The Recipes: 2020 UMaine Extension Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipe Swap

Exclusively for UMaine Extension Staff: Not a Contest This Month but a Recipe Swap!

vintage image of a Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and side dishes
What is your favorite side dish at Thanksgiving? Try out one or more of the recipes that your Extension colleagues have submitted in the 2020 UMaine Extension Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipe Swap and discover a new favorite!

This year there is a good chance some of us will be cooking for the holidays for the first time in a while, so we asked you to inspire us with your tried and true recipes for us to use for dinner this year.

Fifteen recipes were entered into the swap, enough to make any feast look and taste great.

And be sure to read the story behind the recipes; they all are very interesting!

So, if you’re ready, let’s get ready to cook!


Recipe Table of Contents:


Crab Stuffed Potatoes

recipe cards for crab stuffed potatoes superimposed over a stock photo of potatoes
Crab Stuffed Potato Recipe Cards (click to enlarge).— Photos of cards, Hannah Carter; potato background photo, Pixabay

Submitted by: Hannah Carter

About the Recipe: This is my grandmother’s recipe and she attributes it to Phil Rollins. It is an elegant way to serve potatoes and that says a lot coming from a “County” family.

Serves: 8 | Bake Time: 15 minutes plus potato baking time | Oven Temperature: 350º and 450º F

Ingredients:

  • Four baking potatoes
  • 6 oz. can crab meat
  • ½ c. butter
  • ½ c. light cream
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 4 tsp. grated onion
  • 1 c. grated sharp cheese
  • ¼ tsp. paprika

Instructions:

  1. Bake potatoes in slow oven (Just rub potatoes with olive oil, then pop them into a 350º F oven for up to three hours; it is worth the wait).
  2. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out potato. Set the shells aside.
  3. Beat the potatoes, butter, cream, cayenne, onions, and cheese with mixer until well-whipped.
  4. Gently mix in crab.
  5. Sprinkle with paprika and fill the shells with the mixture.
  6. Heat in 450º F oven for 15 minutes.

Honey Dill Brussels Sprouts

close up of a large amount of brussels sprouts
— Photo, Pixabay

Submitted by: Donna Coffin

About the Recipe: Not many people in my family enjoy Brussels sprouts prepared this way, so I don’t make them often. I think they taste great.

Serves: 8 | Prep Time: 20 minutes plus refrigerate overnight for better flavor

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. fresh Brussels sprouts
  • ½ cup vinegar
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, sliced very thin
  • 1 tbsp. fresh dill chopped (or 1 tsp. dried dill) — use the ferns, not the seed
  • 2 tbsp. honey
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. pepper

Instructions:

  1. Cut large Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise; leave small sprouts whole.
  2. Cook in boiling water for 15 minutes.
  3. Drain well and put in a bowl with a snap-top lid with onion.
  4. For marinade, stir together the vinegar, oil, garlic, honey, salt, and pepper.
  5. Add to sprouts and onions, snap-on lid, and shake.
  6. Refrigerate overnight to develop flavors and serve.

Ramen Noodle Salad

collage of various vegetables used in ramen noodle salad - cabbage, carrots, green onions
Ramen Noodle Salad vegetable ingredients— Photos in Collage, Pixabay

Submitted by: Anne Devin

About the Recipe: My mother used to make this salad, particularly for potlucks. We’ve been eating this since the 1970s! It is usually the first dish to disappear — a mix of sweet, savory, and crunchy. I have to be careful not to fill up on this so that there is room for the main dish at Thanksgiving. The secret ingredient is the ramen noodle seasoning!

Serves: 8 | Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups shredded green cabbage
  • 2 cups shredded red cabbage
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • ½ cup sliced green onions
  • 2 packages of Oriental-flavored ramen noodles, broken into bits, reserve seasoning packets
  • ½ cup toasted slivered almonds
  • 2 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. sugar
  • 2 tsp. black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Place the cabbages, carrots, and green onions in a large bowl.
  2. In a small bowl or dressing cruet, mix together the vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, 1 packet of noodle seasoning, sugar, and black pepper.
  3. In another container, mix the crushed ramen noodles, toasted sesame seeds, and toasted slivered almonds.
  4. When ready to serve, add the noodle mixture and pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture. Toss to mix and serve.

