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Category: Side Dishes

  • Cornbread Stuffing

    Cornbread Stuffing

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     Cornbread Stuffing
    Stuffing is one of the dishes we have experimented with the most. This cornbread stuffing recipe is our favorite. It is based on the Smoke Daddy Restaurant recipe. You can’t go wrong with sausage, bacon, onions, and sage.
    cornbread stuffing-6374-2
    Course Side Dish
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 90 minutes
    Servings
    people
    Ingredients
    Corn Bread
    Stuffing
    Course Side Dish
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 90 minutes
    Servings
    people
    Ingredients
    Corn Bread
    Stuffing
    cornbread stuffing-6374-2
    Instructions
    Make the Corn Bread
    1. Preheating an oven to 400 F with a 10 inch cast iron skillet in the oven as it heats.
    2. Mix up the dry ingredients including corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
    3. In a separate bowl whisk the milk, butter, and egg.
    4. Stir wet and dry together until just combined and still a bit lumpy. Let set for 10 minutes as oven and skillet heat up.
    5. Carefully remove blazing hot skillet and pour batter into skillet. Return to oven for 20-25 minutes until the cornbread is nicely browned.
    6. Move cornbread to a cutting board. I set the board on the skillet and turn both over. Then cut cornbread into 1 inch pieces.
    7. Dry the cornbread by spreading the pieces on baking sheet in a 200 F oven for 20 minutes.
    Cook Some Bacon
    1. Cook and drain bacon. The simplest way we have found is to arrange bacon on a baking sheet and cook in a 350 F oven for 15 minutes.
      cornbread stuffing-6182
    2. Cut the bacon into 1/2 inch pieces.
    Assemble the Stuffing
    1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
    2. Cook sausage with 2 T butter until sausage is browned, about 15 minutes. Remove sausage using a slotted spoon.
    3. Add onion, sage and celery and cook an additional 15 minutes. Celery should still have some crunch.
      cornbread stuffing-6213
    4. In a large bowl, combine bacon, sausage, onions, and celery. Add torn pieces of corn bread, about 1 inch each. Toss with eggs. Pour into a 13×9 baking dish. Pour chicken stock over the mixture. The dish can be refrigerated at this point if you are making it for a big dinner like Thanksgiving.
    5. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
      cornbread stuffing-6374-2
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  • Sweet Potato Casserole

    Sweet Potato Casserole

    We have tried a lot of sweet potato casserole recipes. This one is our favorite for Thanksgiving. The spices are just right, and we like the carrots and sweet potatoes together. It is based on a Food Network recipe that I scale to fill a 13×9 inch pan and has a pecan topping.

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     Sweet Potato Casserole
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 60 minutes
    Servings
    people
    Ingredients
    Topping
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 60 minutes
    Servings
    people
    Ingredients
    Topping
    Instructions
    1. Place sweet potatoes in a stock pot. fill with water, and boil for 20 minutes.
    2. Add carrots to stock pot and boil for 8 minutes longer.
    3. Drain and then transfer to a stand mixer bowl. Add brown sugar, butter, orange zest and egg. Mix until just combined.
      sweet potato casserole-3565
    4. Pour into a 13×9 baking dish and sprinkle with pecans and optional marshmallows.
      sweet potato casserole recipe
    5. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350F.
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  • Green Bean Casserole

    Green Bean Casserole

    This green bean casserole recipe has been a hit at our Thanksgiving. It is a variation on a Alton Brown recipe.

    Do be careful with the onions. They can burn if you don’t watch them carefully. I burned a batch by using a hotter temperature from the original recipe. I also looked away for a bit. The onions turned from brown to black, and I had to start over. On my second, and successful attempt, I cut the oven temp to 350 F, used conventional vs convection heat, and checked them every 5 minutes.

