Thanksgiving Recipes - Part 1

Spinach Salad with Apples and Feta with Cranberry-Orange Vinaigrette

Salad:
8 cups fresh baby spinach
1 large apple (I used Gala), thinly sliced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 T sugar

Dressing:
1 cup cranberry juice (I used OceanSpray Cranberry-Pomegranite Lite)
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 T dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
S&P

Wash spinach and spin dry. In a small sauce pan, combine cranberry and orange juice and heat to boiling. Stir occasionally, cooking until reduced to about half the volume and cool slightly. Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add pecans to dry skillet with 2 T sugar. Cook until sugar melts and nuts are fragrant, stirring frequently (about 5-7 minutes). Add juice mixture to a small bowl, blender, or food processor. Add mustard, vinegar, and salt and pepper. Blend or whisk until well mixed. Slowly stream in olive oil and continue blending or whisk until combined. Add cranberries, nuts, cheese, and apple slices to salad and toss with as much dressing as desired.

Sage and Onion Stuffing with Mushrooms

6 cups cubed dried bread or stuffing mix (use plain or adjust seasoning as needed)
1-2 cups chicken stock
1 cup celery, finely chopped
1 cup white onion, finely chopped
4 T butter, divided
1 cup mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
10-12 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
2 sprigs of thyme
1 sprig of rosemary, finely chopped

Cook celery, onions, and garlic in 2 T butter over medium heat until softened and onions are translucent. (Can be done in advance if desired). Add bread cubes to a buttered baking dish. Mix in celery and onion mixture, mushrooms, herbs, and egg. Add chicken stock until moistened. Dot with remaining 2 T butter. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees until golden brown on top, about 40 minutes, add more stock as necessary.


Sweet Stuffing with Cranberries, Apples, and Pecans

6 cups cubed dried bread or stuffing mix (I used a mix of honey wheat and white bread)
2 apples, peeled and chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped pecans
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1-2 cups apple cider
4 T butter, divided

Melt 2 T butter and mix with 1 cup apple cider. Mix together bread, apples, cranberries, pecans, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix in butter/cider mixture until well moistened. Dot top with remaining 2 T butter. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes until golden brown. Add more cider as necessary.