Giving Thanks....

for SIDE DISHES!
While Turkey may steal the show, these beauties are hot competition for your heart. Forget the turkey, I'll eat these for dinner.

Butternut Squash Bread Pudding
serves 8
2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 1/2 lbs butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2" pieces (or substitute frozen, cubed squash)
kosher salt
black pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
6 tbsp of flax meal
2 cups of warm milk (rice, soy, almond)
3/4 lb crusty bread cut into 1" pieces (about 7 1/2 cups)
1/2 lb gruyere cheese or cheese substitute grated (2 cups)

Heat over to 375 degrees F. Grease a 2 1/2 or 3 quart baking dish.

In a large bowl whisk together the flax, warm milk and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until soft (4-5 min). Add the squash and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, tossing frequently until tender (8-10 min). Stir in the sage, let cool for 10 minutes.

Add the bread, cheese and squash mixture and toss to coat in the prepared baking dish. Pour milk mixture over the top and let sit for 5 minutes. Bake until golden brown and set, 55 to 60 minutes.


Potato and Celery Root Mash
serves 8
3 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, quartered
1 lb celery root, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1 cup of  warm plain soy creamer or coconut creamer
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives

Place tho potatoes and celery root in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and add 2 tsps salt. Reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Drain and return  vegetables to the pot.

Add the creamer, butter and 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and mash to desired consistency. Sprinkle with the chives.

Bourbon-Cranberry Sauce
serves 8
1 12 oz bag cranberries (fresh or frozen)
3/4 cup cane sugar
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 cup bourbon

In a saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar, apple juice, and bourbon. Simmer with the lid on, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries begin to burst and the sauce thickens, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool before serving.


Sweet Potatoes with Pecans
serves 8
3 tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4" rounds
3/4 cups chopped pecans
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tsps fresh thyme leaves
pinch of cayenne pepper
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Oil a shallow 2 1/2-3 quart baking dish.

In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with 2 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake until tender, 45-50 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the pecans, sugar, thyme, cayenne, the remaining tbsp of oil, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper.

Remove the foil from the baking dish, sprinkle the pecan mixture over the potatoes, and continue to bake, uncovered, until the pecans are toasted 10-12 minutes.


Wild Rice and Mushroom Pilaf with Cranberries
serves 8
1 1/2 cups long grain and wild rice blend
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb mixed mushroom (such as cremini, shiitake or oyster)
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon

Cook the rice blend according to the package directions. Fold in the cranberries, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, 5-7 minutes. Add the mushrooms, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp epper and cook, tossing frequently, until tender, 6-8 minutes more. Add the wine and simmer until evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in the parsley and tarragon. Add the mushroom mixture to the rice and toss to combine.


Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Grapes
serves 8
1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 lb red seedless grapes
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. On a large, rimmed baking sheet, toss the brussels sprouts, and grapes with the olive oil, garlic, thyme, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.Turn the Brussles sprouts cut side down.

 Roast until golden brown and tender, 20-25 minutes.

Pumpkin deliciousness...

This is the perfect fall treat. Enjoy with a cup of coffee and good friends.

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake

Serves 12.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1 cup (2 sticks) of butter at room temp (I prefer Earthbalance butter)

3 cups of spelt flour or all-purpose flour (Gluten-free flour mix works as well.)

5 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 tbsp ground flax meal

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree (or 1 1/2 cups of homemade)

1/2 cup of milk (soy, almond or whole milk)

1/4 cup molasses

Streusel topping:

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces

In a medium bowl whisk the flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, salt and flax meal together. Set aside.

In a large bowl or electric mixer beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high until fluffy. Beat in the pumpkin puree, milk and molasses, this will look curdled and that is okay. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until combined. Do not overmix.

Grease and lightly flour a 12 cup bundt pan.

For the Streusel:

Combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add the small pieces of cold butter to the mixture. Pinch the butter and mixture together with your fingers until it forms crumbles.

Add 1/2 the streusel mixture to the bottom of the bundt pan, top with 1/2 the pumpkin batter, add the last of streusel mixture on top of the batter and top off with the remaining batter.

Bake for 55 to 65 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes and then invert onto a serving plate or wire rack to cool completely.

You can bake this up to 1 day before serving or freeze until ready to eat (just make sure to give it time to defrost).

If you want to get really decadent, top this cake with icing by combining 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar with 2 tbsp milk or water. Drizzle on top of the cooled cake.

Oh FLAX….I purposely forgot the eggs.

stockphoto.com/Eric Naud

Well okay, maybe you didn't forget your eggs, but I don't bake with them, so I did. Flax works amazingly well as an egg replacer. Here is a nifty trick I learned that I think every savvy baker should know. This one is for Angie who asked me what the heck do you do with flax seeds.

Flax Egg-replacer

equivalent to one egg

1 Tbl ground flax seeds

3 Tbls hot water

Whisk the flax seeds and hot water together and let sit until it reaches an egg-like consistency (about 5 minutes). Let cool before using.

Double, triple, or quadruple this recipe as needed for amount of eggs replacing.

1/4 cup (4 Tbls) is equivalent to one egg.

Just tuck this little piece of knowledge into your baking arsenal, you never know when it will be handy!