As I mentioned a couple of days ago, I am doing some serious cooking for Thanksgiving. I have always helped with this meal, from being a little girl helping to "clean" spoons, to getting a little older and helping to set a table, serve and clear, to becoming a young adult and beginning to contribute first one, and then a couple of dishes at each Thanksgiving meal. This was the first time that I was cooking so heavily for the meal, but I was so excited to dig into most of a Thanksgiving menu . . . you will notice that I had nothing to do with the protein. That is most definitely the way it should be - as someone who recently returned to meat eating after a 12 year absence I am so not worthy when it comes to buying, much less preparing meat! Luckily, I had a good friend who not only made the turkey and stuffing, but invited me over.
Here is what I made, and how people liked it.
This was a big hit. I made this mostly because I wanted to do something with a butternut squash, but was surprised that it was yummy and that I wasn't the only one who was really into it!
Ingredients:
- 4 large shallots, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, chopped
- 1 celery rib, chopped - I excluded this since celery isn't my thing
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 3 large thyme sprigs
- 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into (1-inch) cubes (about 3 1/2 cups)
- 5 cups water - I used three cups of veggie broth and 2 of water
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 12 bottled cooked chestnuts, chopped (1/2 cup) - I am unsure I'll do this
- I added chopped fresh rosemary
Preparation
I halved the squash, oiled it, and baked it at 400 degrees for 45 minutes
Cook shallots, carrot, celery, tomatoes, thyme, and bay leaf in oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.
Add squash, water, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and simmer, covered, until squash is very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Discard thyme and bay leaf.
Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Thin soup if desired and season with salt and pepper.
Ladle soup over chestnuts in bowls - I did not do the chestnuts
Cooks' note: Soup can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered once cool. Thin slightly with water if necessary.
I also whipped some heavy whipping cream and served a dollop in the soup. Yummmmm.
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Credit: Michelle Brazier and Heather Robinson
I was probably the only person there that was really into these, but I loves them. I wasn't going to roast veggies and not make them!
Ingredients
- Fresh brussel sprouts
- Coarse salt (I use a Himalayan pink sea salt)
- Olive oil (about 3 tablespoons)
- Crushed red pepper
Preparation
Cut the tough end off of the sprouts, and halve them. Toss them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, and crushed red pepper. Place on a cookie sheet, bake in high heat oven (400 - 450 degrees) for 15-20 minutes or until crispy and carmelized to taste.
Roasted Cauliflower
Credit: Me
This was another hit. I think the thing that makes them so good is the special salt I used.
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower
- Olive oil - about 2-3 tablespoons
- Salt - kosher salt, or smoked grey salt
Preparation
Slice the stalk and leaves off of the head of cauliflower. Cut the heads and stems into pieces that are Goldilock's-sized - not too big, not too small. Toss with oil and salt. brown in the oven at about 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes until the tops begin to brown.
Fork Mashed Potatoes with fresh herbs
Credit: Me
These went over VERY well. I had tested these potatoes at three previous Thanksgivings so I was glad they fit well into this Thanksgiving too.
Ingredients
- 2-3 bags of mini-red potatoes, soaked but skins on
- butter
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- Fresh herbs - chopped (Rosemary, Thyme, Sage)
PreparationBoil the potatoes until tender (but not mushy). Drain and cool for a few minutes, and leave the skins on. Split the potatoes with a hand-masher, and then add butter a tablespoon at a time - start with a couple of tablespoons. Sprinkle in salt and pepper and begin to use a fork to mash the potatoes. Slowly add more butter, and the freshly chopped herbs.
Chocolate Chess Pie
Credit: My Mama.
This is not everyone's thing, but for those who like, it, they really like it.
Ingredients:
1 stick butter (melted)
1 1/2 C sugar
2 eggs
3 T cocoa
1 small can of evap milk
1 t vanilla
Preparation
Stir sugar and cocoa into butter. Add eggs one at a time, beating well, that's beating, not heating after each
(** BEAT-NOT-HEAT is a joke from back in my high school days. On a boring Sunday my bestest friend everest came over and we capriciously decided to see if their were ingredients to bake cookies. We scoped out a recipe from my mom's giant recipe box, and got started. My mom has beautiful handwriting, but her "h" curls back towards the stem, looking a little similar to a "b." On a faded recipe, we couldn't tell the difference and thought it said to HEAT the butter and sugar. So . . . we did! And as we added the other ingredients the dough turned into cement. Without baking. Beat! Not Heat!)
Add vanilla and milk.
Pour into an unbaked pie shell. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
Credit: www.epicurious.com
I took this to Thanksgiving and then brought it as a dessert to another friend's house. It was well liked by several people, and honestly, once the apples are peeled it's super easy so I think it may become something I make more often.
Ingredients
- 4 medium Golden Delicious apples (about 1 1/2pounds), peeled, cut into 1/3-inch pieces - I added one gala apple as well
- 5 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 cups sugar - I used only 4 T of sugar on the apples and only two cups of sugar in the batter
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup orange juice - I used a little extra.
- 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Mix apple pieces, 5 tablespoons sugar and ground cinnamon in medium bowl. Combine 2 1/2 cups sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, orange juice, orange peel and vanilla extract in large bowl; whisk to blend. Stir flour, baking powder and salt into egg mixture. Spoon 1 1/2 cups batter into prepared Bundt pan. Top with half of apple mixture. Cover with 1 1/2 cups batter. Top with remaining apples, then batter.
Bake cake until top is brown and tester inserted near center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 15 minutes. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen. Turn cake out onto rack. Cool at least 45 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Credit: Adapted from www.allrecipes.com
This was the easiest thing I made, and it was . . . ok. Most people don't really care about the cranberry sauce, and I think that's how this one went.
Ingredients:- 12 ounces cranberries
- 1 cup white sugar (I only used 3/4 C)
- 1 cup orange juice
- sprinkle of Cinnamin
- Sprinkle of fresh ground nutmeg
- Sprinkle of orange zest
Preparation
In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice. Stir in the cranberries and cook until the cranberries start to pop (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and place sauce in a bowl. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.
Pumpkin Bread
Credit: adapted from my Mama
Ummmm, on second thought, this is one of the only things I bake really well, to the point that people ask for it. And I don't want to reveal how I've altered my mom's recipe. So, this, and one other recipe of something that I cook (black bean soup!) will remain the creative property of me. But I'll make them for you!!
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and had a lot of reminders of things you are grateful for.
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