Thanksgiving Recipe Collection
From my kitchen to yours Dear Reader....these are my family's favourite Thanksgiving recipes. Tried and true...especially the stuffing balls! Year after year I made stuffing recipes, tinkering with them with hope in my heart. This recipe, my own, is the winner. Bacon does make everything better! Good luck holding them back once they catch a whiff! Even if you don't like cranberries you should try the mulled cranberry sauce. It's not that nasty canned stuff! There are wonderful flavours, ginger, cinnamon and orange mingling with the cranberry, not to mention red wine! For many years I have given jars of it away at Christmas.
The potato gratin has a wonderful, mellow garlic flavour that comes from roasting the heads of garlic. That, added to the parmesan, bread crumb crust makes this dish over the top! If you haven't tried parsnips, be brave. They get a nice, nutty sweetness when roasted. Try them! Trust me.
Hope you find some new family favourites from mine.
Happy Thanksgiving!
The potato gratin has a wonderful, mellow garlic flavour that comes from roasting the heads of garlic. That, added to the parmesan, bread crumb crust makes this dish over the top! If you haven't tried parsnips, be brave. They get a nice, nutty sweetness when roasted. Try them! Trust me.
Hope you find some new family favourites from mine.
Happy Thanksgiving!
The Recipes
Butternut squash soup with cider cream
Mulled wine cranberry sauce
Roasted garlic mashed potato gratin
Turnip & squash swirl
Bacon wrapped stuffing balls
Roasted carrots and parsnips
Mulled wine cranberry sauce
Roasted garlic mashed potato gratin
Turnip & squash swirl
Bacon wrapped stuffing balls
Roasted carrots and parsnips
Butternut squash soup with cider cream
Adapted from The Bon Appetit Cookbook by Barbara Fairchild
5 tbsp butter
2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces (about 6 cups)
2 large leeks, chopped (white and pale green parts only, about 2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped, peeled carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 small granny smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried sage
8 cups low salt chicken broth
1 1/2 cups apple cider, divided
2/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream
Chopped fresh chives
Over medium heat, melt butter in large pot. Add the squash, leeks, carrots and celery. Sauté until the vegetables have softened slightly, about 15 minutes or so. Mix in the apples, sage and thyme. Add 1 cup of the cider and the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly.
Adapted from The Bon Appetit Cookbook by Barbara Fairchild
5 tbsp butter
2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces (about 6 cups)
2 large leeks, chopped (white and pale green parts only, about 2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped, peeled carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 small granny smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried sage
8 cups low salt chicken broth
1 1/2 cups apple cider, divided
2/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream
Chopped fresh chives
Over medium heat, melt butter in large pot. Add the squash, leeks, carrots and celery. Sauté until the vegetables have softened slightly, about 15 minutes or so. Mix in the apples, sage and thyme. Add 1 cup of the cider and the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly.
Once cooled a bit, using a blender, puree soup in batches. Return soup to pot and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pour remaining 1/2 cup of cider in small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup. Allow to cool. Put sour cream into small bowl and whisk in cider.
Mix the whipping cream into the soup. Ladle soup into your nicest bowls. Drizzle with the cider cream and top with chopped chives if desired.
Makes 10 first course servings.
Pour remaining 1/2 cup of cider in small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup. Allow to cool. Put sour cream into small bowl and whisk in cider.
Mix the whipping cream into the soup. Ladle soup into your nicest bowls. Drizzle with the cider cream and top with chopped chives if desired.
Makes 10 first course servings.
Mulled wine cranberry sauce
Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine, November 1999 issue
1 12 oz bag cranberries
1 1/2 cups Merlot red wine ( I use Jackson Triggs)
1 1/4 cup golden brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup crystallized ginger, minced
1 tbsp grated orange peel
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
Place all ingredients in large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and continue cooking until liquid is slightly thick syrup and sauce has reduced to about 2 2/3 cups, approximately 12 minutes. Transfer sauce to decorative bowl (or into a lovely jar to give as a hostess gift!) Refrigerate until cold. This recipe can be prepared one week in advance - just keep covered and chilled until ready to use.
Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine, November 1999 issue
1 12 oz bag cranberries
1 1/2 cups Merlot red wine ( I use Jackson Triggs)
1 1/4 cup golden brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup crystallized ginger, minced
1 tbsp grated orange peel
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
Place all ingredients in large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and continue cooking until liquid is slightly thick syrup and sauce has reduced to about 2 2/3 cups, approximately 12 minutes. Transfer sauce to decorative bowl (or into a lovely jar to give as a hostess gift!) Refrigerate until cold. This recipe can be prepared one week in advance - just keep covered and chilled until ready to use.
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potato Gratin
An original My Cupboard Love recipe!
