Tag Archives: Thanksgiving

Three Last Minute Dishes for Thanksgiving

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This year for many of us, our Thanksgiving tables will be smaller than in the past. With that thought in mind, I’ve searched my files for easy recipes to add to your menu in 2020.  A delicious Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Sage Cream would make a fine opener while Brussels Sprouts, Bacon, and Apples or Oak Leaf Salad and Apple Salad with Cider Honey Vinaigrette could easily be part of your lineup of  side dishes.

The roasted butternut squash soup takes only about 15 minutes to prep. The squash will need 30 minutes of roasting to intensify its flavor. Once roasted it is simmered along with shallots in stock, and finally pureed. Some warm crème fraîche infused with sage makes a delectable addition.

For Brussels sprouts, Bacon and Apple, three unlikely cohorts–assertive sprouts, salty bacon, and sweet apples–combine to form a colorful sautéed dish bursting with flavor. Start-to-finish time is about 35 minutes.

The Oak Leaf and Apple Salad with Honey Cider Vinaigrette, a perfect late fall salad prepared with tender oak leaf lettuce and tart frisée, is the easiest, for no cooking is involved. Add some dried cranberries for a holiday accent, and count on 35 minutes total to assemble this dish.

May you all stay safe and well. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Three Favorite Thanksgiving Trimmings!

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Roast turkey with herb butter and shallot pan gravy served with Southern cornbread dressing–those are the two mainstays of our family’s Thanksgiving menu. If I changed either of them, no one would come to the table! (Several years ago I offered up a fine cider- basted turkey along with cornbread dressing studded with root vegetables, and faced a near rebellion from my clan.) On the other hand, our group of hearty eaters is open to trying new trimmings be they appetizers, side dishes, or desserts.

So, this year, I thought I’d share with readers some of my favorite dishes that have accompanied our steadfast bird and dressing over the years. Happy Thanksgiving from my table to yours!

 

Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Turnips with Apple Date Relish

For a colorful vegetable side, consider these root vegetables which are blanched, smashed, then, seasoned with butter. A sauté of diced apples and dates in brown sugar makes a beautiful garnish. I first made this dish for a magazine Thanksgiving story twenty years ago, but for the new version, I added extra butter to the vegetables and increased the scrumptious sautéed apple date relish. The recipe follows here on this page.

 

Roasted Grape, Goat Cheese, and Walnut Toasts

For appetizers, this seasonal starter is simple to assemble and can be prepared several hours in advance. It’s also easy to transport if you’re a guest contributing to a Thanksgiving dinner. Just click on the recipe title for the recipe.

 

 

 

 

Wendy’s Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie Bars

For dessert try these bars, a delectable departure from traditional pumpkin pie. They are prepared with a buttery crust that is pressed into a baking pan, then baked until golden. A creamy, spiced pumpkin mixture is added next, followed by a sprinkle of pecan toffee streusel. Cut into squares and served with dollops of whipped cream, these bars could definitely rival a classic pumpkin pie.  Just click on the recipe title for the recipe

 

Two Tempting After-Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwiches

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Although our family savors every morsel of our annual Thanksgiving feast, they look just as forward to the days after, when we indulge in turkey sandwiches prepared with the leftover bird. Over the years we’ve tried quite a few combinations—classic hot turkey combos composed of mounds of turkey set atop toasted bread, all topped with pan gravy. Other times we’ve assembled Dagwood-style turkey clubs, and also sampled turkey and cranberry panini. Two more favorites—Turkey Reubens and Turkey Salad Sandwiches with Fennel and Walnuts on Whole Wheat—are featured here today.

I’ve posted the recipe for the Reubens on more than one occasion on this blog. The idea is simple—roast turkey replaces traditional pastrani in this version. You spread sourdough or rye slices with a dressing prepared with purchased mayo and chili sauce, then add  sliced Gruyère, sliced turkey, and purchased sauerkraut. To finish, you sauté the sandwiches in butter and oil until hot and golden brown, then serve them warm garnished with kosher dills and potato chips.

For the other, leftover turkey is diced, then combined with chopped fennel, walnuts, and Continue reading →

Three Thanksgiving Side Dishes that Don’t Need Oven Space

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I’ve started my Thanksgiving count-down list. This week I’m concentrating on the table, polishing silver and ironing napkins. I’ve also ordered a local turkey and am finalizing the menu. I won’t have extra oven space because my turkey, cornbread dressing, and potato gratin all call for plenty of time, so I’ve been looking for sides that don’t need to be baked or roasted. While culling my past blog posts, I discovered a beautiful dish– a colorful mélange of fall vegetables that includes diced butternut squash, brown mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts all cooked on the stove top and sprinkled with grated Parmigiano and toasted pecans. I marked “yes” to that one!

