Thanksgiving side dishes
Any way you carve it, the big bird will taste even better with these sensational side dishes
Our elegant accompaniments for Thanksgiving turkey are sure to surprise and delight. Choose tender-crisp green beans, sauteed in fragrant nut butter, mellow patty pan squash lavished with a puree of broccoli and Swiss cheese; a tart-sweet harvest wreath salad crunch with apples and walnuts… or any of our other delectable dishes. Each is the perfect partner for the holiday piece de resistance.
Harvest wreath salad
1 package (12 oz.) cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup sugar
Dressing
1/4 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup olive oil
3 large Granny Smith or other tart green apples, cored and cut into small pieces
2 large red apples, cored and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup thinly-sliced green onions
1 head Boston lettuce
1-1/2 cups toasted walnuts
1 tablespoon grated lime peel
In medium bowl, combine cranberries and sugar; toss well. Cover and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight.
Dressing: In small bowl combine lime juice, sugar, mustard and salt. Whisk in oil in a slow, steady stream until dressing is slightly thickened.
In medium bowl, combine green and red apples, celery and green onions. Pour on dressing; toss well. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.
Separate lettuce leaves and arrange on large serving platter. Toss walnuts with apple mixture. Arrange around outer rim of platter. Spoon cranberries in center. Sprinkle lime peel on salad.
Makes 12 servings, 275 calories each.
* Toast walnuts on cookie sheet in pre-heated 375°F oven 5 minutes.
Sausage-stuffed onions
Salt
12 large red or white onions
3/4 pound bulk pork sausage
3 cups cooked rice
1/3 cup chopped parsley
3/4 teaspoon sage
3 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
In large saucepan bring 4 quarts water to a boil with 2 tablespoons salt. Peel onions and add to water; return to a boil and cook 10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Trim bottoms of onions, if necessary, to stand flat. Slice 1/2 to 1 inch off top. With small knife or grapefruit spoon, hollow out onions, leaving a la-inch shell. Chop enough onion centers to equal 1 cup.
Grease a 13×9-inch baking pan; set aside. In large skillet cook sausage until browned, stirring frequently to crumble. Add chopped onion and cook until softened. Remove from heat and add rice, parsley, sage and eggs. Spoon stuffing into onion shells. Transfer to baking pan. Top each with a teaspoon butter.
Pour broth around onions. (Can be made ahead. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before baking.) Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake covered 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more. Makes 12 servings, about 245 calories each.