2 heads of garlic
3lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups whipping cream, 35% milk fat
1/2 cup fresh chives, chopped
1 cup bread crumbs ( I use panko for extra crunch!)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 tbsp butter, melted
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wrap garlic heads separately and loosely in foil and bake until very soft, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
An original My Cupboard Love recipe!
2 heads of garlic
3lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups whipping cream, 35% milk fat
1/2 cup fresh chives, chopped
1 cup bread crumbs ( I use panko for extra crunch!)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 tbsp butter, melted
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wrap garlic heads separately and loosely in foil and bake until very soft, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, cook potatoes in boiling salted water until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to pot. Squeeze roasted garlic out of skins and into the potatoes. Add the whipping cream, salt and pepper and mash together. Stir in the chives. Turn potatoes into casserole and smooth the top.
Melt butter in small saucepan. Stir in bread crumbs and parmesan and mix until well combined. Sprinkle evenly over potatoes. Bake at 425
degrees until topping is golden, about 15 minutes. Makes 6 servings.
degrees until topping is golden, about 15 minutes. Makes 6 servings.
Turnip & squash swirl
Adapted from Food & Drink Magazine, Holiday 2006 issue
2 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 lbs turnip, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup whipping cream, 35% milk fat
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp rum
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt, to taste
Place turnip and squash in separate pots of water. Bring each pot to a boil and then lower heat to low-medium. Simmer squash for 20 minutes and turnip for 30 minutes until each are very soft when pierced with fork. Drain vegetables and keep separate. Puree turnip in food processor and add whipping cream and salt to taste. Pulse on and off to combine. Return to pot. Now puree the squash (no need to wash the food processor between), adding the butter, rum and salt to taste in the same manner as the turnip.
Now dollop each alternatively into a 2 quart casserole. Swirl top of each dollop with a spoon into pretty swirl. If using immediately, cover and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, until hot. (Can be made 3 days in advance and refrigerated until ready to use....will take 45 minutes to heat though)
Remove dish from oven and garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Serves 8
Adapted from Food & Drink Magazine, Holiday 2006 issue
2 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 lbs turnip, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup whipping cream, 35% milk fat
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp rum
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt, to taste
Place turnip and squash in separate pots of water. Bring each pot to a boil and then lower heat to low-medium. Simmer squash for 20 minutes and turnip for 30 minutes until each are very soft when pierced with fork. Drain vegetables and keep separate. Puree turnip in food processor and add whipping cream and salt to taste. Pulse on and off to combine. Return to pot. Now puree the squash (no need to wash the food processor between), adding the butter, rum and salt to taste in the same manner as the turnip.
Now dollop each alternatively into a 2 quart casserole. Swirl top of each dollop with a spoon into pretty swirl. If using immediately, cover and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, until hot. (Can be made 3 days in advance and refrigerated until ready to use....will take 45 minutes to heat though)
Remove dish from oven and garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Serves 8
Bacon wrapped stuffing balls
An original My Cupboard Love recipe!
1/4 cup butter
1 large sweet onion, diced fine
3 stalks celery, chopped fine
3 apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 1/2 tbsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tbsp dried sage
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 500g loaf crusty bread ( I use sourdough)
1 pound sausage ( I use breakfast sausages and squeeze them out of the casings)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
1 egg, beaten
12 slices of bacon
Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion, diced celery, diced apple (I use the food processor to dice it...saves time!), thyme and sage. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring often.
An original My Cupboard Love recipe!
1/4 cup butter
1 large sweet onion, diced fine
3 stalks celery, chopped fine
3 apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 1/2 tbsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tbsp dried sage
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 500g loaf crusty bread ( I use sourdough)
1 pound sausage ( I use breakfast sausages and squeeze them out of the casings)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
1 egg, beaten
12 slices of bacon
Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion, diced celery, diced apple (I use the food processor to dice it...saves time!), thyme and sage. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring often.
Using food processor, chop enough bread into fine crumbs to make 10 cups. Transfer to very large bowl. Add the sausage meat and work into the crumbs using your hands until evenly mixed.
Now add the onion mixture, the chopped parsley and the egg to the bread crumb mixture.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a half cup measure as a guide, scoop and form mixture into 12 balls and place on prepared sheet. Working one at a time, wrap each ball in a slice of bacon. Alternatively, cut each slice of bacon in half and lay over each ball to form a cross if you prefer.
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, until bacon is crisp, Makes 12.
Roasted carrots & parsnips
An original My Cupboard Love recipe!
Carrots
Parsnips
Olive oil
Fresh thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash and peel carrots and parsnips.
An original My Cupboard Love recipe!
Carrots
Parsnips
Olive oil
Fresh thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash and peel carrots and parsnips.
Slice the carrots and parsnips on the diagonal into fairly even pieces.
Line baking sheet with parchment. Spread vegetables over prepared sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Using your hands, scoop up vegetables to coat evenly with olive oil and seasonings. Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. Bake for 35 to 4o minutes. Vegetables should still be slightly firm, but have lovely browned edges.