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Come Party With Me: Almost Meatless Thanksgiving - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:15:21 -0800

Finish your almost meatless Thanksgiving with a decadent sweet potato pie. This pie is a dessert traditional to the South, but with its smooth creamy filling and rich sweet flavor, sweet potato pie is welcome on Thanksgiving tables all across America. The dough calls for shortening, however, if you prefer to bake with butter, use that instead. Although the ingredient list includes a whiskey-spiked whipped cream, you can omit the alcohol and employ vanilla extract. To get the recipe which should be made in advance, read more.

Sweet Potato Pie
From Food Network

Ingredients

Filling:
3 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch ground cloves
Dough:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated shortening
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced (1 stick)
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon cider or white wine vinegar
Topping:
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon whiskey, rye or bourbon
Candied Pecans, homemade or store bought, recipe follows

Directions

Filling: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the sweet potatoes on a small roasting pan and bake until easily pierced with a fork, about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile make the dough:Pulse the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor with the metal blade until combined. Add the shortening and pulse about 10 times. Add the butter and continue to pulse until it resembles cornmeal mixed with bean-size bits of butter. Beat the egg yolk and vinegar together, add and pulse 3 to 4 times, but don't let the dough form a ball in the machine.
Remove the blade, and gather the dough together by hand. If dough does not come together, sprinkle up to 1 tablespoon of ice cold water over the dough and bring together. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and shape into disk. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
Peel the cooked sweet potatoes and mash lightly with a fork; you should have about 2 cups puree. Mix the sweet potatoes and butter in the food processor until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse to combine. Set aside.
Lightly dust the counter with flour. Roll the dough into an 11 to 12-inch circle and transfer to the pie pan. Trim the dough so that the edges hang about 1/2 inch over the pan; fold edges under and flute as desired. Pierce the crust all over with a fork, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to a day.
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven of the 425 degree F oven. Line the crust with foil or parchment paper and pie weights or dried beans and place on a baking sheet. Bake until the crust sets and begins to brown around edges, about 25 minutes. Lift foil and weights out of crust, lower oven temperature to 375 degrees F. and continue to bake until crust begins to brown on the bottom, about 10 to 12 minutes more.
Pour filling into the warm crust and bake until set, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on rack.
When ready to serve, whip the cream with the whiskey until it holds soft peaks. Top pie with whipped cream and candied pecans. Serve.

Serves 8.

Make ahead: Crust can be made, rolled, and transferred to the pan, then tightly wrapped and frozen for up to a month. Candied pecans can be made and stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Candied Pecans

1 large egg white
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup pecan pieces

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly beat the egg white until frothy. Whisk in the sugar and cinnamon, and then toss pecans in the mixture.
Evenly spread nuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until dry and toasted, about 10 to 15 minutes. Cool.

Makes about 1 cup.

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Come Party With Me: Bold Flavorful Thanksgiving - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:50:48 -0800

Are you sick of the same old, boring Thanksgiving recipes? Then this year, why not shake things up and serve a menu that is bold, flavorful, and eye-catching? Start with fried polenta bites with spicy chorizo. The focal point is a vibrantly colored turkey coated in adobo and red-chile gravy. On the side: cornbread stuffing, chile scalloped sweet potatoes, cranberry citrus compote, and olive oil mashed potatoes with manchego cheese.

While the traditional elements are there, each of these recipes has a slight twist making them oh-so-modern. Use all to host a memorable meal or incorporate one or two into your menu. The recipes, after the jump.

Would You Rather Eat Mashed or Sweet Potatoes?

partysugar — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 01:30:30 -0700

It's Nov. 1, and I'm happy to say our Thanksgiving coverage starts now! Turkey day is my favorite holiday, and you can rest assured that over the next 26 days we will be providing the best Thanksgiving recipes, tips, how tos, and ideas to make your meal a memorable one. To kick things off I want to know what starchy side - mashed or sweet potatoes - you prefer on Thanksgiving.

Source: Flickr Users bionicteaching and David Boyle

Rainy Day Roast Chicken With Sweet Potatoes and Onions

YumSugar — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:15:39 -0800

This weekend was nothing but rain and the perfect time for comfort food. Browsing through Tyler Florence's Dinner at My Place, I found myself drooling over a whole roasted chicken recipe. Since the weather was bad, I didn't want to leave the house, thus I improvised his recipe with items I already had on hand. Rather than Meyer lemons and fingerling potatoes, I substituted regular lemons and sweet potatoes. I also had a couple of onions, a shallot, fresh thyme, and rosemary lying around, so I threw those into the mix.

With my adjustments and additions, I was thrilled with the final result: a succulent, flavorful chicken and scrumptiously caramelized sweet potatoes and onions. Prep for this delicious dinner is quick, but cooking an entire chicken does take time, be sure to get started early. To brighten your day with this comforting classic, read more.

