Thanksgiving Vegetable Recipes 2008

2010 UPDATE
The latest collections of Thanksgiving vegetable recipes are now available!
This year, I've turned the tables a little, featuring

Favorite Recipes for Thanksgiving's Favorite Vegetables

and

Vegetarian Entrée Recipes for Thanksgiving.

Turkey and dressing may take center stage but ahhhh, Thanksgiving vegetables. The 2006 and 2007 collections of Thanksgiving vegetable recipes were hugely popular, especially what became 2006's famous World's Best Green Bean Casserole and 2007's surprise favorite, the low-carb Cauliflower Cream.

This 2008 Thanksgiving collection looks just as promising! New recipes will post every few days between now and Thanksgiving so watch for brand-new vegetable recipes especially suited for our Thanksgiving tables:

perfect for special dinners but not over the top
fresh fall vegetables prepped mostly or entirely in advance
easily multiplied for large gatherings and divided for small ones
and a little different around here, no skimping on butter and cream and cheese!

I love every single one of these Thanksgiving vegetable recipes and truly hope they inspire your own Thanksgiving gathering! ~ Alanna

About these Thanksgiving recipes
About A Veggie Venture
E-mail delivery of new recipes
How to print recipes
About the Thanksgiving photograph
Win hand-crafted olive oil and vinegar during November 2008
Updated often before Thanksgiving 2008

Vegetable Inspiration for Thanksgiving Tables

Beans Featured Recipes 2008 Make-Ahead Fresh Green Bean Casserole Green Beans with Browned Butter & Pine Nuts 2007 Slooow Country Green Beans 2006 World's Best Green Bean Casserole more ideas ~ Green Beans with Lemon & Pine Nuts ~ ~ Green Beans with Onion & Almonds ~ ~ Fresh Green Bean Salad with Asian Dressing ~	Beets Featured Recipe 2006 Beet Salad with Lemon & Olives more ideas ~ Those Pink Potatoes ~ ~ Red Onion Beets ~ ~ Harvard Beets ~	Brussels Sprouts Featured Recipes 2008 Creamy Brussels Sprouts Gratin 2007 Brussels Sprouts with Maple & Walnut Vinaigrette 2006 Brussels Sprouts with Apricot Glaze more ideas ~ Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta & Garlic ~ ~ Wine-Glazed Brussels Sprouts ~ ~ Lemony Creamy Brussels Sprouts & Celery ~
Cabbage Featured Recipe 2006 Smothered Cabbage more ideas ~ Alsatian Cabbage ~ ~ Swedish Red Cabbage ~ ~ Holy Slaw! ~	Carrots Featured Recipe 2006 Creamy Carrot Purée more ideas ~ Finnish Carrot Casserole ~ ~ Mashed Potatoes & Carrots ~ ~ Carrots Braised in Marsala ~	Cauliflower Featured Recipes 2008 Cauliflower Mac n Cheese 2007 Cauliflower Cream 2006 Creamy Cauliflower Gratin more ideas ~ Cauliflower Tomato Medley ~ ~ Cauliflower Cheddar Horseradish Gratin ~ ~ Cauliflower with Pancetta, Capers & Parmesan ~
Corn Featured Recipe 2008 Thanksgiving Succotash more ideas ~ Fresh Creamed Corn ~ ~ Marinated Vegetable Salad ~	Greens Featured Recipes 2007 Spinach Casserole 2006 Gratin of Greens more ideas ~ Spinach & Artichoke Gratin ~ ~ Orzo with Spinach ~ ~ Spinach Puffs ~	Potatoes Featured Recipes 2008 Perfect Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes (Party Potatoes) 2007 Twice-Baked Potatoes 2006 Mashed Potatoes with Vegetarian Apple Cider Ginger Sage Gravy more ideas ~ Potato & Poblano Pepper Gratin ~ ~ Fennel Mashed Potatoes ~ ~ Confetti Potato Salad ~
Pumpkin Featured Recipes 2008 ~ Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars ~ ~ Pumpkin Pecan Pie ~ 2007 ~ Honey Pumpkin Pie ~ ~ Thanksgiving Cake ~ more ideas ~ Pumpkin Muffins ~ ~ Pumpkin Bars ~ ~ Pumpkin Truffles ~	Sweet Potatoes Featured Recipes 2008 Sweet Potato & Banana Purée 2007 Fresh Candied Yams Sweet Potato Casserole 2006 Maple Ginger Sweet Potatoes more ideas ~ Sweet Potato Puff ~ ~ Warm Sweet Potato Salad ~	Turnips Featured Recipes 2007 Leek & Root Vegetable Gratin 2006 Turnip Puff more ideas ~ Creamed Turnips ~ ~ Mashed Turnip & Apple ~ ~ Mashed Rutabagas & Apple ~
Winter Squash Featured Recipes 2008 Mashed Butternut Squash & Sweet Potatoes with Citrus 2007 Butternut Mac 'n' Cheese 2006 Winter Squash Polenta more ideas ~ Squash Puff (my family's tradition)~ ~ Delicata Squash with Hot Pepper Glaze ~ ~ Roasted Butternut Squash with Maple Glaze ~		Oddballs Featured Recipes 2007 Boozy Baked Celery 2006 Autumn Sunchoke Salad more ideas ~ Celeriac Rémoulade ~ ~ Spicy Thai Noodle Salad ~ ~ Easy Cheesy Zucchini ~

