side dish – In Good Taste

Israeli Couscous with Butternut Squash and Cranberries

Maris Callahan — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 18:12:56 +0000

I decided today that 2014 is going to be The Year of Saying No. That might seem negative or pessimistic, but I am a people pleaser. As someone who will say yes to a conference call even if it means being double-booked, an evening meeting with a client even when I had my heart set on kickboxing or a social obligation when I’m dead tired because I’m afraid of missing out, it’s finally occurred to me that I need to have boundaries. When I worked at my first public relations job in New York, I was petrified of being fired. I was never at any time actually at risk of losing my job, but in a cutthroat, competitive industry I was afraid that the slightest slip or mistake would result in the unemployment line or worse, moving back home with my parents. Even when my workload was two or three times what it should have been, I felt compelled to take on every extra assignment and every request from my boss with enthusiasm (my boss was just as stretched as I was at the time, if not more since she had the responsibility of running the department). This displaced dedication contributed […]

The post Israeli Couscous with Butternut Squash and Cranberries appeared first on In Good Taste.

Better Late than Never: Sweet Potato-Apple Latkes

Maris Callahan — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 06:11:47 +0000

The holidays might be over but I haven’t exactly been consistent posting here lately. It seems oddly appropriate that when everyone is getting ready to shelve the flour, butter and sugar for the season, I would be first getting around to posting a recipe for latkes. Though I haven’t been doing much posting lately, it isn’t for lack of cooking. I’m not exactly sure what I’ve been lacking, besides time, which is a common theme, but certainly no excuse for failing to share what’s been going on in my kitchen: apple brandy punch, baked brie with cherry preserves, caramelized onion and bacon dip, chocolate crinkle cookies, peppermint mocha whoopie pies. We’ll talk more about all of that later. As long as you don’t ask me to get on a scale. Today, the name of the game is Hanukkah. Sweet potatoes are in my refrigerator throughout the year but I am sure that whoever is responsible for sweet potato distribution sees an uptick during the holiday season when marshmallow-topped sweet potato casseroles seem to be appearing on everyone’s tables. If you have some leftover, a great way to liven up the plates of leftovers you’re probably still gorging on is to […]

The post Better Late than Never: Sweet Potato-Apple Latkes appeared first on In Good Taste.

Tri-Color Roasted Cauliflower

Maris Callahan — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 06:58:41 +0000

I’d never understood when people would tell me that they didn’t have time to cook. If you have time to eat, then you probably have time to cook. Well, it turns out there are people who don’t have time to eat and I’ve become one of them. Between my restaurant job, client work and writing I clock in about 120 hours of work per week – which is enough work for three people. Which leaves less kitchen time than I’m used to. So, I understand what people say when they claim that they have no time to cook. Working in a restaurant, I can usually eat at work and when I wake up, I’m typically too tired to want anything heavier than coffee and cereal or a Luna Bar. Sad, but true. But, no matter how much I work, I’m not happy unless I’m dirtying at least half of the dishes in my kitchen on a daily basis so I have been cranking out some of my favorite recipes – new and old. If you don’t have a lot of time to cook there is no law that says you need to create entire, elaborate meals, even though you might […]

The post Tri-Color Roasted Cauliflower appeared first on In Good Taste.

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes Stuffed with Blue Cheese and Spinach

Maris Callahan — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 22:50:07 +0000

Raise your hand if you like sweet potatoes. Actually, don’t raise your hand. Because if you’re home alone at your computer and you raise your hand, that will just look weird. And if you’re in a public place, like work or Starbucks, your raised hand might attract some unwanted attention. Perhaps even from your boss who isn’t aware that you spend the better half of your afternoon reading blogs. I digress. Yesterday for lunch I had some ingredients I wanted to use up so that they’d be gone and I could finally justify a trip to the grocery store. Among them were frozen chopped spinach, sweet potatoes and goat cheese [along with some other staples that I need not bore you by listing off]. Sometimes I can’t really put my finger on what inspires me to take a certain combination of ingredients and turn them into a recipe. This is one of those occasions. Save Print Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes Stuffed with Blue Cheese and Spinach Author: Maris Callahan Recipe type: Cooking for One or Two, Worknight Dinners Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 15 mins Serves: 1 Ingredients 4 medium sweet potatoes (about the size of your […]

The post Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes Stuffed with Blue Cheese and Spinach appeared first on In Good Taste.

Whole Wheat Stuffing with Apples, Chestnuts & Sour Cherries

Maris Callahan — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 13:00:00 +0000

I grew up on boxed stuffing, which certainly isn’t bad but think about what it is – over-seasoned bread cubes in a cardboard container. Boring. For the longest time I’ve been loyal to a cornbread stuffing with dried cranberries from Cooking Light that I’ve adapted so much that the original recipe developer probably wouldn’t recognize it. This year I realized that there is a world beyond cornbread stuffing, however delicious it might be, and opted to experiment with a whole wheat baguette and the various ingredients I had in my fridge: apples, chestnuts and sour cherries. Homemade stuffing is a little bit time-consuming, but if you’re making it on Thanksgiving day, this recipe’s saving grace is that you can cook it on the stovetop, leaving your oven free for more important things, like a big fat turkey. Save Print Whole Wheat Stuffing with Apples, Chestnuts & Sour Cherries [Cutlery Giveaway Winner] Author: Maris Callahan Recipe type: Holiday Recipes, Cooking for a Crowd Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 45 mins Total time: 1 hour Serves: 12 servings Ingredients 1 day-old loaf whole wheat baguette, cubed 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 4¼ cups homemade vegetable stock 1 cup celery, medium dice 1 cup white onion, […]

The post Whole Wheat Stuffing with Apples, Chestnuts & Sour Cherries appeared first on In Good Taste.