 Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas
Leftover Soup
2 quarts chicken broth
1 turkey carcass, all meat removed
1 onion, halved, plus 1 onion, minced
1 carrot, halved lengthwise, plus 1 carrot, minced
1 whole stalk celery, plus 1 more stalk, minced
2 bay leaves
3 cups dark turkey meat
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
3 cups leftover cooked Thanksgiving side vegetables (Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, green beans)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
Put chicken broth, turkey, onion halves, carrot halves, 1 celery stalk, and 1 bay leaf in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer about 1 1/2 hours. Finely dice the remaining onion, carrot and celery and reserve. Dice the turkey meat. Make sure meat pieces are no larger than the size of a soup spoon. (If preparing soup the next day, be sure to store leftover turkey meat in an airtight container before placing it in the refrigerator, top with 1 or 2 ladles full of broth to keep meat moist.) Before straining broth, remove large bones and carcass with tongs. Strain the broth through a sieve, covered with wet cheese cloth. Discard the solids. Transfer broth to a bowl set in a bath of ice water, which will cool the broth quickly and help keep it fresher longer. This can be done the night before and stored in the refrigerator until the next day. In a large soup pot, heat garlic cloves in the olive oil. Allow to brown slightly and add minced carrots, celery, and onion. Sweat over medium-low heat until softened, about 7 or 8 minutes. Dice the leftover vegetables (here Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, and green beans). Add the chopped sage to the soup pot along with the turkey broth and the remaining bay leaf. Bring to a simmer. When simmering, add Brussels sprouts, green beans and diced turkey meat to the soup. Bring it back up to a simmer. Finally, add the sweet potatoes to the center, and gently push them down. Turn the heat off and cover. Allow to sit and steam for 5 to 7 minutes. Let simmer for 5 more minutes and serve.
Sweet Potato Casserole with Caramelized Bananas
3 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
2 teaspoons butter
1 cup chicken stock
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 large bananas, thinly sliced on an angle
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from heat and let cool until cool enough to handle. (Keep oven at 350 degrees F). Peel and mash sweet potatoes in a bowl until smooth. Stir in the butter, stock, salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Transfer to a casserole dish. Cover the surface of the potatoes with the banana slices by laying them on top, slightly overlapping in concentric circles. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is browned.
Green Bean Casserole (from scratch)
Onion Straws:
1/2 cup very thinly sliced onion
1/4 cup soy flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Casserole:
1 pound green beans, ends trimmed
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup no-sugar, low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus a few sprigs for garnish 1/2 cup sour cream
Equipment: 10-inch glass pie pan
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the Onion Straws: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, toss to mix, and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Set aside. Make the Casserole: Bring a small pot of water to boil and season lightly with salt. Boil the green beans until tender, but still crispy, about 5 minutes. Drain and chill beans in an ice water bath or under running cold water. Drain again and transfer to a bowl. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, mushrooms, salt, garlic, and pepper and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and thyme and cook until almost all the liquid is evaporated, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture to the bowl of green beans, add the sour cream, and toss to combine. Pour the green bean mixture into the glass pie pan. Bake the casserole and onion straws on separate racks until the straws are well browned and crispy (almost burnt, otherwise they will be soggy), about 15 to 17 minutes. Top the casserole with the straws, and serve garnished with thyme sprigs.
Orange-Cranberry Conserve
1 quart unfiltered cranberry juice
1/4 cup apple cider
1 cup sugar
1 orange, peel cut in large strips
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 bay leaves
1 cup toasted hazelnuts
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 pound fresh cranberries
In a medium saucepan, combine cranberry juice, apple cider, sugar, orange peel, ginger, and bay leaves. Simmer until the mixture is reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Add the nuts, vinegar, and cranberries. Continue to cook until the cranberries burst, about 15 minutes.
 Bourbon Maple Sweet Potato Pie
This is like a sweet potato custard, and you will want to take care not to overbake the filling. Check it frequently as it nears the end of its baking time and remember that it will set up a bit as it cools. Serve this pie with some lightly whipped cream or, for a slightly twisted take on a tried-and-true Thanksgiving combo, garnish with some marshmallow fluff.
1 (9-inch) basic pie crust, baked blind, recipe follows
2 large or 3 medium sized sweet potatoes
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup cream
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
A few grinds black pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Pierce the sweet potatoes at each end with a fork and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast until the potatoes are soft, about 1 hour, turning them over halfway through the baking time. Cool, peel, and put the flesh through a food mill or mash smoothly with a potato masher. You should have 2 cups of puree. Turn oven down to 375 degrees F. Combine the puree with all the remaining ingredients for the filling. Whisk until well combined and smooth. Pour the filling into the partially baked pie shell. Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes, until the filling is just barely set. When the rim of the pie plate is nudged, the very center of the filling should barely move. Cool the pie to room temperature. It can be made several hours or up to 1 day in advance.
Basic Pie Crust:
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon sugar
4 ounces (8 tablespoons) chilled butter, cut into pieces
4 ounces (1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons) chilled vegetable shortening, cut until pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup cold water, as needed
Place the flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of a food processor with a steel blade. Pulse to combine. Add the chilled butter and shortening; pulse until the fat is evenly cut in and the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Remove to a mixing bowl. Working quickly, gradually add enough cold water, while tossing and stirring with a fork, until the dough just begins to come together. Divide the dough into 2 even portions, flatten into rounds, wrap in plastic, and chill for a few hours or overnight. Roll out 1 portion and fit it into a 9-inch pie pan. Crimp edges. Reserve remaining portion for another use. Line shell with foil or parchment paper and fill with dry rice or beans. Blind bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans before filling.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
3 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
16 fluid ounces (2 cups) half-and-half
6 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons kosher salt
6 ounces grated Parmesan
Peel and dice potatoes, making sure all are relatively the same size. Place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to maintain a rolling boil. Cook until potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork. Heat the half-and-half and the garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and set aside. Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain off the water. Mash and add the garlic-cream mixture, salt, and Parmesan; stir to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes so that mixture thickens and then serve. |
Talkin' Turkey
depending on your mood or specific meal. Great with your meal or the Lions game. 
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