Thanksgiving! Feeeed me.

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This post is sponsored by Safeway stores-Safeway, Dominicks, Tom Thumb, Vons, Randalls. Tastier for the holidays!

I need recipe advice, Internet.

I love the idea of having a set of traditional recipes I make every year for Thanksgiving — the quintessential stuffing, the heart-attack mashed potatoes, the restful pie. I want a cute apron and a calm demeanor borne of certitude (and the glass of red wine I’m drinking while I cook). Unfortunately, I don’t have many recipes passed down the family tree.

But you there. In the apron, with the red-wine mustache. What do you make every year? Anything that’s…

• Super quick and still delicious? I am willing to add bacon to anything to make this happen.
• So perfect you don’t care how long it takes because in the end your guests want to dump the leftovers on the floor and roll around in them?
• Easy to make ahead so all your prep doesn’t land on the same day? I prefer to enjoy the party rather than play caterer.

I have collected a few irreproachable recipes for my arsenal. Let’s have an old-fashioned recipe swap. Was that ever a thing? Let’s say yes.

Here are mine:

Winter Vegetable Soup
You can make it up to a week ahead, and freeze it. The sweetness of the squash and apple are offset by the cayenne. The mild kick in the aftertaste is a nice surprise.

Bourbon Brined Turkey
OK, so the most intense part of the meal I have down. I cannot recommend this recipe enough. Simple, and a result that will have guests calling for years after to ask for the recipe every time they’re in the presence of a raw bird.

Cranberry Relish
So good, and ludicrously fast — the caveat being that you’ll need a food processor. Very fresh, but definitely not a cranberry sauce. Great accent for the rest of a holiday meal.

All right, your turn. Here’s what I still need:

• Stuffing
• Mashed potatoes
• Yam or sweet potatoes
• Gravy
• Something green – Brussels sprouts or green beans maybe
• An alternative main dish for vegetarians preferably vegans. (I’m not being twee here. This comes up almost every year.)
• Pies. For the love of all that is holy. Pies.

Open your recipe box unto me, that all of us may partake in your Thanksgiving bounty.

She said. Wholesomely.

Published

106 thoughts on “Thanksgiving! Feeeed me.”

  2. First, pie – I believe in knowing your strengths. And pastry is not one of mine. But when you’ve already served a delicious meal, people will often appreciate a little chance to shine on their own by bringing a pie or other dessert. Failing that, a pie from a fantastic local bakery is always a win.

    Mashed potatoes: The key is the right potatoes, hot milk, and more butter & salt than you think you’re comfortable eating. Make sure you’re using a starchy/floury (rather than waxy) potato (russet is a common one), peel, chop, boil. Drain them and let them sit in the colander for a bit so most of the water evaporates off of them. Mash them while still hot with a lot of butter & salt (start small if you want, but keep adding butter & salt until the flavour’s right), then make them creamy by gradually adding hot (but not boiling) milk and continuing to mash until you have silky, perfect potatoes. I find using a mixer to whip them makes them gluey, and this way you also feel a bit like you’re getting Michelle Obama arms while making dinner.

    Good luck!

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  4. Google Patti LaBelle’s Mac n cheese recipe. She made it on Oprah years ago, i used her recipe and I’m now required to make it for all family gatherings. It’s so good, you’ll be convinced you can sing like her too, especially after a few glasses of wine.

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  5. I made the Mushroom and Farro Pie from Gourmet a few years ago and now I make it every year. It uses puff pastry and is gorgeous. It is a lot easier than it looks and guests are always impressed. It goes great as a side and makes a substantial main dish for a vegetarian. The straight recipe is a little bland on its own but on a plate full of other strong flavors, it is fine. If you google the foodie blogs, you’ll find a bunch of nice tweaks.

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  6. I could not agree with Jen more on the pies AND the mashed potatoes! As far as the other things are concerned, I’m a total delegator when it comes to Turkey Day. We live overseas and have been hosting far too many people for me to even dream of cooking for so I ask people to bring something they are good at making! We’ve had some pretty amazing meals the last few years 🙂 (I’ll be checking back here to see some of the recipes people share though!)

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  7. It is not a holiday unless I have this sweet potato spoon bread: http://www.marthastewart.com/350413/sweet-potato-spoon-bread. Put the ingredients in the food processor in shifts because it gets really full. I roast the sweet potatoes earlier in the week and assemble on Thursday. Also put in a 9×11 pan so it cooks in the time noted on the recipe.

