I wish I would have had a chance to post about Thanksgiving recipes before now, but I had a nasty cold over the weekend. I love this time of year, friends, family, and food. By far three of my favorite things. Since moving to South Dakota, I haven't much had the chance to indulge my love of feeding others. I delight in cooking large meals and sharing them with those I care for. These are some of my favorite recipes to fix for my friends and family. I hope you enjoy sharing them with yours this holiday season.

Acorn Squash stuffed with Wild Rice

4 Acorn Squash of equal size cut in half and the seeds removed
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cup Maple Syrup
1 tbsp Red Pepper Flake
1 tsp Sea Salt

Preheat your oven to 400. Place the squash on a jelly roll/cookie sheet skin side down. Coat the squash with the olive oil. Drizzle the maple syrup over them and sprinkle them with the red pepper flake and sea salt. Cover the pan with aluminum foil, making sure to seal it well. Bake 30 to 45 minutes or until squash is fork tender.



For the rice

4 cups Vegetable Broth
2 cups Wild Rice (I like Lundberg brand)
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
1/2 cup White Raisins
Salt and Pepper to taste

Bring vegetable broth, rice, and olive oil to a boil. Stir once, reduce to simmer, cover with a tight fitting lid. Simmer for 50 to 55 minutes. No peeking under the lid, you need the steam to remain sealed in the pot to cook the rice. Let set 10 minutes, fluff rice with a fork, and stir in cranberries, raisins, and salt and pepper.

Stuff each squash with the rice mixture and serve. You should have some rice leftover, I always save it for the next day to use as a side dish.


Oven Roasted Sweet Potato Medallions

3-4 Sweet Potatoes sliced into medallions
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 tbsp ground Cumin
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Coat sweet potato slices with olive oil and place on cookie sheet. Sprinkle the slices with cumin, sea salt, and pepper. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until browned and slightly blistered.

Orecchiette Pasta with Cranberry and Kale

Considering my love of food, Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. I have fond memories of large family dinners held in my grandmother's tiny house. The meals were filled with simple flavors that when combined created sublime delicacies. As I've mentioned before, earthy flavored foods delight me. This makes Thanksgiving the perfect holiday for indulgence. Once I went vegan, I found it necessary to come up with a few extra dishes to share during these holiday meals. Orecchiette Pasta with Cranberry and Kale is one of my favorites to share this time of year.

Orecchiette Pasta with Cranberry and Kale

1 box Orecchiette Pasta prepared
2 tbsp Olive Oil
4 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 medium White Onion, sliced thin
1 can whole berry Cranberry Sauce or 1 3/4 cup homemade Cranberry Sauce
3/4 cup dry Red Wine (I use Cabernet Sauvignon)
1 bunch Kale, stems removed and sliced into thin strips
1 cup Pasta Water
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the garlic and onions 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cranberry sauce and wine and allow to reduce by half. Add the kale and allow it to wilt. Add pasta water and reduce heat to low. The longer and slower you cook the kale the less bitter it will be. Allow it to cook on low for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve over orecchiette with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.