Thanksgiving Recap: The Vegetables

Yes, Thanksgiving is a total carb fest and I'm totally OK with that.  However, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't have a couple of veggies to round out the plate.

That said, I'm starting with a starch... sweet potatoes. 

I am firmly in the camp that you must have sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving and they must have marshmallows on them.  Period.  CA is firmly in the camp that you don't need the sweet potatoes and that they're really more like dessert, especially when you put marshmallows on them.  The great thing about Thanksgiving is that it is an inclusive meal... you can include anything, but excluding things is strictly prohibited.  The more the better.

This particular recipe uses honey and whiskey to glaze the sweet potatoes.  The original recipe does not include marshmallows but they are essential.  Some of my fondest memories of Thanksgiving are those of my mom mumbling curse words under her breath as she burned the marshmallows under the broiler, scraped them off and browned them again.  It's tradition. (Honestly, this happened one time but we like to give my mother grief.  It's purely out of love.)

I do like to include actual vegetables as well.  These are roasted with maple syrup and ginger which gives them a warm, sweet flavor with a hint of spice.  The syrup also helps caramelize them beautifully.

The original recipe includes butternut squash but I leave it out because there are so many other starchy pieces to this meal that I prefer the cauliflower, parsnips, carrots and brussels sprouts (my favorite).  Yes, I'm aware that carrots and parsnips are starchy but they somehow feel more vegetabley to me than squash.

Don't judge me for serving green bean casserole.  There is nothing goopy and canned soupy about this version of green bean casserole.  Fresh green beans and mushrooms baked in a homemade creamy sauce flavored with sherry is so much better than the version your Aunt ___ (insert old lady Aunt name here) made and it's totally worth the extra effort.

Of course, it is still topped with fried onions, which I did not make myself.  I did however mix them with a little Parmesan cheese to spice them up a bit.

You might be noticing that part of the beans are missing their onions, but that's because my GFF (gluten free friend) was a guest and I wanted her to be able to partake in the green beans... plus it meant that I could put a denser topping of onions on the portion for everyone else which exactly nobody complained about.



I wholeheartedly recommend all of these recipes as holiday or any day side dishes.

Honey and Whiskey Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients
4 T Butter
1/4 cup Honey
2 T Bourbon or Whiskey
2 T Brown Sugar
3 lb Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
3/4 tsp Salt
3/4 tsp Pepper
1/3 cup Pecans
3 cups Marshmallows

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, honey, bourbon/whiskey and sugar.  Bring to a simmer, whisking until the butter and sugar are melted.  Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the butter mixture, salt, pepper and pecan.  Transfer to the prepared casserole dish and bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Sprinkle the marshmallows on top and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the marshmallows are lightly browned.


Maple Ginger Roasted Vegetables
Adapted from Food and Wine

Ingredients
4 Carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
4 Parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 head Cauliflower, cut into 1 inch florets
1 lb Brussels Sprouts, halved
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
2 T fresh Ginger, minced
1/4 cup Maple Syrup

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with olive oil, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Spread vegetables on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes until the vegetables begin to brown.  Scatter the ginger over the vegetables and drizzle with maple syrup; toss well.  Continue to roast for an additional 25 minutes, until they are tender and golden.

Green Bean Casserole
Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb Green Beans, trimmed
2 T Olive Oil
3 cups chopped Yellow Onion
1 tsp Thyme
8 oz. Shiitake Mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
8 oz. Baby Portabella Mushrooms, sliced  (regular button mushrooms would work too)
1/3 cup Dry Sherry, Madeira or Port
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
3 T Flour (any kind will work - I've used Rice Flour for a gluten free option)
1 cup Chicken Broth
2 cups Canned Friend Onions (such as French's - leave out for gluten free option)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add the beans and cook for 4 minutes (they should not be cooked all the way through).  Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and thyme to the pan, saute 4 minutes or until the onion is tender.  Add the mushrooms and saute 10 minutes or until the liquid almond evaporates.  Stir in the wine, salt and pepper; cook 2 minutes or until the liquid almost evaporates.  Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Gradually stir in the chicken broth.  Bring to a boil and cook until thickened.  Add the green beans and toss well.

Place the green beans in the prepared dish.  In a small bowl, combine the fried onions and Parmesan cheese.  Sprinkle evenly over the green beans.  Bake for 17 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.

Eat your vegetables!
Julie