Seasonal Sundays (Week 50) Mid December

A stocking stuffed with quick food and other ideas as the days march closer toward the holidays that December delivers, pandemic or not. Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate!

~ Skip Straight to the Good Stuff ~

Welcome to Seasonal Sundays ...

Perhaps it's a return to journaling? Perhaps it's Advent? Perhaps it's the end of a soul-searching year? ♥ But is anyone else feeling especially contemplative just now?

December 2020, of course, is notably quieter than Decembers in the Before Times: none of the annual traditional, musical, social, professional, gotta-do-this, gotta-see-that, gotta-decorate-this, gotta-buy-more business of busy-ness.

WHAT A GIFT. A joy, even.

The quiet affords the chance to think (and re-think and yes, very possibly over-think) what one might do with December and in turn what to do with 2021.

It's not a bucket list. It's not a to-do list with satisfying little check boxes alongside. It's definitely not soon-to-be-shelved resolutions.

It's more a contemplation of where to spend time, where to pour energy, where to seek fulfillment, and all without the strictures of "how we've always done it" or some imagined Pinterest perfection.

Is it possible that 2020's limitations actually tear down old patterns and expectations in a good way?

About the Photo By Popular Request, a Little Insight into the Top Image (Albeit Not My Own Shot, I'll Be Damned If I Can Figure Out the Right Settings): What a high, one day after another! My sweet husband arranged for colored twinkly lights on the XXXL spruce tree in front of our house, a "beacon in the wilderness" he envisioned. It turns out, the tree is in the perfect spot. It's framed in both windows in the family room and is even visible from our bed! It's an inordinate thrill but a thrill nonetheless ...

Speaking of joy, a thrill. THANK YOU for stopping in today ... and last week and next week too. "I appreciate you." I do ... and always love hearing from many of you throughout the week. Don't be a stranger!

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PICK ONE

Pick One is for those of us overwhelmed by life's unending 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 hope will become a regular in your kitchen, as it is in mine.

• THE RECIPE Turkey Wild Rice Casserole A festive make-ahead hot dish.

Compliments!

• "We have made your lefse for two years and it's fantastic. My whole family is involved. Thank you so much." ~ Loren
• THE RECIPE & INSPIRING VIDEO How to Make Norwegian Lefse Step-by-step video by lefse expert LeAnne Kruger. (She's my cousin! Her husband is a TV producer!)



• "... they were outstanding!" ~ Cathy B
• THE RECIPE (Sloooow) Baked Potatoes (How Long to Bake a Baked Potato)

Good Eats December: Casual, Comforting, Healthy

• THE RECIPE Cast Iron Meatloaf My go-to recipe for meatloaf.
• ANOTHER TAKE Elk Meatloaf Adapted from the easy Quaker Oats meatloaf with ground beef, elk, bison, venison or even turkey.

• THE RECIPE Winter Stew A master recipe, cook with confidence, no recipe required.
• ANOTHER TAKE Beef & Mushroom Stew On the table and flavorful within an hour.

• THE RECIPE Thick Chops with Sauerkraut & Apples A Quick Supper, moist chops in apple-chunky sauerkraut.
• ANOTHER TAKE Thick Iowa Chops with Easy Stuffing Crust Thick Iowa chops capped with a stuffing-like crust.

Let's Not Forget Those Vegetables!

• THE RECIPE Detox Chopped Salad
• ANOTHER TAKE Big Cajun Chopped Salad

• THE RECIPE Christmas Cauliflower
• ANOTHER TAKE Christmas Tree Vegetable Platter

• THE RECIPE Simple Swiss Chard How to sauté chard in a skillet, just three ingredients.
• ANOTHER TAKE Swiss Chard Skillet Supper with Tomatoes, Corn, Fresh Dill & Feta A hearty, late-summer meal, all in one skillet.

Let There Be Light, Finnish Style

During December and January, a candle sits on my desk while I work, flickering in the quiet of my keytaps.

It's an old habit, one learned the year I lived in Finland, where as the winter solstice approaches, sunrise is at 9:30, sunset at 3:15 and the sun hangs so low that even daylight is more a foggy cast than illumination.

The antidote? Candles everywhere, even on the desks of students studying after school and evenings.

With so many of us working from home and extra-aware of the shortening days, perhaps your desk, your day, could use a candle too ...

Word from Luka's Vet

Luka got his annual checkup and shots this week. All is good!

The vet did ask me to check his dog food, however, saying that according to Washington University in St. Louis, grain-free dog foods are causing heart issues in dogs.

Just passing the word! Ask your vet ...

