Guests in town for the holidays?  There are times when it’s just easier to stay at home and entertain – it’s more casual, you don’t have to stress about having a large party or poor service, or worry about how long the food is taking or splitting the bill, it can accommodate nap times, and it’s less expensive, but If you’re cooking Thanksgiving dinner you probably don’t want to plan an elaborate meal this close to the big day.

So, the perfect solution is a pizza party! And not pizza from your local favorite pizzeria; homemade pizza, as close to brick oven that you can get without the brick oven! (If you’re lucky enough to have one of those fully-equipped backyard kitchens, send me a message on any of the buttons in the sidebar when you decide to run with this idea : ). Everyone loves pizza! Sure there can be disagreement on whether thin crust or deep dish is the best or whether it originated in Napoli or Chicago…. kids and adults will enjoy making and sharing pizzas made with their favorite toppings.  It can be as traditional or artisanal as you prefer:  I like to include seasonal toppings such as pears, figs, roasted squash, sage, and arugula during this time of year.

1. Buy fresh pizza dough.  (I bought mine at Trader Joes.) Plan on one pizza for each person.

2. Set up a pizza-topping station.  Food Network’s Aida Mollenkamp suggests covering the table with butcher paper for a rustic vibe and to make clean-up a snap.

3. Meat toppings: Consider Italian prosciutto and pancetta instead of, or along with,  the traditional pepperoni and sausage.
Veggie toppings; mushrooms, onions, green peppers, artichokes and add some flair with seasonal items mentioned above.
Cheese toppings: goat cheese, blue cheese, traditional grated pizza cheeses such as mozzarella, romano, and/or parmesan.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 〬. Adjust rack to center of oven. Place baking sheets in oven to heat.  Work in batches, rolling out two pizzas at a time to form circles.  Transfer to parchment paper, select toppings, drizzle with 2 T. olive oil, use parchment paper to slide pizza on to preheated baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes each. Cut into quarters, share, and enjoy!

My daughter was better at rolling out the dough than I was.  Uhmm, could be me attempting to shape my dough in the air like I saw in a Food Network pizza competition, but mine ended up in the floor twice.  With a dog that sheds A LOT and a cat, the 30-second rule doesn’t work in my house, so it was a good thing that I bought extra dough.

Or it could have been these:

IT’S OK TO CHEAT: If you want to make things really simple buy pizza crusts, add toppings and bake until warmed through and cheese is bubbly (or softened, in the case of goat cheese or blue cheese).

Cooking Thanksgiving dinner can be stressful and in my previous post I shared TWO TIPS to help the day go smoother:

1. Read your recipes and directions carefully.

2. Cook side dishes in advance (esp. if you’re like me and have only ONE oven).

I considered adding a third tip: don’t do anything different, but you might take that the wrong way. One of the aspects of cooking that I enjoy the most is trying new recipes. And every year I’ve gazed upon the mouth-watering November issues of all the cooking magazines I have, past and current, and select a new dessert or side dish to change things up a bit. I learned years ago that I can’t mess with the traditional line-up too much. The Don insists upon jellied cranberry sauce and by all means, DON’T mess with the mashed potatoes! So what I really mean is, to quote an old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, instead of stuffing the turkey this year, I baked the stuffing separately. Savory stuffing is what I anticipate most about Thanksgiving dinner and I was sorely disappointed because my traditional bread dressing lacked the moistness and full flavor that the turkey juices add. (When “stuffing” is baked separately, rather than stuffed in the turkey, is when it’s called “dressing”.)

On to the main attraction, the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving table, Roast Turkey. Most importantly, it takes 3-4 days to defrost a turkey in the refrigerator (recommended). For tips on all things turkey, from defrosting to carving, visit Butterball.com or you can call the Butterball Talk Line at 1-800-BUTTERBALL. If you haven’t done your grocery shopping, here’s a list of supermarket specials from DealsDiva.

The Brown Sugar-cured Turkey has been a family favorite since 1997. This recipe, as well as the Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic-Lemon Vinaigrette, were featured in a collection highlighting the best-loved ingredients of the Pacific Northwest, so naturally, an Oregon Pinot Noir is the perfect wine pairing.

There’s been a lot of talk about brussel sprouts this past week:  about children wanting to eat them (for real!) and a mom who just can’t stomach it, to Thanksgiving recipes for the cruciferous veggie (how did brussel sprouts become a Thanksgiving tradition anyway?).  In response to the parents commenting on the Whrll slideshow I challenged myself to find a recipe that children, and adults – admit it, the hate starts here, could enjoy, maybe…

But first, the Photo of the Week:

Did you know that brussel sprouts grew like this?  I didn’t, but now the fact that they belong to the cabbage family, along with broccoli and cauliflower, becomes more clear to me.  Kids are always curious about where things come from so I think they would be intrigued by this photo. I found the real thing at Trader Joes in case you want to buy some yourself.

