Thanksgiving side dishes

Figured I'd start a thread on this. This thread is basically for telling us what your favorite side dishes are, or ANY recipes that you think may be an interesting take.

My grandma passed away this year, so I'm going to try and recreate the two dishes she always brought. I think I found a good squash casserole recipe, but I'm having difficulty finding a broccoli rice casserole.

I'm actually thinking about just making a broccoli cheese soup recipe, pouring it over a bed of rice, mixing them together, topping with bread crumbs and baking at 425 for 15 minutes with some cheddar sprinkled on top.

It sounds good to me in theory. I may have to test it out prior to the big day.

But if anyone does have a good broccoli-rice casserole dish, feel free to post it.

Anyway, other than the questions I asked above, name some of your favorite sides.

 

Pfft. Stove Top.

Try this:

1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
2 cups sliced mushrooms, button or cremini
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 loaf bread (French or Italian baguette or artisan bread), cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 to 6 cups cubed)
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup freshly chopped parsley leaves
1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, or more as needed
1 turkey (about 12 pounds), giblets removed and discarded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons freshly chopped thyme leaves
2 tablespoons freshly chopped rosemary leaves

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add sausage and cook 3 to 5 minutes, until browned and cooked through, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Add mushrooms, onion, garlic, and poultry seasoning and cook 3 minutes, until mushrooms soften. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and add bread cubes, artichoke hearts, cheese, parsley, and 1 1/2 cups broth. Toss to combine, allowing liquid to soften bread cubes. If stuffing seems dry, add more broth to soak cubes.

 

Try this. It's easier than it sounds.

For the topping:
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Nonstick cooking spray

For beans and sauce:
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 pound fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Combine the onions, flour, panko and salt in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Coat a sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray and evenly spread the onions on the pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes. Toss the onions 2 to 3 times during cooking. Once done, remove from the oven and set aside until ready to use. Turn the oven down to 400 degrees F.

While the onions are cooking, prepare the beans. Bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil in an 8-quart saucepan. Add the beans and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately plunge the beans into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to give up some of their liquid, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 of the onions and all of the green beans. Top with the remaining onions. Place into the oven and bake until bubbly, approximately 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

 

Actually, here is a good recipe on how to make empanadas with your leftover turkey:

Reserved roasted turkey (about 2 to 3 cups shredded)
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
1/2 cup shredded pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar
1/2 cup prepared salsa
2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crusts
1 egg, beaten with water, if desired, for egg wash

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine turkey, black beans, both cheeses, salsa, cilantro, and cumin. Mix well to combine.

Unroll pie crusts onto a flat surface. Using 4-inch cutter, cut out 6 circles. Divide turkey mixture into equal portions and place each portion (in mounds) on top of the pie crusts. Fold over and pinch the edges together to seal. Using a fork, make hash marks on the edges of the empanadas to ensure they are sealed. Transfer empanadas to a large baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, make small slits in the top of each empanada to allow steam to escape during cooking. Brush with egg wash and place into preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes, until crust is golden brown.

 

You can, but it isn't necessary. You can serve it immediately, or place it inside the turkey's cavity.

 

Do you eat the canned stuff because you prefer it, or don't think you could make a homemade version?

And BTW, thanks for reminding me about the green bean casserole. Just checked with my bro, and I'm going to make the above recipe as well.