I’ll be honest, I am not a big salad eater. Because I feel like, for the most part, salad is often just an afterthought. Sure, I like a restaurant salad with nice add-ins that I am not going to get at home, but I find most home salads come from a bag and use processed, packaged toppings and bottled dressing. People seem to volunteer to bring the salad to a party because it’s … [Read more...] about Autumn Celebration Salad with Port Poached Pears, Maple Pepper Walnuts, Stilton Croutons
Thanksgiving
Sweet Potato Skordalia
I first had sweet potato skordalia in Birmingham, Alabama at a meal during a Southern Foodways Alliance event prepared by Tim Hontza’a of Johnny’s in Homewood. The whole “Greek and three” meal was fantastic, but I was enchanted by the little dab of sweet potato skordalia on the edge of the plate. It was the perfect combination of classic Greek cooking with Southern sensibility. … [Read more...] about Sweet Potato Skordalia
Sweet Potato and Country Ham Gratin
Sometimes, the side dishes are the best part of the meal. That’s where this comes from. I had a meal restaurant meal that was generally unremarkable, but for a dish ordered for the table as something of an afterthought. It inspired me. That dish was a slightly overwrought, oddly-shaped plate with a small swipe of béchamel sauce topped with roasted sweet potatoes and a … [Read more...] about Sweet Potato and Country Ham Gratin
Slow Cooker Sorghum Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are an absolutely essential part of Thanksgiving. I love a good sweet potato casserole, both the mashed version and a sliced version. I’m fortunate, particularly at the holidays, that I have plenty of oven space to prepare the full Thanksgiving menu, but I know that is not the case for everyone, so here as my space solution, which I think as a brilliant idea. … [Read more...] about Slow Cooker Sorghum Sweet Potatoes
Pumpkin Popovers with Sage Browned Butter Spread
Sometimes, there is so much prep for a Thanksgiving meal, that the bread basket is left as an afterthought. But I think that is a shame, because there is a lot of scope in a simple bread. I’ve traditionally gone full Southern with Pumpkin Sage Biscuits or Sweet Potato Angel Biscuits. This time however, I am inspired by my sister-in-law, who makes great popovers, and she has … [Read more...] about Pumpkin Popovers with Sage Browned Butter Spread
