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11/27/2019 11:01 PMWhere are you today?
In a car?
On a plane?
Or train?
Or in the kitchen?
After all, it is Thanksgiving weekend.
This is my favorite holiday, although no one really expects me to host this lovely feast. I once had a six-bedroom house that boasted a dining room table that easily holds 10 people. My husband, who would create fires in the fireplaces, worked with me as a prep cook in the big kitchen and did the dishes after dinner.
He died almost 10 years ago.
My big old house has new occupants.
I live in a two-bedroom condo.
This year I made an enormous sheet pan of roasted vegetables and two Key lime pies. Then I drove to Massachusetts to join my daughter-in-law in the kitchen to do the hard work of every other part of dinner.
Nancy’s parents are here, along with my son and three of my granddaughters. The girls will probably do the dishes.
Life is pretty darned good.
This weekend, I will do a turkey dinner for good friends at my house, for I love Thanksgiving leftovers.
After dinner, we will watch The Irishmen on Netflix because we can stop the movie for a nap, go to the kitchen to pick on leftovers, to take a call, or make a bathroom stop.
But I also appreciate that some, after feasting on turkey, might be looking for something a little different. I found some recipes on Eating Well that I love and that are vegetarian. You can use a butternut squash, or a honeynut squash. If your local market does not have the latter, consider a stop at Bishop’s Orchards Farm Market in Guilford, which usually stocks them. It’s smaller than a butternut and has a sweet, nutty flavor.
This recipe I will make for our dinner-and-movie second Thanksgiving celebration. As we head full steam into the holiday season, we will need all the healthy, vegetarian food we can cook.
Lee White of Old Lyme has been a food editor and restaurant reviewer for more than 25 years. You can email her at leeawhite@aol.com.
Roasted Honeynut Squash with Spicy Agrodolce
From Eating Well, November 2019
Yield: Serves 4
2 honeynut or 2 small butternut squash, halved lengthwise
and seeded
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon salt, divided
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
1 small onion, diced
1 small serrano pepper, thinly sliced’
¾ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup chopped dried apricots
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
Drizzle squash with 1 tablespoons of oil and sprinkle with pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt. Place, cut-side down, on the prepared pan. Bake until starting to soften, about 15 minutes. Turn the squash over and continue baking until lightly browned and tender, 15 to 29 minutes more.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, 4 to 8 minutes. Add serrano and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, apricots, brown sugar, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until reduced to ¾ cup, about 25 minutes.
Serve with squash with the sauce and walnuts.