Winter

At most supermarkets, shiitakes aren't cheap so they have to be used sparingly. But at Asian markets, they're inexpensive. $3.99/pound at Mitsuwa in Santa Monica and $2.69/pound at SF Supermarket in Little Saigon. At those prices, it's reasonable to buy several pounds.

In general, shiitakes come in two forms: the slender stemmed variety and the ones which are fatter, with thicker stems and caps. Mitsuwa and SF Supermarket sell the fatter variety, which have a meater flavor.

With so many on hand, they can be used liberally in pastas and soups, grilled, and sautéed with garlic and shallots.

But how to store the ones not eaten those first couple of days?

I know, I know, it's the day after Thanksgiving and who needs stuffing. It's like the Christmas cookie recipe the day after Christmas. Useless. However, since I use my own food blog as a recipe book (I don't have a little binder with secret/favorite recipes), I have a couple stuffing recipes I have to catalog for next year. This is one of them.

Food & Wine Magazine touted this as the quintessential stuffing to pair with Pinot Noir so of course I had to make it. It was very well received and requested again next year.

It definitely deviates from traditional stuffing but I believe every Thanksgiving table should have old stand-bys and new fangled recipes. I also believe there should be at least two kinds of stuffing.

This recipe was excellent. I loved the use of fresh fennel as well as fennel seeds and the dried figs. Slightly sweet and fragrant from the herbs, this was a definite treat to have at the table.

Since a lot of folks also serve turkey for Christmas, maybe this stuffing will grace your holiday table.

This is a delicious fall/winter soup that makes a perfect first course at Thanksgiving. It’s packed with carrot flavor that’s enhanced by a double dose of ginger.

Cook’s Illustrated suggested adding fresh carrot juice to enhance the flavor of the soup which really appealed to me. I’ve been using my Hurom Slow Juicer to create all types of fresh, nutritious vegetable and fruit juices, so making fresh carrot juice is quick and easy.

If you don’t have a juicer, bottled carrot juice will also work just fine.

Quinoa, an ancient South American grain, has multiple uses like breakfast cereal, a side dish, and even a quick bread. The best thing about Quinoa is its nutritional value: it is high in protein and fiber; it is perfect for those who maintain a gluten-free diet. This bread recipe uses gluten-free flour, making it suitable and highly enjoyable for this special diet. You can use any pre-mixed gluten-free flour like I did, or make your own mix. It should contain a few different flours like garbanzo, rice, or quinoa flour and starches like potato or tapioca.

Since banana bread is one of my favorite breads and also a favorite for many, I think this recipe is highly appealing to everyone and not just those on gluten-free diets. I mix in dried cranberries for a little tartness. You can add any dried fruits or nuts such as raisins, cherries, walnuts, or pecans. For a sweetener, I like to add a little honey, which lends a floral scent, and sugar rounds out the sweetness. Enjoy for breakfast with coffee or with an afternoon cup of tea.