Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving I am going to do something different. Instead of three or four kinds of vegetables on the plate we are going to have a big autumn salad featuring local seasonal ingredients. My friend Joanne gave me the recipe for this super yummy dressing, which we have been making for years now. We had another stellar garlic harvest from our garden and my beets are a nice size and ready for picking. I got some apples from Campbell’s orchards and squash from Laundry Farm. I will roast a few heads of garlic because it will be used up in other dishes and leftover dressing is a good thing. For the salad, I will be using a mix of the greens in my garden. I will roast wedges of beets and squash and finish the salad with Granola. Some roasted brussels sprouts, too. Goat cheese would be lovely, but I have a tub of feta so I will use that. The vegetables can be roasted the day before to save oven space.

Roasted garlic and apple vinaigrette
2 apples, sliced but not peeled

1/4 cup hard cider

1 cinnamon stick

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup roasted garlic

1 tablespoon Dijon

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1 1/4 cups canola oil

1/4 cup olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a small pot combine apples, cider and cinnamon stick. Cook over medium-low heat until the apples are soft. Discard cinnamon stick and put remainder in blender. Add and blend: maple syrup, garlic, mustard and vinegar. When smooth, slowly pour in oils with blender running. Season with salt and pepper. Makes about 2 cups.

Pumpkin craisin granola

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons canola oil

1/2 cup large flake oats

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup craisins

Preheat oven 300°F. Whisk together honey and oil in a bowl. Add oats and pumpkin seeds. Stir to mix well. Spread out on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake, stirring often, for about 20 minutes until toasted golden and dry. Remove from oven and stir in craisins.

Makes 4 servings.