Thanksgiving Slaw
Our family’s classic Thanksgiving and Christmas menu is rich. There are tons of carbs, and I’m afraid to tell you how much butter it takes to get the meal on the table. This tangy cabbage slaw is not only quick to put together and sturdy enough to sit for up to 2 hours without wilting, its acidity and hint of mustard help cut through the other dishes on the plate.
Leesa’s Favorite Side Salad
Delicious salads must be made with the freshest ingredients that are chopped into bite-sized pieces (especially the greens!). This is my favorite side salad to serve at a dinner party, and contains green and red romaine, sugar snap peas, apples, avocado, slivered almonds, and a high-quality prepared dressing.
Romesco Bowls with Farro & Chicken
Top chewy farro, perfectly cooked chicken, and sautéed bell peppers with romesco, a gorgeous orange sauce made of tomatoes, pimentos, parsley, and almonds.
This recipe has a lot of elements, but they can be made in advance to simplify dinner prep.
Guy’s Chicken Roulades
Guy has made these chicken roulades, stuffed with chorizo, Manchego cheese, parsley, and almonds, for our yearly Wild Game Dinners as well as Winner Dinner, a yearly fantasy football bet I routinely lost to our friend Jarred.
They are moist and delicious, and worthy of a special occasion.
Red Lentil Soup
This wholesome and satisfying soup is made of onions, shallots, lentils, brown rice, and vegetable stock, and topped with Feta cheese and slivered almonds.
Erin’s Red Broccoli Salad
Our friends Erin and Matt have a lovely home in the country, surrounded by pastures and horses, and on the occasional holiday, a fireworks display on each horizon. We love gathering with friends there, especially when dishes like this are on the table.
Red onions, grapes, and bacon lend the red color to the otherwise green salad of broccoli, celery, and green onions.
Almond & Italian Parsley Pesto
This is a great alternative to traditional pesto, if pine nuts are too expensive, or if you have extra Italian parsley to use up.
Curried Chicken Salad
Chop chicken (grab a rotisserie chicken at the market), grapes, apples, and pineapple. Add shredded carrots, curry powder, and toasted almonds for a truly special chicken salad. Serve on wheat bread, with crackers, or in pita pockets.
Indian Chicken in Creamy Almond Sauce
Simmer chicken in a broth flavored with toasted cinnamon, bay leaves, onion and garlic, curry powder, turmeric and cardamom. Add sour cream and ground almonds to the broth and thicken for a delicious sauce.
Thanksgiving Rice
Mom first made this rice for Christmas one year in Colorado, when I was very little. It now defines our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. We could do without the turkey, but we can’t do without this rice, seasoned with allspice and nutmeg, chopped onions, and slivered almonds. In fact, we always make her do a double batch, so there are plenty of leftovers.