Recipes to Help Celebrate the Holiday Season

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Forget about the Christmas table — I am all about Thanksgiving.

When I was growing up, my parents always had the same thing for Thanksgiving dinner, but they also included Thanksgiving orphans. The orphans were people who would be alone on the holiday with no dinner to share. They brought something to eat, so every Thanksgiving was a little bit different. There was always family, but those extra people made each Thanksgiving special and different in a way that had me looking forward to the next Thanksgiving. I was able to taste all sorts of dishes from other people’s family Thanksgivings — from macaroni and cheese to spring rolls to stuffed grape leaves.

At my own Thanksgivings, we continue the tradition of orphans who bring their own special traditions to our table. It is important that Thanksgiving feels sumptuous and welcoming. That means that if someone has dietary restrictions, they are handled as though the solutions are everyday dishes. Thus, vegans are never at a loss for something to eat, but the hummus and salads are so delicious that everyone wants to eat them. No one has to know that the tasty cornbread is totally vegan. People with food allergies can always find food to eat. And those who are lucky enough to eat everything just have more choices.

When I am planning for dinner, I keep in mind what I will do for leftovers. I always make a turkey bone gumbo with andouille. Instead of rice or potato salad, the starch is a scoop of leftover oyster-cornbread stuffing. And I also want to think about time. What can be made ahead, for example? The cranberry sauce can easily be made ahead and frozen. You can pull it out of the freezer and let it thaw for the meal. You can event reheat it in the microwave.

And I plan for leftovers — turkey and bones, dressing and vegetables. I have been known to have an open house the day after Thanksgiving, leaving a pot of turkey bone gumbo simmering on the stove to served to visitors.

I never buy the biggest turkey. In order for those giant turkeys to thoroughly cook through on the inside, the breast will become dry. If you have two smaller turkeys, you can cook both at the same time and cook them faster. If you are worried that you won’t have enough white meat, you can always cook an extra turkey breast. But I think that white meat is overrated. Give me the moist, dark meat any day.

I start the meal with a fall soup. This might be pumpkin soup or butternut squash soup or even carrot soup. I don’t put meat in it. And if there is any left over, I can add some of the leftover Thanksgiving side vegetables to the pot to create a new soup. For example, cooked cauliflower can be tossed into the food processor and mixed into the pumpkin soup seasoned with curry powder. But leftover spinach with mushrooms can be simply stirred in and reheated. By planning for leftovers, I don’t worry about the abundance I plan for the table. Even if not on Thanksgiving Day itself, everything will be eaten. I cannot stand waste.

I hate to make dessert. I didn’t say I hate to eat it. So often when family asks what they should bring, I ask them to bring dessert. It means that I can dispense with an entire category of planning. You may love to make desserts but hate making vegetables. Then, you can ask your guests to bring a vegetable. I find it easier to just wipe a category off my list and then I have a ready answer when someone asks, “What can I bring?”

I generally ask about what people will bring so that I can accommodate their dishes. Do I need room in the freezer for ice cream? Will something need to be in the refrigerator, or can it stand on the counter until it is served? It helps to plan for these things in advance instead of making room in an already burdened refrigerator.

Then there is the table. I grew up in a family with a kids’ table. My cousins and I sat in the kitchen while the grown-ups sat together in the dining room. We loved being on our own, only interacting with adults when walking with an empty plate to ask for more at the grown-up table. I think that if there are five or so children over 5, they can manage at a table by themselves, but no highchairs or toddlers should be at a kids’ table. If you’ve got the room, having the children at the same table as adults is a good way to civilize them. There will be fewer pranks as well as a feeling of being included.

It’s a good idea to make sure that when you set the table there aren’t flowers or other obstructions that make it hard to talk to or even see the person across from you. I always have a menu and place cards. It saves confusion when it’s time to come to the table. If you serve buffet style, have labels so that people know what they are eating. Plan for the dishes to eat from and to serve from, and make sure that proper utensils are available for serving. I usually do not have appetizers at Thanksgiving because there will be tons of food when it is time to sit down to the table.

No matter how much work it is — and I acknowledge that it is a lot of work, but I love every minute of it — it is worth it. Thanksgiving is the very best holiday. We celebrate how lucky we are to have such bounty, and we celebrate each other. Happy Thanksgiving!

If there are leftovers, puréed cauliflower mixes wonderfully. It can be garnished with toasted breadcrumbs. Other vegetables can be stirred into the soup. If you simply have too much leftover food, package and freeze the reinvigorated soup for later.

Sweet Potato Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 Vidalia or other sweet onion, chopped
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
3 chopped carrots
8 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
2 cups buttermilk (or coconut milk)
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 bay leaf
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice or satsuma juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Zest of one orange

Place the olive oil into a soup pot and heat to medium. Sauté the onions slowly until they are soft, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Add the chopped sweet potatoes, carrots and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 45 minutes. Check to see that the sweet potatoes and carrots are fork tender. If they are not, cook for 10 more minutes and check again.

Use an immersion blender and purée the mixture. Then add the other ingredients except the salt, pepper and orange zest and reheat to a simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.

