Mosqui Gras & Ramadan: "Fast" Summer Recipes

Peanut Butter & Jelly; Tuck & Patti; Rhythm & Blues: those are combinations that work. In contrast, fasting and long, hot DC summer days do not seem like the ideal combination. Ready or not, Ramadan in early summer is here! Are you ready?

As a dabbler in daytime fasting--who loves the "festivity" of breaking fast whether I have been fasting or not!--I, of course, have observations, opinions and suggestions.

Mosqui Gras!

Observation: As a Christian participant in the Lenten tradition, we make a big deal about fasting. Considering that we give up nominal things like chocolate, swearing, desserts--compared to not eating and drinking ALL DAY LONG, why are we the ones to raise a ruckus with Mardi Gras? Last year, a friend and I (in solidarity) kicked off Ramadan with Mosqui Gras--random outbursts, divine meals and frolicking before the month of solemnity and reflection ahead.

"Haram-free" Rice Krispy Treats
Blueberry Dumplings
Microwave Fudge-so wrong, so right
Faux-jitos Try with a splash of passion fruit juice concentrate--in the Latin food section of many supermarkets
Pavlova-Search this blog for recipe

Ramadan

Here are some lighter meals and refreshing drinks to prepare for breaking fast. These come together fast and can be combined with bread, pasta, rice or even potatoes for more heft. Note that none of these recipes require baking! Only the dumplings, above, are on the stove for a few minutes.

Coconut Water Cooler
Place a small mint sprig-3 leaves-in each section of an ice cube tray. Fill tray with coconut water and freeze. Serve with bubbly water and/or limeade combination. Fresh cucumbers and watermelon chucks would taste great.

Vitamin Water
Combine your favorite Emergen-C vitamin packet (FREE SAMPLES!) with:

• Frozen or fresh grapes
• Frozen or fresh blueberries
• Fresh cucumbers
• Slices of lime, lemon or grapefruit
• Bubbly, filtered or coconut water
• Ice, if desired

Pineapple Frosty
One 20-oz can crushed pineapple or one 12-16 oz bag frozen (plus 1/2 cup extra juice)
10 mint leaves or fresh basil leaves
2 cups ice (or 1 cup ice + 1/2 cup water if using frozen pineapple)
Blend at high speed until smooth.

Panzanella aka "bread salad", pictured above left. At home we skip the toasted bread and use Stacy's Pita Chips--it comes out half-crunchy. Yum! If cooking for kids, I serve the olives on the side and call it pizza salad. It has disappeared every time!

• 2 1/2 cups pita chips
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon drained capers
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 5 ripe  large tomatoes or 7 plum tomatoes, halved or quartered, depending on size and shape
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1/2 cup pitted and halved Niçoise or Kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisking constantly, add the extra virgin olive oil in a stream until well incorporated.

Add the onion, tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, and olives and toss with the vinaigrette. Add the pita chips. Adjust the salt and pepper.

Tear the basil leaves and add them to the bowl. Toss to coat. Set aside for 20 minutes or more.

Divide the salad among 4 plates. Garnish each plate with shaved cheese and serve. By comparison, here is the authentic recipe.

Strawberry Salad & Vinaigrette

• 4 cups organic spinach leaves (4 ounces)
• 4 tablespoons crumbled plain goat cheese (2 ounces)
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 4 teaspoons chopped toasted walnuts, optional

Best Summer vinaigrette ever!!

• 5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 large basil leaves and/or fresh tarragon and parsley
• 10 fresh strawberries, rinsed and trimmed

Directions:
Using a stick blender, a food processor or traditional blender, mix the ingredients for 20-30 seconds until texture is creamy; small strawberry lumps and seeds are fine.
Don't let the pinkish-brown color stop you from drizzling this over fresh spinach, butter lettuce, frisée and other delicate leaves!
Watermelon salad-Arugula would make an easy replacement for watercress
Pickled Cucumbers  This recipe link can be followed to do a quick pickle. The one below makes a refreshing salad ready in 30 minutes.

• 3 English (seedless) cucumbers, sliced 1/8 inch with a mandolin or as thin as possible
• 1 teaspoon salt or 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 20 pieces peeled, fresh ginger, thin-sliced with a vegetable peeler
• 1 shake hot pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce
• 1 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup water (if vinegar taste is too strong
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup diagonal carrot slices (or as much as you like)
• 3 spring onions, cut into diagonal slivers (kitchen scissors work best)

Inspiration:  Consider adding crushed peanuts when plated for a spring roll flavor combination. This pickle also tastes delicious with extra plums. Use on salads and with poultry. Consider pickling extra zucchini instead of cucumbers.