Like the photo? Me too! Luka l-o-v-e-s his latest toy, a big red bone – and carries it everywhere. The original photo was fun straight out of the camera but I'm loving the "Femme" filter on a new-to-me award-winning photo app called Prisma. A trial is free, a one-year subscription is $10. I've long used a "watercolor" app called Waterlogue from Tinrocket but am switching to Prisma in January.

For the record: this is just me, Alanna, sharing info about a product I love and think you might too. There's no paid sponsorship or anything like that going on ...

Seasonal Showcase: Cranberries

• THE RECIPE Cranberry Applesauce Especially pretty in yogurt parfaits.
• ANOTHER TAKE Holiday Fruit Parfait with Yogurt, Cranberries, Applesauce, Pineapple & Kiwi A showstopper for holiday brunches and parties.

• THE RECIPE Homemade Whole Cranberry Sauce for the Slow Cooker Sweet aroma of cranberries, fresh ginger and orange zest!
• ANOTHER TAKE Cranberry Orange Relish with Fresh Ginger That old-time recipe with an whole orange, skin and all.

• THE RECIPE Fresh Cranberry Cake Best made a day ahead.
• ANOTHER TAKE Fresh Cranberry Bars A chewy almost-blondie molasses and spice bar with bursts of juicy cranberry, topped with a scattering of sugar "snow".

• THE RECIPE Cranberry Apple Crisp A wintry take on fall's favorite, my signature dessert during cold weather.
• ANOTHER TAKE Extra-Crispy Apple Crisp My very own "perfect" recipe, barely sweet apples firm and tart, topped with an extra-crispy topping, thanks to a secret ingredient.

• THE RECIPE Fresh Cranberry Drop Cookies Cookie bites bright with fresh cranberry, sweet orange and toasty pecans.
• ANOTHER TAKE Christmas Banana Bread My favorite banana bread, all dressed up for Christmas.

Making a (Cookie) List, Checking It Twice

• THE RECIPE Family Shortbread All the family tips and tricks to make simple, ethereal English shortbread.
• ANOTHER TAKE Chocolate Shortbread Cookies A simple chocolate cookie, tender and crisp, barely sweet.

• THE RECIPE No-Chill Cutout Sugar Cookies Just mix and roll, no need to wait.
• ANOTHER TAKE Cut-Out Spice Cookies My all-time year-round favorite cut-out cookie dough recipe.

• THE RECIPE Fresh Cranberry Bars A chewy almost-blondie molasses and spice bar with bursts of juicy cranberry, topped with a scattering of sugar "snow".
• ANOTHER TAKE Snickerdoodle Bars Snickerdoodle flavors with the firm, chewy texture of blondies.

Food Gifts

• THE RECIPE Homemade Microwave Caramel Corn No mess, no fuss in a paper bag.
• ANOTHER TAKE How to Cook Popcorn in a Microwave in a Paper Bag How to make airpop popcorn in the microwave, just popcorn kernels, a paper sack and NO oil.

• THE RECIPE Cranberry Walnut Bread Special for the holidays, a barely sweet yeast bread studded with dried cranberries and toasted walnuts.
• ANOTHER TAKE Hot Cross Buns Sweet buns traditional for Easter.

• THE RECIPE Maple-Glazed Pecans Crisp and barely sweet. Pecan Pizzazz!
• ANOTHER TAKE Sweet Pumpkin Seed Crumbles

Trending

My Top 10 Recipes are predictable, hello How To Keep Green Onions Fresh for Weeks and What Are Bitter Greens?. But every week, seasonal recipes catch the internet's attention and start to trend.

• THE TIP How to Freeze Stock in Canning Jars Thrifty practice for green kitchens.
• THE STOCK No-Big-Deal Homemade Chicken Stock How to turn making chicken stock from a production into No-Big-Deal.

• THE RECIPE Homemade Swedish Potato Sausage A picture essay of a grandmother passing along a family recipe.
• ANOTHER TAKE Potato Blintzes An old family recipe.

What's New?!

• THE RECIPE Apple Yogurt Salad Perfect for holiday & winter brunches.
• ANOTHER TAKE Winter Fruit Salad Colorful fruit salad when fresh fruit is available.

• THE RECIPE Swedish Red Cabbage & Apples Savory not sweet.
• ANOTHER TAKE Sweet 'n' Sour Cabbage Classic skillet dish.

Just Updated!

• THE RECIPE Savory Roasted Pecans A quick savory appetizer or food gift.
• ANOTHER TAKE Party Nuts with Fresh Rosemary "Those Good Nuts."

Don't Be a Stranger!

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, launch a message in a bottle, send a Christmas letter, get the dog to yip, toss me a note wrapped in a rubberband, write a message in the sky, scratch a note in the sand, listen to a seashell, whatever.

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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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2020