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WOUB Staff Share Thanksgiving Recipes
By: Kelly Martin
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Last year, I wrote a blog about my favorite (untypical) Thanksgiving dish. This year, I asked WOUB staff to give me some of their favorite Thanksgiving recipes. Here’s a list of some great recipes you may want to try, including a unique cranberry jello salad, a turkey gravy you can make ahead of time to make preparing Thanksgiving a little easier and some vegetarian recipes.
From Kathy Malesick, Director of Corporate Support
Cranberry Jello Salad
1 3/4 C. hot water (total for recipe)
2 small packages of raspberry jello
Crushed pineapple – 1 lb. can
Ocean Spray whole cranberries (sauce not jelly) 16 oz. can
1 C. sour cream
9 x 13 dish
Mix water, jello, pineapple, and cranberries.
Pour 1/2 into dish and let set (in fridge about an hour). Keep other half at room temperature.
After the mixture in the dish has set, then spread the sour cream in the
middle and add the rest of the jello mixture.
Refrigerate.
From Debbie Sillery, assistant to Development/Membership
Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy
You can this recipe before your Thanksgiving, to save time on Thanksgiving day! Put it in your freezer, or refrigerator and warm on Thanksgiving Day.
4 turkey wings (about 3 to 4 lbs.)
2 medium onions
8 cups chicken broth
¾ cup chopped carrots
½ tsp. dried thyme
¾ cup flour
2 tsp. stick butter
½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
Heat oven to 40 degrees. Have ready a large roasting pan, a 5 to 6 qt. pot and 3 qt. saucepan.
Put wings in a single layer in roasting pan, scatter onions on top. Roast 1 ¼ hours, or until wings are browned.
Put wings and onions in pot. Add 1 cup water to roasting pan, stir to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom. Add to pot. Add 6 cups broth (refrigerate remaining 2 cups), the carrots and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered 1 ½ hours.
Remove wings. When cool, pull off skin and meat. Discard skin; save meat for another use.
Strain broth into saucepan, pressing vegetables to extract liquid. Discard vegetables; skim fat off broth. (If time permits, refrigerate overnight so fat that rises to the top solidifies and can be easily removed.)
Whisk flour into remaining 2 cups of broth until well blended and smooth.
Bring broth in saucepan to a gentle boil. Whisk in flour mixture and boil 2 to 5 minutes to thicken gravy and remove floury taste. Stir in butter and pepper.
From Suzanne Borchard, Ready to Learn Coordinator
Cucumber soup
This creamy chilled soup is ideal for entertaining, as it can be prepared well in advance. The refreshing taste of the cucumber is carried by the tofu, which adds substance and stands in for the heavy cream so often called for in similar soups. Whenever I serve this, diners inevitably ask, “Are you sure there isn’t any cream in this soup?”
2 cucumbers
12 ounces soft regular or silken tofu, drained and cubed
1⁄2 sweet onion, chopped
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 to 2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried dill weed, or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
Cut 4 thin slices of cucumber and set aside for the garnish. Peel, seed, and chop the remaining cucumbers.
Put the chopped cucumbers, tofu, onion, lemon juice, garlic, brown sugar and 1⁄4 teaspoon of the dill weed in a blender and process until creamy. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the remaining dill weed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.
About 30 minutes before serving, chill four soup bowls. To serve, ladle the soup into the chilled bowls. Garnish each bowl with a cucumber slice topped with a sprinkling of dill weed. Serve immediately.
Avocado Rolls with Sunflower Seeds
Makes 2 Servings
These versatile roll-ups are perfect for any midday meal, from a casual brunch to an elegant luncheon. They also travel well, making them ideal for packed lunches. Just wrap them in parchment paper and go!
2 whole-grain flour tortillas or wraps
1⁄4 cup store-bought hummus
1 to 2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise (to taste)
4 ounces (5 cups, lightly packed) mixed baby greens
1 avocado, sliced
8 small green or black olives, pitted and chopped (optional)
2 teaspoons raw or unsalted roasted sunflower seeds
Lay the tortillas on a large cutting board. Spread half of the hummus evenly over half of each tortilla. Spread half of the vegan mayonnaise evenly over the other half of each tortilla. Evenly arrange half of the greens, avocado, optional olives, and sunflower seeds over the lower two-thirds of each wrap.
Starting at the bottom edge, roll the tortilla tightly and evenly around the filling. Gently but firmly press the edge to seal the roll. Set the roll seam-side down and cut it diagonally into 5 or 6 pieces. To serve, place the pieces on a plate cut- side down.
Country-Style Red Potato Salad
Makes 4 to 6 servings
No doubt about it, potato salad is perennially popular for picnics and summertime meals. For a more rustic version that’s also more nutritious, try leaving the skins on the potatoes. This recipe is easily doubled or tripled to feed a crowd.
10 to 12 small red potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 large carrots, diced
2 to 3 stalks celery, with leaves, chopped
1⁄2 cup sliced green or black olives
1⁄2 cup vegan mayonnaise, plus more as needed
1 to 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional)
1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
1⁄2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh basil (optional)
Freshly ground pepper Paprika, for dusting
Tomato wedges, for garnish
Dill sprigs, for garnish. Steam the potatoes until tender but still slightly firm, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool until slightly warm. Add the carrots, celery, and olives and stir gently until well combined.
Put the vegan mayonnaise, mustard, Italian seasoning, brown sugar, and salt in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add to the potato mixture and stir gently until well combined. Add the parsley, optional basil, and pepper to taste and stir gently until evenly distributed.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 12 hours. Check the consistency before serving; if the mixture seems dry, stir in a bit more vegan mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon at a time. To serve, sprinkle paprika over the top. Garnish with tomato wedges and dill sprigs if desired.
Carrot and Orzo Soup
Makes 4 Servings
Served with whole-grain crackers or crusty rolls, this light soup makes a great first course or light supper. Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta that cooks up quickly, making it excellent for adding body to soups.
4 cups vegetable broth
1⁄2 cup water
1 large carrot, diced
1 scallion, white and green parts, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon reduced-sodium tamari
3⁄4 cup orzo, preferably multicolored
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
Put the broth and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Stir in the carrot, scallion, parsley, and tamari. Decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 8 minutes. Stir in the orzo and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the orzo and carrots are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with parsley if desired.