36 The Courier sun • THANKSGIVING • november 13, 2014 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com thanksgiving Fresh flavor with new uses for seasonal ingredients When the weather cools, do your cravings turn toward peppermint? Or perhaps the approaching holidays are priming your palate for pumpkin and gingerbread. Some flavors and ingredients just seem to go naturally with the season. While time-honored culinary traditions will always have a place in our seasonal celebrations, mix things up this year by using familiar ingredients in non-traditional ways. From snack foods to main dishes, a variety of ingredients s can lend themselves to culinary exploration this holiday season. Here are a few ideas to help you get creative with well-loved traditional ingredients: Not just for snacking Sure, you’ve heard of replacing bread crumbs with crumbled crackers in holiday recipes, but did you know pretzels can punch up a variety of seasonal dishes? From pumpkin muffins that get a savory spike to savory turkey stuffing, pretzels can add flavor and interest far beyond the snack bowl. Pretzels make a great ingredient not only for their familiar, appealing flavor, but also because they’re naturally low in fat and calories. Sprouting creativity Few foods shout “fall” and “holidays” as clearly as pumpkin. Whether perched on your front step as a jack o’ lantern or gracing your holiday buffet in pies and muffins, pumpkin is a quintessential ingredient of the season. But when it comes time to incorporate pumpkin in your holiday meal-planning, it pays to look beyond the pie plate. Pumpkin can serve as a basis for appetizers, sides and main dishes. From soups to pasta, casseroles to omelets, pumpkin is a nutrient-rich, flavorful ingredient. Cavorting with candy Candy corn to candy canes, candy treats make the final months of the year that much sweeter. Peppermint is, of course, to the holidays as elves are to Santa, but don’t imagine that this versatile mint flavoring is only appropriate in candies and pricey coffee shop mochas. Paired with garlic, fresh peppermint leaves add zing to pastas. Mystified as to what to do with leftover Halloween candy corn or candy pumpkins? Try adding them to your s’mores. What would holiday baking be without chocolate? But Americans’ second-favorite flavor can also pop up in main dishes, like chili, sloppy joes, chicken and salmon. Sweet harvest time Apples are a favorite fall harvest fruit, and what better way to make them the start of fall celebrations than by putting some on a stick and dipping them in caramel? Yet neither ingredient - apples or caramel - need be limited to the realm of sticky treats. In addition to apple pie, popovers and cake, you may have experienced apple in stuffing. Yet apples play well with a host of other flavors, including main dish staples of the holidays, like turkey, pork, chicken and even beef. Caramelization as a cooking process turns veggies like carrots and sweet potatoes into yummy side dishes. But caramel can also enhance main dishes, like pork chops, cod or chicken. Try this savory recipe for pretzel stuffing: Pretzel Stuffing Ingredients: 1 6-ounce package of long grain or wild rice, prepared according to package directions 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms, sauteed 1 medium onion, chopped and sauteed 1 12-ounce package link sausage, browned and cut into 1/4-inch pieces 2 cups sourdough pretzels, broken into 1/2-inch pieces, crumbs removed 4 cups stuffing croutons, seasoned or unseasoned 1 cup chicken broth, added to out-of-bird stuffing only Salt, pepper and sage to taste Directions: Combine all ingredients in a very large bowl and fill chicken or turkey cavity. Place remaining stuffing in a casserole dish, add chicken broth and baste with pan drippings or chicken broth. Cover with foil and place in oven for one hour. Remove cover 10 to 15 minutes before end of cooking time to create crispy texture. Courtesy BPT “Relax While The Turkeys Are Cooking…” Thanksgiving Feast $21990 FOR 10 Order your Feast by Sunday, November 23, 2014 and get 2 BUY-1-GET-1 FREE On-Card Meal Coupons* valued at over $40 on your Ben’s Friends Preferred Patrons Club card. ENTREE SIDE DISHES ACCOMPANIMENTS Roast Turkey Dinner Including Homemade Soup & Soft Drink $2499 Kid’s Turkey Feast Including Soft Drinks & Dessert $999 Seatings at 1:00, 2:30, 5:00 & 7:15 p.m. in all locations. (No 7:15 p.m. seating in Manhattan.) Larger Parties Accommodated • Reservations Recommended QLI *BUY-1-GET-1 Offer Not Available In Boca Raton, FL. Dining Rooms Are OPEN Thanksgiving Day © 2014 Ronald M. Dragoon BonusBonus Whole Roast Turkey (15 lb. avg.) Ben’s Own Stuffing & Gravy 1 qt. Cranberry-Pineapple Compote 1 qt. Fresh-Cut Cole Slaw Assorted Relish Tray CHOICE OF TWO Roasted Red Potatoes with Garlic & Rosemary Thyme Baked Yams Fresh String Beans Almondine Fruit Noodle Pudding Sweet Potato Pudding Mashed Potatoes EXTRA GOODIES — EXTRA COST 4 quarts Chicken Soup & 12 Matzo Balls ............................................... $45.99 Turkey Gumbo Soup ............................................................................... $8.99/qt 4 dozen Franks-In-Jackets and/or Mini Knishes .................................. $25.99 Grilled Vegetable Platter ........................................................................... $49.99 Mini Potato Pancakes with Applesauce ........................................... $10.80/dz 10” Apple Pie & 1 lb. Rugalach ................................................................ $35.98 Fresh Fruit Salad Bowl .............................................................................. $29.99 Izzy’s Fight http://www.gofundme.com/eqn78g Please help us and support Izzy’s Fight! Izzy is a beautiful little 7 year old girl, who lives in Bayside, NY. She is a 2nd Grader at Sacred Heart School. Izzy is fi ghting a fi ght no child should ever have to fi ght; she has a cancerous brain tumor. Izzy had a brain surgery back in August, unfortunately, the doctors could not remove the entire tumor and she still has a small piece in her brain. The surgery left Izzy’s vision compromised and we pray that her vision will return. We started a fundraiser to help Izzy and her family pay for medical expenses and we need your donations and support! We are having a fundraiser for Izzy on November 16, 2014 at Tequila Sunrise, Bell Blvd. from 1pm-4pm. Please join us and help us raise money for beautiful Izzy. If you cannot make the event; please donate to her GoFundMe page at http://gofundme.com/eqn78g
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