Good Gravy (Bacon Shallot Herb Gravy)

Thanksgiving is all about tradition, but it's also nice to change things up. Since the stakes are too high to chance an untried recipe, however, my friends and I have taken to a pre-Thanksgiving tradition: hosting a small dinner party to vet new entries to the menu before they have a chance to end in tears. I headed to our test kitchen last week, camera in-hand, to pick the best recipe for this month's article, and this bacon shallot herb gravy was the undisputed star of the evening. I think gravy is an unsung hero on the Thanksgiving table. Certainly most people have a favored recipe, (I have very fond memories of my aunt always making ours with the turkey drippings in the roasting pan, itself), but it's a humble condiment. I'm not sure anyone would cite it as their favorite thing on the table. I aim to change that with this recipe, a simple but stunning offering adapted from Justin Chapple that should please even the most discriminating gourmand. Conversely, if you're the type of person to always prepare gravy from a can, jar, or (God bless you) packet, you need to knock that off immediately and try this recipe, instead.

All aboard the gravy train

Health for the Holidays (Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad)

I've gotten a little carried away with the baking, lately. I love sweet treats as much as anyone else but, "everything in moderation." I like to maintain the balance. For every cookie, there should be a salad. With winter fast coming on, it's not surprising that cold and raw dishes get short shrift. Once you've walked home with frost-rimed leaves crunching underfoot and your breath steaming in the air, it can be hard to get excited for a chilled supper, but contrasts offer their own delight, so as we prepare to bake, roast, and pan fry all the hot and heavy foods that make Thanksgiving great, I'm actually most looking forward to a light yet hearty salad of raw kale and Brussels sprouts.

Unassuming

Turkey Lurkey No More (Turkey Soup with Spinach, Fennel, and Bacon)

The time has come for clearing out Turkey Lurkey. No, not the character from Henny Penny, though he did always give me an unsavory vibe. I mean the Ghosts of Thanksgivings Past possibly now dwelling in the back of your refrigerator. Sarah and Dar stopped by on Sunday with the boys for some post-Thanksgiving family time and we all had big turkey sandwiches, but it wasn't really making a dent in the reserve. Sarah suggested I post about ways to repurpose lurking turkey, and my first entry, though on the nose, is turkey soup.

Covered in bacon!

Giving Thanks (Thanksgiving!)

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone, but I think this one truly had some highlights. Most families have traditions of their own, so I don't want to force recipes on you, but I think it's fun to try new things every now and then. You just may be better served by ensuring you give a new dish a test run, first, before springing it on guests for a special day.

The spread