Tossed Salads for Thanksgiving

Cook’s Notes: Pamela Anderson’s How to Cook Without a Book really ramped up my kitchen confidence. She teaches cooking based on formulas and proportions, not recipes.

For a Basic Tossed Salad (per person), I like to use 1.5 to 2 cups of mixed salad greens, 3/4 c to 1 c chopped veggies, 1 oz cheese, and and optional 1 to 1.5 oz nuts. To make this a meal salad, add 2 oz lean protein (like, say, 2 oz of leftover Thanksgiving turkey). Toss the greens with a light salad dressing. A basic proportion to make your own salad dressing is 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar.

Thanksgiving Salad Formula

Combine the following ingredients per person:

• 1.5 c mixed salad greens
• 1/2 c sliced cucumbers
• 1/3 c drained mandarin oranges
• Handful of grape tomatoes
• Some red onion slivers
• 1.5 T dried cranberries
• 1 oz toasted pumpkin seeds
• 1 oz Gorgonzola or other blue cheese crumbles.

Toss the greens with a vinaigrette dressing.

Other Salad Ideas

Berry Salad for 4: 4 c green leaf lettuce (1 bag mixed prepared greens), 1 small box fresh blackberries, 1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese, and bottled Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette dressing.

Cranberry Vinaigrette made with maple syrup: Dressing recipe given in Dinner Rice Salad. The lemon flavor comes to the forefront, giving this dressing a bright, citrus taste.

Deluxe Holiday Salad: I haven’t tried it yet, but how can this combination of ingredients be wrong? This fancy tossed salad combines organic mixed baby greens, candied hazelnuts, Stilton cheese, dried cranberries, apple, and a cranberry vinaigrette made from reduced cranberry juice. Link.

Honey-Curry Vinaigrette Dressing: Blend together 1/4 cup (2 oz) olive oil, 1/8 c (1 oz) apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp honey, and 1 tsp mild curry powder. Add salt, black pepper, and more curry powder to taste.

Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing: Make the salad dressing recipe given in Black and White Beans. Add 1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries to the dressing (idea from lowcarbdiets)

Dinner Rice Salad

Cook’s Note: The title for this dish is not very creative, but it is tasty. However, the combination of chicken, grains, and vegetables makes a light, balanced meal from leftovers and pantry staples. Serves 4.

1/2 cup white rice (use brown rice if you have it) — makes 1 cup cooked rice
16 oz bag frozen mixed vegetables
6 oz cooked breast meat from 1 deli rotisserie chicken
1 oz shredded cheese
1/3 cup citrus vinaigrette dressing (see below)

Make the rice: Bring 1 cup water and 1 tsp olive oil to a boil. Stir in the rice, return to a boil, and cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the water is absorbed.

While the rice cooks, prepare the remaining ingredients as follows:

Place the frozen vegetables in a large, microwave-safe bowl and cook on High for 5 minutes.

Skin chicken. Take the chicken off the bone and cut into chunks. Add chicken and shredded cheese to the bowl with the vegetables.

Add cooked rice to the mixture. Pour dressing over rice mixture, and stir well to combine.

Cranberry Vinaigrette Dressing

We had 1/3 cup of this dressing on hand, but you can use any kind of vinaigrette you have. Source: modified from the Web site recipesource.

1/4 cup (2 oz) olive oil
1 T cranberry juice
1 T maple syrup
1 T lemon juice
1.5 tsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Combine dressing ingredients in a small container with a tight lid and shake until well mixed. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Overnight Cheesecake Pie

Cook’s Notes: A former coworker of mine shared this recipe with me; I don’t know where Meredith got the recipe from originally. It is fail-proof and delicious. The hard part is waiting for it to chill 12 hours before serving!

9-inch deep-dish graham cracker pie shell
3 x 8 oz packages (24 oz total) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted and cooled
1/2 tsp orange extract or rum flavor

Heat oven to 350°F.

Beat together cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the melted butter and extract. Turn mixture into pie shell and bake 15 minutes. (see egg safety note below).

Cool pie. Refrigerate at least 12 hours before serving. Serve chilled.

Variation: Use almond extract instead of orange extract. Garnish with sliced almonds.

Egg Safety Note: If you are concerned about the quick cooking time for this recipe, check the filling temperature when you remove the pie from the oven. Per an FAQ on egg safety: In this recipe, eggs are diluted with other ingredients and sugar (more than 1/4 cup sugar per egg). Cook the egg mixture to 160°F, which will destroy harmful bacteria in a few seconds.

