By Carole L. Phillips
When making a lavish meal, the cook must balance complexity with convenience. After all, the meal must arrive on the table at the same time. So this Thanksgiving, plan for some make-ahead dishes and some easy-to-make dishes to balance the more time-consuming ones. Then you will have time to make real mashed potatoes and a rich giblet gravy. If you like, you can add 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions when you season the potatoes in this recipe from American Home Cooking by Cheryl and Bill Jamison. Mashed Idaho Russets Peel 3 pounds russets or other large baking potatoes into a large pan. Add 1-1/2 tablespoons salt and water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until quite tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, warm 1-1/4 cups milk over low heat. When hot, remove from heat and stir in 3/4 cup sour cream. When the potatoes' exteriors are crumbly, drain them and return them to the cooking pan. Cover the pan with a clean, folded dishtowel and the pan lid. The towel absorbs steam, making the potatoes drier. After they sit for 5 minutes, rice the potatoes or mash them. Stir in the warm milk mixture and add 6-10 tablespoons of softened unsalted butter, a few tablespoons at a time. Season with pepper and, if needed, additional salt. Now, save time with some easy-to-prepare side dishes. Also from American Home Cooking is Nantucket Corn Pudding, a dish that can be traced back to colonial Indian or Hasty Pudding. In the summer, make it with fresh corn. This time of year, make it with frozen corn kernels. If you are having a go-for-broke Thanksgiving, consider cream-laden Sweet Potatoes Au Gratin, from 1999 Taste of Home Annual Recipes. So much of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner is in the brown-orange palette, so please, add a green dish, such as Baked String Beans from 1999 Taste of Home Annual Recipes. Nantucket Corn Pudding Ingredients: 2 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half (fat-free is fine)
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground white pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
4-1/2 to 5 cups frozen corn kernels, divided
3/4 cup crushed oyster crackers
3 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted, divided
2-3 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (1/4-1/3 cup)
Paprika Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a medium baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Mix in corn, 1/2 cup crackers and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Spoon pudding into prepared baking dish and scatter cheese over it. Mix together remaining crackers and butter and sprinkle over the cheese. Dust with paprika. Bake the pudding for 45 to 50 minutes, until puffed and golden brown, with crusty edges, but a soft center. Serve hot. Yield: 6 servings Sweet Potatoes Au Gratin Ingredients: 2 large uncooked sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick
1 egg
2 cups heavy or whipping cream
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
Pinch pepper
3 Tbs. grated fresh Parmesan cheese Preparation: Place potatoes in a greased 8" square baking dish. Beat egg, then add cream, salt, nutmeg and pepper and mix well. Pour over potatoes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Yield: 6-8 servings Adapted from 1999 Taste of Home Annual Recipes. Baked String Beans Ingredients: 1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen French-style green beans, thawed
2 bacon strips
1 beef bouillon cube
1 cup hot water
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
Pinch pepper Preparation: Place beans in ungreased 1-1/2-quart baking dish. Set aside. Cook bacon until crisp; drain, crumble and set aside. Stir 1 tablespoon of drippings into beans. Dissolve bouillon cube in water; add garlic salt and pepper. Pour over beans. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Top with crumbled bacon. Yield: 6 servings Adapted from 1999 Taste of Home Annual Recipes. Two Good Stuffing Recipes Green Onion and Cornbread Stuffing Ingredients: 1 can (10-1/2 oz.) condensed French onion soup
1 soup can water
1/4 cup margarine
1 cup celery cut into 1/4" cubes
1 cup green onions thinly sliced
1-1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cornbread stuffing mix
Vegetable cooking spray Preparation: In 5-quart saucepan combine soup, water, margarine, celery, onions and poultry seasoning. Bring to boil and remove from heat. Stir in cornbread stuffing mix. Transfer mixture to a 1-1/2-quart casserole coated with nonstick vegetable cooking spray. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees 45 minutes or until set. Yield: 12 servings Adapted from a recipe from the National Turkey Federation. Herbed Pecan Stuffing Ingredients: 8 cups day-old multigrain bread cubes
3/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup apple juice
4 celery ribs, diced
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
1 cup minced fresh parsley
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/2 tsp. rubbed sage
3/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. fennel seed
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 egg
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted Preparation: Toast pecans on a baking sheet in a 300-degree oven for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 225 degrees. Place bread cubes in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 30-40 minutes, tossing occasionally, until partially dried. Combine raisins and apple juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes. In a large skillet, saute celery, onion and garlic, if using, in oil until tender. Add parsley, salt, sage, thyme, fennel seeds and pepper. Mix well and remove from heat. Beat egg and broth together; combine with vegetables, bread and raisin mixture. Toss well. Stir in pecans. Place in greased 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 15-20 minutes more or until lightly browned. Yield: 10-12 servings Adapted from 1999 Taste of Home Annual Recipes. (Visit Scripps Howard on the Web at www.shns.com .)
RESOURCES :
Butterball Turkey Talk-Line
Live bilingual (English and Spanish) assistance on every turkey topic, from prepping to roasting.
Toll-free: 800-323-4848
Web site: www.butterball.com
USDA Meat and Poultry Hot Line
Talk to the big guns for official answers on defrosting, internal temperature readings and how long you can safely keep leftovers.
Toll-free: 800-535-4555
Website: www.usda.gov/fsis
Reynolds Turkey Tips Line
Automated advice on how to reoast turkey four ways (in an oven bag, foil bag, foil tent or wrapped in foil).
Toll-free: 800-745-4000
Web site: www.reynoldskitchens.com
Vegetables On The Side: The Complete Guide To Buying And Cooking Vegetables
Model: 0028623363
Author: Sallie Y. Williams
(1998)
Macmillan USA
Website: www.mcp.com
Thanksgiving 101: Celebrate America's Favorite Holiday With America's Thanksgiving Expert
Model: 0767901363
Author: Rick Rodgers
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
Broadway Books/Random House, Inc.
Website: www.randomhouse.com
175 Easy-To-Do Thanksgiving Crafts
Model: 156397374X
Author: Sharon Dunn Umnik
(October, 1996)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
Thanksgiving: Festive Recipes for the Holiday Table (Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library)
Model: 0783503245
Author: Chuck Williams
(October, 1997)
Time Life Books
Website: www.timelife.com
The Thanksgiving Table: Recipes and Ideas to Create Your Own Holiday Tradition
Model: 081182991X
Author: Diane Morgan
(November, 2001)
Chronicle Publishing Company
Website: www.chroniclebooks.com
Thanksgiving Fun: A Bountiful Harvest of Crafts, Recipes, and Games
Model: 1563972808
Author: Beth Murray
(September, 1993)
Boyd Mills Press
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