Brussels sprouts--practicing for T-Day

Every year for the past few years, I have participated in a Thanksgiving potluck with a surrogate family of New Yorkers who live too far from their real families to travel for the holiday. Well, I have my cousins, but the other two families that are involved are not blood relations, just close friends of my cousins. The first year we did this was such a success that we are now on our fourth year. It's great fun--we go upstate to my cousins' country house, have a gourmet brunch/lunch (I'm talking caviar), play outside, cook, eat some more then play games. This year, one of the other families is hosting at their country house and there will be two dogs to add to the fun.

Potato leek soup

I've always had fond memories of potato leek soup because of this adorable cafe next to the office where I worked years ago. It was a wonderfully creamy soup which made me think it was much too indulgent.


Then I actually looked up the recipe for it in the Joy of Cooking and while you can add cream to it, it is optional. The creaminess, I've discovered, comes from the potato.

Guacamole

I meant to post this with the enchiladas. Where does the time go?


I make guacamole essentially the same way as salsa. I like my guacamole with the works: red onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapenos, salt, pepper. Sometimes I'll throw in some chopped tomatoes but I didn't have any on hand.


I can't show you a picture of the finished guacamole because I ate it all before I could take any photos all of my photos turned out blurry.

(In)authentic chicken enchiladas

I do not vouch for this recipe--it is the most inauthentic enchilada recipe you could possibly encounter. But I don’t care because it was heavenly. Although I was alone while eating it, I actually said “Oh My God” out loud after my first bite, it was that good. (Me? Humble?)

Sloppy turkey joes

Taking the sandwich to another level
I've mentioned before how my 'American' tastes were developed based on pre-packaged foods. The other (probably more direct) source of my American tastes was my elementary school cafeteria. There, I was introduced to chocolate milk, spaghetti, tacos, pizza and... sloppy joes. My brother and I would return home after school and beg our mom to make these exotic foods for us. Which is what led to the pre-packaged varieties, because how would my mom, a recent immigrant, have any idea how to make such foods?

Anti-carrot mushroom barley soup

Most soup bases involve onion, celery and carrot. I dislike carrots. I fully admit that this soup could very well benefit from the addition of carrots but I refuse to put them in. I know, I'm setting a poor example for my future children. Of course, in an act of parental rebellion, they will probably love carrots.