Category Archives: THANKSGIVING DINNER RECIPES

TWO BRIE, OR NOT TWO BRIE: THAT IS THE QUESTION

Whether ‘tis nobler to offer two types of topping when serving brie or suffer the slings and arrows of someone who doesn’t like the one you chose……… (I knew when I decided to start writing on a daily basis, something amazing would happen, but I never dreamed that it would result in me channeling Shakespeare!) Please allow me to begin again using my own voice.

In my opinion, brie is one of the greatest tasting and versatile soft cheeses that is readily available in our super markets today. It can be served very simply by placing it on a plate surrounded by apple slices and buttery crackers. (The brie first being allowed to come to room temperature of course! Cheese is always more flavorful when not straight out of the refrigerator.) Or, and this is how I best like to serve brie, topped with some type of sweet or savory and heated until the cheese is warm and almost runny. Note: Not trying to sound like a cheese snob, I prefer to use French brie or brie made by an artisan cheese maker over some of the brie offered by large domestic cheese producers. Thankfully, Costco and Trader Joe’s often carry French brie. Most of the time it is in round cardboard containers, but often a very large round has been cut into large wedges. Rounds or wedges, it matters not. If it is French, it will be magnifique!

As you can see from the picture above, I prefer to cut my brie into small wedges and lay them ever so lovingly in an oven proof casserole. Then I add whatever topping I have prepared, along with toasted chopped pecans. I know that the presentation would be more traditional if I left the cheese in one piece, but I have found that pre-cutting the brie is much easier for my guests to handle. There is of course the convenience aspect to consider, but there is also the practical reason. Some guests, if left to their own devices, will help themselves to slices of cheese the size of small pieces of cake! So in order to spare my overly zealous guests the indignity of being called to task for their gluttonous behavior, I make sure there are enough servings for everyone by cutting the pieces myself. Ever the thoughtful hostess! Regardless of whether you cut the brie ahead of time, or top the intact round or wedge with the delicious topping ingredients listed below, you are going to love serving baked brie to your guests. It’s easy to prepare, and tastes like a million dollars. And by-the-way, sorry I don’t have a picture to show you of how the brie looked when it came out of the oven. But at the time, I was too busy plating other food to even think about my camera. By the time I remembered that I hadn’t taken a “this is how it looks when it’s ready to serve” picture, the lights were down and my feet were up!

Baked Brie with Curry Powder, Chutney, and Toasted Pecans

French brie
curry powder (like McCormick’s)
chutney (I like Major Grey’s Mango Chutney)
toasted chopped pecans

I purposely have not provided ingredient amounts because everything depends on how much baked brie you are building. Basically you want to cut your brie, place it in an oven-proof container, sprinkle liberally with curry powder, slather with chutney, and decorate with pecans. If you have more than one layer of cheese, decorate the first layer before adding more cheese. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven until cheese is very soft and just starting to melt, about 20-25 minutes. Serve warm with toasted baguette slices or crackers.

Baked Brie with Marmalade, Brown Sugar, and Toasted Pecans

French brie
orange marmalade
brown sugar
toasted chopped pecans

Cut the brie and lay it in an oven-proof dish. In a small bowl, stir together the *marmalade and *brown sugar and slather all over the cheese. Sprinkle with toasted pecans. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven until cheese is very soft and the topping is bubbly, about 15-20 minutes. Serve warm with apple slices, toasted baguette slices and/or crackers.

*Again, as with the recipe for Baked Brie with Curry Powder, Chutney, and Toasted Pecans, the amount, in this case of marmalade, brown sugar, and pecans, depends on how much cheese you are preparing. If for example, you were to purchase about 19 or 20 ounces of brie, you would combine ¾ cup (12 tablespoons) marmalade with 3 tablespoons of brown sugar (a ratio of 4 to 1). If you stick with this ratio, you can prepare as much or as little topping as you need. Top with a sprinkling of as many or as few nuts as you prefer. Or none, for that matter.

ROASTED GARNET OR RUBY SWEET POTATO CHUNKS

Until a few years ago, I only thought about serving sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving and Christmas. And then, only mashed up with butter, brown sugar, and topped with marshmallows. Now don’t get me wrong, I still serve a variation of the above for the holidays, but we now eat sweet potatoes at least once a week. And why? Because we love the flavor and they are good for us.

