Excerpts from My 2023 Christmas/Holiday Menu | Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Farmer's Market Visit
Happy New Year!
If you’ve been reading Threads, you know I curated a Christmas/Holiday Menu this past holiday season, and I am tremendously delighted to share some excerpts from it with you.
Most ingredients sourced are organic and farm-fresh. Please use this post as inspiration to visit your local farmer’s market!
I have found that making the switch to farmer’s market-based shopping lists has not only increased my household consumption of in-season goodness but also at a fraction of the price at the grocery store! I am consuming fewer plastic items and finding new ways to use all the parts of food, sometimes even pickling and drying food scraps, with much success. Not to mention, the food doesn’t travel far to arrive at one’s table. Everything tastes fresher than the grocery store, and you can rest easy knowing that animal-based products are ethical. Most animal-based products are often pasture-raised, meaning that the animals who have supplied these goods haven’t lived in cooped-up cages just to be used for commodity. Don’t just take my word for it! Find out for yourself!
Here are a few tips for getting the most out of your local farmer’s market visit:
1. Bring reusable bags
→ Paperbags work very well for carrying produce and can be reused
→ Mason jars are great for herbs and spices
2. See what’s in for the season before you go
→ I like visiting the Seasonal Food Guide website linked here (for those in the US)
→ You can also search Pinterest for free infographics depending on where you live in the world
→ A quick Google search will also prove to be fruitful! (Pun intended!)
3. Bring cash
→ A lot of stalls are incorporating wireless payments, but to be prepared, it’s best to bring cash (you can better manage your budget this way, too!)
4. Ask questions!
→ Every vendor has a unique story to tell! My partner and I learned so much about microgreens just by chatting with a microgreens farmer! If we hadn’t stopped to speak with them, we never would have learned so much new information!
5. Most importantly, TRY SOMETHING NEW!
→ When was the last time you tried something for the first time?
→ My partner and I recently tried blue eggs for the first time. It was a memorable experience that probably wouldn’t have meant as much had we picked up such an item at the grocery store. If we hadn’t gone to the farmer’s market with an open mind, we never would have developed a new taste ^.^!
6. Use your food scraps!
→ Saving roots from green onions/chives and re-planting them means you won’t have to buy more constantly
→ Freezing vegetable scraps and boiling them down into a broth can make the most savory ramen
→ Pickling the stems of vegetables can result in salsas or toppings for food
→ I like to freeze potato peelings to add to water to feed my house plants! It acts as a natural fertilizer!
→ Drying the tops of carrots (carrot greens) results in a versatile herb that can be a beautiful addition to a variety of seasonings/recipes
Stream TYMATTS wherever you listen to music!
Without further ado, here are some excerpts from my 2023 Christmas/Holiday Menu.
Breakfast: Tater Tot Casserole
Recipe: Recipe linked from the Pioneer Woman
Fresh from the oven!
This breakfast Tater Tot Casserole from the Pioneer Woman was so easy to make, and I prepped it the night before, so all I had to worry about was pre-heating the oven in the morning while we opened presents!
I used diced pickled and fresh jalapenos instead of pimentos. If you like bacon, add more to the recipe. I used an entire package of bacon, and we still thought it could have used more!
Libations: T+V’s Famous Christmas Drinks
Cheers!
Recipe:
Serves 2
1-2 cups of Prosecco
3 cups of Ginger Beer
2 cups of Pomegranate Juice
(You can also use Pom-Cran Juice)
2-4 fresh rosemary branches and sprigs (for garnish)
(Use two large branches if you want mini Christmas tees in your glass! You can, of course, re-use the branches between drinks)
2 large blood oranges, one for juice and the other sliced for garnish
Pomegranate arils (for garnish)
Cranberries (for garnish)
Ice cubes
Tip: You can prep some of the rosemary, orange slices, cranberries, and pomegranate arils in an ice cube tray with water to make festive cubes when using translucent glasses.
