9 Energy-Fueled Snacks to Eat While Black Friday Shopping

For many of us, before we’ve even finished wolfing down the last slices of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, we’re thinking about all the deals we’re going to score during Black Friday shopping.

But running through the mall or camping out on a long line to get our hands on some doorbuster deals requires energy—and you’ll need some portable food to provide it.

Sistema KLIP IT BPA-Free Microwave- and Freezer-Safe Food Storage Containers, 3 for $10.93 on Amazon

Securely stash your snacks.

See It

Here are the best energy-fueled snacks to bring along with you so you don’t have to rely on the food court.

Jerky

Chowhound

Jerky is much more than just a gas station snack. In addition to new inventive flavors hitting shelves, the snack provides a hefty serving of protein, which will make sure you’re full as you make your way from store to store. It’s not too hard to make your own jerky, either. Get our Spicy Turkey Jerky recipe.

Nuts

Chowhound

Whether you grab almonds or pistachios, you’ll get a winning combo of fat and protein, which will keep you going for those long checkout lines. You can snag a pre-portioned package before you head out shopping or create your own with a sandwich bag. Get our Spiced Candied Pecans recipe.

Pre-Cut Vegetables

Chowhound

Just because you’re on the go doesn’t mean you have to forego everything green. A small to-go package of pre chopped veggies like carrots or celery along with hummus makes for a mini-meal that can hang out in your bag while you camp out for a new TV. Get our Easy Hummus recipe.

Granola Bars

Chowhound

Use some critical thinking skills when picking out your granola or cereal bars. Nix anything that overdoes it on the sugar (since it will set you up for a crash later) and pick some that have few ingredients and provide a good amount of protein to keep you satiated. Get our Cherry Power Bar recipe.

Popcorn

Chowhound

If you’re killing time waiting for a store to open, you might want to reach for some popcorn to fill you up. It doesn’t require refrigeration, is low calorie (provided it’s not doused with butter) and is the ideal food for waiting. Get our Spicy Cinnamon-Sugar Popcorn recipe.

Trail Mix

Shutterstock

Alright, you’re not exactly headed into the wilderness, but going shopping on Black Friday can be a bit of a jungle. Trail mix is lightweight and easily transportable and can give you the energy you need to hunt through racks of clothes for your size. Skip the sad store bought version and try our Gourmet Trail Mix recipe instead.

Nut Butter

Fit Mitten Kitchen

Looking for a hands-free snack? Then a to-go package of nut butter is the perfect choice. Squeeze packs mean you don’t even need a spoon to get the hit of calories, fat, and protein you need to walk from one side of the mall to the other and back again. But you can also make homemade nut butter. Get this Chai Spiced Almond Cashew Butter recipe.

Kale Chips

Chowhound

No matter if you make your own ( or reach for a package of a ranch or BBQ flavor, kale chips are a better choice than your standard chip. You’ll get a serving of vitamins, along with fiber, which means your hunger pangs won’t distract you from getting that new fancy phone  you’ve been eyeing. Get our Toasted Sesame Kale Chips recipe.

Fresh Fruit

Chowhound

In a pinch, fresh fruit that doesn’t bruise or smush easily is a good choice for an easy to travel snack. Apples provide fiber, while a banana contains a slew of vitamins and can easily be paired with a nut butter packet for a mini-meal. Get our Tropical Fruit Salad with Cacao Nibs recipe.

Related Video: How to Make Basic Popcorn Balls

All featured products are curated independently by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may receive a commission. For more great hand-picked products, check out the Chowhound Shop.

from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2Q415c4
via IFTTT

Best Thanksgiving Vegetarian Dishes

This year for Thanksgiving, show gratitude for the meat avoiders in your life (be they ba-curious, vegetarian, or vegan) and offer them a dish that will make them happy yet still complement the holiday spread. Most of these recipes can be made ahead of time and are so tasty that even the carnivores will want to sneak a few spoonfuls. And whether you’re making stuffing or bread pudding, this 2-quart casserole glass bakeware dish will be your best friend.

Scroll down for the best Thanksgiving vegetarian dishes we could find to plan your big day, and then kick back with your favorite glass of wine. Because you’re definitely going to need it.

1. Roasted Acorn Squash with Wild Rice Stuffing. Wild rice, cranberries, and pecans combine in an autumnal stuffing that’s tasty all on its own. But put it inside a roasted acorn squash, and you have a dish hearty enough to step in as a main.

