Giving Thanks and Book Winner

It may not seem as exciting to you as it is to me, but the thing we are most thankful this year is:

That's my boy, front and center, holding the trophy, #51.
So please indulge me while I brag for a moment, then we'll get to the food.
These guys have only been a varsity team for 4 years. In that time, they've gone from a completely winless first season to state champions. We're all grateful for their determination and team spirit. No team wanted this more than they did.
We're extremely grateful to the fabulous and dedicated coaches, to the support of our community and school, and the parents who fed them well every week before games.
 If you're REALLY interested (and it's ok if you're not), you can read more here.

It's turkey day minus one today.

That means a full day of prep work - trimming Brussels sprouts, peeling carrots, making pies, toasting bread for stuffing, chopping leeks and shallots. If this all gets done today, tomorrow will be a breeze. Just get that turkey in the oven and finish the rest of the dishes, while sipping a nice pinot noir and snacking on rosemary roasted cashews.
Easy, right?
I'm sure you have your menu all set by now, but if you're looking for some guidance, here are links to some of the recipes I'm using...

Cider-Brined and Glazed Turkey from Epicurious

Northwestern Wild Mushroom Stuffing, an old favorite from Bon Appetit

Brussels Sprouts with Crisp Proscuitto, from Cooking Light

Cranberry Salsa

Yeah, I know this is the lazy blogger's Thanksgiving post, but I've been otherwise occupied.
See above.
All will be back to normal now that the season is over.
Yeah, right...

The winner of the Maine Mapmaker's Kitchen book is Linda, of How to Cook a Wolf.
Linda, please send me you address in an email and the book will be on its way to you. Congratulations!

Another thing to be grateful for? YOU,  my wonderful readers.

Thanks so much for sticking with me, offering encouragement and support. I hope you know how much I appreciate each and every one of you. 

I wish you all a very happy and delicious Thanksgiving!

Maine Mapmaker's Kitchen Apple Spice Scones and a Giveaway

For those of you unaware, I work part time at a small, independent bookstore, here in my small Maine town.
It's always been a dream of mine to work in a bookstore. so when this opportunity came up, I was thrilled.
It's the perfect job for me.
Talk about books. Recommend books. Look at new books.
Visit with customers, about half of whom I know. Many others become friends. Read books, when there are no customers.

And sometimes I get to meet the authors too.
For a small town, we actually have a number of authors who live here or nearby.
There's Lily King, whose most recent book, Father of the Rain, is a bestseller.
We also have Melissa Senate, who has a new book out called The Love Goddess' Cooking School. An irresistible title if there ever was one.
Debra Spark, author of Good for the Jews, lives in the next town over and comes in occasionally.
And Ken Nye is a local poet, who reflects lovingly on dogs, Maine and family.

Last week Jane Crosen stopped in. She's a mapmaker and cookbook author.
Jane draws detailed maps of Maine places by hand. If you have ever tried to draw a map by hand then you know how difficult this can be. Her maps are elegant in their simplicity and clarity.
One of them hangs over my daughter's bed in her college room, in landlocked Colorado.

Maine Mapmaker's Kitchen is her cookbook and it's an eclectic collection of creative and healthy recipes. There are lots of notes about growing food, variations on recipes and practical advice.
 When she stopped in at the store, I blurted out, "My readers would love this! Can you donate one for me to giveaway?"
I don't think I even gave her a chance to think about it. She put her signature inside and handed the book to me. Thanks Jane!

Soooo, if you'd like to have this book for your very own, leave me a comment on this post.
Have you been to Maine? Where? If not, where would you most like to visit? And of course, what would you eat?

How about apple spice scones?

The recipe comes from Maine Mapmaker's Kitchen. As scones go, these are relatively healthful, with not too much butter, lots of whole grains and chunks of apple. The texture is nice and light.  I added an apple cider glaze because I'm that kind of girl. (The kind who likes sweets.)
Note: Instead of the individual spices listed here, I used about 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice. I am also the kind of girl who is a little lazy.

Apple & Spice Scones


2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour

2/3 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup oat flour

1/4 cup whole oats or toasted wheat germ

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/4 tsps. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. ground ginger

3 Tbsps. chilled butter, cut into small pieces

3 Tbsps. canola oil

1 cup small-diced apple

1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)

1/3 cup milk + 1 Tbsp. yogurt (plain or vanilla)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 large egg

1/3 cup sanding, or coarse, sugar (optional)

Combine dry ingredients (flour through spices) in a large mixing bowl. Rub butter into mixture using your fingers, until you get the texture of coarse crumbs. Add canola oil and work in evenly, then add chopped apples and nuts (if using).

Preheat oven to 375. Grease 2 cookie sheets, or line with silicone baking liners (Silpat).
Measure milk and yogurt into measuring cup, add vanilla and egg, then whisk until well-blended. Pour into dry ingredients and stir briefly, just until flours are moistened.

Form balls of dough, one at a time, and press the tops into sugar (if desired). Place on baking sheet and flatten top slightly. Bake 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and place on cooling racks. When cool, you can top them with the cider glaze if you want.

Mix 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar with 2 Tbsps. apple cider. Mix until smooth.
A little cinnamon sugar wouldn't hurt either.

Perfectly Delicious Black-Bottom Banana Bread

Perfection is ineffable.

Click here if you don't know what that means.

We food bloggers are always either looking for the perfect recipe or claiming to have it.
There are so many variations of the same thing - what makes one perfect and another slightly less perfect?
What about taking personal taste into account?

I might like a chewy, gooey chocolate chip cookie. You may prefer yours crispy. Or cakey (why you would though is a complete mystery to me). Same with brownies. This is my favorite. It might not be yours, but to me it's chocolate perfection.

