Sausage Dressing with Pistachios and Blueberries

Of all the traditional Thanksgiving foods, I’ve gotta say that stuffing or dressing is my least favorite. It’s usually a little soggy, the flavors aren’t super exciting, and there’s not a lot of texture to it. When I decided I wanted to try to make a dressing that I DID like, I knew I’d have my work cut out for me; I wanted LOTS of flavor, and I wanted the texture to be just a little custard-y on the inside.

I’ll be honest, I’m the one who came up with it, and this flavor combination seemed a little odd even to ME, at first! But, I’m glad I trusted my instincts and went for it, because the combination of the spicy sausage and the sweet blueberries was really interesting, and delicious. I hope you enjoy it, too!

Sausage Dressing with Pistachios and Blueberries
serves 4-6 as a side (can easily be doubled)

8oz high quality bread, stale, cut into 1″ cubes*
8oz hot Italian sausage
one medium sweet onion, diced
3oz dried blueberries
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
3oz shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
2oz feta cheese
3 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 cup + 2 Tbps chicken stock, divided
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 egg
olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper

*your bread cubes should be pretty dry and crusty. If they’re not, spread them out onto a baking sheet and pop them into a 250° oven for about 20-30 minutes to dry them out. Let the bread cool before continuing.

1.) Preheat your oven to 350°. Heat a couple teaspoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and add your Italian sausage. Brown the sausage, crumbling it as you go. Add the onion, and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.

2.) Add the dried blueberries to the skillet, along with a good pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir everything together, and then add two tablespoons of chicken stock and one tablespoon apple cider vinegar to deglaze the pan; use a wooden spoon to scrape all the browned bits up from the bottom of the skillet. Continue cooking until most of the liquid is gone (the blueberries should reconstitute and plump up just a bit).

3.) Whisk together the heavy cream, one cup of chicken stock, the egg, and a good pinch each of salt and pepper. Set aside.

4.) Put the bread cubes into a large bowl, and top with the sausage mixture. Pour in half the chicken stock mixture, and stir to combine everything so that the bread is evenly moistened.

5.) Add the pistachios, parsley, and feta; pour in the rest of the chicken stock mixture, and stir again. Pour everything into a baking dish sprayed with non-stick or olive oil spray, and spread it into an even layer.

6.) Cover the dish with foil, and bake for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, remove the foil, bump the oven temp to 375°, and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the top of the dressing is a deep golden brown.

7.) Allow the dressing to set for about ten minutes, and serve.

I tell you what, this dressing is big on flavor AND texture. Crispy, crunchy bread, chewy, spicy sausage, the little pops of sweetness from the blueberries… and let’s not forget the roasty, salty, crunch from the pistachios. I think you could add it to your Thanksgiving table, right alongside the traditional stuffing, if you wanted to; it’s such a different flavor profile, and it would be a nice addition to the more classic Thanksgiving dishes.

Alright, I’ve got (at least) one more recipe coming your way, hopefully tomorrow… a delicious and easy non-traditional dessert!

The best part about this dressing is that it never saw the inside of a bird,
Tina

Roasted Squash with Tahini Maple Sauce and Pomegranate

This was one of those recipes that came to me piece by piece, over the course of a week or two. I was gonna tell you the (boring) (long) story of how all the elements of this recipe appeared in my head, but… who cares?? The important part is that it’s really, really, REALLY damn delicious, and you should try it. And you might wanna double the recipe, just to be safe.

Roasted Squash with Tahini Maple Sauce and Pomegranate
serves 4-6 as a side

1 medium acorn squash
1 medium delicata squash
olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground mustard
kosher salt
1/3 cup tahini
generous 1 Tbsp maple syrup
juice of half a lemon
hot water, to thin
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

1.) Preheat your oven to 400°. Cut your squash in half lengthwise, and clean all the seeds and guts out with a spoon. Slice each half into 1/2″ half moons (if necessary, cut the acorn squash half moons into quarter moons, so they are approximately the same size as the delicata squash pieces).

2.) Line a baking sheet with non-stick foil, and toss the squash with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, the garlic powder, ground mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. When all the squash is evenly coated, roast it for about 30-40 minutes, flipping once, until the squash is nicely browned and tender.

3.) While the squash roasts, make your tahini maple sauce. Whisk together the tahini, maple syrup, lemon juice, and a pinch of kosher salt. More than likely, you’ll find the sauce is REALLY thick; add hot water, a tablespoon at a time, until it’s a nice, pourable consistency. (Depending on how thick your tahini is, you might have to add a tablespoon of water just before serving to loosen it back up; mine thickened back up kinda quickly.)

