Thanksgiving Sides

[hjshorter]

Seth, that recipe for creamed onions looks delicious. Creamed onions, with or without peas, were always on our Thanksgiving table, along with mashed potatoes and sometimes turnips. Mom usually didn't make sweet potatoes.

How about brussels sprouts for a green veggie?

No cranberries? I have a cranberry and dried cherry relish that is delicious, easy, and can be made ahead.

[SethG]

Thanks Heather, I forgot! I also made Mark Bittman's cranberry sauce from How To Cook Everything. It's the simplest imaginable recipe: cranberries, sugar and water. And I thought it came out great. But I'd be interested in other ideas that are traditional with a twist.

And thank you Mags. But you forgot to send me that private message. I never received it, get what I'm saying? We never had this conversation. I did not receive a copyrighted recipe from you, and in fact we've never even met. If anyone else wants that recipe, they should NOT contact either me or Mags by private message, because neither of us has it. Is that clear?

[Ling]

I remember seeing a Pecan Bourbon pie recipe right here in Egullet's recipe archive. The photo looks good enough to eat. The pie is a deep-dish one, I believe. Yummm....

[SethG]

I remember seeing a Pecan Bourbon pie recipe right here in Egullet's recipe archive. The photo looks good enough to eat. The pie is a deep-dish one, I believe. Yummm....

That's great, Ling. Thank you-- I didn't find it because it isn't a pie, it's a "Derby Style" Bourbon Pecan Tart!

That is the one you meant, right?

[Jaymes]

Well, I'm not sure exactly where it is, but I posted my family's favorite Bourbon Pecan Pie here on EG somewhere, but I'm not sure exactly where.

I'll have to look for it and get back to you.

I think maybe there was a special Pecan Pie thread.... but maybe not. Maybe it was in one of our previous Thanksgiving threads...

[tommy]

Well, I'm not sure exactly where it is, but I posted my family's favorite Bourbon Pecan Pie here on EG somewhere, but I'm not sure exactly where.

I'll have to look for it and get back to you.

Southern Bourbon-Pecan Pie

Put 1T of molasses and/or 2T of maple syrup into measuring cup

Add dark Karo Syrup (or Blue Ribbon Cane) to make 1 Cup

1/2 C white sugar

1/2 C dark brown sugar

1/3 C melted butter

3 T bourbon (or 2 t vanilla if you don't like bourbon)

4 eggs, beaten until mixed but not frothy

1 1/2 C pecan pieces

Combine syrups and sugars and mix well. Add butter and bourbon. Stir in eggs and combine well.

In bottom of pie shell scatter pecan pieces. Pour pie filling over. Bake 350º for 35-45 minutes. Pie is done when center no longer ripples in middle when moved. Cool well before serving.

This makes enough for a big pie (10"). If I haven't made a shell that large, I just pour the leftover filling into a smaller pan and bake one sans crust.

[Jaymes]

Wow, tommy, you're good.

You're really good.

[fifi]

Soooo... Some brave soul please put this in the eGRA so I can find it and give it to my sister (the family pie maker) when I think of it later for Thanksgiving.

[tommy]

Wow, tommy, you're good.

You're really good.

i'd love to say you haven't seen the half of it, but that's pretty much it. i'm not good at much more.

but i might try your pie. elyse and her pie has got me going recently.

[Suzanne F]

Seth: What's wrong with the green beans? They look great! Although you could do brussels sprouts, chopped up and sauteed with pancetta.

Onions: KimWB brought some Mario Batali onions (with balsamic vinegar) to the pig roast; they were soooooo good. A very nice relishy type of onion, much lighter than creamed.

And for pecan pie, well, we'll just have to make sure that elyse takes orders for the holiday, now won't we?

[elyse]

If I must.

[tejon]

I always make up Cranberry Jezebel Sauce to dip the turkey in (along with gravy). I think it originally came from Food & Wine. It's something a bit different, and is luscious with stuffing and just about any other T-day dish.

[SethG]

Nothing was wrong with the beans, Suzanne F. I'm just looking for more ideas.

And brussels sprouts, well, yuck. But Soba's thread is starting to bring me around to experimenting with them. A lot of you eGullet types really seem to like them...

I may try your pie this very weekend, or even sooner, Jaymes. Thanks. (And where did you find it, Tommy?)

Edited to mask my stupidity.

Edited October 7, 2003 by SethG (log)

[KatieLoeb]

Seth:

Most of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes can be found in Thanksgiving, by Anthony Dias Blue. Great corn pudding recipe, excellent side dishes and wonderful soups as well. All around a great book I may only whip out once a year, but find absolutely everything I need in there.

I always spend my Thanksgiving with the same good friends, who make one roast turkey and one deep fried. I make a cooked whole berry cranberry-orange sauce that has a splash of Grand Marnier as the "secret" ingredient. I also make a spicy cranberry-jalapeno relish to go with the deep-fried turkey. Yummmmy. All good stuff and pleasing even to those folks who insist on eating the "can-shaped" canned cranberry sauce!