Thanksgiving Menu: Sides and Desserts

Cook’s Notes: Every year at this time, the cooking magazines are filled with Thanksgiving recipes. I believe your family wants to eat whatever is traditional for your family. This is not the time to experiment with new yams or use garlic in the green bean casserole. We tried herbed butter one year; no one liked it, so I haven’t made it again. I make the rolls from scratch, so I’m fine with making stuffing from a boxed mix.

This year, we’ve been invited to share Thanksgiving dinner with dear friends; we’re in charge of green beans and cranberry, they’re making the turkey and stuffing, and another couple is bringing their Top Secret Pumpkin Torte.
Here’s what my family and friends enjoy with the turkey.

Appetizers

• Relish Platter: Cheese, crackers, sweet gherkin pickles, and black olives
• Spiced Nuts — Required: Sweet Spiced Pecans
• Optional: Candied Rosemary Cashews

Bread and Stuffing

• Cornbread Stuffing with Mushrooms
• Best-Ever Yeast Rolls

Side Dishes

• Sweet Potato Fries, cut into wedges with 2 T chopped fresh rosemary added
• Green Bean Casserole, made with frozen green beans
• Cranberry Chutney
• And a can of store-bought jellied cranberry sauce, not the whole berry kind, for the purists

Desserts

• Brown Butter Pecan Pie
• Frosty Pumpkin Pie (ice cream pie)
• Drambuie Gingerbread

Drambuie Gingerbread

Makes 10 to 12 servings. Cake can be prepared up to 3 days ahead, covered with plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature.

1 c unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
1 c packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 c unsulphured molasses or honey
1/2 c Drambuie
2-1/4 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c hot water

Glaze
4 T unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1/3 c Drambuie
Optional: Dust with sifted confectioner’s sugar and serve with whipped cream

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Heat oven to 350°F.

Lightly butter the inside of a 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan. Dust the pan with flour and tap out the excess.

If necessary, rub the brown sugar through a sieve to remove any lumps. In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar just until well combined, about 1 minute. (Don’t cream the butter and sugar for as long as you would for a typical batter, or it will become overly aerated and make the top of the cake crack.)

Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the molasses (or honey) and Drambuie.

Sift the dry ingredients (flour to salt) onto a piece of wax paper. Stir — do not beat — into the wet ingredients just until well combined. Stir in the 3/4 c hot water. Pour batter into the pan and smooth the top.

Bake 50 minutes until done and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and place on cooling rack or trivet. Cool for 10 minutes.

Make the glaze: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and stir in the Drambuie. Brush the top of the cake with about 2 T of the glaze. Let cake stand for 5 minutes.

Invert the cake onto a plate and unmold from the pan. Brush the cake with the remaining glaze. Cool completely.

Source: Rodgers, Rick. Thanksgiving 101. New York: Broadway Books, 1998.

Frosty Pumpkin Pie

(updated 11/14/2008) Note to Vegans/Non-Dairy Folk: The “bittersweet blog” has a vegan pumpkin pie ice recipe with coconut milk that sounds simply wonderful. Instead of mix-ins, you freeze this mixture in an ice cream maker. You could also use soy milk ice cream in the recipe below.

1 quart (4 c) vanilla ice cream
15 oz can plain pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 graham cracker pie crusts

Let ice cream stand at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes to soften.

Stir together pumpkin, sugar, salt, and spices. Stir in ice cream. Mix well. Spread in prepared pie shells. Sprinkle reserved crumbs on top.

Freeze the pie for at least 2 hours or until top of mixture is firm (can make and freeze up to 2 weeks before serving). Let stand at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Jamaican Jerk Spice variation
Use 1 quart butter pecan ice cream with same amounts of pumpkin and sugar; spices are 1/4 to 1/2 tsp Dry Jerk Seasoning, finely ground; 1/2 tsp imitation rum extract, and 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Source: Betty Crocker Thanksgiving, November 2005 (modified); Jamaican version from http://www.islandspice.com

Brown Butter Pecan Pie

6 T (3/4 stick) butter
1 c brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 T maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp (1 large pinch) salt
1.5 c pecans (6 oz)
Unbaked 9″ pie shell (store-bought)

Heat oven to 350F.

Cook butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat until brown and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Whisk in sugar. Cook until sugar dissolves and mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature, about 25 minutes.

Beat eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in a bowl to blend. Gradually stir in sugar mix from the skillet. Fold in the nuts. Pour into crust. Bake pie until crust is golden and filling is puffed and set in center, about 45 minutes. Cool pie completely; serve with whipped cream.

Source: Melissa DeMayo, Bon Appétit, November 2005 (modified)

Best-Ever Yeast Rolls

Cook’s Notes: Allow 3 to 4 hours for the bread-making process. Long but worth it!

