The Opposite of Thanksgiving
What have been called “The BEST Brussels sprouts I’ve ever had” and an easy fish dish for after the big day
I had to write this newsletter early in the week because of “the big day”. My thought process was that maybe the week after Thanksgiving, when the excitement of leftovers have finally faded, you might want to cook something very different in method and flavor profile. I always crave my juicer and sushi takeout after big traditional holiday feasting, but this is a newsletter about cooking, right?
The Recipes:
Subscribers will receive two recipes later this morning that are just this: very different from sage, turkey and mirepoix. Sticky Fish Sauce Glazed Brussels Sprouts were proclaimed at my kitchen island just a few nights ago “The Best Brussels Sprouts I’ve Ever Had”. They’re easy to pull off and laced with Southeast Asian flavors like fish sauce, lime, red chilis and cilantro. The other recipe hailing from the same geographic inspiration is a quick Coconut Curry with Fish. It’s not very different from a lot of the curries I’ve written about before. The base is curry paste, coconut milk, aromatics and the protein being fish here. I love cooking fish this way because, well, it’s pretty hard to ruin and you can be flexible with what kind of fish you use.
Minimouths
For my new readers, I mentioned last week that my son is about 19 months old and part of the adventure now is cooking for him and introducing him to new foods. You can follow along on Instagram @_minimouths It is MAJORLY a trial and error. Things I just assumed he’d gobble up get thrown AT me and vice versa with foods I just figured weren't for kids. (this being my first). We didn’t introduce spicy food intentionally, but we also just give Dean whatever we’re eating and we happen to like things like chili oil, kimchi, buffalo wings, and spicy curries. I’d love to hear from other parents if you’re little ones love spicy foods… because Dean goes wild over them! It’s bizarre to watch, especially because I didn’t get into heat until I was an adult. Just a few nights ago we took him out and he wouldn't stop dipping french fries in pretty spicy buffalo wing sauce. Every-time he gorges on something that spicy, it still shocks me. Anyone out there have a little one who loves the heat?
What I’m Loving This Week:
Uncle Eddie's Vegan Cookies: a friend recommended these cookies to me last week, and I picked up a bag at Whole Foods. Are they the most amazing cookie you’ve ever tasted? No. But they're really good for a supermarket “cookie” aisle cookie. And they happen to be vegan, but more exciting to me is all the flour and sweeteners are certified organic. They have a really great texture and they just taste “real” - if that makes sense to you. We’re working through a bag of the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip and I can absolutely see myself buying another bag. Their website says you can find them at many Whole Foods nationwide.
Trader Joe’s Cedar & Balsam Candles: I wait every year for this time to buy these in bulk. Some of their candles are nasty (Vanilla Pumpkin) and some are delightful (Grapefruit and this one). But at $3.99 a piece, if you even like the scent, that’s a win for me. And I love this one! It’s a really good “Holiday Pine” scent that doesn't smell fake. Unfortunately, as I write this other fans are wiping the shelves of them. I think other people feel the same way. So if you find it at your TJs, and you like the smell, buy a few because they won’t be there when you return for more.
Donating two complete Thanksgiving meals: I fear talking about this sounds really self righteous, but I’m really passionate about donating. Every year around Thanksgiving and Christmas my Nonni would make a point to take me to the store to put together holiday food bags to bring to a local food bank. She did it all year round, as I do now, but during the holidays she included me so that the tradition would stick. She obviously knew what she was doing. This week I put together 2 thanksgiving meals, as requested from a local food bank and dropped them off. I had a really busy week getting ready for the big day and traveling, and I almost blew it off, but I didn't, I couldn't let Nonni down. I’ve been feeling stressed about traveling with a toddler/being pregnant and the normal holiday craze stress. It’s personal, but whenever I’m feeling that crunch or a feeling of not having enough in any department, donating instantly helps. It’s usually diapers, wipes and baby goods I give throughout the year. But this week I cashed in my free turkeys at the supermarket and spent such a nominal amount of money (nominal for me) to hopefully give some other mom the chance to not stress over what she’s making for her big day. I’m looking forward to getting Dean involved as the years go on.
Hope everyone had a relaxing holiday XO Liv