So if I've been a slacker in the vegetable department for the last couple of days, it's because I've been such a champion in the fruit, er, I mean, the cookie department. By the time the last batch came out of the oven and the fish stew was cooked for Christmas Eve and Jesus' birthday cake (a tradition started by my sister when her now lanky teenage boys were toddlers) was baked and iced, it was ten o'clock. I managed (barely) to find 'something' that might, in an expansive holiday fashion, qualify for A Veggie Venture and finally sat down to supper. That said, the simplicity of the cheese and eggplant/red pepper spread on good olive bread really hit the spot. I find the bruschetta at a nearby international grocery where there are maybe a dozen brands priced $1.50 - $2.00 so easy, wallet-wise, to keep stocked. If you count calories, do watch the nutrition labels for the brands vary widely in their use of oil. Merry Christmas, all. Let the Cookie Partie

From all the prepared food on A Veggie Venture this week, you'd think mine was a no-cook kitchen. Instead, it's exactly otherwise: so much cookie baking and cooking ahead for Christmas that there's little energy left for meals! This Trader Joe's product was perfect for a simple lunch, start-to-table in 10 minutes flat and leaving lots of appetite for fresh-warm cookies! (And hey, ignore the sunlight streaming in that's so lovely except when it comes to food photos ... and check out the styling! Pretty good mimicry, eh?) (c) Copyright 2005 Kitchen Parade

How to cook cabbage in the microwave. It's almost hands-free and the results are delicious! ~recipe & photo updated 2011~ 2005: Oh so good! And the perfect match for grilled chops. This cabbage dish is again inspired by StephenCooks who reminds me on occasion that not all the recipes on his site require tons of time and attention -- and if I didn't believe him before, I would now! I loved this cabbage and the leftovers got tucked into reuben sandwiches with corned beef, caraway cheese and Thousand Island dressing. Wonderful! 2010: This is such a great technique for cooking cabbage. The cabbage cooks quickly and easily, the small bit of ginger is a pleasant surprise. There's almost a 'fresh sauerkraut' sense to it. RECIPE for MICROWAVE CABBAGE & ONION with APPLE & GINGER See StephenCook's Version Hands-on time: 15 minutes to start, 5 minutes to finish Time to table: 65 minutes but Stephen recommends letting rest for a day Serves 4 1/4 cup water 3 ta

Cooks across the world plan elaborate special breakfasts for Christmas morning, often traditional dishes that are family favorites, perhaps a rice porridge with an almond tucked inside for luck, Gramma's cinnamon coffee cake, the wife-saver strata. But if you've got a houseful over the holidays, here's something easy and special and endlessly varied for the other mornings, Swiss muesli. It's featured in this week's Kitchen Parade column . Merry Christmas, all!

How to roast Brussels sprouts in the oven until slightly caramelized. "Pretty good" if you use frozen Brussels but "wonderful" with fresh Brussels sprouts. Low carb. Weight Watchers PointsPlus 2 or 3. Not just vegan, " Vegan Done Real ". WAY BACK IN 2005: TABLE TALK: The Father: [Sniffs. Pokes plate with fork. Stabs a sprout. Takes tiny bite. Speaks with plaintive voice.] "Your mother used to put cheese on these so I would eat them." The Cook: [laughing] " Would eat them? Or could eat them?" My poor dad. If I'd known about his lack of appreciation for Brussels sprouts, at least I'd have made a batch with a better chance of changing his mind. I've been binge-ing on fresh Brussels sprouts. The only downside is the time required to clean and trim, 15 - 20 minutes per pound. So tonight I tried frozen Brussels sprouts , thawing them for a few hours so they could be cut in half before roasting (this is a good trick!) and the

Convenience-wise, frozen vegetables are a godsend on busy nights but taste-wise, you don't expect much. This Trader Joe's packet is an exception. Officially it's called "Fire Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic Butter Sauce". It heats up in just a couple of minutes and yields great-tasting vegetables and a delicious buttery-balsamic sauce. Other thoughts: The packet includes a pound of vegetables, which Trader Joe's says serves 6 and which A Veggie Venture normally would normally say serves 4. Six servings works in that restaurant-a-few-veggies-on-the-side-manner if the entree is substantial and there's another vegetable or salad. Four servings? Maybe. It just didn't seem to go that far. The directions say to add a tablespoon of oil -- there's tons of buttery sauce without, next time I won't add a drop. There is a lot of sauce -- maybe a half cup? -- so think about rice or pasta to soak it up. I'd definitely throw a bag

My signature salad during the holidays, the one that friends both know to expect and request specially. It easily stretches from one or two to a crowd, no measuring or fuss. Make it at the last minute or make it ahead of time, this easy green salad is extra tasty and festive! But the recipe has moved to a new location, please see Festive Holiday Salad at Kitchen Parade, my food column. Looking for healthy new ways to cook vegetables? A Veggie Venture is home to hundreds of super-organized quick, easy and healthful vegetable recipes and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables . Join " veggie evangelist " Alanna Kellogg to explore the exciting world of common and not-so-common vegetables, seasonal to staples, savory to sweet, salads to sides, soups to supper, simple to special. © Copyright Kitchen Parade 2005, 2018 & 2022 (retired)