I don't know about you, but I could not have a Thanksgiving Dinner without plenty of tasty sides. Even thought the turkey is the largest dish on the table, the sides are the most fun to make. Sides are where you can express your creativity, experiment with new dishes or show off your favorite family recipes.
Sides are also crucial in balancing out the Thanksgiving meal. If you think about the landscape of your meal, you'll want dishes that will compliment the protein packed turkey. Some popular sides are macaroni & cheese, mashed potatoes and casseroles. While I adore these holiday staples, too many heavy dishes can lead your guests to become lethargic before desserts are pulled out. That's why I highly suggest having a couple veggie based sides on the table.
Though roasting brussel sprouts have become super trendy in the past few years, we're going to cook them on the stove to achieve a soft texture instead of a crunchy one. After blanching them for 10 minutes, I sauté the brussel sprouts with butter and then add the bacon, capers and lemon juice. I then top it off with some shaved parmesan cheese for garnish. This is a great dish to make all year long!
The next recipe I'm going to share with you is my Caramelized Sweet Potatoes. I'll let you in on a pro tip: when you purchase sweet potatoes in the fall they taste fresher and sweeter than they do during other seasons. That's because they are harvested in the fall. They don't have to be transported from far away places. Therefore, sweet potatoes travel from the farm to the grocery store in a much shorter time.
Seasoned with thyme, orange juice and lime juice, these caramelized sweet potatoes are sure to be a citrusy hit! One of my favorite things about this recipe is that you don't have to add a ton of extra sugar to the dish. The sweetness will come from the potatoes and the orange juice. We're minimizing the additional fats and sugars with this recipe, so you can indulge in all of the thanksgiving desserts and not have a stomach ache.
I hope these sides dishes make it to your Thanksgiving table! Just remember to keep balance in mind when planning your dinner.
Over the past week on CORA-ntine Cuisine, I got to reunite with several friends that Nicole and I have made over the years. Our incredible guests included Maria Shriver, Sheila E, Debi Mazar, Chef Gabriele Corcos, Chef Karen Akunowicz and the Shirley Temple King! Many of the guests spoke of the importance of taking care of your health and eating foods that boost your immune system.
Hey y'all! This past week was one for the books. Not only did we celebrate Greek Easter, but it was also my son Caje's birthday! I got to chat with some incredible special guests including Cameron Mathis, David Burtka, Scott Evans, Chef Andrew Zimmern and superstar film director Tate Taylor! I'm going to share a few of my favorite recipes from last week and fill you in on some of the topics we discussed.
I've had so much fun on CORA-ntine Cuisine this past week. I got to chat with several special guests including Chef Ingrid Hofffman, Chef Dominique Crenn, Cake Wars host Jonathan Bennet and my partners at the Little Kitchen Academy, Felicity and Brian Curin. There's been one common theme in all of my chats so far and that theme is positivity.
