Thanksgiving Veggies

At this point, the Bird family Thanksgiving dinner menu is pretty fixed. Everybody likes plain old traditional turkey, without any fanfare, and the gravy is doomed to a similar fate. Our stuffing would be boring as well, were it not for the lovely, smoky bacon we get from Vande Rose Farms. To counterbalance, we go wild with the desserts, of course, but our Turkey Day vegetables are also a site of madness. Try a couple of the offerings below; they are both delicious and easy to make!

BRUSSELS SPROUTS IN PANCETTA

  • 1 lb. baby Brussels sprouts or regular sprouts, halved
  • 6 slices smoky bacon, diced
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • 1/4 cup water

Melt the butter. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove bacon and add sprouts. Cook until fork tender but not mushy. Drain remaining fat from the pan and deglaze with 1/4 cup water. Add the bacon and toss. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

ROASTED BEETS AND CARROTS

  • 1 lb. beets, peeled and quartered
  • 1 lb. carrots, peeled and chunked
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • Salt, pepper

Put all the ingredients in a baking dish (we use foil; it's easier to clean). Cover tightly with foil. Bake at a 350F over 1 hour and check for doneness. Cook further if needed.

PEAS AND FENNEL (Liat: These are SO GOOD. Mom eats most of the Brussels sprouts, but typically the peas are a point of contention amongst the family as to who gets how much.)

  • 1 lb. peas, preferably freshly shelled, otherwise frozes petit pois
  • 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed (without the green leaves) and thinly sliced
  • 3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp good olive oil

Melt butter and oil. Sauté shallots and fennel until caramelized (brown but not burned). Toss peas in. If frozen, turn off the heat and let cook. If fresh, cook, stirring for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

HAVE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING WITH YOUR FAMILY!