Our Traditional Thanksgiving - not!

No pictures

for this blog

...nothing!

not

one

picture

of

one thing

...

nothing

to take pictures of

..........yet

I

grew up

with

traditions

you

could

predict

dinner menus

for

all

the holidays

Traditions

are

good,

albeit in my mind

just

a

bit

boring.

I like

to

try

new

things

...

John and the kids

become

Guinea pigs

"Biological experimentation on

guinea pigs has been carried out since the 17th century. The animals were frequently used as a model organism in the 19th and 20th centuries, resulting in the epithet "guinea pig" for atest subject, but have since been largely replaced by other rodents such as mice and rats. They are still used in research, primarily as models for human medical conditions such as juvenile diabetes, tuberculosis, scurvy, and pregnancy complications."

and

the guests

at

Petit Soleil

often

get

to reap the benefits,

or not,

of my

experimentation

with recipes.

THUS SAID,

why

is

it

that

John and the kids

always ask for the same

foods for

Thanksgiving

Christmas

birthdays

and

other important

holidays?

...

I must ponder that question

This recipe is THE FAVE

for dinner

...it is

REALLY REALLY

the

B O M B!!

Butternut Squash Gratin

with Chevre and Hazelnuts

3 1/2 lbs butternut squash (about 2 medium, peeled, seeded and cut into 1" cubes

2 TBS. olive oil

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

3 cups sliced leeks (sliced and thoroughly rinsed clean)

1 1/2 tsp fresh sage

I large log fresh chevre

1 c. heavy whipping cream

1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked and roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss squash cubes with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread out on large rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 35 minutes.

Melt butter in large skillet and saute leeks with the sage until tender - maybe 15 minutes.

Coat a 11 x 7" skilled with remaining butter and spread 1/2 of the leek mixture on the bottom. Top leeks with 1/2 of the roasted squash and 1/2 log of chevre (crumbled). Repeat the leek, squash and chevre layers (you can do this a day ahead - cover with plastic and chill)

When ready to bake, heat oven to 375 degrees. Pour cream evenly over gratin. Top with toasted chopped hazelnuts and bake until cream is bubbling and gratin is heated through - about 30-40 minutes.

There

you have it!

Yummy!!

Our

"Tradition"!

'I am thinking,

though,

of substituting

sweet potatoes

for

the

butternut squash

....

but

don't tell

the fam

A blessed Thanksgiving to all!