Apple Stuffing
4 Tablespoons butter
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped celery
2 honeycrisp apples peeled, cored, and diced
1½ Tablespoon fresh chopped sage
¾ cup chicken broth
3 Tablespoons bourbon
2 chopped up day old Cooks | Bellecour croissants
Add 4 Tablespoons of butter to a braiser. Once melted, add the chopped onions, celery, apples, and sage. Sauté for 3-5 minutes to soften. Then add in the chicken broth and bourbon. Stir to combine, then mix in the croissant pieces. Mix well, then turn off the heat.
Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
2½ lb. red potatoes, quartered
1 head of garlic roasted
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 Tablespoons butter
½ cup milk, warmed
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
Roast head of garlic in 400º oven for 20 minutes until brown and roasted through. Take out garlic skins and smoosh with knife. Reserve for later. Place potatoes and garlic cloves in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Drain well then return potatoes to the pot.
Add the butter, milk and salt and mash well. Stir in Parmesan cheese and smashed roasted garlic.
Updated Relish Tray
Raw scallions
Baby Kosher pickles
Calvestrano olives
Quick pickled vegetables*
Fresh parsley
Arrange all attractively on a relish tray or use several ramekins on a plate- encourage everyone to eat the parsley too. It's a great way to wake up your palette or cut the richness of a really good Thanksgiving plate.
Quick pickled vegetables
¾ cup water
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon peppercorn
½ cup distilled white vinegar
1 cup raw vegetables (cauliflower florets, radish halves, quartered and peeled beets, carrot sticks)
optional: bay leaf, crushed red chili flakes, fennel seeds, ⅛ teaspoon curry powder.
Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour the water into a heat proof jar or bowl. Add the sugar, salt and peppercorns, stir to dissolve. (Add the optional ingredients if using at this stage). Add the vinegar and the vegetables. You want the vegetables to be covered by the liquid. Place in the fridge until ready to eat.
Note: carrots and radishes will take about 45 minutes to soften and take on a pickle-y flavors, beets will take longer.