FYI: Even though garnet and ruby sweet potatoes are often labeled as yams, they are not indeed yams. They are sweet potatoes, and as such are rich in vitamin C, thiamine, niacin and potassium. And although a sweet potato is known to be moderately high in protein, about 5 grams of protein in an 8 ounce serving, as with most plant sourced protein, the proteins in sweet potatoes do not provide all the essential amino acids your body needs. So bear that in mind when you are considering your body’s daily nutritional requirements.

A little bit of history about sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes come in two varieties, firm and soft. The soft varieties such as Garnet, Ruby, and Jewel are easy to find and are perfect when you want a soft and creamy texture. Firmer varieties such as Kotobuki and Yellow Jersey (grown in the Mid-Atlantic States) are favored for Asian and East Indian cuisine. Apparently the term “yam” came into the common vernacular when sweet potatoes were first grown commercially. To differentiate between the soft varieties and the firm varieties, soft sweet potatoes were labeled as “yams”, while the firmer varieties retained the sweet potato name. Today, about 95% of real yams are grown in Asia and Africa. Unless you specifically search for yams, which are usually only found at an international market, you are probably buying sweet potatoes!

(To my mind, the delectable Ipomoea batatas tuber can call itself anything it wants. As long it continues to appear at farmer’s markets, produce stands, and in the produce section of my local grocery store, I will remain a happy camper. And over the next few weeks and months I will share more wonderful recipes for sweet potatoes with you. But for now, give this delightful recipe a try. It is incredibly easy to prepare and even easier to eat.)

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 T. honey
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 large ruby or garnet sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, honey, and olive oil. Add the sweet potato pieces and stir until every surface is lightly coated. Pour onto a parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt and a very light sprinkling of pepper. Bake in the middle of a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 60 minutes or until potatoes are tender and the bottom of each piece is a nice golden brown. Serve hot out of the oven.

BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES

There are few foods as evocative of my childhood as bread and butter pickles. When I was young every holiday meal had to include “the relish tray”. And said relish tray had to offer at the very least black olives, carrot and celery sticks, and pickles. Sometimes the pickles were homemade dill pickles, but more often they were bread and butter pickles, because they were my dad’s favorite. It was always my job to assemble the “tray” which I gladly did with nary a “mom, do I have to?” It was simply the best chore ever! I got to cut the carrot and celery sticks, open the can of olives and drain the pickles. And, I was allowed to arrange the tray any way I wanted! Of course arranging the tray was really the fun part, well that and eating most of the olives and a considerable portion of the pickles before they ever hit the tray! So when I found this simple recipe years later and it didn’t even involve the “C” word (canning), I was very excited. (And yes, I would gladly give credit to the awesome author of this recipe if I had any recollection. But I’m certain that when I saw bread and butter pickles, easy, and 24 hours all in the same sentence, the recipe could have been handed down from Moses for all I would have noticed.) So if you too love a good bread and butter pickle, give this recipe a try. I have actually observed grown men hover over a bowl of these pickles mumbling mine, mine, mine! I could easier accept such behavior from a flock of seagulls, for example, than grown men. But truth be told, I do understand. These lovely pickles are just that good.

2 English cucumbers, partially peeled and thinly sliced
1 ½ T. kosher salt
1 c. thinly sliced yellow onion
1 c. granulated sugar
¼ c. packed brown sugar
1 c. white vinegar
½ c. cider vinegar
1 ½ tsp. mustard seed
½ tsp. celery seed
1/8 tsp. turmeric

Combine cucumber slices and salt in a large non-reactive bowl (glass works best); cover and chill for 90 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain again and return cucumbers to bowl. Add onion. Combine sugars, vinegars, mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric in a medium sized saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugars dissolve. Pour hot mixture over cucumbers and onion; let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. At this point the pickles can be transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. (Good luck on that! They have yet to last that long in our refrigerator.)