Currently I am in search of the perfect way to roast a turkey. Every magazine tells me "the best way ever".  Really? What about last year's suggestion? Is it now imperfect? Is the method outlined in Bon Appetit truly superior to the one in Fine Cooking? Should I give each one a test run in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving? Or just go with the one that suits my idea of how turkey should be?

It's not my intention to turn cooking into a soul-searching exercise, but there are really so many unanswered questions.
It exhausts me and my little brain.

So much in fact that I had to step back from the whole thing and bake a banana bread.
Is it the perfect banana bread?
Maybe, if you like chocolate with your banana.
Maybe we I should stop worrying about perfection and just concentrate on deliciousness.
If you're with me, try this.
It's extremely delicious. And a little different than your average banana bread.
Perfectly enjoyable with your coffee while perusing magazines in search of the perfect Thanksgiving.

Black-Bottom Banana Bread
adapted from The Family Kitchen

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 medium very ripe, or overripe bananas

1/2 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3 heaping tablespoons high quality cocoa powder

Topping:

1/4 cup flour

3 Tbsps. whole oats (not quick-cooking)

3 Tbsps. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

3 Tbsps. butter, softened

1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour (or spray with baking spray) sides and bottom of 9" loaf pan. (If using an 8" loaf pan, there will be extra batter - you could put it in a ramekin or two and bake it up.)
Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add sour cream, eggs and bananas. Mix until well-blended.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Mix dry ingredients into wet.
Split the batter, placing half in a separate bowl. Sift the cocoa powder into one half and mix well.
Pour chocolate batter into prepared pan, smoothing top. Top with regular batter.

Place all the topping ingredients in a bowl and mix with a fork until crumbly. Spread evenly over top of loaf.

Bake on center rack for 55-60 minutes (mine cooked a bit longer), or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out cleanly. Cool at least 20 minutes before removing from pan.

Eat Your Greens! Spaghetti with Swiss Chard, Bacon and Pinenuts

The farmers' market is still going strong.
All kinds of squash, hardy greens, Brussels sprouts, potatoes and other root vegetables have taken over.

These vegetables may not hold the same glamour as a juicy, ripe tomato or jewel-like berries.
But they're what we have this time of year, so let's make the best of it.
Recipes using squash and apples are all over the blogosphere, but I've seen few for dishes with Swiss chard.
Which is unfortunate, since chard is one of those nutrition powerhouse foods, ranking right behind spinach. It helps regulate blood sugar, is high in fiber and packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
This recipe can teach Popeye a thing or two. It's a delicious way to incorporate chard into your diet. Or try it with any other hardy green. Even those who turn up their noses at "leaves" (that would be my middle kid) like this because of the bacon involved. The small amount of brown sugar doesn't hurt either.

Spaghetti with Swiss Chard, Bacon and Pine Nuts
adapted from The Boston Globe


3/4 lb. spaghetti

2 tsps. balsamic vinegar

2 tsps. soy sauce

2 tsps. brown sugar

1 large bunch of Swiss chard, leaves removed from stem, stems saved

1/2 lb. bacon, chopped

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 Tbsps. unsalted butter

salt and pepper

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, soy sauce and brown sugar.

Bring a large pot of water to boil, and cook spaghetti while preparing the rest of the dish.

Cut or tear Swiss chard leaves into 2 to 3" pieces. Wash and dry them well. Rinse the stems and slice them into 1/4" pieces.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high flame. Add chopped bacon and cook until crisp. Remove from pan onto a plate lined with a paper towel (to drain excess fat). Add pine nuts to bacon fat that's left in the pan. Cook until they're lightly browned, 1-2 minutes. Keep an eye on them because they could burn quickly. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to plate with bacon.

If the pan starts to look dry, add a bit of olive oil. Then add Swiss chard stems, salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir fry for a few seconds.

Add the chard leaves and a generous pinch of salt. Using tongs, toss the leaves in the pan for about a minute or just until wilted. Scrape the balsamic mixture into the pan, stir well, and remove pan from heat.
Fold in bacon and pine nuts, then add drained pasta to pan. Add butter and toss until melted. Serve from pan or transfer to large serving bowl.

Cranberry Salsa

I have a Halloween hangover.

What do they put in candy corn anyways? Crack?

Once you get started with it, it's nearly impossible to stop.

But the good news is, I have something for you that's also addictive, but MUCH better for you.

In fact, it's downright healthful.

Cranberries have anti-cancer properties, are high in antioxidants and loaded with vitamin C.

That's all just fine, but the bottom line here is the deliciousness of this salsa.

It's got that sweet-tart thing going on, with a little spiciness and lots of crunch. Eaten with a candy corn chip, you get just the right hit of salt too.

It was a a snap to make. And I'll be whipping up more at Thanksgiving. It'll be just right for snacking on in the afternoon, before turkey.

Now put down the candy corn and go make...

Cranberry Salsa

12 oz bag of cranberries

1/2 red bell pepper

1/2 onion

1 Granny Smith apple

1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar, depending on your taste

1-2 Tbsps. chopped jalapeno pepper, again depending on how spicy you like it

Zest of one lime

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/3 cup apple cider or apple juice

Cut pepper and onion into large chunks. Place them in food processor along with the cranberries. Pulse several times until the mixture is chopped finely. It's ok if some larger pieces remain.

Remove from food processor and place in a medium bowl. Mix in sugar, jalapeno, lime zest, cilantro and cider. Combine well. 

Serve with tortilla chips.

Thanks David, for this recipe. Love it. Don't know why I waited so long!