Inspired New Traditions for Your Thanksgiving Feast

With just a few weeks until Thanksgiving, holiday menus are being planned, shopping lists complied and favorite recipes dusted off. It's a time to celebrate family, both chosen and related, and to honor traditions--but what about starting some new ones? As more and more people adopt a casual approach to formerly fancy holiday gatherings, it's a great time to incorporate innovative dishes into your typical fare. And with enough time to experiment, why not add something unexpected to your Thanksgiving spread?

 

Turkey and ham are classic staples, but both can be time consuming to prepare. Consider the cornish game hen, a small chicken perfect for serving 1-2 people, which typically only takes an hour or so to roast. Having smaller sized dishes means you can take a different approach to several, giving your guests a variety of options, such as:

 

Italian Lemon and Herbs

 

Rub the hen with olive oil and sprinkle with dried rosemary, thyme, oregano and basil. Slice a lemon into quarters, dice a handful of onion, and place in the cavity, along with a splash of red wine and a few pats of butter. Place the hen on a baking tray and cook at 375 for about one hour, or until the juices run clear and the internal temperature hits 165.

 

Sweet, Smoky Southern BBQ

 

24 hours ahead of time, rub the hen in olive oil, salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, brown sugar and smoked salt and let refrigerate. The next day, blend two cups of apple cider vinegar, half a cup of your favorite BBQ sauce, two tablespoons of dried onions, a tablespoon of brown sugar, and a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Add a quartered onion, a few garlic cloves and a roughly cut shallot to the cavity. Baste the bird and bake at 375 for an hour, or until the juices run clear and the internal temperature hits 165.

 

For side dishes, think past the standard mashed potatoes and gravy and embrace some new twists on root vegetables.

 

Sweet Potatoes Au Gratin

 

All the deliciousness of yams, but with the gooey indulgence of a casserole! Slice three large yams into medallions and toss in a bowl with salt, pepper, thyme, garlic, sage and olive oil. Add half a cup of shredded Parmesan cheese (or Peccorino) and coat the potatoes evenly. Transfer them to a baking dish and add one cup of milk and a half cup of heavy cream, which should be enough to cover the potatoes. Bake them at 400 for about 30-35 minutes, then remove from the oven, add another half cup of cheese and return to the oven for 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown. Please note, you may need to drain a bit of the milk off after the first 30 minutes.

 

Marsala Potatoes and Cauliflower

 

Bring some spice to the table by cubing three Yukon Gold potatoes. Layer them on a baking sheet with olive oil, salt, pepper and a drizzle of truffle oil. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are just soft. Add one head of cauliflower, chopped into florets, and sprinkle with paprika, Marsala seasoning, ginger, a dash of sugar and smoked salt. Bake for another 20 minutes, until cauliflower is soft.

 

Yes--everyone loves a delicious pumpkin, apple, or cherry pie for dessert, but what about embracing a Southern approach to the classic dish and serving up some bourbon-peach hand pies or "fried" ice cream?

 

New Orleans Style Peach Hand Pie

 

Either make your own favorite crust recipe or save a little time and use pre-made crust and cut it into 4 inch diameter circles, about 1/8 inches in thickness. In a sauce pan, bring about two cans of peaches (or peach pie filling) to a bubble, with a generous dash of bourbon, a few shakes of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg. Then, dish a spoonful of the mixture into the center of each dough circle, dampen the edges with water, and drop into a skillet filled with hot oil. Note: bubbles in the oil should be rolling in order to crisp the pie without soaking it. Turn after about a minute and allow to cook until golden brown. Remove from the oil, dust with powdered sugar, and allow to cool. 

 

Faux Fried Ice Cream

 

Love the taste and texture of fried ice cream, but not the clean up? Mix 2 cups of crushed corn flakes with 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp cinnamon and 2 tbsp of melted butter. Scoop up a dish of your favorite ice cream (we like French vanilla or salted caramel) pack the mixture on top, swirl a coat of chocolate, caramel or strawberry sauce, hit it with a dollop of whipped cream on top and enjoy!

 

Even if you prefer to keep your meal traditional, these additions are great for leftover meals and other holiday gatherings. But whatever graces your table, we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.