Thanksgiving is a time when many families gather together to celebrate. Americans welcome the time to get together with people they love in order to rejoice in our common heritage and give thanks for the abundance this great land offers all of us. Part of any celebration is getting together at the dinner table to eat a delicious meal. The Thanksgiving meal usually centers around foods that are traditionally eaten at this time. This includes ingredients such as turkey, cranberries, sweet potatoes, pecans and green beans that were thought to be eaten at the original Thanksgiving meal. If you are hosting a Thanksgiving meal or just visiting friends and family, you will want to tap into this rich heritage and serve dishes that will impress and delight all who eat them.
Green Bean Salad With Spiced Pecans
Green beans are a delicious vegetable. Make them even more special with the use of classic southern spices. Begin by preparing the pecans. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Coat the pecans with a mixture of nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice. Place the pecans in the oven for about six minutes. Prepare the beans by cutting off the ends and steaming or microwaving them for about five minutes. Make a coating for the green beans with olive oil, salt, pepper and ginger. Add in a cup of chickpeas and top with the pecans.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes With Bleu Cheese
Mashed potatoes made from white potatoes are traditionally served at Thanksgiving. Offer your guests a more nutritious version that incorporates sweet potatoes instead. Start by boiling six sweet potatoes for about twenty minutes or until tender. Drain the potatoes. Peel carefully. Using a ricer, mash the potatoes until they have an appealing texture and no lumps. Add in two tablespoons of butter, half a cup of cream, a quarter of a pound of crumbled bleu cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Mix up all ingredients until they are well blended. Place in a serving bowl and serve to guests.
Cranberry Apple Sauce With Honey
Cranberries and apples are both widely available fall ingredients. Add bright color and gentle sweetness to your holiday table with a sauce that pairs easily with turkey. Start with fresh or frozen cranberries. If using frozen cranberries, make sure to defrost them first and get out any remaining ice crystals. Make the base of sauce by stirring together half a cup of sugar and half a cup of water. Bring both to a rolling boil. In the meantime, peel and core three apples. Granny Smiths and Ida Reds are ideal for this purpose. Chop the apples up into small pieces and add them to the water and sugar mixture. Keep on medium heat for about three minutes. Add twelve ounces of cranberries to the mixture and three quarters of a cup of honey. Let the mixture sit on the heat while stirring for an additional five minutes. Remove from the heat. Add in some acid to help counteract the sweetness by stirring in a teaspoon of a citrus fruit juice such as lemon or lime juice.
Thanksgiving is an ideal time to try out a new recipe to temp your family’s palette and show them new things. Use these recipes to add a fun new twist to your favorite ingredients.