Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes

My friend Therese asked how I make mashed potatoes the day before Thanksgiving.  Honestly, I try to do as much as humanly possible before the Big Day, and potatoes definitely fall in that category.  When you make these potatoes, they initially appear relatively liquid-y.  But when you reheat them the next day...perfection.

P.S. These are my Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes.  You'll understand why when you see how much butter I used.  I try not to think about it.  It's just once a year.

Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes
From The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
Serves: 4

2 pounds potatoes (the folks at America's Test Kitchen recommend russets, but I like yukon golds)
8 tablespoons butter, melted (yes, that is one ENTIRE stick)
1 cup half-and-half, hot
Salt and pepper

Peel potatoes, then quarter them and cut into 1" chunks.  Cover the potatoes by 1" of water in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender and a fork can be slipped easily into the center, 20 to 25 minutes.

Drain potatoes in a colander, tossing to remove any excess water.  Add the potatoes back to the pot and mash to a uniform consistency.

Using a rubber spatula, fold in the melted butter until just incorporated.  Fold in 3/4 cup of the half-and-half, adding the remaining 1/4 cup as needed to adjust the consistency.  Season with salt and pepper.

If you're making these a day ahead, transfer them to a baking dish, cover with foil, and refrigerate.  Take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you want to start heating them up so they come to room temperature.  Dot the top of the potatoes with butter (yes, MORE BUTTER) and bake at 350 degrees until they're heated through.  This will take about 30-45 minutes.  If the potatoes are getting too brown on top, cover them with aluminum foil until they finish baking.

Roasted Snap Peas

As I have mentioned several times, roasting vegetables is the sneaky way to make something healthy taste like dessert.  And I love dessert.

Well, when the husband and I visited Costco recently, we snagged a 48 pound bag of snap peas.  And if you are a family of two trying to polish off 48 pounds of anything, you get creative.  Turns out roasting snap peas is an excellent idea.

Other excellent roasting ideas:

• Roasted Green Beans
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts

Have you tried roasting veggies yet?  No?  Well, give it a whirl...you won't regret it.

Roasted Snap Peas
Serves: 4

1 pound snap peas
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a big baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Place your snap peas on the baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Use your hands to mix everything together.  Roast for 12-15 minutes, stirring halfway through, until snap peas are a lovely golden color.

Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic-Cranberry Sauce

If you have cranberry sauce leftover after Thanksgiving, use a little bit to make this delicious dinner.  Or just snag a can of whole berry cranberry sauce at the grocery store.  Since it's cooked into the sauce, it won't make much difference if you use the canned stuff.

Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic-Cranberry Sauce
Adapted from Bon Appetit
Serves: 2

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 8- to 10-ounce pork tenderloin
Salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning (I think chopped rosemary would also be nice)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup cranberry sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle pork with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning.  Sear pork until it is browned on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.  Transfer pork to a baking sheet.  Roast pork in the oven until a thermometer inserted into the center reaches 135-140 degrees, about 10-15 minutes.  Transfer the pork to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest until it reaches an internal temperature of 145-150 degrees, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, over medium-high heat, melt butter in the same skillet you cooked the pork in.  Add the onion and saute until it softens, about 4-5 minutes.  Add broth, cranberry sauce, and vinegar.  Whisk until cranberry sauce melts, about 2 minutes.

While the pork continues to rest, pour any juices from the baking sheet into the cranberry sauce in the skillet.  Boil until the sauce has reduced enough to coat the spoon thickly, about 6 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Slice the pork and serve with sauce.

Salad with Oranges and Fennel

Recently, my friend, Mo, had me over for dinner.  I walked through her front door to the most glorious smell...homemade spaghetti sauce.  Those of you who know the husband know that he doesn't like tomatoes, so spaghetti sauce, FROM SCRATCH no less, is quite a treat for me.

All I had to contribute was a measly salad, but I have to admit, it was pretty tasty.  Not homemade sauce tasty, but, come on, it's salad.   I promised Mo I'd post the recipe.  Considering she fed me a delicious dinner and sent me home with extra sauce for my freezer, it's the least I can do.

Thanks for dinner, Mo!

Orange and Fennel Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
Serves: 2

For the Salad:
4 cups mixed greens
1 bulb of fennel, halved and thinly sliced
1 orange, segmented

For the Dressing:
1 teaspoon minced shallot
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced in half
3 tablespoons strawberry balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil*
Salt and pepper, to taste

Place all the salad ingredients in a bowl or on individual salad plates, then make the dressing.  Combine all dressing ingredients into a jar with a lid that seals tightly.  Put on the lid (TIGHTLY, trust me on this one), and shake it up to combine.  Remove the garlic and drizzle the dressing over the lettuce, fennel, and oranges.

