Still need Thanksgiving inspiration? Here are 6 holiday recipes from Tribune employees
We all have one dish that absolutely has to make it to the Thanksgiving dinner table.
For some, it’s sweet potato casserole topped with gooey marshmallows or green bean casserole with crunchy onions. Others require a special dessert or antipasto platter.
Because holiday dishes have a special place in our hearts, we at The Tribune felt it would be fun to share some of our favorite Turkey Day recipes. Each of these dishes has a revered role to play as part of our holiday meal.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Dream Salad
Editor Joe Tarica swears by this recipe, which has been a staple in his home since The Tribune ran the recipe on a Thanksgiving food page in 1997. He says the key is the homemade whipped cream.
Dream Salad
1 cup whipping cream
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup ginger ale
1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup pecans
Whip cream; set aside. Place cream cheese in a bowl with ginger ale and beat until smooth. Stir in pineapple and nuts. Fold in whipped cream. Chill until ready to serve. Serves 12.
Roasted Garlic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Tribune reporter Sara Kassabian’s mom developed the recipe herself, and it’s been a family favorite every since.
Roasted Garlic Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
1 garlic head
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and quartered)
1/2 cup whole milk
1 stick unsalted butter
3/4 cup of buttermilk (shaken at room temperature)
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut off the top third of a head of garlic, and drizzle the exposed tops of cloves with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Seal in a pouch of foil. Roast in oven for about 40 minutes. When cooled enough to handle, squeeze cloves out of peels into a bowl and set aside.
While waiting for garlic to roast, bring about 4 quarts of water to boil. Add potatoes and let boil. Reduce heat and simmer until fork tender (about 15 to 20 minutes). Meanwhile melt butter in whole milk, set aside.
Once tender, drain potatos and return to the warm pot. Blend with butter in whole milk and roasted garlic. When smooth as desired, stir in buttermilk to lighten. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pro tip: You can make these potatoes ahead of time and reheat carefully on low heat with a pool of milk in bottom of pot to avoid scorching.
10th Street Grill Sage Stuffing
This is a favorite of Tribune photographer Laura Dickinson, who knows a thing or two about restaurant-quality dishes as the former co-owner of 10th Street Grill in Los Osos.
10th Street Grill Sage Stuffing
2 loaves plain white bread, toasted and cut into cubes (can substitute jumbo bag of croutons)
1 full medium bunch celery, chopped finely
4 big onions, chopped finely
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 to 3 tablespoons sage
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme, dried or fresh
1 tablespoon salt
2 eggs, whipped
1/2 cup to 1 cup fresh turkey giblets
1 to 2 cans low-sodium chicken or turkey broth (if you use regular broth, reduce amount of added salt)
Toast the bread in the oven and let cool or let dry overnight. (If you use seasoned croutons, skip this step, but reduce added salt.)
Boil the turkey giblets in water for 15 to 20 minutes, cool and chop in pieces. In a large stock pot, add butter to melt on medium high heat. When butter is melted, add onion and celery and glaze, stirring for about 10 minutes. Add cooked giblets and stir, then sage, thyme, pepper and salt and once again stir.
In a separate large bowl, add bread cubes, whipped eggs and giblets mixture and fold together. Add chicken broth and fold the mixture until moist, but don’t over-moisten .
Bake in a buttered, glass pan covered with foil for about 30 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Corn pudding from Tangier’s Island, Virginia
This recipe has been a staple in reporter Mackenzie Shuman’s family for “many, many years,” she said. “It always goes quickly.”
Corn Pudding from Tangiers Island, VA
2 Tablespoons corn starch
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 can evaporated milk
1 15-ounce can creamed corn
2 Tablespoons melted butter
Mix first three ingredients. Add milk and corn and stir well. Pour into 2-quart casserole dish and pour melted butter over the top. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour or until set.
Tip: If after baking it doesn’t appear fully cooked, pop it in the microwave for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.
Green bean and mushroom skillet
Cambrian reporter Kathe Tanner said she loves this take on a classic green bean casserole because it blends the traditional and trendy — plus “the tang of the cheese and lemon add so much.”
She noted that this recipe is easy to customize if you don’t like an ingredient or want to try something new.
Green Bean and Mushroom Skillet
1 ½ pounds haricots verts or thin green beans, trimmed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups thinly sliced shallots (3 large)
1 ½ pounds assorted mushrooms, sliced
8 slices thick-cut bacon (optional)
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram, basil, thyme or mint
1 tablespoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
4 ounces herbed goat cheese (can use feta, parmesan, etc.)
Flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper
In a 4-to 6-quart pot, blanch beans in boiling, lightly salted water for 5 to 8 minutes or just until bright green and crisp-tender. Drain; plunge beans into an ice bath. Drain well. Chill.
In a small bowl combine flour and 1/4 teaspoon each of kosher salt and black pepper. Add shallots; toss to coat. In a small saucepan heat 1/3 cup canola oil over medium heat. Add shallots in batches; cook 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until golden. Using a slotted spoon, remove shallots to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Optional: Instead of frying the shallots, you can also instead cook the shallots in the next step with the mushrooms.
In an extra-large skillet cook mushrooms over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender and browned; remove from skillet. Then add bacon to skillet and cook until browned and crisp; remove to drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of drippings in skillet. Crumble or chop bacon.
Add 2 tablespoons of canola oil to drippings in skillet. Add garlic, cook 1 minute. Add beans, mushrooms, bacon, chosen herb, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Heat through, tossing, for about 3 minutes. Transfer to a platter.
Thinly slice or crumble goat cheese and add to veggies; gently toss to melt. Top with flaky sea salt, cracked black pepper, and crispy shallots.
Pumpkin Bee Sting Pie
To cap off our list, here is a pie recipe from our unofficial newsroom baking expert, editor Sarah Linn. She clipped this recipe out of the paper years ago and has continued to use ever since.
Pumpkin Bee Sting Pie
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
3 eggs
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground nutmeg
Salt
Unbaked 9-inch pie shell (preferably homemade)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 cup flaked unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, cream, honey, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour mixture into the pie shell. Bake until almost completely set at the center, about 50 to 60 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine almonds and coconut. In a small saucepan, combine honey and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until butter is melted. Pour over almonds and coconut and stir until well coated. Sprinkle the almond mixture evenly over the top of the partially baked pie. Return the pie to the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. Let cool before serving.
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