    I also really love this dried cherry and italian sausage stuffing: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/dried-cherry-italian-sausage-stuffing-10000001031588/index.html

    And finally my favorite pie crust recipe is from the Joy of Cooking. 1/2 butter, 1/2 shortening makes it easier to roll out and delicious.

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  8. Pie. I used to HATE pie. Never my first choice. Then I made Deb’s (Smitten Kitchen) Pie 102 method crust.

    It is, without a doubt, the most amazing pie crust known to mankind. It should be written on the moon for other civilizations.

    The method absolutely counts, and it is not hard: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/11/pie-crust-102-all-butter-really-flaky-pie-dough/

    Then fill it with this:
    Melt 1/2 c unsalted butter in a saucepan. Stir in 3 T flour to make a paste (like a roux). Add 1/4 c water, 1 c brown sugar, bring to a boil and let simmer and thicken. Pour over sliced apples in the crust. Add top crust. Bake 15 minutes in 425 degree oven, then reduce to 350 and bake 35 – 45 minutes. A-mazing.

    If you add a touch of fancy salt (tasting the caramel for appropriate amount) then you have a salted caramel apple pie.
    Substitute apple cider for the water and you have super apple-y apple pie.
    Add ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon or whatever your heart desires.

    I love this recipe, because you cannot mess this up and you can only make it your own.

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  11. I have the holy grail of Thanksgiving recipes: mashed potatoes that can be prepared ahead of time. I got the recipe from my mother-in-law, and it’s called Mash Production (har!). Minor caveat: it may be possible to have a heart attack just from reading the ingredient list. This is definitely a once-a-year recipe, but it’s completely worth it. So good. Here goes:

    Peel and cook 3 pounds of potatoes (about 12 medium). Mash them in a large mixer bowl. When all lumps are gone, add one 8 oz package of cream cheese in small pieces, then 1/4 cup of butter. Beat will with electric mixer. Mix in 1/2 cup of sour cream (I KNOW!) and 1/2 cup of milk. Add 2 eggs (lightly beaten), 1 tsp salt, and a dash of ground pepper. Beat until light and fluffy. Pour into greased casserole or oblong Pyrex dish and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until well heated through.

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  12. Sorry, going to comment again. This chocolate cream pie…. It’s not as hard as you think and it is SO worth it. We’ve always been strictly fruit pie people, but an oreo crust…. Well. That pie is requested every year now! http://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/detail.php?docid=4994

    And, this all-homemade green bean casserole? I don’t even care for mushrooms but this… is divine! http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/11/18/classic-green-bean-casserole-recipe/

    Lastly, I make the Pioneer Woman’s mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

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  14. Sweet Potato Pudding

    4 large raw sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
    2 c milk
    1 1/2 cup sugar
    3 t cinnamon
    3 eggs
    1/2-1 stick butter, melted
    1 T flour
    1/2 cup brown sugar
    1 T vanilla
    1/2+ cup raisins
    1/2+ cup pecan chips, optional

    Put milk into bowl and grate potatoes into it. This prevents the potatoes from turning dark. Add rest of ingredients and mix thoroughly. Turn mixture into 1 1/2 quart buttered casserole and bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

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  15. OK, first, your cranberry sauce needs more bourbon: http://cravingchronicles.com/2009/12/04/bourbon-cranberry-sauce/ You can definitely make this ahead of time.

    I kind of really don’t like traditional pie crust, so this Apple Cranberry Caramel Tart is my idea of the perfect Thanksgiving pie: http://cravingchronicles.com/2010/11/10/apple-cranberry-caramel-tarts/

    For the brussels sprouts, just cut in half, toss in olive oil and salt, and roast at 400F until tender and browned (about 20 minutes). Sprinkle with a little parmesan cheese straight out of the oven, if you must.

    For the vegetarians, I hear butternut squash lasagna is a crowd pleaser.

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  16. The Pioneer Woman has an excellent make-ahead mashed potato recipe- the groan-inducing, fight over the leftovers if there ARE any. Recipe.

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  18. Anna over at Door Sixteen just posted an amazing (vegan) mapled brussel sprouts recipe!

    Also, this isn’t an actual recipe but I thought you might like the song, its called How to make gravy by Paul Kelly, a fantastic Australian singer/songwriter.

