Thanksgiving

It's another year my husband is working the holidays at the fire station. We are lucky he doesn't have to work them every year, but it does happen. I admit it was hard to get used to, at first, and I felt very sorry for myself. But now it's just another day, and the kids and I go to other family for dinner, or to friends.

Still, it's another year I'm not cooking Thanksgiving dinner, and that always makes me a little sad. So instead of posting my holiday delicacies here, I thought I'd share with you some links to recipes I think look tasty.

 Eating Well has a whole vegetarian menu, and I think the Savory Bread Pudding with Spinach and Mushrooms looks delightful, don't you?

 

 

Or how about the Spinach tartlets?

 

 

Though I have to say, that this dish is probably what I'm going to make to share: Sweet potato, red onion and fontina tart. I love making dishes with this rustic feel to them, and the same idea can be used to make sweet tarts like pear or apple. You simply fold the edges of your pasty up and over to create it's own "dish" and bake on a cookie sheet.

Of course, mashed potatoes aren't so exciting without gravy, and Martha Stewart has a nice recipe here for it.

And then of course, Cooking Light has a whole vegetarian menu ready for you here.

So there you have it. Lots of options to choose from.

Happy Turkey Free Thanksgiving, friends!

 

 



Broccoli and Cheese Soup

It's been a tough, but rewarding, week. I'm in the 2nd week (of 7 total) of our LILY study at UCSF, and truth be told, I'm exhausted. I love being a part of this work, but my body hurts from my 5 hours of driving per day and I can't seem to get enough sleep, no matter how hard I try.

For Halloween I was a real-life mommy zombie. No makeup required.  Finally, finally the weekend is here! I have big plans to stay in my bed as much as possible. But with three kids, it's not likely to happen. Still, I can dream, can't I. (Get it? Sleep humor...I'm extra hilarious when I can't think straight).

What started out as a last-minute quickie dinner "for-the-kids" ended up a full fledged family dinner because it was just so darn tasty. And quick! (Did I mention quick? Seriously!)

The trick is to use baby broccoli, if you can, instead of regular broccoli, because it is tender and has a much milder taste.


Ingredients:
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
4 cups of vegetable broth
1 cup of water
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup of shaved parmesan cheese
a handful and a half of finely shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups chopped baby broccoli

Melt the butter in a hot stock pot. Stir in the flour and cook until mixed and lightly toasted, about a minute. Pour in the broth and water, salt and pepper and get it hot, but not boiling. Next add in the cheeses, a little at a time, stirring as you go. Continue to add and stir in the cheese and cook for 1-2 minutes, again, not boiling hot, but almost. Add in the broccoli, cook 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.