Gratitude
is a daily endeavor, and worth it. Even finding pennies make my day. This year
Thanksgiving will be at a new place to our family. A relative has downsized
into a complex and she’s cooking dinner. My assignment is cranberries, and I’m
recreating my mom’s relish with orange peel, jalapenos and nuts. The turkey
salt and pepper shakers at my aunts’ and uncle’s house that used to intimidate
as a child are proudly displayed on my own table. With gratitude, I’m
appreciating all the blessings that come to me in the way of people I know.
Now,
let’s plan some holiday flavors:
Squashed - Go out of your
gourd with a jar of butternut squash Zoup! I had some creamy, golden savory vegetable broth with brown butter and
sage for breakfast and bam, I was in the holiday spirit. Fall leaf colors would
make a fitting centerpiece with a bowl of this, or any other prepared soup or
broth. www.zoupbroth.com delivers big jars of beef bone, chicken bone and seafood broth as a
complete meal or a starter for other recipes. Bone broth is as trendy as it is
ancient. A pantry full of their finished soups, such as chicken pot pie or
portabella bisque, would look as fetching as decades-past display of Mason
jars.
Small Batch – Pop Quiz: What small-batch, big taste red spread in a cute recyclable
jar goes as good with porkchops and burgers as it does brownies? I wouldn’t
have thought of this myself, but I’m on board with the suggested uses of Small
Batch Kitchen’s Cherry Bourbon Chipotle Fruit Spread. Picture this: Brunch, and
you impressing guests with the sweet, smokey “je nais sais quoi” on their
French toast. However, their paring of Beet & Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce must
be announced to the taster beforehand. I’m on the record for loving heat. A
warning stiff from the bottle screams “beware.” Earthy, sweet and spicy are the
notes, and they are LOUD. Labeling suggests chili or breakfast sandwiches. Next
time I’m adding a few drops to Greek yogurt so I’ll have a dip with cooling
dairy reinforcements built right in. www.thesmallbatchkitchen.com uses organic, close-by products to mix their magic, and they’re cutting
down on shipping waste.
“101 Things to Do With An Air
Fryer” offers Sheet Pan
Breakfast Hash as No. 1 and Air Fryer Banana Boats as No, 101. In between Donna
Kelly suggests twists and fresh ideas for this trendy appliance. Black Bean
Melts is an intriguing hoagie. Try healthy options such as cheesy kale chips
and some indulgences like Mexican Street Corn Dip. Temptations, yes, but
remember why you bought this air fryer. I used to dread brussels sprouts at
holidays, as a kid. Now Kelly guides me through a spicy-sweet version with honey,
red wine vinegar and gochujang or other thick, spicy sauce.
Darragh Doiron is
a Port Arthur area foodie planning a gumbo with soon-to-be-leftover turkey.
Tell her why you’re grateful at darraghcastillo@icloud.com