Make-ahead tip: Make the stuffing up to two days ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Roast the squash and fill it with the stuffing no more than two hours before you plan to eat.

2. Savory Onion and Leek Tart. Imagine French onion soup turned into a tart, and you’ll have an idea of what you’re in for here. With a buttery crust filled with caramelized onions, sautéed leeks, crème fraîche, and herbs, this dish is a welcome change at the holiday table.

Make-ahead tip: Bake the tart up to two days ahead and bring it to room temperature or warm it up when you’re ready to eat.

3. Mushroom and Fennel Bread Pudding. Swap out your boring old stuffing with this hearty bread pudding. With fennel, mushrooms, sage, and cheese, this recipe goes well beyond the Thanksgiving table; serve leftovers with soup and a green salad.

Make-ahead tip: The bread pudding can be baked up to a day ahead. To serve, either allow it to come to room temperature or throw it in the oven after the turkey comes out to warm it through.

4. Savory Egg Pudding. This delicate egg dish—like a crustless quiche with potatoes and herbs—is a fair swap for the turkey. The lemon zest and tarragon give it a springtime slant; consider leaving out the lemon zest and using sage or thyme in place of the tarragon for a more autumnal version.

Make-ahead tip: Bake the pudding up to two days ahead. To serve, either allow it to come to room temperature or throw it in the oven after the turkey comes out to warm it through.

5. Roasted Delicata Squash Salad. Salads often get lost amid the typical Thanksgiving bounty of starch and meat. But the roasted squash in this salad—with ricotta salata cheese, toasted pumpkin seeds, and spinach—gives it a holiday-ish air. Plus, it’s delicious.

Make-ahead tip: Wash the greens up to three days ahead and keep them wrapped in damp paper towels in a resealable plastic bag in your vegetable drawer.

6. Winter Greens Lasagne. If you have enough vegetarians coming over, you may want to make a big pasta dish. This kale-and-Swiss-chard lasagne will fill up the most voracious eater, yet the flavors are sedate enough not to overwhelm the other options on the Thanksgiving table.

Make-ahead tip: Bake the lasagne up to two days ahead and throw it in the oven after the turkey comes out to warm it through before serving.

7. Smoked Cheddar Soufflé. This recipe tames the normally savage, finicky soufflé so you can toss it in the oven while you’re carving the turkey and not think about it until it’s time to eat.

Make-ahead tip: Grate the cheese up to three days ahead and keep it stored in the refrigerator. Let the soufflé cook in the oven while the turkey is being carved, and it will be ready by the time you’re sitting down to eat.

8. Winter Greens Soup. Make a big pot of this nurturing, nourishing, nutritional soup. Its hearty, comforting flavors—from the kale, farro, garbanzo beans, and plenty more vegetables it’s filled with—complement the Thanksgiving table nicely.

Make-ahead tip: Make the soup up to three days ahead and simply warm it through before serving.

9. Celery Root and Squash Gratin with Walnut-Thyme Streusel. Liven up your sides and make something hearty enough for the veggies-only crew with this gratin. With layers of earthy celery root, sweet squash, and nutty streusel, it will offer the turkey some stiff competition for the holiday spotlight.

Make-ahead tip: Bake the gratin up to a day ahead and rewarm it in the oven after the turkey comes out.

10. Broccoli, Mushroom, and Gouda Quiche. Yes, it’s a quiche, and no, you don’t often see quiche as part of a traditional Turkey Day feast. But this sweet, earthy, cheesy quiche is different, and the vegetarians will thank you.

Make-ahead tip: The quiche can be baked up to two days ahead. To serve, either allow it to come to room temperature or throw it in the oven after the turkey comes out to warm it through.

11. Vegan Celery Root Pasta. Okay, there’s no written recipe for this one, but the chef of Avant Garden outlines the relatively simple dish in the video below, and he did give us his Vegan Tsuyu Sauce recipe, which is fantastic for adding deep umami flavor to all sorts of dishes (or just used as a dipping sauce for noodles or dumplings).

For more Thanksgiving tips, hacks, and recipes, check out our Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide.​

All featured products are curated independently by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may receive a commission. For more great hand-picked products, check out the Chowhound Shop.

