Thanksgiving hasn’t even happened yet, and I’m already planning for next year! We’ve been at an event this weekend, and in the course of conversations, I’ve invited some friends to join us for dessert this year, and others to join us next year! We are so blessed, and truly thankful, for the “framily” that enriched our lives.

Meanwhile, I have a shelf of the freezer already piled high with baked goods for this week, to be frosted, iced, or topped for Thursday, and I’ve ordered a variety pack of containers to send everyone home with leftovers.

Here is the column I wrote for the Berkshire Eagle this past week. The first two dishes I had made before. The broccoli and green apple slaw was a new idea, and gave me great lunches for several days.

This piece also has links to other Thanksgiving-themed columns I’ve written, and others can be found using the search feature on my blog page. Or send me an email! I’d be happy to help with your Thanksgiving menu plans!

COLORFUL SIDES, CHAPTER 2: SWEET, SAVORY, OR SIMPLE

by Elizabeth Baer

It seems quite fitting that my “anniversary” column for the Berkshire Eagle is around Thanksgiving time, seeing as it’s my favorite holiday. Although we now understand that the mythology of the so-called first Thanksgiving was imbued with a colonialist mentality toward indigenous peoples, for many of us, and certainly for me, Thanksgiving is not really about that. Rather it is a day that most have off from work, and families and friends can gather in gratitude for the chance to be together, especially after a couple of years when the pandemic limited travel for many people. And as someone recently said of me, “Cooking is your love language.” Indeed, cooking for the people I love brings me great joy, so Thanksgiving makes me quite happy.

My first Berkshire Eagle piece, in 2020, offered some ideas for Thanksgiving leftovers. And then last year, I wrote about three different orange side dishes. Continuing with the theme of making the menu colorful, this year I have put together three green side dishes.

I do realize that many families have food traditions at Thanksgiving, and no one can deviate from them or everyone will be up in arms! That is why the first time that Greta, my now daughter-in-law, came to our house for Thanksgiving, I sent out a Google form to all our kids asking, “Besides turkey, stuffing, and gravy, it’s not Thanksgiving if we don’t have ______.” I wanted to be sure it really felt like Thanksgiving to her. (Her answer was mashed potatoes, which had not traditionally been part of our Thanksgiving table, but is now!) This year, my sister wants to be sure we have the rather cloying sweet potato dish (in my “orange” column) in memory of our beloved cousin who passed away earlier this year. And even though my husband really doesn’t like peas, I must make the peas with mushrooms and water chestnuts that my grandmother always made. (That’s not in this column because I previously included it in my piece about heirloom recipes.) However, if your family is open to trying new things and making new traditions, like how I will always make mashed potatoes from now on, I hope you’ll try these ideas.

But my mistake is that I sent a Google form to our kids again. And now I have so many requests that I’ve already baked all sorts of things that can go in the freezer. Yes, it’s a lot of work, but it makes me happy, especially as everyone always offers to clean up, so after dinner I can put my feet up!

MAPLE-BACON BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Serves 2-4, can be doubled

INGREDIENTS:

2 ounces bacon, minced
Canola oil as needed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons real maple syrup

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Meanwhile, in a sauté pan over medium heat, cook the minced bacon until crisp. You can add a touch of canola oil if the bacon is not giving off enough fat to cook easily. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess fat.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat or in a glass measuring cup in the microwave.

Arrange the Brussels sprouts cut side down in a baking dish. Sprinkle with the cooked bacon, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and pour the melted butter over all.

Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until the sprouts are tender and the cut edges are a bit caramelized. Remove from the oven and pour the maple syrup over the sprouts. It will sizzle, but carefully stir to make sure the maple syrup spreads throughout. Serve warm.

GREEN BEAN GRATIN

Serves 2-4, can be doubled

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, chopped fine
1 tablespoon shallot, minced fine
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk at room temperature
⅛ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
¼ cup plain panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon truffle oil or extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a gratin dish with cooking spray, butter, or oil for easier clean up. You can use a glass pan, but, if so, you cannot put it under the broiler at the end.

In a medium sauté pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, shallot, and salt, and sauté, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have given up their moisture and it has mostly evaporated. Add the flour and stir to combine, then add the milk and whisk until thickened. Add the Parmesan and mix well. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a steamer, cook the green beans for 3-5 minutes. I prefer that they aren’t too soft, so I tend to keep to the lower end of the cooking time.

Arrange the beans in the gratin or baking dish in an even layer. Pour the mushroom sauce over all, and if it has thickened a bit as it cooled, spread it around over the beans with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle the panko crumbs on top, and drizzle with the truffle or olive oil.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the panko crumbs are golden. If you have used a broiler-safe pan, you can also put it under the broiler for 1-2 minutes for extra browning. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

BROCCOLI AND GREEN APPLE SLAW

Serves 4-6, can be doubled

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste if needed
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon tahini (or Dijon mustard if you don’t have tahini)
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste if needed
⅛ teaspoon fresh ground pepper, plus more to taste if needed
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to taste if needed
1 pound broccoli crowns
⅓ cup golden raisins or other dried fruit, chopped if large
1 Granny Smith apple
¼ cup slivered almonds

DIRECTIONS:

Make the dressing. In a small bowl or a glass measuring cup, combine the lemon juice, vinegar, tahini, honey, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine well. Add the olive oil and whisk again.

Take the broccoli crowns and remove the florets. Cut the florets into small pieces and set aside. Trim the stalks and cut into 1-inch-long matchsticks. In a steamer basket, cook the stalk pieces for 2 minutes. Add the floret pieces and steam 2 minutes more.

Immediately remove from the heat and place the broccoli in a large bowl. Toss with the dressing, add the raisins, and toss again. Place in the fridge to start cooling. Meanwhile, cut the apple into matchstick pieces, similar in size to the broccoli stalks. Add to the broccoli, stir well so the dressing gets on the apple pieces to prevent browning, and return to the fridge. Allow to cool fully.

Toast the almonds on a tray in the toaster oven or in a dry skillet over medium heat. Watch carefully, and do not walk away for even a moment, as nuts can burn quite suddenly.

Food tastes very different at different temperatures, so when the slaw is fully cooled, taste and adjust salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice as needed. Just before serving, mix in the toasted almonds.

Blog

Berkshire Eagle Column: Thanksgiving Planning!