This recipe comes from a new book, The Commonsense Kitchen (Chronicle, 2010), by Tom Hudgens, who cooked in the mess hall of Deep Springs College, a small, all-male liberal arts school on a cattle ranch and organic farm in California’s Sierra Nevada desert.

The broccolini goes right in with the pasta near the end of its cooking, for easy cleanup.

Serve with garlic breadsticks.

Wide Noodles with Broccolini, Feta, Lemon and Pine Nuts

Kosher salt

8 to 10 ounces dried wide egg noodles

1⁄2 cup pine nuts

1⁄2 medium lemon

12 ounces broccolini

1 or 2 pinches crushed red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Few grinds of black pepper

4-ounce block feta cheese (do not use crumbled)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a small, dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned, shaking them often to keep them from burning. Remove from the heat to cool.

Use a Microplane grater or zester to yield 1⁄2 teaspoon of lemon zest. If the broccolini stems are thick or tough, scrape them down with a vegetable peeler. Cut into smaller pieces as needed.

When the pasta is almost done, add the broccolini and cook just long enough to blanch it (no more than 4 minutes), until it is bright green and crisp-tender. Drain the pasta and broccolini into a large colander, reserving at least 1⁄4 inch of the cooking water in the bottom of the pot.

Transfer the pasta and broccolini to a wide, shallow serving bowl. Add the toasted pine nuts, lemon zest, crushed red pepper flakes to taste and 1 teaspoon of the oil; toss to incorporate. If the pasta seems dry, add some of the reserved cooking water and toss to combine. Season with black pepper to taste.

Add half of the feta cheese, crumbling it in your fingers as you work, then toss to incorporate. Crumble the remaining feta over the top, then drizzle with the remaining oil. Serve immediately.

Adapted from Tom Hudgens’ "The Commonsense Kitchen."

In 1991, the Center for Science in the Public Interest ranked the sweet potato as the No. 1 veggie based on its high natural sugar content, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C and calcium.

More recent scientific findings continue to build the case for the tubers. Sweet potatoes provide more calories, minerals and vitamin A but contain less protein than a white potato. The sweet potato is also high in antioxidants such as beta carotene, which may protect against some cancers, macular degeneration and heart disease.

So why do so many Americans reserve sweet potatoes for the holidays — usually in a casserole swimming in butter, brown sugar and marshmallows?

But sweet potato napoleons deconstruct the classic ’30s-era dish, returning the casserole ingredients to savory stardom without the drippy excess. Slices of sweet potato are caramelized in the oven, then the rounds are stacked with gooey mini-marshmallows within and heated again.

The culinary Napoleon actually has nothing to do with the famous French emperor. The Napoleon is an Italian dessert made of sheets of puff pastry layered with pastry cream. A shorter stacked dessert version is known as a Josephine.

Pump it up: The recipe below was tested with both peeled and unpeeled potatoes. Leaving the skin on the sweet potato adds fiber. The skin also contains three times more antioxidants than the flesh.

Sweet Potato Napoleons

Makes 10 servings

2 large sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Ground cinnamon
Ground nutmeg
40 miniature marshmallows

Preheat oven to 450°. Slice sweet potatoes into 1⁄2-inch slices. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray coating. Arrange sweet potato slices on baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 20 minutes or until just tender. Reduce oven temperature to 375°.

Blend butter and brown sugar. Add cinnamon and nutmeg to taste; blend well. Brush onto sweet potato slices. Arrange 4 miniature marshmallows upright on half of the potato slices. Stack a similar size potato slice on top of the marshmallows. Return to oven and continue baking 2 to 3 minutes or until marshmallows begin to melt.

Per serving: 65 calories (16 percent from fat), 1 gram total fat (1 gram saturated fat), 3 milligrams cholesterol, 13 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram protein, 19 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.

Recipe developed for The Kansas City Star by professional home economists Kathryn Moore and Roxanne Wyss.

Most of us think of chocolate as something just for dessert, but the Italians have been adding it to pasta, risotto, polenta and meat dishes for centuries.

“Chocolate, the ‘food of the gods,’ conquered not just the candy shop but also the kitchen,” says Riccardo Magni of ICAM, one of Italy’s premier chocolate makers, based in the city of Lecco in the northern region of Lombardy.

This is not so surprising if you reflect that the cacao bean, from which chocolate is made, is not itself sweet. In fact, the ancient dwellers of Mesoamerica mixed ground roasted cacao seeds, chile peppers, cornmeal, spices and water into a spicy, sacred brew.

As G.B. Mantelli, marketing director at Venchi, an artisanal chocolate company based in Turin, defines it, “Like so many other seeds — pepper, fennel, cardamom and caraway — cacao beans are a spice.”

Italian chefs noted this fact back in the 1500s when cacao beans first arrived from the New World, where the Maya and the Aztecs already had discovered its allure. The Italians immediately began experimenting with chocolate, adding it to many savory dishes.

“It’s only the addition of sugar that makes chocolate sweet. Fine dark chocolate, like fine wine, has an amazingly complex taste profile, with hundreds of distinct nuanced aromas and flavors,” continues Mantelli. “Chocolate is, or should be, in everyone’s spice rack.”

Among the most classic and simplest uses of chocolate in savory food is as a topping to certain pasta dishes. One simple recipe is to toss cooked pasta with ground walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese and top it with grated dark chocolate. Chocolate is also incorporated into fillings for ravioli, such as the Italian fall favorite pumpkin-chocolate ravioli served with a brown butter sage sauce.

Even pasta itself can be made with chocolate. It’s delicious served with meat or cheese sauces.

“Most recipes say to mix the flour and cacao powder together at the start,” explains Alessandra Bertucci, the third-generation owner of Pastificio Piemontese, an award-winning artisan pasta maker in Alessandria, Italy. “But we add the cacao powder later, after the dough has already gone through the pasta machine once or twice.”

This technique not only makes it much easier for the dough to hold together but also yields a more tender, flavorful pasta.

“Chocolate adds a lovely toasted flavor and a delicious aroma as well as infusing a dish with a silky finish,” notes Riccardo Ferrero, executive chef at Turin’s historic Del Cambio Restaurant. “Chocolate adds a lovely shine to sauces, much nicer than butter. It can be a prized flavor component for any course, in everything from antipasto to dessert. It’s wonderful in salad dressing, too, because chocolate mellows the vinegar’s acidity.”

Chocolate adds an accent to many of Del Cambio’s savory dishes, including some that have been on the menu for more than 100 years. One of the most popular is vitello brasato — braised veal — which is cooked in a sauce of Barolo wine finished with chocolate and served with polenta. Chef Ferrero also bakes delicious chocolate bread that he serves both in the restaurant’s breadbasket and with a selection of cheeses.

One of Italy’s popular savory chocolate creations is agrodolce, “sour and sweet” sauce for pork or wild game, made from reduced vinegar or wine seasoned with dark chocolate.

“In Tuscany, chocolate is a key ingredient with venison and wild boar,” notes Remo Vannini, executive chef of Florence’s L’Incontro at Hotel Savoy. “Like wine, vinegar or lemon juice, chocolate provides just the right touch of acidity. We Italians add a hint of chocolate to many sauces. Chocolate acts not only as an emulsifier, adding natural thickness to sauces, but also enhances the other flavors. It is wonderful with game meats, but lovely too with chicken and beef.”

Fabio Picchi, owner and chef of Florence’s famed Cibreo restaurant, fondly recalls enjoying savory chocolate dishes as a child in Florence.

“Cooking with chocolate has a long history here in Tuscany. My grandmother always cooked savory chocolate dishes on Sundays during the winter,” says chef Picchi, who serves an updated version of his grandmother’s “chocolate rabbit” at Cibreo, a delicate stew seasoned with candied orange peel.

Picchi waxes poetic on the subject of cooking with chocolate: “Chocolate’s flavors persists for hours; it’s one of the only foods with such lingering after-taste.”

Cooking with chocolate

Sprinkle cocoa nibs on polenta, rice, stuffing or baked potatoes. Add them to salads and soups for crunch, texture and nutty flavor.

Add a square or two of semi-sweet or dark chocolate to meat dishes, such as beef stew, chili, BBQ or pasta meat sauce, for an unexpected rich deep taste.

Add cocoa powder to your favorite bread recipe. Unsweetened chocolate bread is great with cheese.

White chocolate, which is made with cocoa butter, is delicious with seafood or cheese. Add a little to macaroni and cheese or cream soups, or melt it over baked fish.

Roasted Parsnip White Chocolate Soup

This is an amazingly delicious soup with just the perfect hint of white chocolate sweetness — a wonderful autumn treat.

Serves 8.

2 pounds parsnips (about 4 or 5 large parsnips)
1/4 cup extra virgin oil
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
2 large Vidalia onions, thinly sliced
2 quarts chicken stock
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Salt and pepper
1 cup white chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill leaves

Preheat oven to 400°. Peel and cut the parsnips into 1-inch slices, put on a baking sheet, and brush them lightly with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Roast the parsnips until they begin to soften, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium-low heat in a large stockpot and gently saute the onion until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, vanilla and roasted parsnips, and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, cover and let cook until the parsnips are very soft, about 20 minutes.

Stir the white chocolate into the soup and cook until melted, about 5 minutes.

Remove soup from the heat and stir in the cream. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Add the lime juice. Garnish with fresh dill.

Recipe courtesy of ICAM.