Related video: Our Favorite Vegetable-Based Thanksgiving Recipes

from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2AsGcNh
via IFTTT

How to Accommodate Vegan Friends During Thanksgiving

Friendsgiving is a festive occasion that should be focused on having fun, giving thanks, and savoring a great meal with friends you love. However, when you’re hosting, it’s also likely you’ll have to accommodate those with dietary restrictions, and vegans can definitely intimidate even the most confident of home cooks. But don’t let the no-animal-foods-no-animal-byproducts mandate paralyze you in the kitchen. Below, a few full-proof guidelines to hosting your vegan friends during the holidays.

Veganize Some Dishes You Already Love

You don’t have to start from scratch when it comes to meal-planning for vegans. Instead, you can probably easily adjust some dishes you were already planning to make. “This will help the vegan guest feel more included and introduce others to something new and healthy,” says Lisa Robinson-Redd of Red Robin Song Animal Sanctuary. “Many times, what is frustrating for a vegan is to see a delicious plate of vegetables and learn it’s almost vegan except for the large dollop of butter. Replace the butter with one of the many healthier plant-based butters, and nobody will know the difference.

Earth Balance Soy Butter

See it ›

Replace Dairy and Eggs with Ease

If side dishes like cornbread and desserts like pudding call for milk, there’s no need to scratch them from the menu. Instead, you can substitute with a non dairy milk. The list is long when it comes to plant and nut based options: oat milk, flax milk, hemp milk, walnut milk, soy milk, almond milk, rice milk, cashew milk.

Eggs, on the other hand, are the only thing standing between many dishes and the vegans who may otherwise devour them. Happily, there are many egg replacements available. Commercial brands like VeganEgg from Follow Your Heart and Vegg, a vegan egg yolk cooking alternative, are so good you’ll never notice the difference.

When veganizing a tried-and-true favorite, take the time to test the modification to your recipe before Friendsgiving. That can help ensure the recipe is as yummy as usual or show you where you need to additionally modify it to make sure it works.

Yellowstone Valley Woman

Ask Your Vegan Friend for Help

If you’re unsure what flies and are relentlessly Googling in the kitchen, simply ask your vegan guest for help with menu-planning. Just be real and let them know any areas you’re struggling with. Besides, it’s better to learn more about the kinds of foods your friend generally likes to eat on Thanksgiving. That way, you don’t make a commercial vegan holiday roast for someone who doesn’t eat processed food.

“One of the best things a host can do for the vegan at their Thanksgiving table is to communicate with them,” vegan composer and performer Michael Harren. “Vegans love talking about food almost as much as they love eating it. Not only will you get some great food ideas, but it will give you a chance to connect with your loved one over something that might have once felt like a big difference between you.”

When talking to your vegan friend, you may also want to ask how much they want to share about their lifestyle and beliefs at the dinner. It can be awkward for some vegans to talk about why they chose to be a vegan (which is inevitably asked) while sitting at a dinner where people are eating meat. However, others love talking about it. Be sure to check in to see whether your vegan friend wants you to bring up the topic during dinner.

Chowhound

Elmhurst Oat Milk

See it ›

Share Vegan Dishes Without an Announcement

The nice thing about serving vegan dishes at your Friendsgiving celebration is that all guests can enjoy them. You don’t need to make a big announcement about which dishes are vegan beyond letting your vegan guest know which ones are safe, which should be done in private before the dinner.

“At our guesthouse, we serve people vegan food all the time who are not used to this lifestyle,” says Robinson-Redd. “They so often comment how surprised they are about how great everything tastes. Depending on your other guests, you may not even want to tell them the dishes are vegan. Only let them know after they tell you how great everything tasted!”

Next Try These Vegan CBD Thanksgiving Cookies

from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2FywMqe
via IFTTT

The Smart Cook’s Guide to Interactive Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is every American’s biggest cooking event of the year, highly anticipated for all its tryptophanorific goodness. There are two ways to enjoy our delicious Thanksgiving menu for 8 to 10 guests that puts seasonality at the forefront (no green beans, no corn).

First, you could do all the cooking yourself, totally stress out while destroying your kitchen and frightening your kids, invite friends over, and try to enjoy along with them. Second, you could invite your friends over, make them cook, and actually enjoy the meal yourself. This is the logic behind the potluck, except in this case—we call it “interactive Thanksgiving”—you’re doing the meal planning and the shopping, but on the big day, you’ll be putting the last-minute touches on the table as you pour yourself (and your friends doing all the grunt work in the kitchen) a second glass of Riesling. After all, you’ve got a lot of eating to do: Make sure you enjoy it.

