Many families cover their Thanksgiving table with the traditional turkey main course and other old fashioned side dishes, and do not get me wrong, they’re down-right delicious. But if you’re feeling unique and adventurous this Thanksgiving, you might want to try one of these recipes that could very well be the next tradition at your family table.
I stumbled across this recipe on ReadersDigest.com, and I am blown away by how yummy it looks and cannot wait to try it.
Autumn Sausage Corn Soup
Ingredients: 3/4 pound fully cooked smoked sausage, sliced1/4 cup all-purpose flour1/4 cup vegetable oil1/2 cup chopped onion1/2 cup chopped green pepper3 green onions, chopped3-1/2 cups water1 package (16 ounces) frozen corn1-1/2 cups cubed fully cooked ham1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepperHot pepper sauce to taste
What to Do:
1. In a large skillet, cook and stir the sausage over medium-high heat until browned; drain well and set aside.
2. In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, cook and stir the flour in oil over medium heat for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Add the onion, green pepper and green onions; saute until tender. Stir in the water, corn, ham, tomatoes, tomato paste, salt if desired, cayenne, hot pepper sauce and sausage. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Serves 11 (about 2-1/2 quarts)
Also from Readersdigest.com, I found an alternative to the sweet- potato casserole many families have each year at Thanksgiving which is topped with marshmallows. If you are a fan of sweet potatoes and yams, you will probably love this unique dish for spiced yams.
Spiced Yams
Ingredients:1/4 cup apple cider2 tablespoons dark molasses 1 tablespoons dark rum 1 teaspoon fresh minced chile pepper 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg2 tablespoons butter 4 yams, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch squares 2 tart apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch squares1/2 tsp. salt
What to do:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine first 6 ingredients. Set aside.
2. Melt butter in large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add yams, tossing to brown. Add apples and toss; remove from heat. Drizzle cider mixture over yams and apples; toss. Sprinkle with salt.
3. Bake until tender, about 15 minutes. Toss every 5 minutes, adding more cider if necessary to avoid sticking. Serves 8
The last recipe for orange-cranberry relish comes from my family and has been a favorite of mine for a number of years. It is so easy to make and tastes great with turkey, not to mention being the perfect alternative to canned cranberry sauce.
Orange Cranberry Relish
Ingredients: One bag fresh cranberries3 medium apples cut up3/4 cup sugarOrange peel (from 1 orange)
What to do:
Grind in food processor. Make two days ahead of time (it gets better while it sits in the fridge). Keep refrigerated.
However your family chooses to spend the holiday together, don’t be afraid to introduce a new dish to the table. It could just be so delectable that your family members ask you to bring it for years to come.