Special Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

Thanksgiving Bounty

There are no shortages of places to buy a ready made turkey for your Thanksgiving dinner menu.  

This menu will focus on all of the other details and menu items that will bring your holiday menu together.

Tartines of Blue Cheese and Shallot-Cranberry Confit

This holiday appetizer uses plentiful ingredients that many of us have in our pantries during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season.

When making the base for this Thanksgiving dinner menu appetizer, toast the bread to a deep golden brown so that the bread does not get soggy once you put the cheese on it. If you don't like the taste of blue cheese, you can always substitute it for a goat cheese, veggie cheese spread, or a Boursin garlic and herb cheese.

Shallot-Cranberry Confit

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

4 shallots, halved and thinly sliced

1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons sugar

2 Tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 cup warm water

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Make Confit: Melt butter in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add shallots, onions, cranberries and thyme. Cover and cook until shallots and onions are soft and beginning to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Stir in sugar. Continue to cook, covered, until shallots and onions have caramelized, about 10 more minutes. Add vinegar, lemon juice, warm water, salt and pepper. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and mixture is golden brown (you may need to add more water to prevent onions from burning).

Tartines:

1 French baguette, cut in 1/2-inch thick diagonal slices

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2/3 cup (5 ounces) blue cheese, softened

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Bake Crostini:

Brush the bread slices on one side with olive oil. Arrange the slices on a sheet pan and cook until the slices are golden around the edges and crisp, about 10-15 minutes.

Assemble: Spread 2 teaspoons of blue cheese over each baguette slice. Top each one with about 1 Tablespoon shallot-cranberry confit. Garnish with thyme leaves. Serve immediately.

Recipe created by Parties That Cook® www.PartiesThatCook.com

Makes 24.

Butternut Squash Mashed Potatoes...

... A Perfect Side Dish For Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

I love butternut squash. I recently prepared it for a client of mine and I have got to tell you, she almost didn't get it!

It was the most creamy, comforting food I have had in quite a while. Now I am looking for more ways I can utilize it when its plentiful during the fall because it is just that tasty. Butternut squash cheesecake perhaps with pecan caramel drizzle?

The thing I love the most about this type of squash is its versatility, especially for Thanksgiving. Toss cubes of it in brown sugar and bake them and you will have a tender vegetable side dish reminiscent of a sweet potato casserole, sans marshmallows of course. If you liberally sprinkle with salt, pepper, olive oil and fresh velvety strips of sage, your side dish has gone in a completely different, savory direction.

When I saw the recipe for Butternut Squash Mashed Potatoes, I knew I had to share it with you. Its quick, easy and a good way to introduce butternut squash into your recipe repertoire if you have not had the pleasure of trying it before.

Ingredients:

1 pound (3 medium) yellow-flesh potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch chunks

1 small butternut squash (about 1 pound), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks

Salt

3 tablespoons butter, divided

8-10 fresh (2 to 3-inch) sage leaves, stacked and cut across into ¼-inch strips

½ cup 1 percent milk (approximate)

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

In 3-quart saucepan, cover potatoes and squash with water; add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover and cook until tender, 12 to15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the sage to small skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Tilting pan and watching closely, cook about 3 minutes, until butter foams and begins to brown; keep warm. Thoroughly drain potatoes and squash, return to pan and shake 1 to 2 minutes over low heat. Roughly mash with hand masher leaving mixture chunky.

Over low heat, gently mix in remaining tablespoon butter and enough milk for consistency desired. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into serving bowl and drizzle with brown butter and sage.

Makes 4 servings (about 4 cups).

Recipe Courtesy of Liz Conant and the US Potato Board

Couscous Stuffing with Artichokes...

... A Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Alternative

This Couscous Stuffing with Artichokes is a great alternative to the bready stuffing that graces our traditional Thanksgiving dinner menus.   Just take a look in your pantry, and you probably have most of these ingredients already.

If you are having vegetarians over for Thanksgiving, or just looking for a not so traditional side dish to add to your repertoire, this dish would be a pleasant alternative to the dreaded steamed veggie plate or been-there-done-that wild rice salad.

If you are having a completely vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner party, Couscous Stuffing with Artichokes can be utilized in many different ways. Why not try stuffing bell peppers, eggplant, or zucchini with the mixture? Or if you eat seafood, try serving it under pan-roasted salmon or grilled prawns.

No matter how you serve it, Couscous Stuffing with Artichokes is sure to make a great vegetarian entree or side dish for Thanksgiving or any time of the year.

Couscous Stuffing with Artichokes

3/4 teaspoon Roland Natural Vegetable Soup Base

1 cup Roland Pre-cooked Couscous (whole wheat or regular)

2 tablespoon Roland Olive Oil

1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)

1 medium carrot, diced in ½ inch pieces (1/2 cup)

2 stalks celery, diced in ½ inch pieces (1 cup)

1 (13.75 oz.) can Roland Artichoke Hearts Quartered (drained)

¼ cup fresh chopped parsley

¼ teaspoon sage

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

To make an easy stock, boil 1 1/2 cups of water and add 3/4 teaspoon Roland Natural Vegetable Soup Base. Stir until dissolved.

In a large bowl, place 1 cup couscous. Pour 1 cup of the boiling stock over the couscous. Cover and let stand 5 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Use a fork to fluff and separate the grains. Set aside.

In a medium size frying pan, heat the oil. Sauté the onion, carrot and celery until soft.

Spoon the vegetables over the couscous. Add artichokes, parsley, and sage. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss lightly until combined.

