Food

Elizaebeth's Cranberry Sauce
Makes 8 to 10 servings

12 ounces fresh cranberries
Zest and juice of an orange
1¼ cups sugar (may need more depending upon taste)

Put the cranberries in a saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Add the zest, juice and sugar. Cook over medium-low heat until liquid has thickened and cranberries are softened, about 40 minutes. Refrigerate overnight.

Cranberry Raspberry Relish
Makes 6 cups; 12 servings

1 pound fresh cranberries, finely chopped
2 tart green apples, peeled, cored and finely diced
¾ to 1 cup sugar
½ cup orange marmalade
1 (10-ounce) package frozen raspberries, thawed and drained
1 teaspoon lemon juice OR to taste (optional)

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. May be refrigerated, covered, 1 week. Spoon relish into serving bowl.

— From Marlene Sorosky's Year-Round Holiday Cookbook.

Aunt Leigh Anne's Macaroni Salad

My son has eaten an entire recipe of this as a meal. His aunt (my sister) makes it, and it never fails to please. Make it a day or two before Thanksgiving and it's even better.

1 10-ounce box of macaroni
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/ 2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 rib celery, diced
2 green onions, sliced
1 10-ounce package frozen peas (still frozen)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

Cook and drain macaroni, being careful not to overcook it. You won't want mushy pasta salad. Chill it in the 'fridge so that when you mix it with the other ingredients, it's cold.

Make the dressing by mixing the mayonnaise with the onion and garlic powder. Add the onion, celery and green onion and cheese. Gently stir in the peas (still frozen) and the chilled macaroni. Season with additional salt and pepper, if you'd like. The peas will still be nice and firm at serving time, and all the flavors will meld well together. If you're really feeling saucy, add some crumbled bacon to the top.

— Laura Tutor

Paula Deen's Simple Yeast Rolls

1 (¼-ounce) package active dry yeast
¾ cup water water (98 to 105 degrees F)
2½ cups plus ½ to 1 cup prepared biscuit mix
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ cup (½ stick) melted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Dissolve the yeast in the water. Put the 2½ cups of biscuit mix in a large bowl; stir in the sugar. Add the yeast mixture, stirring vigorously. Sprinkle the work surface generously with the remaining ½ to 1 cup biscuit mix.

Turn the dough out onto the surface and knead well, 15 to 20 times. Shape the dough as desired. (I shape heaping tablespoons of dough into balls). Place on a lightly greased baking sheet, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

Just before putting into oven, brush rolls with melted butter. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Brush the rolls again with melted butter while they're hot.

Sweet-potato Biscuits
Makes 2 dozen biscuits

1½ cups peeled and diced sweet potato
3 tablespoons maple syrup (divided use)
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon sugar
1½ tablespoons baking powder
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter (divided use)
2 eggs
¾ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons orange zest
Buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Toss sweet potato with 1 tablespoon maple syrup.

Place in a small ovenproof dish and bake until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven to cool.

Sift flour, salt, sugar and baking powder into a large bowl.

Cut 10 tablespoons butter (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) into pieces.

Using a fork, cut into flour mixture; set aside.

In another bowl, whisk eggs, cream, orange zest and 2 tablespoons syrup; set aside.

With a fork, add sweet potato to the flour mixture, followed by egg-and-cream mixture and just enough buttermilk to form a soft, slightly sticky dough.

Mix until ingredients are just incorporated. Overmixing will toughen the biscuits.

Let dough rest for a few minutes before turning it out onto a floured work surface. Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin to ¾-inch thickness.

Cut out as many 2-inch rounds as possible with a cookie or biscuit cutter dipped in flour (do not twist cutter).

Transfer to an ungreased heavy baking sheet.

Bake for about 6 minutes, then rotate sheet for even browning. Bake until crusty and golden brown, another 6 to 8 minutes.

While biscuits are in the oven, melt the remaining butter to brush on the tops when finished.

Simple Cornbread Dressing
Should serve 8-10

4 cups crumbled cornbread
2 or 3 slices white bread, crumbled
½ cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
2 large eggs
sage, to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups chicken broth
1 (10¾ ounce can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Refrigerate for at least an hour (or overnight) for flavors to blend. Pour into a 2-quart baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve with Giblet Gravy.

— Prudence Hilburn

Easy Giblet Gravy

1 (10¾ oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup chicken broth
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
Chopped Giblets (if you have them)

Combine all ingredients and heat thoroughly.

NOTE: If you are cooking for a large group, you might want to double the dressing and gravy.

— Prudence Hilburn

Quick Turkey Gravy

6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
3 cups canned chicken broth (OR use a combination of broth and turkey pan drippings for best flavor — 1/3 to 1/2 cup dry white wine can also be used as part of the liquid, if desired)
Seasoned salt and pepper to taste
Worcestershire sauce to taste
Browning and seasoning sauce for gravy (such as Kitchen Bouquet)

In a large saucepan, melt butter and, using a wire whisk, stir in flour. Cook, whisking, at least a couple of minutes, or until light golden. Remove from heat. Gradually whisk in chicken broth until smooth. Return to heat and bring to a boil, whisking, until slightly thickened. Reduce heat and simmer about 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce to taste. Add browning sauce (start with a few drops) to color as desired. Makes about 3 cups.

NOTE: For a thinner gravy, add more broth. Add fresh chopped herbs (or dried), such as a mixture of rosemary and sage or thyme and parsley or tarragon and chives to butter before blending in flour, if desired. Recipe can be doubled or tripled, if desired.