PICNIC BUNS

There are just some recipes that bring back memories that make you feel good. This recipe and this way of shaping dinner rolls (my grandmother always called them picnic buns) take me back to my childhood. I grew up on 2 ½ acres in Kenmore, Washington. There were two homes on this parcel of land. One home was occupied by my dad, mom, two younger brothers and me; the second residence belonged to my maternal grandfather and grandmother. We had fruit trees, various types of berries, a couple of cows, a lot of chickens (my grandfather sold eggs for a living), a creek, a copse of trees, and the biggest vegetable garden you could ever imagine. My mom, the dear woman, could not find her way out of a recipe if her life depended on it (in other words, she was not a good cook). And my grandmother, who on a regular basis could not make jello, did make two types of food that were sensational. She made the best bread and pies imaginable. Why she could bake a pie that tasted like heaven and cookies that were almost unpalatable will forever remain a mystery? But her Banana Split Pie and Mince Meat Pie were heaven sent. Also, any kind of bread she baked was perfect in every respect. So in memory of my grandmother, who was patient, loving, taught me to appreciate art, kittens, clouds, and how to bake bread, I offer you her signature rolls. I hope this recipe brings back good memories of special food you too once shared with loved ones.

¼ c. warm water
1 T. or 1 pkg. active dry yeast
¾c. warm, scalded milk (not too warm or your yeasty beasties won’t be happy)
¼ c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 egg, room temperature
¼ c. Crisco (sometimes I use butter – sorry grandma)
3 ½ c. or more flour
Vegetable oil

In a large mixing bowl, (I use the bowl of my Kitchen Aid mixer), combine the water, yeast, milk, sugar, salt, egg, and Crisco. Let proof for about 10 minutes. Add 2 cups of the flour and mix thoroughly. Add enough remaining flour to form a medium stiff dough. Pour about a teaspoon of oil over the dough and roll into a ball. When dough ball is completely greased, cover the mixer bowl with a tea towel, let rise for about 90 minutes or until doubled. Punch down and let rise again until doubled, about 30 minutes. Butter a 9×13-inch pan. Punch down dough again and divide into 18 pieces. (I just squeeze off small balls of dough as I place them into the prepared pan.) Cover with a tea towel again, and let rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until a nice golden brown. Serve warm.

CREAMED SWISS CHARD

Although I have creamed other veggies using this recipe (i.e. spinach, beet greens, and pearl onions), Swiss chard is still my favorite. (Of course it is! It’s the most expensive. Duh!) But regardless of what veggie I use, this preparation turns it into a dish fit for a king, or even one step higher – Mr. C. (It’s incredibly lucky for me that Mr. C. does not read my blog, because if he ever read all the things I tell you about him, he might never speak to me again. He truly does not like being the center of attention.) But putting his feelings aside, I truly do take pleasure in fixing food that I know he is going to enjoy. It’s one of the many joys of being married to such a wonderful man. (This is where you start feeling nauseous or go ahhhhhhh, isn’t that sweet?) Regardless, you are all going to be glad I shared this recipe with you. And no it’s not a new recipe (I’ve been making it for over 30 years), or apt to win me a place in the Julia Child hall of fame (although that would be nice), it’s just one of those recipes that I feel every good cook should have in their repertoire.

2 T. butter
1 large or 2 small shallots, very thinly sliced
1 T. flour
½ tsp. ground nutmeg (dried or freshly grated)
½ tsp. kosher salt or to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 c. milk (preferably whole milk)
1 large or 2 small bunches Swiss chard, ribs removed, leaves roughly chopped

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add shallots and cook only until translucent. There should be no brown on the shallots. Whisk in the flour, nutmeg, salt, and pepper and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and simmer gently until the mixture is thick. Meanwhile, steam the Swiss chard until tender. When the sauce has thickened nicely, add chard and serve immediately.

Note: If you are using spinach or beet greens, use the same amount as the Swiss chard. If you are creaming pearl onions, use 2 small bags from the freezer case.