*I like my dressing pretty tangy, so I only used 4 tablespoons olive oil.  If you prefer a bit less bite, add more oil to taste.

Thanksgiving Tips and Tricks

In my fanatical quest for a fabulous Turkey Day, I've been scouring the internet for all things Thanksgiving.  During my hunt through the world wide web, I've found a plethora of tips and tricks for a successful (and, dare I say, stress-free) Thanksgiving.  The list below is my attempt to gather all of these ideas into one place.  Did I miss something?  Feel free to share your own favorite tips in the comment section.

Staying Organized:

• Start early.  Nothing will lower your anxiety levels like having a plan in place.  This will also allow you to save a couple bucks by shopping the sales, clipping a couple coupons, and avoiding last-minute desperation purchases. 
• Once you know how many people you'll be hosting, count your plates, flatware, and glasses to make sure you have enough.  My knives seem to disappear in the dishwasher, so I usually need to pick up a few replacements around the holidays.  Also, it never hurts to have an extra place setting available in case you have a last-minute dinner addition.  
• After you have your menu planned, sort through your serving dishes and serving spoons to ensure you have an appropriate platter and utensil for each item.  Scooping mashed potatoes out of tupperware takes the class out of a dinner party real quick.  Also, have a few extra serving utensils on hand for guests who are bringing dishes.
• A few days before Thanksgiving, use post-it notes to label your serving bowls with what they will contain.  Then set them out on the table or buffet.  This will confirm that you have an appropriate dish for every item and also that there is enough room for everything.  I know this tip sounds psycho, but it really helps.  You don't want make your husband create a "buffet table" out of luggage covered with table cloths 30 minutes before dinner.  That will make everyone testy.
• Buy an oven thermometer to make sure your oven's temperature gauge is accurate.  This will help you avoid the 12-hour turkey.  "I didn't realize the oven was only at 200 degrees!  No wonder this took so long!" 
• Set the table the day, or several days, before Thanksgiving.  You don't want to deal with this right before the main event.  And if you're worried that your kids/animals/spouse will mess up your beautiful table, cover it with a clean bedsheet or extra tablecloth.  (While I've never tried this myself, it sounds pretty doggone clever.)
• If you'll have candles on the dinner table, use unscented candles.  Scented candles can confuse your taste buds when you're eating.

Making Dinner:

• Plan your menu early.  And don't feel guilty if your menu doesn't include 12 different jello salads.  No one needs that much jello, anyway.
• Are you making any new recipes this year?  To keep your stress level at minimum, give new dishes a try in the weeks leading up to the big day.  Once you know it tastes delicious, you'll be much less nervous.  And if it tastes like crap, you can try something different.
• Whenever possible, make dishes the day before Thanksgiving.  That way, you can enjoy the holiday with your family and friends.  And many of the Turkey Day classics reheat well. That's a darn good reason to give thanks, if you ask me.
• Speaking of reheating, the following items taste just as good (or even better!) when reheated:
• Green Bean Casserole (Wait to add the onion ring topping until Thanksgiving day.)
• Mashed Potatoes (Just add extra milk/cream and butter before reheating.)
• Candied Yams (If you're in the marshmallow camp, wait until Thanksgiving day to top with marshmallows.) 
• Cranberry Sauce (You don't even need to reheat this one!)
• Applesauce (Again, no reheating needed.)
• Dessert items (pie, cake, whatever)
• Prep the day before.  Chop vegetables for the stuffing, brine your turkey, wash fruit and vegetables. 

If You Are Not Hosting:

• Ask your host what you can bring.  And if you have a family specialty that you'd like to share, suggest that dish to the host.  Likewise, if you can't cook/hate to cook/don't have time to cook, offer to bring booze.  This will save your host moolah and will be much appreciated.  
• If you are in charge of bringing a dish for dinner, but you might be late due to another commitment, drop off your dish earlier in the day.  Then your host can warm it up for you and serve dinner on schedule.  My friend, Kelly, always does this, and I love her (more) for it!
• Try to remember your own serving utensils in case your host didn't read our handy holiday tip guide and doesn't have extras. 
• If your dish needs to be reheated, use a post-it to label the dish with reheating instructions.  Things get crazy in the kitchen at the last minute, and that way anyone can prep your dish.  And there might be a cute guy/girl watching the football game who demands your attention more than your dinner contribution.

