Category: Thanksgiving

Butternut Squash Pasta Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Pecans, and Cranberries

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Butternut Squash Pasta Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Pecans, and Cranberries

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Servings: 6

Ingredients

Roasted Brussels Sprouts:

  • 12 oz Brussels sprouts ends trimmed, yellow leaves removed, each sliced in half
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt, to tast

Roasted Butternut Squash:

  • 1 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed (1-inch)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Other Ingredients:

  • 8 oz pasta
  • 1 cup pecan halves
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar or glaze
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

How to roast Brussels Sprouts

  • Preheat oven to 400 F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, combine halved Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt (to taste), and toss to combine. 
  • Add Brussels sprouts cut sides down onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and roast in the oven at 400 F for about 20-25 minutes. The cut sides should be nicely and partially charred but not blackened (see my photos).

How to roast Butternut Squash

  • Preheat oven to 400 F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded),1 tablespoon of olive oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon, and toss to mix.
  • Place butternut squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until softened.
  • Note: You can roast both Brussels sprouts and butternut squash on 2 separate baking sheets or on one large baking sheet at the same time, on the same rack in the oven – that’s what I did.

Cook pasta:

  • While the veggies are roasted in the oven, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions, usually about 10 or 12 minutes. Drain.

How to toast pecans:

  • Toast the pecans for about 5 minutes (maybe a bit longer) in the preheated oven at 350 F until they get darker in color. 
  • Note: pecans burn really fast, so make sure to check the nuts after 5 minutes and frequently afterwords. 

Assembly:

  • In a large bowl, combine roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, cooked and drained pasta, pecans, and cranberries, and mix to combine. 

Salad dressing options

  • There are 4 salad dressing options that you can drizzle over this butternut squash salad:
  • Option 1. Combine 3 or 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl and whisk to emulsify.
  • Option 2. Drizzle the salad with balsamic glaze (store-purchased) or homemade. To make a balsamic glaze, combine 1 cup of balsamic vinegar + ¼ cup of honey or brown sugar and cook it down until reduced at least by half. Consistency should be thick enough to coat the back of the spoon but should not be overly thick.
  • Option 3. Use 2 or 3 tablespoons of maple syrup plus 2 or 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice (not the bottled kind) as a salad dressing.
  • Option 4. Your favorite store-bought Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing (not the creamy kind).
  • Option 5. Anything pomegranate based would be good – such as pomegranate molasses mixed with a small amount of olive oil. Or store-bought Pomegranate-based salad dressing (not the creamy kind).

Butterhorns

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Butterhorns

Prep Time3 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time3 hours 45 minutes
Course: Bread
Servings: 36 rolls

Ingredients

  • 1 cup scalded milk (180-185 degrees)
  • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (1 pkg)
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 4-4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 6 tbsp melted butter, for brushing

Instructions

  • Place butter, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Pour the scalded milk into the bowl. Mix until the butter and sugar are dissolved, and the mixture cools slightly to 120°F or less, 6 minutes.
  • Add beaten eggs to the warm mixture and mix. Add 4 cups flour and the instant yeast. Use the stand mixer (or by hand) and knead the dough until it is smooth and beginning to pull away from the sides of the bowl, 6-8 minutes. If the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl and is tacky, you will need to add more flour, 1-2 tbsp at a time, until smooth.
  • Once the dough clears the side of the mixing bowl and just slightly sticks to the bottom of the mixing bowl, remove the dough and knead a few times by hand on a lightly floured surface. The dough should be slightly tacky but not stick to the board while you are continually kneading.
  • Put the dough in a large oiled bowl to rise. Place a damp towel (or plastic wrap) over the bowl to ensure the dough will not dry out. Put the bowl in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
  • Once risen, punch down the dough and cut it in thirds. Shape each third into a ball and punch out any air bubbles. Roll out each dough ball to a 15-inch circle (about ¼-inch thick) on a well-floured surface. Brush with melted butter, then cut into 12 triangles, as one would for a pizza. Start by cutting in quarters, then each quarter into three triangles. Take one triangle, stretch the end slightly, then roll up tightly. Pinch the ends to create a seal, then place the pinched end down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let the prepared butterhorns raise until they are about doubled in size (about 1 to 1 ½ hours).
  • Place into a preheated 350°F oven and bake for 8-15 minutes, switching racks and watching carefully to ensure the tops and bottoms do not overbake but turn lightly golden.
  • Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter. Let cool but serve warm.

Pecan Pie Bars

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Pecan Pie Bars

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Course: Dessert
Servings: 12

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 7 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch size pieces

For the filling:

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 3 tbsp melted unsalted butter
  • 2 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • To prepare the crust, in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Mix to combine. Add the pieces of butter. Coat the pieces with flour and work the butter into the flour. Smash pieces of butter between your thumb and forefingers until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal and holds together when squeezed into a fist.
  • Spray a 9×13 or quarter sheet pan with nonstick baking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Spread the crust mixture evenly in the prepared pan and press down, making a crust. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 15-20 minutes.
  • While the crust is baking, prepare the filling. In a bowl, whisk the eggs to break up. Add the brown sugar, maple syrup, flour, melted butter, salt, and vanilla. Whisk to combine. Then fold in the chopped pecans.
  • When the crust is finished, remove it from the oven. Pour the prepared filling over the warm crust. Return to the oven and bake until the filling is set around the edges and jiggles slightly in the middle, 20-25 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and cool for 2 hours before slicing.

