Tag Archives: holidays

Delicious Thanksgiving sides

In honor of Thanksgiving, I thought I’d put together a little post with 10 ideas for Thanksgiving side dishes. I’ve ignored plenty of holidays on this blog–Halloween, for example, went by completely unremarked. And last year I don’t remember sharing a single Thansgiving-friendly recipe when November hit. It’s not even like I’ve fallen off the bandwagon, because to fall off it means you were on it at some point.

And I never claim to have been on any bandwagon, at any time.

So I’m trying to change–not too hard mind you (no pie-filled week like Tracy, no pumpkin-alicious recipes like Sarah), but the least I could do is put together a few of the delicious sides that have happened on this blog in the past. None are exactly traditional, but I think they’d be quite lovely if you’re looking for a little something different this year!

First up!

1. Roasted carrots with feta and parsley–my favorite thing is the roasty sweetness of the carrots. My other favorite thing is the salty, magical feta. And my other favorite thing is that it couldn’t be easier. The steps can be broken down as follows: roast. Toss. Consume.

2. Brussel sprouts!

Shredded. Pan-fried with bacon and nutmeg and a squirt of lemon juice at the end. You may remember this recipe from the cooking class I taught with my friend Cassia earlier this year–and for me, the brussel sprouts were one of the highlightiest highlights of that meal. This little pile of greens would go so well with a big hunk of turkey–if you’re of the turkey persuasion, that is. I’m more for the roasted chicken myself.

3. Creamy Parmesan orzo with asparagus! How I love that stuff.

4. This roasted potato and green bean salad that I LOVE (and I don’t break out the caps for just any old thing). It’s sweet and tangy and mustardy, with just the right amount of bitey vinegar on the tongue. I’ve made it twice, and eating it again would make so very happy.

5. A fruit salad with all fresh fruit (and lotsa berries, though that’s not exactly seasonal at this time), topped with a minty honey lime dressing.

6. Mushrooms drowning in melted fontina. *groan*

And it’s another super easy dish (score)!

7. Divine creamed corn. Easy, delicious, and not-from-a-can.

And all the food bloggers said. . . Amen.

Or at least this food blogger did.

8. Roasted green beans. They are so, so, so good. And you just toss them in the oven and let the heat do the work!

They truly are finger-lickin’, just as I dubbed them in the recipe.

9. Israeli couscous with spiced sweet onions, cherry tomatoes and a sprinkling of cilantro.

It’s so colorful! The red and green reminds me of Christmas. And of course, it’s as tasty as all get out.

10. I’d be amiss if I didn’t mention one of the more traditional dessert type things which can also function as a Thanksgiving side–très Americain—

—Jello! With berries. And cool whip. And I’m not apologizing, either.

I mean, I can’t exactly apologize after what happened last year:

It was devoured by a pack of hyenas.

I mean . . . a pack of sisters. Right.

So! Do tell all. Have you all already planned out your Thanksgiving menus? Or–for my Canadian friends–were your Thanksgivings full of deliciousness and new culinary heights? Or old but still heighty culinary heights? And for my international friends, does the sight of Jello completely disgust you, or do you understand how necessary it is to the American soul?

The garden of Dr. Evil

Aunt Jacquie’s house is wonderful, unique, thoughtfully decorated. We’ve already talked about her elegant but unloungeworthy living room, and we will be doing a tour of the secret staircase and castle wonderland that is the attic, but today I wanted to revel with y’all in her garden.

Here’s the front of the house with its lush green grass and hosts of plants.

The front of the yard has this marvellous old tree . . .

. . . where aunt Jacquie has thoughtfully installed a little door for the gnomes to go in and out. This will go a long way in improving the crumbling state of human/gnome relations, I’m sure.

But that’s just the beginning of the garden dynasty she is building–let’s go around to the back of the house:

The patio area is brand new, and was the perfect setting for a grilling post, manned by Martin for approximately 12 hours straight.

I dub thee Martin of the Grilled Bacon.

The patio area is also perfect for toenail painting (and the refurbishing of waning pedicures):

And adult conversation under the shade of the umbrella.

Do you remember that time (in your early days on this planet) when adult conversation was a mystery? Why would anyone just want to sit around and talk all day? I would ask myself. Surely there were more interesting things to do–like making paperdolls. Or going swimming. Or jumping over towels. Or pretending that the grass is a pit of quicksand, and you have walk along its edge in perfect balance and not set a single toe on it–or else you’ll fall in and be swallowed whole.

As you can see, the patio is not the end of the back yard.

There is an expanse of open space in which any children at hand can completely exhaust themselves running around.

Go Snugs go!

The adults can also migrate to the shade under the tree and continue their boring conversational endeavors.

While the kids were blowing bubbles, my cousin Eleanor and her friend Summer chatted away on some blankets.

I don’t have any landscaping skills or any reason to do landscaping, being ferreted away in an apartment building far away from things called ‘yards’ or ‘lawns,’ but if I did have some such yard or lawn, I would certainly find inspiration in what aunt Jacquie has done with the place.

Hmmm–that was a convoluted way of saying ‘way to go aunt Jacquie!’

She has some mad skillz.

Yes, I just said ‘skillz’–and I’m not taking it back. Nope.

Let’s venture around to the side of the house, where there is another patio area nestled in.

June and aunt Jacquie did me the courtesy of posing. I think I’ll call this area the ‘breakfast nook.’ Or maybe the ‘afternoon tea nook.’ Or maybe the ‘movie star nook.’

Yes, June is looking like a movie star.

Something about those sun glasses screams ‘glamour!’ to me.

And the flowers . . . oh the flowers. Is there anything more photogenic in the world?

I mean, besides movie star June?

So I’m curious–who out there has yards? And how much design have you put into them? And do you mow your lawn with great joy or with great gloom? Or do you just hire the neighbor boy to do it?