Thanksgiving

Amaretto Orange Cranberry Sauce

December 16, 2015 by The Partial Ingredients

For holiday dinners, a bowl of cranberry sauce is the must have side dish. Some would argue that it is actually a condiment for the turkey which I can’t blame them for since they go so well together! Every year I like experimenting with a new variation of the traditional recipe and this year I went with an orange amaretto sauce. Amaretto liqueur’s cherry flavor lends itself well to the tart cranberries and provides depth and complexity to the flavor. I used fresh squeezed oranges and orange zest which gives it a tangier citrusy flavor. I like to scale back the sugar by as much as a 1/4 of a cup and it still winds up being pretty sweet but with an extra kick to it. I did always love sour candy as a kid. Feel free to add as much or more sugar, orange or amaretto as you like–cranberry sauce recipes are easily customizable!
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Lemon & Herb Roasted Potatoes

November 12, 2015 by The Partial Ingredients

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching so I thought I would share one of my favorite ways to cook potatoes. While mashed potatoes are always the tried and true way to go for Thanksgiving there are many other options to try this year. This one pairs great with turkey and most other sides you could think of. When it comes to roasting potatoes I go with the red variety as I prefer the flavor of their skins to russets. I also happen to be a big fan of garlic so this recipe is generous with the stuff. Feel free to cut back if you prefer a milder flavor. Always go with fresh when it comes to the herbs. I chose fresh thyme since it pairs great with just about anything. Feel free to add other herbs, like rosemary, if you like. It’s also important to use a good, coarse sea salt. Normally I’m fine with regular salt in the majority of recipes but when it comes to this recipe I prefer sea salt far and away. I recommend the Celtic variety but Himalayan works nicely too.
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Pumpkin Pie with a Graham Cracker Crust

December 7, 2014 by The Partial Ingredients

I love pumpkin pie and it has been a must for me to make every year for the holidays. Usually I make it with an all butter crust but this year I went with something that adds a bit of texture. The graham cracker allows for a crunchier crust and I would say it compliments the pumpkin pie filling nicely. The filling is deliciously spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger and cloves. Make sure to whip up a batch of fresh whipped cream for topping and serve with vanilla ice cream.
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Bourbon Vanilla Cranberry Sauce

December 7, 2014 by The Partial Ingredients

There are so many ways to tinker with the traditional cranberry sauce for the holidays, the options feel practically endless! This time for Thanksgiving I decided to take it up a notch by adding bourbon and vanilla extract to the cranberries. You can’t really go wrong with bourbon, right? Something about the flavor came through the nose more than the taste buds. You could smell the bourbon and vanilla, but you tasted the flavor of the cranberries. Similar to wine, you could say that these cranberries had a “nose.” I loved the way these cranberries came out and they will definitely become a holiday staple!

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Classic Cornbread Muffins

November 25, 2014 by The Partial Ingredients

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching and there are so many different side dishes that accompany the big meal! Many tables feature rolls as a side dish but I thought it would be nice to try a slightly more rustic cornbread recipe. The muffins are surprisingly not too crumbly and retained a good amount of moisture on the inside. The outside was golden and just slightly crusty on top. Slightly sweet, not too crumbly and a pretty yellow color makes for a nice display on any Thanksgiving table! Slice open a warm muffin and pair with butter or a healthy dollop of cranberry sauce–or if you’re gunning for a food coma make it both!
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Roasted Winter Vegetables with Butternut Squash

November 2, 2014 by The Partial Ingredients

Well it’s November and officially a few weeks away from Thanksgiving! This recipe is a great side dish for the holidays even though it’s difficult to think they are right around the corner. I even saw some Christmas commercials come on the other day which was pretty hard to believe. This recipe combines potatoes, beets and butternut squash tossed in olive oil and roasted with garlic and fresh herbs. It doesn’t get much easier than that! The flavors from each vegetable came together perfectly. Works well as a holiday side dish but is great for any time of the week during the winter.
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Italian Sausage and Apple Stuffing

December 28, 2013 by The Partial Ingredients

There are lots of ways to make a great stuffing for the holidays and this one uses hot Italian sausage and granny smith apples to kick things up a notch. The combination of the softened tart apples and spicy crumbled sausage was so delicious! Instead of leaving the bread out over night or using a toaster the bread cubes are baked in the oven until brown and slightly crispy. Everything is combined in a bowl and then baked in the oven once more. So easy and a great side dish for the holidays!…

Maple Cinnamon Cranberry Sauce

December 1, 2013 by The Partial Ingredients

Every year as Thanksgiving gets closer I look forward to trying out new ways to serve cranberry sauce. This year I chose a cranberry sauce flavored with cinnamon and maple syrup. I also added a little brown sugar instead of white sugar to give it a little something different. The sauce turned out excellent and the flavors of maple and cinnamon were delicious together! I served this alongside my Thanksgiving staple, Gingered Cranberry Sauce, so I got a chance to compare and contrast. I liked both a lot and they each complimented the turkey perfectly.

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Turkey Sausage Soup with White Beans and Wild Rice

November 29, 2013 by The Partial Ingredients

After Thanksgiving the food fest continues with new ways to make tasty leftovers! This recipe uses sausage but can be substituted for leftover turkey instead. It’s a perfect comfort food recipe as the days get colder and the nights get longer. It didn’t take long to throw together either! The beans, wild rice and corn made it a very hearty meal. I had never used turkey sausage in soup but it added some really nice flavors. I used a homemade chicken broth instead of store bought which enhanced the flavor of the soup quite a bit. The rice absorbs a lot of the broth so make sure to have extra on hand to add in later.

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Roasted Sweet Potato Soup with Smokey Croutons and Greek Yogurt

November 3, 2013 by The Partial Ingredients

What better way to enjoy the Fall weather than with a warm bowl of sweet potato soup? A lot of sweet potato recipes go on the sweet side but this recipe heads in the savory direction. There’s no added sugar or sweeteners which is refreshing because sweet potatoes are sweet (duh) as it is! All you need is some spicy flavors to contrast with the potato’s flavor. The soup is flavored with turmeric and smoked paprika, along with the smokey croutons and creamy greek yogurt. I really liked the contrast between the crunchy croutons and the soup. I garnished the soup with greek yogurt and cilantro. Lime and honey are also optional garnishes. I will definitely be making this a lot on the colder days this season!

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