In addition I’ve decided to add a cold weather salad of tender green beans or haricots Continue reading →

Two Favorite Thanksgiving Sides

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Photo by Susie Cushner

At our house there would be a revolt if I didn’t roast our Thanksgiving turkey slathered in herb butter and serve it with shallot pan gravy prepared from the drippings. And, our clan definitely expects me to make Southern cornbread and leek dressing to accompany the bird. Where I get some leeway, though, is with the sides for my family leaves those choices up to the chef (moi!). This year I’m turning to two favorites–Brussels Sprouts, Apples, and Bacon as well as Roasted Butternut Squash and Pears with Blue Cheese.

Striking with their vibrant autumnal hues and robust flavors, either or both of these dishes would make a delectable accompaniment to your bird. Each recipe serves six, but can be doubled if needed.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

 

Cooking for Thanksgiving and Beyond

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Apple and Cherry Crumble with Ginger Creme Fraiche 1 3648x2736Chicken Salad with Fennel and Walnuts 1 3648x2736Our family will be with us for the long Thanksgiving weekend, and while our son will pick out the wines, I will, as always, be in charge of the menu. Each year I prepare roast turkey basted with herb butter served with dark shallot pan gravy accompanied by cornbread and leek dressing. These two dishes are so popular with our clan that there would be a revolt should I think of presenting the bird and dressing any other way. I have free range, however, when it comes to the rest of the menu.

This year, for example, I’m adding an Apple and Cherry Crumble with Ginger Crème Fraîche to our dessert table. Far easier than an apple pie, but just as tempting, it is made with diced Granny Smiths and tart dried cherries covered with a crisp golden topping that includes oats, walnuts, and brown sugar. What sets this crumble apart from others, though, is the crème fraîche scented with honey and freshly grated ginger drizzled over the warm meltingly tender baked apples. Continue reading →

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Candles can add warmth to your centerpiece.
Young family members can help decorate the table-my grandkids designed my place cards.
Seasonal flowers (like lilies, eucalyptus, and berries) make a great centerpiece
Gourds on lemon leaves made a good side arrangement.
Break out whimsical pieces (like this small ceramic terrine) for your feast—now’s the time to use them.t!
Votives with Lady apples and Seckel pears.
Pull out your good china and silver for the big day!

From my table in New England to yours, Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers! Just click on any of the photos for a quick slide show!

 

 

Pumpkin Panna Cotta for Thanksgiving!

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Pumpkin Panna Cotta with Pecan Brittle 1 2425x2634A few weeks ago my long-time assistant, Emily Bell, suggested that I offer readers a chance to end their Thanksgiving feasts with silky smooth pumpkin panna cotta in place of the traditional pumpkin pie. She had a favorite recipe for this Italian specialty–typically a mixture of cream, milk, and sugar bound with gelatin–and quickly convinced me that we could rework it, adding pumpkin puree and spices. My mouth was watering just thinking of this confection, so I wasted no time heading into the kitchen.

It took several tries before the flavors were balanced and the texture perfectly creamy, but finally we had a winner. I proposed that we add as garnishes dollops of softly whipped cream and crushed pecan brittle. The snowy white cap of cream contrasted nicely with the dusty orange hue of the “cooked creams,” while the glistening pecan brittle with its crunch was a great foil for the smoothness of this dessert. Continue reading →

A Great Make-Ahead Side Dish for Thanksgiving

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Roasted Butternut Squash and Pears 1There would be a rebellion in our family if our Thanksgiving menu did not include certain dishes. Everyone expects herb-roasted turkey with shallot pan gravy and cornbread dressing prepared with leeks, onions, and sweet peppers. My spouse adores the glistening cranberry chutney I’ve made for close to two decades, and our grandkids look forward to decadent pies and other sweets to end our feast.

When it comes to side dishes, though, I can vary the offerings without a major protest. This year there will be tender green beans sprinkled with crispy bacon, green onions, and parsley along with buttermilk mashed potatoes with grainy mustard. I’m also adding roasted butternut squash and pears with blue cheese and walnuts, a glorious fall dish that bursts with vibrant fall colors and tastes. Continue reading →