Sinus Clearing Thai Turkey Soup

I hope everyone south of the border had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday, filled with family, friends and food! Now, I know that food is probably the last thing you want to think about - especially leftover turkey - but considering it's the grand pooh-bah of shopping days today a quick meal packed with handy, healthy ingredients is the perfect thing to savour after the hubbub. 

Of course, a regular old turkey noodle soup is fine and dandy... but if I just ate my way through a weekend of poultry, stuffing (or not... ew), mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, I want something a bit less traditional. Something exotic, spicy and lighter-textured. Something like a brothy Thai-inspired rice soup bowl.

Not only is this a great soup for using up leftover turkey and carrots, but it's a perfect menu fixture for this cold and flu season. I don't know about you, but in my experience working in the classroom I have seen a few rounds of the Fall / Winter snifflies so far, and undoubtedly there will be more to come. With all the vitamins and minerals packing these (gluten free) bowls - from the shredded heirloom carrots and roasted skinless turkey to a handful of garlic cloves, minced kale, coconut water, dried spices and black rice - your body will be getting a warm hug from the inside at the same time as an all-natural flu shot! For extra "insurance" (and my personal favourite culinary decongestant), I jacked up the zip with some of our homegrown Thai chiles. Those will definitely wake you up from your turkey nap - and scare off any colds lurking in your midst!

Shared with Waste Not Want Not Wednesday and Gluten Free Fridays

Apple Cheesecake Caramels #12WksXmasTreats

I've always been a sucker for cheesecake. I remember the first time I snuck a taste of my mom's cherry-topped slice at a restaurant - my eight year old self thought I had found nirvana. Since then, I've tried many variations on the theme... New York style with all sorts of fruit toppings, caramel brownie (my favourite), chocolaccino, Italian ricotta-marscapone mixtures and even the (not so good) low fat "Weight Watchers" type with pureed cottage cheese. When I started to bake my own cheesecakes, I discovered a "secret" ingredient to prevent cracking and maintain the luxuriously silky texture (silken tofu) and I've never looked back.

The past couple of years, though, I've been turning my attention to the realm of candy-making - mostly due to the host of inspiration I found when reviewing The Liddabit Sweets Candy Cookbook. It was this book that drove me to make Nut and Seed Nougat for the holidays last year, and more recently gave me the impetus to get messy with Soft and Chewy Chocolate Candies. Eventually I got around to scanning the plethora of caramel options, causing me to find their ricotta-laced variation. With the abundance of apples (and lack of the original figs) in our kitchen, I remembered the Apple Butter Cheesecake from a few years ago and decided to try recreating it - in a bite sized, chewy caramel form.

I began by making a batch of Richer Ricotta, which I then pureed with buttermilk powder, salt, sugar and an ingredient normally foreign to my kitchen - Baboo milk from Natrel. This dairy product is essentially a super-fortified milk, containing cream, whey powder, milk and extra vitamins, and comes in a tetra-pak. It's billed for children transitioning from formula to standard dairy milk, and when I received a coupon for a free box in the mail I was surprised (not having, nor planning to have, children) but decided to check it out. The fat content was slightly lower than heavy cream but high enough to stay homogeneous with heat, so I picked up a container to cook with. I have to say, it made some darn good caramels - and never risked scorching like it's pure dairy cousins.

The caramel mixture also got kisses of flavour from local honey, salted cultured butter and a concentrated apple flavour, which cooked to a rich toffee brown before coating home-dried apples and being poured onto a graham cracker base. The finished candy was a blend of crisp and chewy, sweet and tangy, fruity and creamy - a perfect harmony for Fall which made it into my Halloween "loot bags" for the teachers at school and one that I'm going to do again for our Christmas dessert table!

There are only three weeks left in the 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats hosted at Meal Planning Magic - yikes! Be sure to check out all the offerings from the season - you're sure to find a few favourites!

Yoghurt Drops (for Rodents)

With all the treats and delicious food that comes our way this time of year, it's easy to forget that our pets deserve a little something in their stockings too! For us, we have one "group" stocking for all 10 animals (not counting fish) - we have 3 cats, a dog and my sister's 6 adorable rats.

