My brother hosts Thanksgiving each year, which his poor wife Monica did not bargain for when they got married, given she was then a vegetarian. Of all the holidays to be saddled with, she inherited one that is all about the meat. She has mastered the process like a pro and even eats turkey now.
I was always assigned to the pies. My daughter would help me when she was young, with the Macy’s parade on the TV in the background. As she got older, she stayed out later, and therefore slept later, which I loved. Having the kitchen to myself while the kids slept truly filled my heart, but if I’m being honest, I began to dread pie duty. There is a lot of pressure with pies. The crust needs to be flaky, and the filling can’t be too mushy. Facing down four of these was a lot.
You can imagine my relief this year when Monica said she and her daughter would love to bake the pies if that was OK with me. “Yes, of course!” I told her with a little too much enthusiasm.
I’ve had my eye on this chestnut sausage stuffing recipe from Martha Stewart since 2004 and am excited to give it a try. I do not even like stuffing, but there is something about this recipe that piques my interest. I love chestnuts and think their creamy texture and mildly sweet flavor will be a great complement to the salty sausage.
I have made this colorful winter salad before and it is the perfect side dish, or main dish for any vegetarians at the table. Green apples, red radicchio, orange butternut squash, and white feta make it a much-welcomed burst of color on an otherwise earth toned table. It also adds a nice touch of crisp texture to compliment the mashed potatoes, mashed turnips, and soggy green bean casserole.
I am loyal to favorite family recipes and believe in traditions, but I also think it is great to take opportunities like Thanksgiving to try new things and leave room for new traditions to grow. I love that I have passed the pie baton and can’t wait to see what other fabulous stuffings I unearth in the years to come. One thing is for sure, change is inevitable, and along with the different stuffings, there will be new faces that join the family and always blessings to count.
May your Thanksgiving be filled with all things delicious, old and new traditions, and full of love with family and friends.
Winter Radicchio Salad with Butternut Squash
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, about 1½ lbs., peeled, seeded and cut into ¾ inch pieces
3 Tablespoon good extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 small head of radicchio, leaves torn (about 6 cups)
1 15.5 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed
1 cup crumbled Feta
1 granny smith apple, sliced
¼ cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450ºF. On a rimmed baking sheet toss the squash in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Roast until tender, about 20-25 minutes, tossing once after 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Whisk together the vinegar, dill, remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl.
Add the squash, radicchio, chickpeas, Feta, apple and olives.
Chestnut and Sausage Stuffing
Ingredients:
1 loaf day-old rustic Italian bread (about 1 pound), trimmed of crust and cut into ¾-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
1 pound fresh chestnuts or16 ounces jarred chestnuts available at June & Ho
1pound ground sweet Italian sausage
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 Tablespoon chopped fresh sage
2 Tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Unsalted butter, for baking dish
Directions:
Let bread cubes stand on a baking sheet at room temperature 3 hours to dry.
If using fresh chestnuts, lay each chestnut flat on a work surface, and cut an X on the flat side of shell with a paring or chestnut knife. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Boil chestnuts 2 minutes; remove pot from heat. Remove chestnuts with a slotted spoon; peel away shells. Quarter nutmeat; transfer to a large bowl. Add bread. (If using jarred chestnuts, just add them to the bowl.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sauté sausage in a large pan set over medium heat; crumble with a wooden spatula. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 7 minutes. Add oil; swirl pan. Add onions, celery, and garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, 15 to 17 minutes. Add to bread mixture.
Add wine to pan. Scraping up any brown bits from bottom with a wooden spatula, cook over medium heat until wine is reduced by half. Add to bread mixture.
Add stock to bread mixture; toss. Add thyme, sage, and parsley. Add the salt and season with pepper. Stir in eggs.
To bake stuffing: Place stuffing in a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish; cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes; remove foil. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
To cook in turkey: Stuff as directed. Place remaining 5 cups stuffing in a buttered 8-inch square baking dish; bake as directed above.