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  19. This butternut squash risotto is a) so delicious your guests will want to roll around in it and b) not only possible to make ahead, but better when made ahead. If there are any leftovers, they are excellent eaten cold straight out of the fridge. Probably there won’t be leftovers though, even though it makes about a gallon. http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2011/09/roasted-butternut-squash-risotto/#more-22461
    Jamie Oliver’s French dressed green beans are also really good and pretty easy. http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetarian-recipes/good-old-french-bean-salad

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  21. Best. Brussel. Sprouts. Ever.

    Brussels Sprouts with Browned Butter and Garlic

    1 Stick Unsalted Butter
    2 Pound Brussel Sprouts
    3 Cloves Garlic, minced
    1 Teaspoon Salt
    1 Teaspoon Pepper

    Wash and trim brussel sprouts. Place slicing blade in your food processor and process all brussel sprouts to create thing disks. Heat large sauté pan over medium high heat, add butter and let cook until foam subsides and butter turns golden brown. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds, then add brussel sprouts, salt and pepper. Continue cooking until brussel sprouts are tender and turn golden brown on the edges.

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  23. Roasted brussel sprouts and bacon:

    Cook a pound of bacon and set aside
    Saute a thinly sliced whole onion in olive oil(I use red onions, but use whatever)
    add some garlic and salt and pepper
    add the brussel sprouts and saute about 5- 10 minutes
    Chop the bacon up
    add everything to a roasting pan and roast til brussels are lightly browning

    Also: Bourbon sweet potatoes
    Best recipe is from The New Basics cookbook
    (under yummy candied yams)
    8 yams
    4 tblsp butter
    3/4 cup maple syrup
    1/3 cup bourbon
    1/2 cup chicken broth
    Peel & quarter yams then boil in water 20 minutes, drain well
    melt butter in skillet, add maple syrup & bourbon and reduce over low heat 15 minutes or so
    add the yams and stir, then add chicken stock and simmer 10-15 minutes.

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  24. Most sweet potato recipes (at least here in the South where I live) are bathed in sugar, swaddled in marshmallows, and sickeningly sweet. They might as well be dessert, but frankly, that just makes them pumpkin pie imposters, and I’d rather have pumpkin pie. I’d rather have something savory and elegant, which is why Smitten Kitchen’s swiss chard and sweet potato gratin is perfect. Yummy garlic-y bechamel sauce and gruyere cheese make it fancy, and you can sub in butternut or other winter squash, use kale or some other greens instead of chard, even use swiss cheese if you’re being cheap, and it’s still delicious. Definitely in the more work but worth it category: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/11/swiss-chard-and-sweet-potato-gratin/

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  25. Ok just a question: for the bourbon brine turkey, essentially I follow those (limited) directions and cook as I normally would? Is this right?

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  26. Mac and cheese is a great main dish substitute for vegetarians. Martha Stewart’s recipe, slightly adapted on Smitten Kitchen is a keeper and my go-to when I host the non-meat eating crowd.

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  27. These buttermilk dijon mashed potatoes: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Buttermilk-Mashed-Potatoes-with-Country-Mustard-104305
    I always make extra because I can’t get enough of them in one sitting.

    Also to add to the roasted root vegetable suggestion: Roast matchsticks or cubes of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots, plus parsnips and other roots as you like(peel and chop each veg, toss with some olive oil and salt, and roast each type in a separate pan, because they cook at different speeds– once I mixed them and ended up with crunchy carrots and sad mushy sweet potatoes). When they are all cooked, mix them together, and top each serving with a drizzle of nice fruity olive oil, a pinch of crunchy salt, and a happy sprinkling of the best fresh goat cheese you can find.
    Perfection on the day you make it. Not nearly as good reheated the next day, but still so delicious that I crave the leftovers.

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  28. So I make pecan pie every year. But my husband hates pecan pie. So I took a traditional recipe and changed it. First, I chop up tons of pecans-more than it calls for-and roast them in the oven long enough to make em smell lovely and pecan-y. Then I blind-bake the crust so it doesn’t get soggy. Then I fill the crust about 2/3 with the chopped pecans. Then I add the gooey filling. But the gooey filling has also been altered. I’ve added bittersweet chocolate and enough bourbon that I can smell it. Once the pie shell is filled I top it with pecan haves in a circle so it is purty. This pie is absolutely chock-filled with pecans. It is gooey without having the “snot-like” texture my husband despizes. It tastes divine and boozy. The pecans are out of this world good. If you’re feelng extra naughty, top the whole thing with some sprinkles of sea salt and bourbon whipped cream. Your family will kiss you full on the mouth.

