Full-Circle Farms

Full-Circle Farm is basically the perfect vision of what a CSA (or Community-Supported Agriculture) should be. They provide sustainably grown, high quality, organic produce at realistic prices. Other CSAs also provide the same, but I have never seen such a convenient and consumer-friendly payment method. You can choose one of two sizes of boxes—standard- or family-sized. The contents of the boxes are completely customizable. You can cancel or suspend your orders anytime. And best-of-all, you pay per box. That's right! Instead of paying upwards of $350 right up front with any of the other CSAs, Full-Circle charges you $42 for a family-sized box. And you can get a box either every week or every two weeks. It's absolutely amazing!

Gorgeous golden beets

In this week's box, I received: Crimini mushrooms, French shallots, golden beets, kale, red chard, mangoes, Gala apples, zucchinis, red potatoes, carrots, and broccolini.

I wish these people were everywhere. As of now, they are only around the Puget Sound area in Washington State and in Alaska. Hopefully, as they gain steam, the organization will expand.

Sherry Sugars

Wonderful for the holidays and made to be decorated, these cookies are delicately sweet and are a perfect backdrop for a little sugar glaze. In my sugar glaze recipe, I've used a few unusual techniques for getting some color since I don't like using traditional food colorings. Yields about 60 cookies.

Eggnog Cookies

These cookies are absolutely wonderful and are a must-bake. The nutmeg in these imparts a slightly egg-noggy flavor. These are fantastic for the holidays and anytime you are jonesing for some 'nog.

Penne Alla Vodka

This delicious pasta dish has subtle creamy flavor and richness. In the original recipe by Lidia Bastianich, she uses whole cream, however, a marvelous substitute for cream in sauces such as this is to blend nonfat cottage cheese and a little milk (depending on how thick you want your "cream") in a food processor. When you add the blended cottage cheese to the hot pan, it will separate a bit, but with heat, the cottage cheese should melt into the sauce. This dish is wonderful on its own, but if you wish to make this a complete meal, grill some garlic chicken (recipe to follow) and serve with a side salad.

Holiday Dinner!

Due to the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving, as well as a dose of technical difficulties, I didn't have the opportunity to snap any photographs of my Thanksgiving spread. But as my guests and I can tell you, it was to-die-for good.

Christmas dinner is just a few days away, so I'd like to share with you my menu I used for Thanksgiving.

Main Course:
Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast

Side Dishes:
Brussels Sprouts Casserole
Glazed Carrots
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Trader Joe's Cornbread Stuffing
Chardonnay-Herb Turkey Gravy
Cranberry Sauce
Bowl of black olives

Dessert:
Pumpkin Cheesecake

Drinks:
Le Baron Ranch Late Harvest Riesling 2009
Milk / Water

Glazed Carrots

This is a simple glazed carrot recipe perfect as a side to any roast meat. Don't worry, this isn't an overly sweet carrot recipe, I tried to make it as savory as possible while still maintaining the subtle sweet flavor of the carrots.

Holiday Special: Pumpkin Cheesecake

This cheesecake is ethereal and light due to being made in a blender and using nonfat ingredients. It's extremely guilt-free for the holidays and any other time you want some cheesecake. Remember to have all of your ingredients at room temperature. This will (hopefully) keep the cheesecake from cracking and also make blending the ingredients together easier. This recipe was made for a 10-inch springform pan so if you only have a 9-inch pan, like I do, you have some excess. Fill it as full as you can.

Holiday Side Special: Cranberry Sauce

It's a really fun experience to make your own cranberry sauce instead of just taking it out of a can. With a basic recipe, the variations are endless. In this recipe, you can bump up the orange taste by adding the zest of an orange, if you like. Another variation you could do is by adding fresh grated ginger (from a two-inch knob) and ½ teaspoon cinnamon for a spicier sauce. For a sugar-free sauce, replace the sugar with an equal amount of Splenda®.

Holiday Side Special: Brussels Sprout Casserole

As you all know, Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Currently, I am racking my brain trying to come up with some interesting side dishes for this year's feasting. I came across this recipe in the AHA Cookbook and tried it out last night. I have never cooked a Brussels sprout in my life and this dish turned out beautifully! For a great dinner for one, I cooked some brown rice and served the casserole over top. Serves 8.

Historically, the Brussels sprout has gotten a bum rap for being bitter and mushy. The real culprit is overcooking. Cooked properly, Brussels sprouts have a surprisingly mild flavor in comparison with their other cruciferous brethren. They contain good amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and dietary fiber. Not to mention, the cruciferous family of vegetables are believed to have potent anti-cancer properties.

Vegetarian Enchiladas

Looking for a fast and healthy dinner? These enchiladas are vegetarian, gluten-free, and absolutely delicious. They are the perfect canvas for a wide variety of toppings and salsas, so customize to your palette's desire. This recipe was adapted from the American Heart Association cookbook. Serves 8-10.