Thanksgiving recipes

[zoebartlett]

Is anyone trying a new recipe that they''d like to share? I wish I could contribute but I''m not really a cook. I''m usually in charge of making chocolate chip cookies for family gatherings. My parents and my sister will be visiting for Thanksgiving, and I''m looking for easy recipes that I could try. I''ll have to make them ahead of time and test them on my husband first though.

 

[Mara]

Great thread ZB! I was thinking of starting one too for any new recipes!

I am always looking for a new veggie recipe... hopefully someone will post one.

One recipe I love is a cauliflower one, I have to see if I can find it, but basically you steam full heads of cauliflower (keep them intact) and then while they are steaming, melt some butter, salt, a little bit of EVOO and some chopped pecans in a small fry pan and brown. When the cauli are done, put them on a place and pour the butter mixture over it. It''s really yummy with the nuts and the browned butter.

 

[makemepretty]

I never have leftovers when I make this and it''s easy:
Mix
1 can creamed corn
2 eggs beaten
1/4 c sugar
2 1/2 TBS flour
2 TBS melted butter
salt to taste
1 C. evaporated milk

Pour into baking dish (I have a 9x9 square glass one I use)
Bake 1 hour at 350 and let stand a few min. before serving. It''s easy and so yummy and warm.

 

[zoebartlett]

Those recipes sound really good, Mara and Makemepretty! Thanks for sharing.

I''ve made a cranberry relish before, but I can''t remember how much of each ingredient I use. I think I just kind of make it up as I go along.

The jist of it is:

1 bag of cranberries
an orange (peel and juice)
a little sugar (or more, depending on how sweet you like it)
water

Heat the mixture until the cranberries start to pop. Put into a food processor and pulse until you have the desired consistency.

 

[Mara]

i love cranberry relish!! i have seen recipes as well that have liquor in them, maybe brandy? can't recall. thought that would give it a good kick. honestly though, it sounds so bad but whole foods cranberry relish is REALLY good. i usually just get it for us 2 if we are not hosting at our house because otherwise i am too lazy to make it.

can anyone share suggestions for how to get the right fluffy mashed potatoes? this is one dish i can NEVER seem to make correctly though my sister loves my MP and always requests them, they are not what *I* like to eat when I get MP at a restaurant. maybe i am overwhipping? i do it by hand too, not mixer. and do you use sour cream or milk in your MP?

i also posted this in another recipe thread at some point but another easy side dish is lemon carrots. you steam baby carrots until just tender, and then mix in butter, salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice, with parsley. it's sooo good...the lemon with the carrots is a huge hit and it's very fast.

 

[mia1181]

Mara,
My In-laws make the best creamy but still fluffy Mashed Potatoes so I follow their recipe.

Add butter and cream cheese to potatoes
There are no measurements, so you just have to eye what would be a reasonable amount to put in
Warm up milk in microwave before adding a little milk.
Whip with an electric hand mixer and add more milk to the desired consistancy.
It''s really easy, I think the trick is the hand mixer because you get out all the lumps and in whips the potatoes instead of just crushing. Mine always come out so fluffy and forms peaks like a mousse would.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Mia, I have to agree with you. My Mom always whips her potatoes with butter, sour cream, and half & half, and the extra air helps to make the fluffiest mashed potatoes ever!

I''ll contribute a recipe I''m trying. It''s from this month''s Bon Appetit. I''m actually trying a cut down version of it for tonight''s dinner because this version serves 16.

Sweet Potato Stuffing with Bacon and Thyme



Ingredients

• 10 cups 1-inch cubes sourdough baguette with crust (from about 1 1/2 one-pound baguettes)
• 1 pound thick-cut bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
• 6 1/2 cups 3/4-inch cubes peeled red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams; about 2 3/4 pounds)
• 4 cups 1/2-inch onion pieces (from about 2 large onions)
• 3 cups 1/2- to 3/4-inch celery pieces
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 1/4 teaspoons (or more) coarse kosher salt
• 1 1/3 cups fresh orange juice
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/3 cups low-salt chicken broth

Preparation

• 
  Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Spread bread cubes in single layer on large baking sheet; bake until almost firm to touch, about 10 minutes. Cool. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.
  
• 
  Place bread cubes in extra-large bowl. Cook bacon in heavy large pot over medium heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
  
• 
  Pour off and discard all but 3 tablespoons bacon drippings from pot; place pot over medium-high heat. Add butter, then sweet potatoes, onions, celery, thyme, and 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt to pot. Sauté until onions are slightly soft but not brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add orange juice and bring to boil; cook until sweet potatoes are almost tender and juice is almost absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add bacon and sweet potato mixture to bowl with bread cubes. Season with more salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cool slightly. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.
  
• 
  Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Whisk eggs and 1 1/3 cups chicken broth in medium bowl to blend; add to stuffing and toss to combine. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
  
• 
  Bake stuffing uncovered until top is lightly browned and crisp around edges, 50 minutes to 1 hour.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

I''m also thinking of switching up my corn side dish.

Normally I use 2 cans of drained shoepeg corn, melted with a package of cream cheese and chopped green chilies. Top it with some parmesan and bake it until it''s golden brown. It''s delicious and easy, but we have it every single year!

So, I found this recipe in this month''s Bon Appetit, too.

Real Creamed Corn Pudding

Ingredients

10 to 12 large ears of corn, shucked
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
2 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, divided
4 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Using large holes on box grater, grate enough corn into large measuring cup to yield 4 generous cups of thick milky pulp.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and celery; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt. Sauté until tender but not brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Scrape mixture into bowl.
Whisk egg yolks in large bowl 2 minutes. Stir in corn mixture, onion mixture, crème fraîche, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 2 teaspoons coarse salt. Whisk egg whites in medium bowl until stiff but not dry; fold into corn batter in 2 additions.
Place remaining 2 tablespoons butter in 10- to 12-cup cast-iron skillet or baking dish. Transfer to oven and heat until butter begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Brush butter over inside of skillet. Add pudding.
Bake pudding 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake pudding until set and golden, about 30 minutes longer. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

 

[Mara]

Umm I just stuffed my face at breakfast and these recipes are making me hungry again.

We are doing a friends pre-thanksgiving and then the day-of with family, so I have a few opps to do some new things this year. Both corn recipes sound really good LTP.

My go-to for stuffing is I think from WS''s online recipes... it''s the Sage Sausage Dressing ... I love it!! I always want to try something new but since we only have it once a year, I never do. Some of the cornbread ones sound so intriguing.

 

[MissGotRocks]

I have a cauliflower receipe that we always affectionately call ''The Brain''!

You steam a whole head of cauliflower and then remove it intact to a glass baking dish and sprinkle with salt. Take 3/4 cup of mayonnaise and mix in mustard to get a medium yellow color. Spoon this mixture all over the head of cauliflower and sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese. Bake in a 400 degree oven until the cheese melts.

Sounds questionable but it is very tasty - everyone always loves it!

As far as the potatoes go, I always use a hand mixer. Otherwise, they are somewhat lumpy and more what we used to call creamed potates.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Mara - that''s the one reason why I''m worrying about changing up the tried and true stuffing recipe. I make a similar one every year with sage and sausage, but I figured since I''m making duck again this year, I''d change up something.

MissGotRocks - that sounds intriguing! I can picture it . . . I bet presentation is everything with that dish!