THE MENU

Puritan’s Pride

Chowhound

This booze-free cocktail is something even kids and nondrinkers can sip at the table. (It’s delicious, too, so even the hardened tipplers around the table will love it.) It’s a fall-friendly mix of cranberry juice, ginger syrup, and fizzy (nonalcoholic) apple cider. (If you’re looking for harder stuff, see Thanksgiving cocktails you can make with your cooking ingredients.) Get our Puritan’s Pride recipe.

Gold Faceted Double Old Fashioned Glasses, 4 for $23.96 at World Market

These gorgeous glasses are perfect for elegantly sipping anything, from wine to water.

See It

Watercress-Walnut Dip

Chowhound

This is like pesto without summer outside the windows. It’s basically more food processing than it is laborious cooking. You stuff a couple of bunches of cleaned watercress in the food processor, add mustard, lemon, garlic, shallots, salt, and walnut and olive oils, and turn the machine on. You’re done. Get our Watercress-Walnut Dip recipe.

Black Pepper Lavash

Chowhound

Here’s where you have to do a little cooking, but it’s totally worth it just to say you’ve made your own crackers. Mix flour, butter, salt, and sugar in a stand mixer, then add water and a beaten egg until you get a nice, smooth dough. Roll out, sprinkle with coarse-ground black pepper, bake, and voila: You’ve made delicious crackers. Get our Black Pepper Lavash recipe.

BBQ Turkey

Chowhound

Here’s where you need to enlist a friend who loves hanging out on the deck, and popping outside every once in a while to lift the lid on the kettle barbecue to check on the turkey’s progress. Find one of your friends who’s a tinkerer, and who will take seriously the job of keeping the coals at a constant 275°F to 325°F. Everybody’s counting on her or him. Get our BBQ Turkey recipe.

Mushroom and Fennel Bread Pudding

Chowhound

Go ahead and call this stuffing if you want to—it’s a delicious, crunchy-topped casserole of diced bread, Pecorino cheese, cremini mushrooms, and fresh fennel, moistened with cream and broth and baked until the kitchen smells even more amazing than it already did. Stuffing, savory pudding—words are unimportant in the face of so much goodness. Get our Mushroom and Fennel Bread Pudding recipe.

Celery Root and Squash Gratin with Walnut-Thyme Streusel

Chowhound

A dish called Celery Root and Squash Gratin with Walnut-Thyme Streusel—you pretty much know what you’re getting, and what you’re getting is going to be delicious. It involves a fair bit of peeling hard squash and celery root, scooping seeds, and slicing thin, but the end result makes every peeler-swipe worth it. Get our Celery Root and Squash Gratin with Walnut-Thyme Streusel recipe.

Chicory, Tangerine, and Pomegranate Salad

Chowhound

The one thing a Thanksgiving table needs is relief: small islands of things that are crisp, cold, fresh, and acidic, to cut through the poultry richness, butter, cream, and extended family proximity. That’s where this beautiful and tasty salad comes in. The chicories supply the right amount of bitterness, and the tangerine segments and pomegranate seeds add key points of juicy-tart sweetnesss. Get our Chicory, Tangerine, and Pomegranate Salad recipe.

Cranberry and Citrus Sauce

Chowhound

Think of this as fruitiness squared (or doubled: math was always our week subject). Cranberries are simmered in the usual cranberry-sauce way, with sugar, orange juice, and some orange zest. But—and here’s what makes this recipe distinctive—fresh grapefruit segments are stirred into the cooked, still-warm sauce, to meld flavors and soften. Get our Cranberry and Citrus Sauce recipe.

Pumpkin Pie with Spiced Crust

Chowhound

Spices in pumpkin pie are essential, but—like a cheese pizza with cheese-stuffed crust—pigging out is not about taking small measures. Here, spices are not only added to the filling for pumpkin pie, they’re lavished on the dough (well, sprinkled into the dough, but whatever). This is pumpkin pie in spice 3-D. Get our Pumpkin Pie with Spiced Crust recipe.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Chowhound

Yes, you can go to the supermarket freezer aisle and choose from, like, nine brands of vanilla ice cream. Non of them, however—not one—would be as good as this simple, creamy, and achingly smooth recipe. It’s heavy with egg yolks, cream, scraped vanilla pods, and holiday intention. Scoop with abandon. Get our Vanilla Bean Ice Cream recipe.

