Spring Thanksgiving

In my opinion, celebrating Thanksgiving just once a year is simply not adequate. I think it's such a totally awesome holiday that I usually choose to celebrate it at  least a few times a year. Last Saturday, Jay and I invited a bunch of our close friends over to celebrate Spring Thanksgiving, which we have declared to be on the second Saturday in March. When planning out the menu for this Thanksgiving, I thought I'd embrace the mood of springtime in each of my traditional dishes: I marinated the turkey in LOTS of parsley and garlic, along with the zest and juice of a few lemons and oranges. I added a few bunches of scallions to the stuffing, as well as a whole pound of cremini mushrooms. The mashed potatoes were flecked with minced parsley and contained a whole head of roasted garlic. And to the green bean casserole, I added oyster mushrooms and greened it up a bit with some chopped spinach. These classics, as always, were quite tasty.

 However, if you ask me, the most exciting part of my feast was totally the appetizers. It was through these dishes that I could express my love for springtime most completely. I chose to make a bright green cilantro-lime cheese ball containing minced jalapeno, cheddar cheese shreds, lime zest, and crushed toasted cumin seeds. I also whipped up a roasted yellow pepper and white bean topping, perfumed with sweet basil and parsely, to eat on baguette slices. But my very favorite dish of the evening was definitely the bacon-wrapped Brussel's sprouts. I really, really love Brussel's sprouts and, let me tell you, enveloping them with thick slices of peppered bacon and dousing them in balsamic vinegar and honey only makes them tastier! Here are the recipes for my springtime appetizers:

Cilantro-Lime Cheese Ball

1. In a small skillet, toast 1 teaspoon cumin seeds over medium-low heat. Pour onto a plate and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl mash together two 8-ounce packages softened cream cheese (let it sit out at room temperature for at least a couple hours), 6 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 4 ounces shredded Monterey jack cheese, 1 jalepeno (seeded and minced), 2 green onions (minced), the zest and juice of 1 lime, a handful of chopped cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Crush the cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder and add them to the cheese mixture. Stir, cover, and chill for about an hour.

2. Meanwhile, in a food processor, puree about 3 cups of torn baguette with a big handful of cilantro, a small handful of parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Process until the bread crumbs turn bright green. 

3. Once the cheese mixture has firmed up a bit, use your hands to shape it into a ball. Coat the ball with the green bread crumbs. Chill for at least one hour. Serve with tortilla chips.

Roasted Yellow Pepper and White Beans on Baguette Slices

If yellow peppers aren't available, red sweet peppers would be equally as tasty in this dish.

1. Roast 2 whole yellow peppers in a 425 F oven for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, cover with waxed paper or plastic wrap for about 15 minutes. Peel the loose skin from the peppers, remove the stem  and seeds, and slice into short strips.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the yellow pepper, 1 15-ounce can cannelini beans (drained and rinsed), 1 clove minced garlic, the juice of 1/2 a lemon, 1/4 cup olive oil, a handful of chopped parsley, a handful of chopped basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, a bit of freshly cracked pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Chill for about 1 hour.

3. About 30 minutes before serving, remove the mixture from the refrigerator. Serve with sliced baguette.

Bacon-Wrapped Brussel's Sprouts

1. Fill a medium saucepan about three-quarters full of water. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and bring to a boil. Trim the ends from 16 to 20 Brussel's sprouts. Dump them into the boiling water. Bring back to a boil. Cook the Brussel's sprouts for about 3 minutes, then remove them with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice water. Let sit for about 5 minutes.

2. Remove the Brussel's sprouts from the water. Blot them off with a paper towel. Wrap each Brussel's sprout with 1/2 slice of thick cut peppered bacon. Secure bacon with a toothpick. Place on a small parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cook at 325 F for about 45 minutes, or until the bacon is browned. Blot excess grease from the baking sheet. Drizzle the Brussel's sprouts with a few tablespoons balsamic vinegar and a little honey. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Cool about 10 minutes before serving.