If mango lassi were a salad, it would look like this

Avocado Delight, paired with a delicious dressing:

And this could be a meal with Salmon

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon water

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

I imagine having these in the morning--a pre-dawn treat accompanied by a meal.
Vegan "Ice Cream"-no machine needed!!
Pistachio Ice Cream
Date Shake

Summer Tips--Vegan Umami Power: Activate!, Fruit Ninja, Inspector Gadget on the Grill

My Monday morning ritual usually includes listening to America’s Test Kitchen radio podcast on Stitcher radio. Here are some “ATK” tips for summer. Some of the gadgets featured would make great gifts. If you order soon or hit your local hardware store, you can get some items by this weekend for Father’s Day, a cookout or that graduation party coming up!!

DIY Umami: Video/Recipe for Vegan Fish Sauce

This is great for vegans or those allergic to fish. I use soy sauce but notice that depth of flavor is lacking…

Try making the following summer-friendly (and now vegan) recipes with the substitute fish sauce!

Vietnaemese Dipping Sauce

Bean Thread Noodles with Quick-Pickled Vegetables (Featured photo: Christina Holmes)

Become a Fruit Ninja: With Mangoes at their prime and melon season upon us, here are some tips for quicker cutting.

Inspector Gadget on the Grill-- If you have a dad or grad “grillhead” or are self-appointed, consider these "hot" items. The best part is everyone reaps the benefits of these new gadgets!

1. Thermoworks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen

Simply the best. The Thermoworks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen is fast, accurate, and easy to use. It also has the widest temperature range: -58.0 to 572.0°F (-49.9 to 299.9°C).
Where to Buy: Amazon

2. The Tool Wizard BBQ Brush

This highly recommended grill brush sports a lightweight polypropylene grip and a large, tough "scrubbie" pad (with a spare included) that did an excellent job cleaning off a baked-on mixture of honey, molasses, barbecue sauce, and mustard.
Where to Buy: Amazon

3. Weber Rapid Fire Chimney Starter

This no-frills chimney starter holds just enough charcoal (6 quarts) to handle the frequent grilling applications that require high heat and it works well for most grill sizes. We loved this starter's sturdy construction, generous capacity, heat-resistant handle, and second handle for easier-to-control coal distribution. With plenty of ventilation holes in its canister, coals ignited quickly.
Where to Buy: Amazon

4. Polder Dual Sensor Meat and Oven Thermometer

For long and slow barbecuing, it's especially important to monitor grill temperature. If your grill doesn't have a built-in thermometer, use this simple dual oven/meat thermometer, stuck through the lid vents. It has an easy-to-read face. A heatproof silicone finger-grip under the dial helps you take the thermometer out of the lid vents and check the temperature of the meat. Best of all, its price is a bargain.
Where to Buy: Amazon

5. OXO 16-inch Stainless Steel Kitchen Tongs

These tongs, with soft, nonslip handles, outperformed all other tongs, even those especially designed for use on the grill.
Where to Buy: Amazon

6. EZGrill Disposable Instant Grill

We had our doubts—the whole kit looked pretty flimsy—but once we struck a match, we were cooking. The spacious cooking surface accommodated three steaks at a time with room to spare, and the heat held steady enough for us to follow up with three chicken breasts—a total of more than 45 minutes of cooking time. Once cool, the grill can be thrown away or recycled. We wouldn’t use the EZGrill for a big backyard barbecue, but it’s ideal for a movable feast.
Where to Buy: Amazon

7. Charcoal Companion Nonstick Reversible Rib Rack

This sturdy rack supports six rib racks and cleans up in moments (though not in the dishwasher), thanks to a nonstick coating. It also doubles as a roasting rack, elevating a whole chicken or small turkey above hot grill grates.
Where to Buy: Amazon

8. Zippo Flexible Neck Utility Lighter

Both the easiest to light and the most comfortable to handle, this lighter offered a unique length-adjustable flame that stayed lit even in the face of gusty wind.
Where to Buy: Amazon

9. Taylor Wireless Thermometer with Remote Pager Plus Timer

For walk-away grilling, get a remote thermometer with a pager that pings you when the food's ready. This model is the most accurate and easy-to-use model we came across. And despite being the least expensive of the models we tested, it had impressive quality of craftsmanship. Another remote thermometer we recommend for cooks who own an iPod touch, iPhone, or iPad is the iGrill, which lets you monitor your food’s temperature on the grill using your smartphone or tablet.
Where to Buy: Amazon

By Lisa McManus at http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/gadgets-and-gear/2013/06/favorite-grilling-gadgets-for-outdoor-cooking/

 

Make "restaurant" food at home!

