Oh, Thanksgiving! It's the beginning of that wonderful time of year when you put your independence and achievements aside because it all boils down to being able to cook. Luckily for us and our readers, we will not be put in charge of cooking a 10 pound bird to perfection, the rock star of Thanksgiving. No, people with roommates and studio apartments get a pass on that one.Since none of us have that daunting responsibility the pressure falls on us to provide a killer side dishes that will show up all the other side dishes, and prove our worth, while giving us some Thanksgiving validation.
This edition of Supper Sanity Club will provide you with some ideas to really wow your family. It'll also provide you with some stellar beer and wine ideas, just in case you end up at a relative or significant other's house where they just don’t make gravy like your mom does and having your wine glass full is the only thing keeping you from pointing out that Aunt Linda is kinda racist.
We hope you enjoy these easy delicious recipes brought to you by our eclectic group of ladies and use them as a jumping off point for your own. If you have any questions please join us at www.facebook.com/Supper-Sanity-Club and post them. Christa, myself or one of our other crafty chicas will use our culinary prowess and try to help you out!
-Phoebe
Mini Meatloaves: From Sarah (Our Japanese spin on things!)
This is easy to make and goes perfectly with corn casserole.
It's also a great side to go with
some white rice for leftovers. I recommend making extra sauce so you have some to drizzle over your meatloaves while you're plating!Ingredients
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 large egg
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 small onion, finely minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced
1 1/2 pounds meatloaf mix (ground beef, pork and/or veal)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup ketchup
1 to 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Directions
Mix the breadcrumbs, milk, parsley, egg, Worcestershire sauce, onion, chili powder and garlic in a large bowl. Add the meat, season with salt and pepper and mix with your hands until combined. Shape into six 3-to-4-inch oval loaves. Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the loaves and brown about 3 minutes per side.
Whisk the ketchup, sugar and vinegar in a bowl and brush a few tablespoonfuls over the meat. Add 1/2 cup water to the skillet, cover and simmer over low heat until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer the loaves to a plate.
Add the remaining ketchup mixture to the skillet and cook over high heat, stirring, until thick, 3 to 5 minutes.
Serve 4 meatloaves with the hot glaze.
Cranberry-Mushroom stuffing:From Jamie (Our very own nutritionist!)
Cranberry mushroom stuffing is fabulous, though time consuming if you make the bread from scratch. You can always use a pre-made bread or bread mix instead. I spent about 4 hours making it one year and then asked my dad to reheat it right before dinner. He left it in the oven too long and it caught on fire. Let's hope you have better luck!
Ingredients
1 tsp. barley malt sweetener
2 cups water
2 Tbsp. honey
1 ½ cups fresh cranberries or thawed frozen cranberries
½ loaf Cinnamon-Orange Poppy Seed bread
1 Tbsp unsalted butter 1 large onion, chopped
1 ½ Tbsp. chopped fresh sage, or 1 tsp. dried
1 celery stalk, diced into ¼ inch pieces
2 pounds small mushrooms, quartered
1 egg, beaten
½ cup nonfat milk
½ cup coarsely chopped pecans
Directions
In a mixing bowl, combine the barley malt sweetener, water, and honey. Stir in the cranberries and let stand for 2 hours. To make croutons, preheat the oven to 200 F. Trim the crust off the bread and cut into ½ inch cubes. Spread out the cubes on a baking sheet and bake for 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool.
Melt the butter in a large skillet, add the onions and sauté over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sage and celery and toss to combine. Remove from heat, add the mushrooms and toss again. Set aside to cool.
Mix together the egg and milk. Strain the cranberries and discard the liquid.
In a large bowl toss the croutons with the onion-mushroom mixture. Add the cranberries and pecans and toss again. Add the egg mixture and toss for 30 seconds and serve.
Makes 8 servings (200 calories each)
Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts: More from Jamie!
1lb Brussels sprouts
½ cup sweet butter
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup cooked and shelled chestnuts
Directions
Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Trim the Brussels sprouts, removing the coarse stems and any loose outer leaves. Add to the pan of water and boil for 5-10 minutes until just cooked but not too soft. Drain well, rinse in cold water, and drain again. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a heavy skillet. Add the sugar and stir over medium heat until dissolved.
Add the chestnuts to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are well coated and starting to brown.
Add the sprouts to the skillet with the chestnuts and mix well. Reduce the heat and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes to heat through.
Makes 4 servings
Sweet Corn Casserole: From Emily
(Everyone's favorite little ray of sunshine!)
