Bonnie's Turkey Day/Winter Holiday Recipe Tips Part II

Other side dish recipes to add to that succulent bird!

Squash Soup
-1/2 c. green onions, chopped
-1/2 c. white onions, chopped
-2 large carrots, sliced or 8 baby carrots, sliced
-1 T. canola oil
-2 c. frozen or homemade baked acorn squash
-6 c. organic or homemade chicken broth
-2 T. fresh parsley
-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
-1/2 tsp. allspice
-dash of sea salt
Directions: saute onions and carrots on oil in a 4-quart pot. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for about 1/2 hour. Puree soup in a blender. For a festive Halloween or Thanksgiving Centerpiece, use a large scooped out pumpkin for a soup tureen or save in individual acorn squash halves. Serves 8

Rice Tabbouleh
-Water and chicken/vegetable broth, equal parts for cooking rice
-1 1/2 c. wild rice, quick-cooking variety
-2 c. medium long grain rice, cooked
-3 T. fresh lemon juice or brown rice vinegar
-1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
-2 garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/8 tsp. salt
-1 c. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
-1/2 c. thinly sliced green onions
-1 c. zucchini (seedless), peeled and cut into small pieces
-1 c. halved grape or cherry tomatoes
-1/2 tsp. salt
Directions: follow package directions for both rice preparations, Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. While rice cools, whisk together lemon juice, oil, and garlic paste in a large serving bowl. Add rice, parsley, tomatoes, zucchini, green onions, and salt. Toss well. Serve at room temperature. Serves 12

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Garlic
4 large sweet potatoes, peeled, and sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds
1/4 c. olive oil (or enough to coat sweet potatoes slices)
10 cloves garlic, peeled
Fresh rosemary sprigs (3-4)
Directions: coat sweet potatoe slices with olive oil on both sides. Place in a pyrex baking dish and place olive oil coated garlic cloves in between sweet potato slices. Add rosemary sprigs. Bake (turning potatoes, if necessary) about 25-30 minutes in a 400 degree oven until tender and crusty.

French Green Beans with Almonds or Peas with Pearl Onions
1 pkg. frozen green beans (fench-cut) or peas with pearl onions
1 tsp. butter
2 T. water
Heat on stovetop or in microwave. Serves 4-6 (Cascadian Farms brand carries both)

Mini Zucchini Muffins
3/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. oat flour
1/2 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs, well-beaten
1/2 c. canola oil
1/4 c. pure maple syrup
1/4 c. unsulphured molasses
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. organic pureed pumpkin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Directions: grease with canola oil spray 3 dozen mini muffin tins. In a small bowl, combine eggs, oil, sweetener, vanilla, and spices. Add slowly to dry ingredients until just blended. Gently blend in shredded zucchini. Pour mixture into muffin tins and bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from tins and cool on wire reack for 2 minutes. Serve warm. Yields 36 mini muffins

Bonnie's Cranberry Sauce
-2 packages fresh cranberries, thoroughly washed with soft ones removed
-2 12 oz. cans frozen organic apple juice
-1 cup water
-1-2 swet apple (fuji, golden or red delicious) peeled and diced or grated
pure maple syrup, optional to taste
Directions: in a large pot with lid, pour in frozen apple juice and wafer. When defrosted (on low temperature), add the cranberries and apple. Bring to a boil, reduce temperature to medium (or medium high) and cover. When cranberries have popped, remove lid, stir, add maple syrup for added sweetness, and cool to room temperature. Cool in refrigerator in glass or ceramic.

Enjoy these at Thanksgiving or other Winter Holidays!