Risotto with Apricots and White Chocolate

Apricots add a lovely tart tang to this velvety white chocolate accented risotto. It’s a wonderfully festive, beautiful first-course dish.

Serves 4.

5 tablespoons cocoa powder
13⁄4 cups Arborio rice, about 12 ounces
4 tablespoons cocoa butter (available online or in health food stores) or butter
3 to 4 dried apricots, very finely minced
4 strands saffron, optional
4 ounces white chocolate, preferably ICAM
1⁄3 cup heavy cream
Salt

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the cocoa powder with 4 cups of water and bring to a low boil.

In a medium saucepan combine the rice and butter, and heat over medium flame until the rice is slightly toasted, about 6 minutes.

Add 1 cup of the hot cocoa water and stir until the water is absorbed. Add more, a little at a time, until the rice is tender, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, simmer the apricots, saffron (if using), white chocolate and cream until warm. Cover and reserve.

Remove the rice from the heat and stir in the white chocolate mixture. The rice should be fairly loose, almost like thick soup.

Season to taste with salt. Serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy of ICAM.

Chocolate Balsamic Vinaigrette

This dressing tastes as if it were made with expensive aged balsamic. The chocolate nicely mellows the acidity of the vinegar. It’s wonderful on all sorts of salad greens or steamed vegetables. It’s also great as a glaze on roast chicken.

Makes 1 cup of dressing

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 ounce dark chocolate (63 percent to 85percent cocoa solids)
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

Combine the vinegar and chocolate in a small saucepan, and heat over very low flame until the chocolate is melted and the vinegar reduced, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Recipe courtesy of ICAM.

Crostini with Gorgonzola, Pears and Chocolate

Gorgonzola’s sharp tang is perfectly mellowed by the chocolate in this simple, elegant and unusual Italian appetizer.

Serves 4.

4 ounces dark chocolate
8 slices of crusty bread, toasted
6 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, room temperature
2 ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
White pepper
Hazelnuts, toasted and crushed

Just before ready to serve, melt the 4 ounces of chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler. Reserve.

To assemble: Spread the Gorgonzola on each piece of bread and top with a few slices of pear and a pinch of white pepper. Drizzle the chocolate over the top and garnish with a few bits of crushed hazelnuts.

Recipe courtesy of Venchi.

Pasta with Sage and Chocolate

Chocolate adds an unexpected rich, deep flavor to this simple pasta sauce.

Serves 6.

1 pound spaghetti or fettuccine
8 tablespoons butter, 1 stick
4 shallots, finely minced
20 fresh sage leaves, plus more as garnish
Freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes
1⁄3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1-2 ounces Venchi Chocaviar bits, or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely grated

Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and saute the shallots and sage leaves, about 8 minutes, until the butter is golden brown.

Toss the pasta with the sage-shallot butter and about a 1⁄4 cup of the pasta’s cooking water. Season to taste with pepper.

Serve topped with the Parmesan cheese and a generous sprinkling of Chocaviar or grated chocolate. Garnish with sage leaves.

Recipe courtesy of G.B. Martelli of the chocolatier Venchi.

Palm Beach Post staff contributed to this story.

Bacon adds the smoky taste and the crunch to sweet potato smash. Brown sugar balances the savory taste. (Photo by Pam Brandon)

Special occasions during the holiday season call for a bit of glam — some extra smoke and sass to elicit oohs, ahhs and requests for third helpings.

Make over ordinary mashed sweet potatoes with crisp, smoky bacon and red onions caramelized in balsamic vinegar and brown sugar.

The result is colorful, decadent ’taters with a slight crunch and a tantalizing sweet-and-sour edge.

The perfect compliment for roast turkey, ham or even grilled fish—with nary a marshmallow in sight. Yam-amazing.

Smokin’ Sweet Potato Smash
Serves 6 to 8

1 pound bacon, chopped
1 red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
Coarse salt, freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 6 cups)
4 tablespoons butter, or more to taste

In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, brown the bacon until crisp. Drain the bacon on paper towels, reserving about 2 tablespoons of fat.

In the same pan, sauté the onion in reserved fat over medium heat for about 10 minutes, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Add the brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and sauté over medium-low heat for another five to 10 minutes, stirring often. Set aside.

As the onions caramelize, boil the sweet potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain the potatoes, return them to the pot and shake them over medium heat until the edges turn yellow. Turn off the heat. Using a potato masher, smash them to a desired consistency.

Stir in the butter, then gently toss with reserved bacon, caramelized onions. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper, if necessary. Cover and keep warm until serving.

Make spinach raita using Greek-style plain yogurt and add a squeeze of fresh lime juice. (Photo by Pam Brandon)

Sometimes we wonder if we’ve gotten it all wrong when it comes to yogurt. Oh sure, there’s low fat, no fat, fruit on the top and fruit down below.

Yogurt for babies, in tubes or to pour in a glass, the creamy, dreamy custard dressed up as tiramisù or chocolate cream pie.

Flipping through Indian, Greek and Middle Eastern cookbooks, we realize Americans are missing out on a slew of savory yogurt creations.

Basically, you can go crazy with yogurt as a base, mixing in our favorites such as carrots, cukes, spinach, nuts, raisins, ginger and roasted onions.

Look for Greek-style, whole-fat plain yogurt and have a squeeze of fresh lime on hand to balance flavors.

Spinach Raita

Serves 4 as a side dish

4 ounces fresh baby spinach
1 cup whole-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons finely minced red onion
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt, freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steam the spinach until tender but still bright green.

In a small bowl, combine yogurt, red onion, ginger paste, cumin, salt and pepper.

When the spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze to remove excess water and finely chop. Add to yogurt and stir thoroughly.

Chill for 30 minutes before serving.

Served as a side dish to meat, fish or poultry or mixed into salads and cooked grains, roasted root vegetables add distinctive harvest flair to any meal.

Roasted Fall Vegetables

2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 11/2-inch pieces
1 pound red new potatoes (about 6 potatoes), well scrubbed and quartered
1 pound sweet potatoes (about 4 medium potatoes), peeled and cut into 21/2-inch pieces
1 pound carrots (6 to 8 medium) cut into 11/2-inch pieces
1 pound parsnips (about 6 to 8) cut into 2-inch lengths
3 1/2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Course salt and ground pepper

Preheat oven to 450°. Divide vegetables between two baking sheets.

Toss with oil, ensuring all vegetables are evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper.

Roast until vegetables are crisp and tender (40 to 50 minutes), tossing vegetables halfway through.

Thanksgiving in South Florida promises a bounty of gifts made even more special when enjoyed among the flowers and foliage of our local settings.

The Palm Beach Post’s sirens of the celebrated sip gather at the home of Swirl Girl Earthy to share their favorite Thanksgiving dishes and wine pairings. It is a feast as eclectic as the girls themselves.

Click here to see more pictures from the Swirl Girls Thanksgiving!

Earthy brought the rum-laced sweet potatoes. Bold brought fresh green beans with crumbled goat cheese. Sweet brought something sweet — pecan pie. As for Dry, she roasted the centerpiece dish: duck breast with honeyed figs and pinot noir. An unconventional choice, yes, but a delectable one.

Add to the menu a heady progression of vino, from the bubbly to the sweet, and the culinary blessings multiply.

Jennifer Podis
Alias: EARTHY
I love Thanksgiving.

It’s not just about the food (although that’s part of it), and it’s not just about the wine (although that’s becoming a bigger part of it).

It’s about family.

Thanksgiving is the one time of year when my family, despite being scattered about the East Coast, works its hardest to arrange schedules so we can gather together and celebrate each other. When nieces and nephews began sprouting up 20 years ago, it became even more meaningful. Without kids of my own, my family is my core, despite the geographical distance between us. Family is my grounding in a sometimes charged existence.

At our Thanksgiving dinners — no matter where we congregate, whether in South Florida with Mom, in upstate New York at my sister’s or in New Hampshire at my brother’s house — there are certain dishes we serve that always remain the same. And I guess that’s part of the tradition behind such a holiday.

So, for the first Swirl Girls family Thanksgiving, we thought we would share with you our favorite dishes. Some have been passed down through generations, and others are just getting their start. And, of course, what would our holiday meal be without the proper wine to pair?

WHAT I BROUGHT
The salad:
Although salads take a back seat at my family’s Thanksgiving, the girls decided we should kick off our shared meal with fresh greens. I knew just the perfect salad to make. The “Autumn Dinner Salad” marries a variety of distinctive flavors over the mixed greens. What’s not to like about green apples, bleu cheese, candied walnuts and a balsamic vinaigrette?

When they heard me describe the salad during our menu planning session, Dry and Sweet knew just what wine we should pair with it — the Dr. Heidemanns Bernkastel Spatlese riesling we had poured at the March of Dimes Signature Chefs and Wine Extravaganza. It’s semi-sweet and has elegant hints of apricot with a touch of vanilla. The fruit is well-balanced with its slight acidity and minerality, and it combines oh-so-deliciously with the flavors of the sweet walnuts, the sharp, tangy cheese and the acidity of the balsamic.

The sweet potatoes:
If there were a version of The Newlywed Game in which members of a family were quizzed about the one must-have dish at their Thanksgiving celebration, ours would undoubtedly answer: sweet potato casserole.

This dish is so scrumptious that we even ate it when we were little kids. (Might have had something to do with the fact it was garnished with marshmallows arranged into a smiley face.)

