Kitchen Parade Recipes for Flaky Tender Pie Crust & American Apple Pie

[We could perhaps live by Thanksgiving vegetables alone, but why would we, really when there's pie, especially apple pie?]

From this week's Kitchen Parade column: "When my pastry prowess went missing for far too long, I consulted the Pastry Whisperer, Anne Cori of Kitchen Conservatory, the cooking school and kitchen store in St. Louis. In an hour, she shared a treasure of pie crust tips and tricks. ..."

It's been quite a month since Anne showed up in my kitchen for a pastry lesson. Back up just a minute -- you see, I've made good pie crust since I was 16, in some circles (hi Rass!) I'm even a little famous for pie. But then, whack, I lost the knack and turned out one tough crust after another. In vain, I sought out new recipes, new tools, new techniques. I studied up, I took notes. I tried lard, egg, vinegar, sour cream and even the latest, vodka. (Yes, the vodka went into the pastry, though given my frustration, a stiff drink was warranted.) I fussed, I fumed. I resorted to cookie crusts and press-in crusts and even found virtue in Pillsbury crusts rolled thin.

Then Anne, who makes the most flaky tender pie crust you can imagine, offered a lesson and I came to see her as the Pastry Whisperer. You see, I've got it! I can make pie crust again, flaky tender pie crusts oh-so-worth eating, pie crusts so delicious that for the first time ever, I even believe in double crusts. (Did I mention making 14 pies in four weeks? My neighbors are very happy.)

So yes, just in time for Thanksgiving, Kitchen Parade is all about pie, American pie, specifically. This week's column is a triple batch -- start with the recipe for Flaky Tender Pie Crust, then check the recipe for a double-crust American Apple Pie, and for all who aspire to great pie crusts, there's not just 'how to make pie crust' but How to Make Flaky Tender Pie Crust.

To Anne, many many many thanks ...

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WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PIE? Win a copy of a great 30-minute teaching video (VHS format) called 'Perfect Pies' by the Pie Whisperer Anne Cori. More information in each of the three articles.

A QUICK NOTE for PIE BAKERS One pastry tool completely worth investing in is a silicone mat called a Rollpat. I mention it here because until November 23rd, Kitchen Conservatory has Rollpats on special for $34.95, with no shipping charges. (See why it's recommended in How to Make Flaky Tender Pie Crust.) The store also sells many other pie products useful for making pie crusts and pies.

(Full disclosure: I do technology consulting for Kitchen Conservatory but receive zero compensation when readers choose to purchase products.)

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Check out all the Thanksgiving recipes at Kitchen Parade, including thinking ahead for Thanksgiving leftovers.

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SO WHAT IS KITCHEN PARADE, EXACTLY? Kitchen Parade is the food column that my Mom started writing for our family newspaper when I was a baby. Today it's published in my hometown newspapers in suburban St. Louis and features 'fresh seasonal recipes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences'. Want to know more? Explore KitchenParade.com, including Kitchen Parade's Recipe Box!

WHY DOESN'T THIS POST ACCEPT COMMENTS? Because I hope that you'll click through to the actual column and comment there!

E-MAIL & RSS SUBSCRIBERS You may subscribe to Kitchen Parade directly, then you'll receive the complete column and recipe directly in your In Box or RSS reader. Just sign up for Kitchen Parade via e-mail or Kitchen Parade via RSS.

A Veggie Venture is home of the Veggie Evangelist Alanna Kellogg and award-winning vegetable inspiration from Asparagus to Zucchini. © Copyright 2007

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Cauliflower Cream ♥

Cauliflower Cream is my favorite among this year's new Thanksgiving vegetable recipes, one to clip for everyday, not just holidays. Cauliflower Cream is simply delicious -- for everyone at the table but especially those who avoid potatoes. It is so smooth and so creamy, and tastes so much like mashed potatoes that at first, my taste testers only asked, "Wow, who made the potatoes?" Everyone was surprised to learn that the 'potatoes' were cauliflower!

PHOTO NOTES The cauliflower in the first photograph (above, right) was mashed, not sent through the food processor; its texture is still creamy, but bits of cauliflower are evident. The cauliflower in the second photograph (at left) has been processed in the food processor and you can see exactly how creamy smooth it is.

