November 21 - 25-ish

So why is it that on the weekend before Thanksgiving, I get a crazy craving for turkey noodle soup? This one can't be acted on now... I'll just have to sit tight and wait for leftovers. But I linked the recipe now, just to share.

So I ended up with a quiet lovely morning full of coffee, pumpkin muffins, and cookbooks. I read and read and read -- books I haven't opened in a long time. In the long run, not a lot of that is showing up on the week's plan, but it gave me some long-term ideas... and a strong desire to visit Italy (thanks, Julie, for that Italian cookbook)!

Sunday

Pan-seared venison chops

Roasted brussels sprouts

Squash and pumpkin risotto (from this season's issue of edible WOW. This is by Kelly Lewton-Secondino):

3c hot vegetable stock

2 tbsp butter

1 diced spanish onion

1 c Arborio rice

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 c white wine

1/2 c apple cider

pinches of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg

1/2 c butternut squash -- peeled, seeded, diced

1/2 c acorn squash puree

1/2 c pumpkin puree

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 c Parm cheese

1/4 c heavy cream

1 tbsp fresh sage

1. Heat stock.

2. Melt half the butter in a pan, cook onions 1 minute. Add rice, salt, pepper, cook until rice & onions translucent, stirring constantly.

3. Reduce heat to med. low, add wine, cider, spices, stir until liquid evaporates.

4. Add butternut and 1/2 c of stock, stir until evaporated. Continue to add stock and stir until evaporated.

5. Add purees and brown sugar, stirring until everything's creamy. Remove from heat.

6. Stir cheese, cream, butter and sage in.

***** RISOTTO UPDATE!*****

It was fab...u...lous. I adjusted the recipe slightly: no apple cider (didn't want to buy a half-gallon for a half-cup, and I'd never get around to drinking the rest of it), one whole cup of butternut squash and one whole cup of pumpkin puree, but no acorn squash. I also left out the brown sugar and forgot to buy fresh sage, so we used dried. It was so good. It was like macaroni and cheese for grown-ups.

Monday

Grilled cheese and veggie sandwich: grill mushrooms, tomatoes, onion, peppers. Pile in sandwich with sharp white cheddar cheese and dijon mustard. Toast it up!

Tuesday

Sausage, beer and cabbage soup: never got around to making this a few weeks ago, so we're trying it again.

Wednesday

Little pizzas on flatbread. Lovely salad to go with.

Thursday

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm the appetizer and salad lady. Still working this all out, but I'm sort of a fan of healthy appetizers with veggies and stuff, so I can not feel full by the time dinner starts. So probably no bacon in the apps (sorry, Phil).

And beyond...

Turkey noodle soup. Hurray for leftovers!