Once a month we will choose and announce a theme for the contest. At that time, users may submit recipes that meet the theme for the entire month, in this thread. At the end of the month, a panel of judges will select their favorite recipes for the theme of the month. The person who submitted the winning entry will win a 1 month VIP (subject to approval based upon their prior history) and a title, as well as the right to wear a personalized VN Icon. All Moderators/Managers decisions are final.

Submit your recipe in this thread. ALL NON-RECIPE POSTS WILL BE REMOVED AND A WARNING ISSUED.

After one month's time, this thread will be unstickied, and a new one created.


For the month of October, Thanksgiving Side Dish is our contest theme.


Give us your favorite recipe you, your friends, your family make for Thanksgiving Side Dishes. All entries must be edible.


Good luck!



Turkey Facts

There are many reasons given being the name 'Turkey' for the particular bird. While some think it simply because it produces the sound of 'turk, turk…', others trace it back to the Native American version of the name of the bird, which was 'Firkee'. Some others connect the origin of the word to Christopher Columbus, who mistook America for India and 'turkey' for a type of peacock. Thus, he tried to name the word based on the Tamil translation of peacock, which he knew was 'Tuka'. Though, it was discovered later that the bird actually belonged to the pheasant family, people kept using the name for the bird.

While there was some conflict over 'turkey' and 'bald eagle' for being the National Bird of America. Benjamin Franklin voted out 'bald eagle' for being cowardly.

Though people prefer the meat of older male turkeys for they find younger tom turkeys to be too stringy, they prefer younger female turkeys for older female ones have tougher meat.

People do name turkeys according to their age - Turkeys less than sixteen weeks old are called 'fryers' while those between five to seven months of age are called 'young roasters'.

Turkey is the only native poultry breed of the Western Hemisphere.

Turkeys have great hearing skills but no ears.

Turkeys can see in colors, have excellent visual acuity and their field of vision spans across about 270 degrees.

Turkeys have poor sense of smell but great sense of taste.

Wild turkeys can fly at a speed of as much as 55 miles per hour over short distances and are good runners with a speed of about 25 miles per hour.

Turkeys are so sensitive that they can drown by looking up while it is raining and can have heart attacks due to sudden shocks.

Next time on Thanksgiving Day, try the ballroom dance known as the 'Turkey Trot', which is based on the short, jerky steps of the turkeys.

Green Bean Casserole


(I've messed around with this tried and true recipe so often that this is the hit of our holidays now. Here is basically what I add. Yes, it's a LOT )


6 cans green beans, drained

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1/4 - 1/2 cup milk for desired consistancy

1 can (drained) or 1/2 box sliced mushrooms

dash lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

dash of Cavenders seasoning

1/2 white onion, finely diced

2 cloves diced garlic

1-1/2 tsp spicy brown mustard

fresh parsley, chopped- about 2 handfuls

about 1/4 cup chopped celery

can french fried onions


mix all ingredients together, saving 1/2 can of french friend onions for topping. Bake at 350 for 30 min. Put remainder of can on top. Cook additional 5 min.


Serve and enjoy.

 

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GREEN BEAN SALAD WITH CREAMY MUSHROOM VINAIGRETTE AND CRISPY SHALLOTS


12 shallots, peeled and sliced thinly into rings


1 cup canola oil, plus enough for frying


Salt


½ cup chicken stock


1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard


3 tablespoons lemon juice


1 pound haricots verts, trimmed


½ pound button mushrooms, cleaned and quartered


2 tablespoons olive oil


EVANS CAGLAGE/DMN

Green Bean Salad With Creamy Mushroom Vinaigrette and Crispy Shallots, by David Uygur of Lola the Restaurant

View larger Photography Photo store Put the shallots and canola oil to a depth of 3 inches in a deep, medium pot and heat over medium-high heat while stirring constantly. This will keep the shallots from sticking or burning. As the oil heats up, the shallots will gradually start to change color. (This shouldn't happen quickly.) You are looking for a light golden brown. If the shallots get too dark, they turn bitter.


When the shallots reach light golden brown, strain the oil and reserve shallot-flavored oil for another use. Spread the shallots onto a paper towel and season with salt.


In a blender, place chicken stock, mustard and lemon juice. Add a pinch of salt and turn on the blender. Slowly add 1 cup canola oil. (Note: If the frying oil is cool, you may use 1 cup of it for the dressing.) The dressing will be creamy in consistency and color. Set aside.