My grandmother made it in some fashion for my mother when she was young, and then my mom crafted it into the dish I savor every November and the one I shared with the Swirl Girls.

Sweet potatoes alone, I love, but these spuds reach bliss when they’re mashed and blended to a smooth consistency with the help of orange juice, butter, brown sugar and spiced rum (or orange liqueur, if you prefer). Top them off with marshmallows during the last 15 minutes of baking and, when you dig the serving spoon into the hot casserole (and you know you’ll take a wide swath off the top to commandeer those ’mallows), releasing the sweet aromas, the melted white fluff drips like molasses from the utensil.

Mom also likes to add either mandarin orange or pineapple slices to accompany the marshmallows. These days I prefer pineapple since I can more easily cut them into shapes to design the “face” of the casserole!

Lynn Kalber
ALIAS: Bold
My task was to choose the starter wine, something to sip before the first dish. Then we decided we wanted a sparkling wine and the fun kicked in.

I’m not a huge sparkling wine fan. This was going to be a challenge for me. Luckily, I had a few newly published wine books, including two I turned to right away: Parker’s Wine Bargains: The World’s Best Wine Values Under $25 and The Wine Trials: A Fearless Critic Book.

Both focused on finding good, affordable wines, which is also the Swirl Girls’ goal. I figured that was kismet.

The books agreed on one sparkling wine that seemed to be a great bargain: Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut, listed at around $12 a bottle (I found it at Total Wine for $10.99). The brut sounded terrific: In the Wine Trials blind tasting against a $150 bottle of Dom Perignon Cuvee, it won two-thirds of the time.

It’s made in the traditional method of champagne (says that on the bottle) and it’s dry, but not too dry — even Sweet liked it! We smelled and tasted apples, which makes it a perfect fall fit. It proved to be a light, crisp start to the meal. With a nice, short finish, the sparkling wine is rated 87 by Wine Spectator. It was delicious served alone, without food. But if I were to serve this brut with food, I decided, sushi would be a nice fit. Or chocolate. At the price — and the taste — you can’t beat it for a great holiday sparkling wine.

Onto the meal itself. I contributed the dishes, a Wedgwood set left to me by my husband’s great-aunt, Bernice. I love it because it’s not the traditional Wedgwood blue but white with green trim. The serving plates are the opposite — green with white trim. They looked beautiful on our Swirl Girls dinner table, set against fresh flowers and banana-leaf runners.

WHAT I BROUGHT
Perfect potluck dish:
My green bean dish wasn’t an old family favorite but a fairly recent one. I’ve made this dish for group meals many times in the past three years. I pulled it out of the recipe book again for this year and have made it twice in the past month. The green bean salad tastes best when served at room temperature. I love this dish because you can make it ahead of time, and because it travels well. So, it’s an excellent dish to bring to potluck gatherings.

Gwen Berry
ALIAS: Dry
For me, the feast started more than a month before Thanksgiving. I had just gotten married in early September, so, by my birthday in mid-October, my new spouse and I were practically penniless. Instead of going out for a nice birthday dinner, I decided to make something special at home.

A few days before my birthday I broke out the “special occasion” stash and decided I’d sacrifice a wonderful bottle of Hamilton Russell pinot noir from South Africa. I bought it a few months earlier at a Crown Wine & Spirits tasting. I remembered it had the loveliest smoky aroma.

Since most pinots aren’t meant to be aged for decades, it made sense to open it and save my Bordeaux for future birthdays. Then it was just a matter of what to cook.

WHAT I BROUGHT
Heavenly duck:
Mushrooms were necessary to my dream dish. First, because I really love them, and second, because they are a known match for pinots. I checked through my library of cookbooks but nothing really jumped out at me until I started searching online. There it was on epicurious.com, three of my favorite foods in one dish: Duck. Mushrooms. Figs. A culinary trifecta.

I have to admit, I was a little nervous at first — I had never cooked duck. I didn’t even know where to buy it. But I learned it’s not that hard to find. I found individual vacuum-sealed frozen breasts at Publix Greenwise for $6.29 each.
Cooking the duck turned out to be quick and easy. The key, I learned, is to make sure you don’t overcook it. On my first try, it came out medium-well. And I left the figs in the oven too long, so they were a bit chewy. But even with those glitches, the meal was delicious, and the wine made it something just short of heavenly.

So, I felt I had the perfect main course when the Swirl Girls got together a few weeks later to discuss Thanksgiving pairings. It didn’t take much to convince them. We already agreed to highlight a pinot noir, since the wine pairs well with most Thanksgiving fare. And even though duck may not be the most traditional main dish, the figs and cinnamon do have a Thanksgiving-y feel. So we decided to be different.

I cooked the sauce ahead of time but made everything else at Earthy’s house that night. (Since she doesn’t eat meat, I also made some of the mushrooms with vegetable broth so that she wouldn’t miss the experience.) This time, I made sure to cook the duck to medium, so that the center was still a little pink and juicy. And I also kept my eye on those figs.

We all tried the wine first, and everyone oohed and ahhhed over the dark berry, tobacco and earth aromas. The wine was medium-bodied, smooth and dry, with balanced tannins and a long, beautiful finish.

Similarly, the duck was delicious. Judging by the silence that descended on the table as everyone concentrated on the symphony of flavors, I’d say that the pairing was a success.

Libby Volgyes
ALIAS: Sweet
When I think of Thanksgiving, I think of being a little girl and going to my grandparents big house in South Dakota, where all the grandkids and cousins flocked to every November. I remember the food — the relish tray with homemade pickles, stuffing that melted in my mouth, sneaking bites of leftover turkey. And, if I was a good girl and belonged to the “clean plate club,” I’d be allowed dessert. Dessert was always either pumpkin pie or pecan pie, as my family is extremely traditional, of solid Nebraskan stock.

WHAT I BROUGHT
Sweetness squared:
Those pies came to mind recently when the Swirl Girls received a glorious shipment of port from Taylor Fladgate for review. I decided that the 20-year-aged Tawny Port ($49.99) would be a great match for pecan pie. And it was. With flavors of caramel, raisin and nuts, it complemented the pecan pie perfectly. Yes, both the wine and the pie were sweet and rich. But, if you ask me, that’s just how they’re supposed to be.

This pecan pie recipe is my great-grandmother’s. I modified it slightly, making up and adding a layer of caramel to the pie to bring out the flavor in the port, but I’m giving it to you in its original form — that’s what Grandma Mary would have wanted.

Serve this pie with a tawny port and prepare for sweet nirvana.

The pie:
My mother never makes her own dough from scratch because she says her body temperature is too warm and the best bakers have cold hands. I do make my own dough sometimes. But for Thanksgiving, with so much going on, it’s OK to use store-made.

Finally, as a side note, the gold-plated silverware pictured is also from Grandma Mary. She received it as a wedding present when she married my great-grandfather, Habe Leuben.
www.pbpulse.com/swirlgirls/

RECIPES

FROM GWEN BERRY::
Duck with wild mushrooms and fig sauce
Printed in the September 1996 Bon Appétit, the original recipe comes from chef Roy Breiman of The Restaurant at Meadowood in the Napa Valley.

30 dried black Mission figs
2 cups dry red wine
21⁄4 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 cinnamon sticks
5 tablespoons butter
1⁄3 cup shallots, finely chopped
1 lb. assorted fresh wild mushrooms, thinly sliced (portobello, chanterelle, oysters, shiitake, etc.)
1 teaspoon peeled fresh ginger, finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
1⁄4 cup honey
4 6-oz. boneless duck breasts, with skin
1 tablespoon olive oil
Fresh chives, to garnish

Cut 14 figs in half lengthwise. Combine cut figs, wine, 2 cups broth and cinnamon in medium saucepan. Simmer over medium-high heat until thickened to sauce consistency, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Strain sauce, pressing solids to release juices. Discard solids. (Can be prepared one day ahead. Cover and chill.)
Preheat oven to 450º Fahrenheit. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and ginger, sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes. Add remaining 1⁄4 cup broth and simmer until most of the liquid is evaporated, about 4 minutes. Stir in chives. Keep warm.

Place remaining 16 figs in small glass baking dish. Drizzle honey over figs. Bake until figs are tender and honey is slightly caramelized, about 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, sprinkle duck breasts with salt and pepper. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter with olive oil in another heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add duck breasts, skin side down, and cook 5 minutes. Turn duck breasts over and continue cooking to desired doneness, about 3 minutes for medium-rare.

To serve, spoon mushrooms into center of each plate, dividing equally. Slice duck breasts and arrange atop mushrooms. Rewarm sauce and spoon over duck. Place four caramelized figs on each plate. Garnish with chives, if desired.
Serves four.

FROM LIBBY VOLGYES:
Mary Aden’s Pecan Pie

This is Grandma Mary’s original recipe. Sweet makes it extra-sweet sometimes by adding a layer of caramel between two layers of pecan filling.

1⁄4 cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup (Karo, light or dark)
3 eggs
1 1⁄2 cups pecans
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 350º. Add brown sugar and corn syrup to melted butter and mix well. Beat eggs with salt until light yellow and thick. Add the brown sugar mixture to the eggs and beat well. Add vanilla and pecans.

Pour into pie shell and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, depending on your oven. Pie is ready when the top is firm to the touch.
Serves eight.

FROM JENNIFER PODIS:
Mom’s Sweet Potato Casserole

This is the one must-have dish at our family’s Thanksgiving celebrations.

