Friday, November 29, 2013

i'm thankful again in 2013

It will be our last thanksgiving in Naperville.
We relaxed, packed, cooked, and 
even went for a chilly walk at the nearby prairie reserve.
(yes, the husband, whom I'm very thankful for, went on a walk with me)

A few pictures from Springbrook prairie that morning.











I spent significantly less time in the kitchen this year, 
& for the most part it was a good dinner.

I called this bowl of fruit my modern day cornucopia.



   ingredients.  
some of them.




fresh sage and thyme.
smells like thanksgiving.



waiting for time in the oven.



the smoker in action.



Here's this years menu:
vodka and cranberry with pomegranate garnish 
(yes, this was my version of the cranberry side dish)




pear, herb goat cheese & prosciutto appetizer
(aka lunch)

 


appetizers (or lunch tray) round 2
(thank you paula for the cake)



arugula salad with walnuts, mission figs and goat cheese



fresh sage & thyme herb butter
(to be paired with turkey-as trae did- or
with sweet potatoe to make it a savory side- as i did)



simple. baked sweet potatoes



roasted brussel sprouts with smoked bacon and fig balsamic
(thank you to the egans for the fig balsamic)



smoked turkey



pumpkin pie with gingersnap crust & 
homemade cinnamon whip cream




the spread. 






Due to leftovers, this may be the last meal cooked in our little kitchen! 




house proud: home for sale

we're moving... again!!!






see you in kc! 

what's been cooking? fall 2013

 Recipe 1: Homemade Calzone
(with a homemade crust- no yeast dough- AND
homemade spicy marinara with red pepper flakes & honey)




Recipe 2: Smoked apple chicken sausage
(bun is a multi-grain baguette cut in half,
and lined with a few slices of honeycrisp from the farmer's market..
for a unique twist)



Recipe 3: White wine and truffle risotto
(oven baked!- based on a recipe from the barefoot contessa)



Recipe 4: Butternut squash, corn, quinoa, & white bean soup
...with sage.
This is a meal! 



Recipe 5: Homemade chicken, potatoe & leek soup



Recipe 6: Chorizo meatloaf and mashed sweet potatoes




Recipe 7: Boxed macaroni showdown
also known as dinner on a budget
(trae's full fat kraft vs. liz's slimmed down market pantry)
the combination of the two was the best. 



Recipe 8: Grilled farmer's market eggplant & tomato stack,
with flank steak & a farmer's market red kale salad




Recipe 9: 5 minute (& 5 ingredient) nutella fudge
 (made with <3 for the egan's visit!)





Recipe 10: Herb roasted cashews (with the last of my 'garden' herbs) 
(made with <3 for the egan's visit!)



Recipe 11: Chocolate stout brownies with bailey's irish cream-cheese frosting
(made with <3 for the egan's visit!)



Recipe 12: Shakshuka
(spicy tomato based sauce, pancetta & eggs)




Recipe 13: Baked spaghetti  with spaghetti squash
(whole wheat spaghetti + spaghetti squash, cooked separately,
then combined with mushrooms, marinara, and parmesan,
stuffed into squash shells and baked together in oven)




Recipe 14: Lobster tail and brocolli rabe with lemon garlic butter sauce
and farmer's market savory chocolate pasta flavored with 
a hit of cream, orange zest & cayenne- I think?! 

the attempt was to prepare a nice, rich dinner 
before trae went out of town for work for 2 weeks-
(yes, I overcooked the lobster tail- it was a shame)
(and no... chocolate pasta is not sweet)
meal fail.




Recipe 15: Vodka cured salmon
(salt, sugar and vodka mix over a small wild caught salmon filet
for 48 hours
salmon purchased from our favorite local seafood store)
meal recovery!




Recipe 16: Crock-pot pork rib & bean chili
(the less tomatoes the better in our opinion)
served with corn muffin