A Few of my Favorite Thanksgiving Sides

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roasted autumn veggiesBesides all the traditional dishes of Thanksgiving like stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green beans and cranberries, I like to throw in a few extras, sometimes it’s simply roasted seasonal vegetables.
roasted autumn veggies Different shaped squash, colorful carrots and vibrant greens are the perfect backdrop on a pretty platter, you can roast them ahead of time, reheat in a hot oven and finish them off with a good drizzle of balsamic glaze!

kale and brussel sprouts In my family we all like brussel sprouts in some form or another so I always try to have them on my Thanksgiving table, this year I’m doing a Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad. ( recipe below)kale and brussel sprout salad It’s fresh, crunchy, creamy, slightly sweet with a tiny bit of heat and laced with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, lemon and Marcona almonds and plumped cranberries.

kale and brussel sprout salad I seriously could eat this for lunch everyday, it’s that good! Pull out a large bowl because you’ll be surprised how much it makes with just one bunch of kale and half a bag of brussel sprouts. I encourage you to double the recipe please!cipollini in thyme and parmesan cream Everyone needs a little decadence during the holidays and these Cipollini bathing in Creamy Parmesan and Thyme sauce are the perfect addition to your table, besides they’re small and a few on your plate won’t hurt you! Cipollini are the saucer shaped onions but you can certainly replace them with pearl onions which are even smaller.cipollini in thyme and parmesan cream Roast your onions ahead of time in a 400 degree oven until golden, then place them into a shallow baking dish. Meanwhile in a separate saucepan place 2 cups of cream and three sprigs of thyme, salt and pepper, when cream starts to come to a boil remove pan from the stove and stir in 3/4 cup of grated parmesan, add salt to taste, then spoon it over and around the onions. Sprinkle additional 1/4 cup of grated parmesan on top and place into the oven at 450 for 15 minutes or until the cream has thickened.creamy fennel Creamy Fennel with Parmesan and Thyme, another decadent treat! Prepare it the same way as the onions above, slightly roasting the fennel before hand. I used three bulbs thinly sliced.pumpkin gnocchi I usually make a side of pasta on Thanksgiving and either Butternut squash or Pumpkin Gnocchi is always a wonderful complement to the turkey dinner.butternut squash stuffed shells But my all time favorite are these Stuffed Shells with Butternut Squash, Spinach and Ricotta.  All the flavors of a butternut squash lasagne stuffed into individual pasta shells, one or two on your heavily loaded plate is plenty and there’s no hassle cutting into a big lasagne, what could be better than that?  Happy Cooking!

Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad
 
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch of Tuscan kale, chopped with stems removed
  • ½ lb. brussel sprouts, sliced thin or shredded in a food processor
  • ¼ cup shredded carrots
  • 1 large celery stalk, sliced thin
  • 1 cup of plump dried cranberries
  • ½ cup of Marcona almonds
  • ¾ cup coarsely shredded parmesan cheese
  • FOR THE DRESSING
  • ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 or 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
  • a pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 1 small smashed garlic
  • ½ teaspoon of Dijon mustard
Instructions
  1. Place chopped kale, shredded sprouts, carrots, celery, dried cranberries and almonds into a large bowl, sprinkle cheese all around.
  2. Whisk olive oil, lemon, garlic, red pepper and Dijon together in a smaller separate bowl then toss with the kale and sprout mixture, adding more cheese and olive oil if needed. Cover and refrigerate or eat immediately.
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Comments

  1. Jim Centanni says

    Hi Marie, everything on your post looks great, the pictures are great! I plan on making the Kale & Brussel salad. Do you think it will be ok if I put in brocoli in place of the sprouts? I have everything else, and don’t feel like going shopping again
    I plan on going to Eatitaly NW , maybe you would like to go with me ? I plan on driving and can take 3 other people.

  2. What a great post! I want to make everything!!!

  3. I made this Kale salad today for a church pot luck. It was DELICIOUS…I loved it. And I am so glad I grabbed a bowl of it before the pot luck started because there was NONE left by the time I went through the line!!! thanks for the recipe!

  4. I don’t even know where to start – it all looks fabulous! But the Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad looks like my new lunch…

  5. You are brilliant!!!!! Gave you a major shout out on the blog today! Love all of this!!! xo

  6. I want to come to your house for dinner, Marie. I would like a serving of every one of these scrumptious dishes. I think I’ll start with the salad and move right on to the stuffed shells. Have a great weekend.

  7. You are so good! I am going to make the stuffed shells w/ spinach and squash for the vegetarians! Along with the quinoa salad I make.
    Happy turkey day my friend. xo

  8. Wonderful ideas for Thanksgiving sides and so different from the old familiar. Thanks I’m going to give them a try.

  9. I am going to make some of your veggies. They sure look good. One favor from you. Would you send me your phone number. I want to order your cook books by phone. I do not order anything on my IPAD. I would really appreciate that favor. Thank you, Adele

    • Adele, you cannot order my sauce book over the phone, it’s an ebook and you will receive a link to download on your computer.

  10. This all looks so delicious. I have just started eating raw kale recently. I love the freshness of it all. I will have to add the brussels sprouts along with it. This is a meal even sans turkey.

  11. Wow-what a fab array – these all look so tempting. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Marie. I hope you have a marvelous holiday!

  12. How beautiful. We eat with our eyes first or is it our nose…whatever. This is eye candy that more than hints at the tastes that will come…Can I come to your house for Thanksgiving?

  13. Terri Sonleitner Law says

    Oh my, I’ll have what you’re having! Gorgeous (and tasty) food!

  14. All your Thanksgiving favorites look so tantalizing, Marie! I may make the butternut squash gnocchi if I can find a good gluten free recipe that my daughter-in-law can eat. Roasted vegetables are always so good –everyone likes them and they are low calorie and delicious! Hope you and your family have a very happy Thanksgiving!

  15. Oh Marie – Can I come to your house for Thanksgiving? Forget the turkey. I’ll pig out on all these delicious side dishes. Seriously, I wasn’t planning to make a salad, but I think I’ll steal your idea, for something a little different.

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