This my mom's recipe and has always been one of my favorites!
1 can creamed corn
1 can drained regular corn
1 stick melted butter
1 cup sour cream
1 box jiffy corn muffin mix
Mix together all ingredients and put in casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. That's it!
Pumpkin Soup: From Phoebe (Co-author of this shizzzz) This is a family favorite of mine. I understand that introducing soup bowls to the already packed Thanksgiving spread can make you look like a prima donna, so maybe keep this one in mind for soup and turkey sandwiches the next day.
Its super easy to make, so don't worry if you hit the Hot Toddies a little early. Your family will think you're some kind of culinary master mind!
Ingredients
3/4 cup water
1 small onion, chopped
1 can (8 ounces) pumpkin puree
1 cup unsalted vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup fat-free milk
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 green onion, green top only, chopped
heavy cream
dash of curry powder (If you're into that sort of thing.)
Directions
In a large saucepan, heat 1/4 cup of the water over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Don't let the onion dry out.
Add the remaining water, pumpkin, broth, cinnamon and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the milk and cook until hot. Don't boil.
Ladle into warmed individual bowls and garnish with black pepper, green onion tops, and a dash of cream. Serve immediately.
Sweet Potato & Green Apple Casserole:
From Arlan (Our resident soul food
expert!)Here's my mom's recipe for my favorite dish. It's great with vanilla ice cream :)
Ingredients
6 green apples (Granny Smith)
6 large sweet potatoes brown sugar (to taste)
Nutmeg (to taste)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 stick butter
Water (as needed)
Peel apples & potatoes. Cut apples & potatoes in half and then quarter. Boil potatoes, butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon together in water (just enough to cover potatoes). Boil until potatoes are tender (not overcooked) and until the mixture has been boiled into a syrup. Layer sweet potatoes and apples into the casserole dish. Cover with the syrup mixture.
Bake in oven on 375 for 20 to 30 minutes until boiling (keep eye on casserole after 20 minutes has past).
Cranberry-Lime Jello: From Jen (Our happily married friend!)This is my favorite Thanksgiving dish. It's sweet and tart with a bit of crunch. A requirement of all Thanksgiving food is that it makes delicious leftovers, of which this is a perfect example!
Ingredients
1 package of Lime Jello
1 can of Cranberries or 3 cups of homemade cranberry sauce
1 cup chopped walnuts pieces
1 cup diced celery
Directions
Make Lime Jello to package directions. While jello is still liquid, stir in cranberries, walnuts, and celery. Refrigerate until set about 5 hrs.
Pumpkin Bread: From Christa (Co-author of SSC, comedian, designer, expert baker & all around awesomtastic chica!)This is a recipe that my mom has made every Thanksgiving since I can remember. It's simple, moist and delicious, freezes well and can even be made into muffins! High fives!
Ingredients
3 1/3 cups sifted flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chocolate chips
3 cups sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
2 cups canned pumpkin
Mix dry ingredients together. Add remaining ingredients. Mix until smooth.
For Loaves
Grease 3, 9 x 5 inch loaf pans. Fill each 1/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
For Muffins
Put cupcake papers in muffin tins. Fill each cup 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.
Booze Pairings!
I am very fond of having bomber bottles of beer as an option in addition to wine at my Thanksgiving table. I highly suggest you try it. Here are some ideas.
Abita Pecan Harvest
This beer tastes like pecans, and that's a good thing! The beer pours a brownish color with minimal head, just the right amount (ha). The beer goes down smooth and leaves a nice aftertaste on your palette.
Mayflower Thanksgiving Ale
Thick and malty, with a great cereal grain taste and a brown sugar aroma that just screams everything fall.
Maine Peeper Ale
Light, citrusy, and hoppy. One of my new favorite beers of all time!
Harpoon Grateful Harvest
Lightly cranberry flavored, but still all ale! This will will go great with everything you serve.
All these beverages along with a great staff (some of whom are named Phoebe) can be found at The Wine Gallery. 516 Commonwealth Ave. Boston MA 02215. Come check us out!
Cheers & Happy Thanksgiving!
Christa, Phoebe & The Ladies of SSC
About Phoebe
Phoebe is comedian, and wine shop manager, who is also somehow pursuing a masters degree in clinical social work. Though she has no real food credits on her resume, she's well versed in wine and food pairing. She was raised on farm fresh food in Maine, learned about Asian cooking during her time in Thailand, became a seafood fanatic living in Newport RI, and is now well on her way to becoming a full fledged foodie/functioning alcoholic in Boston.
