first
I always start the Thanksgiving Feast with a bright fresh salad before the dense, carb-heavy main event. I use autumnal flavors and colors. Sometimes, it’s persimmons, sometimes it’s pomegranates, sometimes it’s golden beets. This year, it was individual Pumpkin Cambozola Walnut Custards on top of baby spinach, garnished with vibrant pomegranate seeds. The Custards are […]
* Cheese Platter with Bread and Crackers
* Pumpkin Cambozola Walnut Custards with Spinach Salad (GF)
Roast Turkey (GF)
Baked Ham with Bourbon Pecan Glaze (GF)
* Melissa Clark’s Chive Mashed Potatoes (GF)
* Roasted Brussels Sprouts (GF)
* Zucchini Boats Stuffed with Mushrooms and Zucchini
* Corn Bread Stuffing Muffins
Pan Gravy
* Fresh Cranberry Ginger Peach Relish (GF)
* Traditional Cranberry Relish (GF)
* Gingerbread, Pumpkin Mousse Trifle
* Apple, Raisin, Pecan Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
* Espresso Brownies with Espresso Ganache
* Dried Cranberry, White Chocolate Chip Cookies
* Fresh Berries (GF)
* Vegetarian
(GF) Gluten free
This is another one of those recipes that I can put together using pantry staples. I always keep different kinds of olives in my pantry, frozen puff pastry thawed in the refrigerator and whole milk ricotta or soft goat cheese in the cheese drawer. Even though I make my own tapenade, you can even use […]
* Grilled veggie crostini with goat cheese and red pepper spread or pesto
Lamb sliders with caramelized onions and raita, and roasted jalapenos
Crab claws with red sauce (GF)
Shrimp & Corn Cakes with Sauces (GF)
* Cheese platter with fresh figs and fruit (GF)
* Crackers
* Individual mini veggie frittatas (GF)
* Individual onion pies with blue cheese and walnuts
* Cauliflower fritters with cumin and raita
* Olive tapenade tart with ricotta cheese
* Mozzarella tart with fresh tomatoes and roasted garlic
* Cardamom rice pudding with peach chutney (GF)
* Mocha pot de crème with whipped cream (GF)
* White and dark chocolate brownies with white chocolate ganache
* Rocky road toffee (GF)
* Vegetarian
(GF) Gluten free
This menu has so many assertive flavors that I wanted a salad that was equally assertive and also fresh and delicious. This salad is really all about the dressing. My tasters were asking if they could just eat it right out of the bowl on crackers. The flavors are a bit exotic and seductive. Maybe […]
This is a composed salad. It looks like a work of art, Dutch Old Masters, when you present it; but then when the guests dive in, it morphs into a Jackson Pollock: a mess of colors and shapes. A composed salad can include anything. I choose seasonal ingredients, keeping in mind what I know my […]
If you’ve been following my blog, you already know that I serve a lot of vegetables. I never get tired of cauliflower and prepare it many different ways. I’ve been known to serve it Indian style, with potatoes and mustard seeds, which is spicy and delectable. But for this menu I wanted something simple. The […]
* Crostini with gorgonzola and figs
* Roasted vegetable salad with hazelnut vinaigrette
Halibut with homemade tomato sauce
* Baked risotto with lemon and fresh oregano
* Crinkled pears with whipped cream
* Chocolate prune cardamom cookies
* Vegetarian
Even people who don’t like salad will be drawn to the kaleidoscope of colors and flavors in this dish. I use an organic herb salad mix I find at Trader Joe’s. Next time you reach for that boring bag of lettuce, try this instead. It includes: organic baby lettuce, red and green romaine, red and […]
When I first met my friend Dano, he didn’t eat vegetables. He just didn’t like them. Dano and I had many dinners at my kitchen table which usually included racks of lamb or short ribs or beef fillet with potatoes. I always snuck in some roasted vegetables and put them on my plate. I never […]