For more holiday hacks, tips, tricks, and recipes, check out our Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide and our Ultimate Friendsgiving Guide too.

Related Video: The World’s Fastest Pumpkin Pie

All featured products are curated independently by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may receive a commission. For more great hand-picked products, check out the Chowhound Shop.

from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2zbu7NA
via IFTTT

How to Start a Wine Collection

Perhaps it was that night you ran out of wine smack in the middle of a great dinner party when the mood was just hitting a nice buzzy point, over candlelight no less. You could have sworn you had another bottle of Malbec, but you forgot you drank that a couple days ago while watching “This is Us” (that show requires alcohol), and now the liquor store is closed and the last drips of that Gamay are swirling around the bottom of empty wine glasses. This is the moment where you envision yourself strolling down to your basement, picking up a great bottle you bought in Spain last year, and saving your dinner party guests from that inevitable party-killing, oh-I’ll-just-have-water-for-the-rest-of-the-evening feeling.

But starting a wine collection isn’t something mere mortals do, right? Wrong. Talk to Richard Hanauer, the wine director at RPM Restaurants, and he’ll tell you wine collecting is completely doable even for us novices who are still storing our reds and whites on our kitchen counters. Below, a guide to starting your own collection and how to actually enjoy it.

I want to start a wine collection, but I have no idea what I’m doing. What do I need to first?

You always want to start with proper storage. Whether you’re building a cellar, buying a small refrigerated unit or using an off-site facility, one cannot start collecting until they know their wines will be safe in a healthy aging environment. Also knowing the size of your storage will give you an idea of maximum possible number of bottles and how much wine to eventually buy.

Stainless Steel 18 Bottle Thermoelectric Wine Cooler, $189.99

Perfect for storing your prized collection

See it

Any rules for beginner wine collectors?

1. Spend wisely. Only invest in expensive wines you know you already like. Experiment with lesser-priced bottles that you’re unfamiliar with.
2. Follow vintages carefully. Greater vintages tend to age better and for much longer. Buying wine from a good house in a great vintage year is a sure thing. As the old adage goes: “In the best years, buy the inferior houses. And in the inferior years, buy the best houses.”
3. Diversity is king. Your palate and tastes evolve throughout the years, meaning that the wine you like most today likely will not be your favorite ten years from now. Food pairings will consistently change; you don’t know the flavor preferences of your guests. Making sure you have wine and styles from all over the world will ensure that you’re set for years to come.

What are some regions or vineyards producing great wines at terrific value that I should be keeping my eye out for?

For white wines, my favorite regions currently are France’s Loire Valley, Australia’s Hunter Valley, Italy’s Verdicchio grape, and the champion German Riesling (if you don’t like sweet wines, it just isn’t for you…yet). No white wine is more prone to a complex aging process than German Riesling.

For reds, Italy’s Piedmont and Tuscany regions make incredible age-worthy wines that don’t always fall into major categories. Instead of Barolo, look for Ghemme, Boca or Gattinara. In Tuscany, instead of Brunello or Super Tuscans, look for Chianti Classico and Rufina. Spain’s Rioja wines seem indestructible and are staples of good aging cellars.   

Sweet wines seem as though they all have a destiny towards long life: the Loire Valley’s Chenin Blancs, Hungary’s Tokaji, and the endless Port and Madeira wines. Some of these are capable of outliving their owners and produce haunting aromas and flavors after decades at rest.    

Shutterstock

What’s the difference between buying wine as an investment and buying lots of good wine you just want to drink eventually?

Buying wine as an investment is a lot like collecting baseball cards—t’s a combination of the card and the condition. The wine has to be in mint condition to trade at the highest value. When buying wine for personal consumption, I’m not concerned with the condition of the label as long as signs of its storage are strong.  

If you just want to drink the wine you collect over the years, what are some guidelines to follow?

Have a plan and make goals. Don’t overload your cellar on wines you don’t like since it minimizes storage. Plan to eventually drink as much as you add once the cellar starts, but plan space for regular drinking as well.

Check in on your bottles and vintages regularly. Don’t hesitate to open bottles before their criticized prime—you’d be surprised that your personal preferences could be for older or younger versions. Make sure that none of your bottles are going to go past their prime. Regular inventories help a lot to remind you of bottles and their ages.