In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the green beans to your desired doneness (not too crisp, not mushy), about 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the beans from the water and dump into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and retain the color and texture. Drain and blot dry with a towel.


In a large skillet over high heat, sauté the mushrooms in the olive oil, 2 to 4 minutes. Season with salt to taste.


In a large bowl, toss the beans and mushrooms with enough vinaigrette to coat. (Reserve leftover vinaigrette for another use.) Add salt to taste.


Serve the salad at room temperature and top with crispy shallots.


Makes 4 servings.


GARDEN-FRESH GREEN BEANS, EXOTIC MUSHROOMS, TOBACCO ONIONS AND MUSHROOM CUSTARD


1 cup chopped onions


1 tablespoon minced garlic


1 ½ cups exotic mushrooms, stems removed and reserved


5 tablespoons butter (divided use)


1 tablespoon flour


½ cup white wine


2 cups heavy whipping cream


1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce


1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce


3 egg yolks


2 teaspoons minced garlic (divided use)


1 pound green beans, trimmed and blanched (see note)


1 tablespoon minced parsley


Canola oil


1 cup flour


1/2 tablespoon Creole seasoning


1 1015 or other sweet onion, sliced thin horizontally


In a sauce pot, sauté onions, garlic and mushroom stems in 3 tablespoons butter. Stir in 1 tablespoon flour. Deglaze with the wine (stir to pick up all the small cooked bits) and reduce until almost all the liquid is cooked away. Add whipping cream, Tabasco and Worcestershire, and reduce by half. Puree in a blender and strain through a fine sieve. Let mushroom cream cool.


In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Add slowly to the mushroom cream, whisking until incorporated. Pour custard into prepared ramekins and bake in a water bath as follows. Place filled ramekins in a baking pan (do not let their sides touch) and pour simmering water into the pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven and place each on one side of the serving plates.


To make the green beans: Add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and 1 tablespoon butter to a sauté pan. Sweat the garlic for 2 minutes. Add green beans and sauté 3 minutes. Season to taste. Line up evenly on one side of the serving plates.


To make the mushrooms: Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a sauté pan. Add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and the exotic mushrooms. Saute about 6 minutes. Add parsley and place neatly in a mound on top of the green beans.


To make tobacco onions: In a deep saucepan or soup pot, add oil to a depth of 3 inches. Heat to 350 F. Mix flour and seasoning together. Dredge sliced onions and shake through a strainer until completely dry. Fry for 5 minutes or until golden and crisp. Arrange neatly on top of mushroom custard.


Makes 4 to 6 servings


Notes: To blanch the green beans, cook in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes, then plunge into ice water to stop the cooking and retain the color. Drain.


GREEN BEAN TEMPURA, CREAM OF MUSHROOM MOUSSE, FRIED ONION PRALINE


1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup


½ cup vegetable stock (divided use)


Pinch sugar


Sea salt to taste


1 tablespoon powdered gelatin (such as Knox brand)


½ cup heavy whipping cream


6 ounces French's Original Fried Onions


3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil


1 ½ pounds haricots verts, topped and tailed, split along their natural seam into 2 long halves


Canola oil for frying


Tempura Batter (recipe follows)


Cracked pepper


To make the mousse: Combine soup, 1/4 cup stock, sugar and salt and heat to a simmer in a microwave oven or saucepan. Remove and puree in a blender until very smooth, about 5 minutes.


To dissolve and temper gelatin, sprinkle gelatin in a cereal bowl. Pour 1 tablespoon of the remaining vegetable stock over the gelatin and stir to combine. Heat the remaining vegetable stock in the microwave until almost simmering hot. Pour the hot stock over the gelatin and stir to dissolve. Temper the gelatin mixture by stirring in a couple of tablespoons of the mushroom soup mixture. Pour the remaining mushroom soup mixture into a medium bowl.


Add the tempered gelatin to the bowl and stir to combine. Refrigerate until it starts to set (it will not be completely jelled, just soft set); about 20 minutes.


Whip cream until it forms soft peaks. Fold into the semi-set mushroom soup mixture. Adjust seasoning and return to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until set.


Pulverize the fried onions, then transfer to a blender. With the blender running, slowly add olive oil until it reaches a thick liquid praline consistency. Do not strain.


Allow the beans to come to room temperature if you have held them in the refrigerator.


Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches in a large, deep saucepot. While it heats to between 360 F and 370 F, plate the mousse and liquid fried onion praline. On each plate, drop about 1 1/2 tablespoons liquid praline on one end of a long, narrow plate and paint-streak it across the plate with a brush or small, off-set spatula. With a spoon heated under tap water, scoop out 1 quenelle of the mushroom mousse and place it on top of the streaked liquid praline.


Quickly mix the ingredients for the Tempura Batter. Pass the green beans through the Tempura Batter, making sure there's a thin film on each bean. Fry the beans (you'll probably need to do them in batches) in the hot oil. Remove to a paper towel and season with fine sea salt.


To finish plating, stack a handful of fried green beans in a long narrow line along one side of the liquid praline. Sprinkle lightly with cracked pepper. Serve immediately.


Makes 6 to 8 servings.


Tempura Batter: Combine 2 cups flour, 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a bowl. Gradually add 2 cups ice-cold seltzer water (club soda), stirring with chopsticks until it has a slightly liquid-lumpy texture. (Stirring with chopsticks is important so that you don't overwork the batter.) Much of the flour will sink to the bottom; that's OK because you will use the thin batter on top. Don't try to incorporate all the flour and don't overmix. It should be lumpy. Keep the bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice and some water to keep it super-cold. For best results, make this batter as close to frying time as possible.

 

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Parmesan Green Beans and Kale


Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, sliced

1/4 lb cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered (about 14 mushrooms)

1 1/2 lb green beans, trimmed and sliced into 1-inch pieces

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 bunch kale, rinsed, stemmed, and roughly chopped

2 tbsp lemon juice

3 tbsp finely grated Parmesan


Directions

Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, green beans, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine and continue cooking until the green beans are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and the kale and continue cooking until the kale wilts, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and the Parmesan cheese. Toss to coat and serve immediately.

 

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Open can of cranberry sauce

Slide sauce onto plate

Serve



Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

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that is my favorite side dish right there! I especially love the jellied kind that still looks like the can when it comes out.

 

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Corn Pudding


1/2 cup butter

1 small onion, chopped (1/4 cup)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 cups milk

6 eggs, slightly beaten

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 bags (12 oz) frozen corn, thawed, drained

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

3/4 cup plain bread crumbs

3 tablespoons butter, melted


1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish or 3-quart casserole with cooking spray.


2. In 4-quart Dutch oven, melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until well blended. Stir in milk. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Gradually stir in eggs and cheese. Stir in corn and parsley. Pour into baking dish.


3. In small bowl, mix bread crumbs and 3 tablespoons melted butter; sprinkle over corn mixture.


4. Bake uncovered 55 to 65 minutes or until mixture is set and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.


High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Use 3/4 cup flour.

 

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Southern Cornbread Dressing

Cornbread dressing is a common side dish on Southern tables during Thanksgiving. Personally all I need is the turkey and the dressing. Every year I'm befuddled though--pour some giblet gravy over the top... or cranberry sauce on the side... or both... Anyway, here's one of my recipes for it:


3/4c diced onion
3/4c diced celery
2 tbsp butter
3 eggs
1 round of cornbread, crumbled (recipe at bottom)
1 tbsp poultry seasoning
2 tsp sage
1 can oyster stew (or cream of chicken)
1-2 cans chicken or turkey broth

1. Cook onion & celery in butter until tender.
2. Beat eggs.
3. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the broth. Add the broth about a half can at a time and mix. You're after a consistency like uncooked cornbread. If you add too much and it gets soupy, it won't bake right (you'll burn it before the center gets dry). If you find that you added too much, grab some white bread, crumble, and add. I find about a can & a half of broth works for me.
4. Bake in a greased pan at 350 for about 35-40 minutes.

Buttermilk Cornbread

This is good on its own.

3 pieces of bacon
2c yellow corn meal
1c all purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp baking soda
3 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1 can of niblet corn, drained

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Cook the bacon in an iron skillet until brown, crispy, and rendered. Remove & reserve. Don't drain that bacon grease.
3. Combine all ingredients (including the bacon, crumbled) and lightly mix until it comes together. No overstirring.
4. Pour into the iron skillet, right on top of that bacon grease. Bake for about 25 minutes.

Homemade Cranberry Sauce


1 (16 ounce) bag frozen cranberries, thawed

2 oranges, juiced and 1 orange zested

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp nutmeg


Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer about 15 minutes until the cranberries just begin to burst.

 

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