We usually cook dinner at home or bring food to eat at home. Going out for dinner is usually a treat or a necessary convenience. First, going out has to be worth it to me. I think of the quality, the investment towards more ingredients and the leftovers: is the meal I'm going to have better than all the perks of cooking at home? Second, am I going to be agitated with the service, cleanliness or the wait? I am usually auditing an establishment with my eyes, and I usually know exactly how long the food has taken. Don't get me wrong, I love a birthday celebration, a kitchen on its A-game, an inventive menu and a good deal like everyone else. Also, if I am sick, have a craving or am getting home late, I tend to eat out more.But convenience? Come on! Home is the most convenient to me.

One weeknight I was weighing my options. I really wanted Italian pasta, but the thought of going out and waiting and maybe not liking the dish gave me pause. Besides, I wanted ravioli and ragu sauce. I went to the Italian market of a local pasta store and bought almost 1 pound fresh ravioli, about 1.5 pounds fresh fettuccine and a package of ladyfingers. Then, I went to the nearest grocery store and picked up a baguette, milk, some cremini aka baby bella mushrooms, organic basil, canned tomatoes, an organic lemon, a red and green bell pepper and spring onions.

As soon as I arrived home, the tomatoes (26 oz), pepperoni, red and green peppers, onion, some pitted olives and olive oil went in the food processor. One pot had water boiling fettuccine; once that finished I saved the drained hot pasta water and cooked the ravioli. Another saucepan had the simmering sauce I made in the food processor. I added some parsley, basil and more snips of pepperoni with kitchen scissors. Meanwhile, I drizzled bread with olive oil and put it in the toaster oven. In the final saucepan, I sliced mushrooms and sauteed them in butter. To that I added some spring onion and a lemon, thinly sliced to get the lemon oil flavor, then added the cooked ravioli and 1/3 cup pasta water. While it simmered, I finished the ravioli with about 1/4 cup Romano cheese and snips of basil.

It was intense work, but we were able to sit down to eat in 40 minutes with two large bowls of delicious gourmet pasta, semi-homemade, and some bread. After our daughter went to bed, I made a "tiramisu" milkshake--a coffee-flavored milkshake that we dipped with ladyfingers.We kept the unused ingredients and made other meals. More importantly, We had at least 4 meals of leftovers. We spent about $40, but I took the ravioli to work for lunch, then we ate the remaining intensely flavored red sauce with tortellini and used it for French bread pizza. I made ricotta (eventually) with the milk, layered ladyfingers and made real tiramisu. What's the lesson in all of this? I think the $40 I spent on the ingredients and the effort to make the food in this case paid off more than paying the same amount (with tax and tip) at a restaurant.

Restaurants have their place and their value--inventive ideas, convenience, the chance to allow you to talk and catch up leisurely. I do challenge people to consider what place home has--budget-friendly, quality-controlled, stocking ingredients, learning and sharing at your own pace. Food for thought!

Sonia's Seven

Most good friends have had at least two of these dishes. If not, you need to come over more often!

I would like to start cooking classes in June 2013. If you would like to learn how to make any of these dishes, combine a total of 4-6 people and send me a message on Facebook (Sonia Kassambara). Bon appétit!

Seven of my all-time favorites

1-Spring Salad Greens with Strawberries, Herbs, Goat Cheese and Strawberry Vinaigrette
Beverage: Pinot Noir Rosé
I first made this dish in summer 2000. There was a farmer’s market nearby, and I used frisée and other greens, chopped herbs, the first strawberries of the season and my favorite: soft goat cheese. The dressing came together since I love agrodolce, and strawberry and balsamic vinegar is a classic example. Then I added herbs, black peppercorns, Dijon mustard, honey and olive oil. Perfection!! It is one of my favorite ways to celebrate late spring. Pinot noir rosé has a great strawberry aroma and complements the tangy goat cheese.