Nana’s Cranberry Spread (Appetizer)

cranberries
— Photo, Pixabay

Submitted by: Cindy Eves-Thomas

About the Recipe: This simple appetizer has made an appearance at every Thomas family holiday gathering for as long as I can remember and is always a popular favorite. It’s easy to make, travels well if dinner isn’t at your house, and can be made a day or two ahead so doesn’t require any last-minute fuss. It’s slightly sweet so is a nice contrast to any savory or spicy appetizers. The recipe originally came from my mother-in-law Jackie Thomas, also known as Nana. It’s been shared widely within the family and now I’m sharing it with you. Enjoy!

Serves: 6 (Recipe can be doubled for large groups.)

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 8-ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • Shake of cinnamon
  • ½ cup dried cranberries, lightly chopped

Instructions:

  1. Beat all ingredients except cranberries in a small bowl until smooth and fluffy.
  2. Stir in the cranberries.
  3. Chill until served. Serve with sturdy crackers or bread.

Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce

apples placed in a glass bowl
— Photo, Alex Gayton

Submitted by: Alex Gayton

About the Recipe: This is actually the first year I tried making homemade applesauce on my own, and it came out great! It’s fun to go apple picking with friends and family in the fall, so I plan to make this a yearly tradition.

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients: 

  • 6 medium apples (peeled, cored, and chopped)
  • ½ cup water or apple juice
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice
  • ½-1 tsp. cinnamon

Instructions:

  1. Rinse, peel, core, and chop apples
  2. Place all ingredients in a medium pot; stir and boil mixture over high heat
  3. Once boiling, turn heat down to low so it maintains a simmer; cover with a lid
  4. Maintain a low simmer for ~30 minutes or until apples are completely soft
  5. Once fully cooked, remove from heat and mash apple mixture with a potato masher (be careful it doesn’t splash on your hands)

Enjoy warm or cold!


Lynne’s No-Fail Gravy

a dish with turkey, stuffing and gravy
— Photo, Pixabay

Submitted by: Lynne Holland

About the Recipe: This is how my Grandma Hay made it. Mom always shooed her mother out of the kitchen and used cornstarch and water instead of the flour/broth mixture to thicken her gravy, but that was cheating. If you are cooking a turkey for 20+ people, it is okay to cheat.

Serves: 10 | Prep Time: 15 minutes active; 2 hours total

Ingredients:

  • 10 oz. sliced baby Bella mushrooms
  • 1-quart turkey stock (I make my own the night before the feast with the “gizzards,” neck, poultry seasoning, 1 each medium onion, 2 ribs celery, and a carrot)
  • Cover the veggies, neck, and gizzards with water and simmer for a couple of hours. Strain into a container.
  • Grind the cooked gizzards if you are going to use them in the gravy otherwise discard or sneak them into the stuffing
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • Drippings from turkey pan with all but 1 tbsp. grease removed
  • 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour

Instructions:

  1. Make broth ahead of time and drain through a strainer into a measuring cup. Reserve half of a cup of broth and keep chilled
  2. When the turkey is out of the oven, put the roasting pan on the burner and put ½ cup water in the pan with the drippings.
  3. Put roasting pan over a medium-low flame and gently warm, scraping all the “brown bits” for about 5 minutes, adding more water to keep it fluid.
  4. When nice and brown, strain this into a large measuring cup and take off all but one tablespoon of the grease that rises to the top.
  5. In the meantime: Put one tbsp. butter in 2 qt. pot and melt.
  6. Gently saute mushrooms in butter; if you want to use the ground gizzards, this is when to add them.
  7. Then add prepared drippings and most of the broth; warm it in the microwave to speed things up.
  8. Stir this together until it is simmering. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
  9. To thicken, take the reserved half of a cup of cold broth and add 2 tbsp. of flour and mix until flour is fully combined. If it looks thin then add more flour.
  10. Turn gravy up to a gentle boil and slowly add about half the flour/broth mixture.
  11. Stir until it begins to thicken. If it takes more than 5 minutes, then add more of the flour/broth mixture and stir vigorously for a minute.
  12. Turn up the heat to medium or medium-high and get the gravy to a good boil. Boil one minute, turn it down to low, and cover until you need it, stirring occasionally.
  13. Just when you think it won’t thicken it does or if not (this is not an exact science) add more of the chilled broth flour mixture and take it back up to a boil.

