Thanksgiving 2011
Every year I comb through cookbooks and magazines to find a few new recipes to take to our annual family Thanksgiving Day celebration. This year I have found some fun, fresh recipes that I can't wait to try. I'll be posting as I cook over the next 48 hours!
Have questions? Leave a comment below!
First up, the old standbys. The recipes I simply have to take every year. Fresh Cranberry Relish and Apricot Glazed Sweet Potatoes.
Notes on Cranberry Relish.
Some would call it a relish. I like to just eat it as it is, out of my favorite bowl with my favorite spoon, hand over fist, as it were. 
Because cranberries have very little natural sugar, it does require more sugar to make it palatable. However, I did try a batch this year with 1/2 cup sugar and a few drops of stevia, and it's not bad. I'm not one for artificial sweeteners no matter how natural they may be, but if you need to, stevia is one of your best choices.
Fresh Cranberry Relish/Salad
1 package fresh cranberries, washed, drained
1 orange, chopped fine or grated
Zest from the orange
1 apple, cored
1-2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 cup sugar..adjust depending on your taste preference. (You could also experiment with agave nectar or maple syrup.)
1 packet Knox unflavored gelatin, dissolved in 1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup pecans
Using a food processor with a large grater, run through the cranberries, orange and apple.
Stir in the orange zest and celery, then the packet of dissolved gelatin.
Cover and store in fridge. Top with pecans before serving.
Can be made a few days ahead.
#2. Another standby that I make every single year. This recipe originated in the red and white checkboard cookbook..Better Homes & Gardens. Then found it's way into Taste of Home where I found it. No marshmallow goop on my sweet potatoes. For sweet potatoes with no sugar, simply bake them like a baked potato, mash and sprinkle with some cinnamon.
Click on link for recipe.
Note, this can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge, covered with aluminum foil. Then at least 1.5 hours before serving, place in oven and bake until hot and bubbly.
I double the amount of sweet potatoes but only make 1 1/2 times the sauce to go over them if I'm using 1 pan.
Don't over-bake the sweet potatoes. You want them firm, but just cooked through.
Tips
1. Start your holiday cooking with a clean kitchen. I know it's going to get messy, but it's so much better to start with everything cleaned up and in it's place. And if you are cooking a day or two ahead of time, make sure you have sufficient storage space. If it's cold enough, usually not a problem in Nebraska, my mom uses her pickup as an 'extra fridge.'
2. Have a sink of soapy water and wash measuring utensils, bowls, etc. as you use them. Drain on a towel next to the sink.
3. If you are using recipes from several sources, photocopy or print off each one. If you slosh something on it, which you most probably will if you are making several dishes at once, it's no big deal. Toss the paper in the recycling bin when you are done!
4. Ingredients. Are you sure you have everything you need before you start?
5. Peeling sweet potatoes. Whether you bake them or steam them, cover with cold water and peel while hot. The peel comes right off.
Cucumber, Jicama, and Mango Salad
Mollie Katz says, "For folks who like a crunchy texture or who want to avoid fat, this one's a winner." Serves 6
1/4 cup brown rice vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 T. agave nectar
1/2 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 large English cucumber, peeled
1 cup peeled and diced jicama, in 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup diced mango, in 1/4-inch cubes
3 T. coarsely chopped fresh mint (I don't have much mint left..so I'm adding some fresh taragon to this.)
Combine the vinegar, water, agave, lime juice and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a low boil. Cook about 2 minutes, until liquid is clear and slightly thickened. Cool dressing in the fridge about 15 minutes.
If the cucumber has alot of seeds, quarter and scrape the seeds out. I buy the long skinny cucumbers that have little seeds. Slice into 1/2-inch pieces. Combine the cucumber, jicama and mango and the cooled dressing in a bowl and stir well. Stir in chopped mint. (Will store in the fridge for 5-6 days.)
Per serving, this salad is 60 calories, 0.2 g fat.
The flavors will combine better if you prepare this in advance and stir once or twice to make sure the liquid covers all the pieces. It's a very light, fresh tasting salad. If the agave nectar is too mild, you can try a little bit of sugar or honey.
Source: The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen by Rebecca Katz