4 cups cooked sweet potatoes, mashed (or canned yams)
2 tablespoons margarine
2 tablespoons brown sugar
6 tablespoons orange juice
A splash of spiced rum (or any fruit liqueur or bourbon)
Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
1 cup marshmallows
Pineapple or mandarin slices, to garnish

Preheat oven at 350º. Mix the margarine, brown sugar, orange juice, rum and nutmeg into the sweet potatoes. Spoon the sweet potato mixture into a casserole dish, cover and bake for 30 minutes.

Scatter the marshmallows over the top of the sweet potatoes. Garnish with pineapple or mandarin orange slices. Bake another 10 to 15 minutes uncovered.
Serves eight.

FROM LYNN KALBER:
Green Bean Salad

Recipe adapted from Real Simple magazine.

4 cups fresh, thin green beans, sliced (2 pounds)
1⁄4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (1⁄2 pound)
2 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water, cook the green beans uncovered for 7 to 9 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard and salt. Pour the dressing over the green beans and toss well. Fold in the tomatoes. Very gently fold in the goat cheese. Add pepper to taste.

To make up to two days ahead, prepare and store separately in the refrigerator: green beans, dressing, tomatoes and cheese. Combine up to 3 hours before serving.

Serves eight.

FROM JENNIFER PODIS:
An Autumn Dinner Salad
Recipe from ‘Food for Thought’ by the Junior League of Birmingham, Ala.

2 tablespoons butter
1⁄2 cup walnuts, chopped
3 tablespoons brown sugar
6 cups mixed salad greens — romaine, leaf lettuce, Boston lettuce, radicchio
1 firm pear or apple (I use green apple)
A handful of alfalfa sprouts (optional)
3 scallions, chopped
3 to 4 ounces bleu cheese
For the balsamic vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1⁄2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1⁄2 teaspoon onion juice (I have omitted this and the recipe is still fine)
1 clove garlic, crushed
3⁄4 cup olive oil

To prepare vinaigrette, combine dry mustard, seasoned salt and pepper. Stir in vinegar, onion juice and garlic. Let stand 1 hour. Just before serving, pour into bowl through wire mesh strainer to remove garlic. With a wire whisk, beat in a slow stream of olive oil.

To prepare salad, melt butter in heavy skillet over medium heat. Add walnuts and brown sugar, and sauté until nuts begin to soften. Remove from pan to cool.
Wash and drain lettuce. Tear into bite-size pieces, and place in a large bowl. At serving time, core fruit and cut into bite-size pieces.

Toss lettuce, fruit, sprouts, scallions with the vinaigrette. Add half the nuts and cheese and gently toss again. Sprinkle remaining nuts and cheese over top. Serve immediately.

Serves four to six.

The Swirl Girls — Libby Volgyes (Sweet), J. Gwendolynne Berry (Dry), Lynn Kalber (Bold) and Jennifer Podis (Earthy) — write about wine for The Palm Beach Post. Send e-mails to swirlgirls@pbpost.com. Sip and swirl more on the Web at pbpulse.com/swirlgirls.

Click here to see more pictures from the Swirl Girls Thanksgiving!

Twice-baked Chive Potatoes
Start to finish: 2 hours (30 minutes active)
Servings: 8
1 cup coarse salt
1 cup black peppercorns
10 to 12 red bliss potatoes
3 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
2 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Heat the oven to 375 F.
In a large baking dish, toss together the salt and peppercorns. Arrange the potatoes on top of the salt and peppercorn mixture. Roast for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until tender.
Remove the potatoes from the pan (the salt and peppercorns can still be ground and used) and set aside to cool. Leave the oven on.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut a circle about the size of a quarter on one side. Use a small spoon to scoop out the insides and put them in a large bowl. Retain the hollowed out potatoes.
Lightly mash the scooped potato in the bowl, or press it through a food mill or potato ricer. Add the sour cream, chives and cream to the mashed potatoes, then whisk together until fully combined.
Transfer the mixture to a piping bag or large zip-close plastic bag with a small hole cut in one corner. Pipe (squeeze) the mixture back into the reserved potato skins. Arrange the stuffed potatoes in an empty baking pan. Bake until lightly browned on top.
Per serving: 262 calories; 31 calories from fat; 3 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 11 mg cholesterol; 51 g carbohydrate; 6 g protein; 5 g fiber; 275 mg sodium.

Here they are given a sophisticated twist with butter-toasted hazelnuts and melted Gorgonzola cheese. If you like, substitute any blue cheese you like.

Green Beans with Hazelnuts and Gorgonzola
Start to finish: 30 minutes (15 minutes active)
Servings: 8
2 pounds green beans, trimmed
11/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans, return to a boil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until bright green and crisp. Drain well and set aside.
Return the pot to medium-high.
Add the butter and hazelnuts and stir until the nuts are lightly toasted and fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the green beans and stir until heated through.
Remove the pan from the heat.
Add the cheese and toss until melted.
Season with salt and pepper.

Per serving: 122 calories; 76 calories from fat; 9 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 12 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 4 g fiber; 363 mg sodium.

This simple maple glaze spiked with whiskey is thick enough to cling, but not so sweet to be cloying.

When cooking with maple syrup, look for Grade B, which is darker, more flavorful and less expensive than the Grade A sold for pancakes.

Maple Whiskey
Glazed Carrots
Start to finish: 25 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup maple syrup (preferably Grade B)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 cup whiskey
2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into rounds or thin sticks
In a small saucepan over medium, combine the mustard, salt, black pepper, maple syrup, garlic and rosemary. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and slowly stir in the whiskey. Return the pan to the heat and simmer for another 10 minutes, or until thick and syrupy.
Set aside but keep in a warm place.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the carrots and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes.
Drain the carrots, then return them to the saucepan. Add the glaze and toss gently to coat.

Makes 15 pretzels

1 large potato
4 ounces bacon (4 to 5 slices)
1 cup very warm tap water, divided
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Use a fork to pierce the potato in several places. Microwave according to your appliance’s directions until cooked through. Let cool, then peel the potato and place the flesh in a bowl. Mash well, then set aside.
In a medium skillet over medium-high, cook the bacon until crispy. Reserve the fat in the skillet. Drain the bacon on paper towels, then chop or crumble into 1/4 inch pieces. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the water, the yeast and sugar. Let sit until bubbly.
Use an electric mixer on low to mix in the flour, salt, remaining water, mashed potato and reserved bacon grease. When the dough comes together, add the chives and bacon. Mix on low for 5 minutes.
The dough should be soft and sticky, but pull away from the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and let it rest, covered, until doubled.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Use a knife or pizza wheel to cut the dough into 15 strips. Use your hands to roll the strips into snakes.
Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. One at a time, arrange the snakes on the baking sheet, looping them into a pretzel shape. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel, then let rise until puffy, about 20 minutes.
Heat the oven to 375º.
Sprinkle the tops of the pretzels with the Parmesan cheese. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

The muffins can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Use any leftover buttermilk to make creamy dressings, fluffy pancakes or even a tangy smoothie.

Honey Corn Muffins
Start to finish: 45 minutes (10 minutes active)
Servings: 12

11⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
3⁄4 cup cornmeal
11⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1⁄3 cup honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Heat the oven to 375°. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and baking soda.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, honey and melted butter. Add the flour mixture and stir to combine.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted at the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Per serving: 150 calories; 43 calories from fat; 5 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 41 mg cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 1 g fiber; 342 mg sodium.

Recipe from the November 2009 issue of “Real Simple.”

These mashed sweet potatoes are delicious — and slightly sweet — without the benefit of marshmallows.

But if you must have marshmallows on them, transfer the mashed sweet potatoes to a casserole, top with small marshmallows and broil until just golden.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8

4 to 5 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
5 cinnamon sticks
15 whole cloves
1/4 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan, combine the sweet potatoes, cinnamon sticks and cloves. Add enough cold water to cover, then set over medium-high and bring to a boil. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.
When the potatoes are tender, drain them. Discard the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Press the potatoes through a food mill or potato ricer into a large bowl.
Add the cream, butter and nutmeg, then use an electric mixer to beat until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Per serving: 171 calories; 100 calories from fat; 11 g fat (7 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 33 mg cholesterol; 17 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 2 g fiber; 348 mg sodium.

By nestling stuffing in portobello mushroom caps and baking you have a new take on classic Thanksgiving leftovers. Top with parmesan once out of the oven. (AP)

For some people, the whole point of Thanksgiving dinner is to have leftovers. These are the people who intentionally buy a monster-size bird, mash way too many potatoes and pop an extra pie in the oven.

“In our house, the leftovers are the most exciting part of Thanksgiving. It’s such a great opportunity to use your creative juices to come up with new ways to use them up,” says Allie Lewis Clapp, food director at Real Simple magazine.

And if inspiration fails?

“Truthfully,” admits Clapp, mother of a 7-month-old girl, “this year, we may be whizzing them in the food processor, then stowing them in the freezer for the baby to eat for the next few months.”

Don’t want to resort to making baby food? Here are some other ideas for the second and third days of Thanksgiving dinner.

Turkey
“A plate of reheated feast is great for a day or so, but after that, you crave something different” says Ann Taylor Pittman, senior food editor at Cooking Light magazine. “Luckily, turkey’s neutral flavor makes it incredibly adaptable, going from straightforward Americana to Asian to Latin to many flavors in between.”

