Fall Cooking 101: SPECIAL
Thanksgiving Sides Edition
My FAVORITE holiday is here! The smell of thyme, the roasting of the turkey, cinnamon in the air. I literally love this Holiday.
THEN COVID HAPPENED.
Seriously 2020? This is my time to shine! It’s okay, I’m still cooking. I’m having a few immediate family members over and delivering food to grandparents.
Holidays have always been important to me. I love welcoming family into my home. I love catering to everyone that comes in. I love making sure the house is perfect. I literally love making this day not only a meal, but an experience for my loved ones.
I wanted to share a few of my favorite ways to make this day special, along with a few side dishes. I also want to share a few ways to make this Thanksgiving COVID friendly.
1) If you don’t have enough dishes for everyone and have to buy disposable, that’s okay! However, I suggest buying quality disposable plates. Your family is going to want to load their plate with your delicious food. Give them a sturdy plate! The same goes for disposable silverware. To make it not feel like just another get-together buy decorative disposable napkins and wrap your silverware with twine. It’s a cheap way to make disposable silverware elegant!
2) PLAN. PLAN. PLAN. If you are stressed you will not enjoy this day, I promise. This day is supposed to be about family. That includes you! If you make a good plan, you should be able to enjoy the day too. Prep as much as you can on Friday (or before, like some of the recipes I’m about to show you.) This will make your Thanksgiving go smooth!
3) Have an activity other than watching football. Yes, you heard me. My family does thank you cards every year. I set them out and everyone writes what they are Thankful for. I keep them and put them in an album to display the next year.
4) If you have children attending your Thanksgiving, have something for them to do. It’s just a bonus for the parents that are bringing them. Coloring books and crayons are cheap!
5) If you have to do a delivery for Thanksgiving because of COVID , take 2 minutes and type up a menu and add reheating instructions. You spend a lot of time cooking this meal, if they’re not eating it hot, make sure they know how to reheat it.
6) If you are doing a delivery to your loved ones, add a personal note. They WANT to spend the holiday with you. Write a personal note to each person you deliver to. If you have kids, have them write a message too!
7) Buy take home containers for your guests. Your meal is going to be delicious, make sure you have a way for them to transport it home. Or if you are delivering, make sure you have quality containers to deliver in . Amazon has cheap containers that can be to your house in 2 days.
8) If you are a little crazy like I am, write “leftover recipes” on cards for people to take with their leftovers. Waffled Mashed Potatoes or Turkey Rueben’s anyone?
9) If you are having your Thanksgiving at dinner time, plan a lunch for yourself and your family that is home. No one wants a hangry cook!
10) Last but not least, Have fun. This is your day. Pour a cocktail, turn on your music, and just cook.
I hope each and every one reading this has a wonderful holiday, whether you are cooking or not! This year has been rough. I hope everyone gets to spend this day with family, in one way or another. Happy Thanksgiving! Be safe and just cook.
Now… for Recipes.
Recipe #1) Green Bean Casserole
Note Fried Onions are not on top of this yet. This is a make ahead version and the onions are not placed on top until you bake. +
In case you didn’t know, I’m also on Instagram and Facebook (you should follow.) I asked my followers what their favorite Thanksgiving side dish was. It was green bean casserole! If you ask my husband what his favorite Thanksgiving side dish is, well he would say green bean casserole as well.
Do you know what my LEAST favorite side dish is? Green Bean Casserole.
My husband likes this very simple. A can of green beans, a can of cream of mushroom, some French’s fried onions… Bam , you have green bean casserole. He even complains about his mom trying to “mix things up” and add swiss cheese and other things to this simple classic dish.
I felt a challenge….
I’m going to make a confession. Cream of mushroom soup in a can is disgusting. All of the creamed soups in a can are full of sodium and … well they just don’t taste good. So this recipe is for everyone that needs a “real” green bean casserole recipe.
Real ingredients and real flavor.
Ingredients:
Ingredients for fried onion:
1 cup of buttermilk OR 1 cup of milk with 2 tablespoons of white vinegar or lemon juice
1 onion sliced thin
1 cup of All Purpose flour
salt and pepper
garlic powder
Avocado or Vegetable Oil
Ingredients for Green Bean Casserole:
*** Fun Fact and little Easter egg, my salt cellar was bought in North Carolina on a family vacation. It was the last vacation that I got to spend with my mom! This salt cellar will always be in my home! I thought the holidays were a good time to share a piece of me with you!
1 pound of fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved.
2 tablespoons of butter
8 ounces of mushrooms, quarter or halved
salt and pepper
2 cloves of raw garlic and 3 cloves of roasted garlic minced OR 3 cloves of raw garlic minced
2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
3/4 cup of homemade chicken bone broth OR store bought chicken stock
1 and 1/4 cups of half and half OR 1 cup heavy cream and 1/4 of vitamin D milk
Directions for Fried Onions:
1) Begin by slicing the onion with a mandolin.
2) Place the sliced onion in the bowl with the buttermilk.