4.) When the squash is done, pile it into a serving dish. Drizzle the sauce over the top, and sprinkle the pomegranate seeds on top. Serve immediately.

I was genuinely shocked at how delicious this turned out. I mean, I was pretty sure it would be tasty, but I seriously couldn’t keep my fork out of the dish. I just kept going back for more… and more… and more. The sweet squash is offset by the incredibly savory tahini sauce, and the sweet, tart, crunch of the pomegranate seeds is the perfect finishing touch. As a bonus, this dish is so PRETTY! It just looks like fall, and also feels fancy enough to be placed next to your gorgeous turkey.

Who’d have thought squash could be so exciting?
Tina

Sweet Potato Tart with Fire-Roasted Green Chile Sauce and Whipped Ricotta

I’m not sure if I’ve ever managed to post a Thanksgiving recipe here BEFORE Thanksgiving. And with Thanksgiving 2016 being, oh, TEN short days away, that doesn’t give me much time… but this year, I’m gonna make it happen. I’ve been in a bit of a cooking rut for quite a while, and I decided the other day that a great way to get myself OUT of that rut would be to come up with some new and interesting Thanksgiving dishes. And so, here we are! I’ve got several dishes on tap for this week, and I’m gonna do my best to get them all up here in the next seven days – because, seriously, there is nothing more annoying than having ALL your grocery shopping done, and then stumbling across a recipe you really want to add to your menu the morning of Thanksgiving, and then being forced to go fight the masses at the grocery store, where you lose your will to live and begin to hate the whole of humanity. It’s possible I’m projecting my own personal issues, here.

Up first is a sweet potato version of the traditional Pommes Anna, which is a delightful potato tart of sorts, made up of layers and layers of very thinly sliced potatoes. It’s a beautiful dish, and such a fun change of pace from the traditional Thanksgiving sweet potato dishes (marshmallow-topped yams, I’m looking at you).

Two disclaimers before we jump in:

1.) While a mandoline is not absolutely essential to make this dish, your life is going to be 1,000 times easier if you use one. It’s a great tool to have on hand anyway, so do yourself a favor and Amazon Prime one to your house immediately.

2.) This dish is not at all hard, but it does involve quite a few steps and ingredients. The upside is that 2/3 of it can be made ahead of time. Believe me when I say, the work is worth it.

Sweet Potato Tart with Fire-Roasted Green Chile Sauce and Whipped Ricotta
serves 6-8 as a side

For the tart:
3 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean
olive oil
kosher salt
2oz parmesan cheese, finely grated

For the fire-roasted green chile sauce:
small can of diced fire-roasted green chiles
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 large clove garlic
1 green onion
3 Tbsp plain greek yogurt or sour cream (NOT fat free)
1 tsp dijon mustard
red pepper flakes, to taste
1/4 tsp kosher salt
black pepper

For the whipped ricotta:
4oz cream cheese, at room temp
16oz full fat ricotta
kosher salt
black pepper
zest of half a lemon

1.) Preheat your oven to 425°. Grab an 8″ non-stick pan, and add about a tablespoon of olive oil to the bottom of it, ensuring it’s evenly coated.

2.) Grab your mandoline and slice the sweet potatoes on the thinnest setting. Once they’re all sliced, start layering them into the (cold) non-stick pan, overlapping them slightly in concentric circles. This bottom layer will eventually be the top of your tart, so make sure it looks nice!

3.) Brush the first layer of potatoes with a thin coat of olive oil, and season with kosher salt. Move on to the next layer of potatoes; be sure you brush each layer with olive oil and season it with salt. As for the parmesan cheese, sprinkle an even layer in between every OTHER layer of potatoes.

4.) When you’ve used all the potatoes, place the pan over medium heat. Once the tart starts to sizzle and the bottom layer of potatoes begins to brown (about 4-5 minutes), move the pan to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes.

5.) After 20 minutes, pull the pan out of the oven. Place a plate over the tart, and very carefully press the plate against the tart and tip the pan up over the sink to allow the hot oil to drain out (I prefer to do this with oven mitts on, in case any hot oil leaks out).

6.) When the oil has drained, flip the tart out onto the plate. Add a bit more oil to the bottom of the pan, and slide the tart back into it (the side that was previously on the bottom of the pan should now be face up). Return the tart to the oven for 10 more minutes.

7.) While the tart is in the oven, you can make the fire-roasted green chile sauce. Simply throw all the ingredients into a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth.

8.) For the whipped ricotta, start by putting the cream cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip the cream cheese until it’s nice and smooth, 2-3 minutes.