Turn leftover turkey and Brussels sprouts or green beans into an Asian stir fry, says Eve Felder, an associate dean at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. Season it with hoisin and soy sauce and serve over rice.

Turkey samosas are an easy way to take leftover turkey out of the Thanksgiving realm. Clapp suggests cutting store-bought refrigerated rolled pie crust into eight triangles. Mix 1 cup shredded leftover turkey with 1/4 cup mango chutney.

Top the triangles with the turkey mixture and 1/2 cup of leftover mashed potatoes. Brush the edges with water, then fold the dough over to pinch together the corners and seal the edges. Bake at 375 F until golden brown, about 25 to 35 minutes.

Or make barbecue turkey sandwiches. Clapp suggests heating leftover turkey and adding barbecue sauce. Serve it over soft sandwich rolls with a sliced celery salad with crumbled blue cheese and vinaigrette.

Holley Grainger, food editor at MyRecipes.com, suggests a turkey Alfredo pizza. “Collard greens and leftover turkey meld beautifully with store-bought Alfredo sauce and nutty fontina cheese, resulting in an easy yet inventive meal,” she says.

Potatoes
Leftover mashed potatoes never quite reheat to their former creamy glory, so combine them with other ingredients (such as cheese) that enhance their creaminess. Or use them in applications where their texture is completely transformed, says Cooking Light’s Pittman.

Pittman recommends forming cakes out of mashed potatoes, egg, cheddar cheese and cooked bacon, then rolling them in panko breadcrumbs and frying them.

For a cold day, Clapp recommends a creamy mashed potato and leek soup. Sauté 3 chopped leeks and 1 chopped fennel bulb in olive oil. Add 3 cups of leftover mashed potatoes and 6 cups of chicken broth. Cook until heated through, then puree.

And Grainger says all those sweet potatoes can be turned into sweet potato pancakes. Serve with maple syrup, butter and fresh fruit. Or try mashed potato latkes with zucchini and dill.

Stuffing
Leftover stuffing can be spooned into portobello mushroom caps, baked, then topped with grated Parmesan.
Clapp likes to use leftover stuffing in a meatloaf with a marmalade glaze. Combine 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef with
2 cups of stuffing and 1 large egg, then season with salt and pepper.

On a foil-lined baking sheet, form the mixture into a 9-inch loaf. Bake at 400 F for 30 minutes, then brush with a mixture of 1/4 cup orange marmalade and 1/4 cup whole-grain mustard and cook for another 20 minutes.

These healthy whole-wheat breadsticks combine the savory flavor of fresh sage with the sweet tang of dried apricots. Golden raisins or even dried cranberries could be substituted.

Whole-wheat Apricot Sage Breadsticks
Start to finish: 1 hour 15 minutes (25 minutes active)

Makes 12 breadsticks

1/2 cup very warm tap water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups white whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast and honey. Let stand for 5 minutes, or until bubbly.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low, combine the milk and butter. Heat until warm, but not hot. You should be able to comfortably leave your fingers in the mixture. Add the sage to the milk, then set aside.
To the yeast mixture, add the salt, both flours and the milk mixture. Use an electric mixer on low to mix until the ingredients form a soft dough. Mix in the apricots until evenly distributed. Let the dough rest in the bowl for 5 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes or until soft and supple. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 375º. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Use your fingers to press the dough into a 10-by-14-inch rectangle. Cut the dough into 12 strips. Arrange the strips on the prepared baking sheet, twisting them slightly. Let rise for 10 minutes.
Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

The countdown

By planning and working in advance, you can get it all done by the big day and be
relaxed when your guests arrive. Ask for help whenever possible — guests can bring favorite dishes or help assemble yours. Many enjoy this, so don’t feel guilty asking.

Make your own checklist and timetable based on ours, adding or deleting items to match your plan. Just remember to stay flexible, and work within your limits. A calm and gracious host is the key to a memorable meal.

BY SATURDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING:

Plan and write out your menu. Attach recipes to this list; check your pantry and circle the items you do not have. Include all beverages and don’t forget extra ice.

List items for your table setting, including linens, centerpieces, candles, glassware, flatware, serving pieces and coffee service.

Clean out the refrigerator to make space for all the holiday foods.

THANKSGIVING WEEK
BY MONDAY:

Shop for food, beverages, centerpieces.

Don’t forget: pie or poultry spices, pickles or condiments, coffee cream, nuts or candies for dishes, candles, silver polish, extra food storage containers, disposable roasting pan, pie pans, gravy or stuffing ingredients, rolls, foam ice chests, trash bags, wine, coffee, tea.

Check the chart: You may need to begin thawing the turkey today.

BY TUESDAY:

Have table linens cleaned and ready.

Wash and polish silver, glassware and serving pieces.

BY WEDNESDAY:

Go over your checklists; see that you have everything you need.

Get turkey ready for cooking, but do not stuff.

Make turkey stuffing and refrigerate separately.

Clean fresh vegetables, refrigerate in separate containers.

Make cranberry relish. Refrigerate.

Make pie fillings and refrigerate. Whip cream for the pies; refrigerate separately.

Make pie crusts and freeze (if you’re not using ready-made).

Arrange flowers, cut garnishes, make butter pats, set up coffee service and take care of last-minute decor or cleaning.

THANKSGIVING DAY

These times are planned for a 5 p.m. dinner for 12. Guests should plan to arrive by4 p.m. This only a guide — stay flexible.

9 a.m.: Set table and get room ready.

9:30 a.m.: Check the cooking chart on this page to see when you need to start cooking the turkey. Allow an extra 15 minutes for prep work. Remember that you need to take the turkey out of the oven at around 4 p.m.

10 a.m.: Peel potatoes for mashed potatoes, put in water to soak. Cook giblets for gravy.

10:40 a.m.: Assemble any casseroles or vegetable dishes and refrigerate.
Noon: Thaw pie crusts (if needed). Arrange hors d’oeuvres or vegetable trays with dips.

1 p.m.: Get coffee ready to brew. Put fillings in pies, refrigerate. Fill relish trays, butter dishes, creamer and sugar bowl. Line bread baskets with napkins.

2:30 p.m.: Put pies in oven. Dress for dinner. Take five!

3 p.m.: Begin cooking potatoes. Whip cream for pies.

3:30 p.m.: Remove pies, and put casseroles and stuffing in oven. Bring out cranberry relish and other relishes. Begin cooking fresh vegetables.

4 p.m.: Guests arrive. Set out finger foods and relish trays. Remove turkey from oven. Remove to carving board and let sit.

4:15 p.m.: Make gravy. Check casseroles and stuffing. Remove if done; keep warm. Put rolls in oven.

4:30 p.m.: Mash the potatoes; keep warm.

4:45 p.m.: Have turkey carved and on platter; set on stove and cover to keep warm. Have wine and beverage glasses filled.

4:50 p.m.: Remove rolls from oven and put in baskets. Bring out vegetables, casseroles and gravy. Brew the coffee.
5 p.m.: Seat guests, serve dinner.

The turkey

Talking turkey size: Buying the right size turkey is your first hurdle. If you’re planning on a big bird, you must have a big refrigerator-freezer. Turkeys must stay frozen and be thawed in cool temperatures to prevent food poisoning.
If you’re buying a whole bird, figure 1 pound per person. Remember that only about 50 percent of a whole turkey is edible. If buying a breast or other parts, plan ½- to ¾- pound of meat per person.

So, if you have 12 guests, you’d need 6 to 9 pounds of meat, which you would find on a 12- to 18-pound turkey. (If you want leftovers, go for the 18-pounder.)

Storing and thawing the bird: Store the turkey in the freezer, and allow 5 hours per pound to thaw in the refrigerator, or ½-hour per pound in cold water. So an 18-pound bird would take 90 hours to thaw in the fridge; 9 hours in cold water. If using cold water, change it every half hour. The thawed turkey will keep in the refrigerator, wrapped, until Thanksgiving Day.

Food safety note: Never thaw the turkey on the counter, and do not stuff the turkey in advance, because bacteria may grow. U.S. Department of Agriculture suggests you not stuff it at all.

Preparing the bird: In a clean sink, unwrap the turkey and wash skin well. Unhook the legs from the leg clamp and remove the bags of giblets and neck from the cavity. (There often are two bags.) Set these aside for making gravy.

Wash the cavity, and cut off the fatty knob of skin at the rear of the bird. Season the inside and skin of bird with salt and pepper; set on a tray. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate.

How to roast the turkey

For open-pan roasting, preheat the oven to 325º. Put the bird in a roasting pan large enough to hold the drippings. Sturdy, disposable aluminum pans are fine for this. If you decide to stuff the bird, stuff it from the back cavity first, then from the front. Important: The stuffing should be packed loosely so that it will cook through.

Sew up the front of the bird; put the legs back in the leg-lock to hold the rear cavity closed. Sew the rear cavity if it gapes.

Spread butter or oil and seasonings, such as poultry seasoning, thyme or sage, over the skin of the turkey. Use a loose tent of aluminum foil (shiny side down) over the bird during the first 2 hours of roasting to keep it from overbrowning.

Baste the turkey with pan drippings, or use flavored liquids such as fruit juice, honey-mustard or bourbon.