Roast Chicken With Sweet Potato and Onions
Adapted from Tyler Florence Dinner at My Place

Ingredients

Roast Chicken
1 5-7 pound organic chicken
1 lemon, quartered
5-7 garlic cloves, cleaned
4 to 5 fresh bay leaves
8 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 sprigs of rosemary
2 sprigs of sage
1 shallot, cleaned
Extra Olive Oil
Kosher salt and ground pepper
Sweet Potatoes
2 pounds sweet potatoes, 2 inch chunks
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 fresh rosemary spring, leaves only
1 to 2 lemons, cut in quarters
2 onions, quartered

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Rinse chicken with cool water and pat dry with paper towels.
Season cavity with kosher salt and pepper. Stuff cavity with lemon, garlic, bay leaves, shallot, rosemary, and thyme. Rub outside with oil and season with salt pepper.
Wash sweet potatoes and cut into 2-inch chunks. Toss potatoes and onions with oil. Toss with rosemary, thyme, and lemon wedges in a roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the chicken on top of the sweet potatoes.
Roast for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes or until the juices run clear. (180 Fahrenheit)

Serves 4-6.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Sweet Potato Soup

partysugar — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 07:45:05 -0800

Sick of classic potato soup? Consider this scrumptious recipe for an innovative sweet potato variation. The creamy texture comes from evaporated milk and sautéed leeks provide a mild onion flavor.

This vegetarian recipe is garnished with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, but if you have cheddar cheese and chives on hand use those instead. To learn how to make this mouth-watering and filling puree, read more.

Sweet Potato Soup
From The Nest

Ingredients

1 1⁄4 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tsp. olive oil
2 leeks (white part only), rinsed well and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbl. sugar
4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1⁄2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1⁄4 cup minced fresh basil

Directions

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and pour in enough water to cover. Set pan over high heat, bring to a boil, and let boil until potatoes are fork-tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks, garlic, and sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until leeks soften, about 5 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and broth, bring to a simmer, and let simmer for 5 minutes.
Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth (or use a regular blender, work in batches, and return soup to pan).
Add evaporated milk and simmer for 1 minute to heat through. Season with salt and pepper.
Ladle soup into bowls and top with a sprinkling of Parmesan and basil.

Serves 4.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Chicken With Sweet Potatoes and Chorizo

partysugar — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 06:45:00 -0800

If you're stuck in a boring chicken rut, snap out of it with this flavorful recipe. Chicken is pan-seared and topped with a spicy poblano tomato sauce. Sweet potatoes and chorizo are cooked together until crisp to make a bed for the chicken and sauce.

To learn how to make this exciting dish, read more.

Chicken With Sweet Potatoes and Chorizo
From Rachael Ray

Ingredients

2 poblano chiles
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon chili powder or smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound chorizo sausage, casings removed, meat coarsely chopped
2 sweet potatoes, thinly sliced
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
One 28-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, lightly drained

Directions

Preheat the broiler to high. Broil the poblanos on a pan until charred on all sides, 12 to 15 minutes. Place in a paper bag and let cool for 10 minutes. Peel, seed and chop.
While the chiles cook, season the chicken with the chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper to taste.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook until the fat renders, 2 minutes.
Add the sweet potatoes and yellow onion and arrange evenly in the skillet. Season with pepper and cook for 10 minutes.
Flip and cook, pressing with a spatula, until crisp, 10 minutes more.
Preheat a grill pan over medium-high to high heat.
In a saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil, over medium heat. Add the red onion and garlic; cook until softened, 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, reserved poblanos and salt and pepper to taste; keep warm.
Coat the chicken with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and grill on the hot grill pan for 5 minutes on each side.
Pile the sweet potato mixture on 4 plates, slice the chicken breasts and arrange over the potatoes. Top with the poblano-tomato sauce.

Serves 4.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Halibut With Lentils and Mustard Sauce

YumSugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 06:45:53 -0800

If you're looking to impress on a weeknight, then this seasonal entrée will certainly do the trick. The halibut takes on a French twist when it's served over a bed of sweet potatoes and lentils, and topped with mustard-tarragon sauce. Save a little extra sauce, whisk with olive oil and toss with fresh greens - et voilà! You've got a salad to add to the mix. Get the recipe when you read more.

Halibut With Lentils and Mustard Sauce
From Real Simple

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1⁄4-inch pieces
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 cups green lentils, rinsed (1/2 pound)
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 6-ounce pieces halibut fillet
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 chopped fresh tarragon

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the garlic and sweet potato and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth and lentils and simmer, covered, until the lentils are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the fish with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
In a bowl, whisk together the mustard, wine, and tarragon. Drizzle over the fish and lentils.

Serves 4.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

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Sweet Potatoes on Thanksgiving: Side Dish or Dessert?

partysugar — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 01:30:22 -0800

Source

6 Magnificent Thanksgiving Menus

partysugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 05:30:50 -0800

Turkey day is only one short week away, so if you still don't have your menu planned, I suggest you do it now! Here, I've created six fabulous Thanksgiving menus. From the foodie to the novice to the vegetarian, there's something for everyone. Select a complete menu or pick and choose dishes from each one to create your own delicious meal.

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5 Different Thanksgiving Purées

YumSugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:45:00 -0800

Thanksgiving may be a traditional holiday, but that doesn't mean you're tied to the same old sides. Reinvent a tired meal with new takes on the classic dish known as mashed potatoes. Try blending other root vegetables into the mix, such as sweet potatoes or turnips. Instead of flavoring your mashed potatoes with chives or garlic, embrace seasonal flavors, such as celery root or mushrooms. To learn more, read on.

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