Yes, rats. Most people think the idea of rats is creepy or weird, but they are friendly and have personalities that are more complex than some people I know!

Now, my sister being who she is, these are some pampered creatures. They go to the vet, have 2 cages (one in her "student" home, one in our living room), get special food and are even bathed! Of course, this all costs a pretty penny, and as a student she needs to save her cents! For the holidays, I decided to take on the task of making the furballs one of their favourite snacks - yoghurt drops. The rats love yoghurt in general (and it is quite cute to watch them eat it), and the drops are a sweet treat once in a while that they go nuts for!

If you have rodents, you know how expensive their treats can be - but for the price of a tub of Greek yoghurt (or even cheaper, homemade yoghurt), skim milk powder, gelatine and the crushed dregs of breakfast cereal, you can make your own. These stay shelf-stable if you take the dehydrator step, but if you don't have one, no worries - they keep perfectly fine in the freezer.

Have you ever made your own pet treats? What pets do you keep at home?

Eggless Herb and Garlic Fresh Pasta for a Thankful #SundaySupper

Friends. Like the most precious of gems, true ones are hard to find, and harder to keep. Unlike cold stone though, friends can provide warmth, true happiness, a listening ear or a gentle, caring touch when the rest of the world is cold and grey. Unfortunately, you can't buy friend-surance, and you can't bribe a scorned past amigo to trust you again. I lost two of my best friends from highschool over one of the most inane pursuits of my life - a boy - thinking that they would always be there. Now, their absence is omnipresent and a reminder to cherish the ones you have as comrades. Love may be fleeting, but a friendship is like a garden. Nurture it and it stays beautiful, neglect it and it dies.

I suppose I shouldn't be overly shocked that I don't have many friends outside of the blogging realm. Food blogging is still somewhat strange to those around me, and people don't understand the passion for cooking that we share. That said, my blogging friends (like everyone in the #SundaySupper group) are an amazing network that I can only pray stays healthy and vibrant, and those who I've met in person are just as much so.

In terms of non-virtual human contact, I find it tricky. I'm not an overly extroverted person, and since I don't drink or party there aren't a whole lot of social avenues outside school that make sense. I managed to make a few great friends in my Montessori training, and in particular I owe not only my school success but my emotional benefit to one of them. It was for him that I made this batch of pasta dough - being an Italian food lover and a budding home cook with limited time and resources to buy more "gourmet" items like artisanal, preservative free pasta, I knew that this small gift of a herb and garlic laced dinner option would be appreciated. It is in no way equal to the benefits I've been given, but with luck our friendship will stay fast and I will be able to give back.

While our Canadian Thanksgiving was over a month ago, I believe that it isn't just one day that matters to give thanks, but every day. Not only do we have the luxury of living in a safe, warm and caring environment, but we have the chance to go to school, have careers, choose and practice our religious and lifestyle preferences, eat wholesome food (even to the point of too much at times) and realize our dreams. No matter how tough and unfair things seem on a given day, simply being alive is a gift.

Our #SundaySupper group is giving thanks for what we have this week, and sharing tales of our good fortunes along with fare fit for the festive season. I suppose my pasta isn't really "dinner party" food (unless you're talking about the Italian Christmas Eve carbo-loading fest), but it is a great "make on the weekend and freeze or dry" ingredient for a fast, delicious and different dinner side after a day at the mall shopping for gifts. Paula of Vintage Kitchen Notes is our host this week - thanks Paula!

Appetizers

Harvest Soup from Bea of The Not So Cheesy Kitchen 

Horseradish Cranberry & Herbed Cheese Bites from Jen of Juanita's Cocina

Savory Rosemary Baklava with Brie from Christie of A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

 

Savoury Breads & Stuffings

Cloverleaf Rolls from Micha of Cookin' Mimi

Freeze and Bake Buttermilk Biscuits from Stacy at Food Lust People Love
Picnic Roll from Linda of The Urban Mrs

Raspberry and Brie Crescent Rolls from Karen of In The Kitchen With KP
Cornbread Stuffing with Chorizo and Craisins from Isabel at Family Foodie
Easy Gluten-Free Corn "Bread" Stuffing from Laura at Small Wallet Big Appetite

