New recipes become Thanksgiving traditions

It is hard to believe that we are rapidly approaching Thanksgiving. It is such a special time to spend with family and share in individual family traditions. Over the weekend I was visiting with someone at church and she said her family always takes a hike to Trail of Tears State Park in the afternoon to work up an appetite then return home for a quick freshen-up and a fabulous Thanksgiving feast. She is expecting about 30 for dinner and was looking forward to the day.

Our tradition is to have a low county boil lunch with shrimp, sausage, corn on the cob and small new potatoes and a huge platter of crab legs. My brother-in-law and nephew don't clean their crab legs particularly well, but I pick at mine and get all of the meat out from the knuckles and joints, and usually wind up cleaning theirs after they are done. Then off to my parents for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, including my father's delicious and famous cranberry relish -- I love it!

Whatever your family traditions are, I hope you are richly blessed to be able to spend it with family or friends and have a wonderful day.

Today, I will pass along a few side dish recipes you might want to try for your Thanksgiving dinner. I hope you enjoy.

Sugar and Spice Acorn Squash

2 acorn squash, about 1 1/2 pounds each

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

3 tablespoons maple syrup

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

Pinch ground cloves

Pinch grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon plus a pinch salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Position rack in center of oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. On a cutting board, cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scrape the seeds and fibers from the squash with a spoon. Cut each squash half in two and place the quarters in a baking dish so that they fit in one layer, skin side down. In a small mixing bowl, combine the butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Mix until smooth with a rubber spatula. Divide the butter mixture among the squash quarters, about 1 tablespoon each. Season the squash evenly with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the black pepper. The butter mixture will melt inside the scooped-out squash wells. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake, covered, until the squash can be easily pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and carefully remove the foil. With a pastry brush, spread the melted butter from the squash wells evenly over the inside of each squash. With oven mitts or pot holders, return the baking dish to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the squash is golden brown around the edges. Remove the dish from the oven. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the squash to serving plates and serve immediately.

Buttered Herb Parsnips

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 pounds parsnips, peeled and sliced into circles

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Herb Butter:

1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup mixed chopped fresh herbs, like chervil, parsley and chives

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the olive oil and butter into a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and toss to coat them well with the fat; season with salt and pepper. Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the herb butter by combining the soft butter and herbs together; season with some salt and pepper. To serve, spread some Herb Butter in the bottom of a bowl. Add the hot vegetables and dot with more Herb Butter. Moisten with some of the cooking liquid and serve.

Don't let the long list of ingredients scare you away from this recipe. It is delicious.

Oven-Roasted Vegetables

2 or 3 medium parsnips, peeled and quartered

2 medium carrots, peeled and quartered

8 small red potatoes, halved if large

2 small white turnips, quartered

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 white pearl onions, peeled

4 cloves garlic, trimmed but unpeeled

1 large Portobello mushroom, stemmed and cut into 8 wedges

8 brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

8 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

1/4 cup dry white wine or white grape juice

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leafed parsley leaves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the parsnips, carrots, potatoes and turnips, in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, plus a little salt and pepper, until coated. Arrange the vegetables cut-side down on a large baking sheet and roast on the bottom rack of the oven for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are beginning to brown. Turn the vegetables 2 or 3 times during cooking to prevent burning. In the same bowl, toss the pearl onions, garlic and Portobello mushroom with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, plus a little salt and pepper, until coated. Add this mixture to the baking sheet of vegetables and gently stir to combine. Continue roasting for 7 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of salted water to boil and blanch the brussels sprouts for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly under cold running water. Set aside separately. In a small bowl, combine the shiitake mushrooms and the brussels sprouts and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, plus a little salt and pepper, until coated. Add them to the baking sheet of vegetables, stirring to combine. Dot the butter over the vegetables and sprinkle with 1/4 cup wine. Roast for another 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the oven and gently mix them with the thyme and parsley before serving.

Garlic Roasted Green Beans with Shallots and Hazelnuts

1 pound green beans, trimmed

1 shallot, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss together green beans, shallots, garlic, oil and salt and pepper in a medium roasting pan. Roast in the oven until the beans are cooked through and light golden brown. Remove from the oven and stir in the lemon zest and hazelnuts. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Pecan and Marshmallow Streusel

12 large sweet potatoes

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup toasted pecan pieces

1 cup miniature marshmallows

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash the sweet potatoes, scrubbing them well to remove any dirt. With a fork, prick the sweet potatoes in a couple of spots and place them on a sheet pan. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center goes in easily. In a large bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar and flour together until it's crumbly-looking. Add the cinnamon, salt, pecans, and marshmallows; fold the streusel topping together to combine. Slice the sweet potatoes lengthwise down the center and push the ends toward the middle so it opens up. Stuff the sweet potatoes generously with the streusel topping and return to the oven. Bake for another 20 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and brown.

Have a fun week planning for your holiday and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.