REFRIGERATOR MASHED POTATOES

So, you might be asking yourself, what the lowly potato, and one made into such a non-gourmet dish as “mashed potatoes” could possibly be doing on the Chez Carr Cuisine blog? After all, isn’t this a blog about fine food, entertaining and “the good life”? Well first of all, let me begin to address your concerns by stating unequivocally, that I love potatoes! And without the ever so comfortable and delectable potato, especially when it is mashed, I’m not so sure my life would be half so good. Now don’t get me wrong. We don’t eat potatoes every day. In fact, they are not Mr. Cs favorite starch. But when I do serve them, especially mashed up with yummy additives, he enjoys them and I totally resemble that cartoon dog that floats in the air whenever he is given a dog bone (I think it was a dog bone). Whatever, you get the picture. I believe the term is rapture. And I guess while I am at it, I should go into full disclosure mode and clear up a misconception some of you might have about me. You may think I am a gourmet, but I am not. I was disqualified years ago when I went public about my passion for cheeseburgers. Not any cheeseburger you realize, but a really good cheeseburger with all the trimmings and a sauce that pulls all the wonderful flavors together. (If the saucy stuff isn’t dripping off my elbows by the time I am half way through the burger, then demerits are given and the maker is out of the will.) I take my cheeseburgers that seriously! So am I the stuff from which gourmets are made, I think not. Are you going to find more recipes like this one on my blog, I think so!

2-1/2 lbs. potatoes, cubed
2 garlic cloves
kosher salt
3-oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 c. sour cream
¼ c. butter, room temperature, divided
2 T. freeze-dried chives, plus more for garnish
freshly ground black pepper
milk

Place cubed potatoes, garlic, and about a tablespoon of salt in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Mash potatoes and garlic cloves together with cream cheese, sour cream, 2 tablespoons of the butter, chives, pepper, and enough milk to bring to desired consistency. Taste and add salt if required. Spoon potatoes into a buttered baking dish, dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. Remove dish from refrigerator 30 minutes or so before you place, uncovered, in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes, or until heated through. Sprinkle with additional chives and serve immediately.

Note: I like to use a combination of red and yellow potatoes in this dish, and depending on how formal the occasion, I decide whether or not to peel the potatoes. (Actually, most of the time I leave the skins on). I like to get as many nutrients in my old body as I can. And potato skins are fairly replete with the same little devils as in the potatoes themselves.

Another Note: This is a great buffet dinner or holiday dish. It can be made well ahead of time, even the day before, and heated just before serving.

GREEN BEANS

Ok, I know what most of you are thinking. What in the name of all things healthy is Patti doing posting a recipe for simple steamed green beans? Hasn’t she got better recipes to offer? Doesn’t she know my time is valuable? But wait, ye of little faith, this is more about procedure than ingredient content. It’s all about making life easier for the person preparing and serving a buffet dinner and as such the first recipe in my DINNER PARTY MENUS series.

Most buffet dinners include, at a minimum, appetizers, a main dish, starchy side, veggie of some sort, salad, perhaps bread, and a tasty dessert. This formula provides plenty of variety and seemingly an easy menu to plan. But if you are like me, the choice of the veggie component can be most vexing. And there is the general appeal of the flavor combinations to be considered. If, for example, you are serving a creamy main dish such as Swedish Meatballs or pasta, the last type of veggie dish anyone would enjoy eating would be one smothered in yet another rich sauce. In fact, most of the time, any main dish or starchy side dish you plan to serve is going to be fairly rich. So, over the years I have learned to serve plain veggie dishes with buffet dinners. And preferably a veggie that can be prepared ahead of time and just heated up at the last minute as in this green bean recipe. So give this recipe a try for your next dinner party. And of course you can use this same method with other veggies such as broccoli or carrots. Just don’t overcook your veggies. Nothing shows off your cooking skills better than a perfectly prepared vegetable. And another little hint. Don’t try to be too precious when serving a buffet dinner. If not all of your guests will be seated at a table, don’t leave the green beans in their original long and lovely state. Do your guests a favor and cut those stunning beauties into bite size pieces. Believe me, it will not change the flavor of the beans, and your guests trying to balance a plate of food, a fork, a napkin and a beverage on their lap, will be eternally grateful that a knife was not required.

2 lbs. green beans, cut into bite sized pieces
butter
kosher salt
juice of one lemon, opt. (don’t even think about using bottled juice – it’s fresh lemon juice or nothin’)

Steam or cook the beans in boiling water until crisp tender. Do not overcook. Immediately pour beans into a colander and spray with cold water until beans are no longer even warm. Allow to drain for a few minutes. Pour into a microwave safe serving bowl and dot with butter. Cover and place in refrigerator until just ready to serve. When ready to serve, warm beans in the microwave (remember, you don’t want them to really cook any more, just get warm). Remove from microwave, sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and drizzle with lemon. Stir and serve. 2 lbs. of beans serves about 20 people nicely.