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  29. Vegan main here! http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/seven-vegetable-couscous-recipe/index.html just skip the butter in the cous cous and you’re all set. I’ve made this a bunch of times, the vegans love it and it has so much flavor, the meat eaters don’t notice the lack of animal products. You can make it a day or two ahead. My only suggestion is to cut all the vegetables into a large, rough dice. The recipe has you leave some things much larger or whole, and I always preferred more of a mix in each bite.

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  30. i LOVE martha stewart’s roasted parsnip bread pudding. It works as an alternative to stuffing (serving it alongside stuffing actually seems kind of redundant…similar makeup and flavors), a veggie-like side dish (roasted parsnips!), or potentially as an alternative main dish for vegetarians (but not vegans, sorry):
    http://www.marthastewart.com/335713/roasted-parsnip-bread-pudding

    we also almost always do a brussels sprout or green bean dish with bacon (ALWAYS with the bacon). the details vary, but here are two of our favorites:
    – green beans sauteed with caramelized onions or shallots with a healthy dose of finely chopped bacon thrown in (cook the bacon ahead, set aside, and use the grease when cooking down the onions/shallots. then put the bacon back in at the end).
    – brussels sprouts cooked similarly (sauteed with caramelized onions or shallots cooked in bacon grease with chopped bacon added at the end), but chopped up beforehand so that they fall apart and it’s more of a ‘leafy’ dish. kids seem to like them better like this…maybe because that sweet onion-y and bacon flavor penetrates every part of the sprout 🙂

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  31. This is the dish I’ve been adding to Thanksgiving since I grew up enough to host one myself: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/10/fresh-corn-with-wild-rice-a-delicious-holiday-sidedish/

    Also, my grandmother’s stuffing recipe, which is delicious enough *without* being put inside the bird. And a turkey should never be stuffed, lest it dry out. For the things which are guesses, start with half as much as this calls for and work up. Buy fresh eggs so you’re not scared of salmonella. This recipe is absurdly simple, but that’s the beauty of it. The sum is greater than its parts.

    Ingredients:

    2 sticks of butter
    3 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped
    1 head celery, trimmed and finely chopped (this is my addition)
    parsley, chopped
    1/4 cup sage leaves ? this is a guess. I do it by eye/taste
    1/2 cup thyme ? this is a guess. I do it by eye/taste
    Salt and fresh ground black pepper
    12 cups toasted bread cubes OR bread left out over night and then scrunched up
    1/2 cup white wine
    2 eggs, well beaten
    1 and 1/2 cups chicken stock

    Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

    2. Melt butter in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat. Cook onions until soft. Add celery, parsley, sage and thyme. (I go light on the spices until I taste it mixed.) Add salt and pepper, and cook until the celery starts to soften. Remove from heat and put into a large bowl.

    3. Add bread to celery-onion mixture and mush it up to combine! Add eggs and wine, and mush again. Slowly add the broth until the stuffing starts to feel moist and holds a shape when gently squeezed. Too moist is better than too dry–you can always cook it longer. Adjust broth according to preference. Take a taste and add thyme or sage according to preference.

    4. Bake in a dish until golden and crusty on top, about 35 minutes.

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  32. I made this up years ago, and it is always a hit. I saw a much more complicated version somewhere this year. Simple is best.

    Thai Sweet Potatoes

    Heat a can of coconut milk (low-fat if you must) in a pan, add a tablespoon or so of red curry paste.

    Bake, microwave, steam, whatever, as many sweet potatoes as you need.

    Mash/whip the sweet potatoes with the curried coconut milk, there will be leftover coconut milk, it makes an excellent soup.

    So tasty. So easy.

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  36. the key to mashed potatoes (besides the correct potato!) – a ricer.

    passing cooked potatoes through this contraption ensures silky smooth texture. and as an added bonus, it can a workout for your forearms.

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  37. I don’t have an exact recipe for this, since my mother just made it up herself thirty years ago, but our family sweet potatoes are done in a casserole dish chopped into inch-thick peeled rounds after being boiled, and then you melt a cube of butter with a little over a cup of oats and about half a cup of brown sugar, mix in half a cup of whole cranberries, and pour the whole thing over the potatoes and bake until the strudel is nice and crispy. So good and not gross-sweet like the marshmallow version.

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  38. Oh! Also, for vegans:
    Eggplant parm is a huge hit and always on our turkey day table ever since I was a vegetarian for a year in college. Since the tomato sauce and eggplant are the stars, I am sure that a vegan cheese substitution would actually do just fine here. Of course, it’s also lovely to do with regular cheese.

