Uncommon Pairings: Anything in a Wine Glass Tastes Better

feature image photo by Stefania Pelfini, La Waziya Photography via Getty Images

Welcome back to Uncommon Pairings, a series (mostly) about wine!

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I’m trying to drink less, and as a surprise to (probably) absolutely no one, it’s really hard. I’m not doing Dry January this year, but I am trying to be more mindful about my alcohol consumption. When I say it’s hard, I mean it’s hard socially. I went to a big state school where drinking was the norm, and my circle still reflects that. Separately, I live in a pretty consumption-heavy city, and I like to go out! Not all restaurants and bars have mocktails or nonalcoholic beers, and even when they do, it’s rare that they’ll have more than a few. (Oddly Enough, a queer bar in Bed-Stuy, is a notable exception, but they are a. closing at the end of the month and b. well, I’ll let you decide.)

The mocktail world is definitely better than it used to be, no doubt due (at least in part) to the fact that young adults are drinking less than in previous decades. From a more wine-specific lens — this is a wine column, after all — wine consumption is down, especially among Gen Z. As a result, we’re seeing new, booze-free takes on centuries-old drinks. Seedlip and St. Agrestis’s Phony Negroni immediately come to mind, but there are dozens more. It seems like bars are slowly catching on, but it might be a few more years before a bar’s mocktail list is as equally lengthy as the cocktail list.

But you know where the mocktail list can be lengthy, right now? At home! Drinking less is hard(er) socially for me, but when I’m at home, it’s a breeze. I’ve been creating drinks that remind me a lot of the cocktails and wine that my palate craves, and when I have them in stemware, they taste fantastic.

Honestly, I think anything in stemware tastes better. I did some very important scientific research: With my eyes closed, I drank the same beverage out of two glasses (one wine glass, one mason jar) with the same reusable straw, and I could tell the difference!!!! Well, I guess I had a 50/50 chance of getting it right anyway, so it could just be probability working in my favor, but we’ll never know! I am a Gay in STEM!

Here are some things I have been drinking out of wine glasses that I think are Very Good!!

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Sleepy Girl Mocktails

I found these on TikTok, and honestly, I love them. It’s tart cherry juice and sparkling water (the TikTok crowd loves to top theirs with Poppi, but I’m team San Pel) over ice, and if you’re going the traditional route, with a little magnesium powder stirred in. Apparently, tart cherry juice has tryptophan and melatonin, so that’s probably how these drinks got their name. They don’t make ME sleepy, but they might make you sleepy!! I like them because they look (and taste) a lot like sparkling red wine (especially if you’re doing this sans ice). To make it feel even more like a cocktail, highly recommend garnishing with a sprig of rosemary — that’s winter in a glass!

A Dirty Martini-ish Fizzy Thing

I wish I had a better name for these, but Dirty Martini-ish Fizzy Thing is what we’re sticking with for now! I’ve decided that 2024 is the year I stop pretending I like martinis. I only ever like them when they’re extremely dirty, which leads me to believe that maybe I just like olive juice. I came up with the Dirty Martini Fizzy-ish Thing when I wanted olive juice in a drinkable format. And yes, I could just stick a straw in the olive container, but I wanted something a touch more complex. So, DMFT: a splash of apple cider vinegar, a lot of olive juice, something sparkling (ideally the Casamara botanical soda for some gin-like elements, but sparkling water will suffice). Lots of olives, naturally. It’s not exactly like a martini, but considered as a wholly separate drink, I think it’s very good!

Literally Everything Else

I’m not kidding! There’s something about stemware that gives it the ability to make even the simplest soda ten times more fun. I’ve discovered that ginger ale in a fluted glass looks a lot like sparkling wine, and that cane sugar Coca-Cola in a big wide-bottomed wine glass is more fun than drinking it out of the bottle. None of these things are substitutes for wine, but if you treat them as though they’re just as special, they become infinitely more enjoyable.

Confessions Of A Stress Baker

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Whenever I’m feeling unsettled, there’s one place I turn: the kitchen. Nothing soothes my mind and soul like getting in the kitchen. Even something as simple as making dinner can alleviate the pressure in my brain, but when it’s really bad, the only thing that can fix it is baking. That’s right, I’m a stress baker.

It wasn’t something I was conscious of until a few years ago, mainly because I love baking so much. I started baking when I was in high school. I didn’t grow up in a house with a mom who baked, so I figured out that if I wanted something homemade, the only person who was going to make it was me. I love to cook, but there is something about the precision of baking I love even more. It’s the only type of science that makes sense; if you add too much or too little, it changes everything.

That’s what it feels like when I’m really stressed out, which is probably why baking feels so good. There’s a big difference between a tablespoon and a teaspoon, especially when it comes to adding baking powder to a cookie recipe. Baking when I feel stressed gives me something to focus on other than whatever is making my stomach churn. Creaming together butter and sugar keeps me from picking at my cuticles until they bleed. I get lost in the whir of my hand mixer instead of the whir of thoughts ricocheting around my brain. There is something about the monotony of stirring that soothes a part of me that I didn’t even know needed soothing.

My junior year of college was hard; I was living fully on my own for the first time and trying to juggle being an adult and still feeling like a kid. I constantly felt like I was drowning, but there was one thing that saved me. I could swing by the grocery store on my way home from class and grab a box of brownie mix and, in an hour, everything felt a little less scary. You don’t know catharsis until you’ve frosted a dozen cupcakes with an offset spatula. My classmates always looked forward to seeing me because I’d usually bring the fruits of my stress to class for them to eat. After I graduated into the 2008 recession, forcing me back into my parents’ home, I would usually be up in the middle of the night baking. My dad would wake up to find brownies on the counter like an elf had left them and then vanished.

I remember being heavily pregnant and juicing a million tiny key limes because I couldn’t sleep, and one in the morning felt like a totally appropriate time to make a key lime pie. Why else would I have bought a whole bag of key limes? It may have seemed ridiculous at the time, but I got to have pie for breakfast the next day.

Back then, I just thought it was a craving or boredom that would make me want to get in the kitchen, but now I know it was low-key stress or anxiety. (Okay, maybe sometimes it was a craving for brownies.) Few things take me out of my own head like baking does. At least now, I’m more aware that it’s happening. If work gets too overwhelming or I’m freaking out about money, don’t be surprised when there’s suddenly a funfetti cake in the fridge. It won’t be long before I’m pulling the bowls and measuring cups and sifting my dry ingredients. These sudden urges are why I always have flour, sugar, and butter on hand. I hoarded unsalted butter during the worst days of lockdown, because the stress of being stuck in the house with a little kid made me constantly want to bake chocolate chip cookies. Right now, there are at least three different kinds of chocolate chips in my cabinet.

When I feel a stress bake coming on, I have a few go-to recipes I draw from. Being stressed out isn’t the time to try something new; I need to relax, not worry I’m going to fuck something up. If you’re wondering what I usually bake, check out some of my go-tos below. I prefer the taste of boxed brownies, so I just grab whichever ones strike my fancy. I have an individual cake pan, so I make my brownies in it and then customize them by adding craisins or chocolate chips or peanut butter chips or pretzels. My kiddo likes when I top them with M&Ms too.

Rainbow Sprinkle Cake

This is an adaptation of a funfetti cake by Candace Nelson, the founder of Sprinkles, my favorite cupcake shop. I love this cake so much, but I’m the only person in my house who does. Not only do I go through the hassle of making a whole cake, but then I go through the hassle of eating it, too. I like having it with chocolate chip or strawberry ice cream on the side for fun flavor combos.

Yellow Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

This is an easy one, which is why it’s perfect for stress baking. I use a boxed yellow cake mix (either Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker) to save time and also increase the nostalgia aspect. You can use a butter yellow cake mix if you want it to taste more like a homemade cake. Making frosting is really easy, and this tastes way better than the stuff in the tub. I use Hershey brand cocoa powder, but use whatever you’d like as long as it’s not sweetened.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Craisin Cookies

This has become a recent favorite, and they’re SO GOOD. Craisins add a little bit more bite and also sweetness to a typical oatmeal cookie, and the dark chocolate chips add a nice chocolate flavor that isn’t overwhelming.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

How can you not love a chocolate chip cookie? They’re classic for a reason. There are a million chocolate chip cookie recipes out there, but I really love these. I tend to reduce the amount of chocolate chips by like a quarter cup just because I like a better cookie to chip ratio. Sometimes if I want to have fun, I’ll mix peanut butter chips into the chocolate chips or do a mix of semi-sweet milk or dark chocolate chips.

Sprinkle Cookies

Yes, I really love things with sprinkles. But these sprinkle cookies are so good — like an elevated sugar cookie. I tend to skip the almond extract mainly because I don’t like almond flavor, but if you do, go for it! There’s a note about reducing the amount of sprinkles, but to me, that is sacrilege, so I did not heed the adaptation. But do what feels right to you, I guess!

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

This is so easy to make and truly delicious. It’s best eaten a little warm to really enhance the flavors. I dusted it lightly with powdered sugar once it was sufficiently cooled, and goodness, what a cozy little cake.

Quiz: What Sandwich Should You Make Right Now?

Do you experience sandwich indecision? Generalized lunch indecision? Well, I am here to be your sandwich mommi and just tell you what to make/eat. And hey, if you don’t want to make the sandwich yourself, you can always order whatever result you get or go grab one from your local sandwich shop. (I previously did not have a good sandwich shop walking distance from me, but one opened this month, and I am THRILLED and perhaps thinking about sandwiches way too often, which has resulted in this quiz YOU’RE WELCOME.) I’ll also tell you a bit about your personality based on the sandwich, because why not! Also, recipes are provided for each sandwich! Get your lunch inspiration right here!

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So You Bought a Pomegranate

So you bought a pomegranate. Maybe it caught your eye when you were aimlessly wandering the grocery store produce section, waiting for your partner to come back with the cart. Maybe you already know that you love pomegranates but don’t want to pay an exorbitant price for pomegranate seeds. Or maybe you’re trying to incorporate some Hades-Persephone role play into the bedroom. Whatever your reason, congratulations — you have the best (and prettiest) winter fruit. And good timing on your part, too! Technically, the growing season for pomegranate is over, but they store so well that you can usually get them (in the US) through the end of January.

