Posted on 10/31/2021 11:14:58 AM PDT by Jamestown1630
Norman Rockwell, Freedom From Want (1943)
People seem to want Thanksgiving to always be the same – there’s a lot of advice out there cautioning against trying something new for family or guests on that day. But I’ve often enjoyed very interesting new recipes at Thanksgiving, in the homes of friends and family who have ignored that advice. I recently found a recipe for turkey stuffing that is quite different from the plain type that I’ve always made; but I’m very tempted to try it. (It may be a little ‘busy’ for some who are used to a plainer bread stuffing.)
I watch a lot of YouTube cooking videos, and I think the most engaging host of all is Chef Jean-Pierre Brehier. He is extremely informative while also being fun and funny, and the kind of person you'd love to have a couple of drinks and a good conversation with.
Chef Jean-Pierre suggests using Costco corn muffins for this stuffing recipe, if you don’t want to make your own cornbread.
For those without access to fresh chestnuts to roast, there are lots of pre-roasted, packaged ones available; but the reviews for many of them are not very positive, so choose carefully. Jean-Pierre appears to use the Roland ones vacuum-packed in a jar, and he just squeezes/tears them into the mixture with his fingers. Fresh chestnuts are available from some of the nut companies if you can't source fresh ones nearby, but they seem to be tricky to buy ahead and store (if you have experience with this, let us know how you handle them.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Gvui3lIfWI
Corn Muffins & Sausage Stuffing – Chef Jean-Pierre Brehier
Serves 10
1/2 Cup Dark Spiced Rum, for soaking the raisins
1 cup Dark Raisins
2 pounds Pork Turkey or Chicken Sausage, casings removed
2 cups Yellow Onions diced small
1 ½ cups Celery Hearts diced small
1 ½ cups Carrots diced small
2 tablespoons fresh Sage chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Rosemary chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Thyme chopped
6 cups Corn Muffins or Cornbread crumbled
1 Granny Smith Apples skinned and diced small
1 cup peaches in a light syrup cut into medium dice
¼ cup fresh Parsley chopped
1 cup Roasted Chestnuts
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 cup Milk or Buttermilk
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat Oven to 375°
Spray a baking pan or dish (approx. 15"x10"x2") with a non-stick spray or brush with butter.
Soak the raisins at room temperature in your favorite liquor for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. If you do not have the time to wait, put them covered in the microwave for 2 minutes to plump them up.
In a large sauté pan over high heat, sauté the sausage and cook until golden brown. Add the onions and cook until light golden brown. Add the carrot and celery and cook for 5 minutes. Add the fresh herbs and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until the vegetable are almost cooked but not mushy.
Transfer to a large bowl with the muffins; add the apples, peaches, chestnuts, salt and pepper, buttermilk, and raisins mix well.
Pack the lasagna pan with the mixure and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.
Put the lasagna pan onto a baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour or until the top is golden brown.
For those without access to chestnuts to roast, there are lots of packaged, pre-roasted ones available; but the reviews for many of them are not very positive. Chef Jean-Pierre appears to use the Roland ones vacuum-packed in a jar, and just squeezes/tears them into the mixture.
Fresh chestnuts are available from some of the nut companies, but they seem to be tricky to buy ahead and store (if you have experience with this, let us know how you handle them.)
The Chef also has a good idea for having garlic ready to go in the freezer for all of your recipes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZA2UcvnE6g
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Chef John of ‘Food Wishes’ has posted a recipe for Butterhorn Dinner Rolls which looks pretty easy even for novice bread bakers, and I don’t see why they couldn’t be made the day before and warmed up.
(These are very rich; but for most of us, Thanksgiving isn’t a ‘diet day’):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJUve3My3lE
-JT
Ok, I’ve improved since I last made Grandma’s dumplings. I prayed for her and Mama to be with me, and they didn’t disappoint. A success on all counts! Roasted pork loin served with sauerkraut, Grandma’s dumplings, pan drippings gravy, cinnamon apples, and green beans. A Sunday dinner on Tuesday.
I’m very glad.
I think I’m the only one in my family who doesn’t like them. Even my husband - who did NOT grow up in N.O. really likes them. We took a boat trip to Knoxville one year and had to spend time in Carrabelle in the Florida panhandle for repairs. They process Apalachicola oysters there and you could buy a quart of shucked fresh oysters for only $6.00. He was in heaven! Just not my cup of tea. The texture is WAY too slimy. I don’t eat boiled okra for the same reason.
Salt and pepper, definitely. And, yes, it has to be white bread - not toasted.
Not cooking for the first time ever. Going to be in The Villages and am planning to totally tune out and relax!
Good for you!
I’ve learned a lot of techniques as well as recipes. It’s made my baking and cooking better. Love Chef John’s humor!
No, haven’t tried vanilla bean paste. I’ve heard of it - will have to look into it.
Definitely no toasting!
“The kids love it when I fry breadballs after the fried chicken.”
Made fried chicken tonight. Think I’ll make some bread balls tomorrow. Thanks!
“I hate doing dishes so I will sometimes eat out of the pot if I have boiled the meal.”
You’re not alone. Those are soup or my mac and cheese days.
When and if I hit my 80’s I’ll be frying everything in lard.
When I was in college, my brothers and I pitched in to buy a microwave for my parents’ 25th wedding anniversary. My Mom was afraid of it!!!
After my Dad used it for a couple months and didn’t keel over she finally started to use it!
“And I would bet at one time you thought about getting a Pressure Cooker.”
LOL! In college I lived on pinto beans cooked in a pressure cooker! Every couple years I still use it.
Since I lived in Boston, every Saturday night my mother made from scratch Boston Baked Beans with salt pork in the pressure cooker. Yummy.
Today I buy the canned cooked beans, and heat them up in the fry pan after frying a steak or Hamburg.-Tom
Been sorta craving a burrito. Maybe pulling out my pressure cooker soon!
My favorite recipe is to brown a pound of burger, garlic and onions. Add a can of mushroom soup, a cup of sour cream and some noodles.
Found it in a Good Housekeeping cookbook 40 plus years ago.
I’d love to know what year that was, but don’t want to intrude either. I’m guessing early 70’s?
Yep! Back when it was new fangled technology.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients 2 tbsp butter or olive oil for dairy free option 1.5 cups chopped yellow onion 1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp black pepper 3 lb roasted butternut squash* 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock** drizzle of heavy cream optional, for garnish toasted pumpkin seeds optional, for garnish
Instructions Soften the aromatics in combined butter or olive oil (or your fat of choice), chopped yellow onion, salt, and pepper: Cook for about 10 minutes, until the onion is soft:
Add the Roasted Squash Cubes either hot out of the oven, or previously roasted and stored in the fridge or freezer. Add the cubes to the pot along with some ground cinnamon: Stir for a couple minutes until the cinnamon is fragrant. This really enhances the flavor and gives the dish a great autumn or winter feel.
Add chicken stock or vegetable stock to the pot: Bring the soup to a boil, and simmer for 2 minutes. You’re really just heating up the liquid. Puree until smooth with an immersion blender, or let the soup cool slightly and smooth in a blender:
Add garnishes.....a swirl of heavy cream or coconut cream for extra richness, and toasted pumpkin seeds for a little bit of crunch.
Serve with Drop Biscuits, Brioche, or Homemade Cornbread.
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