A Gnocchi-Inspired Christmas Menu

The Menu

I scored two bags of Aldi's Christmas Gnocchi earlier this month and decided to base our Christmas dinner menu around it. 

We went with a brown butter & sage sauce for the gnocchi accompanied by a kale/cranberry salad, air fryer broccoli, and oven-roasted mushrooms. Dessert was apple pie à la mode.

Recipe-by-Recipe Breakdown

Gnocchi

The gnocchi were awesome! Would definitely do that again (and fortunately, we have a second bag to experiment with). The shapes are super cute and hold up well even after boiling and sautéing. The gnocchi themselves are also very tasty and have a great texture.

Brown Butter & Sage Gnocchi

The brown butter & sage recipe called for a LOT of red pepper flakes. We used about half. Ultimately, my husband thought the spice level was just right, my 15yo son thought it could have been spicier, and I could have taken it down a notch. For the next batch, I'll probably try a different type of sauce, maybe something tomato-based to kick up the red on the plate.

Cranberry Kale Salad with Roasted Pecans and Feta

This is a lovely salad. We took a couple of shortcuts by buying pre-chopped kale and pecans. The cinnamon gives the dressing a very interesting flavor that contrasts well with the tangy feta, and the combination of crunchy and soft bits is perfect. The 15yo is not a huge fan of kale but still liked the dressing and feta.

Air Fryer Broccoli

The air fryer makes this recipe super easy, quick, and delicious! We took a shortcut with this one, too, by buying a bag of pre-chopped broccoli florets. Still, some of the larger stem pieces were still quite crunchy after air frying, so if I make this again, I will take time to be sure that everything is small florets. The flavors and textures were just right!

Garlicky Roasted Mushrooms

This recipe was definitely the hit of the meal! Even though the 15yo is not a big fan of mushrooms, he loved these. The flavors are amazing, and it was very easy to prepare. 

Apple Pie à la Mode

Aldi came through for us on the apple pie, too, with their Baker's Corner Apple Pie Filling. We also got a frozen pie crust, though we dressed it up a little and made a lattice top. Be sure to read the ingredients to verify that they are vegetarian; the first crust we got had lard in it. 

Although the can for the filling seemed to indicate that one can would work for a 9-inch pie, we found that we needed two. Adding a little vanilla ice cream on the side made for a perfect conclusion to the meal!

The Verdict 

It was a great meal! It was tasty, a nice change of pace from the traditional holiday fare, and it looked very festive with lots of green, white, and touches of red.

A Lazy Vegetarian Thanksgiving

An easy lacto-ovo* menu

These recipes don't all meet classic "Lazy Vegetarian" standards, but they are relatively quick and easy for a Thanksgiving meal. I make the pumpkin pies and cranberry sauce the day before, and do all the prep work for the stuffing ahead of time as well, cutting down considerably on hands-on time on the day itself. Frozen vegetables and refrigerated bread dough make everything come together quickly for the big dinner.

Menu

• Broccoli coleslaw salad
• Lima beans
• Corn with butter sauce
• Crescent rolls
• Mashed potatoes (instant)
• Sherry's Thanksgiving Dressing (recipe below)
• Grandma Edgecombe's Cranberry Sauce (recipe below)
• Pumpkin pie
• White grape raspberry juice

Sherry's Thanksgiving Dressing
1 (8 oz.) pkg. Pepperidge Farm herbed bread cubes
1/2 (42 oz.) can Fri-Chik, diced OR 1.5 (12.5 oz.) cans
3 celery ribs, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 eggs
3/4 cup hot water
1/4 lb. margarine, melted
FriChik liquid (optional)

Saute onion and celery in vegetable oil or margarine until soft and translucent. Combine in large bowl with all remaining ingredients, adding bread cubes last. Place loosely in a 9x13 casserole (sprayed with cooking spray) -- don't pack too tightly!
To make ahead, bake at 325 for 30 minutes, then refrigerate or freeze. Before serving, thaw 24 hours in refrigerator, then bake 20-30 minutes at 325. OR, to prepare immediately, bake 45 minutes at 325.

While dressing is baking, fry up remaining 1/2 can of Fri-Chik. Arrange on top of dressing before serving.


Grandma Edgecombe's Cranberry Sauce
2 cups cranberries (1/2 lb.)
1 orange, plus 1/4 of its peel (grated)
3 med. apples
1 cup sugar

Chop together in food processor and refrigerate several hours or overnight. The flavor improves the longer it stands, though you may also wish to add Fruit Fresh to prevent apples from browning if you won't be serving it immediately.

*Fri-Chik contains milk and egg whites, making the dressing lacto-ovo. Grandma's cranberry sauce is vegan, though!

Ridiculously Easy Fruit Salad

Lacto vegetarian (possibly vegan with substitutions)

This is a super-easy fruit salad made extra yummy by vanilla yogurt. I've had many people ask me what the delicious "secret sauce" is... and then confess that they don't usually like yogurt! At our house, this salad, a big bowl of popcorn, and lemonade often make for an easy, light supper on weekend evenings.

1 med. can mandarin oranges, drained
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 banana, sliced
1 cup seedless green grapes
1 container (6-8 oz.) vanilla yogurt*

Combine in a bowl. Serve.

*Substitute soy yogurt for a vegan option.

Quick and Easy "Haystacks"

A great recipe for feeding a crowd
Lacto-ovo or vegan options

To make a haystack, begin with a layer of grain on your plate. Some popular choices are:
Corn chips (Frito style)
Tortilla chips
Doritos (your favorite flavor)
Rice (white or brown)

Add a warm protein or legume, such as:
Vegetarian burger crumbles, cooked
Chili beans
Chili Man vegetarian chili
Your favorite stewed beans (black beans, lentils, etc.)

Top with any or all garnishes:
Lettuce
Chopped tomatoes
Shredded cheese
Chopped onion or green onion
Olives
Salsa
Sour cream
Guacamole

Everyone builds their own, so you don't have to worry about finicky eaters. The hardest part is setting all the bowls on the table. Enjoy!

Easy Coleslaw Salad

Incredibly popular at potlucks!
Vegan

Dressing:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 Tbsp. vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 seasoning packet from Ramen Oriental flavor noodles

Combine and refrigerate several hours to overnight.

Salad:
1 bag broccoli coleslaw
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds
1 package Ramen noodles (raw), crushed

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, add dressing and mix together. Best when served immediately so the noodles are still crunchy, but it also holds up quite well as leftovers.

Quick & Easy Tip: Use kitchen scissors to slice the green onions directly into the salad.

Potluck Tip: Combine everything except the dressing and noodles in a covered bowl. Take the dressing in a separate container and the noodles in a zip-loc baggie. Dump the whole thing together just before serving.