Giving Thanks

It might be a little bit early for a post about Thanksgiving, but I had a Thanksgiving-themed pot luck last night, so I'm in the mood. One of the things that I love about Thanksgiving is that it brings people together around food. Sharing a meal helps us bond with the others at the table. Eating relaxes us, it breaks down barriers, and it establishes important social norms. My favorite part, though, is the food.

Since I started patronizing farmers markets a few years ago I have begun to appreciate the food at Thanksgiving even more. Because I know many of my farmers, I feel even more thankful for the food on the table. These farmers spend every day putting their heart and soul into growing food for our tables. They are proud of what they do, and they love sharing it with us. This Thanksgiving, I encourage you to get as much of your meal from local sources as possible. Below are 2 lists, 1 of produce that is available around this time of year (with some recipe suggestions!) and another of resources to find local food in your area. Give thanks, eat food, and enjoy the fall colors!

Fall Produce*

• Beets (Beet Hummus)
• Carrots (Roasted Root Vegetables, my recipe)
• Turnips (See link above)
• Rutabagas (See link above)
• Potatoes (See link above)
• Sweet potatoes (Sweet Potato Biscuits, my recipe, coming soon!)
• Squash: acorn, butternut, spaghetti, pumpkin, etc (West Indian Pumpkin Soup)
• Mushrooms (Mushroom Gravy, my recipe)
• Kale
• Swiss Chard
• Spinach
• Greens: mustard, beet, collards, turnip, etc (Balsamic Greens, my recipe)
• Apples
• Persimmons
• Figs
• Pomegranates

*These depend on your area, check your local farmers market for exact availabilities.

Find a Farmers Market

• Local Harvest: A great resource of farmers markets by area. Also has information about getting turkeys.
• USDA Farmers Market Search
• Triangle Farmers Markets: A Google map of farmers markets in the Triangle area
• The Davidson Farmers Market*: A young, thriving market that will always hold a special place in my heart

*Full disclosure: I used to be on the Board of Directors of the Davidson Farmers Market. I included the specific link because I have readers in the Davidson area.

Balsamic Greens

This is one of my favorite ways to serve greens, and it is a great recipe for those new to cooking with greens. I usually use collard greens, but you can use any variety (mustard or beet greens, kale, swiss chard, etc).

Ingredients
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans
1 lb collards or other greens
1-2 T balsamic vinegar
1/4 c raisins or dried cranberries
Salt & Pepper, to taste

1. Remove stems and cores of greens and coarsely chop.
2. Heat olive oil in frying pan over medium-high heat.
3. Add garlic and onion and cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. Add nuts and let cook for 2 minutes
5. Stir in greens, lower heat to medium, and cover. Cook until greens are wilted.
6. Stir in balsamic vinegar and raisins/cranberries. Taste and add salt and/or pepper, as desired.
7. Serve immediately.

Roasted Vegetables

It's that time of year again! The weather is getting chilly, leaves are changing, and root vegetables abound. Here is a recipe I use to celebrate the season.

Ingredients
2 pounds root vegetables*
1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Optional: 1 pound other veggies**
2 T olive oil
2-4 T fresh herbs***
Salt & Pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Prepare root vegetables accordingly. Most will need to be washed, peeled, and cut into cubes. Do your best to cut them into similarly sized pieces so they cook evenly.
3. Prepare other vegetables, if necessary. Snap ends off green beans, cut larger mushrooms in half, and halve brussels sprouts. Okra is best roasted whole.
4. Combine root vegetables, other vegetables, onion, and garlic on a large rimmed baking sheet or in a roasting pan.
5. Toss vegetables with oil, herbs, salt, and pepper.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring once, until root vegetables are fork-tender.

*Root vegetables include carrots, turnips, rutabagas, beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and parsnips. Use any combination that you like. If you've never worked with one of those vegetables, this is a great way to try them out!

**"Other veggies" that I have used include green beans, okra, mushrooms, or brussels sprouts.

***I like sage, rosemary, and marjoram, but oregano, thyme, chives, and tarragon are also wonderful in this dish. As in other recipes, you can use any combination of herbs that you like or have on hand. If using dried, use closer to 2 T than 4T.

Mushroom Gravy

This is my go-to gravy recipe for any occasion. It makes a flavorful, savory sauce that is great on stuffing, tofu, potatoes, chicken, turkey, and more!

Ingredients

1/4-1/3 pound mushrooms*

3 T butter, divided

2 T flour

1 c vegetable broth/stock

2 T fresh herbs**

1. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in frying pan over medium-high heat. 
2. Slice mushrooms as thinly as possible. If you want a smooth gravy you can mince them. Add mushrooms to pan and cook until quite tender. 
3. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter. 
4. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour until just combined. 
5. Add the vegetable broth and whisk until smooth. 
6. Stir in herbs. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until thickened. 
7. As it thickens, stir occasionally, taste, and adjust spices accordingly. DO NOT add salt unless you have tasted it and truly feel it needs it. Typically vegetable stock is salty enough.
8. Serve warm.
9. Optional: Put the gravy in the blender and pulse for a few seconds to make it smooth. I usually need to add 1/4-1/2 cup of extra stock to thin it when I do this.

*A note on mushrooms. You can certainly use white button mushrooms, but to me they're a little plain-Jane. I like shiitakes or criminis (baby portobellos) for this recipe, but any type of mushroom will work.

**I typically use a combination of sage, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram, but you can use whatever you have on hand. It works well to use the same spices in the gravy as you're using in other recipes being served. Fresh is always preferred to dried. If you do use dried, start with 1 Tablespoon and add more to taste.

5 Essential Kitchen Items

Check out this great article from one of my favorite blogs, Apartment Therapy's Re-Nest.

5 Indispensable Entertaining Items Built to Last

I may be biased, given that I do, in fact, have all of those items, but I think that is a great list. You can truly do a lot with each of those items. If you are new to entertaining or new to having your own kitchen, knowing what to buy can be a daunting task. Kitchen equipment can add up quickly, so you need to be selective about what you spend your money on.

My advice is to seek out as many of these five items as you can afford. Go for top quality. You might spend more, but in the end these pieces will last for your lifetime. When you're 80 years old and teaching your grandchildren to cook with the cast iron pan you've been using for 60 years, you will not regret these purchases. And don't forget about the holidays coming up! Parents love buying their young adult children practical gifts, especially if you make them a fabulous meal with your gifts.

The only comment I would add to the article is to point out that you should not only look for high quality, but also seek out multi-taskers. Le Creuset and other cast iron is great because it can be used on the stove top or in the oven. So that cast iron skillet can make your favorite stir fry or sauteed vegetable dish, and baked goods like corn bread and cakes. My salad bowl is also oven-safe (it's Pyrex), so I can serve cold dishes in it, but also stick it in the oven to warm up a side dish or bake a cobbler.

Thanks, Apartment Therapy, for such a great list!