Thanksgiving--Dinner, Part 2: Sides

Continuing on with our sumptuous Thanksgiving feast! On to the sides!

Stuffing

We don't usually do anything really out of the ordinary for stuffing. We usually just follow the directions for two boxes of Mrs. Cubbison's herbed stuffing. But if I'm not too much mistaken, my sister tried a new kind of stuffing this year. Perhaps if it was a great recipe, she will add it here later.

Old-Fashioned Vegetable Stuffing

Ingredients:

2 – 6-ounce bags Mrs. Cubbison's Seasoned Dressing (herb seasoned or classic seasoned—or Corn Bread Stuffing)
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
1-1/2 cups liquid (water, broth or fruit juice)
1-1/2 cups celery, chopped
1 cup onion, minced

Directions:

Combine dressing with melted butter or margarine, celery, and onion. Stir in liquid. Mix well, and stuff loosely in neck and body cavities, allowing for expansion during roasting. Skewer or sew closed. Roast as usual. Makes about 6 cups.

Source: Mrs. Cubbison's recipe.

Mushroom and Walnut Stuffing

I have never really been much of a stuffing fan, but this year, I have to say, it was my favorite part of the meal. This stuffing was very tasty.

2 T olive oil
2 large yellow onions
3 celery stalks
course salt & ground pepper
10 oz cremini or button mushrooms
2 T fresh sage leaves finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 c toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
1 loaf crusty white bread, cubed and left out overnight or toasted
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

In large skillet, heat 1 T oil over med high heat. Add onions and celery, season with s & p. Cook, stirring occasionally until veggies are soft, about 7 min. Transfer to large bowl. Add 1 T oil, mushroom, sage to skillet season with S & P. Cook until mushrooms are browned about 5 min. Add wine and cook, scraping any browned bits with wooden spoon until wine is nearly evaporated. Transfer to bowl with veggies, add walnuts, bread and enough broth to moisten, but not make soggy. Add eggs to bread mixture and toss well to combine. Reserve 4 cups for turkey. Spoon remaining stuffing into lightly oiled 2 quart baking dish. Preheat oven to 400, bake uncovered 30 min until golden brown.

Source: Everyday Food Nov 2010

Ultra Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

3 ½ cups chicken broth
5 large potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces (about 7 ½ cups)
½ cup light cream
2 tbsp butter
Ground black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste

Directions:

Heat the broth and potatoes in a 3 quart saucepan over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain, reserving the broth.

Mash the potatoes with ¼ cup broth, cream, butter, and salt and pepper. Add additional broth, if needed, until desired consistency.

Ultimate Mashed Potatoes:

Stir in ½ cup sour cream, 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (reserve some for garnish), and ¼ cup chopped fresh chives into the hot mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with the reserved bacon.

Source: Swanson's recipe.

Notes: We always use a lot more than just five large potatoes! Adjust the other ingredients accordingly depending on how many potatoes you use.

BLT Salad

Ingredients:

1 ½ qt. torn lettuce
½ cup green onions, sliced
12 slices crisply cooked bacon, crumbled
1 ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup real mayonnaise

Directions:

Combine lettuce and onions. Toss lightly. Chill. Add remaining ingredients. Mix lightly. Serve immediately.

8 servings

Source: Unsure. Mom will have to provide the source!


Fumi Salad

Ingredients:

1 head cabbage, shredded (or 1 large bag of coleslaw mix)
6 green onions, sliced
7 oz. toasted slivered almonds
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
½ cup salad oil
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. accent
½ tsp. pepper
3 Tbsp. vinegar
1 pkg. Top Ramen-type noodles, Chicken flavor, broken
1 Chicken flavor packet (found in the ramen noodles)

Directions:

Toss the cabbage, green onions, almonds, sesame seeds and broken ramen noodles together.

Mix the salad oil, sugar, salt, accent, pepper, vinegar and chicken flavor packet together to make the dressing.

Just before serving, toss the dressing with the salad.

Source: This came from one of our ward cookbooks.

Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:

2 Bay leaves
1 Tbsp. salt
2 cups elbow macaroni
½ cup finely chopped celery
2 tsp. grated onion
½ cup flaked salmon
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. sugar
Dash of cayenne
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/8 tsp. white pepper
½ tsp. MSG
¾ cup whipping cream

Directions:

Boil water, bay leaves and 1 Tbsp. salt. Gradually add elbow macaroni. Boil for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Rinse with running cold water.

Prepare the celery, onion and salmon and set aside. Once the macaroni is cooled, mix these ingredients with the macaroni.

Blend together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, sugar, cayenne, ½ tsp. salt, dry mustard, white pepper and MSG.

Whip ¾ cup whipping cream until stiff. Mix mayonnaise mixture with the cream. Mix together with the macaroni mixture and chill.