Sweet Potato Rhumba

a close up of uncooked sweet potatoes at the market
— Photo, Pixabay

Submitted by: Lynne Holland

About the Recipe: This recipe is straight out of my family kitchen from the 1960s when Thanksgiving meant 20+ people with just family. A marshmallow never crossed our threshold at Thanksgiving or gave its life for our table. As kids we felt really grown up having “rum.”

Serves: 8 | Prep Time: 30 minutes active; 2 hours +/- total

Bake Time: 20-30 minutes | Oven Temperature: 350º F

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups mashed, cooked sweet potatoes (approximately four large, peeled, and boiled for about an hour)
  • ¼ cup butter or margarine
  • ½ cup half-and-half or plain liquid non-dairy creamer
  • ½ tsp. nutmeg
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. rum extract or 1 tbsp. rum
  • 1 tbsp. grated orange rind

Instructions:

  1. Set oven to 350º or this can go in when the turkey comes out.
  2. Butter a casserole dish.
  3. Beat all but orange rind together in a mixer. The hot potato should melt the butter.
  4. Sprinkle the orange rind and dot with 1-2 tbsp. of additional butter cut into thin slices.
  5. Bake at 350º for 20-30 minutes.

You can make this the day before, refrigerate, and then bake before serving.


Monkey Bread

cinnamon in sticks and as a powder for baking
Cinnamon is a key component of any good Monkey Bread recipe.— Photo, Pixabay

Submitted by: Kristy Ouellette

About the Recipe: Every Thanksgiving my Aunt Linda would make monkey bread. It was always the highlight of my meal! We also make this for Christmas. This year, I am attempting to make this gluten-free for the first time. I’m happy to share the recipe adjustments if it turns out.

Serves: 10 | Prep Time: 20 minutes

Bake Time: 35 minutes | Oven Temperature: 350º F

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, or as needed

Dough:

  • ¼ cup warm water
  • 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup milk, warmed
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Coating:

  • 1½ cups brown sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup butter, melted

Instructions:

  1. Lightly grease a bundt pan with vegetable oil.
  2. Combine warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar in a large bowl. Let stand until bubbly and foamy, about 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in 1 cup flour, warm milk, egg, 3 tablespoons sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix well before adding the remaining 2½ cups flour. Mix and knead until dough comes together in a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. I like to preheat my oven to 150º, turn it off, and let the dough rise there in the colder months.
  4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and punch down gently to deflate. Divide dough into small or medium balls.
  5. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Dip each dough ball in melted butter, remove with a fork, and roll in sugar mixture until well coated. Arrange in the prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.
  6. Preheat the oven to 350º degrees F.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Invert onto a large plate; cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Grampy’s Stuffing

photo of a food-stained laminated recipe card
Grampy’s Stuffing “Recipe Card” (click to enlarge).— Photo of recipe, Lisa Phelps

Submitted by: Lisa Phelps

About the Recipe: For Thanksgiving and Christmas we had Grampy’s stuffing, which was an all-meat stuffing. At Thanksgiving, we would eat at my great aunt and uncle’s house so my aunt made the stuffing and during the dinner, we would get asked whose stuffing tasted better, my aunt’s or my grandfather’s. At Thanksgiving, I would say my aunt’s stuffing tasted better because we were at her house but at Christmas when we were at my grandparent’s house, I would say that Grampy’s stuffing tasted the best. In truth, I did like Grampy’s stuffing the best and Grampy was my favorite, but I also loved my aunt, too. It always made for some fun times and lively discussions. The recipe pictured here is from when my grandfather was in the hospital about 40 years ago, right before he passed. He dictated the recipe to my mom, who wrote it down on the back of his hospital dinner menu for that day.

