Ingredients for Caroline Barrett’s Thanksgiving salad include roasted butternut squash and cooked farro.
Paul Barrett / For the Times UnionI started writing this column thinking I wouldn’t bore anyone with more Thanksgiving recipes. I mean, you should already have all the recipes you need, right? Who wants another recipe for stuffing or mashed potatoes? Not me.
But it’s hard to think or write about anything else right now. This month of November, there are exactly 29 days in which we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, but it’s the same everywhere you look: at farmers’ markets, at grocery stores, in food magazines, in cookbooks, in conversations with friends and family. is. Thanksgiving is on our minds. So I’m writing about Thanksgiving, even though I didn’t plan on writing about it.
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Of course, the best part of Thanksgiving isn’t the food. It’s not the turkeys or the decorations, it’s the people. My people, to be exact. My down-to-earth husband has the magical ability to make things right. Elliot comes home from college and we enjoy his presence until he’s gone again. Luca is back on the East Coast, and every time I see him (which is pretty often now), I smile. And while our beloved Zoe shows up at our house often, full from pregnancy, this year we’ve seen her feed, worry around the table, chase little people, and more. I’m still grateful that she was with me on my last Thanksgiving before I left. What a gift!
Also present at the Thanksgiving table will be my father, sister, Paul’s two brothers, and their families. Friends come over and another family joins us for dessert. It’s a huge crowd that’s bursting at the seams in our little house.
In honor of feeding our loved ones this holiday, here are some Thanksgiving recipes. I want recipes that aren’t overstuffed, preferably ones that share new, different, and delicious flavors with people.
Cheddar dip is a replica of the creamy, sweet onion jam you can buy at Trader Joe’s. I’m not saying you shouldn’t buy pre-made cheese dips, but it’s fun to recreate store-bought ones, and this little beauty is easy and especially festive. Good news: You can make it several days in advance of the day you want to eat it, and it tastes even better when it rests and the flavors meld. Prepare it and bake it the same day you want to eat it. I sautéed chopped shallots in olive oil, added white wine and simmered until reduced by half to make a dip. This process removes the alcohol and leaves behind sweet shallots and a nice tartness to balance out the rich cheddar cheese. Mix the wine-soaked shallots with a brick of grated sharp cheddar cheese, a handful of dried cranberries, and a little thyme for a woody herb flavor. I added goat cheese to help with the creaminess and add a little tang. (For a milder taste, you can also use cream cheese instead.) The original dip is meant to be served cold, but on this dark, cold night, I love the golden, crunchy edges and gooey texture. Isn’t it best served warm with a center? Add some fancy crackers or crostini to the dip and you have the perfect pre-Thanksgiving dinner treat. Believe in warm cheddar dip and make it over and over until New Year’s Eve. Then stash the recipe and make it again next year. It’s a keeper. Don’t tell Trader Joe’s, but I think my version is better.
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The salad recipe here is a Thanksgiving recipe, yes, but it’s also a recipe for a cozy weekend dinner, or a fall potluck, with no zest you might expect from, say, chocolate cake. It’s also a salad recipe that I would dive into. Recipes are blueprints for the types of dishes I often make, and they look something like this: It’s diced and roasted veggies, sweet caramelized strips of onion (oh, I love caramelized onions), creamy cheese, and toast. Nuts, sweet fruits, cooked grains, fresh herbs, and leafy vegetables. Once you have that foundation, your salad bowl can take center stage and you can cook just about anything. Here, bite-sized pieces of butternut squash are tossed with a few spices and roasted until fork-tender, with crispy brown edges. I added the onions to the same skillet and rolled them up into crunchy, sweet, flavorful pieces so I didn’t want to leave anything behind. Loaded with creamy goat cheese, toasted hazelnuts, dried figs, and crunchy farro. The best part about this salad, and what makes it special for Thanksgiving, is the fried sage. Fresh sage is readily available at the grocery store, and when drizzled with a little hot olive oil, it turns bright green and becomes crunchy. Fried sage looks beautiful and, along with pumpkin, is beautiful with its gentle taste (much softer than fresh). It’s as festive as cheddar dip.
Lastly, I will introduce the cake recipe. You may be wondering why cake? Pie is a staple at Thanksgiving. But I say cake because I love cake. The pie is delicious, and the pie is delicious. But if the pie is like an old sweater, then the cake can be heels or a fancy dress. This cake isn’t quite as good as heels and velvet dresses, but it elevates the offering alongside the homely pies on your Thanksgiving dessert table. I like this bundt pan. Because the perfect ring will add drama and a bright spotlight to your cake. It’s generously spiced with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and a healthy grate of fresh nutmeg. Whole nutmeg is easy to find in grocery stores and can be stored almost forever. Coconut gives the body a creamy and nutty flavor. If you’re a coconut lover, the more you eat, the better, so toast a few flakes and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar to sprinkle on top of the cake. . For pie, it doesn’t hurt to borrow whipped cream and add a little to each slice.
Paul had the great idea to move the entire Thanksgiving event to our business location, Capital Cooks. It was big enough to accommodate all of us, and although there are no couches for watching football (which didn’t bother me in the slightest), we all fit at one table and were able to sit on our toes and… You can stretch without stepping on your dog. Our business is a space for cooking and eating, and for us, working in a new business that just opened this year, this business is one that our entire family has dreamed of, cheered on, and supported us with. I feel like every day is just about being. Grateful. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
Copycat Trader Joe’s Cheddar Cheese Dip with Cranberries and Wine
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2 shallots (peeled and finely chopped)
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1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries, chopped
1 8-ounce block sharp cheddar cheese, grated and divided
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1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Fresh thyme leaves for garnish (optional)
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- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Pour the olive oil into a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring, until translucent, 2 minutes. Add the wine and simmer for another 3 minutes, until reduced by half. Add cranberries, stir and remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, combine shallot mixture with all but 2 tablespoons of cheddar cheese, goat cheese, salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir well to evenly distribute the goat cheese and cranberries. Scoop into an oven-safe baking dish and top with the reserved grated cheddar cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown around the edges.
- Serve warm, topped with fresh thyme and crackers for dipping.
Roasted butternut squash and farro salad with fried sage
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3 cups diced butternut squash (from small pumpkins)
1/2 red onion, peeled and sliced
1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
kosher salt and black pepper
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12 figs, cut into the stems and cut into quarters
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, rubbed with a kitchen towel to remove skins, and chopped
6 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
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5 cups mesclun salad greens
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
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1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
A little salt and black pepper
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- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin and onion with a good amount of olive oil and toss to combine. Add chili powder, salt and pepper and mix again. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes, or until edges are dark brown and squash is tender throughout. Set aside to cool.
- Assemble the salad. Place vegetables in a large salad bowl. Arrange farro, figs, nuts, and cheese in a circle over salad.
- Pour 1/4 inch olive oil into a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Once the oil is hot, slide a sage leaf in close to it. When it turns bright green, use tongs to turn it for 30 seconds on each side. Drain on paper towels.
- Dress the salad lightly and save extra for those who want a larger portion.
- Arrange the sage leaves on top of the salad and serve at room temperature.
spiced coconut pumpkin cake
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3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
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1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (jarred is also OK)
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1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
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powdered sugar (for serving)
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted, for serving
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a Buntt cake pan.
- In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the eggs, applesauce, and oil. Mix well.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the surface. Bake for 50 minutes or until the top is spongy.
- Allow to cool completely, then invert onto a plate. Top the cake with powdered sugar and toasted coconut.