I'm going to have to sleep on this one, but I thought it would be a real good post. What's the one side you look forward to every year or the most interesting you are going to try? Recipe too if you have the time. Thanks,Mike
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I know this doesn't exactly answer your question. My favorites are the football appetizers.
Shrimp with aioli is a big hit. I put out some fiery cocktail sauce for the less adventurous.
My nachos- people request them. Put any kind of nachos or Doritos in a large Corningware pan. Spread on top plenty of chopped Monterrey Jack (either palin or jalapeño), Cheddar (I know Bella uses this on salmon, so she should have plenty.), cooked crumbled sausage meat or ground beef or a mixture, and some chopped jalapeños. Cover with plastic wrap and zap in the microwave til the cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream and guacamole.
I have a bunch of others, but am on my way out now.
Shrimp with aioli is a big hit. I put out some fiery cocktail sauce for the less adventurous.
My nachos- people request them. Put any kind of nachos or Doritos in a large Corningware pan. Spread on top plenty of chopped Monterrey Jack (either palin or jalapeño), Cheddar (I know Bella uses this on salmon, so she should have plenty.), cooked crumbled sausage meat or ground beef or a mixture, and some chopped jalapeños. Cover with plastic wrap and zap in the microwave til the cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream and guacamole.
I have a bunch of others, but am on my way out now.
My favortie sides are the stuffings my Mom and Terra's Mom make. They are completely different, but oh-so friggin' good. I don't have the recipes for either, but I should get them.
i thought this thread was just a setup to get Sapril to ask more food questions for our entertainment 
It's so entertaining to have an online stalkerquote:Originally posted by TexasVines:
i thought this thread was just a setup to get Sapril to ask more food questions for our entertainment
Sorry, I don't have the recipe, but my mom used to make a mashed sweet potato casserole, that was topped with a ton of molten brown sugar and pecans. I didn't much care for the casserole, but that topping was to die for! 
I'd always be the first to serve myself some of this, and inevitably a few minutes later someone would say, "Hey, what happened to all the topping??"
PH
I'd always be the first to serve myself some of this, and inevitably a few minutes later someone would say, "Hey, what happened to all the topping??" PH
quote:Originally posted by Board-O:
Put any kind of nachos or Doritos in a large Corningware pan. Spread on top plenty of chopped Monterrey Jack, cooked crumbled sausage meat or ground beef or a mixture, and some chopped jalapeños.
I like Longhorn Colby cheese and marinated diced chicken on mine. You've got to have plenty of jalapenos and homemade salsa to dip them in.
My favorite side dish is my mom's Pecan Pie. This is the one time of year that I actually save room for dessert, because I'll eat half the pie.
quote:Originally posted by Bella Donna:It's so entertaining to have an online stalkerquote:Originally posted by TexasVines:
i thought this thread was just a setup to get Sapril to ask more food questions for our entertainment
even better is to have ones own kitchen jester
Exotic Mushroom Bread Pudding (loaded with Chanterelles).
recipe please...
I've made this four times and it never ceases to amaze. I always add more mushrooms.
Exotic Mushroom Bread Pudding
Recipe Courtesy of a chef friend - initials "E.L."
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups onions, julienned (chopped, whatever)
Salt
Cayenne
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound assorted exotic mushrooms, such as shiitakes, chanterelles, oysters, etc., wiped clean and julienned
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (I have used roasted garlic as well)
5 large eggs
2 cups heavy cream (and ONLY heavy cream)
Dash of hot pepper sauce (or three of Cystal)
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
8 slices white bread, crusts removed, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Parsley, garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 2 quart glass rectangular pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions. Season with salt, cayenne and black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the onions are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they are slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and cool. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Add the cream. Season with salt, cayenne, pepper, hot pepper sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk the mixture until blender. Add the onion-mushroom mixture and bread crumbs and mix well. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with the cheese. Bake until the pudding is golden brown and bubbly, about 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Great Holiday dinner side.
Exotic Mushroom Bread Pudding
Recipe Courtesy of a chef friend - initials "E.L."
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups onions, julienned (chopped, whatever)
Salt
Cayenne
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound assorted exotic mushrooms, such as shiitakes, chanterelles, oysters, etc., wiped clean and julienned
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (I have used roasted garlic as well)
5 large eggs
2 cups heavy cream (and ONLY heavy cream)
Dash of hot pepper sauce (or three of Cystal)
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
8 slices white bread, crusts removed, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Parsley, garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 2 quart glass rectangular pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions. Season with salt, cayenne and black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the onions are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they are slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and cool. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Add the cream. Season with salt, cayenne, pepper, hot pepper sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk the mixture until blender. Add the onion-mushroom mixture and bread crumbs and mix well. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with the cheese. Bake until the pudding is golden brown and bubbly, about 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Great Holiday dinner side.
Wow, that sounds good, thanks! Since we moved to the land where beef reigns (and therefore we enjoy it often), we're actually going to do turkey for Christmas. This bread pudding will make a wonderful side. Looks pretty easy too.
When I was young my parents always used to do a relish tray with pickles, olives, beets, spiced crab apples (whole) and pickled watermellon rinds.
I have been looking for the crab apples and watermellon rinds for years, but no luck.
So this year, I decided to make the pickled watermellon rinds myself. Found a fresh-pack recipe online and made a batch this spring. Fairly easy but a 2-day process. They tasted better than I remembered.
Still haven't found the crab apples - closest I could come up with were spiced apple rings. Maybe next year I'll make my own of those too.
I have been looking for the crab apples and watermellon rinds for years, but no luck.
So this year, I decided to make the pickled watermellon rinds myself. Found a fresh-pack recipe online and made a batch this spring. Fairly easy but a 2-day process. They tasted better than I remembered.
Still haven't found the crab apples - closest I could come up with were spiced apple rings. Maybe next year I'll make my own of those too.
I generally make at least seven or eight Thanksgiving side dishes. The most popular one by far is the mashed turnips recipe from the first Union Square Cafe cookbook. I generally cook for about twenty at Thanksgiving. I think the number might shrink in half if the turnips were deleted.
Porkpa
Porkpa
quote:The most popular one by far is the mashed turnips recipe from the first Union Square Cafe cookbook.
Care to share the recipe?