Mains
Eggless Herb and Garlic Fresh Pasta from Sarah at What Smells So Good?
Honey Orange Turkey Breast from Cindy at Cindy's Recipes and Writings
Sides

Brussels Sprout Latkes from Susan atThe Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
Cheesey Scalloped Potatoes from Shaina at Take A Bite Out Of Boca
Cornucopia Sweet Potato Barley Salad from Wendy at The Weekend Gourmet
Creamy Scalloped Corn from Alaiyo at Pescetarian Journal
Fried Smashed Potatoes from Renee at Kudos Kitchen by Renee
Grandpa's Simple Stuffing from Bobbi at Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
Green Beans with Pecans and Cranberries from Tara at Noshing With The Nolands
Honey and Cinnamon Glazed Sweet Potatoes from Jennifer at Peanut Butter and Peppers
Italian American Turkey Dressing from Anne at Webicurean
Loaded Mashed Potato Bake from Lori at Foxes Love Lemons
Maple Sweet Potatoes with Browned Butter Pecan Topping from Brianne at Cupcakes and Kale Chips
Mushroom and Barley Casserole with Bacon, Gruyere and Spinach from Heather at Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries and Blue Cheese from Sarah at Curious Cuisiniere

Desserts & Sweet Breads

Almond Brioche Sticky Buns from Alice at Hip Foodie Mom
Baked Caramel Apple Cider Donuts from Nicole at Daily Dish Recipes

Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie from Cheryl at Hot Momma's Kitchen Chaos
Blue Ribbon Meyer Lemon Mascarpone Cheesecake from Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious
Bourbon Pecan Pie from Julie atThe Texan New Yorker
Chocolate Moussecake from Liz at That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Cinnamon Rolls from Conni at The Foodie Army Wife
Gingered Butternut Squash Tart from Renee of Magnolia Days
Hanukkah Lemon Star Cookies from Shannon at Killer Bunnies, Inc

Manischewitz, Cranberry Double Holiday Donuts from Kim at Ninja Baking 

Mini Maple Sweet Potato Tarts from Holly at Mess Makes Food
Mini Pumpkin Pies from Nichole at Casa de Crews
Mom's Custard Pie from Courtney at Neighborfood

No Bake Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake from Tammi of Momma's Meals
Plum and Blackberry Crumble from Katy at Happy Baking Days
Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake from Heather at girlichef
Salted Butterscotch Pudding from Jane at Jane's Adventures in Dinner

Salted Caramel Apple Pie from Laura at Pies and Plots
Sweet Potato Pecan Gingersnap Pie from Paula at Vintage Kitchen Notes

All American Wine Pairing Guide for Being Thankful #SundaySupper  from Martin at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter tonight - we tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world! Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET.  Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat.

Also, check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here.

Fresh Egg Pasta

Few things are as simple and perfect as real, fresh pasta. However, most of us don't have the luxury of nonnas slaving away in our kitchens every afternoon, churning out linguine, spaghetti and tagliatelle in time for us to make dinner. Most of us Westerners (me included) also abuse our pasta by drowning it in sauce and/or cheese - meaning the fine qualities of an artisan pasta are lost anyway.

All this means that when the opportunity to experience the process of making, cooking and eating homemade noodles arises, it is something to savour. The flavour of the silky smooth semolina and egg dough is unlike anything you can buy (fresh or dried), and after the briefest of boils it only takes a mere drizzle of flavourful extra virgin olive (or camelina) oil, maybe a grind or two of black pepper and a clove of minced garlic to achieve the pinnacle of taste. Anything heavier than a light (light!) tomato concasse or a true (i.e. cream-free) carbonara preparation would smother the tender noodles and kill their unique golden hue and rich flavour.

While pasta is inherently simple to make (I'm not talking about the Chinese lye-water noodles, mind you), it does take time and patience. These eggy strands can be tricky (and sticky) to get through the pasta machine (mine couldn't get the dough narrower than linguine), and like pie crust and cookies the mixture is best worked with after a rest period of at least an hour, preferably overnight. However, it is that kind of care that comes through in the finished product... and how can you go wrong with something that tastes like your heart and soul went into it?