“The turkey. The sweet potatoes. The stuffing. The pumpkin pie. Is there anything else we all can agree so vehemently about? I don’t think so.” —Nora Ephron
The annual dreams of Thanksgiving begin with the first rush of fall: the tang of apple cider, the snap of a chilly morning, the orgy of pumpkin-flavored everything. As the days and year grow shorter, we look to our singularly American feast day, where the meal upon which we judge all others is just an excuse to gather and share time with those we love.
Every family has their own traditions and favorite recipes revisited year after year. So, the Milford Living family would like to share some of our favorites—sides and sweets that enliven our annual tables no matter if the bird is store bought, organic, or tofurkey.
Give them a try…and give thanks!
Auntie Arlene’s Roasted Cauliflower from Susan Carroll Dwyer
Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower cut into florets
Breadcrumbs
Olive Oil
Salt, Pepper, Parsley
Fresh grated Parmesan Cheese
Easy, delicious, and versatile this recipe can easily be tailored to your tastes. Cut cauliflower florets and place in a bowl with olive oil. Toss in the oil. Put breadcrumbs in a gallon bag – add garlic, parsley, salt & pepper. You can use any spice you prefer. Put the florets in the bag and shake. Spray olive oil on baking pan and place cauliflower evenly in the pan. Roast in a 450 degree oven. Smaller florets for 15-20 minutes, larger ones for 20-30 minutes. Cover with fresh grated parmesan 5 minutes prior to completion of cooking for a tasty topping.
Virginia Hoagland’s Cranberry Relish Recipe from Marilyn May
Ingredients:
6 oz. can of V8
1 lb. cranberries
1 can crushed pineapple
1 tablespoon orange rind cut into small pieces
1 orange peeled and cut into small pieces
2 cups sugar
1 cup of nut
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Dissolve sugar in V8 juice. Add cranberries until the mixture simmers. Add and mix the rest of the ingredients.
Cheesy Baked Mashed Potatoes from Ann McGuire
5 lbs Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
8 oz. cream cheese softened
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded gruyere
½ cup butter softened
¾ cup sour cream
2½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
1 egg
Grease a 9×13 baking dish and set aside. Boil potatoes and drain and return to pot or mixing bowl. Use a hand masher to add butter, cream cheese, sour cream, ¾ cup of cheddar, ¾ cup of gruyere, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and egg. Beat potatoes with a mixer until all ingredients are combined and potatoes are creamy. Spread into pan, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40-45 minutes until heated through.
| Sweet Potato Discs with Miso-Maple Black Beans from Shaileen Landsberg |
Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes peeled and sliced into ¼ inch thick discs
2 tsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. dried thyme
1 cup black beans, canned, or already cooked, if using dried beans
¼ cup chicken stock
1 Tbs. miso
2 tsp. maple syrup
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 small jalapeno, chopped (optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss sweet potato discs in olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper and place in single layer on baking sheet. Roast in oven for 20 minutes, flip carefully with spatula, then roast for 15 minutes more. While sweet potatoes are cooking, combine beans, chicken stock, miso, maple syrup, lemon juice, and (optional) jalapeno in medium pot. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, mashing some of the beans, until mixture thickens. Serve sweet potato discs with dollop of bean mixture on each. elicious with a drizzle of plain yogurt over the top. Serves 6 as appetizer, 2 as main course.
Pumpkin Bread from Cindy Papish Gerber
Ingredients:
15 ounce can pumpkin puree (1 can)
1/2 cup 120 ml vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
3 large eggs
1¼ cups granulated sugar
1½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. fine sea or table salt
¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground ginger
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
For topping
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Heat oven to 350°F/175°C. Oil a 9” x 5” loaf pan. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs and sugar until smooth. Sprinkle baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger over batter and whisk until well-combined. Add flour and stir with a spoon, just until mixed. Pour the batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. In a small dish or empty measuring cup, stir sugar and cinnamon together. Sprinkle over top of batter. Bake bread for 65 to 75 minutes until a tester poked into the center of cake come out batter-free, turning the cake once during the baking time for even coloring. Let the bread cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan, or cool it completely in there.
Aunt Rita’s Crumb Cake from Suzanne Cahill
No celebration in my family would be complete without this traditional family favorite classic crumb cake. Make 2, one for the day and another for guest to slice up and take a sweet memory home with them.
Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake. (Follow recipe on the box)
2/3 cup of brown sugar
2/3 cup of granulated sugar
4 cups of flour
3 sticks of butter
1 Tbs. vanilla
1 Tbs. of cinnamon
Bake yellow box cake om a 9×13 pan. Be careful to not overcook, bake until fork comes out clean. Remove cake from the oven and leave oven at baking temperature. Let cake rest while you prepare the crumb topping. In one bowl combine sugar(s) and flour. Mix ingredients with a spoon and set aside. In a second bowl combine melted butter, vanilla, and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix together by hand. Work from the bottom of the bowl to the top to create a crumbly mess. Press crumbs into the yellow cake and spread evenly. Return cake with crumb topping mixture into the oven for 15-20 minutes. Let cake cool and sprinkle with confections sugar.
Ryan’s Frosted Apple Cocktail from Ryan Swanson
In a shaker mix:
1½ oz. Yukon Jack Jacapple
1½ oz. Dekuyper Schnapps Buttershots
1½ oz. Half and Half
Cinnamon
Shake until frothy. Pour into a tumbler with ice cubes. Garnish with a pinch of cinnamon
