Our menu included Brined Turkey using the kit from Bed Bath & Beyond, Mashed Potato Casserole, Aleia's GF Stuffing (savory), Pumpkin Pie with GF crust from Jillian's, Sauteed Green Beans and Honey Glazed Carrots with Almonds. We also made GF Turkey Gravy. I have to say that the pie crust for the pumpkin pie was not as good as years past. We tried to brown it by brushing a layer of oil on it. NOT Recommended - it tasted like fried chicken!
The mashed potatoes came out great but I think the asiago cheese was a bit too strong for this meal. I think I should have kept it as mashed potatoes to keep the flavors of the meal more consistent. The bold taste of this dish was overwhelming when eaten with the rich and heavy turkey with gravy.
The stuffing was a bit more crumbly this year than in the past, and I think that had to do with excess of chicken stock I used to make it. Instead of the stuffing getting more flavorful, it just fell apart. I'd keep it pretty consistent to what the recipe calls for.
The honey glazed carrots were new this year. I first dry roasted the almonds in a 12" skillet to give it more of a smoky flavor. It really enhanced the dish. The recipe is from the America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook and is listed below.
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| Honey Glazed Carrots with Almonds |
This string bean dish has become a new staple in my house. So easy to make and very flavorful! You simply need to buy about one pound of fresh green beans, wash them and cut off the ends of each bean strand. Then you heat up a little bit of oil in a 12" skillet and add the beans. Saute them until they begin to get a little brown and then in the center of the pan, add a tablespoon or so of more oil with minced garlic. Let this cook about 30 seconds until it becomes kind of like a paste. Once that is ready, mix it all together and cook for about another minute or two. Remove from the heat and top it off with a bit of lemon juice.
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| Sauteed Green Beans |
Honey Glazed Carrots with Almonds
1 1/2 pounds carrots (about 9), peeled and sliced 1/4 inch think on the bias (slanted)
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
1. Add the almonds to a 12" skillet to dry roast them. Stir them around until they turn light brown in color, about 5-7 minutes.
2. Bring the carrots, broth, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Cover and reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the carrots are almost tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Uncover, increase the heat to high, and simmer rapidly until the liquid measures about 2 tablespoons, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the honey, butter and almonds and continue to cook, stirring often, until the carrots are completely tender and the sauce has reduced to a light golden glaze, about 4 minutes.
4. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
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