Stuffing with Sausage, Pecans, and Cranberries

Wise readers, I have a Thanksgiving dilemma.  As with many things, it goes back to my insatiable sweet tooth and infatuation with craisins.  If I had to subsist on craisins and cheesecake (for protein, of course), I probably could.  I'm not proud of that.  Anyway, on to my dilemma...

Stuffing is my favorite part of Thanksgiving, and I like my stuffing a little bit sweet.  So, I turn to the humble craisin for sweetness and general pizzazz.  I've heard from several people, however, that dried fruit in stuffing is an abomination.  Since I don't know the opinion of all my Thanksgiving guests on this important matter, I am turning to you.  Should I throw caution to the wind and make the delicious but craisin-studded stuffing recipe below this Turkey Day?  The comment section is all yours...please help!

P.S. Come back on Monday for a compilation of all the best Thanksgiving Tips & Tricks the interweb could send me. Yeah, I found some real winners.           

Stuffing with Sausage, Pecans, and Cranberries
Adapted from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
Serves: 12-16 (incredibly hungry people)

2 cups dried cranberries
1 1/2 pounds bulk sausage
1 1/2 sticks butter
4 ribs celery, chopped fine
2 onions, minced
1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
4 teaspoons poultry seasoning (or substitute 2 teaspoons dried sage, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1 teaspoon dried marjoram)
3 pounds good white sandwich bread (I used Arnold brand potato bread), cut into 1/2" cubes and dried*
3 cups pecans, toasted and chopped
5-7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
4 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Cover the dried cranberries with boiling water and let soak for 15 minutes.  (This will soften the cranberries.)  Drain and reserve the cranberries. 

Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, breaking into small pieces with a spoon, until lightly browned, 5-10 minutes.  Remove the sausage to a separate bowl and reserve until later.   

In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  (If desired, you can substitute the rendered sausage fat for an equal amount of butter.)  Add the celery and onions and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the parsley and poultry seasoning and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Transfer to the biggest bowl you have.  (Seriously, the biggest bowl.)

Add the dried bread, cranberries, sausage, pecans, 5 cups broth, salt, and pepper.  Stir to combine.  Although it sounds strange, taste the stuffing at this point to make sure it's well-seasoned and moist enough.  Adjust the seasonings if necessary.  Also, if the stuffing is too dry, add more broth until it is the desired consistency.  Then, add the lightly beaten eggs and toss to combine. 

Turn the mixture into a greased 10"x15" baking dish.  Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.  Remove the foil and continue to bake until golden, about 20-30 minutes longer.  Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

*There are a couple ways to dry your bread cubes.  If you don't have animals or small children who will eat them, simply leave the bread pieces on the counter for a few days to become stale.  Otherwise, spread them onto a very large baking sheet (or two) and bake in a 300 degree oven for 30-60 minutes.  Stir a couple times during baking to make sure your bread dries out evenly.  (Please note: if you stir while the tray is still in the oven, some bread will most likely fall out of the pan and into the darkest depths of your oven.  Then it will burn and stink up your house.  I may or may not know this from experience.)  Also, make sure you cool the bread cubes before using them in your stuffing.  If you don't feel like making your own stuffing cubes, feel free to buy the ones that come in the bag.  We don't judge here at Hot Dinner Happy Home.  But remember to add extra broth if you're using bagged bread cubes.

Citrus and Ginger Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce is a must-have on my crowded Thanksgiving plate.  Growing up, my family wasn't digging this sweet and tangy and side, so we always had the canned stuff.  Now, I'm not knocking Ocean Spray—there's something strangely delcious about that canned concoction—but I've never turned back after trying this homemade Cranberry Sauce.  The recipe is from my mother-in-law, Cheryl.  Culinary genius, excellent mom, and all around wonderful woman, I thought I hit the jackpot when she shared her son with me...but then I found out she shares recipes, too?!  Yep, I'm pretty lucky.

Cheryl's Cranberry Sauce
From the happy home of my mother-in-law
Serves: 4-6

3/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
5-6 whole cloves
1 tablespoon crystalized ginger, chopped
Zest from one orange (removed with a vegetable peeler in thick strips)
12 ounces fresh cranberries

Combine 3/4 cup water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves, ginger, and orange zest in a medium sized saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove the cinnamon sticks, cloves, and orange zest.  Add fresh cranberries and return to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.  At this point, the cranberry sauce will be a bit runny, but it thickens as it cools.  Let your sauce cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.