     

    Print Recipe
     Green Bean Casserole
    This green bean casserole recipe has been a hit at our Thanksgiving. It is a variation on a Alton Brown recipe.
    green bean casserole
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 90 minutes
    Servings
    people
    Ingredients
    Topping
    Beans
    Sauce
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 90 minutes
    Servings
    people
    Ingredients
    Topping
    Beans
    Sauce
    green bean casserole
    Instructions
    Onion Topping
    1. Preheat oven to 350F
    2. slice onions then toss them with bread crumbs, flour, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
      onions for green bean casserole
    3. Bake for 30 minutes, tossing them every 5 minutes. The onions will be golden brown.
    Beans
    1. Boil water in a stock pot.
    2. Trim and then blanche (briefly boil) the green beans for 4 minutes. Drain.
      green bean casserole
    Sauce
    1. Heat mushrooms in a skillet on medium low with 2 tablespoons butter and sauté until color deepens, about 10 minutes.
      mushrooms for green bean casserole
    2. Add garlic and nutmeg and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add 2 tablespoons of the stock to pull the flavors from the pan.
    3. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and stir to combine, Let it bubble for 2-3 minutes.
    4. Add remaining stock, milk and cream. Stir and bubble for 5 minutes until it thickens.
    Pulling it all together
    1. Toss beans with mushroom cream sauce then arrange in a 13×9 pan.
    2. Sprinkle onions over top.
    3. The dish can be covered and refrigerated at this point if you are making it ahead.
      green bean casserole
    4. Preheat oven to 350 F, and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
      green bean casserole
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  • Classic Cranberry Sauce Recipe

    Classic Cranberry Sauce Recipe

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     Cranberry Sauce
    This classic cranberry sauce recipe is a perfect compliment for roasted turkey or baked ham.
    classic cranberry sauce recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Servings
    people
    Ingredients
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Servings
    people
    Ingredients
    classic cranberry sauce recipe
    Instructions
    1. Rinse cranberries and pull out any that are not firm
    2. Combine the cranberries with the sugar, water and zest in a sauce pan and simmer over medium heat.
    3. As berries pop they will break down. It is ok if they have a few lumps.
    4. Pour into a serving bowl.
      classic cranberry sauce recipe
    5. Cool and then cover with plastic wrap.
    6. Refrigerate over night or for up to a week.
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  • Mashed Potatoes

    Mashed Potatoes

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     Mashed Potatoes
    We make this mashed potato recipe all year, but only peel the potatoes at Thanksgiving. The mix of potatoes plus sour cream makes them more interesting than other recipes we have tried. It is based on Alton Brown’s masher recipe. We prefer it without garlic that he suggests.
    mashed potatoes
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes
    Servings
    people
    Ingredients
    Potatoes
    Dairy
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes
    Servings
    people
    Ingredients
    Potatoes
    Dairy
    mashed potatoes
    Instructions
    1. Add potatoes to a stock pot and fill with enough cold water to cover.
    2. Bring to a boil for 20 minutes. Check a piece to see if it is fully cooked.
    3. Drain the potatoes, and then return them to the cooking pot.
    4. Add the butter, sour cream, milk, and salt.
    5. Mash or if you have peeled the potatoes, you can use a ricer to smooth out the potatoes.
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  • Apple Sauce

    Apple Sauce

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     Apple Sauce
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Servings
    people
    Ingredients
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Servings
    people
    Ingredients
    Instructions
    1. Combine all ingredients in a microwaveable glass container.
    2. Cover but leave a crack for steam to escape. Microwave 10 minutes.
    3. Blend as smooth as you like your applesauce with an immersion blender. Test it out and add a bit more maple syrup if you want to sweeten it up.
    4. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve. We like to heat the applesauce for 30 minutes before serving, but it is great cold too.
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  • Meatball Appetizer Recipe

    Meatball Appetizer Recipe

    This meatball appetizer recipe has been a hit at our parties. It combines the best of recipes I have tried. Some recipes don’t have very many spices for flavor. If you were using them in a dish with other flavors, I can see how you wouldn’t want to add spices that would compete. In this case meatballs are the dish, and I like this mix of spices. I also like to use a combination of beef and pork. That adds great flavors too.

    One of the reasons these are popular at our house is that they can easily be served warm from a slow cooker. So they don’t need to be heated in the oven on party day like some other appetizers do. Whenever guests arrive they can serve themselves. Everyone wins.

    No one needs to know, but these are really easy to make. It takes about 30 minutes to pull them together. We have two ovens, so I can put a few sheets in at a time. It may take a bit longer if you need to run a few baking sheets through the same oven. Still that isn’t bad. I make these a day before a party. They could be made even earlier. They definitely won’t keep you from spending time with your guests.

    Bonus… if for some reason you have extra meatballs, they can be cooled, divided up into meal sized portions, and frozen. They are a great add to a weeknight spaghetti.

