Here's my tentative menu so far:
- artichoke squares (app)
- butternut squash bisque
- Smoked turkey with herbes & citrus (1st time smoking one!)
- Oven-roasted maple turkey with sage butter (backup in case the smoked bird doesn't work out...)
- ciabatta chestnut stuffing with pancetta
- pecanized gourmet sweet potatoes (**7 FR rave reviews last turkey day!)
- buttermilk & dill mashed potatoes
- cranberry compote
- cornsticks/breadsticks
- brussel sprouts with pancetta
- pumpkin creme brulee
- apple crostatas w/caramel sauce & balsamic drizzle
I need more veggies! Braised broccoli rabe? Stuffed mushrooms? Succotash? There's always a green-bean casserole but I've NEVER had one I liked...!
What other veggies does everyone else like/make?
What a wonderful, and ambitious, menu you have planned. It sounds divine!
Here is a green bean side dish that is very simple and tasty. It's not the traditional cream of mushroom soup mixture.
Tomato Seasoned Green Beans
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2/3 C. diced celery
1 Tbsp. butter
1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 14.5 oz. can of green beans, drained
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. dillweed
fresh ground pepper to taste
Saute garlic, onion and celery in butter until translucent. Add tomatoes, green beans and seasonings and cook until heated through. I usually serve it at this point, but have experimented with putting it in a casserole dish and reheating it later in the oven or microwave. It worked very well. Just remember to thoroughly stir the dish when heated to distribute the juices.
Serves 6
This recipe involves a lot of chopping but the end result is worth it.
Vegetable Medley
3/4 C. sliced onion
1 1/2 C. celery, sliced on the diagonal
2 C. finely cut carrot sticks
2 cans of green beans (1 with juice)
3/4 C. finely cut green pepper sticks
2 cans of diced tomatoes with juice
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. Minute Tapioca
Combine all ingredients and place in a tightly covered casserole.
Bake at 350 1 1/2 - 2 hours until carrots are done.
Serves 10-12
Happy (early) Thanksgiving! :)
You might try using chopped broccoli in place of green beans in the green bean casserole. Been using broccoli for several years and family and friends really like it better than the green beans.
I dug deep in my recipe file and came up with this one I made for my in-laws awhile back. My mother in law and two of my SIL loved this dish and had to have the recipe. It's very traditional and perfect for Thanksgiving.
Bourbon Corn Pudding
3 lrg. eggs
1 1/8 C. evaporated milk
3 c. cream style corn
3 c. corn kernels
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch combined well with 3 Tbsp. water.
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
4 Tbsp. Bourbon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Grease a 2 quart baking dish and preheat oven to 350.
Beat eggs and evaporated milk together in a large bowl. Add, remaining ingredients, combine well, and pour into baking dish.
Bake 45 minutes or until top is slightly browned. To check for doneness, insert knife in center. It should come out clean. Serve immediately.
Serves 8 to 10.
Try Belgium Endive, sauteed in butter, salt and pepper to taste, a dash of nutmeg and just a pinch of sugar. Something different for Turkey Day.
My husband's uncle makes this every year. Every year I try it. Every year I still don't like it. One year the uncle wasn't there, but there was still a green bean casserole. That one was wonderful. I went back for seconds. My sister-in-law had made it. Turns out she found a mix in a box and had used that.
I make the green bean casserole with the "golden mushroom" soup; gives it a bit more flavor.
Good idea :)
Wow. Let me know if you're short on guests. :)
Pumpkin creme brulee??? You're speaking my language. Recipe?
Very, very simple green bean recipe -- I too, cannot STAND the mush of green bean casserole. Ugh. At any rate, get the freshest green beans you can find and snap them to bite size. Boil them -- but not too long (biggest problem with green beans is they get cooked too long).
Drain the green beans. Melt butter in the pot and saute the beans. Take several cloves of garlic and dice them up well -- add to the saute mixture along with about a teaspoon, teaspoon and a half of dill.
Salt and pepper to taste. Saute all together and serve immediately. (You can even add some sliced mushrooms to it if you like!)