For millennia, pomegranates have symbolized fertility and abundance. Their symbolic use cuts across cultures and religions, and they’ve even had a lasting impact on the English language: both “grenade” and “garnet” come from the word “pomegranate”. I love a pomegranate, but between getting the seeds out without making a mess, and then figuring out what to do with the abundance of seeds, they require a fair bit of work. But I promise it’s worth it! Here are some key pomegranate tips.

Extracting Pomegranate Seeds

Hidden beneath the tough exterior of a pomegranate’s flesh are the arils, the gorgeous little jewels that are the real reason we buy pomegranates. Getting to the seeds can be tricky (especially if you’re trying to not make a mess) but there’s a way to make it easier. Slice the crown off, then score the pomegranate along the now-visible membranes. Then, slowly open the pomegranate along the scored sections to extract the seeds. If you do it over a bowl of water, the juice won’t stain your counter!

If you really don’t want to get your fingers in there, you can also whack the pomegranate with a spoon (once it’s cut and scored) to get some of the seeds out. But sometimes, this means that one ill-placed whack will result in pomegranate seeds flying everywhere, so be warned.

What To Do With Pomegranate Seeds

You could absolutely eat pomegranate seeds just as they are, but sometimes, a single pomegranate will yield more seeds than you need. If you have a bounty of seeds, consider making at least some of them into something else!

Make Pomegranate Juice, Then Grenadine

Grenadine is the key ingredient in a Shirley Temple and is traditionally made from pomegranate juice. Unfortunately, the ubiquitous bottled varieties rarely contain pomegranate (Rose’s, for example, doesn’t have any pomegranate in it). If you’re in the mood for a Shirley (or a Dirty Shirley) but would rather make the grenadine yourself, it’s quite easy — just time-intensive!

Take your pomegranate seeds (ideally ones on their last legs that you have no plans to eat otherwise) and blend them. Strain your blended concoction twice, and you’ll be left with pomegranate juice. You could absolutely stop here; fresh pomegranate juice is delicious on its own. But when combined with sugar and citrus peels (or, if you have it, a few dashes of orange flower water), and reduced on the stovetop to a more syrupy consistency, you get homemade grenadine. Mix it with some soda (or bubble water, if you’d rather have a drier drink!), and you’ve got yourself a mocktail.

Stew Some Meat

If you’re in a dinner rut, use your homemade pomegranate juice the next time you make a stew. The pomegranate’s sweetness and natural acidity pair well with red meat IMO! Honestly, I think you could use pomegranate juice anywhere you’d use red wine. If you’re a recipe person, consider Samin Nosrat’s Fesenjoon!

Assemble a Salad

I love using pomegranate seeds in salad, especially when they’re paired with a salty cheese. I love the sweet-salty-sour combination! Technically, this Ottolenghi recipe is more of a summer salad (lots of tomato action) but who’s to say you can’t have it year round? For something more wintry, maybe this roasted carrot salad.

Garnish Things

When in doubt, add a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds. They’re tiny little jewels of flavor! I’ve had guacamole studded with pomegranate seeds (delicious), rice pilaf with surprise bites of pomegranate, and cocktails with pomegranate seeds in them (though to be fair, I think the seeds served more of a decorative purpose in the cocktail). You could eat them with yogurt and granola, or make a tabbouleh and add them!

Let’s Get Really Into Leeks

Leeks are a wildly underrated allium if you ask me. Onions, garlic, and shallots get a lot of the allium glory, and rightfully so. Garlic and onions belong in everything in my personal opinion. But leeks are unfairly overlooked in the produce section, and they can be used for a lot more than the go-to of a potato leek soup! If you’ve been curious about cooking with leeks, here’s a quick and simple guide to get started.

When To Buy Leeks

You can find leeks in the grocery store year-round, but they’re technically in season in most places in late winter and early spring. When selecting leeks in the produce section, search for leeks that look and feel firm and are not wilting. Their bulbs should be white and not yellowing.

How To Prepare Leeks Before Cooking

Leeks admittedly need a little more prep work than onions, which you can just peel n go. Gritty soil and sand gets stuck between their leaves. Don’t worry! This is true of literally all leeks! It’s impossible to find perfectly clean leeks in the grocery store! They’re super easy to clean though. Give them a good rinse in water while still whole, and then slice the leeks vertically/lengthwise from end to end. Rinse the sliced leeks thoroughly, using your fingers to let water into the folds. If you’re using a recipe that calls for chopped leeks, you can chop them after slicing them lengthwise and rinse them in a bowl of cold water for an even more intense washing, but it isn’t totally necessary! You’ll be able to see and feel dirt right away, which makes removal straightforward.

What Part of the Leek To Cook

Contrary to popular belief, you can use every part of the leek — even the roots, though most recipes will have you remove the stringy roots. The most balanced flavor can be found in the white parts of the leek. As you move up the leek from those white bulbs to the dark green leaves, the taste will become more tough texturally and can be bitter. Focus on the white parts and the light green parts. But definitely don’t trash the dark green parts if you’re trying to minimize food waste. I’ve had success slow-cooking the dark green parts in stews or with beans, liquid and slow and low heat eventually breaking them down to make them a bit softer in flavor and texture. They can also be used for stock.

What To Cook With Leeks

You can definitely go classic with a potato leek soup, which is perhaps what leeks are most widely associate with. There are plenty of other vegetarian dish leek options you can venture out into though, like a leek and mushroom quiche, creamy beans with leeks, or a leek tart. Leeks also pair well with meats, and I like introducing them to smokey dishes. Leeks and bacon are a classic combo. A creamy leek sauce is perfect for topping fish or mashed potatoes. Leeks are good for breakfast, too. Try them on toast or in a hash. They’re also great for curry; leeks and potatoes are indeed an iconic duo.

But sometimes, I just like to serve leeks as a simple side, and for that you really just need a simple combination of fat and salt. Cook the leeks down in some fat like butter, spicy olive oil, or bacon fat, perhaps add a bit of broth or braising liquid from your main dish for added flavor, and season to taste with anything from soy sauce to garlic salt. They’ll taste good on their own or as a bright topping on your protein.

You can even just try substituting leeks for onions with one of your go-to recipes. Try it out! Step outside your allium comfort zone!

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Do you have a favorite way to eat leeks?

25 Dishes for Hosting a Fancy Gay Dinner Party That Are Low Effort and Cost

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I am hoping to have more dinner parties in 2024, and what I really mean by that is I am hoping to feed my friends more in 2024. In recent years, I’ve been really lucky to make some new friends in a new place who really understand the meaning and fun of a really good dinner party and just cooking for each other. It’s hard to live in Florida as a queer person right now. But the ways my chosen family here show up for each other and take care of each other have blown me away and made me realize how important it is to come together for meals. It’s what really makes our group feel like family, and it’s when we’re all at our happiest and most relaxed!

So instead of continually telling myself I don’t have enough space for dinner parties, I’m going to make that space. I’m going to get creative with folding chairs and outdoor seating. And as much as I live for an ambitious food moment, they’re definitely best accomplished when I’m cooking just for my partner and me. This year, I want to embrace dinner parties that ultimately do feel fancy and extravagant but are, in actuality, low budget and low-ish effort. We’re focusing on the friends and the fun and trying to keep the prep and cook time streamlined! But of course it’s still fun to feel fancy. So I’ve rounded up some recipes for every course — apps, soups/salads, mains, sides, and desserts — where the final product looks and tastes complex or luxe even though you didn’t have to break the bank or your back to make them.

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Appetizers

French Tuna Rillettes

It doesn’t get cheaper or easier than canned tuna! And while there are a few extra ingredients in the linked recipe, you can really simplify this tuna-based dip by just using sour cream and tuna. Serve it with sliced baguette or even Ritz crackers. Fish spreads just always feel fancy!

Blue Cheese and Pear Tartlets

Pro Tip: Keep a package of mini phyllo tart shells in your freezer for last minute hosting! But they’re also great for a fancy dinner party moment. You can fill them with sweet or savory things or a combination, such as these blue cheese and pear ones. In a pinch, you can also just fill them with jam!

Goat Cheese Stuffed Piquillo Peppers

You can simplify these, too, by just stuffing the peppers with an herbed goat cheese and calling it a day! The bright red color of the peppers makes them feel fancy no matter what. Tuna stuffed piquillos are one of my favorite pintxos, and once again you can use canned tuna.

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

Prep time is very minimal for these, and while prosciutto can cost you a little more than other sliced meats, you can buy a mix pack of charcuterie meats from the deli section at your grocery store and get multiple appetizers/pre-dinner bites out of it. Make these and then some salami wrapped pepperoncinis! Arranging a bunch of different little bites on a platter definitely feels fancy.

Stuffed Mushrooms

The best thing about stuffed mushrooms is that there’s so much room for improvisation and customization. They’re easy to make vegan, gluten free, etc. And then a little drizzle on top of sauce like a balsamic glaze or a spicy olive oil really kicks the fancy level up a notch!

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Soups and Salads

Drop Dumplings for Soup

Drop dumplings are a perfect low effort, high reward bonus addition to any broth-based soup. Throw them in a classic chicken noodle or a spicy mushroom and shrimp soup. I like to add a bunch of herbs like parsley, chives, or cilantro to the dough while mixing it for a little pop of flavor and color in the drop dumplings. They’ll make a brothy soup a little heartier, so keep that in mind when planning the rest of your courses.

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup

I like a soup where it feels like you’re just throwing in a bunch of stuff you already have in your pantry/fridge, and this is definitely one of those!

Japanese Corn Soup

Corn and heavy whipping cream are doing a lot of the work here. This soup can be served chilled or hot! It’d be easy to make ahead, and in a pinch you could use canned corn.

Really Good Caesar Salad

It’s hard to go wrong with a classic Caesar, and it’s easy to make it look a little fancier by leaving the lettuce leaves whole or throwing some pink radicchio in. Also if you don’t have the time or ingredients, you can skip making the dressing and just use a bottle. Cardini’s is a favorite grocery store Caesar dressing for me!

