We’re having the essentials: turkey, mashed potatoes (a make-ahead version that originated in a book called “One potato, two potato”), stuffing, probably a sweet potato casserole from the thread I started here, cranberry relish, maybe some of the jellied stuff … one guest is probably bringing a carrot dish also… but I want something green. But more interesting than just plain microwaved veggies.
So - share your favorites please! Bonus points for something that can be 90% done in advance, with nothing more than sliding a pan in the oven, or popping it into the microwave, at zero-hour.
You don’t get any greener than greens. Get yourself a mess of turnip greens, or collards, and boil them up with some lard and hit them with some pepper vinegar just before serving.
Another vote for greens. They go even better with Christmas dinner – they’re supposed to be good luck and prosperity for the new year (greens = greenbacks).
Garlic seared green beans are absolutely to die for, and a wonderful contrast to a lot of the heavier foods on Thanksgiving.
This year we’re adding lefse which is some sort of potato…tortilla…thing that my niece’s boyfriend has requested, as it’s a family tradition of his, though I’d never heard of it before. I guess it’s common enough in this region though because of the Scandinavian influence.
Veggies that have been steamed or cooked beforehand and then just need to be heated up in time for dinner, like asparagus or Brussels sprouts, and then topped with butter or a cheese sauce are always popular at our dinners.
Greens are a good idea, particularly if made with lard like silenus suggested. I like adding some pork in with them, too.
If you wanted to go the salad route without being boring, a wilted spinach salad is good. You can make the salad and dressing ahead of time, then just heat up the dressing right before you’re going to pour it over the spinach. When we do this, we usually toss in some pecans, craisins, and crumbled hard boiled eggs in with the spinach. It combines wonderfully and makes a great compliment to the other Thanksgiving flavors.
This is what we had for the green part of our Thanksgiving Dinner. It’s pretty simple, very fast and really tasty. Most of the ingredients can be measured ahead of time (don’t forget to toast the pecans) and put together at the last minute. It’s from the Simple Suppers cookbook by Moosewood Restaurant.
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Pecan, Parmesan and Spinach Salad**
bag fresh baby spinach
1 T. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. raisins or currants
1 cup toasted pecans
1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan
salt and pepper
lemon wedges
Clean spinach and dry. Heat oil in large frying pan and cook garlic for a few seconds, until it’s sizzling and fragrant. Add spinach to pan and cook, stirring frequently. (You’ll probably have to add some spinach, wilt it a bit and then add more.) Cook until just wilted but still bright green.
[Alternatively, place spinach in salad bowl, and pour the hot oil and garlic on top of it. Stir. I prefer doing it this way because none of the spinach gets overcooked, but still wilts.]
Put spinach in salad bowl, and add raisins, pecans and cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss. Give each guest their own lemon wedge to squeeze onto their serving of salad. Enjoy.
Roasted broccoli is great; just cut up the broccoli, toss it with some olive oil and salt and pepper, roast it (turning the broccoli once to make sure it doesn’t burn). While it’s cooking, melt some butter, add some garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice, and pour the lemon garlic butter over the broccoli when it’s done. It’s easy and tastes great!
I personally don’t like greens, lima beans, brussels sprouts, or green beans (those are the worst), and even (some) people who claim not to like broccoli like this dish. spoike, that salad looks great, too.
That looks interesting! Last year I did roasted brussels sprouts with a sauce of browned butter - can’t find the recipe anywhere but I remember it basically involved melting the butter and cooking it until all the solids had completely browned. Then adding other things (it foamed up tremendously when I added the onions or whatever it was). Can’t find that recipe though.
Another recipe, that I stumbled across after posting this: sugar snap peas with cranberry/cider sauce. Not quite as “make ahead” as I’d like but looks doable - I wonder if the sauce could be made the night before (or even the morning of). I found frozen sugar snaps, in case I can’t find fresh.
I often do stuffed mushrooms. Saute some onions, chop up the mushroom caps, add some garlic and fresh spinach. Add a bit of sage (or thyme or rosemary are also good), some fresh ground black pepper, and a bit of sherry at the last minute. When everything is cooked, add some sour cream, some parmesan, and stuff into the mushroom caps - if you want to be fancy, sprinkle a bit more cheese and some paprika over the top. Baking time depends on the size of the mushrooms, maybe 20 minutes at 400?
But tennis balls won’t help you clear the place out if your guests linger too long (well, not if you eat them… if you save them and then start flinging them, it might still work!).
My mom got this recipe when they had a potluck at school. I don’t know about the amounts…I eyeball it. I’m strictly ballparking, so feel free to alter per your tastes.
2 lg boxes Red jello (cherry was the original but strawberry or raspberry are good as well)
12 oz Fresh cranberries, food processed
Optional: 1/2 c sugar or couple Tb splenda (taste a little to see)
2 lg Granny Smith apples, cored and cubed into bite-sized pieces
1 c pecan pieces
If desired, sweeten the cranberries w/the sugar or splenda. Make the jello. Then add everything, mix well and refrigerate.
Notes: I let the jello set, THEN add other ingredients…it keeps the apples and cranberries “whiter.” But you can add it all and let it set, forget it.
I don’t bother sweetening the cranberries, but then, I like tart things a lot.
Here’s a great salad which could also double as a dessert.
I’ve lost the exact recipe but I’m making it anyway and hoping I get the proportions right. Make lime jello using the juice from a can of pears as part of the liquid. Let the jello get partially set and stir in softened cream cheese, canned pears (they’ll moosh up), chopped maraschino cherries, chopped pecans, and whipped cream.