Make sure to celebrate! This is a sad, repetitive component to cellars. Too many have bottles that have passed their prime. Sometimes people can’t justify opening their best bottles, regardless of circumstance. This isn’t what wine is about. You have to celebrate; you have to drink the wines in your cellar. This is why you bought them in the first place!

Related Video: The Best Wines to Bring to Thanksgiving Dinner

from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2zXrZbJ
via IFTTT

Vegan Alternatives to Famous Thanksgiving Dishes

No one likes to hear the words “dietary restrictions” around the time of a holiday that’s literally centered on food, but when setting the table for a mixed crowd, it can be helpful to whip up options that everyone can enjoy. Thanksgiving has never been the vegan-friendliest celebration—the pilgrims were not carving up a tofurkey, for instance—but a little bit of ingenuity can not only make every mouth happy at dinner but also lighten up the meal to leave plenty of room for seconds or dessert (and then seconds of dessert).

If you’ve got a fully vegan crew, then consider your menu planned. If you’re hosting both vegan and non-vegan guests, consider offering some of these plant-based versions of classic Thanksgiving dishes side-by-side. If you’re simply interested in cutting back on dairy, eggs, and meat to make dinner a healthier or more earth-conscious affair, you probably don’t even need to say the word “vegan” when you put these dishes out to share—they’re so good, they don’t need any introduction.

The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook - $21.75

Get even more recipes for the holiday season

See it

Pumpkin Protein Platter

Healthy Happy Life

This recipe is a bit labor-intensive, but hey, so is turkey—all that defrosting and brining and roasting and basting and resting and carving, who wants to go through that trouble? Instead, take the time, energy, and enthusiasm you normally reserve for the bird into mixing up this protein platter of pumpkin-crusted tempeh, quinoa, roasted chestnuts, and roasted pumpkin for a seasonal sensation that will quickly have you thinking, “Turkey? What turkey?” (Bonus: totally guilt-free leftovers for sandwiches the next day.) Get the recipe.

Green Beans with Garlic Mushroom Sauce

Dora Daily

This garlicky-good side dish will make everybody forget the old-fashioned limp green beans with slivered almonds that passes as a “healthy” side at these get-togethers. A creamy mushroom sauce made from non-dairy milk, non-dairy butter, and a tiny bit of flour subs in for a heavy béchamel without sacrificing any of the flavor, and the beans stay crisp enough to remind you that yes, you are in fact eating real vegetables. Get the recipe.

No-Cream Creamed Spinach

Eat Drink Paleo

Another easy way to add some green to the plate is with a heaping helpful of coconut-cream spinach, comfort food at the ultimate. Frozen spinach not only makes this dish a cinch to slap together, but it also gives it that perfect kind of gloopy texture you remember from holidays (and cafeterias) past. Get the recipe.

Sweet Potato Casserole If You Like Marshmallows

I Love Vegan

There are two types of people in this world: Those who like their sweet potatoes with marshmallow, and those who don’t. Thankfully we’ve got both covered: This dish calls for a spiced topping of aquafaba—chickpea-can liquid or pot liquor whipped up into a cream-like foam—that is fluffy, sweet, and as heaven-pillow light as roasted marshmallows, without the icky gelatin. If you like your side dishes to straddle the border between dinner and dessert, this recipe is your ticket to paradise. Get the recipe.

Sweet Potato Casserole If You Hate Marshmallows

Nutritional Foodie

Not into the marshmallow thing? No problem: This nutty, maple-syrup-kissed casserole has the perfect balance of warm homey flavors, slight crunch, and sweet, comforting decadence—no ‘mallows (or substitutes) to be seen. Get the recipe.

Cornbread Stuffing

This Savory Vegan

Jiffy cornbread mix is the secret ingredient to this vegetarian classic, combining the sweetness of corn with the depth of flavor added by the Scarborough Fair flavors of parsley, sage, and thyme. (See below for rosemary, to complete the tune.) Onion and celery add texture, and a bit of imitation-chicken flavor rounds out the “Wait, this is vegan?” surprise. Get the recipe.