2-Coconut Cous Cous with Aromatic Vegetable Sauce and Thai Chicken on Skewers
Beverage: Ginger Punch
I first served this at a gathering when I was in graduate school in the spring of 2001. Instead of the Thai chicken skewers I make now, I made jerk chicken skewers. This is dedicated to my Aunt Vicki, who makes amazing coconut rice with cabbage and meatballs. I took the cooking technique of the West African jollof rice/coconut rice of making a stew and cooking the grains but applied it to cous cous, which cooks much faster. And just like jollof rice, I use a sauce or stew, but mine uses coconut milk and Indian-spiced vegetables with separate meat. That way I can make a vegan dish in case I have friends who don’t eat meat. The chicken skewers use my technique of pulsing meat, herbs and spices together in the food processor. I was dismayed to learn about the higher risks of bacterial contamination of ground meats. Now I do it myself and can infuse more flavors. The coconut and spice of the skewers work with the coconut-based stew and cous cous, all from different cultures. Ginger punch features pineapple juice and complements all of these foods.



3-Leg of Lamb with Apricot-Rosemary Relish
Beverage: Sangria
I started making this for Easter 2004 and sometimes make it for Thanksgiving when my mom requests it. The acid, herbal and sweet notes cut through the fatty lamb flavor. Many people who try it say they didn’t like lamb until they tried it this way. This recipe started out as a Betty Crocker recipe in a Bridal Edition cookbook we received as a wedding gift. Sangria is a classic beverage that I love serving at gatherings. The best part is it lets me enjoy myself instead of opening multiple bottles of wine!

4-Frog’s-legs Chicken (poulet à la grenouille) with Sautéed Potatoes and Green Salad
Beverage: Grapefruit Mimosa
I had tasted garlic and fresh parsley often in France and tried frog’s legs in Mali, so when I saw Jacques Pepin’s method six or seven years ago, I immediately tried it. It has been a favorite, and now I cook the potatoes in a similar way. My nieces and nephews love it, too. These fresh, simple flavors would make a nice early lunch, and a grapefruit mimosa would take me right back to both Paris and Bamako with citron and pamplemousse pressés.

5-Peanut Chicken with Black-Eyed Peas and Akara (black-eyed pea fritters) and Fried Plantains
Beverage: Red Sorrel Punch
Peanut chicken can be a stew served over rice or as a marinade for roasted or grilled chicken. Either way, it is a taste that screams, “WEST AFRICA!!” The tastes are pungent and spicy yet comforting to me. Black-eyed peas are made differently in Sierra Leone and neighboring countries, with bell peppers, onions and palm oil. Palm oil is an acquired taste, but just a touch of this oil takes it from the Deep South to a large pot over a wood fire. Red sorrel punch, also called bissap and dabilenni, is made in homes and sold on the streets in West African countries. It’s sharp and fruity like cranberry juice and sweetened. In the U.S., it’s the featured ingredient in Red Zinger.

6-Turkey Breast with Sage Butter, Cranberry Gravy and Cranberry Relish; Butternut Squash-Pecan Lasagna
Beverage: Beaujolais Nouveau
The turkey breast with sage butter is a Bon Appétit recipe that I use whenever I make Thanksgiving turkey for a few people. I first made it for fellow graduate school students away from home. The brined poultry, browned butter and sage make it a rich, flavorful alternative to dry turkeys that many people accept. Cranberry gravy brightens everything and relish, which I make with citrus, doesn’t have the gelatinous taste of the canned jelly. Butternut squash lasagna tastes like ravioli but is a lot less work. Beaujolais Nouveau comes out at the perfect time, right around Thanksgiving, and its young, fruity flavor reminds me of Thanksgiving almost 20 years ago when my friends and I studied abroad in France and had an amazing Thanksgiving dinner together at a restaurant.

7- Banana-Infused Bread Pudding and Banana-Nutella Ice Cream
Beverage: Earl Grey Iced Tea
When living in Mali I brought back Kahlua from my visit to the U.S. I was so excited to have this treat and wanted to feature it, not just drink it in cocktails. There was a bakery that made excellent whole wheat artisan bread. And we were in the throes of banana season, so this bread pudding put all of those tastes together. I have always loved Nutella and crepes, so the ice cream is an unctuous homage to those flavors. The floral citrus notes of Earl Grey iced tea might be sacrilege to some, but it mirrors the sunny essence of the other flavors, the floral notes of banana, vanilla and coffee, yet it’s refreshing where this dessert is rich.

