Like many of us, I will be spending the start of the winter holiday season at my home and not with my family. The last time I missed Thanksgiving was when I was studying abroad in college and have been around the family dinner table every other year. The twists and turns of this year have kept me in Chicago, but I figured I should still take the time and make a (somewhat) proper Thanksgiving meal. I usually evade cooking duties while at home, so this will also be a good time for me to trial ~ holiday ~ dishes on my own.
I’ve linked all of the recipes and put in some notes if I’m going to do things a little differently. This is a very New York Times cooking Thanksgiving and I’m not mad about it. If you’re also doing T-day solo, this is definitely a meal that will leave leftovers, but isn’t that the best part of Thanksgiving? Let’s get into it!
Buttermilk Brined Turkey Thighs
Yes, the recipe calls for turkey breast, but the smallest turkey breast at my local grocer was 4 pounds….and ma’am, that’s far too much turkey for me. So, I decided to do turkey thighs instead simply because I could get one to two pounds of it. I’ve done buttermilk brined chicken before and it is soooo good, so figured this would be a good way for me to venture into cooking turkey / making a holiday meal. I will be adjusting the measurements depending on the exact weight of my turkey.
Brown Butter Skillet Cornbread
I cannot stress this enough…this is the best cornbread I’ve ever had. Making cornbread from scratch is easy and worth it. If you take any suggestion from this “menu”, let it be this cornbread. I usually do about a ⅓ proportion of what the recipe calls for because I typically use a small pan, but I might go for the full 12-inch pan of cornbread this time...it’s that good. (I know this pic is not ~ gourmet ~ but I needed a pic, lol)
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic
If you love crispy brussels sprouts, then this is a great recipe for you. When the sprouts are nearly done, with like 2 to 3 minutes left, I like to drizzle them with a bit of honey.This results in a yummy, crunchy, salty, sweet side.
I typically just use common sense when it comes to making mashed potatoes, but since I’ll have more time to cook, I’m going to give this recipe a go. I *love* potatoes and garlic, so this is perfect.
I picked up some pears at the farmers market, so I think I'm going to make a tart or a crumble. I've never made a crust before, so this could be fun.
Happy Thanksgiving, friends!
Happy Monday, friends! This is the perfect on the go, have on hand breakfast meal. I made these burritos to freeze and eat over the next couple of weeks. All of the dEATs are below and I got all of the ingredients at Trader Joe’s. #TJsforlife
Ingredients
- 2lbs of sweet potatoes
- 10 large tortillas
- Holy guacamole or avocado
- 5 whole eggs*
- 5 egg whites (I used the carton from TJs)*
- Black beans
- Salsa
- Bake the sweet potatoes until soft
- Combine eggs and egg whites in an oiled pan over medium heat and scramble
- Let eggs and sweet potatoes cool before assembling the burritos
- Now, assemble the bad boys! Try to keep all of the ingredients in the center of the tortilla to make the burrito rolling easier and layer in whatever order you like
To freeze these, I wrapped the burritos in plastic wrap then foil, but feel free to follow whatever method you usually use to freeze foods. You can reuse the foil for future meal prep to help cut down on waste.
To reheat, place burrito on a microwave safe dish and reheat in increments of 30 seconds until hot. I reheated one of these on a Saturday for a pre-workout meal and then quickly crisped up the tortilla in a pan on the stovetop - so good!
- Lightly salted rice cakes
- Ripe avocado
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel seasoning
- Salt
- Pepper
- Eggs
- The night before, boil your eggs so they are ready to go in the morning. Boiled eggs will keep for 1 week in the fridge, peeled or unpeeled, so plan accordingly.
- Put the toppings on the rice cakes the day you will eat them so that they do not get soggy
Study abroad is great, but I think one of the greatest difficulties is acclimating to a new diet in a new place. This is especially difficult when you're doing a homestay and eating meals prepared by the family. Unless you're a total butthole, you eat what is given to you so as to not seem like the rude American, barring it's something you're allergic to, health reasons, etc. Even common dietary restrictions in America, like being a vegetarian, can put a relative strain on your host family for any number of reasons -- veggies can be expensive and sometimes not as readily available as they are stateside.
For me, it's been difficult transitioning to a diet that where meat is a staple. Back in Chicago, I just about never cook or eat meat -- the rare occasion is when I am cooking for friends and roommates, or eating out. But I'm a broke boy anyway, so eating out doesn't happen often. My host mom has been gracious enough to not serve me any beef or pork, and only makes dishes with chicken, turkey or fish. I also get lots of fresh veggies everyday, which is so great, but also not common when speaking to other students in my program.
This is my second time doing a study abroad program and along the way I have picked up a few things about living and eating in homestays. Oh, and some pics of what I've been eating in my homestay are included, too.
1. Eat all your veggies + fruit! And eat some more! This is the most elementary rule from when you were young. Bring it back and say it over and over again as your scarf down the broccoli and squash you haven't liked since you were six. Here in Mexico, the vegetarian options I have encountered in restaurants tend be dishes with mushrooms...mushrooms are great, but a diversity of veggies is even better and nutritious. So, when you get the veggies at home, just eat 'em. Fruit is easy because it's sweet, but eat that, too. It's rare to see fruit available at restaurants here; it's sold widely on the street, but as with street food anywhere, you have to be careful.
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| Breakfast: Quesadillas filled with cheese and turkey ham, tomatoes, beans, and fruit cup of watermelon and pineapple |
2. You can ask for more or less food. There is nothing wrong with letting your host parents know that they give you too much or too little food. Nobody is tryna waste food or go hungry. In Spain, I sometimes asked for more food, but here in Mexico, I asked for less food. My host mom here is like the grandmother who is always worried you're not eating enough, so she gives us *lots* of food. But, in the end, it's better for everyone when there's less food waste. It might seem weird to ask for less or more food, but your host family wants you to be well at the end of the day...so let them help you be well.