Bake Time: 45-60 minutes | Oven Temperature: 350º F

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. beef
  • 1 lb. pork
  • 1 lb. veal
  • Turkey seasoning
  • Salt pork (optional)
  • Small onion, diced and cooked in oil
  • 2 potatoes (cooked and mashed)
  • 2 eggs
  • 16 oz. can evaporated milk

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix the meat together and add in the onion that you cooked with oil in a frypan.
  3. Add the potatoes to the mix.
  4. Add the eggs to the mix and the evaporated milk.
  5. Add the turkey seasoning to taste.
  6. The mix should be loose like a meatloaf.
  7. Place the stuffing mix into a loaf pan or casserole pan.
  8. Cook in the oven for about 45-60 minutes (until the meat is cooked). Although growing up, they cooked the stuffing in the turkey but for food safety reasons, I would not recommend doing that these days.

Sautéed Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

close up of a large amount of brussels sprouts
— Photo, Pixabay

Submitted by: Dana Rickman

About the Recipe: I was looking for a new way to fix Brussels sprouts one Thanksgiving and happened on a recipe for shredded sprouts with bacon, and simply omitted the bacon. These can easily be made vegan by omitting the butter and cheese.

Serves: 8

Prep Time: 15-30 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1½ pounds fresh Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed
  • 2 tablespoons each butter and olive oil, or use 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper or more to taste
  • 2–3 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar, white or brown
  • Grated Parmesan, Romano, or Asiago cheese

Instructions:

  1. Shred prepped Brussels sprouts in food processor with a slicing disk, or slice thinly by hand.
  2. Heat the butter and oil in the largest skillet on hand, preferably with high sides, over medium-high heat.
  3. Add shredded sprouts, salt, and pepper, and sauté for 6–8 minutes, stirring often, until they are crisp-tender and very green.
  4. Remove from heat, stir in balsamic vinegar to taste, sprinkle with grated cheese, and serve immediately.

Sweet Potato and Apple Gratin

a close up of uncooked sweet potatoes at the market
— Photo, Pixabay

Submitted by: Dana Rickman

About the Recipe: My family was very small, and not big on cooking feasts or sharing treasured recipes, so I’ve learned to cook for my own tastes: fairly simple and straightforward so the essence of the ingredients comes through. I’ve discovered that one of the joys of cooking is feeling free to make substitutions according to taste and what’s on hand, and that is why there are so many options given in this dish.

Serves: 8

Prep Time: 30-45 minutes (can be assembled the day before, covered, and refrigerated)

Bake Time: 35-40 minutes | Oven Temperature: 375º F

Ingredients:

  • 4 sweet potatoes, about 3 pounds
  • 2–3 crisp apples (Cortland works well, or Granny Smith), peeled (or leave the skin on if you like), cored, halved, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 4–6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish (Vegan option: use refined coconut oil in 1:1 ratio)
  • 1 cup pecans, hazelnuts, or walnuts, lightly toasted (Nut-free option: sprinkle toasted shredded coconut over the gratin in the last 5 minutes of baking)
  • ½  cup maple syrup, honey, or molasses (or sorghum if you have it)
  • ¼–½  cup light brown, demerara, or turbinado sugar (more or less to taste)
  • ½  teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼  teaspoon ground ginger (or ½ teaspoon grated, fresh)
  • ¼  teaspoon ground mace or nutmeg
  • Pinch salt
  • Optional: 2–3 tablespoons whiskey or dark rum; or use full-flavored fruit juice

