The Feastie Blog

Thanksgiving is right around the corner - just a few days left to plan! When planning a holiday meal, sometimes it’s easier to think about who you’re cooking for rather than what you’re cooking. Are some of your guests vegetarians? Vegans? Gluten-free? Does anyone have a peanut allergy? Or avoid red meat? Accommodating all of your guests while making a fabulous meal for everyone to enjoy can be challenging - sure you can toss a Tofurky on the table next to the turkey, but why not make something that everyone can enjoy, vegans and carnivores alike? How do you find delicious, versatile recipes to suit everyone this year? Why, Feastie, of course!

Yes, I'm a fan of hyperbole. Yes, I realize that apple crisp in general is pretty delicious. But this - this was out of this world. Otherworldly. Ridonkulous. Addictive. I'll stop with the adjectives. I had a bunch of apples in my pantry from an apple picking adventure with friends and they were begging to be made into a crisp (the apples, not my friends). But I didn't want just any apple crisp - I wanted something special. And easy. Those things do not have to be mutually exclusive, BTW. This skillet apple crisp recipe from America's Test Kitchen showed up in my inbox (if you haven't already, sign up for their emails - free recipes!) and I figured I'd give it a try. Sometimes apple crisps can be mushy, or not have a really pronounced apple flavor, or the crisp isn't crispy enough - let's just say the brilliant minds at ATK have this all figured out. This thing was INCREDIBLE. I could not stop eating it - and neither could anyone else who tried it. All of us were going back for seconds - literally standing over the crisp with spoons and going to town (hey, we're all friends). My friend, who said, "Apple crisp is my favorite thing in the world!" loved it. Friends who said, "I don't really want to eat this" went back for seconds. YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS. Like, right now. It's simple, it's delicious, it's warm and comforting, it's the perfect fall dessert. Aaaaaaand now I want more of it. We demolished most of it, but I sent what was left home with the apple-crisp-loving friend, because that's just how much I love her. But there are a few apples left in my pantry, and I think a 1/4 or halved recipe will be underway soon....

T-minus 6 days...do you have your Thanksgiving menu planned? Shopping lists written, recipes organized, baking dishes set aside and oven schedules perfectly timed - unless, of course, you're one of those lucky people with a double oven (in which case we're envious). If you're not already overwhelmed by the insanely huge number of recipes out there, get ready to be overwhelmed. Feastie has over 200,000 recipes, zillions (yes, zillions) of which are just what you need to plan your Thanksgiving menu! We've rounded up the top 10 recipes for your Thanksgiving table, whether you're cooking for two or for twenty (or more!)! Pies, stuffings, even vegan options - we've got them all. And check out our Fall Flavors board on Pinterest for lots of great holiday recipes!

Buttermilk Bacon Blue Smashed Potatoes from How Sweet It Is
Photo from How Sweet It Is

I have such a huge stack of recipes printed out and floating around my kitchen that it's getting ridiculous. Every time The Mr. prints something, he drops another few papers in my lap - I print out so many that I forget they're in the printer! So I don't even remember how I came across these cookie dough bites from Girl Makes Food, but the important thing is that I did come across them. Today I was craving cookie dough (which isn't unusual), and after sifting through my stack of recipes I came across these and remembered that I have a bag of mini chocolate chips in the cupboard (which is unusual). I've also been wanting to use dates in a recipe, and to that end I'd bought a small bag of them, so they were sitting in the cupboard next to the chocolate chips - in other words these cookie dough balls were meant to be made and eaten. I'll admit I was skeptical, because these are dates, and with cookie dough - just thinking of cookie dough makes me anticipate a very specific flavor/texture, and I wasn't sure these dates were going to live up to my expectations. I'm not super self-aware, so I'm just now realizing that I approach many recipes with skepticism - not sure what that's about. In any case, these cookie dough bites are delish, they're healthyish, and they can be made vegan, if you wish. So now I have a little bag of them in my fridge to immediately satisfy any cookie dough cravings that may crop up. They're really good - a great snack - and they're fun and easy to make. 

This afternoon I was craving chocolate chip cookie like a madwoman. I'm also trying to eat healthier (too many treats lately), so I didn't want to make the usual cookie with butter and all purpose flour - I wanted something a bit healthier. And I wanted something immediately - no refrigerating of dough, no stand mixers, nada - I wanted instant gratification. Enter these cookies. I know I'm a fan of hyperbole, but seriously, these cookies are amazing. Made with whole grain spelt and oat flours and just 1 tablespoon of oil, they're moist and soft and chocolatey and taste as good as conventional chocolate chip cookies, but with no refined white flour or lots of sugar or fat. Originally developed by Chocolate Covered Katie, these cookies are easy to adapt to what you have on hand - they'd work just fine with all purpose or whole wheat flours, even whole wheat pastry flour - and the best part? You can eat the DOUGH! Not that I don't eat conventional dough with raw egg - I do - but I do feel a little safer eating vegan dough. And all you need is one bowl, a spoon or spatula, and a cookie sheet. That's it. No mixers, no blenders, nada! So if you're looking for a little bit of chocolatey goodness RIGHT NOW, try these cookies. I don't think you'll be disappointed. And only 86 calories per cookie - what?!

Say it with us: KEEN-WAH. Quinoa is a complete protein, plus it's high in fiber, iron, and calcium - pretty much the perfect food. It's super healthy, it's vegan, it's gluten-free, it's inexpensive, and there are pretty much an endless variety of recipes utlizing it, sweet and savory and everything in between. If you're vegan or vegetarian, this is a great way to incorporate protein into your meals - and if you're a carnivore, it's a great option for Meatless Monday! Have it for breakfast as a hot cereal, make it a savory side dish, toss it with veggies - go nuts. Literally. We've rounded up the top 5 quinoa recipes on the web this week for you to get you started with your quinoa experimentations. Say it again, with feeling now: KEEN-WAH. 

