Category Archives: Thanksgiving

Lime Dark Rum Cranberry Relish

Posted on by November 24, 2014

I love cranberry relish, and no matter my theme, it’s going to be at my Thanksgiving table in some form or the other. So when I took on a Caribbean menu, there was no doubt that I would still make a cranberry relish no matter how foreign cranberries may be to the Caribbean and that was enough to make this Lime Dark Rum Cranberry Relish possible. I just needed to add the right flavors and accents to make the cranberry relish fit in with some of my more traditional dishes on the menu, like the jerk turkey. I also knew that since my classic relish is raw, I would need to combine it with a sauce of some sort if I wanted to sneak in something as bold as dark rum. So here we are with a best of both worlds Lime Dark Rum Cranberry Relish that combines a cranberry sauce and cranberry relish. While you’re making the relish, be sure to keep tasting both sauces throughout both processes (which is, of course, a good general practice) because while I like things a little tart, you may not, and should feel justified in upping the sugar just a bit here and … Continue reading →

Pumpkin Butterscotch Pie with Gluten Free Cashew Crust

Posted on by November 5, 2014

My Pumpkin Butterscotch Pie with Gluten Free Cashew Crust was a knock it out of the park sort of recipe. It was also a perfect fit for my Caribbean influenced 2013 menu with the funky curry fennel crust. I can’t say enough about how good this pie is. Loads and loads of complementary flavors and textures with enough pumpkin to satisfy the traditionalists in the crowd, and gluten free if you like, with rich cashew flavor. One of my favorite Thanksgiving guests has celiac disease, so I try to make as many gluten free dishes as possible so as to ensure he gets in on the fun. It always pushes me to try out new techniques and this was no exception. I often work with almond flour generally, even when I’m not so worries about gluten because I love it. And the recipe this pie is adapted from was garnished with cashews. That definitely got my mind thinking about cashew flour, and then while I was out shopping I was thrilled to discover that Trader Joe’s carries cashew meal. Things came together quickly from there and adding pumpkin to the butterscotch pudding filling was a Thanksgiving no brainer. You won’t … Continue reading →

Baked Goat Cheese and Homemade Pepper Jelly

Posted on by February 12, 2015

Baked Goat Cheese and Homemade Pepper Jelly is one of those dishes that was absolutely inspired by the hosting skills of others. Some friends of mine have a lovely Christmukkah party annually that often includes the crowd-pleasing cream cheese with pepper jelly appetizer. In fact, they always have lots of fun old school apps and cocktails. Mike is one of those people who is good at guessing which spirit comes next in the trend book. He was mixing 60’s cocktails before Mad Men was all the rage. In fact, I’m still waiting on the rum explosion he swears is coming, because I believe him. Next to their Mad Men style revival cocktails you’ll find lots of appropriately 60’s snacks, including, the aforementioned cream cheese with pepper jelly, which is one of those appetizers that I forget all about in between Christmukkahs. It’s a funny little dish, and not particularly my style; perhaps I am even a little surprised to realize I absolutely love it. Then again, how could you not? Cream cheese and spicy sweet jelly as an excuse to have fresh baguette… Fair point, well made. So last Thanksgiving, when I was perusing magazines for recipes that might fit … Continue reading →

Sweet Potatoes Cranberry Glaze

Posted on by November 3, 2014

Tis’ the season when Dirty Laundry Kitchen turns into Thanksgiving central starting off with this recipe for Sweet Potatoes Cranberry Glaze. I can’t take credit for this recipe, it’s one that I use almost as written by Marcia Miesel for Food and Wine. It’s one of the Thanksgiving recipes that I’ve made more than once, and that’s saying something. I like to try new things every year, and if I come back to something, it has to be really good. I made it originally as part of my Thanksgiving 2011 menu, but it has definitely come up again since then. The Sweet Potatoes Cranberry Glaze is an interesting dish, because the baking time is really long. The first time I made it I thought it might even be an error. I intended to change that part of the recipe for sure, but as it turned out, it’s really good. They definitely don’t seem mushy and overcooked and the dish is gorgeous, so it’s fun to include on the table. It’s a dish that should be served in the pan it’s baked in, so if you have a really beautiful oven to table pan, this is the dish to use it … Continue reading →

Sweet Potato Pancakes with Curry Puffed Grains

Posted on by November 20, 2014

This year, I made a lot of sweet potato purée for my Caribbean Thanksgiving Menu, and there was a lot leftover. What to do? Of course, that brought the enjoyable challenge of creating sweet potato recipes, which I can never get enough of just the way they are, but Marc, not so much. So I have to cook up some interesting ways to help him appreciate the diversity of the sweet potato. The winner of my sweet potato new recipe challenge? Sweet Potato Pancakes with Curry Puffed Grains. The playful crunch of the toppings, paired with the healthy and filling Sweet Potato Pancakes with Curry Puffed Grains will keep me making sweet potatoes year round. Of course, it would be easy to make this with pumpkin, or other squash purees as well if you didn’t happen to make WAY too much sweet potato, like I did. And be warned, this is a dense and filling pancake that will stick with you, something I always appreciate. While I love pancakes, I hate that I’m already casing the joint for lunch about 80 minutes after the breakfast dishes are washed. There’s plenty of spicy to keep things interesting and the creamy, tangy coconut … Continue reading →