Thanksgiving Side Dish Frenzy

I absolutely love to cook but I never seem to have the time and when I do I typically don't because I don't like to clean up after I'm done. So, I'm home for Thanksgiving and decided that since I have the time and enough family members and dogs to clean up after me I'd take on the side dishes. So, here are my three side dish recipes that are pretty easy and amazingly good:

Recipe #1: Savory Sage Sausage Stuffing 
Ingredients:
- 1 package Bob Evans Savory Sage Sausage
- 1/2 large onion, chopped
- 1 bag Pepperidge Farm cubed herb season stuffing
- 1 small box of Craisins 
- 1 or 2 apples, chopped
- 2 cups celery, chopped
- 8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
- 1 stick butter, melted
- 1 can chicken broth
- sage seasoning, to taste
- salt and pepper, to taste 

Directions:
1. Brown the meat in a sauté pan until thoroughly cooked. Drain and set aside.
2. Sauté the chopped onion until softened.
3. In a large bowl place meat and onions, bread cubes, Craisins, chopped apple and celery, diced mushrooms and seasonings to taste.
4. Pour melted butter and chicken broth over the mixture and stir to combine. Start with just a little end add until you have the desired texture.
5. The stuffing should be moist but not soggy.
6. Re-taste and re-season to your liking.
7. Transfer to a serving dish, hear through in microwave or oven and serve.

Recipie #2: Mexican Style Creamed Corn

Ingredients:
- 4 Tbsp. Butter
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 cans corn
- 1 small 4 oz. can green chiles 
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 2 tsp. dried parsley

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. In a heavy saucepan, melt butter, cream cheese and milk over medium heat. Stir until smooth. 
3. Add corn, chiles and salt and stir to combine.
4. Place in a 8 x 8 backing dish, sprinkle with parsley and bake for 30 minutes and serve.

Recipie #3: Molasses Sweet Potato Casserole 
Ingredients: 
- 3 lbs. sweet potatoes 
- olive oil
- salt
- 6 tbsp. Unsalted butter, slightly melted 
- 1/2 tsp. Ground nutmeg 
- 8 springs fresh thyme, leaves picked off stems, divided 
- 4 tsp. Molasses, more to serve
- Walnut halves to garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Prepare large pieces of aluminum foil in a baking pan. Place each sweet potato in its own foil. Top with a drizzle of olive oil and salt. Fold the aluminum foil tightly around each potato sealing it into its own pouch. Roast in the oven for 1 hour or until very soft. Remove from the oven and let cool briefly.
3. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and discard some of the skin but not all. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and mash with a potato masher or fork. Now add the butter, nutmeg, 1/2 the amount of thyme and molasses. Stir to combine.
4. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the remaining thyme, walnut halves and a drizzle of molasses and serve.

I hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving no matter what's on your table!

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