Citrus Segment Salad

A citrus segment salad is so beautiful! You can really shake up the additional toppings, too. I like to do mine with whatever crushed nut I have on hand and some quick pickled red onions. Instead of serving this on a bed of greens, you could also serve it on top of some Greek yogurt. A hot honey drizzle on top also kicks it up a notch.

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Mains

Sheet-Pan Baked Feta With Broccolini, Tomatoes and Lemon

I love the presentation of this sheet pan meal, which I serve alongside a big bowl of orzo cooked in chicken broth with lemon juice. Throw the whole pan on a trivet on the table with a pair of tongs and let your guests pick out what they want to have over the orzo (or other grain/pasta/etc of your choice).

Butter Garlic Herb Salmon Foil Packets

You could easily introduce an interactive/personalized element to your dinner party by having your guests prepare their own salmon foil packets. Beforehand, just chop or prep a bunch of ingredients like green beans, onion, tomato, mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini, squash, spinach, garlic, etc and place them all in little bowls. Then have your friends fill their own foil packets based on their preferences! These cook super fast. I also like the Just One Cookbook guide to salmon in foil!

Instant Pot Short Ribs

Short ribs in THIRTY MINUTES!!!!! These are seasoned in a Japanese sauce, and this is definitely a main for winter dinner parties. If you don’t have an instant pot, try a stovetop variation on short ribs but just plan for it to take more time. It’ll make your house smell amazing though.

Asparagus Pasta

Here’s a pasta that looks beautiful but comes together quite easily. It’s vegetarian and can be made vegan if you skip the parmesan or use vegan parmesan. You can use canned cannellini beans for it, and definitely serve it with some lemon wedges on the side in case your guests want a little more zing.

Steak Garlic Rice

I love that the home cook (my favorite home cook btw) behind this recipe calls the dish “seductive.” It takes 20 minutes to make and uses sirloin flap, which usually isn’t too pricey of a cut. For a vegetarian alternative, try making with a mix of mushrooms.

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Sides

Quick Kimchi

Every meal tastes better with a bright, spicy bite like kimchi on the side in my professional opinion! This quick kimchi has a different flavor profile than regular kimchi as it doesn’t undergo a fermentation process, but it’s a great companion to savory mains.

Miso Onions

I went through a phase of making these all the time, because they’re so easy but so flavor-packed! All you need are onions, miso paste, and butter. That’s it!!!! Miso paste holds for a long time in the fridge so even if you only get some for this recipe, you’ll be able to make lots of other yummy things in the future, too.

Goat Cheese Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Also, tbh, just plain mashed potatoes can be an excellent side dish at a dinner party, and you can dress them up with things like crispy garlic sprinkled on top of the bowl or fresh herbs. My go-to recipe for mashed potatoes is the Food52 anti-recipe guide.

Garlicky Broccolini

Minimal ingredients, minimal effort, lovely veggie final product!

Creamy Polenta

Ever since I got my wisdom teeth out and had to eat mushy foods for several days, creamy polenta has been a go-to comfort food for me. It’s sooooo easy and cheap to make, and maybe you think it’s boring, but I promise it’s not! Similar to the mashed potato tip, you can definitely throw some toppings on it to make it a little prettier. I like to make mushroom chips by rehydrating dried sliced shiitake mushrooms and then patting them dry with paper towels, tossing them with olive oil and seasonings, and baking them in the oven. They would make a great topping on a big bowl of polenta.

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Desserts

Berries and Cream

Dessert is always an afterthought for me as I’d usually rather have an extra savory course than something sweet, but I’m getting a bit more into sweet treats lately! Again, I like an interactive element at a dinner party, and one easy and fun way to approach dessert is to just put a bunch of berries in bowls out on the table with some cream and give each guest their own ramekin to assemble berry bowls in. You can include other toppings like chocolate chips or even sprinkles. Everyone gets to make their own dessert bowl!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches

There’s not really cooking/baking involved here — it’s just assembly! These are made with a baguette, peanut butter, Nutella or something similar, a pint of ice cream, and bananas. Super simple with high payoff!

Sticky Toffee Pudding

This is the easiest sticky toffee pudding recipe I’ve found, and it comes together in under an hour!

Cappuccino Swirl Bars

You can definitely use store-bought chocolate cookies to crumble for these instead of making from scratch. Prep time is low, but since they need to chill it would be best to make them the night before or morning of your party!

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Go forth and host the fancy gay dinner party of your dreams! Let me know if you have any go-to recipes for entertaining friends and fam.

25 Winter Mocktails To Get Cozy With

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Uncommon Pairings: Wines To Drink With Last-Minute Freezer Dinner

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Welcome back to Uncommon Pairings, where I get to talk about all things wine! Today, we’re talking about freezer dinner and the wines that’ll go best with it!

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Most of the time, I love cooking elaborate meals for my little family of two (me and my partner, though we’re three if you count the Roomba!). But cooking comes with a ton of mental load: You have to dig through the fridge, think about which of the produce is going to go bad first, and then figure out creative ways to turn that produce into a meal. And yeah, I love doing this, but this requires a) energy and b) time — two things I simply do not have enough of! So instead, when I’m short on time, devoid of desire to do anything remotely hard, or just want to turn my brain off, I turn to freezer food. Specifically freezer dinner.

Freezer dinner is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a mishmash of frozen apps and entrees that, once cooked, become a feast unlike anything that you could order from a single restaurant. Consider the absolute perfection that is a mini samosa stuffed to the gills with potato and pea filling. What if you could have a few mini samosas and macaroni and cheese…in the same meal? Probably not possible in a restaurant, but definitely possible in your home!

If the idea of freezer dinner is particularly appealing to you because you, too, sometimes want to make dinner without having to really think about it, let me handle the next bit: wine pairings for your chosen freezer dinner. This way you can reheat some food, unscrew some wine (freezer dinner requires a screw top, no corkscrew here!), and dig in without having to do a ton of work!

Mozzarella Sticks and Cabernet Sauvignon

Frozen mozzarella sticks will probably never replace the diner version of the dish, but they do come close. And honestly, if it’s between delivery sticks and frozen sticks? Frozen ones win every time. You can eat them while they’re still piping hot from the oven, cheese juices dribbling out if you’re lucky. Mozzarella sticks are extremely salty, and they require something big to cut through that salt. Enter: Cab Sauv. It’s got a big body and definitely some acid, both of which will help with the salt.

Palak Paneer and Sauvignon Blanc

Apparently the Trader Joe’s Palak Paneer changed following the whole excess lead thing and it’s not as good now! I haven’t tried the new version myself, so I can’t speak to whether it’s better or worse, but I do know that Amy’s is always a reliable backup. And when you throw a frozen garlic naan into the mix, it really takes the whole thing from plastic-wrapped to basically takeout! Since you’re going for greens, Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect pairing. Like Cab Sauv, it’s high acid, but what makes it particularly well-suited to the spinach of it all is that it’s herbaceous!

Chicken Pot Pie and Pinot Noir

Chicken pot pie — or really, any pot pie — reminds me of Sweeney Todd. I’m just surprised that they got away with it for so long? Anyway, if you’d like to live out your Fleet Street fantasies, highly recommend a chicken pot pie (Trader Joes!) and some chilled pinot noir. Mushroom pot pie will work here too!

Pad Thai and Gewurztraminer

Frozen Pad Thai is another low effort / high reward component of freezer dinner. The Whole Foods frozen Pad Thai can go in the microwave, which is extremely in the spirit of not thinking too hard about dinner! If you find Pad Thai spicy, you’ll be pleased with a Gewurztraminer (lychee notes, usually sweet) or an off-dry Riesling (also aromatic, slightly less sweet).

Soup Dumplings and Cava

Soup dumplings don’t really travel well via food delivery, but if you buy them frozen and reheat them yourself, you’re more likely to get a brothy bite! The Trader Joe’s soup dumplings can go in the microwave, and while they’re reheating, you can open a bottle of cava to go with your dumplings! I know I said freezer dinner works best with screw tops, but I think a cork that you can wiggle out with just your fingers is in the same spirit as a cork. If you’re really anti-cork and want something screw top instead, maybe Chardonnay!

Power Ranking Italian (and Italian-American) Christmas Desserts

It’s Christmastime and that means I’m back with another dispatch from my very particular corner of Christmas celebration. Last year, I brought you a hard-hitting power ranking of all the Italian Christmas cookies that are extremely popular whether you’re Italian, Italian-American, or not. But even though the Italian Christmas cookies are probably the dessert we’re most well-known for at this time of year, the treat train doesn’t stop there.

I don’t think it’s any secret that Italians and Italian-Americans love to eat. I know I’m not supposed to encourage a stereotype but this one is simply true across the board. Every holiday — seriously, every holiday, from the major Catholic/Christian ones like Christmas and Easter to the more minor saints’ days to Carnevale — is accompanied by some traditional meal or dish or sweet confection of some kind. Given that Christmas is, by far, the biggest holiday in the Gregorian and Catholic/Christian calendar, you can imagine what our Christmas meals look like. It occurred to me this year that while many people know about the tradition of sharing cookies with loved ones and acquaintances, not many people know there are lots of other sweet indulgences on the Italian and Italian-American Christmas table.

Being that dessert is usually the most important part of the holidays for me, I spend a lot of the year dreaming of and waiting for the opportunity to get into some of this stuff. I will say, though, not every one of them is created equal. Like Italian Christmas cookies, there are some that will blow you away and some that are good but not much to write home about.

Below you’ll find my personal rankings for all of the desserts you might see at the Italian market in your city or at the home of your Italian-American friend. Hopefully, it can help guide you to make the most delicious decisions this holiday season.

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11. Panforte

I know there’s technically no such thing as breakfast dessert, but when I think of Panforte, I don’t necessarily think about the sweet end cap at the end of an intense couple of hours of eating. Panforte, for all intents and purposes, is simply a spicy, chocolate fruit cake with very little flour so the emphasis is on the fruit. It’s delicious, there’s no doubt about that. But since it mostly contains dried figs and nuts, it just doesn’t feel like dessert.

