Mango Pie. Because A Cow Turns Five Only Once

A couple of days ago, Holy Cow! turned five.

That seems a long time in the ephemeral world of cyberspace, and I must confess I am not someone who sticks long-term with most "hobby" projects, as Desi will tell you. But this blog has persisted through good times and tough ones, largely because it has allowed me to bring together three of my greatest passions: cooking, writing, and living a compassionate life. And also because when I started writing Holy Cow! I set two simple ground rules that I have stuck with: first, that I would write exactly what I wanted to without worrying about pleasing anyone -- except myself. Second, that I would share only the recipes that were good enough to feed those I love-- my family and my friends.

I've never really followed the established guidelines for successful blogging. I don't network like crazy with other bloggers, although I do love visiting the blogs I love, and there are many of those. I don't have the time to chase after followers, and even if I did, I wouldn't know where to start. I haven't invested in search engine optimization, or in an attractive design to make my blog more appealing (although Desi's great pictures do help). All I have done for these last five years is cook and write with a lot of love. And lucky for me, that has been enough for many of you who have found Holy Cow! and come back for more.

Spaghetti With Brussels Sprouts And Onions

I am always on the lookout for easy and nutritious weeknight recipes that can do double duty as unfussy brown-bag lunches. And you can't beat today's recipe on both counts.

I came across this recipe in the Washington Post, and I didn't really have to do anything to veganize it-- the writer suggests butter (easily replaced) and cheese, but the cheese is optional and then only to pass around at the table. Trust me, this dish does not need it.

I loved this recipe all the more because it uses a veggie that tends to be underused in general and in my kitchen-- Brussels Sprouts. Recently, a friend and I ate a really delicious dish of garlicky Brussels Sprouts at the Domku restaurant in DC's Capitol Heights, reminding me once again why I've always loved this quirky-looking veggie. Domku, by the way, has an easily veganized and delicious Borscht too (just skip the sour cream topping), but that's something I'll save for my DC-area restaurant reviews, when I have a chance to update those.

Pumpkin Pie (With Butternut Squash)

I wasn't feeling terribly inspired about baking a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving until I chanced upon a recipe in the New York Times that showed how to make one from scratch-- without a pumpkin.

I have nothing against pumpkins, mind you.I love them in all their rotund glory and they are delicious sweet or savory. But I also don't love cooking the same dishes over and over and over, and with pumpkin pie I had been there, baked that. Still, the New York Times recipe was seductive because, for one, it was made absolutely from scratch-- no canned purees here. But more interestingly, it was made with butternut squash. The creator of the recipe said she had tried every kind of squash out there for the filling before coming up with the winner.

So Sunday morning I ran down to my neighborhood supermarket and bought a couple of butternut squashes. If you aren't up-to-date on your squash vocabulary, these are the pretty, bell-shaped gourds with a beige skin. They're tough on the outside, but cut one open with a knife (a sharp one), and you will be surprised by startlingly orange flesh that cooks up into satiny sweetness. Perfect for pie.

Bharli Vangi (Stuffed Eggplants)

A warm hello after a long time to the readers of Holy Cow! I have missed chatting and cooking with you, and I for one am happy that this blog is alive once again.

First, I want to thank all of you for the comforting messages, prayers and thoughts you sent our way after our beloved Lucy passed away. It was a difficult time, and your kindness offered warmth that was much appreciated by both Desi and me.

In the days since, one of the most frequent questions I get from people is, How is Opie doing? Does he miss her?

The answer is not as easy as yes or no.

Opie and Lucy came to our home just a month apart. Physically and behaviorally they were polar opposites. Lucy was the athletic one with the sharp intellect to absorb and follow commands that Shepherds are so famous for, and an innate desire to please her people. Opie, on the other hand, is the lazy guy who'd rather sit and observe, with a complex intelligence that he uses unabashedly to manipulate us into doing what he wants us to do. At our home, we call him the Decider.