A Photo-Diary of my Thanksgiving

(I'm apologizing now for the grainy images. my parents don't understand the importance of good lighting in their living room, apparently)


Roasted Pear & Goat Cheese Salad


Pumpkin Dinner Rolls


Membrillo (aka Quince Paste)


Caramel Apple Pie and Pumpkin Ice Cream


Baked Macaroni and Cheese


Acorn Squash, Leek, & Apple Soup with Apple Cider Creme Fraiche

for all parties interested, I did make the pie crust from scratch. and yes, it was mindblowing.

Recipe: Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Today's Thanksgiving recipe comes from an old issue of vegetarian times. The concept of baked macaroni and cheese is not new to me, but this recipe is!

ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat penne pasta
1/2 lb spinach leaves
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups fat-free milk
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

directions:
preheat oven to 350 degrees. spray a 9x11 baking dish with nonstick spray
cook penne according to directions on package. drain and set aside.
in a large pot, cook spinach over medium heat until wilted. drain and chop coarsely
in a large saucepan, whisk together olive oil and flour for two minutes over medium-low heat. gradually add milk and continue to whisk for five minutes, or until mixture begins to thicken.
remove saucepan from heat. add penne, spinach, and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. stir until evenly coated, then transfer to baking dish. sprinkle remaining 2 tbsp of parmesan cheese on top.
bake 45-60 minutes, or until the top begins to brown.

serves 6

Recipe: Winter Squash, Leek, & Apple Soup

today marked the start of my marathon of thanksgiving cooking with this soup. I won't lie...it was an all-day event making this soup. it wasn't difficult, it just took a long time to roast the squash. in the end, though, my taste test proved that this soup is worth the time.

ingredients:
4.5 lb of winter squash, halved with the seeds removed (I used acorn squash)
1 tart apple, peeled, cored, and quartered (I chose a pink lady apple)
1 Tbs olive oil
2 medium leeks, white parts only, sliced
1/2 tsp salt
2 pinches ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 bay leaf

directions:
1. preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place squash cut-side down and apple quarters in large baking dish. Add one cup water, cover, and roast 35-40 minutes, or until squash is tender. Allow the squash to cool then scoop the flesh out from the skin.
2. heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leeks, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1 pinch of pepper. cook 3 minutes or until leeks begin to soften. stir in garlic and wine, then cook another 3 minutes, or until pot is nearly dry. add squash, apple, vegetable broth, remaining salt and pepper, and bay leaf. bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat uncovered for 20 minutes. remove bay leaf, then puree with immersion blender until smooth and creamy. cook over low heat for 15 minutes.

as I type this post, I am roasting two sugar pumpkins for various thanksgiving recipes to appear in the future.