10. Torrone

Torrone kind of falls into the same territory as Panforte to me but, in this case, it feels more like a little snack. Torrone is available all year round but since Christmastime has become a never ending parade of giving treats, it’s mostly gifted around this time of year. Torrone is a chewy, sweet, honey/vanilla-y nougat filled with nuts. Usually, it’s made with pistachios which are the most superior nut and the reason it’s ranked above Panforte. You can satisfy your sweet tooth with Torrone but it just doesn’t feel as celebratory as some of the others.

9. Tronchetto di Natale (Italian Yule Log Cake)

I don’t have much to say about this — but at least it actually makes sense as a dessert. Tronchetto di Natale is a Swiss roll cake shaped and decorated like a log you’d find in the middle of a wintry forest. It originated in France but was quickly adopted by almost all of the European countries. And I understand why — it is fun and festive. But I’ll be honest and tell you my family has only had a Tronchetto on our Christmas table twice because it’s just not a big thing. Tronchettos are prepared in the same way all the other ethnic whites do it, using vanilla genoise sponge and chocolate buttercream, with the added bonus of having a little espresso or Italian liqueur (like Amaretto) in there, too. It tastes good, but there’s a limit to how impressed I’ll be by a dessert they make on The Great British Bake Off every season.

8. Frittelle or Zeppole (Italian Doughnuts)

Listen, I’m absolutely not one to disparage fried dough. Fried dough, in any form, is just good. It really is. There’s something about fried dough that just hits every point of comfortability in your body. I know there’s a science behind it, but I honestly don’t care to know because it’ll take away the magic. I realize I’m saying all of this and still ranking this low but that’s just because it lacks imagination. Zeppoles are a yeasted dough fried in oil and then dragged through sugar before they cool. They’re satisfying but they’re just doughnuts.

7. Pandoro

Pandoro looks like Christmas, doesn’t it? Like what other time of year are you going to eat something that looks like this? And it’s quite good even if it commits the sin of being basic as hell. Pandoro is a sweet bread shaped like an eight-point star sprinkled with a healthy serving of icing sugar. But even though Pandoro seems very simple, it actually has a complicated history. It supposedly took an entire century to perfect the technique for making Pandoro, and they used to be reserved only for the aristocracy and ruling class in Italy. Since it’s no longer reserved for just the rich and ruling class, I kind of feel like eating it is taking part in a tradition of giving the big middle finger to people in power! A cool bonus to eating sugary sweet bread.

6. Chocolate Salami

Sounds insane that this exists, I know, but it does. It really does. Don’t worry, there is absolutely no meat in here. And honestly? It’s sooo good. It’s just chocolate bursting with cookies, nuts, a little port wine or Amaretto, and fruit covered in icing sugar and wrapped to look like a salami you’d get at the butcher. Chocolate salami can be bought but it’s really one of those things people make at home and give as a gift to their friends and other loved ones. Eating this kind of makes me feel like a joke because of the fact that my ancestors really said “Ok, let’s make a dessert that looks like cured meat,” but, trust me, it’s worth it.

5. Cannoli

Probably going to get a lot of shit for putting this at the midpoint of the rankings, and I don’t care. The thing about them is that even though they’re popular at this time of year, you can get them anytime. And there are more bad ones out there than good ones. Good cannolis — truly good ones — have the power to turn your entire week around. But bad ones have stale-tasting shells and dull, flavorless Cannoli cream filling. How people can fail so spectacularly at messing up some of the best ingredients in the world, I’ll never understand. So, here’s some advice: inquire about the origin of any cannolis you see floating around this season. If they’re from the grocery store chain in your city, skip them. If someone’s Nonna made them or they got them from the one Italian market in your city, eat as many as you possibly can.

4. Panettone

I get it if you’re thinking, “Why the hell is Panettone ranked higher than Cannoli?” Don’t worry, I have a good reason for it. What other time of year do you think it’s appropriate to eat Panettone? I’d argue none. Panettone is a cross between a sweet bread and a cake filled with dried fruits or chocolate chips, and it’s very similar to the Pandoro but, in my opinion, much, much better. Panettone has this special flavor that’s almost alcoholic because of the fermentation and proofing process of the dough that usually takes place over several days. Although I sometimes see these throughout the year, Panettone screams Christmas to me. Once those big yellow box displays start popping up at the grocery store, I know the holiday season has arrived.

3. Italian Cream Cake

Ok, y’all, now we are truly cookin’. I love Italian Cream Cake not only because of the flavor but also because it’s one of those magnificent immigrant concoctions that, strictly speaking, has no business being called Italian. Regardless, it’s still made its way into the hearts and minds — and onto the tables — of people across the country. Supposedly, Italian Cream Cake was created by an Italian baker who moved to the States and ended up in the South. And you can see the Southern influence all over the cake. Italian Cream Cake is basically like what if you replaced all the carrot in a carrot cake with coconut and pecans and then replaced all the spices with almond extract (or a little bit of bourbon if you’re really feeling it) then covered it in an almond extract flavored cream cheese icing. As a Real Italianx-American who was also raised in the South, this one really gets me.

2. Tiramisu

Make no mistake — Tiramisu is a god-tier dessert. The name literally translates to “pick me up,” which makes sense because a well-made tiramisu makes you feel like you’re floating in the clouds. Soft and almost cake-like cookies, mascarpone, espresso, and chocolate? I’m sorry but there just isn’t much competition. It would be number one if the dessert at number one didn’t exist…

1. Ricotta Cheesecake

A lot of people in my life think I don’t like cheesecake. But if they’d also grown up eating traditional Italian Ricotta Cheesecake, they’d get why I’m not rushing to eat some unfortunate substitute. You’re probably wondering how different it could be from regular cheesecake and trust me when I say, it’s worlds apart. Ricotta Cheesecake is fluffy and subtly sweet. There’s no crust on the bottom which really allows for the sweetened, whipped ricotta cheese and lemon zest to take center stage on your palate. The top of the cheesecake usually has this very thin layer of caramelization that adds a little roasted sweetness to the whole deal. You can technically have Ricotta Cheesecake all year long — and it’s easy to make! — but having it as the final treat of the season after a month of eating heavy sweet breads, chocolate desserts, cookies, and candies is really, really special.

Tie-Dyed Christmas Cookies and Coquito

Welcome to the sapphic table, a series of (hopefully!) unfussy seasonal recipes for your farmers market, your CSA bounty — or your grocery store. Today we’re making soft baked Christmas cookies with tie-dyed frosting and coquito, a Puerto Rican coconut rum punch.

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My favorite holiday shirt started as a joke that I found online by one of those shops that stalks your Instagram. It’s one of those “designed to look vintage” thin, worn cotton shirts in a red color so pale it might as well be pink. In loopy, swirly 1950s-style font it reads “I Just Want to Watch Christmas Movies and Bake Cookies.”

I bought it right away because the algorithm will never be defeated. The truth is that baking Christmas cookies by well over the hundreds was my Christmas tradition for years, nearly a decade in fact. I’d test drive new recipes to launch in the months prior, and in the final week before the big holiday I’d narrow down to a half dozen finalists: peppermint brownies, cookie butter fudge, oversized cookies with sprinkles galore, delicate European varieties with subtle sweetness, you name it. Then I would find the cheesiest, cringiest Christmas rom-coms that Netflix could muster and I’d stay up all night getting to work.

I… do that less now. But there is always one cookie that I return to, a cookie that start to finish takes less than a movie to accomplish but the results are so impressive, so photo ready and will make everyone in your life light up with glee as they coo at the details, that it will appear as if you it took you all day to lovingly craft them. They will melt the instant they hit your tongue and remind you of those soft, brightly colored Lofthouse sugar cookies in every grocery store, but this time instead of a backtaste of slightly hard to place chemical coating your throat (hey no judgement said there at all, I love those cookies!) — you will only find the sweetness of vanilla.

This is, to me, the quintessential Christmas cookie. It’s the one my family asks for first every December. And then once I learned that for only one to two extra steps I could blow the decorations of those grocery store cookies out of the water by — gay gasp — TIE DYING THE COLORS?!? You cannot tell me that I’m not guest starring as a master chef on The Great British Bake-Off.

Funny enough, when I originally decided on this month’s recipe, it originally wasn’t about the Christmas cookies at all. I wanted to tell you about how long it took me to finally learn how to make coquito. Coquito is a delicious creamy coconut and cinnamon rum drink that is most often described as “Puerto Rican Eggnog” even though, confusingly, there are no eggs involved (I suppose its rare that eggnog these days has egg in it either? What’s the backstory on that?). Coquito and Puerto Rican Christmas are at this point, synonymous.

Are you really going to tell me that you don’t want melt in your mouth sugar cookies and cinnamon, coconut, and rum to wash it down with, right this very moment? Because I don’t believe you.

This specific Christmas cookie recipe with tie-dyed frosting is a Frankenstein of my creation from a few places. The cookie base comes from The Novice Chef’s Almond Meltaways (I substitute almond for vanilla here, since that’s what most people have on hand. That said if you have some almond extract on your shelf, feel free to switch it back! It’s delicious either way). The frosting recipe comes from Smitten Kitchen because Deb seems to be the only one who’s figured out how to make sugar cookie frosting hard enough to be able stack without making a mess, but soft enough to bite into without any distraction or teeth hurting. And finally, the “tie-dye” design originally caught me from Bon Appetite, though I streamlined the steps.

The Coquito recipe has existed in my notes app, tweaked and adjusted from year to year until I got it right, that I’m not sure of its origins? So we’ll just call it a “family recipe.”

Tie-Dyed Christmas Cookies and Coquito

Makes roughly 36 cookies, and I’m Puerto Rican — we only measure coquito in love

Ingredients for Christmas Cookies with Tie-Dyed Frosting

For the Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt

For the Frosting

1 large egg white
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
A few drops of vanilla extract
Two food colors (choosing contrasting colors for maximum visual impact)
Sprinkles, if you wish

Instructions for Christmas Cookies with Tie-Dyed Frosting

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray or line it with parchment paper (in this instance, I recommend the parchment paper). Set aside.

In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar for four minutes. Trust me on this! It will feel like a long time, but the extended mixing will ultimately make for melt in your mouth cookies.  The final mixture should be the texture of buttercream cake frosting. Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing briefly until combined.

Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined. Now the texture should now be that of a soft dough.

On your prepared baking sheet, roll 1 tablespoon of dough at a time into small circle. Once all your balls have been made, lightly press into discs using the bottom of a cup.

Bake cookies for 8 minutes. These cookies will not look browned or cooked, but once again I am asking you to trust me that they are! Remember that we we soft, plush sugar cookies and a short baking time will help with that process! Remove cookies from oven and them rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes (this will allow them to use the residual heat to firm up and finish cooking). Then, remove off of cookie sheet to cool completely.

While your cookies cool, it’s time to make your frosting. Whisk egg white in a large bowl until it’s loose and frothy. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar, and whisk until smooth. Add vanilla extract and your last 1/4 cup of sugar — the frosting should be pretty stiff at this point, which is how you want it. This will allow it to harden on the cookie in a smooth sheet (which makes for easy stacking and packing!).

Split the frosting into three small bowls (you can just eyeball it, but save the slightly biggest amount to be left plain white).Take the two smaller amount bowls and, moving quickly, add in food coloring, start small and gradually add until the food coloring brightness is to your liking.

WHEW! Don’t give up! You’re almost there! Let’s assembly line! The frosting will continue to harden so, once again, moving efficiently is your key to success from here on out.

Put bowls of frosting next to cookies, and a flat even surface where the “dipped” cookies can eventually be placed (I just used my baking sheet). Get a small plate, this is where you will do your tie-dye.

Spoon roughly 1 slightly oversized teaspoon of white frosting into the center of your small plate. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of your first color, and 1 teaspoon of your second. You can drizzle in a loose pattern, but don’t go overboard, the cookie dipping process will do most of the work.

Gently press and slightly twirl the top of a cookie into frosting mixture (imagine a tie-dyed t-shirt as you go), then lift up and allow excess glaze to drip back onto the plate. Using a fork, pop any air bubbles on the cookie and swirl colors more if desired — but remember that less is often more!

Transfer cookie to your flat surface. Sprinkle with sprinkles (if using) while the frosting is still wet.

Repeat this process with 2 more cookies. The glaze will lose its swirly effect at this point, so add a fresh ½ teaspoon of each color into your dip mixture. Then start again with the next set of cookies.

If the colors in your mixing plate get too muddled, clean your plate entirely and repeat process, decorating cookies in batches of 3 until all cookies have been glazed. If frosting begins to stiffen too quickly while you’re still decorating, re-loosen with 1/4 teaspoon water at a time (a little goes a long way here) to thin the frosting until it’s back to its original texture.

Let sit cookies sit until the glaze hardens enough that you can tap it with your fingernail, then they are ready to be stored in an airtight container. Meanwhile, let’s make some coquito.

Ingredients for Coquito

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
15 ounce can cream of coconut (Yes in the can form is important, I grew up with Coco Lopez, if you don’t live in a Latine community you can usually find cream of coconut with liquor or piña colada mixes)
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
13.5 ounce can coconut milk
12 ounce can evaporated milk
RUM OPTIONS: You ultimately want equal parts dark and white rum, up to 2 and 1/2 cups total to taste (ie/ 1 and 1/4 cup white and 1 and 1/4 dark, see *note for non-alcoholic modifications)
Clean glass bottle, for storage

*Note: Did you want to make a non-alcoholic version? To make virgin coquito, replace the rums with either more coconut milk or half-coconut milk and half-coconut water (or even just regular water)

Instructions for Coquito

Add all the ingredients into a blender. Blend on low for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the blender, then blend for an additional 1 minute on medium speed.

Taste for rum, add more until it’s to your liking (after each addition, re-mix coquito either by hand whisking or 30 seconds in the blender on low).

When you’re happy with the taste, gently pour mixture into the glass bottle of your choice. Cap your bottle and refrigerate for at least four hours.

You can store coquito made in the fridge for anywhere between 4 to 8 weeks. It’s not common, but also not unheard of, for the coconut fat to sometimes solidify in the refrigerator. If this happens just remove the bottle of coquito from the fridge set it out on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes minutes before serving, that allows the coconut fat to soften as it warms back up.

Give the coquito bottle a brief shake before pouring to mix the spices that will have settled. Serve cold and poured over ice.

Uncommon Pairings: Bubbles Are Forever

feature image by Nitas via Getty Images

Welcome back to Uncommon Pairings, a column all about wine! Today, we’re talking about sparkling wine: what it is, where it comes from, and why it’s more than just a celebration wine.

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I don’t think sparkling wine gets enough credit. I know it’s like, the de facto wine for toasting something, and a classic oyster pairing, but outside of celebrations and the sea, no one has ever offered me a glass of sparkling wine the way that they would a glass of red. I don’t want sparkling wine to be relegated to celebrations. I want it to fall under the table wine category, ready to hold up against a roast chicken or a bad salad or even a humble potato chip. I just want more celebration in the mundane!

I get that sparkling wine is considered a “special occasion” wine because Champagne is so pricey, but there are so many other kinds of sparkling wine at all sorts of price points that are just as good! Let’s get into it.

Sparkling Wine

You’re probably already familiar with sparkling wine. Perhaps you’ve participated in a champagne toast at a wedding or made a mimosa at brunch. Maybe you’ve witnessed a sabering in action (kind of dangerous, kind of hot!) or popped a bottle yourself — ideally with minimal spillage, unless that’s what you’re going for.

Sparkling wine has range. A bone-dry Sekt is a sparkling wine, as is a Lambrusco. Anything bubbly or carbonated counts, regardless of the grapes used to make the wine, the color of the wine, or where it’s from (though, like with most things wine, AOC and DOP rules do come into play). Some that you might want to keep in mind the next time you go shopping: cava, prosecco, crémant (my personal fav), moscato d’asti, pet-nat, Lambrusco, Brachetto d’Acqui, Sekt… honestly, your best bet is to browse the sparkling section at your local wine store. There’s way more to sparkling than just Champagne!

How Sparking Wine Is Made

There are a few ways sparkling wine can be made, but the original way is called the ancestral method (méthode ancestrale), and it’s still in use today! As the wine is fermenting, it’s bottled and allowed to continue fermenting in the bottle. No sugar is added, so the ancestral method results in what I’d consider to be a pure expression of the grapes. Sometimes the ancestral method-made wines are unfiltered and cloudy, but I think that’s part of the magic of this style — they’re kind of weird (see: pét-nats).

The large Champagne houses (Moet, Laurent-Perrier, Pommery, etc.), as well as some other sparkling wines, do things differently. They follow the traditional method (méthode traditionnelle), which is way more involved. Things get added to a “base” wine to start fermentation, and then those things are eventually removed, and sugar is finally added. It’s a whole thing and probably explains why Champagne is so expensive. It’s such a time-consuming process but it does result in really delicious wines! That said, it’s definitely possible to find wine made this way that isn’t expensive. Both crémant (from France) and cava (from Spain) follow the traditional method!

The other big way sparkling wine can be made is called the tank method. It’s a newer method, and involves fermenting wine in a tank (thus the name) instead of in the bottle like its forebears. Both Prosecco and Lambrusco are made this way!

Low ABV Sparkling Wine Options

The best low-ABV sparkling wines I’ve found have all been de-alcoholized — that is, the alcohol was removed after the wine was made, resulting in a beverage with high complexity but little alcohol (<1%, usually). My favorite is the Eins Zwei Zero, but if you want something a little less winey, Unified Ferments is the way to go.

Outside the Sides Box: Alternative Thanksgiving Dishes That Go Great With Turkey

Menu planning for Thanksgiving and feeling uninspired by the usual mashed potatoes/green bean casserole/stuffing/and other most commonly served sides? Wanting to shake things up? Yes, sure, you can make that one specific casserole your aunt always made that reminds you of home, but it’s also fun to create new food traditions. My fiancee started doing Thanksgiving on our own in 2020 as a result of COVID, and we have continued to do so instead of joining my extended family in Nashville the way I have been for most of my life. To be honest, we still make a lot of the same side dishes we grew up eating on the holiday — with a few of our own twists here and there. But I also think it would be fun to start a new tradition where we try one brand new side each year to add a little more variability to the predictable (though delicious) meal. I haven’t decided what that might be this year, but researching for this list certainly helped! Here are a bunch of “nontraditional” Thanksgiving sides to serve alongside turkey or your alternative main course for the evening.

If you’re looking for specifically vegan/vegetarian/gluten free options, you can command+F for any of those terms because I’ve labeled the recipes accordingly (and most of them check at least one if not more of those boxes)!

And if you’re hosting for the first time or just need general tips, we’ve got you covered.

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Southwest Corn Pudding with Green Chiles (vegetarian, gluten free)

My family actually does make a version of corn pudding (but not at every Thanksgiving for some reason?), so I’m not sure it counts as ENTIRELY out of the box, but it’s soooo good and I’m always trying to convert people to the gospel of corn so here it is.

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Crispy Spiced Potatoes (vegan, gluten free)

I know there are a lot of people who would balk at serving potatoes in any other form than mashed, but the typical Thanksgiving sides are uniformly mushy and mild, and I’m just saying a little crunch and spice could probably inject something fun into the mix! You could always do potatoes two ways if you’re too much a purist.

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Tomato Stew (vegan, gluten free)

Tomatoes elevate every meal imo.

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Roasted Pumpkin with Chili Yoghurt and Coriander Sauce (vegetarian)

Playing with pumpkin outside of the confines of pie might be a fun alternative to sweet potato dishes!

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Baked Herbed Oysters

This is almost like an ULTRA-simplified version of an oyster stuffing, which I do know some families serve at Thanksgiving (jealous). But this one is pretty pared down, and I do think it’d be cute to serve in mini ramekins! This one is for my tinned fish heads.

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Gildas (gluten free)

Another one for my tinned fish heads! These are more for pre-turkey than alongside, but hey, I wouldn’t mind popping one of these between bites of bird either.

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Lemon Garlic Sauteed Kale (vegan, gluten free)

Some form of greens are often a part of the Thanksgiving meal, and this dish is SUPER simple, but I do think the slightly bitter taste of kale plus the loads of lemon here would inject some much needed acid to this meal. Definitely get some red chili flakes in there or gochugaru.