     

    Meatball Appetizer Recipe

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     Meatball Appetizers
    This tasty meatball appetizer recipe is a favorite because it is easy to make, they stay warm in a slow cooker, and extras are perfect for spaghetti.
    meatball appetizer recipe | yeadadshome.com
    Course Dinner, Main Dish, Side Dish
    Cuisine Italian
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Servings
    appetizers
    Ingredients
    Course Dinner, Main Dish, Side Dish
    Cuisine Italian
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Servings
    appetizers
    Ingredients
    meatball appetizer recipe | yeadadshome.com
    Instructions
    1. Heat oven to 350F and assemble ingredients.
    2. Remove crusts from bread and cut or tear it into 1 inch pieces.
      meatball appetizer recipe | yeadadshome.com
    3. Combine bread and milking a bowl and mash into a paste
      meatball appetizers | yeadadshome.com
    4. Mix the bread with the onion, cheese, garlic, seasoning, Woccester sauce, and chili powder. I like to do this before adding the meat because the seasoning is best if it is evenly mixed. One time I added everything all at once and I had bites with lots of chili powder and bites with no chili powder.
      meatball appetizer ingredients
    5. Gently combine the meats with the bread mixture and form into 1 inch balls. A #40 ice cream scoop works as a nice guide so that you are consistent.
    6. Line a baking sheet with either aluminum foil or a silpat to make clean up easier, and line up the meatballs. I had mine in a nice row. They just need space around them so they cook evenly.
      meatball appetizers
    7. Cook in the oven for 15 minutes or until the center reads 160F. Cool and refrigerate until the party, or put them straight into the slow cooker and add marinara.
      Meatball-Appetizers-Recipe | yeadadshome.com
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    Meatball References

    Americas Test Kitchen

    Their recipe uses buttermilk and a blend of meats. I like a bit more pork. I like to have some other seasonings too. You may have to have a login to see the recipe.

     https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/6218-classic-spaghetti-and-meatballs-for-a-crowd

     

    Meatball Nirvana

    Love the name. Also really like some of their spicing. I like a mix of beef and pork though.

    http://allrecipes.com/recipe/meatball-nirvana

     

    Tools

    These are affiliate links, so I might get paid a bit if you buy through these.

    1. This Thermapen thermometer works really well..very fast: Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen (Gray) Instant Read Thermometer, Perfect for Barbecue, Home and Professional Cooking. I use this a lot. It helps ensure that you get meat cooked to a safe temperature, and prevents over cooking.
    2. Cuisinart makes a newer version of the slow cooker we use: Cuisinart MSC-600 3-In-1 Cook Central 6-Quart Multi-Cooker: Slow Cooker, Brown/Saute, Steamer. We like the kind that can be heated on the stove for browning, or at least keeping the number of pans down to a minimum.

     

  • Pumpkin Apple and Bacon Soup

    Pumpkin Apple and Bacon Soup

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     Pumpkin Apple and Bacon Soup
    Petoskey brewing serves a pumpkin soup with apple and bacon. It is awesome, especially with a good beer. We recreated it at home, and this is a pumpkin soup recipe for our version. Great comfort food for a cold day.
    pumpkin apple bacon soup
    Course Side Dish
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Servings
    servings
    Ingredients
    Course Side Dish
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Servings
    servings
    Ingredients
    pumpkin apple bacon soup
    Instructions
    1. Cook bacon until firm, but not super crisp.
      pumpkin apple bacon soup-6
    2. Peel, core, and cut apple into 1/4 inch dice.
      pumpkin apple bacon soup-2
    3. Saute apple in butter until softened, about 5 minutes.
      pumpkin apple bacon soup-4
    4. Chop bacon into 1/2 inch dice
    5. Stir in bacon, pumpkin, chicken broth, cream, spice, maple syrup. Warm over medium low for 5 minutes.
    6. To make it pretty, I cut up an extra apple, and a bit of extra bacon to garnish each bowl. I also like to serve the soup with pretzel rolls. It wasn’t garnished at the restaurant, but as I said, Petoskey Brewing has really good beer. They also had pretzel rolls. I love pretzel rolls. At home we like to serve the soup with these Pretzilla mini buns. They are really good. Sometimes we eat this pumpkin soup as dinner. It also works as a side dish with grilled cheese, hamburgers, or pork chops. It makes great comfort food for a cold day.
      pumpkin apple bacon soup | yeadadshome.com
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