    My mother’s eggplant parm.
    Ingredients:
    2 good sized eggplants
    3 eggs OR 1.5 cups soy milk and 1.5 cup flour
    3 cups Italian breadcrumbs (Pay attention to ingredients to make sure these are vegan, or make your own from bread you know to be vegan)
    Vegetable oil
    A batch of your favorite spaghetti sauce (I think this is too personal to suggest you do it my way. If you’re lazy and looking for guidance, Prego works fine, though no idea if it’s vegan)
    12 oz mozzarella (vegan, if needed)
    6 oz parm (vegan, if needed)

    1. Peel and slice the eggplant into 3/8 inch thick rounds.
    2. Bread the eggplant. If using eggs, beat the eggs and thin with a bit of water. Dip each slice in eggs, then in breadcrumbs. If using soy milk and flour, deep each slice in flour, then soy milk, then breadcrumbs. When you have enough to cover the bottom of a heavy (cast iron is best) frying pan without crowding, start the first batch frying. You’ll finish breading the rest while the first batch fries. The trick to avoiding getting everything in your kitchen covered with breading is to use one hand on the egg dip and one on the breadcrumb dip, or one hand on the flour and breadcrumb dips, and one on the milk dip.

    3. Preheat the oven to 350 degress, and then start to fry the slices. Heat about 1/2 inch of veggie oil in your heavy pan over medium heat until a bit of breading dropped in bubbles happily. Add one layer of eggplant slices and fry on each side until golden brown. Don’t crowd. When they’re done, drain on paper towels.

    4. Eggplant parm, assemble! Put a *thin* layer of sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish. Add a layer of eggplant slices, then a layer of the two cheeses mixed together. No need to go crazy on the cheese, but you can if you want to and don’t care about your cholesterol. Keep doing layers like this till you’ve run out of eggplant, and then top with cheese.

    5. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake until the cheese is melty and bubbly and starting to brown.

    6. For extra deliciousness: let sit overnight before serving. The flavors are more awesome when they melt together. Rewarm in the oven.

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  40. This bread! http://bettencourtchase.blogspot.com/2012/07/quick-and-easy-french-bread-or-best.html

    I know it wasn’t on your list of “needs”, but I wanted to suggest in anyway. My mother has been making it for most holiday meals (and many other non-holiday meals) for as long as I can remember, and it really is one of the best things ever. You can make it ahead of time and rewarm it in the oven, it freezes well, and you can make it with or without a loaf pan. It is AMAZING. 😀

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  41. One of my favorite and oh-so-appropriate pie recipes is Dorie Greenspan’s Thanksgiving Twofer Pie from her book “Baking: From My Home to yours.” It’s a fab combo of pumpkin and pecan pies- in one crust! Done and done (and delicious!)
    A great side dish/ appetizer that is vegan, but everyone will love is stuffed mushrooms. This recipe is great http://www.veganpiggy.com/2010/05/vegan-stuffed-mushrooms.html and even better with some toasted chopped pecans thrown in and a few hearty cranks of fresh black pepper on top.
    I like the idea of both me and my turkey wallowing in burbon before the holiday craziness begins!

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  42. I adore this butternut squash galette:

    http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2007/10/butternut-squash-and-caramelized-onion-galette/

    It’s a lovely, rustic vegetarian main that also works well as appetizers if you slice it thinly.

    To make it vegan, I sub Daiya “cheese” for the cheese and Earth Balance margarine for the butter. After taking this to a vegan potluck (where it nestled among 15 salads) I had five women call me to get the recipe!

    Deb doubles the recipe in her cookbook, and I’d recommend doing that for a holiday meal. Otherwise the portions are skimpy. It’s a bit of work, but can be made a day ahead and reheated for the meal. (Though it also tastes great cold!)

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  43. There have already been a number of pie suggestions, but I will add one more.

    http://www.sassyradish.com/2009/11/apple-cranberry-pie-with-honey-bourbon-caramel/

    This will be my fourth year hosting Thanksgiving and my fourth year making this pie. Some lessons learned:

    1. Make sure you are cooking the caramel on the burner on your stove that has the best light. It is also easier if the saucepan you use is a lighter color. The color change can be tricky to spot otherwise. If it burns, pour it over some ice cream, take a break, and then try again.
    2. Do not combine the apple mixture and caramel before rolling out the pie crust. Prepare your bottom crust in the pie pan, add the apple mixture, and then drizzle the caramel over the top. Otherwise the caramel cools and becomes gloopy and some pieces of pie are nothing but caramel and others do not have any caramel and your little sister is very upset.
    3. I use the Dorie Greenspan pie crust recipe, but there are many that work. I make a lattice crust for this pie because then you can see the gorgeous colors of the cranberries and caramel. It is a beautiful pie.
    4. I think the texture is better when the apples are more thinly sliced.
    5. I serve this with barely sweetened whipped cream.