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About these Thanksgiving recipes
'Featured recipes' are ones published in 2006, 2007 and 2008 especially for Thanksgiving.
'More ideas' are favorite vegetable recipes that pair well with traditional Thanksgiving foods.
Some recipes have been published in my food column Kitchen Parade, online at KitchenParade.com, where November is also all about Thanksgiving recipes. This year, how about making an American Apple Pie? Readers say that hands, down, the recipe for Flaky Tender Pie Crust makes the best pie crust, ever! Do check out all the tips for How to Make Flaky Tender Pie Crust, many will work with your own favorite recipe, too.

About A Veggie Venture
A Veggie Venture is the home of Veggie Evangelist Alanna Kellogg and is the year-round award-winning source of free vegetable recipes, quick, easy, and yes, delicious. If you're a newcomer and would like to see what it's like around here -- except in November when it's all Thanksgiving vegetables! -- start with your favorite vegetable in the Alphabet of Vegetables or dive into all the Weight Watchers vegetable recipes or all the low carb vegetable recipes.

Never miss a recipe
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About the Thanksgiving photograph
Many thanks to inspiring photographer Marie Freeman, who photographed the autumn barn scene for this year's Thanksgiving image. Marie publishes at Blue Ridge blog -- if you love Appalachia, love country scenes, love a happy dog, then do check it out!

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Win Gorgeous Olive Oil & Vinegar from O Olive Oil
All November, A Veggie Venture is partnering with O Olive Oil to give readers of A Veggie Venture the chance to experience truly great citrus-pressed olive oils and barrel-aged wine vinegars. There are Salad-Lover Prizes and two Grand Prizes. No purchase is required, it'll take just a minute.

Check out how to win!

Plus, O Olive Oil is offering a 15% discount on all purchases during November 2008. Just click this image below, then enter the coupon code of 'veggie' (without the quotes) for the discount to be applied.

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Here at A Veggie Venture, vegetables are the real stars of the Thanksgiving table. So watch for new Thanksgiving recipes all November long, new additions to my collection of Thanksgiving vegetable recipes. Whether it's 2006's famous World's Best Green Bean Casserole or 2007's favorite Cauliflower Cream or a brand-new recipe which catches your fancy, this year, move vegetables to your center stage.
© Copyright 2008

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Sweet Potato & Banana Purée ♥ Recipe

Today's Thanksgiving recipe idea: A luscious smooth purée of sweet potatoes and ripe bananas.

Oh my. OH MY. Oh my oh my OH MY. This lovely orange-hued sweet potato dish nearly didn't make it into the oven, I wanted to scoop it straight out of the dish with a spoon and into -- well, my mouth. It half reminded me of a warm smoothie -- in fact, honestly, I think sweet potatoes and bananas mixed with milk in a blender would make one terrific smoothie. Did I say this stuff is good?

BUDGET IDEA The inspiring recipe called for butter-toasted almonds on the top. To save a few calories and some expense, I opted for a topping mix of whole-grain dry bread crumbs (panko would work too) and a few nuts. It was a good call, since the sweet potatoes themselves taste quite rich -- an all-nut topping would be gilding the lily.