9.) Add the ricotta, and continue to whip the cheeses until they’re no longer grainy, about 3-4 minutes. Be sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times. When the cheese is just about done, add in the lemon zest, salt, and pepper, and whip just a bit longer.

10.) Once the tart is out of the oven, let it set for about 5 minutes before cutting into it. Slice it into wedges, and top each wedge with a drizzle of the green chile sauce, and a dollop of the whipped ricotta! You can garnish the tart with some additional green onions cut on an angle, if you want.

While this recipe might not be the most ideal for a huge group of people, it’s perfect for a smaller crowd! It’s beautiful, and delicious, and relatively impressive looking, if you ask me. I also happen to love that it’s sort of visually reminiscent of a slice of pie topped with whipped cream!

One final note: if you’re looking at the crust on the tart in these photos and thinking it looks a little burnt, I want to assure you that it’s not! Sweet potatoes have a really high sugar content, so they’re going to caramelize and brown more than white potatoes. DO NOT be afraid to let your food (sweet, savory, or otherwise) get nice and deep, golden brown. That’s where the deliciousness happens!

Meet you back here in a couple days,
Tina

Spice-Crusted Carrots with Lemon and Chili Greek Yogurt Sauce

Carrots are one of those things that I don’t really LIKE… but they’re non-offensive enough (and convenient enough for a quick snack) that I force myself to eat them, because apparently they’re healthy and stuff. I’ve found that the most tolerable way to eat them is paired with something with a bit of spice – for instance, some raw carrots dipped in chipotle hummus (Dear Trader Joe’s, WHYYYY did you discontinue your amazing chipotle hummus?? You’re breakin’ my heart, guys…)

Another tough part of the carrot equation is texture. Cooked carrots are… not delightful, in my opinion. Too often they’re mushy, and just plain overcooked. So, given all of the above information, you’re probably wondering why the hell I opted to make these carrots at all! I kind of wondered myself, actually. But, if any unappealing vegetable can be saved, there are two ways to do it: roasting it, or crusting it in a boatload of delicious spices. And I plan to employ the “crusting vegetables in spices” method a lot more from now on, because the results are FABULOUS.

Spice-Crusted Carrots with Lemon and Chili Greek Yogurt Sauce
serves 8-10 as a side
adapted from here

2lb small to medium carrots, with tops
1 T brown sugar
1 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2-3 T vegetable oil
1 cup greek yogurt (2% or full fat)
zest of one lemon
1 T harissa, sriracha, or other chili sauce

1.) Set a large pot of water to boil, and prepare an ice bath (fill a large bowl about 1/3 of the way with ice, then add water). As the water comes up to a boil, peel the carrots, and trim their tops to about 1-2″ long.

2.) When the water is boiling, add a small handful of kosher salt, then add the carrots. Allow the carrots to blanch for about 6 minutes – less if they’re particularly small, more if they’re large. After 6 minutes, remove them from the water and put them straight into the ice bath.

3.) While the carrots sit in the ice bath for a minute, mix up your spices. Combine the brown sugar, ground mustard, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl, and set aside.

4.) Once the carrots have cooled a bit (just 2-3 minutes), remove them from the ice bath and pat them dry. Place them into a large mixing bowl, and toss with one tablespoon of vegetable oil and the spice mixture, until all the carrots are well-coated in the spices.

5.) Heat a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat, and add enough vegetable oil to very thinly coat the bottom of the pan. Once it’s good and hot, add a single layer of carrots, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until they’re nicely golden brown, and then flip. Keep a close eye on them – if your pan is too hot or you didn’t use enough oil, the brown sugar in the spice mix will burn REALLY fast.

6.) Continue cooking batches in the same manner, until all the carrots are done. While the carrots cook, mix up your dipping sauce. Add the zest to the greek yogurt, and mix to thoroughly combine. Then, add the chili sauce, and swirl it into the greek yogurt (it looks prettier if you don’t fully mix the two together, but it’ll taste delicious either way).

7.) Serve the carrots hot, with the greek yogurt chili sauce spooned on top.

This recipe might just make a carrot lover out of me, yet. The spice mix is SO GOOD – a lot of savory flavors, some spice, and just a touch of sweetness from the brown sugar. I’ve actually used the leftover spice mix on a few other vegetables this week, and they’ve all been totally delicious! The greek yogurt dip is nice and creamy and cool, but with a bit of brightness from the lemon and the chili sauce, which cuts the richness a little. All of the carrot-haters at our table loved these, and I can’t wait to make them again!

Who knew that boiling purple carrots would turn the water black??
Tina