The turkey will continue to cook once it’s removed from the oven, so take care not to overcook. After 2 hours in the oven, check it with a meat thermometer. Cook it to 165º on a thermometer stuck in the thickest part of the thigh meat — don’t let the thermometer touch a bone. Juices should run clear. If you’ve stuffed it, check the stuffing also with the thermometer — it should read 165º. (See chart on this page for approximate roasting times.) Let the turkey sit, covered with foil, 30 minutes on the counter after it’s cooked for perfect slicing.

The sides
Cranberry Sauce with Dried Cherries and Cloves

2½ cups cherry cider OR black cherry cider OR cranberry juice cocktail
1 8-ounce package dried tart cherries (about 2 cups)
1 cup sugar
1 12-ounce package cranberries
¼ teaspoon (generous) ground cloves

Bring cider or cranberry juice cocktail to simmer in heavy, large saucepan. Remove from heat. Add cherries and let stand 8 minutes. Mix in sugar, then cranberries and cloves. Cook over medium-high heat until cranberries burst, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes. Refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours (sauce will thicken as it cools). (Can be made 4 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
Recipe from Bon Appétit, November 1998

Herb Stuffing with Mushrooms
8 cups toasted bread cubes — white, rye or cornbread
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 stalks celery, minced
1 pound mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
½ cup cream sherry
2 teaspoons ground sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bunch parsley, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup chicken or turkey broth (use broth from cooking giblets)
Melt butter over medium heat in large skillet. Add onion, garlic and celery and sauté for 10 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and sherry and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add vegetables, liquid and all, to cubed bread and mix well. Mix in seasonings. If stuffing seems dry, moisten with broth.
Cooking stuffing outside the bird is recommended. But if you are stuffing the turkey, stuff cavities immediately before roasting — not any earlier. Otherwise, place stuffing in a buttered casserole and bake at 325º until golden brown, 45 to 60 minutes.
Makes enough for a 16- to 20-pound turkey.

Perfect Mashed Potatoes
8 pounds potatoes (about 16 medium potatoes)
8 tablespoons butter, more if desired
1½ cups milk or half-and-half, slightly heated
½ cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Parsley for garnish, as desired
Scrub potatoes; peel and cube. Put in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a firm simmer, and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with fork; about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350º. Drain potatoes; spread on a pan and heat in oven for 10 minutes. (Note: This helps remove moisture and makes for the fluffiest mashed potatoes.)
Put potatoes in large bowl of an electric mixer. Mash potatoes slightly with mixer before beginning; add a fourth of the milk. Beat on medium until mixture begins to turn smooth; add remaining milk and other ingredients; beat on high to whip. Scrape bowl often so there are no solids left.
Stop and taste; adjust seasonings and milk.
Place potatoes in buttered bowl; set in oven that has been turned off to keep warm. Garnish with parsley.
Serves 12 to 16.
Variation: For garlic or herb mashed potatoes, add 2 tablespoons (or to taste), roasted garlic puree or chopped herbs to the potatoes after whipping; whip again to mix.

Giblet Gravy
1 package turkey giblets and neck
Water
1 celery heart
1 bay leaf
¼ onion, peeled
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Drippings from roast turkey
In a medium saucepan, cover giblets (do not use the liver) and turkey neck with water. Add celery heart, bay leaf, onion and seasoning. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until meats are tender. Strain into bowl; set bowl of broth aside.
Remove all meats from neck bone; discard bones. Coarsely chop meat and all giblets and place in small bowl; store in refrigerator.
When turkey is done, pour drippings from roasting pan into a large measuring cup or bowl (reserve roasting pan for later use); allow drippings to stand for a moment — the fat will come to the surface. Skim off 13 cup fat into a 2-quart saucepan; set saucepan aside. Skim and discard remaining fat from measuring bowl of drippings.
Add reserved giblet broth in bowl to roasting pan; stir to remove browned bits on bottom of pan. Add contents of roasting pan to bowl of drippings. Add enough water to measure 4 cups liquid.
In saucepan over medium heat with the 13 cup fat, stir flour and 1 teaspoon salt until blended. Gradually stir in meat juice mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.
Stir in reserved giblets and neck meat; cook 2 more minutes.
Pour into gravy boat.
Serves 18.
Basic Pumpkin Pie
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (16 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin or 2 cups fresh pumpkin puree
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 can (12 ounces) undiluted evaporated milk (not condensed milk)
Unbaked pie shell for 9-inch single-crust pie
For topping:
1 cup heavy or whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Preheat oven to 425º. Place pie crust in its pan on baking sheet; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin, sugar, salt, spices and evaporated milk with a wire whisk or on low speed of an electric mixer until just mixed. (Overmixing can cause bubbles on top of pie.)
Pour the pumpkin filling into pie crust. Bake in the lower third of the oven for 15 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350º.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center of pie comes out clean. (To prevent crust from overbrowning, cover with strips of foil.) Let pie cool completely before slicing.
To make topping: Whip cream until fluffy, add sugar and spice and whip one minute to incorporate. Stiff peaks should form when beaters are lifted. Chill until serving time. Serve in separate bowl with pie.
Makes one 9-inch pie, 6 to 8 servings.
(Pie freezes well and can be made up to two weeks ahead. Thaw and serve.)

Whenever possible, buy whole spices, says Raghavan Iyer, author of 660 Curries. Spices get their flavor from the oils inside. Once the spices are ground, the oils lose potency, which means freshly ground peppercorns pack more flavor than pepper purchased already ground.

Whole spices also are a better value. Stored in airtight, glass containers away from heat, says Iyer, whole spices will stay fresh for at least a year. Ground spices last for only a few months.

Buy spices from the bulk section of a natural food store so that you can buy only what you need for a short period. That helps ensure your supply is always fresh. Prices for bulk also tend to be lower than for packaged.

For grinding whole spices, a mortar and pestle are nice, but an inexpensive electric coffee grinder is faster and more convenient.

Iyer’s recipe for curried chickpeas in coconut sauce gets a fiery burst of flavor from a freshly ground blend of pan-roasted chilies and coriander seeds.

The curry, which can be served as a side or main course, is traditionally prepared in India as an offering to the goddess of learning during the Hindu celebration of lights called Diwali.

Diva pals, you know how important it is to eat plenty of fiber-rich foods.

Not to be indelicate, but we certainly knows what happens when we do not.

Black beans contain up to 6 grams of fiber in a mere half cup, and pantry-perfect canned varieties make it easy to, um, keep things running smoothly.

Need we say more? Go for booty and brains: serve this savory side with roast pork, piccadillo or fish.

Or, shake your booty center stage with whole-grain tortillas, chopped fresh herbs, avocado, tomato, and goat cheese. High in protein and fiber, here’s to your health. Bottoms up!

Booty-licious Black Beans

Serves 6

1 small onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt, freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro
2 (14.5-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock

In a 2 1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, sauté the onion, pepper and garlic in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, cumin, oregano and bay leaf. Add the hot sauce, if desired; add cilantro.

As the vegetables begin to soften, add the beans, wine and stock. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaf.

Think an elaborate, multi-generational New Year’s feast — say, matzo ball soup and gefilte fish as starters, brisket or chicken and all the sides for the main portion of the meal and any number of cakes and cookies for dessert. Now, try to weave in the theme of sweetness, symbolizing the sweet promise of the New Year, into as many dishes as possible, be it the honey that goes into the honey-roasted chicken or the honey that goes into the honey cake.

But it’s one thing to feed a family of a dozen or so. Try offering that holiday feast for 4,000.

That’s the approximate number of meals the culinary staff at MorseLife, a Jewish senior center in West Palm Beach, prepares for the two-day holiday. We’re talking two dinners, plus two brunches for kiddush (the spread that follows the morning religious services), for the 280 residents of Morse’s long-term care nursing facility and the 144 residents of Morse’s independent and assisted-living home (Tradition of the Palm Beaches).

Add to that 2,000 at-home dinners that are distributed through a “mitzvah” program — “mitzvah” being a Hebrew term for an act of kindness — to area seniors.

Oh, and to complicate matters, everything is prepared according to the strict kosher dietary laws, meaning separate kitchens for meat and dairy and a thorough vetting of any product that enters the kitchen.

“We provide the greatest number of kosher (Rosh Hashana) meals in South Florida, if not the entire state,” said Martin Katz, the MorseLife vice president who oversees the culinary operations.

That means days, if not weeks, of cooking. For this year’s mitzvah program, the efforts started early this month, with the MorseLife kitchen staff making the meals in stages and keeping them stored in the freezer. (For the assembly and delivery of the meal boxes, which include a loaf of challah and a bottle of wine, MorseLife relies on about 300 local volunteers.) For the meals served at the on-site residential programs, there’s a shorter cooking time frame, but when you’re talking a few thousand matzo balls, you still can’t wait until the last minute.

But the challenge is not just about quantity. It’s also about quality. The kitchen staff knows it’s competing with the collective memory of hundreds of seniors, many of whom are matriarchs well-versed in all facets of traditional Jewish cooking.

And therein lies another rub: What constitutes “tradition”? In Jewish cooking, there are different schools tied to the different “homes” of Judaism, be it Eastern Europe (Ashkenazic) or Spain and the Mediterranean region (Sephardic). And even within each school, variety abounds. Put another way, your bubbe may have prepared a heavy matzo ball (aka a “sinker”), but someone else’s may have opted for a light one (aka a “floater”).

“We get feedback from everyone,” says Cochava Feilich, the MorseLife culinary director who’s responsible for the long-term care facility and the mitzvah program.