Now the recipe, from Cat Cora of  Top Chef fame:

Ingredients
3 pounds Brussels sprouts 
¼ cup unsalted butter 
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Kosher salt 
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
4 tablespoons capers 
2 tablespoons lemon juice 
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Directions
Prepare the brussel sprouts by peeling off the tired outside leaves and cutting off the stem. Mark the core where the stem was with an X using a paring knife. Cut the sprouts in half.

In a 4 quart sauce pan bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Season with 1 tablespoon of salt. Blanch the sprouts for 10 minutes, or until fork tender.

In a 10 inch sauté pan, brown the butter and add in the sprouts. Cook on medium high heat, rolling the sprouts in the pan, until the sprouts are caramelized, about 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat, and add the capers and lemon juice. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Serves 4 to 6

* I cut the recipe in half – my little family was not going to eat 3 ½ lbs. of brussel sprouts : )

Making Thanksgiving dinner on your own can be a daunting task – even for your more experienced cooks. Just because I’m a cooking blogger doesn’t mean that all my meals turn out perfect, or that I’m an expert in all things culinary, or that I have some awesome Viking professional kitchen….

And the Thanksgiving dinner that I cooked Sunday reminded me of just that. Yes, I know Thanksgiving is still two weeks away (actually, only 10 days) but I wanted to share two of my favorite recipes with you. And that I can do.

Things did not go desperately awry, but the day did start with my big, hairy, surprise dinner guest canceling to rush off to a paying job (men!). So before you charge into that kitchen determined to cook your family a mouthwatering feast they will never forget, I have these two tips to share:

1. Read your recipes and directions carefully.

2. Cook side dishes in advance (esp. if you’re like me and have only ONE oven).

The Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic-Lemon Vinaigrette can be cooked before the turkey and served at room temperature or reheated before serving. “Roasted vegetables are downright scrumptious. It’s an easy method that creates caramelization on the exterior, a beautiful browning that yields pleasant sweet flavors. It’s a sweetness that masks any of a vegetable’s subtle bitterness”, raved Cathy Thomas in a recent article.

Another great thing about this dish is that it combines several Thanksgiving staples into one delicious side dish that makes a visually beautiful presentation.

Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic-Lemon Vinaigrette

(adapted from Bon Appétit, November 1997)
Serves 10

2 lb. red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams)
(about 3 med.) peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 acorn squash, quartered lengthwise, seeded, cut crosswise into ½ inch slices
1 lb. brussel sprouts, trimmed, halved lengthwise
2 t. chopped fresh rosemary or 1 t. dried
2 T. olive oil
1 whole garlic head, top ½ inch trimmed

Vinaigrette

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
2 t. grated lemon peel *
3 T. olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Prepare vegetables. Transfer to large roasting pan. Drizzle with 2 T. olive oil, sprinkle generously with salt & pepper. Toss to coat.

Place garlic head, cut side up, on small piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with 1 t. olive oil, wrap up and place in roasting pan with vegetables.

Roast until vegetables are tender and brown in spots, turning occasionally, about 45 minutes.

Unwrap garlic, peel and thinly slice. Transfer garlic and vegetables to a large bowl.
Whisk vinegar, lemon peel and olive oil. Toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature.

*Notes: A “microplaner” is a must-have for any kitchen.

Come visit TopMom on Friday when I’ll share the sure-to-become- a-family-favorite turkey recipe that my family has enjoyed since 1997.

Pumpkin Banana Bread

Beloved banana bread with an autumn twist along with the health benefits of fiber-rich oatmeal and flax.  My 18 year old devoured this bread with peanut butter for breakfast and lunch for three days straight and her BFF declared it the “bread of the gods”.  A powerful endorsement from an age group whose four main food groups are usually sugar, salt, fat, and caffeine.  Perfect for school lunches or an afternoon snack for the younger set, too.

15-ounce can pumpkin puree

2 ripe bananas

1 t. vanilla

2 large eggs (see Notes)

2 c. unbleached flour

1 c. quick rolled oats

¾ c. flax meal

¾ c. brown sugar

1 ½ t. baking powder

½ t. baking soda

¼ t. salt

1 t. pumpkin pie spice

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 2 standard loaf pans with cooking spray.

1.  In a food processor, combine the pumpkin puree, bananas, vanilla and eggs. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. (A blender works for this step if you don’t have a food processor. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl to add dry ingredients.)

2. Add the flour, rolled oats, flax meal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice.  Process until thoroughly blended. (Use an electric mixer if you transferred the puree from a blender to a mixing bowl.)

3. Divide the batter into the two loaf pans. (This produces a smaller loaf which makes nice “kid-size” slices.)

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean. Let cool before removing from pan and slicing.

Note: Here are some  Egg substitutions for vegans.

Annie’s Cornbread

Growing up in the South – cornbread is King! And even though I live in fast-paced southern Cali now, it’s a favorite in my house.  Easy to make – delicious warm out of the oven, toasted, with jelly or butter or just plain with a glass of milk.