2 packages dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 c warm water (105-115° F)
2/3 c sugar
1 tsp salt
1 c butter, softened
1 c boiling water
2 eggs, beaten
6 – 7 c all-purpose flour, divided

Dissolve yeast and 1 tsp sugar in 1 cup warm water; let stand about 5 minutes.

Combine sugar, salt, and butter in a large bowl.  Add boiling water, stirring until butter melts. Cool slightly. Add dissolved yeast, stirring well. Add eggs and 3 cups flour, beating at medium speed of an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85° F), free from drafts, 1 to 1.5 hours or until doubled in bulk.

Lightly coat three 9-inch round pans with cooking spray. Punch dough down; turn dough out onto a well-floured surface, and knead several times. Shape into 2-inch balls, and place 12 balls into each prepared round pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85° F), free from drafts, 30 to 40 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Bake rolls at 325°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Yield: 3 dozen.

Source: Southern Living, February 1990 (page 108). Recipe by Susan Cheek of Montgomery, AL.

Classic Green Bean Casserole

Prep Time: 10 minutes. Cook Time: 30 minutes. Serves: 6

1 can (10-3/4 oz) cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp soy sauce
1 dash black pepper
4 cups cooked cut green beans
1-1/3 cups French’s French Fried Onions

Heat oven to 350°F.

Stir together the soup, milk, soy sauce, and pepper until well combined. Fold in the green beans and 2/3 cup onions; pour mixture into a 1.5-qt. casserole. Bake for 25 minutes or until hot. Stir and then sprinkle with remaining onions. Bake 5 minutes.

TIP: Use 1 bag (16 to 20 oz) frozen green beans, 2 pkg (9 oz each) frozen green beans, or about 1.5 lb fresh green beans for this recipe.

DOUBLE THE RECIPE: Use 2 cans cream of mushroom soup, 1 cup milk, 2 tsp soy sauce, dash black pepper, 2 (16-oz) bags green beans, and 6 oz can French’s Original French Fried Onions. Use 2 cups of the fried onions in the casserole. This mixture fits in a 3-qt casserole dish, which is a 9 x 13-inch pan. Sprinkle remaining onions on top as directed above.

Source: Campbell’s Kitchen and French’s, technique modified from the recipe on the side of the cans

Thanksgiving Schedule

Cook’s Notes: This was the checklist I used when we hosted Thanksgiving dinner in 2005. It helped keep our dinner preparations on track.

Sources: Leanne Ely; Better Homes & Gardens, entertaining.about.com, and Martha Stewart Living, November 2005. See cooks.com for an illustration on how to carve. See also busycooks for more information on planning the day and cooking turkey. Mark Bittman (The Minimalist) has a simple turkey recipe. Rick Rodgers excellent book, Thanksgiving 101, has a lot of great information and is the source of our chutney and gingerbread recipes.

One Week Ahead
Confirm your guest list
Make the shopping list
Check thawing time for frozen turkey (allow 1 pound per adult and a half pound per child)
Check serving pieces and utensils against your menu
Check your ingredients and menu
Clean out the fridge to make room

Three to Four Days Ahead
Start defrosting the frozen turkey in your refrigerator
Start making ice cubes and dump them in a freezer bag

Two Days Ahead
Chill beverages
Clean and chop any vegetables for the stuffing/dressing and side dishes. Refrigerate.
Prepare the recipes that can be refrigerated for two days, such as spiced nuts, dips, soups, cranberry sauce, and cranberry chutney.

One Day Ahead: Wednesday
Clean vegetables, peel yams, chop, and refrigerate: celery, mushrooms, and yams
Make the herb butter
Make the side dishes that can be baked ahead of time
Prepare and refrigerate your stuffing and any salads
Prepare and bake pies
Make the gingerbread
Determine the time your turkey should go in the oven based on when you want dinner served, including the turkey’s “rest time”

Thanksgiving Day
Clean and truss your turkey, then refrigerate it
Set the table
Put the butter, salt, and pepper on the table
Remove turkey from the refrigerator for one to two hours
Make stock for the gravy
Cook the turkey

One hour before serving:
Turkey is cooked and resting comfortably. Wrap in foil to keep warm.
Cook the sweet potato wedges and stuffing. Keep warm after cooking.
Put cranberries in the serving dish with utensil and on the table or buffet
Heat bread or rolls as needed. Place them in a basket with a napkin to keep them warm.
Microwave food to quickly reheat if all the burners of the stove are occupied
Finish preparing appetizers, first courses, and/or side dishes
Set out refrigerated dishes
Make gravy and last-minute vegetables
Put gravy in the gravy boat
Put everything in its serving dish with appropriate utensils
Carve the turkey
Serve!