Caramelized Fennel Linguine

Today’s Caramelized Fennel Linguine is a tidy little recipe. Minimal ingredients, minimal prep, and a dead simple method. But just because this recipe is short on flourishes doesn’t mean it isn’t toe-curlingly delicious. This pasta dish features caramelized wedges of fennel dressed with a kiss of sherry, a whole lot of butter, and a healthy sprinkling of shredded Grana Padano cheese. Served in a tangle of al dente linguine and finished with toasted breadcrumbs, fennel fronds, and a dollop of creme fraiche, this dish delivers balanced perfection with minimal fuss.
Curried Red Lentil Hummus

Hummus is a staple food in this house. My fridge feels naked without it, truth be told. And no, it’s not always a from-scratch gourmet situation. I’m not above grabbing a tub at the grocery store, particularly when I make the mistake of shopping while hungry. But when my stomach isn’t roaring and I have the gift of time and forethought, I prefer to make my hummus from scratch. And if I’m feeling adventurous, I like to fiddle with it quite a lot. Not all my hummus adventures are noteworthy. Some of them are noteworthy for less than positive reasons. But today’s Curried Red Lentil Hummus is a winner through and through. So let’s jump right in!
Invisible Apple Cheddar Cake

And just like that, it’s Thanksgiving weekend. Now, I would imagine you probably have your menu figured out, if not partially prepped. But I couldn’t resist debuting this Invisible Apple Cheddar Cake on the threshold of the holiday. Honestly, after having a slice of this beauty, I felt like I had to shout the recipe from the rooftops. But that’s not a very efficient form of communication, so a quick blog post it is. This cake is a salty/sweet riff on the classic French cake Gâteau Invisible. The cake gets its name from the thin slices of apples that seem to disappear within the cake’s batter. I upped the ante by adding a sharp cheddar to the cake. The cheese does make the apples more discernable but I think the flavor was worth the stylistic sacrifice.
Butternut Tamale Pie

In my neck of the woods, Thanksgiving is less than a week away and words cannot express how not ready I feel. I’ve complained about this a lot on this blog, but I don’t care, I’m going to say it again – Canadian Thanksgiving comes up way too quickly. I’m just not ready for the pumpkin pie of it all. But I will persevere and reacquaint myself with turkey brine. But before I get to the bird, there’s a little tradition I do on this blog every year. I give the holiday-loving vegetarians a meal option that doesn’t feel tacked together and isn’t just a plate of sides. This is a full-on main event designed to make omnivores jealous. And this year it’s this Butternut Tamale Pie.