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375º F.
  2. Rinse and scrub, then boil, sweet potatoes until just tender (approx. 12–15 minutes). Set aside to cool.
  3. Rinse and prep apples while potatoes boil; toss sliced apples in lemon juice.
  4. Lightly toast the nuts in a sauté pan over med-high heat for approximately 3 minutes, or in pre-heating oven; shake pan occasionally to prevent scorching.
  5. In sauce or sauté pan over med-low heat, combine butter or coconut oil; honey, maple syrup or another liquid sweetener; brown or similar sugar; and spices. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved and all ingredients are well combined, 3–5 minutes. Add the whiskey or rum, if using, and a pinch of salt; or add 2–3 tablespoons apple cider, apple-cranberry juice, or tart lemonade; simmer 3–5 minutes over low heat. Stir in toasted nuts if using. Keep warm over very low heat.
  6. While sauce simmers, peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch-thick round slices.
  7. Butter or oil bottom and sides of an 8-inch-square baking dish, 14-in gratin pan, or similar sized oven-proof pan.
  8. Arrange sweet potato and apple slices, alternating however you like, in the baking dish. Pour warm sauce over the top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and baste the top with the sauce that’s collected in the bottom of the pan; leave uncovered and continue baking until apples and sweet potatoes are soft and glazed, 15–20 min. If using toasted coconut, sprinkle over the dish the last 5 minutes or so of baking.

*If baking a pre-prepped gratin, bring to room temperature and bake uncovered 35–40 minutes, basting occasionally.


Bourbon Cranberry Sauce

cranberries
— Photo, Pixabay

Submitted by: Carla Scocchi

About the Recipe: One year we made a lot of different types of cranberry sauces to accommodate lots of different (strong) preferences from family members; there was whiskey involved in the cooking process. After we made about 6 different types of cranberry sauces (with orange, cinnamon, sugar/no sugar, figs, etc.), we just threw some whiskey into very plain roasted cranberries, and voila! This was the recipe that won everyone over! It is quite good and tastes like tart bourbon.

Prep Time: 1 hour

Bake Time: 45 minutes-1 hour | Oven Temperature: 350º F

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound of cranberries
  • 1 cup of sugar (optional)
  • ¼ cup bourbon or whiskey of your choice

Instructions:

  1. Toss cranberries and sugar (sugar is optional; personally, I prefer very tart sauce so I omit the sugar!)
  2. Bake covered in foil until cranberries are tender (45 minutes – 1 hour).
  3. Stir in bourbon.
  4. Drink the rest of the bourbon.

Aunt Norma’s Pumpkin Roll (Dessert)

close up of pumpkins in a pile
— Photo, Pixabay

Submitted by: Michelle Snowden

About the Recipe: This recipe was a staple at the dessert table for almost every Thanksgiving (and sometimes Christmas) of my childhood. I had originally thought it was my mother’s recipe but turns out it was passed to her from my Aunt Norma. So simple but heavenly and decadent! I looked forward to it as Thanksgiving dessert every year and would try to scavenge a piece to put aside for breakfast the morning after Thanksgiving — a difficult feat as EVERYONE would go after a slice of pumpkin roll when it was brought out. I haven’t attempted making it myself, mostly because I’ve never had a cheesecloth on hand, and I do usually receive requests from the family for other favorites to take to Thanksgiving dinner at my sister’s house.

I’ve been fortunate the past few years to find a pumpkin roll available for purchase on the baked-goods sale table at local church harvest fairs and festivals. However, this might be the year that I give it a try and indulge myself for Thanksgiving dinner at home.

Oh, also, this can be made ahead of time and freezes well, wrapped. Also, a good tip to freeze any leftover IF there are leftovers!

Serves: 12 (approximately, depending on how big you cut the slices)

Prep Time: 45-60 minutes approximately; will need time for roll to be chilled

Bake Time: 15 minutes | Oven Temperature: 375º F

Ingredients:

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • 2/3 c. pumpkin puree (either canned or your own, made from scratch)
  • ½ c. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans), can be omitted
  • ¾ c. flour
  • dash salt
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 t. ground ginger
  • ½ tsp. grated nutmeg

Filling:

  • Two 3 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature (I’m not sure that stores sell cream cheese in the small packages anymore — you may need to use 6 oz. out of a larger package)
  • 1 c. powdered sugar
  • ¼ c. oleo (what is now called “margarine” but I would use butter)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions:

  1. Beat eggs for 5 minutes at high speed.
  2. Gradually beat in sugar.
  3. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice.
  4. Sift dry ingredients and fold into pumpkin mixture.
  5. Place wax paper (or parchment paper?) in a jelly roll pan (sheet pan?), grease (with shortening?).
  6. Spread the cake mixture into the pan and sprinkle on nuts.
  7. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.
  8. Turn cake out on a (powdered) sugar-sprinkled, clean, cotton (or cheesecloth) dish towel. Roll up and cool.
  9. Prepare the filling: beat the four filling ingredients together until they are a frosting-like consistency.
  10. Unroll cake and spread with filling, re-roll. Refrigerate until ready to serve, cutting into slices.

