…And Now the Fixins!

Amazing farmers' market produce makes Thanksgiving fixins even better. Photo: erincooks.com; PRK Flickr pool.

For our more or less official Thanksgiving post here at PRK, we asked for the recipes for your favorite fixins, and here they are! A big thanks to everyone who contributed….

Sarah, from Semi-Sweet, sent in her Sweet Potato Casserole. It has a Pecan-Struesel topping and looks great. It can be prepared ahead of time, too, and and baked with the bird to save some counter space (and gravy-makin’ time!)

Reader Jenny made Martha Stewart’s Sour Cream-Thyme Rolls last year. They were so good she said, “Nope!” when her father requested them by mail; she’s angling to lure him back to visit again this year! These rolls look fluffy, light and perfect for mopping up extra cranberry sauce.

Megan, from Delicious Dishings, just made a Potato and Autumn Vegetable Hash, adapted from a November 2009 Bon Appétite recipe. The red and golden beets, yams, russet potatoes, butternut squash and baby spinach are a great mix to serve along with a roast bird. And with their brilliant colors and flavors, this could probably stand alone as a centerpiece dish for a vegetarian Thanksgiving spread, too.

And there’s more! Robin of Doves and Figs added a comment to our original post about sweet potato muffins and baked beans in the fireplace. Yum.

As heard earlier today on Here & Now, resident chef Kathy Gunst gave us her take on Thanksgiving sides. In the below video clip, she demonstrates how to make a quick, easy, elegant dish of green beans with brown butter chestnuts.

As for me, I’ll be making roasted Brussels sprouts à la Mark Bittman to add some green to our table this year. I may start things off with some cubed pancetta (because everything’s better with bacon) but otherwise this is a perfectly minimalist side. The best part might just be that when the halved sprouts are browned and caramelized, the pan can go into the oven at whatever temperature the turkey needs. The sprouts will finish roasting and once they’re pulled, can stay warm in a covered pan until you’re ready to serve them up.

Sue will be making her mom’s Creamed Onions. At least among the grown-ups, she says, it’s a clammered-for family favorite and an annual tradition. Here’s the recipe, as promised.

Happy Eating and Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!! 

Creamed Onions
2 lbs small white boiling onions
2 T unsalted butter
2 T flour
2 cups warm milk (2% or greater)
extra butter for greasing the casserole
½ cup buttered breadcrumbs

Drop the onions into a pan of boiling water; boil for 7-8 minutes or until the onions are just about done. Drain then peel the onions. Make a white sauce with the butter, flour and milk. Grease a casserole dish with butter. Layer the onions and white sauce, starting with the sauce (depending on the shape of the dish, you can make at least two-three layers, ending with the sauce). Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top. Bake in a 350-degree oven for at least 30 minutes, or until the onions are bubbly hot.

Notes: When placing the onions in the casserole, “squirt” them, so that the layers of onions come apart. This will elongate the onions but keep them intact.
- If serving a crowd, increase the amount of onions and white sauce proportionately.
- The onions can be prepared ahead, but make the white sauce just before assembling the entire dish. Increase the baking time if the onions are cold, not room temp.