Roasted butternut squash

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
salt and black pepper to taste
a few sprigs of fresh thyme
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 tablespoons blue cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish and pour in the squash cubes in an even layer. Add the butter, olive oil, salt, pepper and about 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves. Roast, stirring gently a few times, until the squash is tender, but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Season while piping hot with the crumbled bacon and crumbled blue cheese. Drizzle with more olive oil.

— Justin Thurman

Skillet Corn

Star staff writer Dan Whisenhunt prepared this simple, spicy corn dish that he found on sweet-heat.com:

Melt a quarter-stick of butter in a skillet or frying pan. Add ½ onion, chopped, and 3 tablespoons Sweet Heat Cajun seasoning. When onion turns clear, add two cans of whole-kernel corn. Cook on medium-high heat until corn is hot and slightly browned.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Use a large pot to cook your potatoes; too little water increases the odds that they'll either burn or turn mushy, and that's how you get glue. This should be the last dish you assemble.

1 3-pound bag of russet potatoes, peeled and sliced about ¼-inch thick
2 teaspoons minced roasted garlic (Don't be proud; use the stuff from the jar)
1 stick of butter
½ pint sour cream
about 1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Bring the garlic and the potatoes, covered with salted water in a large pot, to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are just tender. Do not overcook them.

Drain the water from the potatoes, then return them to the stovetop (with the burner off) and let some more of the moisture evaporate. Add the butter, sour cream and a little salt and pepper, then mash away. Add only enough milk to get the consistency that you want. Adjust the salt and pepper to suit your family's taste. More butter never hurts.

— Laura Tutor

Make-ahead Mashed Potato Casserole
Makes 8 to 12 servings

5 pounds baking potatoes (such as russet, Idaho, Burbank OR Eastern), peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
Salt
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cut into chunks, at room temperature
1 cup dairy sour cream
½ cup milk, heated
½ teaspoon white pepper
Chopped fresh chives OR parsley (optional)

Drop potatoes into a large pot (at least 5 quarts) filled halfway with cold water. Add more cold water to cover potatoes by 1 to 2 inches.

Stir in enough salt until water tastes mildly salted. Cover tightly and bring to a full boil over high heat, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and set lid askew. Cook at a moderate boil until potatoes are tender when pierced with tip of a small sharp knife, 15 to 20 minutes; add more boiling water, if needed, to keep potatoes covered. Do not overcook potatoes.

Drain potatoes well and return to warm pot. Add cream cheese. Using a hand-held electric mixer, mash potatoes until cream cheese melts. Beat in sour cream and milk. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and white pepper. Transfer to a buttered 9x13-inch baking dish. Cool completely. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate up to 1 day.

Bake casserole in a preheated 375-degree oven, 30 to 40 minutes, or until potatoes are heated through. Serve hot, sprinkled with chives.

— From Thanksgiving 101, by Rick Rodgers.

Sweet Potatoes & Rum with Sugar-Pecan Crust

Metro Editor Ben Cunningham has made this for our office potluck several years now. It would be just as good with bourbon.

4 cups mashed sweet potatoes
½ cup white sugar & ½ cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup melted butter, melted
⅓ cup dark rum
2 cups dark brown sugar
2 cups chopped pecans
⅔ cup self-rising flour
⅔ cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, mix the sweet potatoes and sugar. Stir in the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, ½ cup melted butter and rum. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.

In a medium bowl, mix the brown sugar, pecans, flour, and ⅔ cup melted butter. Sprinkle this mixture over the sweet potato mixture.

Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Skillet Green Beans

These are crisp, savory green beans that come together in less than 10 minutes. When he was little, my son used to take two and make walrus tusks with them.

1 pound fresh green beans, washed ends trimmed
salt and pepper to taste
2 slices of bacon (chopped)
¼ cup of stock from the simmered turkey neck and giblets (or a cup of canned chicken stock will do)

You'll need a large saucepan or a skillet that also has a lid (or you could just stick a plate on top of your skillet to trap in some steam).

Fry the bacon until it just begins to turn crisp. Add the beans and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Increase the heat to high. Add the stock and immediately cover the beans. Turn off the heat and let them sit a few minutes until they're basically tender enough to suit you. Season with salt and pepper.

— Laura Tutor

Peas, please

1 10-ounce package of frozen peas
1 cup turkey stock (or canned chicken stock)
4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
salt and pepper to taste

In a saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Add the peas and bacon, then cover and turn off the heat. Allow the peas to cook gently, with the heat off, about 8 minutes, giving a stir 4 minutes into the cooking time to make sure they're not getting overcooked.

— Laura Tutor

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pecans
Makes 8 servings

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper

On a large rimmed baking (jelly-roll) pan, toss Brussels sprouts, pecans, oil, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Turn Brussels sprouts cut-side down. Roast in a preheated 400-degree oven about 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and tender.

— From Real Simple, November 2008 issue.

Creamed Spinach
Makes 8 to 10 servings

4 bunches fresh spinach, cleaned and trimmed
5 tablespoons butter (divided use)
½ medium brown onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and ground black pepper
4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach and cook just until just slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. Squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible. Chop and set aside.

In a large saucepan, heat 4 tablespoons butter until melted. Add the onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add the cream cheese and half-and-half. Cook until heated through. Add the lemon zest, nutmeg and spinach. Mix.

Pour into a baking dish. Top with the bread crumbs and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Broccoli Casserole

2 packages (10-ounces each) frozen chopped broccoli
1 (10¾ ounces) can creamy chicken and mushroom soup
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 to 3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the broccoli with the soup, eggs, cheese, mayonnaise and onion. Mix well. Spoon in casserole dish and top with breadcrumbs. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

— Prudence Hilburn