1. Place ice cubes into two glasses
2. Pour in ½ of the ginger beer, pomegranate juice, and prosecco between the two glasses
3. Squeeze in a blood orange half into each glass
4. Drop a piece of rosemary into each glass
(Hello, Christmas trees!)
5. Sprinkle with pomegranate arils, bits of blood orange, and cranberries
6. Voila! Enjoy with your loved one(s)
Tip: You can make mocktails by substituting the prosecco for sparkling water. We like to swap with Topo Chico Lime sparkling water when not in the mood for an alcohol-based beverage.
We make these drinks every holiday! Here’s a snap from our previous Christmas!
Main Course: Roasted Chicken in Herbed Bone Broth
Tip: Make the broth well beforehand!! Don’t leave this to chance!! You can also purchase a nice organic bone broth if you’re in a pinch.
Recipe:
Serves 2-4
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
8 garlic cloves, smashed
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon Cavender’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning
½ teaspoon fresh minced rosemary
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon lemon juice
4 lbs of chicken breast, at room temperature
1 large onion, cut into wedges
1 cup of chicken bone broth
(We like Kettle & Fire bone broth when we don’t already have broth prepped in the freezer)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1. Prep the chicken breasts by lightly slicing into the top layer of skin
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
3. Mix the butter with the minced garlic, herbs, and lemon juice; season with Cavender’s, salt, and pepper
4. Pat the chicken breasts dry and brush them in the seasoned butter on both sides, turning once; season with extra salt and pepper
5. Set the chicken breast in a single-layer ceramic or metal baking dish and scatter with onions and fresh rosemary
6. Pour in ½ cup of bone broth
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked and no longer pink
(Turn the chicken halfway and cover it with the remaining bone broth)
8. Turn the broiler on high for the last 3-5 minutes to crisp the outside of the chicken until golden brown
9. Remove the chicken from the oven and plate it for rest, tent with aluminum foil for 10 minutes
10. You can use the drippings and remaining roasted broth as an au jus. Simply add the pan drippings and broth to a small pot under medium-high heat, add a sprinkle of flour to thicken, and serve alongside the chicken
11. Serve the chicken warm, and enjoy!
The most important ingredient of all — LOVE!
Side: Creamy Kitchen Aid Mashed Potatoes
Tip: Use heavy cream for full-bodied mashed potatoes.
Recipe: Recipe linked from The Family Food Kitchen
Side: Crisp Green Beans with Sundried Tomatoes
I have been making this recipe for at least five years! It is always a star side dish. Try it for yourself.
Recipe:
Serves 2-4
3lb green beans
3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
4 shallots, minced
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, diced
2 tbsp lemon zest
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add green beans and cook for 2-3 minutes.
2. Prepare an ice bath while green beans are cooking
(Ice cold water and ice cubes in a big bowl)
3. Drain boiled green beans and plunge into an ice bath to stop cooking
4. Refrigerate beans until ready to cook
(Make the green beans beforehand and store them in the fridge until it’s time to cook and serve)
5. Remove sun-dried tomatoes from the jar, and press out the remaining oil and dice smaller if necessary
6. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat
Add shallots and cook until tender this happens quickly, around 2 minutes at the very most
7. Add tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes
8. Add green beans, lemon zest, salt, and pepper
9. Cook until green beans heat through about 4-5 minutes
10. Serve warm!
(*With stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce! We like to order ours from Polly’s Pie’s.)
Dessert:
Bottega Louie Macarons, Sarri’s Pretzels, with even more of our Famous Christmas Drinks, and ice cream!
No recipe is needed, unless you’re feeling adventurous. (I am planning to dive into macaron-making later this year. Do you have any recommendations?) If you’re ever in Pittsburgh or various areas in Pennsylvania, we highly recommend visiting Sarri’s! If you’re ever in Los Angeles, stop by Bottega Louie. Delicious treats all around!
Have a sweet day!