a dessert without any nuts or coconut. My solution was black beans! They came out pretty good. I also tried to make a gingerbread pumpkin bar, but those didn’t come out as great.

This was the first year that the timing worked out for us to get to see both families on the same day, so we were definitely grateful for that. The wine was flowing all day, and I got excited talking about wedding stuff with my cousin who is a bridesmaid in my wedding party. Of course it’s always fun to see my god-daughter who is getting so big.

The rest of my Thanksgiving weekend was a nice combination of friend time and Tim time. Liz and I taught back to back classes on Black Friday, and we grabbed breakfast with the gym crowd afterwards. Tim and I hung in together on Friday night, I got all the details for my Holiday Hustle Challenge ready, we went out to lunch with our friends who were in town on Saturday, and we saw Tim’s sister and her boyfriend for margaritas on Saturday night. Sunday I went to a baby shower and spent the rest of the day relaxing. It was definitely a much-needed break from the grind.

–Let’s chat–
How were your Thanksgivings and long weekends this year? Even though I’m a bit late with this, I want to hear about them!

I’m off to my monthly massage appointment tonight! Fits right in with today’s challenge theme of stressing less. Also, don’t forget about my giveaway for a free week of meals to your doorstep from Just Add Cooking. Not many people are commenting, so you definitely have a good chance of winning. Have a great night, you guys!

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

I have something that’s going to look good on your Thanksgiving table.

Let’s just talk about canned cranberry sauce for a second. First of all, it’s boring. It has high fructose corn syrup. And there’s really no good way to make the slabs of cranberry look pretty on a plate. This Thanksgiving, try switching up your cranberry sauce and go homemade!

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 small or 1 large bag of organic cranberries
• 1 orange, peeled and cut into small pieces
• 3 pieces of the orange peel
• 2 tbsp honey
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 tbsp raisins

Directions

Pour all ingredients into a pot on the stove. Cover and bring to a boil. Boil for 3-4 minutes or until the cranberries break down and create a jelly or relish like substance. Let cool before removing the orange peel. Pour mixture into a bowl, and serve!

I got the idea for this recipe from my friend Dawn who makes this every Thanksgiving. Tim and I adapted it for our Friendsgiving get together at Slesh and Will’s apartment on Sunday. I liked making a homemade cranberry sauce because I could control the sugar sources that went into it. Plus, it’s a little more impressive than your regular old canned jellied version (fresh is best) while still being really simple to make. The tartness of the cranberries paired well with the hints of orange and honey, and having a tart dish on Thanksgiving helps clear out some of the heavier dishes/flavors like gravy and stuffing.

Hope you’ll try it!

–Let’s chat–
Cranberry sauce: Homemade or canned? Any variations of homemade you want to share?

Squash Tartlets with Kale Pesto

Question: Did any of you watch the last season of Food Network Star? I only started tuning in last season, but I was immediately hooked. Ever since Damaris was named the next star of the series, I’ve been waiting for her Food Network Magazine feature to arrive at my front door. Food Network Magaine is the only magazine that Tim and I still get delivered to our apartment, and we love flipping through it every month. When the  November issue arrived, I was stoked to discover it not only had Damaris’ victory feature, but also a simple Thanksgiving appetizer recipe recommendation from her.

I decided to bring this dish for my appetizer contribution to Thanksgiving at my grandfather’s house. Not only was it easy to make, but it was relatively healthy… and yummy too.

The original recipe called for a kabocha squash. I had no idea what a kabocha squash was, so I had to look it up. I learned that a kabocha squash is a popular winter squash. Picture the greenish-yellow squash variety in the grocery store that kind of look like small little pumpkins, and you’ve got your kabocha squash visual. However, when I went to the store, the ones that I thought were kabocha squash were labeled buttercup squash instead, not to be confused with butterNUT. After a little help from the world-wide web, I then learned that both kabocha and buttercup squash are in the same squash family, they can be substituted for each other, but they are not the same. Regardless, both are very sweet and creamy, even more so than butternut squash (my fave) is.

Long story long, buttercup squash it was! I also made some further adjustments to Damaris’ original recipe, as noted below.

Squash Tartlets with Kale Pesto

Ingredients

• 2 small buttercup squash (peeled, seeded and diced) — original recipe called for kabocha
• 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil – original recipe called for coconut oil, but my uncle is allergic!
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons sunflower seeds – original recipe called for pecans, but my other uncle thinks he’s allergic (he’s not)
• 2 cups loosely packed baby kale
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 30 frozen mini phyllo shells, thawed
• Grated gruyere cheese – you could also use gouda cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Toss the squash and unpeeled garlic with the grape seed oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper, then roast. Toss halfway through until the squash is tender and golden brown, about 15 minutes.
3. After the squash is cooking, make the pesto. First, peel the roasted garlic. Mash with the flat side of a chef’s knife to make a paste; transfer to a food processor. Add the sunflower seeds, and pulse until finely ground. Add the kale and pulse until chopped. With the motor running, gradually add the olive oil and purée until smooth.
4. Arrange the phyllo shells on a baking sheet. Add about 1 teaspoon pesto to each. Then add 1 or 2 pieces of squash and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes.
5. Serve warm and enjoy!

These were a crowd pleaser. At least I assume they were since there were none left by the time I left my grandfather’s house! The squash was definitely creamier than other squash varieties, so the internet didn’t fail with educating me, but I think they would be just as delicious using your regular ole butternut if you prefer. I also enjoyed being different by making a pesto with kale instead of the more traditional basil recipes. I don’t LOVE kale on its own, but I like discovering new ways to cook with it, and this recipe was a great find.

Next time you have to bring an appetizer with you to a party, give this one a whirl!

–Let’s chat–
What’s your favorite kind of squash? Favorite pesto? Favorite appetizer dish?