SWEET POTATO & BANANA PURÉE

Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 1 hour
Makes about 4 cups

3 pounds sweet potatoes (about four large sweet potatoes), peeled and cut into roughly equal sized pieces

3 ripe bananas
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons rum
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Freshly ground nutmeg to taste
Kosher salt to taste

TOPPING
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 tablespoons whole-grain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons toasted walnuts

Prep the sweet potatoes and transfer to a large pot, add water to barely cover. Cover and bring to a boil, let cook until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Drain.

When the potatoes are nearly cooked, puree the bananas in a food processor. Add the hot sweet potatoes, butter, rum and brown sugar. Add nutmeg and salt to taste. Transfer to a lightly greased baking dish.

TOPPING In a small skillet, melt the butter on MEDIUM HIGH. Stir in the bread crumbs and walnuts, let cook until aromatic and just beginning to darken. Arrange evenly atop the sweet potatoes. Serve immediately.

TO PREP AHEAD
DAY BEFORE Cook and mix the sweet potatoes, transfer to a buttered baking dish, cover and refrigerate. Mix the topping but do not put onto the casserole.
BEFORE DINNER Return to room temperature, allow a couple of hours. Spoon topping evenly over the top, bake at 350F for about 30 minutes or until heated well through.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per 1/2 Cup: 144Cal; 4g Tot Fat; 2g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 59mg Sodium; 24g Carb; 3g Fiber; 21NetCarb; 7g Sugar; 2g Protein; Weight Watchers 3 points (technically, 2.5 points)

TODAY'S VEGETABLE RECIPE INSPIRATION
Adapted from The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook, which is currently available, used, on Amazon for a penny plus $4 shipping, a real bargain for a reliable resource for great party food.

KITCHEN NOTES
When made ahead, the top layer of the casserole turns brown in the refrigerator. It's not unpleasant looking (you can see the difference in the photo) and flavor isn't affected. But it does mean that the lovely orange color is lost, at least on top.
Be sure that the bananas are really ripe, the skins entirely brown to plan on letting the bananas ripen for a week or even more. That said, grocery stores often sell ripe bananas (for less!) so that will provide two or three days head start.
Three bananas makes this more 'banana tasting' than 'sweet potato' tasting which may be wonderful for kids and those who aren't so fond of vegetables but bothersome for those who really love the taste of sweet potatoes. If so, use one or two bananas rather than three.
Make-ahead casseroles like those that work so well for Thanksgiving will heat more quickly and evenly if they're in shallow baking dishes and if they've been brought to room temperature before going into the oven.
My sense is that this is rich enough that at big meals with plenty of other offerings, it will serve more than 16 although with smaller servings.

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MORE THANKSGIVING IDEAS for SWEET POTATOES

featured in 2006
~ Maple Ginger Sweet Potatoes ~
featured in 2007
~ Fresh Candied Yams ~
~ Sweet Potato Casserole ~

~ more sweet potato recipes ~
~ more purées & mashes ~
~ Thanksgiving Vegetable Recipes 2008 ~

NEVER MISS A RECIPE! For 'home delivery' of new recipes from A Veggie Venture, sign up here. Once you do, new recipes will be delivered, automatically, straight to your e-mail In Box.

Here at A Veggie Venture, vegetables are the real stars of the Thanksgiving table. So watch for new Thanksgiving recipes all November long, new additions to my collection of Thanksgiving vegetable recipes. Whether it's 2006's famous World's Best Green Bean Casserole or 2007's favorite Cauliflower Cream or a brand-new recipe which catches your fancy, this year, move vegetables to your center stage.
© Copyright 2008

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Win Big with O Olive Oil During November!

Especially for the readers of A Veggie Venture, the good folks at O Olive Oil are offering three great ways to experience hand-crafted citrus-crushed olive oils and premium barrel-aged wine vinegars.

These are truly gorgeous olive oils and vinegars. During taste tests last summer, my nephew -- a teenager! -- declared, "We could drink this!"

He was right -- and food professionals and others agree -- which makes me extra-pleased to offer three great ways for readers to experience such immensely satisfying olive oils and wine vinegars.

Why am I doing this? It's my small way during the season of Thanksgiving (don't miss this year's Thanksgiving vegetable recipes!) to thank readers, for trusting in me, for encouraging me, for sending favorite recipes, for inviting me into their kitchens. Plus, it's no secret that I believe that learning how to make homemade salad dressing is a healthful and frugal habit for families and individuals both. If good olive oils and good vinegars are the inspiration, lovely!

