FOODday

The best at the market, in your kitchen and on your table

I recently had my first real "empty nest" panic attack. My husband was off fishing. My son was at college in Eugene, and my daughter, a high school junior, was at a friend's house. I had planned to spend the day getting caught up on household chores, which had piled up after I had been out of town the previous two weekends.

VEGETARIAN FLAVORS: The petite, easy to peel variety can be ready in minutes rather than roasting for hours

Torsten Kjellstrand, The OregonianAcorn squash

Acorn squash are a familiar sight at markets these days. Though our first instinct may be to lop them in half and roast them with a pat of butter and maple syrup, acorn squash are versatile enough to deserve a bit more of our attention.

This variety of squash is ideal for busy cooks because they are much smaller than the usual winter squash behemoths. You end up buying only what you need, their thin skin makes them easy to peel, and they can be braised and served within minutes instead of roasted for hours.

Recipe included with this story: Acorn Squash, Sage and Portobello Mushroom Penne

GOOD FOOD FOR LESS: The Milwaukie store offers cooks a huge palette of flours, grains, nuts and spices

Beth Nakamura, The OregonianSavory Rosemary and Cheddar Multi-grain Crackers, made with a 10-grain blend from Bob's Red Mill, are as easy to whip up as a batch of slice-and-bake cookies.

Tucked into an industrial park off Oregon 224 in Milwaukie, the Bob's Red Mill Whole Grain Store is the flagship of the 25-year-old company, which produces and markets all manner of flours and grains, legumes, nuts, dried fruit and spices. While you can buy Bob's Red Mill products in most markets around town, it's well worth a trip to the picturesque mill-themed store for the remarkable selection, specials and bulk purchases (25 pounds of beans, cornmeal or rye flakes?). I could have bought half the store, but I limited myself to a small haul of mixed cereals, beans and grains. And when you go, go hungry: Bob's has a full kitchen and prepares hearty -- and healthy -- meals for breakfast and lunch.

Recipes included with this story: Quinoa With Saffron, Spinach and Apples, Rosemary and Cheddar Multi-grain Crackers, Red Wine Braised Cranberry Beans With Smoked Pork

IN THE MIX

The Oregonian/2006With about 40 brews to pour, volunteers such as Matt Turner have to be quick on the draw at the annual Holiday Ale Festival.

Last week we gave readers tips on where to go for holiday high tea. But if that's just not your kind of brew, you might want to head down to Pioneer Courthouse Square on Wednesday through Sunday, Dec. 3-7, for the 13th annual Holiday Ale Festival. With 40 big, bold winter ales on hand, you may have a tough time choosing what to taste. Some beers will have chocolate, caramel or coffee flavors, while others are warmed with hints of nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves.

The action happens under a large tent with gas heaters, so you'll stay toasty and dry. And in addition to the beer tasting there will be food, event merchandise, mead samples, music and complimentary root beer for designated drivers. Hours: 3-9 p.m. Wednesday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free; imbibers will need to buy the $20 tasting package, which includes a souvenir mug and 10 beer tickets (one ticket per taste, or four tickets for a mugful). For ages 21 and older. Details, including info about Sunday's Belgian Beer Brunch, go to www.holidayale.com or call 503-252-9899.

IN SEASON: Turnips deserve a supporting role at the table, even as a stand-in for carrots or potatoes

iSTOCKTurnips may have an image problem, but it's undeserved. After all, almost anything you can do to a potato you can do to a turnip. Look for younger turnips, which have a more delicate and sweeter flavor.

The thought of turnips may not immediately get your tastebuds tingling, but it's a mistake to ignore this nutritious and versatile root.

People who know good food know how to bring turnips to the table -- if not as a star, then at least as a valued member of the chorus line. The classic root makes frequent appearances in stews and adds a lively, piquant-yet-savory note to a mix of roasted vegetables.

You can also saute it, shred it, puree it into a soup, mash it along with potatoes, or thinly slice and layer into a gratin or casserole. Small raw turnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges, are a crispy, sweet and healthful addition to a platter of crudites.

Turnips are a brassica -- like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage -- and have a similarly stellar nutritional profile. To get more of these benefits into your diet, swap turnips in for some of the carrots or potatoes in a recipe.

FIT FOR DINNER: For safety, however, give them maximum scrutiny before starting the cooking process

Mussels are our kind of fast food. They cook in no time and are best when minimally dressed -- no elaborate sauces or long list of ingredients. If you get cultivated, rather than wild, mussels, they'll only need a quick rinse on their way to the cooking pot.

Recipe included with this story: Mussels With Black Bean Sauce

TEST KITCHEN: Whether freezing or mailing your treats, proper packaging will preserve them

This time of year, our ovens are getting a serious workout -- and it's not just from all the turkeys and pot roasts. It's cookie season, and we're cranking them out by the dozen.

Recipe included with this story: Pecan Sandies

WINE NOTES: Many are decent and a handful prove downright delightful

With holiday entertaining on the horizon and limited funds in the bank, many of us will be prowling the aisles at Trader Joe's for dirt-cheap wine deals this month.

I often receive queries from readers asking why more of the wines I recommend aren't available at TJ's. The answer is this: Many of the wines sold at this retail chain are private or exclusive labels. That is, they aren't sold anywhere else around town.

SHORTCUT COOKING

When I first saw this recipe, I thought, "Ugh, another example of fusion food gone horribly wrong." And after we tested it, I thought it was a very homely looking dish indeed. But after we tasted it, we realized that an Italian enchilada worked fine as a simple and satisfying dinner.

Recipe included with this story: Italian Sausage Roll-Ups

Harmony J.A.C.K. Farms Inc. in Scio, Oregon raises free-range heritage turkeys, as well as beef cows, goats and chickens, that are USDA-certified organic. Their philosophy is based on supporting local economy and environmentally friendly sustainable farm practices.

The farm offers educational tours for people interested in their practices.

-- Motoya Nakamura; motoyanakamura@news.oregonian.com

Instead of a painstaking pie, try making a rustic, free-form tart for your Thanksgiving dessert

Beth Nakamura/The OregonianWhen you spread the filling on top of the pastry, be sure to leave a generous border, about 2 inches deep.

With all the details that go into planning, shopping and preparing Thanksgiving dinner, dessert can sometimes just feel like too much -- and so we resort to store-bought or frozen pies. Not to mention that a perfect pie is tricky to turn out, especially if you're not a confident pastry person.

But this year you don't need to shy away from baking. Take a simple but delicious route and serve your guests a galette -- a handmade dessert that is just as yummy and beautiful as an award-winning pie, yet completely catastrophe-proof.

Recipes included with this story: Sweet Galette Dough, Pumpkin Cheesecake Galette With Streusel Topping, Pear and Cranberry Galette With Pear Brandy Whipped Cream, Mixed Nut and Frangipane Galette With Butterscoth Sauce