Notes:

  • When preparing the crust, make sure that the butter is cold. This will make it easier to work together with the flour mixture and ensure that the crust is flaky once baked.
  • The dough should be somewhat drier than a regular pie crust. When making a fist with a handful of the dough, it should stick together but then be crumbled apart easily.
  • Since these bars can be sticky, it’s best to line your baking dish with parchment. This will allow for easy removal once the bars are baked, as well as easy cleanup.
  • Once the bars have been baked, let them cool completely before slicing. If they are cut when still warm, the filling could spill out. Make sure to slice the edges where the parchment paper does not cover so the bars can be removed easily from the pan.

Foolproof Turkey Gravy

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Foolproof Turkey Gravy

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time3 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 1 cup turkey pan drippings
  • 1/4 cup butter or bacon fat
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • Pour the turkey drippings in a fat separator. Set aside.
  • In a medium saucepan, melt the butter or bacon fat over medium-high heat.
  • Add flour and roast the lour, whisking constantly, until golden brown with a nutty aroma, about 2 minutes.
  • Slowly pour in pan drippings through a fine mesh strainer, leaving the layer of fat in the cup. Add the chicken stock while continuously whisking.
  • Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium. Simmer until desired thickness is reached, whisking occasionally. Keep in mind, gravy also thickens a sit cools.
  • Serve immediately.
  • Make-ahead note: The gravy can be made up to 5 days in advance. Obviously you won't have pan drippings yet, but you can make the gravy without it and add the pan drippings when you reheat the gravy on Thanksgiving day.

Green Bean Casserole

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Green Bean Casserole

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time44 minutes
Course: Side Dish

Ingredients

  • 2 10 oz cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 24 oz green beans, canned or fresh
  • 8 slices bacon, diced
  • 2 cups fresh mushrooms
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup half and half
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 1/2 cups French Fried Onions, divided, (save 1/2 cup for topping)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • If using fresh green beans, boil water in a sauce pan over medium-high heat and cook green beans for about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water and set aside.
  • If using canned green beans, drain and set aside.
  • Fry diced bacon in a large skillet until crispy. Transfer to a plate lined wiht paper towels. Leave about 1 tbsp of bacon grease in the skillet, removing excess.
  • ADd mushrooms to the leftover bacon grease and cook for several minutes or until they begin to soften. Add minced garlic to the pan and continue to cook with the miushrooms for 2-3 minutes.
  • In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, reserving 1/2 cup of the fried onions and a handful of bacon pieces. Pour into a 2-quart casserole dish and smooth the top.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbling.
  • Add remaining fried onions and bacon on top of casserole and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Perfect Turkey Gravy

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Perfect Turkey Gravy

Prep Time10 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup turkey pan drippings
  • 2 cups chicken broth or turkey stock
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp freshly minced thyme
  • 1 tsp freshly minced sage

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook until golden, 1 minute, then whisk in pan drippings. (If you have more than a cup of drippings, use it and reduce the amount of broth.)
  • Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently until slightly thickened.
  • Stir in fresh herbs, then whisk in 1 cup broth and return mixture to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Simmer 10 minutes, gradually adding more broth if gravy is too thick. Adjust seasoning.

Rich and Creamy Mashed Potatoes

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Rich and Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time7 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Servings: 12

Equipment

  • Electric mixer

Ingredients

  • 5 lbs russet potatoes, about 7 large, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup salted butter
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Place the cut potatoes in a large pot and fill the pot with water, covering potatoes.
  • Place the pan on the stovetop on medium-high heat.
  • Allow the water to come to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium.
  • Boil the potatoes for 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.
  • Drain the water from the potatoes.
  • Mash the potatoes by hand or with an electric mixer.
  • Add the cream cheese, butter, whipping cream, and salt.
  • Gently fold the potatoes using a rubber spatula until they are smooth and creamy. Do not mix too hard or potatoes will lose fluffiness.
  • Serve warm. Mashed potatoes can be held in a slow cooker before serving. Scrape sides often to prevent browning.

Roast Turkey in an Electric Roaster

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Roast Turkey in an Electric Roaster

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Course: Main Course
Servings: 20

Equipment

  • Electric roaster

Ingredients

  • 18 lb whole turkey
  • 1/2 cup salted butter
  • 2 tbsp freshly snipped thyme, rosemary, and sage
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

For the cavity:

  • 1/4 cup salted butter
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Make the herb butter:

  • Mix together 1/2 cup softened butter (1 stick) with the freshly snipped herbs. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, but remove from fridge 1 hour before using so that it is soft enough to spread.

Prepare the turkey:

  • Set the roaster oven (with the lid on) to the highest temperature available.
  • Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey cavity. (Set aside for giblet gravy or discard.)
  • Dry off the turkey with paper towels.
  • Loosen the skin over the turkey breast by sliding your hand between the meat and skin. Rub half of the butter mix underneath the skin of the breast.
  • Rub the other half of the butter over the outside of the bird.
  • Sprinkle the outside of the bird with salt and pepper.
  • Put 1/4 cup butter in the cavity of the turkey along with 1 tsp each of salt and pepper.
  • Place the turkey in the preheated roaster and cook at the highest temperature for 30 minutes.
  • Without opening the lid, turn down the temperature to 325 degrees and roast until the turkey tests done (at least 165 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh).
  • The exact timing will depend on whether the turkey is stuffed or unstuffed and how large the turkey is. Plan for about 15 minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey.

Wolfgang Puck’s Mashed Potatoes

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Wolfgang Puck’s Mashed Potatoes

Course: Side Dish
Servings: 8

Equipment

  • Electric mixer

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp salt
  • 5 lbs small russet potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup milk, warmed
  • 1 cup yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream (or combination)
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Place peeled potatoes in a large stockpot and cover with water. Boil uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until tender and easily pierced with a fork.
  • Drain potatoes and mash into desired consistency. Add butter, milk, yogurt, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.