What's Cooking for Thanksgiving?

[erika.baldock]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

I honestly don't believe you are a real person.

[Pressing-On]

Margie,
This cranberry sauce recipe sounds like it is totally off the chain! It's from Southern Living.

Grandma Erma's Spirited Cranberry Sauce

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup port
4 cups fresh cranberries
1/4 cup orange liqueur

1. Stir together sugar, port, and 3/4 cup water in a heavy 3-qt. saucepan until blended. Add cranberries; bring to a boil, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes or until cranberry skins begin to split. Remove from heat, and let cool 15 minutes.

2. Pulse cranberry mixture in a food processor 3 to 4 times or until cranberries are almost pureed; stir in orange liqueur. Cover and chill 8 hours before serving. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container up to 2 weeks. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

[Pressing-On]

One more side dish. This sounds much better than that nasty dish my sister made that added mustard to the asparagus. Yuck! She got mad at me because I put my napkin to my mouth and discarded it! LOL!

Oven-Roasted Asparagus

3 pounds fresh asparagus
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Snap off and discard tough ends of asparagus; place asparagus on a lightly greased baking sheet. Drizzle evenly with olive oil; sprinkle evenly with garlic, salt, and pepper.

Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or to desired degree of tenderness. Transfer asparagus to a serving dish; sprinkle with almonds.

[Pressing-On]

Okay, only one more! LOL! Cindy this side dish would be a total winner! Not doing this for Thanksgiving, but I will some time in the near future!

Mac and Texas Cheeses With Roasted Chiles

4 poblano chile peppers
1 pound uncooked elbow macaroni
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup milk
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 (4-ounce) package goat cheese, crumbled
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Parmesan cheese

Broil chile peppers on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet 5 inches from heat about 5 minutes on each side or until chiles look blistered.

Place chiles in a zip-top plastic bag; seal and let stand 10 minutes to loosen skins. Peel chiles; remove and discard seeds, and cut chiles into strips. Set aside.

Prepare macaroni according to package directions; drain and set aside.

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over low heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Cook 1 minute, whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in cream and milk; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until mixture is thickened and bubbly.

Stir in 2 3/4 cups Monterey Jack cheese, crumbled goat cheese, and salt until smooth. Stir in roasted chiles and macaroni.

Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Top evenly with Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375° for 40 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese.

Broil 5 inches from heat about 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.

[Margies3]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

Green Peas With Crispy Bacon

4 bacon slices
2 shallots
1 tsp. grated orange rind
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 (16-oz) bags frozen sweet green peas, thawed
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
2 tsp. butter
Garnish: orange rind curls

Cook bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat 10 to 12 minutes or until crispy; remove and drain, reserving 2 tsp. drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon.
Saute' shallots in hot dripping over medium-high heat 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in orange rind, orange juice, pepper and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until reduced by half. Add peas, and cook 5 minutes; stir in mint and butter.
Transfer peas to serving dish, and sprinkle with crumbled bacon. Garnish with orange rind curls.

Ok, I don't even like peas. But I KNOW my family will love this. So now I have to go to the store again! Thanks alot, PO. hehehe

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

Favorite squash casserole by Paula Deen:

Summer Squash Casserole

6 yellow or pattypan summer squash
1 cup onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 stick butter
2 slices white bread
1 medium bowl ice water
1 egg
Salt and pepper
1 cup cracker crumbs, or enough to cover casserole

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel and cut squash into cubes. Boil until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes, and drain. Brown onion, garlic, and parsley in 2 tablespoons butter seasoned with salt and pepper. Soak bread in ice water and wring out; chop fine. Add to onion and garlic mixture; cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add drained squash and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, stirring. Remove from heat. Beat egg and add, allowing it to absorb into the mixture. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Place in casserole dish or baking pan. Cover top with cracker crumbs and dot with remaining butter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crumbs brown.

Cook's Note: You can refrigerate this dish for up to 2 days before baking, but you should add the bread crumb topping right before you bake.

I've got a boatload of butternut squash sitting here. Can you use them for this dish, do you think??? If so, I'm gonna try this one for Thanksgiving too.

Now if you keep posting recipes that I have to try, first of all I'll be cooking ALL week and second of all, we'll have to call the Salvation ARmy and ask them to send us a busload of homeless people to join us for all of this!!!!!

[Margies3]

Originally Posted by erika.baldock

Well, Im not making anything because i cant cook. We are going to my mothers house and im taking some chips and dip.

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

I honestly don't believe you are a real person.

Oh I believe you are a real person, Erika. We still razz my brother about the year that he brought potato chips to Thanksgiving. Now he just brings water and pop. LOL

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Margies3

Oh I believe you are a real person, Erika. We still razz my brother about the year that he brought potato chips to Thanksgiving. Now he just brings water and pop. LOL

LOL! I have a BIL that brings nothing!

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Margies3

Ok, I don't even like peas. But I KNOW my family will love this. So now I have to go to the store again! Thanks alot, PO. hehehe

My husband picked that recipe.

I've got a boatload of butternut squash sitting here. Can you use them for this dish, do you think??? If so, I'm gonna try this one for Thanksgiving too.

Now if you keep posting recipes that I have to try, first of all I'll be cooking ALL week and second of all, we'll have to call the Salvation ARmy and ask them to send us a busload of homeless people to join us for all of this!!!!!

You probably could use the yellow squash recipe. I don't see why not.

LOL! Well, if you have a boatload of butternut squash and too many dishes to prepare, maybe an easier recipe would be better? And if you have leftovers, you could turn them into a pureed soup? What do you think? Can you freeze something like that? This looks really easy to pull together.

Butternut Squash with Brown Butter

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 butternut squash (about 1 3/4 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup low-sodium canned chicken broth
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon dark brown-sugar

1. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown. Add squash; saute, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender when pierced with a fork, about 16 minutes.
2. Add chicken broth, the water, and brown sugar; cook until liquid has evaporated and squash is nicely caramelized, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper. Serve.

[erika.baldock]

Originally Posted by Margies3

Oh I believe you are a real person, Erika. We still razz my brother about the year that he brought potato chips to Thanksgiving. Now he just brings water and pop. LOL

LOL, i usually bring pistachio salad. HOWEVER, Thanksgiving is at my grandmothers house and i guess i forgot to mention that she TOLD me to bring chips and dip. She doesnt work and lives in the middle of no where so she gets going on thanksgiving and wants to make everything.

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

Margie,
This cranberry sauce recipe sounds like it is totally off the chain! It's from Southern Living.

Grandma Erma's Spirited Cranberry Sauce

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup port
4 cups fresh cranberries
1/4 cup orange liqueur

1. Stir together sugar, port, and 3/4 cup water in a heavy 3-qt. saucepan until blended. Add cranberries; bring to a boil, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes or until cranberry skins begin to split. Remove from heat, and let cool 15 minutes.

2. Pulse cranberry mixture in a food processor 3 to 4 times or until cranberries are almost pureed; stir in orange liqueur. Cover and chill 8 hours before serving. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container up to 2 weeks. Serve chilled or at room temperature.