Gift Ideas (or how to treat yourself extremely well)

We Spice Girls can never get enough...of high-quality spices! 

Penzey's (our closest location is 1048 Rockville Pike) is a great site for blends and hard-to-find ingredients like Z'atar, sumac, potent Vietnamese cinnamon for cinnamon rolls, mellow citrusy Ceylon cinnamon for apple pie and Mexican cooking,  Sunny Paris blend--excellent on eggs, quiche and asparagus, chipotle, satay seasoning, and Peri Peri seasoning. Penzey's also sell towels with "Love People. Cook them tasty food." on them!

Speaking of faraway ingredients and spices, the Jerusalem cookbook provides an amazing way to combine and savor foods and flavors we don't always put together. I also enjoyed the intrigue of Hal Vaughn's revisionist biography of Coco Chanel and her "liaisons" with Nazi Germany.

Silicone baking mats are a great time saver for making cookies, macaroons,  meringues, and brittles. I recommend only using them for sweet or neutral scents since they hold on to aromas. This pizza pan is 16 inches in diameter, big enough for take-home Costco pizzas! Other favorites are a pancake pen-shake 'n' shape your pancake batter, a 3-pack of righteous peelers which includes a julienne slicer and an apple slicer to keep the doctor away!

For fellow extreme home economists, consider cheese, vinegar, bread, yogurt, kombucha and mushroom kits to make your own. Williams-Sonoma has some options for almost all of the above. Recommended cookbooks are Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz, Artisan Breads Every Day by Peter Reinhart and Making It: Radical Home Ec for a Post-Consumer World by Kelly Coyne and Knutzen Erik.

Want a bluetooth speaker and FM transmitter for the car? Sync it with your smartphone and take it to multiple cars, the beach, to an office gathering and picnics. Also useful to transmit music is a cute Panda speaker system.

Looking for something lacy and racy? Sheer lace is one of my favorite ways to amp the vamp. Wear this peplum lace top over a tube top, a simple dress or with a tank top and jeans! Try lace socks for that nice and naughty look when going out, with shorts and lace-up shoes or with a spring dress.

And for gifts that keep on giving, consider public radio and community radio stations, religious organizations, shelters like House of Ruth, job training organizations like DC Central Kitchen, food co-ops, Girl Scouts, and supporting local visual and performing artists.

Season's Greetings!!

Ambrosia Macaroons

My cookie game had to be on point today with two cookie exchanges. Here's how it works: make, bake and take a few dozen homemade cookies, share and bring a few back of the other cookies have shared. We now have several dozen cookies at home. Yikes!!

Here is the ambrosia macaroons recipe I created for this cookie-themed day. There is a recipe on Epicurious.com that inspired me. But I made about half a dozen changes, so now it's my own recipe...and yours, too, if you like.

A good option if you are navigating certain dietary considerations. Gluten- and nut-free. Dairy-free with a butter substitute. And DEE-licious!

Ambrosia Macaroons

--these should make 60-72 macaroons, depending on size

-6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

-Solid coconut cream from 1 14-ounce can high-fat coconut milk. When testing again, I think one can leave about 1/5 left in the can, as these can get oily.
-1 to 1 1/4 cup sugar (less is still pretty sweet!)
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-4 large eggs

-3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries AKA craisins

-1 tablespoon finely grated fresh orange peel or 3 tablespoons dried orange peel
-1 teaspoon honey and 2 tablespoons water to soak dried craisins and dried orange peel (I put craisins, peel and liquids in microwave 30 seconds, then cooled before adding to other ingredients)

-1.2-ounce bag freeze-dried raspberries (bought at Trader Joe's. Freeze-dried pineapple from Target or other dry versions of fruits in ambrosia also work.)

-1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, to give a marshmallow flavor

-8 cups loosely packed sweetened flaked coconut (about 1 1/3 bags using a 14-ounce package or just under 3 bags of 7-ounce packages)  mix with dry unsweetened coconut to make less sweet. 