    Bourbon in every course is never a bad idea.

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  44. We cook like fiends, and have great recipes, but I’m going to share this super-duper simple one with you for sweet potatoes. Not everyone likes the lovely sweet potato. I think that’s silly, but it is what it is. This version, however, gets each and every grump with a portion on their plate, and most go back for seconds. In addition, the rounds are wonderful the next day in a breakfast hash.

    Sweet Potato Rounds with Holiday topping

    1)Scrub potatoes, peel if that’s your thing (I don’t – I’m crunchy that way)
    2)Slice potatoes into disks approx 1.5″ thick. You’re slicing the potato width-wise.
    3) Put parchment paper down on a baking sheet, because Martha Stewart does it that way, and far be it from me….
    4) Pour a good amt of EVOO over paper – like about 3 Tbs.
    5) Place rounds all over the sheet, coating them in oil as you do it (so dip a round in the oil, and then turn it over and plop it down). Spacing is unimportant. Use more sheets for more spuds, depending on how many folks you’re having over. I do 1 big spud/3 ppl. Add more oil if it’s getting skimpy. This is CLEARLY not an exact recipe.
    6) Sprinkle generously with salt and fresh ground pepper.
    7) Bake in 350 oven for 20 minutes. Take them out, flip them over with tongs (as to not poke holes), and pop them back in for another 20.

    8) MEANWHILE (back at the ranch…Tonto, not knowing Silver was a horse, polished him…hahaha! ahem…sorry)make your topping…
    9) Dice 4 stalks of washed celery, chop 3/4 c walnuts. Mix together with a package of goat cheese and 1-2 Tbs of red wine vinegar (to taste). Add 1/4 c craisins. Mix all together.
    10) Pull the rounds, display next to bowl of topping, or (as I do), top 1/2 and leave half.

    Voila! Happy Thanksgiving! Sweet Potatoes are good for you!

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  45. Green beans are the only ‘must have’ on my Thanksgiving (along with turkey and killer stuffing my brother does!) It’s easy and delicious and mostly nutritious. So, get fresh green beans and take those pesky ends off (I get a bag o’ beans at Trader Joe’s), get a large skillet. Put the beans in the skillet with a bit of water and some olive oil. Put the lid on the skillet and turn on the heat. The water steams the beans till they’re done and then the oil roasts them. They should be a bit wrinkled/roasted before you pour in some balsamic vinegar (don’t stand over the skillet during this part), while that’s cooking up, get your roasted almonds (did I say you needed roasted almonds? Well, you do.) and a splash of lemon juice ready. When the stuff in the skillet is all done to your liking, throw on the almonds and the splash of lemon. Serve. If you’re really feeling adventurous, you can put bacon in it, too. Simple. Delicious.

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  47. Here’s what I made for (Canadian) Thanksgiving dinner:

    1 pound Brussels Sprouts, trimmed and halved, then rinsed in water & drained
    6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into lardons
    1/4 white onion or 1 shallot
    1.5 teaspoons minced garlic
    1 cup vegetable stock or bouillon (I used Better Than Bouillon)
    2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    salt and pepper

    1. In a large frying pan with a lid, brown bacon lardons, remove to a dish.
    2. Into delicious bacon fat, put onions/shallots and garlic. Fry until tender, around 3 minutes.
    3. Add Brussels sprouts and fry for another 5 minutes, stirring only once.
    4. Add vegetable stock, stir and cover with a lid. Let cook for 10 minutes on medium-low.
    5. Unveil with a flourish of steam! Stir, observe: are the sprouts tender? Yes? Okay, let brown for 2 minutes.
    6. When most of the liquid is evaporated, add balsamic vinegar, stir and let sizzle briefly.
    7. Turn off heat. Season with salt and pepper. DEVOUR.

    If you like spicy, just add your favourite hot sauce. The Brussels sprouts love a little sriracha.

    Thanks,
    Dulcie.

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