Thanksgiving staple sides

By Susan McClanahan

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and many of us are planning menus and shopping for ingredients. My cousin always tells me she has no trouble planning the entree and dessert, but side dishes are her stumbling block. I decided to pass along a few recipes to her and share them with you as well. I am not saying a few of these are heart healthy, but for that once-a-year indulgence at Thanksgiving, maybe it would be OK.

As you plan and prepare for your family traditions, you may choose to share a recipe or two with us that you enjoy.

Brussels Sprouts & Cauliflower Gratin

• 4 cups fresh cauliflower florets
• 4 cups fresh Brussels sprouts, quartered
• 4 bacon strips, chopped
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups 2 percent milk
• 2/3 cup half-and-half cream
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan and Romano cheese blend

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place cauliflower florets and Brussels sprouts in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook 2 or 3 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon; drain, reserving drippings. Saute onion and garlic in drippings until tender. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add the milk, cream, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cauliflower mixture and bacon. Transfer to a greased 2 1/2-quart baking dish. Cover and bake 15 minutes.

Combine breadcrumbs and cheese blend. Uncover vegetables; sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture. Bake, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 8 servings.

Squash and Veggie Casserole

• 2 cups sliced yellow summer squash (1/4 inch thick)
• 1 cup sliced zucchini (1/4 inch thick)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 2 cups crushed butter-flavored crackers
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained
• 1 large carrot, coarsely shredded
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 jar (2 ounces) diced pimientos, drained
• 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a large saucepan, combine the first five ingredients; add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook until squash is tender, about 6 minutes. Drain well; set aside.

Combine crumbs and butter; spoon half into a greased shallow 1 1/2-quart baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the soup, water chestnuts, carrot, mayonnaise, pimientos, sage, pepper and remaining salt; gently fold in squash mixture. Spoon over crumbs. Sprinkle with cheese and the remaining crumb mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Yield: 8 servings.

Cranberry Relish

• 1 or two medium navel oranges
• 1 package (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Cut unpeeled orange into wedges, removing any seeds, and place in a food processor. Add cranberries and sugar; pulse until coarsely chopped and still chunky. Add pecans; pulse just until combined. Yield: 3 cups.

Note: To toast nuts, bake in a shallow pan in a 350-degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or cook in a skillet over low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Roasted Apple Salad with Spicy Maple-Cider Vinaigrette

• 4 medium Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp or other firm apples, quartered
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the dressing:

• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha Asian hot chili sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Salad:

• 1 package (5 ounces) spring mix salad greens
• 4 pitted dates, quartered
• 1 log (4 ounces) fresh goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place apples in a foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan; drizzle with oil and toss to coat. Roast 20 to 30 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Cool completely.

In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients until blended. In a large bowl, combine salad greens and dates. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to coat.

Divide mixture among eight plates. Top with goat cheese and roasted apples; sprinkle with pecans. Serve immediately. Yields 8 servings.

Note: To toast nuts, bake in a shallow pan in a 350-degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes or cook in a skillet over low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Green Bean & Mushroom Mac Casserole

• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 large shallots, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• Salt
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup dry sherry or white wine
• 1 pint (2 cups) half-and-half
• 1 cup chicken stock
• White pepper, to taste
• 2 cups shredded white sharp cheddar
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 pound short-cut pasta, such as cavatappi (hollow corkscrew pasta), penne or shells
• 1 package (12 ounces) trimmed haricots verts or green beans, halved crosswise
• 1 container (2.8 ounces) French fried onions

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium to medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic and thyme; season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots soften, 2 to 3 minutes more. Sprinkle with the flour; stir 1 minute. Stir in the sherry, then the half-and-half and stock. Bring to a bubble and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Season with white pepper. Add both cheeses; stir until melted, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water, add the pasta and cook 5 minutes. Add the green beans and cook until the pasta is al dente, 2 to 3 minutes more. Drain the pasta and green beans; mix into the mushroom cheese sauce. Transfer to a buttered casserole dish and top with the French fried onions.

Fingerling Poutine

• 5 pounds fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon grated garlic
• 5 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 12 ounces cheese curds, torn into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped chives

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat two rimmed baking sheets in the oven until hot, about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with 1/4 cup oil; season with salt and pepper. Remove the baking sheets from the oven. Drizzle with oil; arrange the potatoes, cut side down, in a single layer. Roast until golden and tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in both stocks; simmer until the sauce thickens, stirring often, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire; season.

In a 2-quart baking dish, spread out the potatoes. Drizzle with three-quarters of the sauce; top with the cheese. Bake until the cheese just melts, 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the chives.

Have a great week and, until next time, happy cooking.