Thanksgiving Croque Madame
Main Course Erica Lovelace Main Course Erica Lovelace

Thanksgiving Croque Madame

I grew up surrounded by a massive extended family, and Thanksgiving was always the holiday where we proudly embraced making way too much food. It wasn’t just about feeding our family; we also welcomed the “stray cats”—a term of endearment for those who didn’t have anywhere else to go for the holidays but somehow found themselves drawn to our lively, boisterous gatherings. Like a gravitational pull, the more people in our orbit, the more likely others would be pulled in too. With an open-door policy, you could never predict who might show up, but one thing was certain: there was always plenty of food to go around.

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Honeynut Squash Carbonara
Main Course, Rice & Noodles Erica Lovelace Main Course, Rice & Noodles Erica Lovelace

Honeynut Squash Carbonara

I love using the sweet roasted flesh of honeynut squash with egg yolks, from Pete and Gerry’s eggs, for a luxurious, emulsified pasta sauce, butternut will work beautifully. The natural sweetness and richness from roasted squash help prevent carbonara from drying out, ensuring every strand of pasta is thoroughly coated in a creamy, flavorful sauce.

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Char Siu Fried Ribs
Main Course Erica Lovelace Main Course Erica Lovelace

Char Siu Fried Ribs

This recipe originates from one of my favorite blogs, Woks of Life, with the addition of a glaze. If you haven't explored their site yet, I highly recommend it—they offer a treasure trove of information on Cantonese and Chinese cooking. These ribs tend to disappear quickly when I put them on the table—they are crispy yet tender. Plus, I brush them with a glaze similar to the makings of char sui.

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Gong Bao Chicken
Main Course, Rice & Noodles Erica Lovelace Main Course, Rice & Noodles Erica Lovelace

Gong Bao Chicken

This beloved Chinese dish, especially popular in the Hunan province, owes its distinctive heat and sourness to a fermented pickled chili relish called du jiao. My recipe is adapted from Fuchsia Dunlop’s acclaimed book, Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook: Recipes from Hunan Province.

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Curry Udon
Rice & Noodles, Main Course Erica Lovelace Rice & Noodles, Main Course Erica Lovelace

Curry Udon

Curry roux has saved me countless times, and I love using the cubes to quickly prepare a delicious Japanese-style curry. S&B Foods first introduced this convenient block form of curry roux in 1956, made from a solid mixture of fat, flour, and curry spices as the base flavor. Today, you can find a wide selection of instant Japanese curry roux in the Asian section of American supermarkets.

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