3) Next place the flour, salt and pepper, and garlic powder in a shallow bowl. Heat the oil in a sauté pan or pot. Make sure the oil is about 1/2 inch- 1 inch high in the pan.
4) Once the oil is hot, in batches and using tongs, take some onions out of the buttermilk and coat them in the flour mixture. Once coated place them in the hot oil and shallow fry them for about 2-4 minutes or until golden brown.
5) Drain them on a plate covered with paper towel and immediately dust them with kosher salt.
This recipe only needs a 1/2 onion. However, I suggest frying up the whole onion to snack on while you finishing cooking. These are so good! I like to make them to put on burgers, chicken sandwiches, or just as a snack!
Directions for the Casserole:
…. This is a make ahead casserole. You can immediately bake this if you want, but to help with Thanksgiving prep make this a few days ahead!
1) Bring water to a boil and blanch the green beans for 5 minutes. Drain the beans and immediately put them in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Then drain them again.
2) Over medium high eat melt the butter in a large skillet or sauté pan. I prefer non-stick for this recipe. Add the mushroom and cook for about 4-5 minutes. You want the moisture of the mushrooms to release and brown. Add garlic, salt and pepper and cook for an addition 1 minute.
3) Sprinkle the flour on top and cook the raw flour taste out for 2 minutes.
4) Add the chicken broth and simmer for 3 minutes. Decrease the temperature to medium low and add the half and half.
5) Cook the cream of mushroom for about 10 minutes or until you reach a thick consistency. Then add a 1/4 of your fried onions and your green beans into the mixture.
6) Place this mixture into a casserole dish. Cover it with plastic wrap and place in your refrigerator with a zip lock bag of your fried onions. OR you will immediately put this in a casserole dish, top with fried onions and bake at 400 for 15-20 mins.
If you choose to make this in advance, take it out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before you want to bake it. Place the fried onions on it and bake it for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.
You will be happy, your husband will be happy, and you will be feeding your family a “real” version of green bean casserole. Enjoy!
Recipe #2 Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Puree
This is also a requested recipe. The holidays are a time that you want everyone to feel welcomed and loved. Thanksgiving is traditionally a very carb heavy and sugar heavy meal. When a friend of mine was looking for a low carb and sugar free side for her brother in law, I knew exactly what to have her make.
Roasted Garlic Puree
It even sounds fancy. If you show up to a friends house and say “I brought the roasted garlic puree”, you are immediately (at least in my book) the coolest person at the party. So…
Let get started cooking…
Ingredients:
2 heads of garlic
Olive oil
1 large head of cauliflower or 2 small head
1/4 cup of heavy cream or milk
2 tablespoons of butter
salt and pepper
Directions:
1) roast the garlic. This is easy! Pre heat the over to 400 degrees. Cut off the tip of the garlic bulb and drizzle it with olive oil. Loosely wrap it in foil and place in the oven for 40- 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
2) Next bring a pot of water to a boil. Chop your head of cauliflower and add it to the boiling water. Continue boiling for 20 minutes. The cauliflower should be VERY soft.
3) Drain the cauliflower in a strainer and place back in the pot. Turn the burner to the LOWEST setting. Using and immersion blender, puree the cauliflower until smooth. If you do not have an immersion blender, place all of the cauliflower in a blender and blend until smooth.
4) Next add your butter, milk or heavy cream, and salt and pepper. Mix until completely incorporated.
5) Remember the roasted garlic from earlier? Squeeze out the cloves and place them in a bowl. They will be very soft. Use a fork to mash it into a paste. Mix it into your cauliflower puree.
Scoop it out into your servicing dish and garnish with chives or green onions.
Your family will be so happy that you created this dish for them! It is rich and I promise. you won’t miss the potatoes.
Recipe # 3: Roasted Brussel Sprouts.
Above in this post I mentioned stress free. If you are cooking the ENTIRE meal, you need a few side dishes that are delicious BUT simple.
This is an EASY weeknight side AND a delicious Thanksgiving side.
I recently went out with an old friend and fellow “foodie.” We were talking about vegetables and she said something that resonated with me. She said that she has a theory that anyone that says they don’t like vegetables, probably grew up with canned vegetables. Real vegetables can be so delicious. Even if you don’t think you like vegetables, or Brussels sprouts, try this recipe.
It’s simple. It’s easy. It’s delicious.
Ingredients:
Brussels Sprouts
Olive oil
Salt
Garlic Pepper, or seasoning of your choice (minced fresh garlic would work as well)
Parmesan Cheese (optional)
Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the stem off the Brussels sprouts and half. Remove the dark green outer leaves.
2) Place halved Brussels sprouts in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil to coat. Add in salt and seasoning.
3) Place Brussels sprouts on a single layer on a baking sheet.
4) Bake for 35-45 minutes depending on the size of the Brussels sprouts. You want them to be soft and slightly charred, but still have a bite.
I like to serve these with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top.
Roasted Brussels sprouts are delicious.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Check out my Instagram and Facebook for pictures of my 2020 Thanksgiving meal.
