I know, I know, this a classic brunch item, nothing too creative there. But it's sooo good, it's worth a second look. There are lots of things you can do to jazz it up, too. For instance, use blue potatoes or even use sweet potatoes. Either would be a great choice. Also, try this recipe from Food Network. It looks like it'll turn out nicely, with some great flavors. Play around with fresh herbs, as they are great for adding color and big new flavors.
I know there are eggs in the picture, but you should regard those as optional, especially if you're going to have quiche!
Yesterday my mom and I made a big apple crisp and roasted off five huge sweet potatoes (which are destined for this dish). She is letting me have my way with the sweet potatoes, but the apple crisp was more of a tricky compromise. I've made a lot of crisps in my day and have developed a technique that I really like. However, that method relies on a food processor, which is a piece of equipment that my mother doesn't have. So we went back and forth, melding my mental recipe with the one she often follows from an old, favorite cookbook.
Later today I'll be chopping vegetables with my dad, making stuffing and getting the bird into the oven. I look forward to doing this kitchen dance with him every year, and happily, we've gotten to the point where we can anticipate each other in the kitchen without words. It's a joyful thing.
I hope that all you Slashfood readers out there are having equally nice days as I am, full of cooking, eating, drinking and laughing.
It's the holiday season, and that means lots of mashed potatoes are going to made across the land. I love them. Give me a giant bowl of mashed potatoes with butter and salt and pepper and I'd be happy. I don't eat as much potatoes as I used to, along with white rice, pasta, and white bread. But the holidays are a different story.
AOL Food has a list of 11 different ways to make mashed potatoes. You can make them with sour cream, coconut milk, with cheese and corn (cowboy style), even mashed potato tacos! I also like them with garlic, though watch how much garlic you add. I've had mashed potatoes with way too much garlic and the result isn't tasty.
For the last few years I've been sort of smug about my latke ability. For some reason, I've always been able to turn out perfect, round, golden, crispy latkes on the first try. But after yesterday's debacle, I realize that it wasn't me, it was my recipe. You see, I decided to change my perfect recipe to include half sweet potatoes, thinking they'd incorporate just like the normal, starchy potatoes. Only they didn't. They were too hard and didn't have nearly enough starch, so my pancakes never stayed together. I instead ended up with a pan full of sweet potato/regular potato hash browns, which were delicious, but were not what I was going for.
So, if you were thinking about incorporating sweet potatoes into your latkes this weekend, make sure to follow a recipe (like this one from Epicurious, which uses are more egg and flour than I did). And, if you want the recipe that made me feel all smug about my latke abilities, that one is after the jump.
For the last couple of weeks, I've been posting links to good Thanksgiving sides. Some of them have come from the recesses of my brain and some of have been pinched from other sites. I thought it might be helpful to round all those posts up in one place so that you can see some options in one place and narrow down your finalist dishes.
If after all those posts, you still don't think you have enough side dish options, I'd also like to point you in the direction of the oven roasted brussels sprouts I made last month. They are also excellent (and add a nice, green counterpoint to your plate) on the Thanksgiving table.
Anyone who has eaten either Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner with me knows that I hate sweet potatoes and love yams. I always thought this was weird because I assumed they were sort of the same thing. Now I know that's not really the case. And I've found one frozen turkey dinner from Boston Market (in stores, not sure about the restaurants) that includes a sweet potato casserole with a pecan topping that I've fallen in love with.
These folks are trying to make November Sweet Potato Awareness Month. The site not only gives a detailed explanation of what yams are and what sweet potatoes are, they also give some great recipes, including Sweet Potato Cornbread Stuffing and Sweet Potato Apple Casserole.
To quote Tom Cruise on The Today Show, "Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt..."
Matt Wilson over at Cracked.com gives his list of the Best and Worst Thanksgiving Food. I made a prediction before I even read the piece that turkey, stuffing, and pie would be in the "best" category, while green bean casseroles and yams would be in the "worst." Well, I was partly right. He actually lists turkey in the "worst" category!
Whaaaaa?
He gives big props to pie, corn on the cob, and yams though. He doesn't like the cranberry sauce in a can, and it makes me wonder if he even knows you don't have to have it in can, you can actually make fresh stuff yourself!
Matt, seriously, how can you not like turkey? Are you a Communist? (Funny part about the family awkwardness though.)
So what are your favorite ane least favorite Thanksgiving Day foods?
What we're eating has put an amazing twist on a favorite Thanksgiving side dish, making Bleu Cheese Candied Yams that sound like they would be a perfect addition to just about any winter meal. The recipe is very easy and just uses yams, molasses, honey, sage and blue cheese, with a bit of butter added for good measure. Yams (or sweet potatoes) are naturally sweet, and while it might sound as though the sweetness would be overwhelming with the addition of honey, the salty and strongly flavored blue cheese cuts that sweetness and balances the dish. The flavors work in reverse, as well, with the honey and molasses slightly tempering the strong cheese. All things considered, this would make a great addition to your menu for Thursday if you are still looking for sides. It doesn't take too much work and you and your guests will be delighted with the results.
Did I ever tell you how I love yams but don't like sweet potatoes for some reason?
No matter, the Globe has some nice sweet potato recipes to warm you up
this winter, including Sweet Potato Gratin and Sweet Potato and Smoked Turkey Hash.
The Boston Globe Magazine has a feature this week on new stuff in Boston, including new restaurants you
should check out.
Hey, what happens if you put five pounds of sugar in a cold garage and it hardens? Can you still use it?
(Scroll down)
It's the holiday season, and that means lots of mashed potatoes are going to made across the land. I love them. Give me a giant bowl of mashed potatoes with butter and salt and pepper and I'd be happy. I don't eat as much potatoes as I used to, along with white rice, pasta, and white bread. But the holidays are a different story.
Anyone who has eaten either Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner with me knows that I hate sweet potatoes and love yams. I always thought this was weird because I assumed they were sort of the same thing. Now I know that's not really the case. And I've found one frozen turkey dinner from 
Did I ever tell you how I love yams but don't like sweet potatoes for some reason?
No matter, the Globe has some nice 
Cheese Course: Brebis Pardou
A transcendent summer tomato salad
Sliced bread turns 80 today