My other Thanksgiving staple is a Pumpkin Flan for dessert. A little lighter than pumpkin pie after all those carbohydrate laden side dishes. But I still pass out watching football after dinner!

[tommy]

I may try your pie this very weekend, or even sooner, Jaymes.  Thanks.  (And where did you find it, Tommy?)

here ya go.

[dumpling]

Butternut Squash Soup served in a French pumpkin(more round than tall, perfect soup tureen). I have a picture but unfortunately don't have the ability to put it up now. But it comes out looking great and tasting marvelous. Recipe for the soup was Epicurious I believe.

One year I also tried to cook what probably would have been cooked for the First Thanksgiving. Which in addition to turkey, corn and beans would have been seafood such as clams and lobsters.

In those times, the lobsters were all over the beaches in Massachusetts and I read a story about a four foot lobster being found in the mid 1800's. Used to be also in the late 1800's it was against the law to serve prisoners in jail lobster more than three times a week because it was considered cruel and unusual punishment.

Ah, how times have changed.

[joiei]

something I like to do with Pecan pie is to substitute Tate and Lyle's Golden Syrup for the Karo. I like the flavor.

definition taken from the all-recipes web site - "Particularly popular in England (where it's also known as light TREACLE), this liquid sweetener has the consistency of CORN SYRUP and a clear golden color. It's made from evaporated sugar cane juice and has a rich, toasty flavor unmatched by any other sweetener. Golden syrup, the most readily available brand being Lyle's, can be found in some supermarkets and many gourmet markets. It can be used as a substitute for CORN SYRUP in cooking and baking, and for everything from pancake syrup to ice cream topping. "

Edited October 7, 2003 by joiei (log)

[Jaymes]

Want to add a little tip here about the pecans in the pie for those folks that haven't made pecan pie before.

You have to scatter them into the shell before you pour the mixture in. That way, the pecans get covered with the syrup before they float to the top, which they will.

You have a choice as to whether or not you want to use whole pecan halves, or pecan pieces.

Each choice has its advantages and disadvantages.

The whole pecan halves look prettier. When I use them, after they float to the top, I always turn them all over so that the "pretty" side is up. But the pie doesn't cut as evenly with these larger pecans.

If you use pecan pieces, they don't look as pretty on the top of the pie, but it is much easier to cut even slices.

So there you go.

[Ling]

I remember seeing a Pecan Bourbon pie recipe right here in Egullet's recipe archive. The photo looks good enough to eat. The pie is a deep-dish one, I believe. Yummm....

That's great, Ling. Thank you-- I didn't find it because it isn't a pie, it's a "Derby Style" Bourbon Pecan Tart!

That is the one you meant, right?

Yes...I swear, everytime I look at that picture, I drool....

Haven't tried the recipe yet though. My family doesn't like pecan pie, so if I make it, I'll have to eat the whole thing.

[Wendy DeBord]

Theres one thing I want to highlight and perhaps as you read the pie thread it will pop out at you....the recipe you posted from foodtv told you to whip your eggs. That's wrong and will completely change the texture of your pie, as you experienced. The recipe doesn't look bad off the top of my head. But follow Brians instructions from that thread, you just mix the eggs-don't get them frothy.

My families favorite Thanksgiving items have no gourmet undertones, but I'll suggest them anyway because their old fashioned mid-western good. I make a fresh strawberry jello on a pretzel crust (it's the only jello thing I'll eat) that's a favorite. Also I'd miss not having sweet potatoes with marshmellows. My hubby wouldn't attend if there wasn't corn for his mashed potatoes and gravy.

Try as I have, nothing out sells pumpkin pie for this day. I wouldn't dream of not making it. And you have to make your own FRESH whipped cream-not out of a can.

[SethG]

Thanks for that advice, Sinclair. I wondered what caused the problem; I had no idea. I thought maybe I didn't cook it long enough. But it's true, I did get the eggs good and frothy.

[snowangel]

Soooo... Some brave soul please put this in the eGRA so I can find it and give it to my sister (the family pie maker) when I think of it later for Thanksgiving.

Your wish is my command...I entered it just a few minutes ago.

[bilrus]

I have made this green bean recipie the last few big holiday meals and really like it - of course it has bacon in it so how bad could it be:

Green Beans with Bacon and Onions from Cooking Light

Instead of cocktail onions, I make it with the little pearl white and red onions. They take a little onger to cook, but add a little to the recipe.

[SethG]

Most of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes can be found in Thanksgiving, by Anthony Dias Blue.  Great corn pudding recipe, excellent side dishes and wonderful soups as well.  All around a great book I may only whip out once a year, but find absolutely everything I need in there.

This book is out of print, but several used and new copies are available on Amazon.com. I just bought a used copy for $1.80!

(I don't think there are any others left that are so cheap, but there are several in the $8 range.)

Thanks for the tip.

[Jaymes]

I've got a Thanksgiving cookbook, too, that I think has pretty good info.

It's called "Thanksgiving 101" and it's by Rick Rodgers.

Many excellent recipes in it. He's also written "Christmas 101" and "50 Best Stuffings and Dressings."