Apples are popular in Thanksgiving dinners. There is quite a variety of them these days. This salad used Honeycrisp apples and an Apple vinaigrette. Other components of this salad include pecans, dried cranberries and bleu cheese.
The final recipe is a regionally flavored cornbread dressing my daughter Marilee first made several years ago and has become a favorite. This is what I call a kitchen sink recipe because it has many ingredients but it is easily assembled.
These recipes can be made a day ahead. Have fun with these fall flavors and have a very happy Thanksgiving!Gran Marnier Cranberry Sauce
12-oz package fresh cranberries
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup water
3 strips of orange peel
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/4 cup Gran Marnier
Orange zest
In a medium saucepan, add cranberries, sugar, water and orange juice. Heat on medium-high until boiling. Stir in orange peel pieces and allspice. Simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Gran Marnier. Cool and let chill for 2 hours.
Honeycrisp Salad
Vinaigrette
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tbl. honey
1 tbl. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Salad
12-oz. package mixed salad greens
3 medium Honeycrisp apples, sliced thin
1 cup pecan halves
3/4 cup dried cranberries
4 oz. crumbled bleu cheese
Using a food processor or blender, add apple juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Drizzle in canola oil until blended.
In a large salad bowl, layer salad greens, apple slices, pecans, cranberries, and bleu cheese. Add dressing before serving.
Tamale Dressing
8 tbl. butter
1 1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups poblano peppers, chopped
3 large jalapeños, chopped
3 tsp. dried sage
1 1/2 tbl. dried oregano
6 cups crumbled cornbread, a 9×13 pan
3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 cup corn chips, crushed
1 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1 can cream style corn
3 cups chicken stock
1 dozen pork tamales, cut in
1 inch chunks
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large skillet, melt butter and add onions, red bell pepper, poblano pepper, jalapeños, sage and oregano. Sauté until vegetables are tender.
Place crumbled cornbread in a large bowl and add softened vegetables. Stir in cilantro, corn chips, corn kernels, creamed corn and chicken stock. Gently add tamale chunks. Blend in but try to not break up chunks. Add salt and pepper.
Place in a greased 9×13 pan. Cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes then remove foil and bake 15 minutes.
Bill Slingerland, a retired teacher who has a passion for cooking, has won awards for his recipes. Contact him at bill. slingerland@yahoo.com.
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