4

Killer Thanksgiving Side Dishes

SWEET POTATO SKINS WITH LEMON CREAM AND BROWN SUGAR BACON
Serves 6
Preheat oven 350 degrees

Ingredients:
12 small or 6 large sweet potatoes
Oil
Cream cheese- 2 pkgs
Juice and zest of one lemon
Bacon-1 pound
Brown sugar-3/4 cup, packed
Salt and pepper
Fresh Parsley-chopped for garnish.

Preparation:

Up to two days ahead:
Place sweet potatoes on parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and season
with salt and pepper. Bake for 45 mins-1 hour until potatoes are VERY soft. While they
are baking blend cream cheese, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper completely. Lay
bacon out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle brown sugar over bacon and
press in. Bake approx 15 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Cool completely
and cut in to half inch strips.

Day of:
Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and carefully scoop the flesh out being careful not to
tear the skin. Smear cream cheese mixture in to each skin and top with bacon. Bake
for approx. 15 minutes until skin is crispy around the edges and heated through.



SAUTED GREEN BEANS WITH LEMON AND GARLIC
Serves 6

Equipment:
large saut pan or frying pan.

Ingredients:
Butter-2 Tabsp
Fresh Green Beans-blanched, 3 pounds
Fresh garlic-4-5 cloves

Juice and zest of 2 lemons

Salt and pepper

Preparation:

Cut tips off of green beans and blanche according to instructions for Brussels sprouts.
Dice garlic. Heat butter on a large saut pan. Be careful not to let it brown. Saut garlic
approx 1 minute. Add green beans, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper to taste.
Saut until beans are tender but still bright.


STUFFING TWO WAYS
Serves 6

Preheat oven 350 degrees

Equipment:
Large casserole dish

Ingredients:
For Both

White Onion-1 large
Carrot- 2 medium
Celery-2 large ribs
Fresh Parsley-1/4 bunch
Fresh Garlic-2 cloves
Chicken or turkey stock-1 box
Olive oil- 1/4 cup
Salt and pepper

For sausage raisin-

Unseasoned stuffing cubes- 1 bag
Breakfast sausage-1 pound
Raisins-1 cup
Fresh Sage-1/2 bunch

For Cornbread
Red and green pepper-1 each
Cornbread stuffing-1 bag
Andouille sausage- 1 pound
Dried cranberries- 1 cup
Sugar- 1/2 cup

Cajun seasoning-1-2 teaspoons to taste

For Both Stuffings

Dice onion, celery and carrots ( and peppers for cornbread stuffing) in to small dice.
Chop fresh herbs and garlic fine. Saut and season vegetables with salt and pepper in
olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and fresh herbs according to ingredient list. Saut
another minute. Be careful not to brown garlic. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. In the
same pan crumble the sausage and brown. Transfer to mixing bowl. Add dried fruit
and stock ( and cajun seasoning and sugar). The stuffing should be quite wet. If it
seems dry add a little water. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in to greased casserole
and bake for one hour or until internal temp reaches 160 degrees.



ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BACON AND DRIED CRANBERRIES
Serves 6

Equipment:
Parchment paper
Casserole dish

Ingredients:
Fresh Brussels sprouts, blanched
Dried Cranberries-1 cup
Bacon cooked but stir soft, reserve bacon fat-1 pound
Fresh Garlic-1 clove
Salt and pepper

Blanching:

Peel outside leaves off of sprouts, cut bottom of stem off and cut them in half
lengthwise. Place in a pot of boiling well salted water. Boil for 5-8 minutes. They
should still be bright green but should start to soften. While they boil, set up an ice
bath in a large tub or mixing bowl. Fill tub to about halfway with ice. Add cold SALTED
water. Drain sprouts and put them immediately in to ice bath. Chill completely

Roasting:

Cook bacon on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper in the oven at 350 degrees
until cooked but still soft. Drain on to paper towel. Dice in to 1/2 pieces. Combine
sprouts, garlic, cranberries, bacon, and bacon fat. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in
to a casserole dish. Roast for 30-45 minutes. Sprouts should be tender but still bright
green.