Flavorful Thanksgiving Vegetable Side Dishes

For many American families, Thanksgiving is the biggest gathering day of the year. It is certainly the biggest food holiday. Thanksgiving Day presents the opportunity to catch up with one another, take stock of the previous year, and of course, eat until we are ready to burst.

The traditional star of the Thanksgiving Day table is undoubtedly the turkey. Not the majestic wild turkey who almost became America's national bird, but his big-breasted, domesticated cousin. The only draw back with this heavy-chested, meaty-thighed version is the amount of room it takes up in the oven. For the majority of the cooking day, the roasting bird makes using the oven for anything else impossible. The stove top becomes by default, the most important tool that the Thanksgiving cook has at their disposal. These vegetable side dish recipes take advantage of the traditional flavors, seasonal offerings, and the stove top. Each recipe serves 4-6 and can be doubled.

Glazed Carrots with Walnuts
2C water
1 lb. baby carrots
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 Tbsp brown sugar
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring the water to boil in a saute pan. Salt the water and add the carrots. Simmer the carrots until they are fork tender, but 10-12 minutes. Drain the carrots and set aside. Melt the butter and brown sugar together in the saute pan. Return the carrots to the pan, tossing to coat. Add the chopped walnuts, the lemon zest and juice. Stir to incorporate all ingredients and cook until heated through, about 3-4 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Creamed Peas and Pearl Onions
2 slices bacon
1 clove garlic, smashed
1/3 C water 1 lb. bag frozen peas with onions
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
3/4 C 2% milk
3/4 C Fat-free Half-and-Half
1/4 tsp nutmeg + garnish
Salt and pepper to taste

Peel and smash the clove of garlic then place in a 2 qt saucepan with the frozen vegetables and 1/3 C water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, discard the garlic, and set aside in a serving dish. Heat the milk and Half-and-Half in the saucepan, being careful not to let it boil. In a skillet, fry bacon over medium heat until crisp. Set the bacon aside to cool. Melt the butter in same pan used to fry the bacon. Add the flour to the melted butter and bacon rendering, blending into a paste. Slowly add the warm milk mixture to the butter/flour paste, stirring constantly. Using a whisk, continue to stir the sauce and heat to a simmer. Add the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cook to a medium thickness (sauce should coat the back of a spoon). Add the peas and onions to the sauce, cook until heated through. Transfer to serving dish and crumble the crispy bacon over the top.

Savory Brussels Sprouts
1½ lbs. fresh Brussels sprouts
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 can low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese

Wash Brussels sprouts, then trim the hard bottom portion from each and remove any discolored outer leaves. To saute pan, add the Brussels sprouts, smashed garlic, chicken broth, and 1/2 tsp of salt. Bring to a soft boil, cover and reduce heat. Simmer sprouts for 12-15 minutes until tender but not soft. Drain vegetables, discard the garlic. In the same pan, melt the butter then return the sprouts to the pan. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper. Heat over medium heat, shaking the pan gently to coat the vegetables with melted butter. Transfer to serving dish and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Sauteed Butternut Squash with Mushrooms
1 Butternut squash, peeled and seeded
1 medium onion, medium chop
8 oz. fresh whole mushrooms (Baby Bella if possible)
2 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil
2 Tbsp butter 3 Tbsp fresh sage, roughly chopped
1/2C low-sodium chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the peeled and seeded squash into chunks of about the same size. Brush off the mushrooms. If there are any extra large mushrooms, cut them in half. In a heavy skillet, melt the butter in the oil until hot but not smoking. Saute squash, onions and sage in the hot oil until the vegetables are lightly browned. Add mushrooms and saute for an additional 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the chicken broth over the vegetables, reduce heat and cook uncovered until liquid is absorbed and squash is tender.