Note: I love the 2 pound packages of green beans from Costco for a dinner party. They are of uniform length and just the perfect bite size when cut in half.

ROASTED SUGAR SNAP PEAS

I got this quick, easy, incredibly flavorful and healthy recipe from the Love Farm Organics site one day when I was searching the web for a local organic farm that delivered weekly produce boxes. Well they are local if you happen to live in Portland, Oregon, but from the Seattle area, Forest Grove, Oregon (40 miles west of Portland) isn’t exactly “local”. Too bad, I would love to support these farmers. And I would love to have their produce delivered to my home once a week. But alas, great customer service only goes so far – and delivering to my home would certainly qualify as “going too far”. But if you are lucky enough to live near Forest Grove or in the metropolitan Portland area, I would advise you to check out Love Farm Organics. If their produce is as good as their recipes, you are in for a treat.

½ lb. sugar snap peas*, calyx cut off and strings removed, if necessary
2-3 tsp. olive oil
1 T. thinly sliced shallots, rings separated
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
kosher salt

Place sugar snap peas on a medium sized baking sheet. Pour about 2 teaspoons of olive oil over the peas and mix well until every pod is well coated. (Only use more oil if the pods still seem dry or are not evenly coated.) Spread pods in a single layer on the pan. Sprinkle with shallot slices, thyme, and a moderate amount of kosher salt. (It’s easy to over salt this recipe, so go easy.) Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in a pre-heated 425 degree oven until crisp tender. Serve hot or at room temperature.

*Sugar snap peas are a cross between green peas and snow peas. The pods appear quite fat, like they’re ready to burst with large peas, but inside, they’re mostly air, and the kernels are miniscule. Like snow peas, you eat the entire pod. Cut off the calyx (end attached to the stalk), and remove the fibrous strings running down the center. (Note: some varieties are string-less.) You may also see these peas labeled simply as “snap peas” or “sugar peas.”

MARINATED GOAT CHEESE

Whenever I want to make certain that I have prepared an appetizer that almost everyone will adore, it’s off to the mighty goat cheese isle at my grocery store that I go. (Actually, that’s not the whole truth!) Oh, my local grocery store does carry goat cheese logs (now), but they are lovingly enclosed in the tiniest packages you have ever seen; barely visible to the naked eye. So in fact, when I want to serve this appetizer, I have to go off island, drive for many miles to my “local” Costco or Trader Joe’s, to find enough goat cheese (at a reasonable price) to make preparing this dish worthwhile. Because I am here to tell you, no matter how much of this marinated yumminess (my word, don’t bother looking it up) you serve, it will be gone. But, if by some miracle of miracles there is a wee bit left at the end of the evening, you or your spouse (I use the term generically to represent any one else with whom you live) will be happy campers having this available on command in your refrigerator. Nothing makes Mr. C. as happy as a little snack here and there throughout the day. And this cheese spread on a cracker is one of his favorites. I just know there are hobbit genes somewhere in his DNA!

4 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 T. chopped fresh basil or oregano
1 T. chopped fresh chives (opt.)
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
¼ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 (6 oz.) log goat cheese, sliced into 1/3-inch thick slices (dental floss works great!)
lightly toasted baguette slices

In a flat covered container, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, parsley, basil or oregano, chives, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Add cheese slices to oil. Gently turn cheese a couple of times to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days. Serve at room temperature with crackers or baguette slices.

CREAMY CURRY DIP

Almost everyone loves this dip. It not only possesses inner warmth and character, it is beautiful on the outside. (If only people would refer to me the same way!) So when you want to serve a veggie plate that looks like a million dollars, spoon this dip into a “bowl” made from the bottom half of a red pepper. Place the “bowl” in the middle of a good sized plate surrounded by your favorite crudités (fancy French word for raw veggies) and sprinkle everybody with chopped fresh parsley or a sprinkle of paprika.

4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
½ c. low fat sour cream
¼ c. low fat mayonnaise
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. curry powder
½ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. chopped onion

Combine all ingredients in a food processor; whirl until onion all but disappears. Refrigerate at least a day before serving with your favorite veggies.

CHEZ CARR CUISINE

A lighthearted site dedicated to wonderful food, fun entertaining, and to "the good life" in general