-Optional ingredient: 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Position rack(s) in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. If your oven runs hot, consider setting oven between 300 and 325°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment or silicone pads*. Using electric mixer-preferred, but not necessary, beat butter and coconut fat in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and salt; beat until blended. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in flavoring, dried fruit, soaked orange peel, then coconut. Drop batter onto sheets by tablespoonfuls, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake macaroons until very light brown-almost the color of caramel-on bottom and browned in spots, 25 to 30 minutes. They need to be light brown on the bottom, or they will tend to fall apart. Make sure to switch position of macaroons halfway through if using two racks. Watch very carefully using an oven light if you have one. These can go from golden to burnt dark brown in an instant!!! Cool completely on parchment or silicone before transferring.

*If you don't have silicone pads or parchment paper, try to following: Butter a baking sheet, then line with foil and lightly butter and flour foil, knocking off excess flour. Read more about this tip.


Photo: Romulo Yanes

Giving Thanks

I don't know why, but I see Thanksgiving as a culinary challenge. Can I bake bread? How will a brined turkey turn out? What if I replace pumpkin for applesauce; will the cake still turn out?

Luckily, these days I have cooked enough and have enough on my proverbial plate to cruise on autopilot. Tried and true, rock steady. Cooking experts advise against trying one's hand with new things. Who wants to get flustered? How can you explain an overflowing pot of milk in your mother-in-law's house? (Making ricotta cheese for the best lasagne EVAH seemed like a good idea at the time...)

Here are recipes that I have made for many years, have recently tried or have on good authority that all will be well. Happy cooking, give thanks for the harvest and what we have, and make enough for leftovers!

Meats:

My favorite and only turkey recipe!! Read ahead of time; brining is involved, so you need to start the day ahead.Turkey with Sage Butter

My favorite lamb recipe: Apricot and Rosemary Marinated Leg of Lamb

Starches:

Fried sweet white potato oven fries

Caribbean Rice Pilaf-the butternut squash and coconut milk create a wonderful juxtaposition of foods found in the Americas.

Pumpkin Nutmeg Dinner Rolls -AMAZING with herbed garlic butter, orange honey butter and on their own!

Vegetables:

Green Crunchy Broccoli with Cream

1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 clove garlic, chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon olive oil, garlic salt or sea salt, and or pepper to taste. Cook on high heat until liquid vigorously bubbles and starts turning golden yellow. To that add:

3-4 pounds FRESH broccoli. Frozen will not work! Cook 3-5 minutes until broccoli is coated, bright green and softening but still firm when tossed.

Waldorf Salad

This has been my favorite since childhood. Sweet, savory, crunchy and creamy, this marries the other tastes on the Thanksgiving plate.

1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 lemon, zest finely grated and juice reserved
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large crisp apples, such as Gala
2 ribs celery (with leaves), sliced into 1/2-inch-thick pieces (leaves chopped)
1/4 cup golden raisins or dried sweetened cranberries
1/2 lemon, juiced
Optional: 1 head Boston lettuce, trimmed, washed, and dried
Directions
Whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, and lemon zest in a large bowl and season generously with pepper.
Halve, core, and cut the apples into 3/4-inch pieces, leaving the skin intact. Add the apples, celery and raisins to the bowl, and sprinkle with the lemon juice; then toss with the dressing. Cover and refrigerate if not serving immediately.
When ready to serve, toss walnuts into the salad. Optional: Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large platter, or divide them among 4 salad plates. Place the salad on the lettuce and serve.

Arugula Salad with Pomegranate and Toasted Pecans

* 1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

* 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar

* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

* 1/8 freshly ground pepper

* 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

* 2 medium bunches arugula, rinsed well and thick stems removed

* 1/3 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped

* 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, from 1 medium pomegranate
In medium nonreactive bowl, whisk together vinegars, salt, and pepper. Gradually drizzle in olive oil, whisking until emulsified. Toss arugula with just enough vinaigrette to coat. Sprinkle with pecans and pomegranate seeds and serve.

