Leigh Belanger

carrots recipe thanksgiving

Roasted Carrots with Pesto & Breadcrumbs

Most root vegetables respond well to high-heat roasting and carrots are no exception. In this simple side dish, they’re roasted until their sweetness intensifies and they become lightly caramelized. Then they’re topped with a verdant parsley pesto and crunchy, garlicky breadcrumbs, bringing some real zip to the party.

shrimp scampi with linguine

Sauteed Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp scampi is classic for a reason: The garlic and lemon set off the sweetness of the shrimp, and, served over linguine, this dish still manages to be both light and delicious. This is the quintessential seafood past recipe. And it can be on the table in a few steps.

brussels sprouts with crispy bits

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Fried Shallots

If any of your holiday guests still haven’t come around to Brussels sprouts, this dish might convince them otherwise. The sprouts turn crisp and mellow when roasted under high heat, the pomegranate molasses adds a sweet-and-sour note, and the fried shallots add another savory, crunchy layer of deliciousness. 

turkey stir fry noodles

Stir-Fried Rice Noodles with Turkey and Snap Peas

A fast, tasty dinner that comes together quickly and can be adapted with different proteins and vegetables depending on the time of year and your mood. Snap peas or broccoli, turkey or pork – this is an adaptable weeknight meal to slide into the weekly rotation.

bacon chocolate cupcakes

Bacon-Chocolate Mini Cupcakes

Bacon and chocolate? Yes please! Tender stout-chocolate cake, crispy bacon bits, and a no-waste chocolate frosting made with leftover bacon grease come together to create a salty-sweet chocolate bomb for dessert lovers of all ages.

cooking oils with herbs

A Quick Guide to Cooking Oils

Fat is a hot topic these days. Over the past few years, the long-maligned macronutrient is getting its nutritional due. We’ve always loved fat because it helps enhance and carry flavor, but it’s also a critical component of a healthy diet. Fat is a source of slow-burning energy and helps […]

turkey meatball recipe

Herbed Turkey-Zucchini Meatballs

If you didn’t think meatballs could qualify as an “anytime” food, think again. This recipe, adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi’s 2012 cookbook, Jerusalem, is light from the combination of turkey and shredded zucchini (which also lends some needed moisture to the turkey) and bright from the fresh herbs […]

spatchcocked grilled chicken

Spatchcocked Grilled Chicken

The best way to grill a whole chicken is to spatchcock it. All that means is removing the bird’s backbone and breaking the breastplate, which allows the chicken to lay flat. When it can lay flat on the grill (or in the oven for that matter), it cuts down on […]