Apple-Cranberry Rosemary Stuffing

Cooking Classy

Look, why not have two stuffings on the table? Heaven knows everybody loves stuffing. This sweet-and-savory version combines the tart pop of apples and cranberries with the earthy, herbaceous note of rosemary for a more complex flavor profile that is so good it can almost anchor the plate as a main. Smash leftovers into patties and pan fry them for the perfect griddle cake, topped with poached or fried eggs for your non-vegan morning gang. Get the recipe.

Pumpkin-Cheesecake Pie

Lands And Flavors

Creamy, sweet, luxurious, and the perfect way to end an evening of plant-based indulgence, this show-stopping pie builds on a date-nut crust with a creamy layer of tangy cashew-cheesecake and a classic top of silky pumpkin goodness. Serve with a scoop of vanilla soy or coconut-milk iced cream and a steaming cup of hot coffee, and you’ve simply outdone yourself this year, my friend. Get the recipe.

For more Thanksgiving tips, hacks, and recipes, check out our Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide and our Ultimate Friendsgiving Guide.​

Related Video: Delicious Vegan Friendsgiving Cookies with CBD Oil

from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2yBJO0O
via IFTTT

11 Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes, Traditional to Trippy

It wouldn’t really be a true Thanksgiving without turkey. Unfortunately, it’s often cooked poorly and is not that delicious, but if there isn’t a bird on the table there will be mutiny. So if you’re looking for something new to do to the bird, or for a fool-proof classic recipe, we’ve got you covered. Some add flavor, some cut down the oven time, and some are just fun to try. Just keep it classic for the first year with the in-laws. Then you can fly free and focus on the Thanksgiving sides. 

1. CLASSIC ROASTED TURKEY

This is the bird that is perfect to present to your table of guests. It looks great, you get to admire it through the oven glass, and no one will be disappointed. Total crowd-pleaser.

Propane Turkey Fryer - $89.99

Fry up your turkey this Thanksgiving

See it

2. SMOKED TURKEY

No, not the turkey disaster of ’98, this one is supposed to taste smoky. A great way to get some flavor into the bird and free up oven space, but it’s a strong statement to your guests. Also requires an outdoor grill.

3. TURKEY TWO WAYS (ROASTED BREAST AND CONFIT)

Epicurious

Why cook a turkey one way when you can do two? A gourmet’s alternative to a plain old roasted bird: brined, roasted breast and the legs cooked confit-style. Guaranteed to impress those in-laws.

4. EASY BRINED TURKEY WITH CREAM GRAVY

Serious Eats

Brining a turkey yields consistently juicy, perfectly seasoned results, but the method can seem like an ordeal, hoisting the turkey into a chest cooler to cure out in the garage. Our recipe suggests using your refrigerator’s crisper drawer which makes brining virtually hassle-free.

5. BACON-WRAPPED TURKEY

Bacon has jumped the shark in the food-verse, but probably not in your parents’ house. So why not—on a day dedicated to eating allofthethings—just go for it.

6. DEEP-FRIED TURKEY

Succulent and juicy, with a perfect crispy skin, this one is worth the trouble. It’s fun, it gets everyone outside (and out of the way!) for a bit, and it’s drop-dead easy.

7. TURCHETTA

You know who you are, craft queens and cooking chemistry dynamos. This one’s for you. If you think you might end up with a #nailedit joke, have a backup plan. But if you do pull it off? Heroic and delicious.

8. TURKEY CAKE

I am obligated by my editors to include this one, but please, do not make this. Some creations cannot be unwrought. Have mercy.

9. SPATCHCOCKED TURKEY

For the is-it-done-yet crowd, this is the fastest way to cook your bird in the oven. And the breast stays unfathomably moist while the legs cook through. Pro tip: Get thee some kitchen shears.
Photo/Recipe: Bon Appétit

10. BRAISED TURKEY

Cook your bird low and slow in flavorful stock for a slammin’, nontraditional, but juicy set-it-and-forget-it (at least until after football) approach.
Photo/Recipe: Food Network

11. CONFIT TURKEY

Another long cooking time with miraculous results: Cook your turkey parts overnight in duck fat. Because why not? It’s Thanksgiving after all.
Photo/Recipe: Amateur Gourmet

No matter which you choose, the leftovers will be the best part. Happy Thanksgiving.

For more Thanksgiving tips, hacks, and recipes, check out our Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide.​

Related Video: Easy Roasted Turkey

Photos by Chris Rochelle for Chowhound unless otherwise noted.

from Food News – Chowhound https://ift.tt/2j5Br4h
via IFTTT