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Crunchy Roasted Indian Masala Chickpeas (vegan, gluten free)

Crunch! And! Spice! I’m sayinggggggg.

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Quick Korean Fresh Kimchi (vegetarian, gluten free)

Kimchi on a turkey sandwich the day AFTER Thanksgiving? Unparalleled.

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Soy Braised Onion (vegan)

Big fan of side dishes that are mostly just onions.

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Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms (vegetarian)

While these are different, I’m also a big fan of stuffing-stuffed mushrooms. I usually buy my box stuffing for Thanksgiving BOGO and then have a random box of stuffing in the pantry for months and am like WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH THIS? And then I remember stuffing-stuffed mushrooms are a very easy hors d’oeuvres.

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Braised Lentils (vegan)

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Glazed Carrots With Miso and Sesame (vegetarian)

Love a glazed carrot. You could also go a sweeter route.

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Stuffed Acorn Squash (vegan, gluten free)

I like this recipe because it’s just sort of the basics, and you can customize to make it vegan, gluten free, or opt for a meet stuffing.

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Aloo Matar (vegan, gluten free)

I’m simply advocating for more spices on the Thanksgiving table. But my personal tradition is actually Indian food the night before.

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What are your favorite Thanksgiving sides?

20 Cozy Drinks and Cocktails To Keep You Warm During Late Fall

It’s the time of year now when the sun sets WAY TOO GODDAMN EARLY, and even though I don’t have to deal with cold weather where I live, that early darkness is deeply upsetting. But I’m trying to focus on the good parts of this season, like enjoying warm beverages in mugs. Sometimes you just need a liquid sweet treat to start or end the day. Or I personally like to take a midday moment for what I call a “bev break,” whipping up something tasty to sip on while I look at the Weather app on my phone to see exactly what time the sun is going to set and balk at how early it is. Here, I’ve compiled a list of ciders, fancy coffee drinks to make at home when a trip to the local cafe seems to ambitious, and hot toddies and other alcoholic warm drinks. The first two sections all feature nonalcoholic drinks, so feel free to skip the final third section if you don’t drink. Also check out our list of cozy mocktails for more inspiration. Let’s all sip on some spiced, warm, delicious fall drinks.

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Ciders

Homemade Apple Cider

It’s a classic for a reason!

Fire Cider

Nothing makes me feel more like a witch than making fire cider.

Mulled Apple Cider with Ginger and Orange

Can verify that making a low effort mulled cider is worth it just for the way it’ll make your home smell alone. It’s easy to scale things like this up too for a gathering or party.

Hot Pear Cider with Cinnamon and Spices

Orange Spiced Cider

There are Red Hots candies in this drink! We love innovation!

Spiced Apple Cider with Clove Oranges

Inserting cloves into oranges ALSO makes me feel like a fall witch.

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Fancy Fall Coffee Drinks

Mocha Coffee

This is the simplest approach to making a mocha at home. My added suggestion would be to whip up some cream to put on top as well.

Maple Cinnamon Latte

Also, in a pinch, just adding a bit of maple syrup to your regular coffee is an excellent fall treat.

Pistachio Latte

Pistachio is a really underrated alt milk imo.

Masala Chai

This is not technically a coffee drink, but I had to give a shoutout to the hot drink I most consistently make during this time of year (and year round tbh). Every person in my family has a slightly different approach to making masala chai. I usually go heavy on the bolder flavors like ginger and black pepper and lighter on the softer flavors like cardamom. Start with a basic recipe and go from there depending on your own personal tastes.

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

I am not too proud to admit I like a good PSL! And there are a lot of recipes out there for DIY versions that range from super simple to a little more complex. Either way, they’re much cheaper to make for yourself.

Eggnog Latte

To be completely honest, I’ve never really understood the whole nog thing, but I know a lot of people love it!

Creamy Hot Cocoa

Also not technically a coffee drink, but one of my greatest small pleasures in life is to order a fancy hot chocolate at a coffee shop, but I know my budget would prefer for me to just make them at home. It’s easy to do!

Thus concludes the nonalcoholic portion of this list. Continue reading if you’re interested in hard fall drinks!

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Warm Cocktails

Classic Hot Toddy

I am realizing during the course of compiling this list that I NEED clear mugs?

Spiked Mulled Apple Cider

Again, super easy for a party situation.

Carajillo

I agree with Bon Appetit that the carajillo is better than an espresso martini. I prefer them served hot rather than over ice personally.

Hot Buttered Rum

Mulled Wine

Another drink that’s easy to scale up for a gathering. You can have some fun with the accoutrement and even create a little mulled wine toppings bar!

Chili Cinnamon Bourbon Hot Toddy

I love a little kick to my cocktails. Hot honey is the secret star of my bar cart.

Blackberry Bourbon Mulled Wine

This sounds perfect for a fall picnic.

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What have you been sipping on this season?

Apple Cheddar Scones, Because We Deserve a New It Girl

Welcome to the sapphic table, a series of (hopefully!) unfussy seasonal recipes for your farmers market, your CSA bounty — or your grocery store. Today we’re making apple cheddar scones that are begging to become your new fall tradition.

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Aaaaaand we’re back! After the messy disaster (delicious, but still, a disaster!) that was the s’mores brownies in August, I needed to a break. I had to lick my wounds. Humble myself. The waning sun of summer turned into the fiery red leaves of fall and now as we tumble into the overcast grey days and long nights of Midwestern “not quite yet winter,” I knew it was time to come back. There’s no more worthy return to the kitchen than apple cheddar scones.

The story of these apple cheddar scones is that years ago, when I was in my 20s and cocky and believed I could already bake with the best of them, despite barely being two years into being self-taught myself, I tried to bake these and failed miserably. I tried again the next fall, and I failed then, too.

I couldn’t figure out how to keep the classic buttery crumbled texture that is iconic to scones and requires butter to be cold when baking, while also manipulating the dough enough to hold its shape, which quizzically requires the butter to be warm enough to be malleable? Ok so simultaneously cold and warm butter, got it.

Then there was the problem of the apples, which require a pre-bake in the oven so as not to leak apple juice all over the scones while baking — though, again, warm from the oven apples? That will melt the butter in your dough, when the goal is cold butter. Plus, I never could learn how to peel an apple in any way that makes sense, despite peeled apples being traditional in most baking.

I didn’t give up. The next fall (now, my third), I took to research.

I learned that the trick to keeping butter cold enough for the delicate crumb of scones, but also in small enough pieces that it’s malleable, is to freeze it first. Then shred it using a cheese grater (who knew!?!?) and refreeze those shredded butter pieces until you need them. It turns out that unless you’re making a whole ass pie, apples do not need to be peeled in order to still be delicious in baked goods. If you roast your apple chunks the night before and put them in the refrigerator overnight, they will keep their texture and will be cool enough as to not ruin the DELICATE butter – plus with that business out of the way, you can now make the rest of the scone batter in about 15 minutes. Add another 30 minutes for baking and you can be eating fall perfection in about the length of two sitcoms or less than one Beyoncé album (and yes, this is how I measure my time).

The first time I baked these scones successfully, that’s when I felt good calling myself a baker. They are tender and shaggy. Every bite comes with sweet chunks of baked apple and cheddar that makes its presence known without overwhelm. These deserve to be a gay classic, like oversized flannel and journaling your feelings.

These scones are my Mount Everest, and I learned how to conquer them from Smitten Kitchen. In the comment section of that post, I learned the frozen shredded butter trick that’s adapted here in the main recipe. I also, as mentioned, cut out peeling the apples because no one has time for that. I’ve lowered the amount of sugar to better balance against the cheddar. For the same reason, I got rid of the sugary lid on top. I lowered the amount of baking powder and I streamlined the directions for maximum ease. That’s about it!

Apple Cheddar Scones, Because We Deserve a New It Girl

Makes six scones

Ingredients for Apple Cheddar Scones

1 pound apples of your choice (for me this came to two medium sized apples)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup sharp cheddar, grated
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 large egg

Directions for Apple Cheddar Scones

Prep the Night Before

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oiled aluminum foil, spray, whatever is your favorite “keep things from sticking to a baking sheet” situation.

Cut each apple into 16 chunks (yes, I realize this seems fussy but it allows for the “right size” chunks so that you don’t have to re-smash them later. I handled it by cutting my apples into quarters, then each of those quarters… also into quarters).

Place apples onto your prepared baking sheet in a single layer and bake them for 20 minutes. They should feel dry to the touch and half-baked, potentially with a little color on the edges (though this is not necessary).

Let apples come to room temperature and put them in the refrigerator overnight. If I’m tired, sometimes I’ll put them in the refrigerator while still slightly warm and it works out fine. Sometimes I cover them for their fridge sleep, sometimes I don’t.

Place your butter in the freezer overnight.

The Next Day

Once again, pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oiled aluminum foil, spray, whatever is your favorite “keep things from sticking to a baking sheet” situation.

Take out your frozen butter and grate it using your cheese grater. It will start to melt surprisingly quickly underneath your hands, so feel free to switch butter sides all around so that you’re always holding the coldest part as you go. Collect your butter shreds and put them back into the freezer.

Grate your cheese. Add grated cheese to your frozen butter. Return them both back to the freezer.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. From here, you will want to move very quickly because remember — our only goal is to keep everything as cold as possible. That’s how the scones will bake into tender deliciousness.

Add your frozen butter and cheese mixture to your flour mixture. Toss everything together a few times until the butter and cheese are evenly coated with flour and no large clumps of butter or cheese remain (small clumps are fine, we love small clumps).

Add the cream and egg to your mixture. Sometimes I’ll quickly pre-beat the egg and cream together, just to make it easier to mix in, but this is not necessary. Mix everything together and add in your apple chunks, then mix again. Scrap off any batter from your fork or spoon into the bowl. Your mixture will probably still feel or look dry. This is because the cold butter hasn’t done its thing yet, but don’t worry. No matter what you do — do not add more cream because you think it needs it! I have learned from this mistake too many times. Don’t be like me.