This soup should be allowed to cool and rest in the refrigerator overnight. On Thursday, reheat thoroughly and garnish with the orange zest and a quick grate of fresh nutmeg. Serves 12

Besides Thanksgiving being my favorite holiday, Brussels sprouts are my favorite holiday food. My mother told me stories of me asking for Brussels sprouts from the seat in the grocery cart.

Brussels Sprouts

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, cut in half
2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons cane syrup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Creole mustard
½ cup olive oil
½ cup shelled sunflower seeds

Boil the sprouts for 5 minutes and then drain.

In a small food processor, place all of the remaining ingredients except the olive oil. Begin to process them. In the pusher, with a hole in the bottom, add the olive oil while the processor is running. Allow the oil to run into the bowl one drop at a time until it has emulsified and all of the oil is incorporated.

Place the sprouts into a serving bowl and toss in the sauce. Mix thoroughly. Toss again with the sunflower seeds. Serve while hot. Makes 5 cups

Roasted Turkey

2 10-pound turkeys, defrosted if bought frozen
2 lemons, cut in half
½ cup mayonnaise (can be homemade or your favorite prepared brand)
½ cup Barq’s soda
6 cloves garlic, minced finely
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup flour
3 onions, sliced thinly
8 ounces portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 cup dry white wine

Remove the package of giblets if there is one. Reserve them and use later to simmer for use in the dressing.

Prepare your turkey by squeezing 2 halves of lemon into the cavity of the turkeys. Leave the lemons in the cavities.

Prepare the rub by placing all of the ingredients into a bowl and mixing them. Rub the outside of each of the turkeys with half of the rub.

Prepare the pan by oiling the bottom of it with the oil. Sprinkle the flour over the bottom of the pan. Spread the sliced onions and mushrooms over the flour. Add the dry white wine. Place the turkeys into the pan, breasts up.

Place uncovered in a 325 F oven for 3 ½ hours. A thermometer should read 170 to 175 degrees in the upper thigh. Look for the juices to run clear, if you do not have a thermometer.

Check every hour to ensure that there is still liquid in the bottom of the pan. Add more wine if necessary.

Remove the pan from the oven and carefully transfer the turkeys to a platter to rest. Stir the gravy that has accumulated. You can put it on top of the stove and cook it a bit more, if it needs it. Otherwise, place the gravy into a smaller pot and set aside.

Carve the turkey after it has rested at least 30 minutes. Add the accumulated juices to the gravy pot. On a buffet, two 10-pound turkeys will serve 25 to 30 modest portions

Cranberry Sauce

1 package fresh cranberries, either 12 or 16 ounces (If you cannot find fresh cranberries you can use frozen ones. If you do, allow them to thaw completely.)
8-ounce jar of orange marmalade
3 dashes hot sauce

In a microwave safe dish, such as a Pyrex measuring cup, place all of the ingredients. Microwave on high, covered for 8 minutes. Remove from the microwave oven and stir well.

This can also be made with a good quality pepper jelly. If it is spicy, omit the hot sauce. Makes 3 cups

Since I don’t actually stuff my turkeys, I can make as much dressing as I want. I generally want one pan for Thanksgiving and another one for the Turkey Bone Gumbo. This recipe makes about 8 cups.

Cornbread Dressing

¼ cup bacon fat or duck fat
4 onions, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups crumbled cornbread
2 cups crumbled white bread
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon cayenne
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pint shucked oysters, reserve the liquor
1 cup turkey stock (made from the innards and neck), more if needed

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large pan heat the fat until it shimmers. Add the onions and cook for 10 minutes. Add the celery and green pepper and garlic. Cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place the cornbread and and white bread in a large bowl. Add the chopped cooked vegetables. Stir well. Add the spices. Stir again. Then add the turkey stock and the oysters. Stir. Add the oyster liquor to make the dressing moist enough. Next, add it to a large oven proof roaster. Cook for 45 minutes until warmed through and crusty on top. Serves 8

Broccoli au Gratin

3 pounds broccoli, cut into large pieces
3 tablespoons butter, and more butter for greasing pan
3 shallots, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
⅔ cup buttermilk
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Freshly grated black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
Zest of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the cooked broccoli and chop into uniform 1-inch pieces.

Melt butter in a skillet and sauté the shallots and garlic for 3 to 5 minutes.

Place the cooked shallots and garlic in the bowl of a food processor with the buttermilk. Pulse to purée. Stir in the nutmeg, salt and pepper and the lemon zest.

Grease a gratin dish. Mix the broccoli and the buttermilk mixture. Add the cheese.

Place the mixture into the gratin dish and cook for 45 minutes. Serve immediately. Makes 6 cups

I like to use Granny Smith apples since they do not get mushy when cooked.

Baked Apples

2 miniature marshmallows per apple
2 tablespoons golden raisins per apple
1 tablespoon brown sugar per apple
½ cup triple sec or other orange liqueur

Core each apple and allow to float in water acidulated with lemon juice. Remove from water when ready for the next step.

Stuff the bottom of the hole with a miniature marshmallow. Then fill the core of the apple with golden raisins mixed with brown sugar. Top with another marshmallow. Cook in the oven alongside the baking turkey. After 20 minutes, baste each apple with triple sec. Cook another 20 minutes. Baste the apple again.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Prepare 1 apple for each person