1 c. unbleached flour

1 c. cornmeal

¼ c. sugar

3 t. baking powder

1 egg lightly beaten

¼ c. canola oil

1⅓ c. lowfat milk

Preheat oven to 425〬

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Blend in the beaten egg, milk and canola oil.

Pour into a baking dish sprayed lightly with oil.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Notes:  My motto is: “It’s always better homemade” because at least you know what’s in the dish.  Cornbread in many restaurants is full of fat, sugar, and salt.  This recipe reflects changes that I’ve made over the years to make it lower in fat (lowfat milk) and healthier (canola oil vs. butter) with less sugar and I don’t add any salt – tastes great to us!  You try it and let me know, K?

The Bon Appétit Challenge was something I dreamed up after seeing the movie “Julie &Julia” in August. Basically, I have set out to cook the cover recipe of every Bon Appétit magazine that I have.   My archives go back to 1990; fortunately, I did recycle a few here and there

This is the cover recipe from the Bon Appétit, October 2001 issue.

Roast Pork with Cranberry-Port Sauce

2 T. butter

1 c. chopped onion

2 garlic cloves

1½ t. grated orange peel

3/4 t. dried sage leaves

1 t. dried thyme

1 c. low-salt chicken broth

3/4 c. cranberry juice cocktail

1 c. dried cranberries

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. Tawny Port

1 T. cornstarch

1 3-lb. pork loin roast

3 T. vegetable oil

Sauce:

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over med-high heat. Add onions; saute until golden, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, orange zest, sage and thyme; stir 1 minutes. Add broth and cranberry juice; simmer until mixture is reduced to 1½ c. Strain sauce into heavy medium saucepan, pressing on solids with back of spoon. Add cranberries and sugar, simmer about 5 minutes. Mix Port and cornstarch in small bowl to blend. Add to sauce; boil until sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt & pepper. (Cranberry sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Roast:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Pat the roast dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat 2 T. oil over high heat in heavy large oven-proof skillet.  Add the pork and cook until brown, turning frequently until all sides are browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer skillet to the oven and roast pork until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of of pork registers 150 〬F, about 25 minutes. Transfer pork to platter; cover to keep warm. Add cranberry sauce to pan juices in skillet and bring to simmer, stirring frequently.

Slice pork into 1/2″ thick slices, drizzle with sauce. Serve and enjoy with roasted butternut squash.

Serves 4.  Enjoy

Served with roasted butternut squash.

Kid tip:  I changed the recipe to be less heavy on the herbs (my family – and most kids – like herbs more on the subtle side).  And, to ease them into the flavors, serve the sauce on the side if necessary.

With Thanksgiving just weeks away, I’ve been thinking about side dishes to accompany my favorite turkey recipe which I’m going to share here and on OC Family next week.  I find inspiration in the oddest places – this time it was within the pages of American Way magazine on my flight to Northwest Arkansas last month.

Squash is the essence of autumn and I’ve always prepared it very simply (halved, baked, add a little brown sugar and butter and enjoy!)  but yearned for a little more complexity.  What grabbed my attention, besides the gorgeous photo, was the use of honey vs. sugar as a sweetener and the addition of pancetta, which I love.

Roasted Butternut Squash

Adapted from a recipe by Nate Appleman, New York-based James Beard Award winner  ”Honey is a surprisingly under-used ingredient with home cooks,”

says Nate.

1 butternut squash, halved lengthwise & seeded

2 cloves garlic. peeled and smashed

1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried

Lemon zest from one lemon

4 oz. pancetta, chopped

2 T. honey

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel squash halves (this was the hardest part) and slice crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces.

Chop rosemary, garlic, and lemon zest and mix with chili flakes, pancetta, and honey.

In large bowl, toss squash with the olive oil and all other ingredients.

Spread squash in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in oven for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through and golden.

Served with Roast Pork with Cranberry-Port Sauce.

Filet Mignon with Cabernet Sauce

* Simple

* One Skillet

4 T. butter (divided use)

4 filet mignon steaks

1/3 cup chopped shallot (optional)

2/3 c. Cabernet Sauvignon

1 T. drained capers

1 T. Dijon mustard

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of steaks with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and cook to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium. Transfer steaks to 4 plates. Tent with foil.

Melt 1 T. butter in same skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; sauté 1 minute. Add wine, capers and mustard; simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons. Add salt & Pepper to taste. Spoon over steaks.  Serve immediately with sauteed carrots and potato wedges or a salad of romaine wedges with blue cheese dressing,

4 servings

Kid tip:  serve the sauce on the side, sprinkle brown sugar on the carrots.

Notes: Always start with good quality ingredients.

Plowboys in Fountain Valley for an old-fashioned meat counter with prime & choice meats:

Pork Ribs with Hoisin Barbecue Sauce

(adapted from Bon Appétit, July 2002)