Thanksgiving Menu (The Basics)

 Claire's Thanksgiving Menu BASICS

My Mom's Roast Turkey

Herb and Shallot Stuffing

Make-Ahead Gravy

Cranberry Sauce

Spinach, Fennel, and Apple Salad with Cider Vinaigrette

Old-fashioned Carrot Salad

French Apple Tart

My Mom's Roast Turkey

Cranberry Sauce

Make-ahead Gravy

Spinach, Fennel, Apple, & Pecan Salad

Old Fashioned Carrot Salad

French Apple Tart

Herb & Shallot Stuffing (my favorite item on the Thanksgiving menu)

Beef Tacos (Revisited)

 

I made this recipe a lot when my kids were younger.  I've recently been making it for the first time in years and was reminded that it is very easy and super delicious!  What I love most about these is the combination of spanish paprika and cumin - the spice combo gives a very distinctive spanish accent to the potato, beef, and onions.  In this picture I have added fresh cilantro and sour cream and wrapped it all up in a heated flour tortilla.  I also like to add avocado, tomatoes, sharp cheddar cheese and tomatillo salsa.  Don't forget the squeeze of lime to make it perfect!

OR Serve a big scoop over a salad - great summertime dinner! 

HERE is my TOMATILLO SALSA RECIPE  My kids really love this tomatillo salsa - it is the BEST.

Make this recipe in a large skillet as shown below OR saute' the beef and onion in the skillet while roasting the potatoes in an air fryer - saves a little time and potatoes are extra-crispy.  Then combine and it is perfect and delicious!

Easy Beef Tacos
adapted from an Everyday Food recipe

1 pound ground beef (I prefer Grass-fed beef)
1 medium onion sliced
1 to 2 jalepeno pepper, seeds removed and chopped fine
1 large russet potato, chopped into 1-inch cubes
3/4 to 1 teaspoon spanish smoked paprika
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons cumin
freshly ground pepper
kosher salt

Heat a 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet on med-high heat.  Add potato and saute until sides are browned about 3-5 minutes.  Move potatoes to one side and add ground beef.  Use wooden spoon to break up ground beef and cook until no pink remains, about 2-3 minutes.  Add onion and jalepeno and saute for a couple more minutes.  Add paprika, cumin and salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.  Cook for a couple more minutes.  Enjoy!

Julie's Grass-fed Boneless NY Strip Steak!

 

My pal Julie and I shopped at one of my favorite places today -  The Organic Butcher of Bethesda !

The guys at the shop are always super helpful and I love that they have formed strong relationships with their farmers.  Want some super fresh locally grass-fed beef or pastured chicken? You got it!  Their meat, poultry, and seafood is always delicious and incredibly fresh.  They have lots more for your cooking/eating desires- standouts for me are delicious focaccia and baguette from Baked & Wired, homemade stocks in their freezer section, and daily specials created by their chef such as Tarrgon & Ramp Buttermilk Dressing - sooo good!

Julie and I are both interested in eating more high-quality protein and grass-fed beef is a very good if not the best source.  

Julie's Grass-Fed Boneless NY Strip Steak

 

• 1/2 hour before cooking put steak on plate and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. This will allow steak to come to room temperature.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees.  
• Put cast iron frying pan on burner, put a couple tablespoons olive oil in pan, turn heat to medium high.  
• When pan is hot add steak and allow steak to sear completely for 4-5 minutes before turning to sear on second side (another 4-5 min).  You will know when steak is perfectly seared because it will not stick to the pan and you will be able to easily turn to other side. 
• Place pan in hot oven and cook steak for another 6- 8 minutes.  Remove from oven and place steak on plate and let rest for 10 min (tent with foil). Put steak on cutting board- slice and enjoy!

Leftovers are great on tomorrow’s luncheon salad, steak will still be incredibly tender and delicious.

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THANK YOU to Barton Creative Co.!

 

Yahoo! Thanks to Barton Creative Co. my blog is back to up and running!  Google domains migrated over to Squarespace so my blog wasn't redirecting properly.  I am so grateful to Barton Creative Co. for taking on my small project and getting everything working again so quickly.  THANK YOU! xoxo

Art Show Reception: Fresh Fruit Reigns!

(THIS IS A POST FROM A FEW YEARS AGO - Concord Pears are available right now...hope you try them!)

The art show at my daughter's high school was truly AMAZING!  The credit for this inspiring show goes to the talented artists and one very special art teacher.  The reception buffet table included homemade baked goods and many fresh fruit items. My homemade cookies and cakes were certainly a hit but the fresh fruit items were even more popular with the artists and their guests!  

It is important to taste all of your fruit items before creating a fruit platter, cups of berries, or other fresh fruit offerings.  The above pears were purchased several days before the show to make sure they had time to ripen but also not get too ripe.  I love the way these pears look and they were so delicious!  This dish is so easy – see my previous post Concord Pears filled with Raspberries.  Squeeze just a small amount of fresh lemon juice over the surface of the pears to keep them from browning.  For all of the pears above (12) I squeezed only half of a lemon and then spooned a little juice over each pear - and I had a little juice leftover.  I prepared these several hours before the show and stored them in the refrigerator.  So easy and what a hit!

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Granola for Abby, Amelia, Anna, & Callie!

I brought a couple of jars of this granola on a college-visit road trip.  We were looking at schools for my youngest and her friend Callie came with us.  Callie loved the granola so much that her mom asked for the recipe.  Apparently, they have been making this granola non-stop at their house ever since!  That was 3 years ago!   Another of my daughter's besties, Amelia,  asked for the recipe last week. It made me so happy to pass the recipe along.  

I have another granola recipe on my blog and many friends are very very fond of it. The BEST Granola recipe is certainly a favorite but this one has become a favorite, too.   Both recipes use olive oil and maple syrup - these are key flavor ingredients.  I have found Lucini brand of olive oil works best and grade A medium amber maple syrup is my choice for best flavor.

Enjoy!

Granola for Abby, Amelia, Anna & Callie!

1 cups raw almonds with skin

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (organic preferred)

¾ cup grade A amber maple syrup

¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil (I use Lucini brand for this recipe)

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon kosher salt or kosher sea salt 

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Preheat oven to 350° F.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper.  Put oats, almonds, cinnamon, and salt into large bowl – stir ingredients together with large spoon or spatula to distribute ingredients.  Pour maple syrup and olive oil over and stir to mix and coat all ingredients.  Pour granola onto prepared parchment-lined pan and spread so that ingredients are in one layer.  Bake in oven for 30-45 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for about 10 minutes before eating.  Cool completely before storing in glass jars or other containers.