Martin Katz is more direct: “One resident will say you have too many noodles in the soup. Another will say, ‘Why aren’t there more noodles?’ ”

Still, at MorseLife, the cooking leans heavily in an Eastern European direction, since that constitutes the Jewish-American mainstream. So, yes, the holiday menus include matzo ball soup for the dinner (it’s a regular Friday night offering at the independent living facility, anyhow) and whitefish salad for the kiddush brunch.

But as a native Israeli more accustomed to the Sephardic approach, Cochava Feilich isn’t afraid to spice things up — or sweeten them, in accordance with the holiday. Among her regular Rosh Hashana offerings are honey-garlic chicken and sweet and sour meatballs.

She also tinkers constantly with her recipes. For example, this year she’s testing a new honey cake that gets an extra boost of flavor from apricot jam. She also has her well-guarded secrets, though she did reluctantly reveal that the secret ingredient in her beloved whitefish salad is onion powder.

And despite the occasional complaint for more (or less) noodles, the majority of the long-term-care residents seem pleased with Feilich’s cooking. “I don’t see anybody losing weight!” observes Riki Galison, who’s especially a fan of the soups.

Meanwhile, at MorseLife’s independent and assisted-living home, there’s similar culinary tinkering in advance of the holidays. But at this facility, there’s also an emphasis on making things as fanciful as possible. Culinary director Jonathan Landau is especially known for his kiddush brunches, which come replete with all kinds of fish — smoked, baked and poached salmon, smoked trout, whole whitefish. To top it off, Landau decorates the spread with elaborate ice sculptures.

Landau also likes to get creative with his holiday dinner meals: His roast chicken comes stuffed with apples, apricots, raisins and walnuts. But he knows when not to toy with tradition.

“If I didn’t serve matzo ball soup, I might as well pack up,” he said.

Rosh Hashana recipes from the MorseLife kitchens

Honey-Garlic Chicken

1 whole chicken, cut in quarters
1 ounce ginger, sliced thin
1/2 cup honey
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup water
4 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons each: paprika, garlic powder and onion powder
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons soy sauce

Mix paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and a pinch of salt and rub over chicken. Bake chicken in a 325° oven for 40 minutes.

Mix ginger, honey, garlic, soy sauce and 1/2 cup of the water in a saucepan and bring to boil. Mix together 1/2 cup of water and the cornstarch and add to boiling ginger mixture. Cook until thickened. Pour honey glaze over cooked chicken and serve.

Gefilte Fish

For the stock:
4 celery stalks
3 carrots
2 onions, sliced
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Fish bones
1 bay leaf
2 cups water

For the fish:
2 pounds whitefish (mixed parts)
1 medium onion
5 egg whites
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup matzo meal
4 chopped celery stalks

Begin by preparing the fish. Using food processor, cream eggs, onion, salt, sugar, pepper and celery. Add matzo meal and stir together.

Cut up fish and add to food processor. Pulse for 3-4 seconds. Refrigerate for one hour.

Wet hands and shape mixture into oval shapes and simmer in fish stock for 30 minutes. (Alternatively, you can roll the mixture in parchment paper and foil and simmer in the stock.)

Tzimmes (traditional vegetable dish)

1 can sweet potatoes (40 ounces)
1 can carrots (16 ounces)
1 cup honey
1 can pineapple (16 ounces)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1 bag dried prunes (8 ounces)

Mix all ingredients together. Place in baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes in a 325° oven.

Honey Cake

1/2 cup coffee
1 3/4 cups honey
4 extra large eggs
1/2 cup orange juice
4 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
3 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon orange peel
2 teaspoons cocoa

Preheat oven to 300°. Grease and flour two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans or one 9-by-13 pan. Set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the honey and coffee, and bring to a boil. Cool and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, blend the eggs, orange juice, oil and brown sugar. Do not over-beat.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, orange peel and cocoa together.

Stir the flour and honey mixture into the egg mixture, alternating and ending with the liquid. Pour into the prepared pans.

Bake for 60-70 minutes or until the cake springs back. Let sit overnight before serving.

Parolee Ellington gets asked to make summer squash casserole for church functions and family parties. (Ray Graham / The Post)

The cook: Parolee Ellington of Boynton Beach

Her story: I was born and raised in Abbeville, S.C. I was an only child. My name, Parolee, came from my father, who had a cousin in Michigan with the same name.

My dad worked as a porter for the railroad, and my mom was a homemaker. I traveled a lot as a child with my dad. I would go to bed dressed to travel. I loved going wherever the train went, all around the South and up North.

I was a churchgoer. My dad was a deacon in the church, so I had to go. I graduated from Abbeville County Training School and I was the salutatorian. I received my bachelor of science degree from Florida A&M University in 1947 and graduated from Nova University in 1978 with a master of science degree in administration and supervision.

I married Clarence Ellington in 1955 and we had two children, the Rev. Clarence S. Ellington Jr. and Carlton L. Ellington. I came to Florida because my husband was a traveling insurance agent for Afro-American Life Insurance Co., and Florida was part of his territory.

We moved around a lot with my husband’s job and it seemed wherever we went, all the home economic jobs were taken because they were so popular. But there were always jobs in elementary education, so I decided to go back to school and get my degree so I would have a backup plan.

Parolee Ellington (Ray Graham / The Post)

When my husband was transferred to Fort Pierce, I taught in the St. Lucie County schools and was named teacher of the year in St. Lucie County in the 1970s. I still have the plaque. That year, I also was one of the top five teachers in the state.

After teaching elementary school and home economics in St. Lucie County for about 25 years, I retired in 1989. I have been living in Palm Beach County for about 10 years with my son, Clarence, and his family, and I am widowed.

Her cooking story: My mom was a good cook. She showed me how to clean the greens and taught me how to make sweet potato pie. She also taught me how to bake potatoes in the fireplace.

She was patient. My mother wasn’t a person who talked a lot. You just followed her steps. I would just watch her handle things in the kitchen. I learned quite a bit from her this way.

I also learned a lot from one of my home economic teachers in high school. She was from New Jersey and she was a lovely person. She was one of my favorite teachers.

Growing up, we grew a lot of our vegetables, such as green beans, corn and collard greens, in our backyard garden. I grew up during the Great Depression, but we didn’t go hungry. We had a cow, and we had milk and butter. We also had apple and pear trees and blackberry bushes in our yard.

As a home economics teacher, I told my students the most important thing they could do was get a good all-around cookbook, and follow the directions very closely. You want to get a cookbook that teaches about different cuts of meat, how to measure things, how to cut and store foods and that explains different cooking terms.

When I was at Florida A&M learning how to be a home economics teacher, I baked some biscuits once and a gentleman (a doctor) who was visiting the college thought they were so good that he wanted to know who cooked them.

They called me out of the kitchen and introduced me to him, and he gave me a free trip to Philadelphia, which was where he was from.

I don’t remember much from the trip, but I do remember visiting Temple University.

Today, I’m not much of a heavy eater. I mainly like Southern food. I don’t cook much lately because I have a heart problem. If my son needs me to cook, I’ll do it.

I passed my cooking skills on to my two sons. Both of them can cook. I like giving them compliments on the things they cook for me.

Funny cooking story: I don’t have a funny cooking story, but my son, Clarence, has one about me teaching my sons to cook. He said he was so excited when he got the chance to make his first cake in high school. While the cake was cooking, he kept opening the oven door to see how it was coming along. Well, the cake flopped and Clarence said I had a good laugh.

(Clarence says he is glad his mother taught him how to cook. “Her philosophy was I needed to know how to do things myself in case mom wasn’t there or I didn’t get married,” he said. Clarence says his favorite thing from his mom’s kitchen is her liver and onions. “She has a way with it. She smothers it with gravy and it is delicious. She only makes it on special occasions, but it’s one of my favorites.”)

Cooking tool you can’t do without in the kitchen: Tongs and a sharp knife

Favorite thing to eat from mom’s kitchen as a kid: Sweet potato pie. I like good pie crust. I know you can buy them, but the best ones are homemade.

Her free cookbook: The Cracker Kitchen: A Cookbook in Celebration of Cornbread-Fed, Down Home Family Stories and Cuisine, by Janis Owens (Scribner Book Publishing)

The recipe: Summer squash casserole

About the recipe: I got this recipe from my friend in Fort Pierce, Theressa Gaines. People seem to really enjoy it. Whenever we have a family party or church function, people always ask me to make this squash casserole.

Summer Squash Casserole

2 pounds yellow squash, sliced
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded carrots
1 (8-ounce) box herb-seasoned stuffing mix
1/4 cup butter or margarine (melted)
2 tablespoons butter-flavored Crisco oil

Heat oven to 350°.

Grease 3-quart baking dish.

Cook squash and onions 5 minutes in boiling salted water, then drain.

Combine squash, onions, soup, sour cream and carrots in a bowl.

Combine stuffing mix, melted butter and oil.

Spread half of stuffing mixture in the baking dish. Spoon all of squash combination on top.

Sprinkle remaining stuffing mixture on squash combination.

Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes.

This lusty mango black bean salsa is hearty enough to be a salad or even a side dish. Photo by Pam Brandon.

It’s a salsa, it’s a salad — or a maybe even a side.

Black beans, mango and smoky chipotle chilies create a colorful confetti begging either tortilla chips or a spoon, we certainly don’t care which.