Apple Pie Quinoa Breakfast Casserole from Healthful Pursuit
Photo from Healthful Pursuit

I usually like to make lighter versions of comfort food - lighter tuna melts, baked (not fried!) eggplant Parmesan, butternut squash macaroni and cheese, brownies full of zucchini, etc. - but sometimes you just need THE REAL DEAL. I bought all the ingredients for my favorite butternut squash mac & cheese this week, set aside a relaxed afternoon to make it, and was looking forward to one of my favorite fall meals. But then something happened, and I realized that a real deal mac & cheese was in order. I was talking to my friend about the butternut mac, and asked her if she'd like me to save some for her, when she told me, "You know, I've never had macaroni and cheese before." She's about the same age as I am - in other words, she'd gone far too many years without macaroni and cheese. I asked her if she'd prefer a crunchy-top baked macaroni or a creamy stovetop version, and she said, "Crunchy top!" So I shelved the butternut squash for the week and went and bought another block of cheese. Because as much as I love my healthy veggie-packed version, it's not THE REAL DEAL. I wanted butter, copious amounts of cheese, buttered bread crumbs, milk - all the good stuff. I usually make the Martha Stewart mac & cheese, sometimes the Barefoot Contessa version, but I hadn't tried the Alton Brown recipe in years, and I decided to give it a go. Ooooohhhhhh it's good. Really, really good. Rich, cheesy, creamy - I'll say it one more time - it's the real deal. When all is said and done I still think I prefer the Martha Stewart version over this one, but let's just say that didn't stop me from digging in. As you can see in the photos below - the photo shoot started out tame enough but devolved into me sitting cross-legged on the floor "mmmm-ing" over my mini bowl of cheesy goodness. So I set aside a few servings for The Mr. and packed up the rest to take to my friend. In other words, make this for a crowd - once you start eating it, it's hard to stop. So share and give some away - you only need a little bowl of this stuff to feel satisfied. 

A few weeks ago, we brought you Mitt Romney's Favorite Meatloaf Cakes, so today, in the interest of being fair and balanced, we have a special Obama Recipe. From Barack Obama's very own Campaign Snacks Pinterest Board, it's the Official Obama Family Chili. Now, chili comes in so many varieties, from a purely meaty Cincinnati chili to vegetarian chili with plenty of beans, corn, and maybe even sweet potato. There are just as many viewpoints on chili as their are styles. And since election season has so many people in the mood to debate, it's no surprise that a bit of a debate broke out in the comments on Obama's Pinterest pin. One comment sparked the debate by declaring that this is "SO NOT how you make chili", and it went from there with comments questioning whether something containing red wine vinegar and served over rice should even be called "chili".

This weekend I hosted a sleepover for five of my closest girlfriends, and I was so excited to cook for them! Whenever we get together there's a ton of great food and lots of wine, and, as The Mr. described it, "Usually three conversations going on simultaneously at the same table." It was a traditional high-school-style sleepover with sleeping bags and lots of blankets and people crashing on the couch and on air mattresses - but with much better food. Since the girls had a four hour drive up to my house, I wanted to welcome them with snacks and drinks, so I had pumpkin bread (my favorite Trader Joe's pumpkin bread mix) fresh from the oven cooling on the counter when they arrived, which made the house smell unbelievable. We snacked on pumpkin bread and hot tea, and enjoyed lemon ricotta spaghetti with arugula and an apple, walnut, goat cheese and spinach salad (and lots of wine) for dinner. We rounded out the evening with s'mores cooked over a log in our fireplace. In other words, the PERFECT NIGHT. Around 2am we all found our way into bedding of some sort, but not before I whipped up some overnight baked pumpkin french toast to cook up for a hot breakfast the next morning. I have a baked pecan french toast that I love, but I wanted something warm and seasonal and, well, pumpkin-y. I decided to adapt my french toast recipe by adding pumpkin puree and some spices, and the results were OUTSTANDING. Even better than the original! The french toast baked up all puffed and golden brown, with spiced pumpkin and pecans - it was devoured. This is my new favorite make-ahead breakfast or brunch for guests - this is going in the regular rotation. If you're looking for a special Thanksgiving or Christmas breakfast, this is it. It's seriously the perfect seasonal brunch dish - it tastes like pumpkin pie in french toast form. I served this with maple syrup, turkey bacon, fresh fruit, and mimosas. Unfortunately my girlfriends had to leave this afternoon to return to reality back in DC, but I still have one serving of leftover french toast to enjoy for breakfast tomorrow - that is, after The Mr. and I eat the last of the s'mores tonight. 

If you're lactose intolerant, look away now. Hide. There's major cheese ahead. Cheese kind of makes everything taste good - when in doubt, cover it in a layer of melted cheese, right? Love the stinky cheese? Or just mild cheddar? The cheese spectrum is pretty huge - there's the mildest of the mild cheddars and then the cheeses that are so sharp that when you bite into them, they bite you BACK! Some smell nutty and mild, some smell like stinky socks - but in the best way possible. There's no shortage of cheesy recipes at Feastie, but we've rounded up the top 5 cheese recipes this week, something for everyone. And if you are lactose intolerant, there's always vegan cheese or cashew "cheese" - how about cheesy nachos without the cheese?! It's true. Check them all out here!

Pumpkin Cheddar Grilled Cheese from Bake Your Day
Photo from Bake Your Day