OUR SOUTHERN THANKSGIVING

Heat a grill pan to medium heat. Season the steak liberally with salt and pepper. Cook for 6 minutes on each side for medium rare.

*Cook’s Note: If you prefer medium, cook for 8 to 10 minutes per side.

***And if you prefer to grill the steaks, that’s fabulous too! I’d marinate the steaks the night before so they’re not tough. My favorite marinate is:
2 (1 lb) flank steaks
2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup commercial chutney
2 TBSP finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed

Trim excess fat from steaks. Score steaks on both sides and place in large dish or zip lock baggie. Combine oil and remaining ingredients.

Remove steaks from marinade (discard marinade). Grill, uncovered, over hot coals 10-12 minutes on each side (or to desired doneness). 

After grilling or sautéing in the oven, remove from heat, cover with foil to make a tent. Rest for 5 minutes before slicing steak. Cut into 1/8-inch thick slices.

Transfer to a platter and spoon on Gorgonzola Cream Sauce. ***This dish would be great as sliders to serve at a tailgate party!

Gorgonzola Cream Sauce:
Heat a medium size saucepan over medium heat. Add butter to melt. Saute shallots until tender. Add the heavy cream and let reduce by half. Turn heat to low, add the Gorgonzola and stir until it melts. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

KALE SALAD WITH WARM CRANBERRY ALMOND VINAIGRETTE

3 TBSP olive oil, divided
1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
2 TBSP red wine vinegar
2 tsp honey
juice and zest of half a lemon
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 bunch kale, very thinly sliced
1/4 cup sliced almonds
(optional) 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese

Heat 2 TBSP oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add shallot and saute for at least 5 minutes or until tender.

Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Then add cranberries, red wine vinegar, honey and lemon juice and zest, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, toss the kale with olive oil and an extra pinch of salt, and massage kale with your fingers for 1 minute until tender. Add in the cranberry/shallot mixture and almonds, and toss to combine. Serve topped with crumbled cheese if desired.

(Adapted from Plain chicken)

2 large potatoes, scrubbed, NOT peeled though
3 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP Italian Seasoning
1 tsp salt
4 TBSP Parmesan cheese
1 tsp paprika

Slice potatoes into very thin slices (1/4 inch). Toss potatoes with olive oil, Italian seasoning and salt in a ziplock bag to coat.

Turn them out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake at 450 for 15 -20 minutes, until lightly brown. Top with Parmesan cheese, and bake an additional 5 minutes.

ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the tomatoes lightly with olive oil on a sheet pan. Spread them out into one layer and sprinkle generously with kosher salt and pepper.

Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft. Transfer the tomatoes to a serving platter and sprinkle with basil leaves and sea salt. Serve hot or at room temperature.

PUPPY CHOW BARS
(Adapted from dinnersdishesanddesserts.com)

1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups finely chopped dark chocolate (70%), preferably Valrhona (7 ounces)
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1 tsp kosher salt

MAKE THE PRALINE

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes, until golden. Leave the oven on.

In a medium saucepan, combine both sugars with the butter and cream and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture registers 230 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the toasted pecans and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 240°, about 2 minutes longer. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Let the mixture cool down to 210°. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until it stiffens and looks cloudy.

Scrape the praline onto a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Spread in an even layer and let cool.

Transfer the praline to a work surface and coarsely chop.

MAKE THE BROWNIES

Meanwhile, coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with baking spray. In a medium bowl, sift the flour with the cocoa powder and granulated sugar.

In a medium saucepan set over another saucepan of gently simmering water, melt the butter with the chocolate, stirring until smooth, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the eggs with the light brown sugar and salt at medium speed for 2 minutes.

Beat in the dry ingredients in 4 additions, scraping down the side and bottom of the bowl. With the mixer on, drizzle in the chocolate mixture and beat at low speed until well combined. Fold in the chopped praline.

So so so GOOD! We serve them with this mignonette sauce and traditional cocktail sauce along with lots of lemon and saltines.  I’ll probably double this recipe, since we usually inhale it!

3/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar

Stir red wine vinegar, shallot and pepper in a small bowl. Allow a bit of time for the flavors to blend and shallots to macerate—20 minutes will do.

When oysters are all shucked and ready, spoon the mignonette over your individual oyster and devour!

My sister-in-law will do a crudite platter that will surely stun.  Here’s what she did last year:

CRANBERRY SAUCE
I’m doing 2 different cranberry options this year – one cooked and one fresh.  

In a medium saucepan, heat 1/2 cup water with the orange zest, orange juice, sugar and salt over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes. 

Reduce the heat and simmer until the cranberries pop, and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 7 minutes.

Sweeten with more sugar, if desired. Let the sauce cool to room temperature before serving. Chill for up to a week before serving.

I’m not a fan of the canned congealed stuff.  This simple, easy relish fits the bill – fresh, sweet with a little tang and great alongside the turkey Thursday (and on a turkey sandwich on Friday)!

2 (12 oz) bags fresh cranberries

MAPLE-BOURBON BRINED TURKEY

ESCAROLE AND BRUSSELS SPROUT SALAD 

MAKE THE PIECRUST In a bowl, whisk the flour with the brown sugar and salt. Stir in the butter until the dough comes together into a ball. Transfer the dough to a deep 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate. Using your fingers, press the dough over the bottom and up the side of the plate to the rim. Crimp the edge with your fingers or a fork. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to 3 days.

MAKE THE FILLING Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl, whisk both sugars with the flour, salt and eggs until smooth, then mix in the syrup or honey.

Add the bourbon, butter and vanilla and fold in the pecans.

Pour the filling into the chilled crust and transfer the pie to a foil-lined baking sheet.

Cover loosely with foil and bake for 1 hour, until the filling is nearly set.

Transfer the pie to a rack and let cool completely, about 4 hours, before serving. Can make ahead and be refrigerated until ready to serve.  ***Testing note: I made TWO pies and cooked them in the oven at the same time.  IF you do this you will need to increase the cooking time significantly.  I just kept adding 10 minutes and ended up probably going 1 1/2 hours cook time until they were finally set.