Karen’s Lime Molded Salad (Slime!)

two images - one of a lime cut open and the other of pineapple that has been sliced
— Photos, Pixabay

Submitted by: Michelle Snowden

About the Recipe: I can remember this dish being a part of our family holiday (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, even 4th of July picnics) meals for as long as I can remember — late ’60s/early ’70s when gelatin molds were all the rage and the “height of sophistication!” This dish was mostly made by my sister Karen or my sister-in-law Lanie although I think my mother may have made it a few times and I have even attempted it, once or twice, as I still have a hand-written card in my recipe box of it. Most likely it was a recipe that originally came from a gelatin company and/or has been adapted by my family as I’ve not found it or heard of others making/serving it.

Over the years, it has “lovingly” been called “slime” by most of the children (and even some of the grown-ups) in the family who have been hesitant to give it a try, put off by the green hue and the little lumps of cream cheese and pineapple chunks hidden in the bowl. I’m sure calling it “slime” doesn’t make it appetizing either… but I can assure you, it is delicious!

A hint that it doesn’t work well setting it in a mold as the cream cheese sticks and falls off when the gelatin is unmolded so for the most part, we just serve it in a glass dish. Although gelatin molds are a somewhat outdated concept and not as much in style anymore, I do recommend this dish as it’s similar to having a dollop of cranberry sauce on the plate — it’s refreshing and cuts the richness of the heavy foods of Thanksgiving AND we do have a lot of fun, every year, asking others to “pass the SLIME” (my family being quirky like that). It’s another dish that is good the day after, as well, with leftovers! Can make it ahead of time and easy-to-make too!

Serves: 6-8 (depending upon the spoonful size you dish out)

Prep Time: 15 minutes and chilling/setting time, overnight

Ingredients:

  • 1 small package of lime-flavored gelatin (not sugar-free)
  • ½ c. hot water
  • ¼ c. cold water
  • 1 small can crushed pineapple with juice (1 cup)
  • 1 small (3 oz.) package cream cheese (or use 3 oz. out of a large package)
  • ½ c. whole milk

Instructions:

  • Dissolve gelatin in hot water and cold water, pineapple, and juice in a medium-sized glass bowl.
  • Separately mix cream cheese and milk until smooth (although there can be a few lumps left).
  • Stir this cream/cheese-milk mixture into the gelatin mixture.
  • Place in refrigerator, covered, until gelatin set, overnight is good.

Candied Sweet Potatoes

a close up of uncooked sweet potatoes at the market
— Photo, Pixabay

Submitted by: Fran Sulinski

About the Recipe: This was my favorite Thanksgiving dish by my Italian mom. She learned about it from our southern neighbors in the apartment next door.

Serves: 8 | Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: Broil 15 minutes or until brown | Oven Temperature: Broil at high

Ingredients:

  • 4-6 medium to large sweet potatoes
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 1 cup of brown sugar

Instructions:

  1. Prick each potato and boil until a fork can be inserted easily. They should still be somewhat firm since they will cook further when broiled.
  2. When the potatoes are almost done, melt and combine the butter and brown sugar on the stove over low heat. Pre-heat the oven on broil. This step can be done after the turkey has been removed and is resting.
  3. Remove potatoes and when they can be handled, peel the skins and cut the potatoes into bite-size pieces. Place pieces into a lightly greased baking dish and pour the brown sugar mixture over the potatoes evenly.
  4. Broil until the potatoes are caramelized and not burned. Peek at them during broiling.