Unusual Thanksgiving Fare ~

[farmerjane]

Anyone have any unusual or "out of the ordinary" Thanksgiving recipes they could share?

We are non-traditionalists at our house and I generally like to do "theme" dinners for Thanksgiving rather than turkey and dressin', etc...

Daddy'O works Thanksgiving Day (his normal work week day) and so unless the boyz and I are headin' to other's homes then I like to try to do something different.

This year the youngest has put in a request to have Cornish Hens (you know - those little itty-bitty chickenettes. So, I'll probably let him do a couple of those and then I'll also be makin' a spiral ham. I know ~ that's pretty "traditional" but we all like spiral cut ham and I've got two I need to cook up. One now and one for Christmas. Not sure how that happened...

Anyway ~ let's here it! I need some good "side dish" recipes!

[bluffman2]

this is one i like...

2-1 1/2-pound cornish hens
Salt and pepper
4 slices bacon
12 small whole button mushrooms
12 pearl onions, peeled
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup fresh peas
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups chicken stock

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season inside and out of cornish hens. In a bowl combine mushrooms, onions, carrots, peas, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Stuff vegetables into cavity of each bird to full capacity. Drizzle hens with remaining oil. Criss-cross 2 bacon slices across each hen, tucking ends under birds to keep in place. Place hens on a roasting rack in a roasting pan and pour chicken stock in bottom of pan. Roast hens 45 minutes to 1 hour or until an instant reading thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 170 degrees. Allow hens to rest, loosely covered with foil, for at least 10 minutes while you finish sauce. Bring sauce to a boil in roasting pan, scraping bottom of pan to incorporate any drippings; season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, drizzle hens with sauce.

[bluffman2]

and another


1/4 lb. bulk pork sausage

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken in the Canister

2 Tbsp. shredded carrot

1/2 cup hot water

2 Cornish game hens (1 lb. each)

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

2 Tbsp. apple jelly


PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Brown sausage with mushrooms in large skillet; drain. Add stuffing mix, carrots and hot water; stir just until moistened. Set aside. Rinse hens with cold water; pat dry.

SPOON stuffing mixture evenly into hen cavities; close openings with skewers. Place birds, breast sides up, in shallow roasting pan. Brush with oil.

BAKE 1 hour; spoon jelly over hens. Bake an additional 10 min. or until hens are cooked through.


you can add or take away from thiese recipes....me and kelton dont like mushrooms!!
hope this helps a bait girl out

[SKEETERMAN]

Side dish.....non-traditional to turkey day hmmmmmmm

This is a pre-cursor and not really a side dish but a nice salad comes to mind first!!!!

I dont know what the availibility of produce is where you guys live but you can use any lettuce. Romain lettuce would but a good substitute but i guess you can use iceberg if you had to. This is how i make it!!

- mesculin organic lettuce (baby green and red oak)
- fresh cranberrys (strawberrys are a good sub)
- pignoli nuts (chopped walnuts is a good sub)
- crumled blue cheese
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- parmesan cheese

In a mixing bowl add all of the ingredients. add olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste. Portion the salad on plates then take a chunk of parmesan cheese and hand grate a little on top of each salad.

The sweetness of the vinegar and fruit combined with the cheese and heartyness of the nuts makes magic happen. Cranberry's are all about t-day so it still goes with the day.

As a dinner you can add slice steak, chicken or your favorite grilled fish to the top.

Bluff i like your recipes. The apple glazing sounds interesting. I have only done that with pork chops!

[bluffman2]

skeet ...thanks for helping here......i knew you would come through!!
and god does that sound good!!

[Domino Effect]

I like this as a side dish

cook your favorite rice as directed, 2 cups rice, 4 cups water
then add a cup of fresh or thawed blueberries and 1/4 of slivered almonds
fold in and serve immediately

Lee

[Domino Effect]

some thing non traditional for holiday fare

crab stuffed flounder with hollandaise sp? sauce
clean and butterfly flounder
cook stove top stuffing as directed
then add jumbo lump crab meat and fold in
stuff flounder with mixture and cook
make your hollandaise sauce to cover stuffing and fish

Lee

[SKEETERMAN]

Originally Posted by bluffman2

skeet ...thanks for helping here......i knew you would come through!!
and god does that sound good!!

Your welcome!
I can catch fish but I wish i knew as much about fixing boats like others do on here as i do about cooking.

[farmerjane]

Wow ~ All of those recipes sound GOOOOOOD!!!!!!

Thanks for the help!

Yeah ~ one year we went to Welder's for Thanksgiving and the theme was Authentic Mexican fare ~ OH----MY-----GOSH~!!!!! SO AWESOME!!
The enchiladas were to DIE FOR!!! Along with the rice, refried beans, and everything else all made from scratch from old family recipes. I came away from that dinner a HURTIN'!!!

[welder]

Jane , that will be done again soon.

Lester