I'd be willing to be that many of you are heading out to the stores in the next few days to get yourself ready for your big Thanksgiving dinner! So, I thought I'd post a few of my favorite Turkey Day recipe's in case you need a little inspiration or wanted to change things up a bit :) Get your grocery list ready!
Cranberry-Sausage Stuffing
My family has been making this stuffing/dressing for years. My mom found the recipe on the Williams-Sonoma website about 10 years ago and it was such a hit that we have never made anything else. I want to give W-S a lot of credit for this stuffing, but we have adapted it a bit. It is so darn good!
Ingredients:
- 3 cups unsalted chicken stock
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) salted butter
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 lb. bulk pork sausage
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1-lb. loaf country-style bread (We use Pepperidge Farm- "Country White" bread)
- cut into 1/2-inch pieces, toasted
- 2 Tbs. chopped fresh sage
- 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions:
-Preheat an oven to 350°F. Butter a 2 1/4 to 3-quart baking dish.
-In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the stock until steam starts to rise, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the dried cranberries. Set aside.
-In a large fry pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery and carrot and saute', stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl.
-In the same pan, saute' the sausage, stirring and crumbling with a fork, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to the bowl with the vegetables.
-In a large bowl, stir the egg while slowly pouring in the stock and cranberries. Add the bread and toss until well blended. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until the stock is absorbed, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the vegetable-sausage mixture, sage, thyme and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and stir to mix. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Bake until the dressing is browned and crispy, 45 to 50 minutes. Serves 10 to 12.
Click here for the Original Williams-Sonoma recipe which calls for the addition of French Chestnuts.
The Best Cranberry Sauce you'll ever eat!
Now this is a Jen House/HOUSEPITALITIES original :) If there is an original Cranberry Sauce recipe!? The oranges and the dried cranberries with the FRESH cranberries are what make this so yummy!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 orange, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup orange Juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions:
-Dissolve the sugar in the water and orange juice.
-Add Cranberries (both dried and fresh) & chopped orange
-Bring to a soft boil and stir often for about 10-15 minutes.
-Take off the heat and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Add walnuts if you'd like, and serve!
Caramelized French Onion Dip
In charge of bringing an appetizer to have before the big meal is served? This super easy, but super impressive carmelized onion dip is a serious home-run!
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 2 medium white or yellow onions (thinly sliced)
- 1/2 block of cream cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 Tbs chopped fresh chives
- 1 garlic clove
- salt and pepper
- cayenne
Directions:
-Melt the butter in a saute' pan, add onions and salt and pepper them to taste.
-Grate or very finely chop the garlic clove and add to the pan.
-Cook the onions on low for about 35 minutes. Stir occasionally.
-Remove from heat and let cool. Chop to bite size pieces.
-Add to room temperature cream cheese.
-Add sour cream, chives, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
*Serve with high quality vegetable chips and potato chips (don't buy the cheap ones! They'll fall apart)
*To make this a spread to put on crusty french bread, just add 1 whole bar of cream cheese instead of half. Seriously delicious!
*Oh and save a few of the onions to put on top of the mixture as a garnish, along with a few chives.
Apple-Cinnamon Mojito
This is a take on an apple mojito I had in Chicago. But! In order to spice it up and give it a fall flair, I'm adding a little cinnamon. Believe or not, it's very yuuumyyy! You'll be the hit of the party if you add this to your menu!
Ingredients:
- 1 large shot (2 ounces) Bacardi Big Apple Rum
- 6-8 Mint Leaves
- The juice from half a lime
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- Club Soda
- Pinch of cinnamon
Directions:
-Muddle mint leaves, lime juice and sugar in the bottom of a tall cocktail glass
-Add Rum and pinch of cinnamon
-Add Club Soda to the top of the glass and garnish with a mint leaf
*Make it easy on yourself and make a pitcher by multiplying the recipe x the number of guests you have.
*Make it really fancy and add cinnamon sticks to the pitcher instead of a pinches of the spice!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! :)
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