SWEET POTATOES WITH ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE HASH

So good and satisfying! Here's my imagined rendering of this sweet, hot and savory side. Try adding 10 ounces fresh kale or spinach to boost the health benefits and a pinch of smoked paprika for a Spanish flavor.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

12 ounces fully cooked smoked Andouille sausage or chorizo sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (Trader Joe's has chicken Andouille sausage if low-fat sausage is preferred)

2 medium onions, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

dash cayenne or Sriracha hot pepper sauce

3 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (sometimes called yams; about 3 large), peeled, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch cubes

2 cups low-salt chicken broth

Dash red wine or sherry vinegar
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Transfer sausage to paper towels to drain. Add onions and garlic to pot and cook until translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes and cook until beginning to soften, stirring often, about 12 minutes. Add broth; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Using potato masher, mash some of potatoes in pot. Add browned sausage to sweet potato mixture. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon oil if you drained sausage oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Tuscan Kale Chips

Condiments:

Gingered Cranberry and Kumquat Relish

Herb-Garlic Butter

3 sticks softened butter, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 5 cloves garlic, 1/3 small onion (optional), 4 sprigs parsley, 10 blades rosemary, 2 pinches dried (3 pinches fresh chopped) thyme. In food processor, beat butter sticks. Then drizzle in olive oil, then cream. Drop in garlic, onion, and herbs until just turning light green and creamy. Can use with steaks, bread, and even potatoes and fish. Later on, use to sauté vegetables, pasta, rice, and main dish foods.

I recently made several cups of vinaigrette and marveled at its versatility. I like a healthy dose of mustard. It keeps in the fridge for several days but use a little faster with fresh herbs added. 

Use for: Fresh veggies like carrots, cucumbers, red peppers, green beans, tomatoes, cabbage. Try making Greek salad with this dressing. You can marinate these. Dynamite at a cookout and easy side dishes when made the evening before. Added pita chips for crunch. Also, try with steamed broccoli, squash, potatoes, corn, asparagus, beets...and, of course, lettuce and spinach!

Classic Vinaigrette Makes almost 7 ounces or 200 ml

Ingredients:

1/4 cup chopped onions optional: 1 clove fresh garlic
2 stems' worth (sprigs) of chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/3 cup vinegar-try using 1/4 cup vinegar plus 3 small spoons smooth spicy brown or Dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:
If you are in a bare-bones kitchen, chop onions, garlic and parsley very fine and shake in a container that won't leak out the liquid, like an old mayonnaise, pickle or jelly jar. For best results, mix in blender or insert immersion blender in bowl. Mixture will get thick and creamy. Keep the ratio--yes, with that much oil--and enjoy this delicious classic.

Desserts:

Parfaits? Parfait!

With Jack Frost peeking around the corner, consider the parfaits, fools, and panna cottas to bring fruit flavor without having to forage for winter berries. Serve make-ahead desserts in beautiful glass bowls. Layer with dried fruit, crumbled cookies, cubed cake, or nuts. 

This "fool-proof" parfait recipe includes many inspiring variations.

Banana Pudding is a great dessert since the great citrus is only starting to making its way to markets now. Make sure you toast the vanilla wafers with butter, sugar and cinnamon. Amazing!

Beverages:

Alcohol-Free Fruit Punch

2 cups pomegranate juice, 1 can each apple, orange and pineapple juices concentrate, 1 cup cherry cider, 1/4 cup lime syrup. Dilute with ice, seltzer water.

Wine

These will work with all the sweet, rich and herbal flavors thrown together: Riesling (white), a White Merlot (blush) or White Syrah (blush). My favorite choice is the just-out refreshing fruity red Beaujolais Nouveau, served chilled.

Some friendly advice:

It's dangerous to cook stuffing inside a cooking turkey. Salmonella city!! Cook poultry and stuffing separately then put in stuffing while the turkey rests thirty minutes before serving.

Pace yourself-cook as many things as possible beforehand.

Add a little cranberry sauce to turkey gravy.

If you are serving a meatless meal, consider serving courses instead of many similar dishes together. Like salad, soup, potatoes and vegetables.

If more guests are coming than planned, serving courses with about ten minutes in between will help people feel full with less food.

Here's a list of in-season/readily available foods at their peak for the DC metro area:

Apples
Arugula
Bananas
Belgian Endive
Butternut Squash
Brussels Sprouts
Carrots
Chestnuts
Coconut
Collard Greens
Cranberries
Dates
Grapefruit
Kale
Kiwifruit
Kumquats
Leeks
Onions
Oranges
Parsley
Parsnips
Passion Fruit
Pear
Persimmon
Pomegranate
Pomelo
Potatoes
Radicchio
Red Currants
Rosemary
Sweet Potatoes
Tangerines
Thyme
Turnips
Winter Squash like pumpkin, butternut, acorn

Note: Some fruits like citrus, coconut, pineapple, bananas and dates are not local but are consistently available in major grocery stores to serve as a trade wind for salads, desserts and main dishes.