Special dishes give meaning to Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving at hand, a few appropriate recipes seem called for, and I’ve been researching files for something special. I re-discovered this recipe which was featured in a column a few years back. It’s exceptional and deserves a repeat. Enjoy!

Autumn Veggie-

Fruit Casserole

Juice and grated peel of 1 orange

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into ½-inch cubes

¾ cup pitted prunes, halved

1 8-ounce can unsweetened pineapple chunks w/juice OR ½ fresh pineapple, peeled, cubed, juices saved for recipe

1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2/3 cup toasted chopped walnuts OR pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil or butter a 13x9-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine the orange juice with the cornstarch; stir to dissolve.

Add grated peel, sweet potatoes, carrots, prunes, pineapple chunks with juice, ginger and cinnamon. Stir and toss well to blend and pour into prepared baking dish.

Cover with foil; bake for 45 minutes, remove foil. Sprinkle with toasted nuts and bake 15 minutes longer, or until veggies are fork-tender and sauce is syrupy.

Serves 8.

If you prefer your fruit in salad form, here’s the perfect solution!

Citrus/Grape Salad

1 large Navel orange

1 medium head of butter lettuce, leaves rinsed and crisped*

1 small head radicchio or Belgian endive, rinsed, crisped

1 cup seedless grapes, red, black, green or mixed

½ cup chopped walnuts

Citrus dressing (recipe follows)

With a sharp knife, cut peel and membrane from oranges; separate and release segments.

Break and tear lettuce and radicchio into pieces, mix together.

Mound into shallow salad bowl and top with orange segments, grapes and walnuts. Drizzle with dressing and salt to taste.

Serves 4.

Citrus dressing: Mix together ¼ cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons raspberry (or red wine) vinegar, ½ teaspoon honey.

* To crisp lettuces, after rinsing and shaking or patting dry, tear into pieces and toss into a grocery-size plastic bag; press out a little air and put bag in refrigerator for 20 minutes to half an hour.

Veggie casseroles seem to always taste better with cheese. Here’s a luscious example that marries well with your main course, be it turkey, ham, salmon or prime rib.

Baked Broccoli

and Cauliflower

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 1 ½-2-quart casserole dish, set aside.

1 medium head EACH of broccoli and cauliflower, separated into small florets, blanched 3 minutes in boiling water to cover, drained.

½ cup EACH minced green and red bell pepper

½ cup chopped green onions w/tops

1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated

1 ½ cups sour cream

1 cup crumbs of crushed garlic croutons (or other favorite crumb topping)

In a bowl, mix ingredients in order given, broccoli and cauliflower, peppers, onions, cheese, sour cream, folding all together well.

Pour into prepared casserole dish and top with crumbs and a good sprinkle of ground pepper. Bake 30 minutes; serve. Delicious!

Of course, spuds are a must, and this heavenly specialty of dearly loved Kath Schuck of Hope graced holiday dinners at Hope Memorial Center for years. It is utterly amazing.

Kath’s Potato

Casserole

12 large spuds, peeled, cooked, mashed

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

8 ounces sour cream

1/3 cup melted butter, or as desired

Fresh parsley flakes

Set oven at 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix the mashed potatoes with the cream cheese and sour cream, until smooth and creamy.

Place in a 9x13-inch baking pan and bake covered for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake another 20 minutes to become golden.

Remove from oven, drizzle evenly with the melted butter, sprinkle with chopped parsley and let people serve themselves right from the pan. The butter melts down into the scooped places and no seasonings are needed, ever!

A Thanksgiving dessert like this ethereal pie points up the true meaning of “something to be thankful for”! Be sure to use only pure maple syrup.

Maple Cream Pie

Pastry dough for a single crust 10-in or 9-inch deep-dish pie

3 large eggs

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1½ cups pure maple syrup

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

½ pint whipping cream for topping

Handful of finely chopped walnuts or pecans for garnish (optional)

Prepare pie crust to fit your large pie plate, trimming edge of dough and leaving a ½-inch overhang. Crimp decoratively and chill, covered, 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Line pie shell with waxed paper and weight with rice or dry beans to ensure even baking. Bake in center of oven 12 minutes.

Remove weights and paper carefully and cool shell in pie-plate on a rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350.

In a bowl beat eggs with an electric mixer until well combined; beat in flour 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until combined well after each addition.

Beat in maple syrup and cream slowly (I do this with a whisk) and pour filling into shell. Bake pie in center of oven about 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool to room temperature then whip the half-pint of cream and top pie with generous dollops to serve.

Sprinkle with chopped walnuts or pecans if you wish.

The happiest of Thanksgivings to all of you; God bless us — every one!

Valle Novak writes the Country Chef and Weekend Gardener columns for the Daily Bee. She can be reached at bcdailybee@bonnercountydailybee.com or by phone at 208-265-4688