Spoon this lusty concoction over grilled fish, atop fajitas or toss together a double batch for your next potluck.

Make it your own by substituting whatever fresh fruits and herbs look best to you. Try peaches, nectarines or pineapple; mint or sweet basil can stand in for the fresh cilantro.

Mango Black Bean Salsa

Serves 8-10
2 cans black beans, rinsed
1 firm, ripe mango, peeled and diced into 1⁄2-inch cubes
1⁄2 small red onion, finely chopped
2 chipotle peppers, minced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 small red chili, seeded and finely chopped
1⁄3 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, tossing gently. Allow flavors to marry for 30 minutes before serving.

Veggies and couscous combine to make a quick (30 minutes) and fresh dinner for two, or triple the recipe and feed a crowd. Photo by Pam Brandon.

Summertime divas often take the easy way out, especially when temperatures soar and a pool raft and a crisp chardonnay are calling.

Our diva-in-training Katie created this easy supper for two that comes together in less than 30 minutes. While the couscous steams, chop the veggies. And if you’re cooking the limas last minute, just run under cool water before adding to the salad.

It’s a fresh, vibrant bowl of bliss with protein, fiber and a teensy bit of carbs — trading off calories for another glass of chardonnay.

Veggie Couscous Bowls

Serves 2 for dinner
1 small lime, zested and juiced
Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ripe avocado
3/4 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup whole-wheat couscous
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cups frozen baby lima beans, cooked and drained

In a medium bowl, combine the lime zest and juice. Whisk in olive oil, tasting as you go, until you get a dressing that you like. (We like ours on the very tangy side, but just keep tasting as you drizzle.) Add salt and a few grinds of pepper.
Dice the avocado, and put it directly into the dressing. Set aside.
Bring the broth to a boil in a saucepan over high heat; stir in couscous. Remove from heat, cover, and let steam for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
In a large bowl, combine the avocado and dressing, cucumber, red pepper and beans. Toss gently to combine. Add the couscous, toss to evenly coat everything with the dressing, and serve.

The Beer Guy poses with the winning team.

The first order of business though, as I am The Beer Guy, was to decide which beer would pair best with the spicy, smokey flavor of the ribs. I chose the Kona Fire Rock Pale Ale, which Havana Hideout serves on tap. It’s got an aggressive hop flavor which matches the spiciness of the ribs and some malt sweetness in the body which goes well with the bbq sauces. A match made in Hawaiian Heaven, my friends.

Havana Hideout owner Chrissy Benoit served up some excellent homemade sides as well including mac and cheese, cole slaw, watermelon and a huge cookie.

Ok, without further ado, here are the top three finishers:

1st place-Smokin Gator BBQ-Baby Back Ribs-The baby backs were smoked in a HUGE mobile smoking unit you’d have to see to believe. They came out very tender with that great pink smoked color and terrific flavor. The ribs were served with a touch of sauce on the side but didn’t really need any. My guess is Smokin Gator has got a bunch of trophies on his mantle or will have soon.

2nd place-Jason Fournier-Happy Belly Bar-B-Que-Jason was the defending champion in this event and it was easy to see why. His ribs were perfectly spiced and bursting with flavor. The sauce went extremely well with the meat. Jason came away with the “people’s choice” award, which I was very glad to hear because he was definitely derserving of a prize.

3rd place-Deborah Jean-Ya Gotta Get Messy Ribs-Another strong contender who was particularly impressive considering this was her first rib competition. Deborah prepared the ribs completely on site, using a couple of outdoor grills with charcoal and soaked wood chips. Another great spice and sauce combination here as Deborah ran out of ribs just before the afternoon rain came.

Perhaps there should have been an award for most creatively named ribs. My winner in that department would be Weekend Rubbers-Better than Sex Ribs. They may have been having the most fun of any team and their ribs were very good and popular as well.

So I had a blast and can’t think of any better way to stray from the diet. Much thanks to Chrissy and the staff at Havana Hideout for having me and hosting such a great event. I think you should have another as soon as I come back from the reunion.

But all bets are off when it comes to a wine-pairing night.

One evening a month, the hotel stages an elaborate five-course wine dinner that allows Angelucci, 41, a chance to create the meal of his dreams. Think bold flavor combinations (heavy on the Mediterranean and Asian influences) and splashy presentations (including fireworks — literally).
“It’s the time when I can have a dream about food and make it a reality,” says Angelucci.

And what a dream it is. I attended last month’s dinner and can say without question it was the best meal I’ve had to date this year. Whether you’re talking a tequila-cured salmon or short ribs done Korean-style (accompanied by a lychee mint watermelon salad, no less), Angelucci creates food that is vibrant without being pretentious. And he puts on a show, too. Last month’s final course was a flaming milkshake — that is, a milkshake (with an alcoholic kick) served with a lit sparkler.

You can expect more of the same at this month’s dinner, set for Thursday night (at the bargain price of $55 at the door, $45 if reserved in advance). Among the dishes Angelucci has planned are a warm bacon salad, a “plank” steak (namely, steak served on a plank soaked in apple juice) and a version of s’mores made with grilled peaches. Everything is paired exquisitely with a solid selection of wines from a local distributor (last month’s selections ranged from a Spanish cava to a California reserve cabernet).

So, who is this Angelucci guy? He’s an Italian-American chef who found his calling while in college making food for frat parties, then found his way to culinary school in Pennsylvania.

From there, Angelucci worked in high-end restaurants and hotels in Philadelphia (with the James Beard Award-winning chef Michael McNally), Aspen and Las Vegas and spent time cooking at a dude ranch in Wyoming.

But Angelucci’s most important stint may have been at Miami Beach’s Barton G restaurant, long recognized for its theatrical approach to dining (among the restaurant’s better-known dishes are its Sashimi Snow Cones and Mousetrap Mac & Cheese). “The plating and drama of food, that’s what I learned there,” says the chef.

Angelucci ended up in South Florida to be close to his parents, who live in Boca Raton. He left the state for a brief spell after Barton G’s, but decided to return and heard about the opening at Secrets.

He says he does have fun with his day-to-day menu, which includes a few tweaks on standard dishes, such as popcorn shrimp served in a popcorn box and a quesadilla done Asian-style. Plus, he vows that his meatloaf is one of the best in town.

But again, Angelucci lives for his monthly wine dinners — so much so that he begins planning the menu for the next one with restaurant manager Kyle Pintarelli almost as soon as the last one is done.

And Angelucci hints that he’s got big plans in mind, especially as we head into the high season. “I’d love to do one every week,” he says.

Bringing sexy back (to food)

Looking for a risqué “dining” event? The newly opened club 251 Palm Beach (251 Sunrise Ave., Palm Beach; 561-818-2944, 251pb.com) is hosting FoodArt9 Live this Friday at 9-11 p.m. The food involved will be mainly for show — or, more accurately, for carefully concealing the body parts of female models.

“We want the event to stimulate craving as well as tease the senses,” says chef Jeremy Hanlon, who’s coordinating the exhibition with photographer Montana Pritchard.

The Colony to go

Call it fast food, Palm Beach-style. The Colony Hotel’s Café 155 (155 Hammon Ave.; 561-655-5430; thecolonypalmbeach.com) is now offering dinners-to-go — at some very non-Palm Beach-like prices. There are regular menu items, ranging from a chicken Caesar salad ($9) to Chef Steve’s Fried Chicken ($8).

Plus, there are nightly features, such as pot roast with mashed potatoes and green beans ($14) on Monday and fish and chips ($14) on Thursday. Meals are available nightly (except Sunday) until 9 p.m.

THE WEEKLY DISH: Kallari Chocolate bars

I admit that I’ve grown a bit tired of high-end chocolate bars that are categorized based on country of origin or percentage of cocoa. But then I taste a product that reminds me just how great chocolate can be — earthy, seductive and just slightly sweet — and I give thanks that we have options galore beyond Hershey’s.

Such is the case with Kallari (kallarichocolate.com), whose chocolate comes from a farmers’ cooperative in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The brand has three bars — 70, 75 and 85 percent cocoa — that pack a wealth of deep, exotic and fruity flavor in every bite.

The bars are available for around $5 at local Whole Foods markets.

Divas across the planet are tossing off their pots, pans and oven mitts in a culinary striptease to raise their level of cool.
Zucchini, the bountiful squash of summer, is delicious raw.

Coarsely chopped with curls of Parmesan and a simple lemon vinaigrette, it’s a light lunch or a stylish side for grilled chicken, fish or even a juicy steak.

Teeming with vitamin faves A, C and B6, raw zucchini is also a good source of folate, magnesium, potassium, fiber and is purported to have cooling, refreshing properties to counteract the summer heat.

From your garden (or air-conditioned grocery), choose squash that is small, firm and tender — about 1-inch diameter.

Zucchini in the Raw

Serves 6
2 pounds green zucchini
1 pound butter lettuce
Juice of 1 lemon
Coarse salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 pound Parmesan cheese

Trim the ends of the squash and cut into 1/4-inch coins. Coarsely chop the rounds into bite-size pieces and set aside.
Wash and dry lettuce, tear into bite-size pieces.

In a large salad bowl, add the lemon juice, seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste. Whisk in the olive oil until well combined. Add the chopped zucchini and toss until well coated.

Using a sharp knife or vegetable peeler, shave the Parmesan into paper-thin slices and place on top of the zucchini.

To serve, divide the butter lettuce among 6 plates, spoon zucchini and Parmesan.