Thanksgiving Ideas

Derby Pie

Makes 1 9-inch pie

• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup butter, melted, cooled to room temperature
• 3/4 cup white corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons bourbon
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 deep-dish 9-inch pie shell

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place sugar and eggs in mixing bowl and beat until fluffy. Add vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to slow and gradually add butter and corn syrup, scraping down bowl as needed. Remove bowl from mixer, stir in bourbon, chocolate and pecans.

Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until pie is set, but not firm. It should be brown with a slight jiggle when removed from oven.

Allow to cool completely on wire rack before cutting.

Serve as is or with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

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Spinach Madeline

Makes about 8 servings

• 2 packages frozen chopped spinach
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons chopped onions
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable liquid
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon celery salt
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• Salt to taste
• 1 6-ounce roll of jalapeno cheese, cut into small pieces
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Cayenne to taste
• Buttered bread crumbs (optional)

Cook the spinach according to package directions. Drain and reserve the liquid from the pot. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring until blended and smooth, but not brown. Add the onions and cook until soft but not brown. Add the milk and one-half cup of the reserved liquid from the spinach pot. Stir constantly to avoid any lumps. Cook, stirring, until smooth and thick. Add the seasonings and cheese and stir until the cheese is completely melted.

Pour into a casserole and top with buttered bread crumbs. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven until bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serve warm.

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Collard Greens

Serve 4 to 6

• 3 pounds collards, rinsed, stemmed, chiffonade (sliced into long, thin strips)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar

In large pot bring water and 1 tablespoon of salt to boil, blanch collards for 5 minutes, drain and press out water, let drain in a colander.

In large skillet over medium heat, heat oil and butter, stir in onions and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic, stir until fragrant. Add collards, salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder and vinegar.

Cook for 3-5 minutes, adjust seasoning. Transfer to platter and serve.

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Loaded Butternut Squash Cordon Bleu

Ingredients

• 1 (3 pound) butternut squash
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions, plus more for garnish
• 10 ounces diced smoked ham
• 6 ounces Gruyere cheese, diced
• 2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Slowly and carefully cut butternut squash in half lengthwise, starting at the stem end. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Slice off about 1/8 inch from the bottom of each half to ensure they lay flat while baking. Transfer onto the prepared baking sheet.
3. Place in the center of the preheated oven and roast until tender but not falling apart, 60 to 90 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle. Increase oven temperature to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
4. Use a spoon to scoop squash into a bowl, leaving about 1/2 inch attached to the skin so it won't collapse and fall apart later.
5. Add salt, pepper, Dijon mustard, and egg to squash. Mix and mash with a spoon until smooth, or leave it a bit chunky, if desired. Stir in 1/4 cup green onions, ham, and diced Gruyere cheese; mix until combined.
6. Scoop mixture back into the squash shells, distributing as evenly as possible and top with grated Gruyere.
7. Bake in the center of the preheated oven until cheese is browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and top with green onions. Slice and serve.

Choose a butternut squash with a bottom and top that are about the same size. This will give you more squash and fewer seeds.

Although Gruyere is the classic cheese used in Cordon Bleu, a nice sharp white Cheddar would work out beautifully.

This could also work very nicely as a holiday side dish -- just switch out the ham for some caramelized mushrooms.

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Skordalia (Greek Garlic Potato Dip)

Ingredients

• 1.25 pounds russet potatoes
• 6 cloves garlic, sliced, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
• ½ lemon, juiced
• ¼ cup white wine vinegar
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 drizzle olive oil, or to taste
• 1 pinch minced fresh oregano

Directions

1. Peel and quarter the potatoes and add to a saucepan with enough cold salted water to cover by 1 inch. Place over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and continue to simmer until potatoes are tender, but not falling apart, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. While potatoes are cooking, add garlic and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to a mortar and pestle. Crush into a fine paste and reserve.
3. Drain potatoes, reserving some of the cooking water to thin the dip out with later if desired. Let sit for 5 minutes.
4. Transfer the potatoes to a mixing bowl. Mash with a potato masher or potato ricer until smooth and lump free. Stir in garlic paste. Add lemon juice and vinegar and stir in with the masher.
5. Whisk in 1/2 cup olive oil in 3 or 4 additions. Add cayenne and more salt if needed. Pass dip through a mesh strainer into a bowl. Serve at room temperature, garnished with olive oil and oregano.

You can make this with whatever kind of potato you want, but I highly recommend using a russet.

You can add fresh herbs to this if you like, such as parsley, chives, or dried oregano.

I prefer using a milder, fruity olive oil for this. Dip may be thinned with potato cooking water if needed, depending on the desired thickness; just reserve before draining.

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Roasted Roman-Style Romanesco

Ingredients

• 2 drizzles olive oil, divided, or as needed
• 2 heads Romanesco, leaves and stems removed
• 3 oil-packed anchovy fillets
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (Optional)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• ¼ cup plain dry bread crumbs
• ½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Drizzle olive oil into a roasting pan or baking dish.
2. Cut Romanesco into quarters, being sure to cut directly through the thick center core, so that they stay together when roasted. Set aside until needed.
3. Add anchovies and 3 tablespoons olive oil to a large mixing bowl and use the back of a fork to mash the anchovies into a paste. Add red pepper flakes and lemon juice and stir with a fork to combine.
4. Toss Romanesco in the dressing until the pieces are thoroughly coated. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and 1/2 of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and toss until evenly coated.
5. Transfer Romanesco into the prepared pan, cut side-down. Scrape all cheese and crumbs from the mixing bowl and scatter over the top. Grate the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano to cover the tops and lightly drizzle with olive oil.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is browned and the Romanesco is tender, as tested with the tip of a knife in the cores, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges.

Mash the anchovy filets down to your desired consistency.

Finely crushed garlic can be added to the anchovy and lemon mixture if so desired.