Place in a casserole dish. Pour the remaining ½ cup of liquid over the top of the couscous in the casserole and bake, covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot.

Yields about 4 cups.

-Recipe Courtesy of Roland Foods

Garlic Roasted Vegetables

Many of us tend to pack on extra pounds during Thanksgiving, when even vegetable dishes can turn out to be bad for you! Author of the book, Making Weight Control Second Nature, Living Thin Naturally, Susan Burke March offers us a much healthier side dish of garlic roasted vegetables. We can proudly serve this healthy vegetable side dish alongside our traditional Thanksgiving favorites without it looking out of place.

Ingredients for Garlic Roasted Vegetables:

Eggplant, fresh, unpeeled, 2 cups, cubes

Peppers, sweet, red, raw, sliced, 2 cup

Zucchini, 1-2 cups, sliced (green or yellow squash—if not available, substitute broccoli and/or cauliflower)

Onions, raw, 1 cup, sliced (red is best)

Olive Oil, 1 tbsp (3 teaspoons, divided)

Sesame Oil, 1 1tsp

Rosemary, fresh, 1 tbsp chopped (or 2 tsp dried)

Thyme, fresh, 2 tsp (or 1 tsp dried)

Garlic, fresh, one head, top cut off, or 10 cloves

Parmesan cheese, grated, 3 tbsp, optional

Directions:

Wrap garlic in tin foil (first drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil). Meanwhile, in a jellyroll pan sprayed with cooking spray, toss vegetables with remaining olive oil and sesame oil and fresh herbs. Roast uncovered in pre-heated oven (370 degrees F) for 20 minutes.

Remove and unwrap garlic, mash in a small bowl, then add to vegetables, mix, and roast for an additional 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese (optional) and serve. (Add 68 calories, 0.6 g carbs)

Approximately 8-cup servings

Susan is a registered and licensed dietitian and certified diabetes educator who has influenced the dietary health and well being of consumers worldwide. For more information about her books, please visit her site.

Kabocha Pumpkin Cheesecake for your Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

This recipe for Kabocha Pumpkin Cheesecake makes four little cheesecakes and is very elegant for a Thanksgiving dinner menu. It is a little labor intensive, but the accolades you will receive from you dinner party guests will be well worth the effort. You can find Kabocha pumpkin at your local Asian Market. If you can't source it, try using a sugar pumpkin, or even a butternut squash, but for Julia Child's sake, don't use the canned stuff!

Kabocha Pumpkin Cheesecake

4 servings

Cheesecake Batter:

95 grams cream cheese, softened

¼ cup kabocha puree or pumpkin

66 grams granulated sugar

1/8 tsp kosher salt

17 grams cornstarch

1 large egg yolk

1 large egg

4 tsp whole milk

2 Tbs + 2 tsp heavy whipping cream

1 tsp yuzu or lemon zest, finely minced

¼ tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp lemon juice

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt and cornstarch and set aside.In a mixer, mix the cream cheese and puree on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add sugar mixture and continue mixing until fluffy. Turn off and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

On medium speed, add the eggs and yolks one at a time; make sure each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next. Turn off and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.On low speed, add the milk and cream. Turn off and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

Finally, on low speed add the zest, vanilla and juice. Set aside in a separate mixing bowl.

Meringue:

1 large egg white

½ Tbs granulated sugar

Whisk the egg white until medium peaks form and then add in sugar.

Kabocha Puree:

1 kabocha pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into 8 equal pieces

Steam for 25 minutes or until soft. In a food processor, mix until smooth. Cool before using.

Cookie Crust:

4 oz almond cookies, crushed

1 Tbs all purpose flour

½ tsp unsalted butter, melted

In a food processor, pulse until all ingredients are well combined.

Pineapple Mousse:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 large egg whites

½ c granulated sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 tsp honey

¼ tsp five spice powder

1/3 cup pineapple puree* Chill a bowl in the refrigerator. Whip the cream until medium peaks form and reserve in the chilled bowl.

Whip the egg whites till frothy and gradually add in sugar until medium peaks form. Fold into whipped cream.Whip egg yolks with honey until very pale and thick. Fold into the bowl as well, along with the puree and five spice.

Pineapple Puree:

1 cup ripe pineapple, diced into large chunks

1 tsp five spice powder

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 Tbs unsalted butter

In a bowl, fold together the pineapple, sugar and five spice.In a small sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat and add pineapple mix. Cook until sugar is lightly browned and pineapple is tender. Cool and puree in a blender.

Pineapple Chips:

¼ pineapple, cut into rings with centers removed and sliced 1/8” thick

Granulated sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 215 F.Dust the sugar on a baking pan lined with a baking mat or Silpat. Bake in the oven for at least 45 minutes or until dry and crisp.

Baking:

Preheat oven to 325 F.In four 8 oz ceramic dishes, put 2 tablespoons of cookie crust into each and pack down with your fingers.Gently fold meringue in with batter. Evenly divide batter into the four dishes.

Evenly space the dishes on a small sheet pan and place on the middle rack in oven. Fill the pan ½ way up the sides of the dishes with tepid water. Bake for 20 minutes, rotate and bake another 10 or until top is lightly browned and cracked.

Remove from water bath and cool until room temperature. Cover in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least two hours.

Fill the top of the cheesecake with mousse and level the tops with an offset spatula. Return to refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set.

Sprinkle each with a pinch of five spice, pineapple chip and a blackberry.

Recipe Courtesy of Chef Gene Kato of Japonais Restaurant.