THREE EASY WAYS TO WIN!

SALAD-LOVER PRIZES
Win a Two-Bottle 'Natural Box' from O Olive Oil

Every 50 comments -- people, these are good odds! -- someone will win a Natural Box from O Olive Oil, the winner's choice of seven oil and vinegar combinations. What will it be, Tahitian Lime Olive Oil with Sherry Vinegar? or something else?! You decide!
To enter to win, leave a comment below: share which Natural Box oil and vinegar combination most appeals and how you'd use it. Simple or creative, you decide!
IMPORTANT -- for your comment to be eligible, you MUST leave your e-mail address in the comment. I promise, I won't sell the address or use it except to contact you about winning. To protect your address from spammers, feel free to code your address so it looks something like alanna AT kitchen HYPHEN parade DOT com. I'll figure it out, the spam computers won't.
Only one comment per e-mail address per 50 comments. Duplicates will be discarded. Comments without e-mail addresses will be discarded.
Comments will be approved as they're left so may take time to appear online, especially overnight.
Winners will be announced and notified following each batch of 50. So check back, especially because readers are welcome to enter more than once, so long as no more than one comment per e-mail address is received within each group of 50 comments.
A single e-mail address may win only one Natural Box.
No purchase necessary to win.

GRAND PRIZES
Win a Case(!) of Olive Oils and Vinegars from O Olive Oil

Oh my, the generosity of the people at O Olive Oil! Win a case -- an entire case, that's a dozen bottles -- of assorted olive oils and wine vinegars.
More than that, there are two grand prizes, thus two lucky winners, each will win a case of olive oils and vinegars from O Olive Oil.
Here's the good news -- all readers with active e-mail subscriptions on November 29th are automatically eligible to win the grand prizes. (Why? Because I recognize that e-mail readers are a little shy about leaving comments. That's okay, I still want to say 'thank you' for being such faithful readers!)
New e-mail subscribers between November 1 and November 29 are automatically eligible to win, with two entries, not just one. (Here's how to sign up for a free e-mail subscription.)
Every eligible comment (from above, for the Salad-Lover Prizes) is automatically entered to win the Grand Prizes.
The Grand Prize winners will be announced on Sunday, November 30th.
No purchase necessary to win.

SALAD-LOVER DISCOUNT
15 Percent Discount at www.OOlive Oil.com

Use a 15 percent discount on all O Olive Oil purchases between November 1 and November 30th, 2008. Just click the image below to place your order.
When asked, enter the coupon code 'veggie' (without the quotes) for the discount to be applied.

WINNER UPDATES!

November 5 (1-50) -- congratulations to esther DOT wieringa AT gmail DOT com, you've won the first Natural Box from O Olive Oil! Look for an e-mail from me shortly. (Thanks to my Twitter friends who shot me their favorite numbers which I then averaged with a wild card from Random.org.)

November 12 (51-100) -- congratulations to angelack AT hotmail DOT DO T com, you've won the second Natural Box from O Olive Oil!

November 21 (101-150) -- congratulations to Katy from Silly Tater Tot, the third Natural Box winner! Katy's profile says she's a future lottery winner, so this is a good start! She also made me so pleased, when she responded, "How exciting -- I read your blog every day ... sometimes multiple times a day! In fact, I was just on trying to find uses for the cardoon that I picked up on a whim. :)"

November 30 (151-200) -- congratulations to Sarah from the Finnish blog Get Palmd for winning the fourth Natural Box from O Olive Oil. She must be living right because she just won something else, too!

And now for the grand prizes! I'm awaiting word back from these lucky winners!

GRAND PRIZE NUMBER ONE
Congratulations to Roberta from Michigan, an e-mail reader

GRAND PRIZE NUMBER TWO
Congratulations to Audrey from Ohio, an e-mail reader

Thanks, All!

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Here at A Veggie Venture, vegetables are the real stars of the Thanksgiving table. So watch for new Thanksgiving recipes all November long, new additions to my collection of Thanksgiving vegetable recipes. Whether it's 2006's famous World's Best Green Bean Casserole or 2007's favorite Cauliflower Cream or a brand-new recipe which catches your fancy, this year, move vegetables to your center stage.
© Copyright 2008

reade more... Résuméabuiyad