If your mixture looks dry, instead it’s time to get your hands dirty! The warmth your hands should take care of it. Put clean hands into the batter and knead and/or “punch down” into the batter a few times (careful not to smush your apples too badly!) until the mixture just comes together into a dough, a few remaining dry crumbs is fine.

Generously flour your counter top. Scoop out the dough with your hands and place it on top. Using your hands, pat the dough into a roughly 6-inch circle. The size of the circle ultimately matters less than the width of the dough itself. You want the edges of the dough circle to be about 1 1/4 inch thick (I make a rough measurement by comparing it my nail bed. If you have short nails, the dough should be as tall as the top of your thumb nail at all places).

Cut your circle into 6 wedges. Using a spatula or running underneath them with a knife (in case they are stuck to your counter), transfer the scones to your prepared baking sheet. Leave 1-2 inches between each scone.

Bake until scones are firm in the middle and golden at edges, about 30 minutes. Carefully lift them off of baking sheet (use a spatula if needed) and let them cool for 5-10 minutes.

Eat!

49 Slow Cooker Recipes That Keep It Slow, Low and Delicious

It’s November, the days are getting shorter, the skies are getting nastier, and some of us seasonal depression gays are getting ready to take our Vitamin D gummies, our “natural light” lamps, and once again fight back. But you could be giving yourself a break right now. You could have hot, delicious meals ready and waiting for you… but with very little of the effort of, you know, actually cooking said food. Cue the shift from infomercial grayscale to full color — have you considered slow cooker or crockpot recipes?

Yes, instant pots and air fryers have seemingly taken over as the kitchen devices most likely to take up counter space these days, but there is still something to be said about the simplicity of a classic slow cooker. And that something is sloth-like laziness, ahem I meant busy lives and the enjoyment of low efforts for high rewards.

Plus, almost any recipe you already love can be turned into a slow cooker recipe if you follow some basic guidelines and believe in yourself enough.

Imagine it! Are you ready for nearly 50 different slow cooker or crockpot recipes? You are. Let us begin.

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1. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

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2. Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

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3. Slow Cooker Pho Beef from Scratch

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4. Slow Cooker Cheesy Southern Grits

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5. Slow Cooker Overnight Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal

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6. Crockpot Coconut Chicken Curry

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7. Crockpot Herbed Baby Potatoes

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8. Rosemary Asiago Cheese in the Crockpot

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9. Crockpot BBQ Ribs 

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10. Slowly Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Pasta

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11. Hot Holiday Cider

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12. Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Wild Rice Soup

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13. Restaurant Style Refried Beans

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14. Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese

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15. Slow Cooker Chocolate Chicken Mole

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16. Crockpot Sausage Black Beans and Rice

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17. Slow Cooker Jambalaya

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18. Vegetarian Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

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19. Crockpot Corn Chowder with Parmesan Rind and Pancetta

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20. Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

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21. Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers

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22. Slow Cooker Fudge Brownies

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23. Hawaiian Luau Sweet & Sour Meatballs

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24. Spiced Crockpot Pearsauce

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25. Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

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26. Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup

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27. Slow Cooker Gingerbread Steel Cut Oats

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28. Slow Cooker Pearl Couscous Soup

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29. Slow Cooker Chicken and Mushroom Farro Risotto

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30. Lemon Garlic Slow Cooker Roast Chicken

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31. Slow Cooker Barley and Chickpea Risotto

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32. Crockpot Maple Glazed Walnuts

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33. Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Stuffing

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34. Crockpot Blackberry Jam Naturally Thickened

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35. Crockpot Collard Greens and Ham Hocks

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36. Crockpot Sweet Potato Lentils

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37. Slow Cooker Thai Chicken and Rice

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38. Slow Cooker Japanese Onion Soup

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39. Three Bean Sweet Potato Chili

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40. Slow Cooker Baked Beans

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41. Vegan Slow Cooker Black Bean Burritos

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42. Crockpot Tortilla Soup

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43. Crockpot Baked Ziti with Three Cheeses

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44. Crockpot Chana Masala

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45.  Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

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46. Butternut Squash Chickpea Coconut Curry

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47. Slow Cooked Vegan Lentil Curry

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48. Slow Cooker Lasagna with Zucchini and Eggplant

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49. Slow Cooker Red Lentil Curry

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Uncommon Pairings: How To Drink Vermouth

feature image of a negroni with vermouth by Giovanni Bortolani via Getty Images

Welcome back to Uncommon Pairings! Today, we’re playing with the rules a little bit by talking about vermouth. It’s not quite a wine, but it’s also definitely not a spirit. TBH, vermouth deserves its own category. (PS: If you’re not a vermouth person, consider a chilled red instead!)

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Vermouth, like all other fortified wines, exists somewhere on the spectrum between pure liquor and table wine. It’s boozier than table wine, for sure (Dolin Dry clocks in at 16%). But when used on its own, or even as the star ingredient of a cocktail, it results in a lower-ABV bev than say, whiskey. However! Unlike its fortified cousins Port and Madeira, vermouth is also an aromatized wine. It’s got added smells! Spices, herbs, barks, and other things can be used to flavor vermouth. It’s kind of like a less boozy gin!

A (Very Quick) History

There’s a pretty rich history attached to vermouth. Before it was even called vermouth, our ancestors were drinking wine with spices and herbs for medicinal reasons. Some of those botanicals were tame, others were “flesh of vipers” (harder to come by in the grocery store these days!!). The vermouth we know and love today gets its name from the German word for wormwood, one of the additives historically used to flavor vermouth.

Vermouth Today

Today, we’re not really drinking vermouth for its purported medicinal benefits. Or at least, I’m not. That said, there are still a ton of things you can do with vermouth. You can drink it straight, over ice, and/or mixed with a little soda. My standard vermouth order is sweet red vermouth over ice with a little soda for bubbles, garnished with (at least) three olives. I learned recently it’s bad luck to have an even number of olives in a cocktail, so it’s either three or five for me.

Vermouth is also a pretty classic cocktail ingredient. Martinis, Boulevardiers, Manhattans… without vermouth, we wouldn’t have them! I think, at minimum, you should have two types of vermouth on hand for at-home cocktails: a sweet red and a dry white. These are the two classic vermouth styles, and having both means that you’ll be able to make both martinis and negronis. I hosted dinner recently and had these grand plans of Castelvetrano brine martinis (I think perhaps I’m drinking martinis for the brine and not the gin) but when a friend asked what they could bring, I made the mistake of not specifying what style of vermouth I wanted. We had negronis instead!

Nontraditional Vermouth Styles

Also! If you have infinite fridge space (because vermouth is a diva and simply needs to be stored in the fridge) there’s a whole world of vermouth outside of the two classic styles I mentioned. Rosé vermouth is so fun and extremely pretty! Sometimes it’s not made from rosé / skin-contact wine but rather a blend of red and white wines, but it’s still just as blush-toned and delicious. Some to try: the Lustau Rosé Vermouth ($15-20) or Vermú Rose Vermouth ($28)! Amber vermouth is also a thing, as is Vermouth di Torino.

If you prefer your drinks with less alcohol, you can also swap out an alcoholic vermouth for a nonalcoholic option. It’ll cut down the alcohol in a cocktail a tad — unless you’re drinking pure vermouth, in which case you’ll be left with a mocktail. Which is also good, just different! Roots Divino ($39) makes some alcohol-removed vermouth (and yes, it includes wormwood!) as does Lyre’s ($36).

41 Spooky, Scary, Halloween Recipes for Your Monster Mash or Fright Night

Halloween is totally the best, right? Halloween costumes, Halloween decorations, Halloween movies, Halloween parties, and of course, Halloween food. Whether you’re looking for pumpkin-themed everything, delicious treats that look disgusting, or candy corn added to things it probably shouldn’t be, we’ve got you covered with these Halloween recipes.

We have Halloween recipes for cakes and cookies and donuts and cider. There are options for a proper spooky Halloween party and for a gentler autumnal vibe. There’s even a pizza mummy. Yeah, you read that right, a pizza mummy.

Imagine some cute queers show up to your Halloween party and you get to say, “Hey do you want some pizza mummy?” Best Halloween ever.

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1. Black Velvet Cupcakes

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2. Vegan Pumpkin Nog

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3. Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese

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4. Witch’s Brew Cocktail

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5. Candy Corn Hot Chocolate

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6. Ouija Board Cookies

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7. Deep-Fried Brains

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8. Mini Monster Eyeball Donuts

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9. Pumpkin Roll

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10. Curried Pumpkin Soup with Coconut

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11. Buffalo Meatball Pumpkins

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12. Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse

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13. Candy Corn Vodka

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14. Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

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15. Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Frosting

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16. Caramel Pumpkin Torte

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17. Pumpkin Sugar Donuts

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18. Dairy Free Gluten Free DTF Pumpkin Pie

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19. Flourless Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

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20. Pretzel & Chocolate Spiders

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21. Jack O’Lantern Shepherd’s Pie Stuffed Peppers

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22. Mummy Oreo Truffles

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23. Pumpkin Churro Waffles

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24. Witches’ Brew Cupcakes

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25. Frozen Boo-nana Pops

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26. Spider Web Oreo Cookies

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27. Mini Ghost Pumpkin Cakes

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28. Pumpkin Brulee Cheesecake Bars

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29. Braaaaaains Cupcakes

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30. Meatball Mummies

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31. Candy Corn Poppers

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32. Snakebite Cider

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33. Radish Eyeballs

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34. Pumpkin Crumb Cakes

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35. Almond Meringue Ghost Cookies

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36. Pumpkin Brownie Cupcakes

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37. Halloween Layer Cakes

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38. Caramel Pumpkin Spice Popcorn

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39. Stuffed Mushroom Eyeballs

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40. Marshmallow Web Cupcake Topper

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41. Pizza Mummy Braid

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What are your favorite Halloween recipes?

