Seasonal Sundays (Week 46 Mid November)

A quick read, recipes for all of November, not just Thanksgiving; why I love crows; commemorating the Marine Corps birthday; as usual, more recipe and life ideas for right now, the height of fall and still almost three weeks before Thanksgiving.

~ Skip Straight to the Good Stuff ~

Welcome to Seasonal Sundays!

So much to share today, because there's no denying it now, Thanksgiving is around the corner. Even if it's just one day, it's a big one food-wise and for anyone who's hosting, takes planning as well as execution. I'm here to help!

And in the mean time, let's feed the people we love ... all the other 29 days.

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I ♥ Crows

Did you know?

• A gathering of crows isn't a flock, it's a murder of crows
• Young crows help their parents raise younger siblings
• Crows make and use tools!
• Crows recognize human faces (and pass along the information to offspring and peers) and distinguish between "dangerous" faces and "safe" faces for years
• Crows gather around a crow that's died, a sort of autopsy to identify the cause of death
• Crows mate for life practice monogamy-ish

Sources

• Mother Nature Network
• Cornell University Ornithology Lab
• NPR

PICK ONE: BETTER HUMMUS

Pick One is for those of us who are overwhelmed by life's choices. If that resonates, then check out this one recipe and then call it a day. It's one that I think could make the most difference, the one I rely on myself all the time.

For better hummus, I'm going to ask you to trust me and cook the chickpeas yourself, from scratch. It makes a huge difference.

And from there, I've got two ways to use the chickpeas, my fridge is rarely without at least one of these.

• How to Cook Dried Chickpeas Especially for Hummus aka "Jerusalem Chickpeas", cook an entire pound, then package and freeze in one-can equivalents
• Crazy-Smooth Crazy-Good Hummus, home-cooked chickpeas plus two other easy techniques that take hummus to a whole new place ... with zero added oil.
• Roasted Eggplant “Hummus" (Eggplant & Chickpea Dip & Spread), and an extra Freestyle-friendly spread, I use it as a mayonnaise substitute, so so good!

"Thank You for Your Service"

Today is the 245th birthday of the United States Marine Corps.

Last night, my husband and I gathered with family, friends and fellow Marines to observe the Marine Corps birthday, an annual celebration of tradition, reverence and heritage. There are swords and speeches, it's an evening of symbolism small and large, including a table for one with an empty chair, the "missing man table" which remembers fallen, missing or imprisoned comrades.

My own father is a veteran of World War II and he still wears caps that identify the battleships on which he served in the South Pacific. When we're out, nearly always someone will stop to speak to him, some times just offering, "Thank you for your service."

Nearly always, he looks up and speaks with humility, "It's an honor to serve one's country."

Thank a veteran today ... and every day. We owe them our very democracy.

Learn more about the Marine Corps birthday

Something For Supper & the Soup Pot Both

Big lunch? Make a light supper. This is such a simple soup but the broth is a real surprise.

Greek Lentil Soup, vegan goodness scented with cinnamon.

Something (Retro) Salad

Oh my, you're not going to believe this salad, not from me, the queen of fresh vegetables.

But it's slightly pickle-y ... and addictive.

Marinated Vegetable Salad, retro good!

My Instant Pot Is So Useful ... for Collecting Dust

A Canadian reader wrote to say she planned to make Sweet 'n' Hot Chicken for dinner, then suggested, "Would you include a soup etc for the Instant Pot?" (Hi, Fran!)

I do have an Instant Pot, my husband gave me one for Christmas two years ago.

And ....

... it's been used exactly once and even then, by my sister visiting from out of town.

And ... in my defense, he hasn't used my Christmas gift to him, either!

So I'm not a naysayer about Instant Pots, I'm just puzzled by their appeal.

• Size – They're enormous, those Instant Pots! Where do you even put the behemoths? We have a sizeable kitchen and the Instant Pot fits only a single cupboard. It's too big and too ugly to leave on the counter.
• Utility – Everything the Instant Pot does well, I already have figured out in pots that are already being used day in and day out.
• Slow Cooking Specifically – I'm no fan of slow cookers in general. To my taste, they muddle all the flavors together. (I do have a few slow cooker recipes where at least the first issue isn't, well, an issue.) Plus the equipment variability/unreliability is super frustrating. I am a fan of what I call "slow cooking in the oven," you'll see this option in lots of my recipes.

But listen, convince me, okay? What can I make that will change my mind and turn me into an Instant Pot believer?

Any parents of college kids here? My friend Kirsten (our moms went to university together, her mom introduced my parents!) sent her son off to school with an Instant Pot, armed with campus-friendly recipes. Fun, eh?

November's Fence Straddlers

I have t-o-n-s of recipes of probably-Thanksgiving-only recipes.

But a Thirty-Days-Has-November mindset got me to taking a second look at the recipes in my collection which could work for Thanksgiving but don't shout Thanksgiving in the way the World's Best Green Bean Casserole or a Sweet Potato Casserole would.

So here are three recipe ideas for the 29 days that aren't Thanksgiving.

• Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple
• Simple Scalloped Potatoes
• Acorn Squash with Mustard & Honey

Compliments!

"My gosh, what delicious bread!"an anonymous but happy reader wrote last week. Thanks for letting me know, my fellow bread maker!

Swedish Rye Bread, slightly sweet, densely delicious

Something Sweet

I've been making this pumpkin bread so long, it was one of the first handful of recipes published back in 2002 when I first launched Kitchen Parade as a syndicated print column!

And it still stands the test of time ...

Autumn Pumpkin Bread, moist and flavorful, freezes beautifully.

Something New

These are the very first roasted green beans I've ever loved! (And I've tried so so many times with other techniques.)

Roasted Green Beans with Rosemary & Walnuts, super simple, roasted at extra high heat.

Text Me Back!

I'd love to hear from you. Comment, send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com, dot-dash in Morse code, build a fire for smoke signals, whatever.

• Who's ready for Thanksgiving?!
• What's the one dish you always make at Thanksgiving?
• Is your Christmas tree up? :-)
• Anything else? Chime in, chat away.

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.

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