Thanksgiving on the Side

When it comes to my Thanksgiving feast I like to keep it very traditional with all the recipes I grew up with, however, last year I dared to try a few new ones. (They're adapted from the ever faithful Martha Stewart so I knew I'd be ok, hehe.) They were a lighter twist on two familiar favorites, but I promise you won't even notice. Now believe me, I'm a firm believer in NOT counting calories on Thanksgiving cause really what's the point, but I promise these recipes are even tastier than the regular version and might give you the excuse you need to have another piece of pie! Enjoy!


Creamy Green Beans with Crispy Shallots
*My version is adapted from this version, but I hold the mushrooms since I don't like them and make a few small changes*

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 pounds green beans, trimmed (I like fresh extra thin ones)
• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced (1/2 cup) (make extra because trust me you'll snack on them!)
• 3/4 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/3 cup 2 percent Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup of skim milk
• Flour
• Lemon zest (optional but I like the tang it adds)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Soak shallots in milk in small bowl. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch beans until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain.
2. Meanwhile,  heat 2 tbsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat shallots in flour and carefully pan fry in oil in batches if need be. (They'll cook really quick so keep an eye on them.) Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Wipe skillet clean with a paper towel.
3. Whisk together stock and cornstarch. Add to skillet, stirring and cooking on low heat until thick, about 3 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in yogurt, lemon zest to taste, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; and fresh pepper. Toss in beans and 3/4 of the shallots. Transfer to serving dish and top with remaining shallots. Keep warm to serve.

Whole Wheat Stuffing with Chicken Sausage

*adapted from this recipe*

Ingredients

• 8 slices whole-wheat bread, cut into small cubes (7 to 8 cups) (I like to use a mixture of different types of whole grain and wheat bread. Heals and leftover day old bread works great!)
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 8-9 oz of chicken sausage, casing removed (I like the sweet apple one by Alfresco brand)
• 3 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Arrange bread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until dried out, about 8 minutes. Let cool. (This step is important so make sure your bread is totally dried out)
2. Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brown sausage, breaking up meat with a wooden spatula, for 4 minutes. Stir in celery, garlic, and onion. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly.
3. Combine bread, sausage-vegetable mixture, stock, egg, parsley, thyme, and sage in a large bowl. Transfer stuffing to an 11-inch oval baking dish. Cover with parchment-lined foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Turn on broiler. Uncover stuffing, and broil 9 to 10 inches from heat source until top is golden brown and crunchy, about 1 minute. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

YUMMMM!

Shoe Obsession

Lately I've been obsessed with the color "nude" and purchasing these "kimi" pumps from Rachel Roy this weekend definitely satisfied both my color craving and shoe obsession! I love the simplicity combined with the architectural detail on the heel as well as the fact that it makes me 5" taller!

Be Thankful in Style

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it's casual, reflective, family oriented, and centered around food! I love to cook and entertain, and Thanksgiving is the perfect time to bring out some unique pieces to make your dinner even more memorable. I love to combine the rich colors of fall with rustic touches from things like natural woods and I always add a little sparkle to make the setting feel special.  Here are some of my favorites!

Acacia wood chargers: Z-Gallerie

Gourd soup bowls: West Elm

Harvest Suzani napkins: Pottery Barn

Hobnail pitcher: Anthropologies

Acorn Salt & Pepper set: Pottery Barn

Bronze Age flatware: Anthropologies

Birch pillar candles: World Market

Glass bottles with wood top: West Elm

Harvest Caravan napkins: World Market

Antique mercury glass pumpkins: Pottery Barn

Square gold charger: World Market

Tria napkin ring: Crate & Barrel

Tres Chic Wreath: Grandinroad

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

What says fall more than pumpkin? This yummy ingredient has come a long way since plain old pumpkin pie and I just can't get enough of it! This past weekend I made pumpkin spice cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and they were delish so I thought I'd share! I made mine with Halloween decorations, but  how perfect would they be topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon or cute faux leaf for your next fall get together or even Thanksgiving?! Hope you enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled (I used 1.5 sticks instead and it worked great)
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients

• 8 oz package of cream cheese (I used reduced fat)
• 3-4 cups of powdered sugar
 

Directions

Soften cream cheese to room temperature. Combine cream cheese with about 2 cups of powdered sugar mixing well. Continue to add more powdered sugar until desired thickness.  Transfer to pastry bag and pipe onto completely cooled cupcakes. If not serving right away refrigerate cupcakes to keep frosting firm.

Tip: Add decoration on top of cupcakes right before serving so colors don't bleed into frosting.