Holiday Hosting Pt.1

10 recipes - apps & sides edition

Good morning! ‘Tis the season of delicious recipes shared amongst the table with friends and family. They say there are two types of people — those who eat to live, and those who live to eat. I am most definitely and without question the second.

I love food. I love eating. I love cooking. I think food is so much more than just fuel for our bodies. It is medicine, it is love, it is culture, it is adventure. Food unites us as humans.

Today food is more of a topic than it ever has been. Food used to be simple. It was either hunted, gathered, grown, or traded with a neighbor. Prepared with care and intention, and shared with others.

Now, we have delivery drivers that go to a restaurant to pick up our food for us — grown in places were unsure of, cooked by people we don’t know, wrapped in plastic and dropped at our front door. We are more disconnected from our food than ever. Most people have no idea the source of their food, where or how it is grown, and the methods in which it was prepared.

What used to be the norm, is now the privilege.

Everyone has an opinion on whether food is bad or food is good. Everything is either unhealthy or healthy. I don’t believe this to be true. That way of thinking is much more overcomplicated than it has to be, food is simple.

Food is healthy when it is tended to by caring farmers. Food is healthy when it is made with love and care. Food is healthy when it is a special recipe passed down through generations. Food is healthy when it makes you feel good — physically and mentally. Food is healthy when eaten with intention.

I love Thanksgiving because it is a chance for us to become more connected to our food. To cook and eat with intention. To connect with friends, family, and loved ones.

I hope these recipes bring you joy and nourishment. If you can — get some of the ingredients at the farmers market, from a local farmer. Take a few minutes to chat with the farm, about their experience, their farm, their food, their why and how. It is one of the most rewarding experiences.

When you happen upon a recipe passed down through your family, ask about it. There are so many beautiful, funny and interesting stories just from one simple recipe.

Being connected to our food is a privilege, and it is one that many aren’t in tune with or exercise. Take these holidays as an opportunity to do so, it makes the world of a difference.

Now let’s get into the recipesssssss.

On the Menu:

• Marinated Olives & Feta

• Goat Cheese Stuffed Prosciutto Wrapped Dates

• Sourdough Milk & Honey Buns

• Seasonal Radicchio Salad

• Roasted Squash with Browned Butter & Herbs

• Miso Ginger Garlic Buttery Green Beans

• Sourdough Sage & Sausage Stuffing

• Cranberry Sauce

• Cranberry Salsa

• Salt & Vinegar Mashed Potatoes

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Marinated Olives & Feta

PREP TIP: If making in advance add everything EXCEPT the olive oil, store sealed in fridge. When ready to serve, add in olive oil (this is because the olive oil will solidify in the fridge)

Ingredients

• 2 cups pitted castralavano olives 

• 2/3 cup chopped feta

• 3 tbsp olive oil 

• 2 garlic cloves 

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp lemon zest 

• 2 tsp chili flakes

• 1.5 tsp chopped fresh rosemary 

• Flakey salt 

Recipe

1. Drain out olives and add to a bowl 

2. Chop up feta and add to bowl

3. In a separate dish, grate garlic and lemon zest

4. Chop rosemary and add to bowl 

5. Add in olive oil, lemon juice, chili flakes and whisk

6. Pour over olives and feta

7. Top with flakey salt, serve with toothpicks and enjoy 

Goat Cheese Stuffed Prosciutto Wrapped Dates

PREP TIP: You can do each step up to baking, and then store sealed in the fridge until ready to bake.

Ingredients

• 12 pitted Medjool dates

• Goat cheese to stuff (about 1/2 cup)

• 6 slices of prosciutto

Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C)

2. Slice or rip pieces of prosciutto in half

3. Slice each date lengthwise, creating an opening (don’t cut all the way through)

4. Stuff each date with a small amount of goat cheese and close gap

5. Wrap each stuffed date with a strip of prosciutto

6. Place the wrapped dates on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10–12 minutes, until the prosciutto is crisp

7. Serve warm!

Sourdough Milk & Honey Buns

PREP TIP: If making in advance, complete up to step 6 the night before, then for the second rise cold proof in the fridge overnight. Just be cautious to watch the bread so it does not overproof. (PS: I have not tried this prep method. I do it the way it is laid out in the recipe.)

Ingredients