Of all the vegetable recipes I made for this Thanksgiving series, this is the one I can most imagine making again and again, for everyday. There's no giving up mashed potatoes, but these are sort of unexpected. Last week, the leftovers were absolutely delicious with this pork tenderloin with cranberry sauce, where appearance wasn't so important!

CAULIFLOWER CREAM

Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Time to table: 60 minutes
Makes about 3 cups

Big pot of salted water
1 large head cauliflower

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small onion, diced
2 - 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 chicken bouillon cube, crushed

1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
Salt & white pepper to taste
Grated nutmeg or pimentón to garnish

Preheat oven to 350F.

Bring the salted water to a boil. Cut off the outside leaves of the cauliflower, use knife to cut out the core with a large V. Cut into large florets. Drop into boiling water, cooking til soft, about 10 - 15 minutes. Drain well in a colander.

Meanwhile, heat a small skillet on MEDIUM, add the 1 tablespoon of butter and let melt til shimmery. Add the onion, garlic and bouillon and let cook til onions are just beginning to turn brown.

Combine the onion mixture, cooked cauliflower and sour cream in a food processor and process til smooth. Add the 2 tablespoons of butter and process til smooth. Transfer to a well-greased baking dish and bake til hot all the way through, 15 - 20 minutes.

MAKE-AHEAD TIPS
DAY BEFORE Make the entire casserole and either bake (for reheating the next day) or just refrigerate to bake the next day.
THANKSGIVING DAY Bring to room temperature. Bake at 350 for 30 - 45 minutes or until hot all the way through.
LEFTOVER REPORT Warms up just beautifully! And where potatoes get 'crusty' when reheated, the cauliflower does not.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Half Cup Serving: 169 Cal (70% from Fat, 8% from Protein, 21% from Carb); 4 g Protein; 14 g Tot Fat; 9 g Sat Fat; 4 g Mono Fat; 9 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; NetCarb6; 3 g Sugar; 77 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 61 mg Sodium; 32 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers points 4 points

Per Quarter Cup Serving: 85 Cal (70% from Fat, 8% from Protein, 21% from Carb); 2 g Protein; 7 g Tot Fat; 4 g Sat Fat; 2 g Mono Fat; 5 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; NetCarb3; 2 g Sugar; 38 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 31 mg Sodium; 16 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 1 point (yes, this is one of those funny recipes where cutting the serving size in half converts the Weight Watchers points from 4 to 1)

TODAY'S VEGETABLE RECIPE INSPIRATION
Adapted from Greene on Greens

KITCHEN NOTES
I've made this two ways, one in a large serving dish for the table or buffet, also in small ramekins (as pictured) for individual servings. Both were great.
I used regular sour cream but another time would definitely experiment with low-fat or no-fat sour cream too.
The texture would be different, but I think you could make this without a food processor too, just using a hand-held potato masher or a hand mixer.
Update: I remade Cauliflower Cream for my family's Thanksgiving gathering and it was just as delicious. Because I didn't have access to a food processor, it wasn't smooth like potatoes but I liked it at least as much, because it was obvious the mixture was cauliflower. My recommendation? Make it both ways, to see if you have a preference.
These look really plain in a bowl! I sprinkled pimentón and nutmeg over top for a little garnish (and they were fine, just not special) but next time, will either do buttered bread crumbs or maybe something like chopped green onions cooked in a little butter.

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MORE IDEAS for THANKSGIVING VEGETABLE RECIPES

featured in 2006
~ Creamy Cauliflower Gratin ~

more good choices for Thanksgiving
~ Cauliflower Tomato Medley ~
~ Cauliflower Cheddar Horseradish Gratin ~
~ Cauliflower with Pancetta, Capers & Parmesan ~

~ more cauliflower recipes ~

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.