8 servings

Source: This was one of my Grandma Salazar's recipes. It is soooo good!

Grandma Salazar’s Rice Stuffing

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups long grain brown rice
7 ½ cups chicken bouillon
2 Tbsp. oil
1 cup chopped celery
Chopped giblets
½ cup diced onions
¼ cup dried parsley
2 cups chopped pecans
1 tsp. sage
1 tsp. poultry seasonings

Directions:

Steam rice according to package directions. Saute celery, giblets, onions and parsley in oil. Mix with rice mixture and add pecans, sage and poultry seasonings. Makes enough to stuff a 20 pound turkey.

Source: This was my Grandma Salazar's recipe. Sadly, we have some picky eaters in our family, so I've only had it a handful of times.


South Cottonwood Carrots

Ingredients:

2 lb. grated carrots
1 pt. whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup butter
1 cup sugar

Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Cook on medium to medium-high, stirring often, 45 minutes or so until carrots are caramelized. Everyone's stove-top is a little different. You want the carrots to caramelize, not to burn. This is achieved through a steady low-boil. But watch carefully so that they don't burn.

Serves 8

Source: This was one of my Grandpa Mackay's signature recipes. I'm not sure where he got it from though. Maybe he got it from his sister or maybe he made it up. At any rate, I'm sure glad he passed it on to us. It is super yummy!

Mulled-Cider Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

12 oz. fresh or frozen cranberries
1 tbsp finely grated orange zest
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 firm apple (such as Rome or McIntosh), peeled, cored, finely diced

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a medium-size heavy saucepan over medium heat; cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until cranberries soften and pop and sauce thickens, stirring occasionally (sauce will thicken more as it chills). Let cool, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

8 servings.

Nutrition information: 82 calories, 0 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 0 g protein, 21 g carbohydrate, 1 mg sodium.

Source: This is an All You recipe. You can find it on Myrecipes.com here.

Notes: We made this last Thanksgiving. It was a fantastic cranberry sauce...on its own and with the turkey. A nice change from the canned stuff!

Pistachio Salad

Ingredients:

3 oz. pistachio instant pudding
8 oz. cool whip
20 oz. crushed pineapple
2 c. marshmallows

Directions:

Mix pudding and cool whip together until well blended. Add pineapple (undrained). Mix together and add marshmallows.

Source: Unsure. Perhaps one of the ward cookbooks.



Rich Dinner Rolls

Ingredients:

1 pkg. yeast
¼ c. warm water
1 c. milk, scalded
¼ c. sugar
¼ c. margarine
1 tsp. salt
3 ½ c. flour
1 egg

Directions:

Soften yeast in warm water. Combine milk, sugar, margarine and salt. Heat to melt margarine, then cool to lukewarm. Add ½ the flour, beat well. Beat in yeast and egg. Gradually add remaining flour. Let rise until doubled (1 ½ - 2 hours). Turn out and shape as desired. Cover. Rise until doubled (30 – 45 minutes). Bake 400 for 12-15 minutes.

Source: I think this was one of my aunt's recipes. I'll have to verify that with my mom!

Sweet Potato Casserole

“This is already a holiday staple for me. I LOVE IT!!!” Laurie Allred

Ingredients:

Potatoes:

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup evaporated low-fat milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Cooking spray

Topping:

1.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare potatoes, place potatoes in a Dutch oven; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until tender; drain. Cool 5 minutes.

Place potatoes in a large bowl; add granulated sugar, evaporated milk, 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and vanilla. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add eggs; beat well. Pour potato mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking pan coated with cooking spray.

To prepare topping, weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, brown sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; stir with a whisk. Stir in 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle flour mixture evenly over potato mixture; arrange pecans evenly over top. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or just until golden.

Preheat broiler (remove casserole from oven).

Broil casserole 45 seconds or until topping is bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Cooking Light


Frog Eye Salad (aka Acini de Pepe Salad)

Ingredients:

½ pkg. Acini de Pepe (it is available at Harmons by the noodles)
1 lg. can pineapple tidbits
3 tbsp flour
½ tsp salt
1 cup small marshmallows
½ cup coconut
½ qt. boiling water
1-2 cans mandarin oranges
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 pt. whipped cream

Directions:

Cook Acini de Pepe in ½ qt. boiling water until tender. Drain and put in a bowl. Drain the juice from the pineapple and oranges and add enough water to make 2 cups of liquid. To this, add the sugar, eggs, flour, lemon juice, and salt. Cook until thick. Pour over Acini de Pepe and let stand overnight. Next morning, add the fruit, marshmallows, whipped cream, and coconut. This makes a large bowl.

Source: This came from one of our ward cookbooks.