Ultra Garlicky Recipes To Make Your Kitchen Smell Like Roasted Heaven

feature image photo by LauriPatterson via Getty Images

Garlic is a year-round staple ingredient in my kitchen. If my fiancee says “that smells good” from the adjacent room while I’m cooking, nine times out of ten it’s probably because I’ve just added chopped onions and garlic to melted butter or hot olive oil. But there’s something especially autumnal about ultra garlicky recipes, especially when they focus on the bold but velvety flavors of roasted garlic. So it seems like the perfect time to showcase recipes that don’t just use garlic as a supporting ingredient but as the star. I recently bought a giant jar of a combination garlic and ginger paste from the Indian market, and it’s going to save me loads of time when it comes to a lot of my go-to recipes. But here, we’ll focus on recipes that call for a ton of garlic and usually in roasted form. First, I wanted to share my top three favorite ways to prepare and consume garlic.

Whole Roasted Garlic

I feel like I roast an entire head of garlic at least once a week. Nothing smells better to me. All you have to do is lop off the tippy top of the garlic head so that the flattened tops of the individual cloves are exposed. Pour a generous glug of olive oil in all the nooks and crannies of those connected cloves, wrap the head up in tin foil, and put it in the oven at 400 degrees for about 30-40 minutes or until the garlic cloves are soft and light brown.

Take it out of the oven and let it cool to the point you can comfortably touch it. Squeeze out the roasted garlic and use a fork if you need a little assistance. You can spread it directly on some toast or a cracker with a sprinkle of salt and call it a day. Or you can drizzle some balsamic on top as well. Or you can put it in a small bowl with some room temp butter and mask it into a garlicky butter spread and use it for garlic bread or as an accompaniment to anchovies and crackers.

Garlic Chips

I recently got my dad hooked on these. You just add some olive oil to a pan, heat it, and thinly slice garlic into little chips that you then add to the hot oil and fry. It only takes a couple minutes. You can flip them if you want, but if you’ve added enough oil you shouldn’t have to. Take them out when they’re still light brown. You’ll start to smell right away if you’re burning them. Place them on a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle some salt on top. They’re great to add to soups, pastas, dips, or even as a crunchy addition a grilled cheese or other sandwich. You can keep them in a tupperware container on the counter (I’ve found they don’t hold up in the fridge) but only for about one to two days.

Garlic Tomato Confit

Garlic and tomatoes are perfect co-stars here. I love to do this with any leftover cherry tomatoes I might have laying around I need to use up before they go bad. Throw them in a baking dish with a bunch of whole garlic cloves. Add enough olive oil so it’s not completely submerged but like everything’s in a nice little bath. Add some balsamic, salt, and pepper as well. You can add fresh or dried herbs but it’s not required. You can also use a small over-safe ramekin for a mini version. Roast in the oven at 300 degrees for one to two hours, checking every once in a while to make sure the garlic isn’t burning. Add everything to a blender that can handle hot liquids or use an immersion blender to puree everything into a thick sauce, which can be used as a pasta sauce, a marinara-like dip, on roasted veggies, or slice up a log of goat cheese and throw the sauce and circles of goat cheese back in a baking dish and bake it for another 10ish minutes and dip some good bread in that cheesy tomato garlicky bad boy.

With those three simple tips out of the way, here are some of the best garlic recipes I’ve rounded up from around the internet that’ll have your kitchen smelling delicious and, sure, your breath stanking — but it’s worth it.

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Garlic Soup

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Creamy Lemon Garlic Butter Beans

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Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

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Garlic Roasted Potatoes

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Roasted Broccoli with Garlic

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Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms

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Creamy Roast Garlic and Lemon Pasta Sauce

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Oven Toasted Garlic Herb Cheese Ravioli

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Linguini with Clams and Garlic Butter Sauce

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Tomato and Garlic Pasta

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Sinangag

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Garlic Butter Salmon

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Garlic Knots

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Crispy Sesame Garlic Chili Oil Noodles

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Spicy Roasted Garlic Hummus Recipe

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Garlicky Beef Stew

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Guyanese Garlic Pork

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Baked Whole Fish with Lemon Herb Garlic Butter

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Caramelised Garlic Tart

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Lemon Garlic Chicken

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Grand Aioli

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Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing

50 Pumpkin Recipes That Will Put Your Latte to Shame

It’s the first of October! You know what that means… Time for PUMPKIN RECIPES, my little gourds!

I had my first-ever pumpkin spice latte today and I’m going to be honest, I don’t really get what you guys see in them, I feel like maybe you just haven’t tried a dirty chai yet. But it doesn’t matter what I think about your expensive coffee drinks because there are SO MANY other incredible pumpkin-based recipes, from sweet to savory and back again.

If all you’ve been doing with pumpkin is putting it in your coffee and your pie, you have not been living your best life. Here, let me show you. (Also, yes, there’s a homemade pumpkin spice latte on the list too. Eat (drink) your heart out.)

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1. Pumpkin Maple Overnight Oatmeal Parfait

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2. Pumpkin Chili

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3. Pumpkin Ricotta Ravioli

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4. Pumpkin Pie French Toast

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5. Pumpkin Spice Latte

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6. Mini Gingersnap Pumpkin Cheesecakes

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7. Autumn Kale Salad with Roast Pumpkin and Walnuts

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8. Pumpkin Roll

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9. Overnight Pumpkin Breakfast Smoothie with Brown Butter Granola Honey

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10. No-Churn Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

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11. Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts

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12. Soft Glazed Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

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13. Pumpkin Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce and Pecans

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14. Pumpkin Bread Pudding

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15. Pumpkin Ricotta Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter Sauce

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16. Smoky Pumpkin Fettucini Alfredo

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17. Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce

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18. Whole Wheat Pumpkin Spice Waffles

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19. Pumpkin Pecan Superseed Granola

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20. Pumpkin Cornbread

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21.Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

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22. Pumpkin Goat Cheese Tacos

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23. Pumpkin Pastry Cream Eclairs

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24. Vegan Pumpkin Sage Pasta

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25. Lasagna with Pumpkin and Sage Infused Bechamel

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26. Pumpkin Peanut Curry

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27. Pumpkin Tortilla Soup

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28. Pumpkin Thai Chicken Pizza

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29. Pumpkin Focaccia with Gruyere and Almonds

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30. Roast Pumpkin Caramelized Onion Walnut Pizza

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31. Pumpkin Nutella Bread

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32. Black Bean Pumpkin Soup

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33. Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Loaf

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34. Vegan Chili Pumpkin Cranberry Risotto with Spicy Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

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35. Autumn-Spiced Pumpkin Shortbread

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36 .Pumpkin Chocoflan

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37. Pumpkin Scones

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38. Pumpkin Pancakes

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39. Pumpkin Butter

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40. Pumpkin Pie Fudge

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41. Pumpkin Beer Cheese Dip

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42. Savory Roasted Pumpkin Pie

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43. Pumpkin Tartlets

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44. Cheesy Pumpkin Parmesan French Bread Pizza

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45. Pumpkin Dream Cake

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46. Pumpkin Turkey Chili

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47. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

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48. Perfectly Roasted Pumpkin

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49. Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

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50. And The Best Pumpkin Bread You Will Ever Have 🧡 🧡 🧡

Uncommon Pairings: Chilled Red Wines for Early Autumn

feature image by NightAndDayImages via Getty Images

Welcome back to Uncommon Pairings, a series all about wine! Today, we’re talking about the perfect fall pairing: chilled reds.

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I like my beverages either scalding hot (coffee) or at room temperature (water). The former is because I hate when ice melts into my coffee and waters it down, and the latter is because my grandparents once told me it’s better to drink room temperature water from an Ayurvedic perspective, and if my people have been doing it for millennia then who am I to question it! Also, I did a box of at-home whitening strips and now my teeth, while significantly whiter, are also incapable of handling any cold.

The one beverage I’ll consistently make an exception for is wine. And yes, technically, you can drink wine at any temperature, but mulled wine tastes like bad soup to me, and room temperature wine reminds me of college (we drank a lot of boxed Franzia and big Barefoot bottles, and neither of those fit in the dorm-supplied mini fridges). Chilled wine is ubiquitous in the summer, but it’s usually white or skin contact. Both of those feel like summer, so I get it, but the moment fall rolls around, it’s like wine lists get warmer. Some of us need time to adjust, and I think the perfect way to bridge the gap between summer and true fall is with a chilled red!

Chilled reds are the perfect companion this time of year. They feel like leaves changing and light sweaters and playfully sticking your toes under someone’s butt to warm up. And they’re excellent at paving the way for the heavier reds that come in the winter!

Why Chill Red Wines

You might already be familiar with the Twenty Minute Rule: white wine comes out of the fridge twenty minutes before it’s served; red wine goes into the fridge twenty minutes before it’s served. This rule mostly works. Both reds and whites get a little closer to cellar temperature (a balmy 55-ish degrees), but it also hinges on the idea that white should be served much colder than red. And I think that’s not necessarily true!

Chilling a red wine can help bring out flavors that you might’ve otherwise missed, and helps amplify some of the juiciness that can be found in younger, lighter reds.

Which Red Wines to Chill

Younger, lighter wines are great for chilling. Gamay is a solid choice, as is any light Pinot Noir, or most young wines from the Loire Valley. Or Lambrusco! To figure out if a wine is young, check the date the grapes were harvested. It’s the date that’s printed on the bottle. The younger the wine, the more recently the grapes were harvested. I’d steer clear of anything full-bodied or aged – those styles of wine shine in warmer temperatures, a little warmer than traditional cellar.

We’re almost in November, so if you’re patient, you can wait for Beaujolais Nouveau day! It’s always the third Thursday in November. Beaujolais Nouveau is one of my favorite reds! It’s extremely young — it’s released the same year it’s produced — and low-tannin. It’s great chilled!

How to Chill Red Wine

The easiest part of chilled wine is getting your wine to the right temperature. If you’re lucky, or just planning very last-minute, you can buy your wine chilled. Many wine shops have a selection of wines that are kept cold, and chances are there’ll be a light red in their midst!

You can also use an ice bucket, but I have neither an ice bucket nor enough ice ever, so I instead use the freezer when I’m in a pinch. It’s risky (wine can explode, the cork can get pushed out, it’s honestly not a great idea overall) but it is fast. The safer option is to use the fridge. To get a red wine from room temperature (70-75F) to true “chilled” temp, I’d say leave it in there for at least 30-45 minutes.