Move aside, turkeys. (No, not you, dear readers! Thanksgiving turkeys!) Here at A Veggie Venture, vegetables are the real stars of the Thanksgiving table. So it's new Thanksgiving recipes all November long for a fabulous collection of Thanksgiving vegetable recipe ideas. Whether it's last year's famous World's Best Green Bean Casserole or a brand-new recipe which catches your fancy this year, move over turkeys, it's vegetables' time.
© Copyright 2007

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Sweet Potato Casserole ♥ Recipe

My recipe for the traditional sweet potato casserole topped with miniature marshmallows. It's just a little bit different, however, with the addition of vanilla in the sweet potato mixture and a little bit of ginger in the marshmallow and pecan-panko topping. Delish!

~recipe & photo updated & reposted 2011~
~more recently updated recipes~

2007: Some holidays, you just don't mess with tradition. But still, call me surprised to feature a recipe for a traditional Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on top. My taste testers loved this! Good sweet potato flavor really comes through, the texture is soft and pillowy, the sweetness is there but not over the top. But the best part is the topping mixture, mini marshmallows interspersed with crispy bread crumbs spiced with ginger and toasted pecans. If marshmallows are traditional at Thanksgiving, so be it, I'm not messing with tradition!

2011: Whoa. I'd forgotten how good sweet potato casserole can be! This recipe isn't as sweet as many other recipes. Even so, I wouldn't hesitate to serve it for dessert though I'd put on my marketing hat and call it "sweet potato pudding". The topping is delicious and the mixture of marshmallows and pecan-panko crumbs just 'looks' so pretty, which many sweet potato casseroles don't. This is a winner!
Keep Reading ->>>

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Leek & Root Vegetable Gratin ♥

What a gratin this is, truly. I love how the individual fall-rainbow colors remain distinct -- the white of turnip, the gold of rutabaga, the orange of sweet potato. And yet the flavors stand alone and still meld together, married by sweet sautéed leek and a light cheese sauce.

RECIPE for LEEK & ROOT VEGETABLE GRATIN

Hands-on time: 45 minutes over course of an hour or more
Time to table: 2 hours
Serves 8 in standard servings, 12 in small-ish servings

COOK ROOT VEGETABLES
Salted water to cover
1 large rutabaga (also called a Swede or a yellow turnip, often has a waxy skin for preservation), about 2-1/4 pounds, trimmed, peeled, cut in chunks
2 medium purple-topped turnips, trimmed, peeled, cut in chunks
1 large sweet potato, peeled, cut in chunks

Bring water to a boil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the rutabaga chunks as they're prepped, even if water's not yet boiling. Once it comes to a boil, cook for about 10 minutes before adding the turnips and sweet potato. (I cooked them all together, not a bad option, but the rutabaga do take slightly longer to cook so can benefit from a head start.) Drain. (You'll want to have the leeks and sauce done quite quickly after this, otherwise the sweet potatoes will turn brown.)

CLEAN & SAUTÉ THE LEEKS
2 large leeks, white and green parts only
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

How to clean leeks: Leeks collect grit between their layers. Luckily, cleaning them is easy. First slice off the dense part of the root end, crosswise. Remove any outer layers that are thick and tough. Then slice off the leaf end, just where it looks like the 'white' ends and the 'green' begins. The cut piece will probably be six inches to twelve inches long. Now cut the leek in half, lengthwise. Wash each half under running water, using your hand to loosely separate but still gather the layers. Cut leek halves crosswise into 1/2 inch half-rounds for sauteeing. Then, take the leaf end and remove another layer or two. Inside you'll find a tender 'light green' part that can also be cut into half-rounds for sauteeing.

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt the butter on MEDIUM, add the leeks and cook, stirring often, till soft. Set aside.

MAKE THE SAUCE
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon flour
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup apple cider
1/4 pound good melting cheese such as Gruyere, cut in chunks

In the skillet or Dutch oven used for the leeks, melt the butter on MEDIUM. Stir in the flour, removing all the lumps. A spoonful at a time at first, slowly stir in the milk, stirring all the time to remove all the lumps, not adding more til the lumps are stirred out. (Press with the back of a spoon if needed.) Add the apple cider. Stirring often, cook til the sauce thickens. Stir in the cheese, the sauteed leeks and the cooked root vegetables. (You could also melt the cheese in the sauce but I really liked finding tiny pockets of cheese amid the chunks of vegetables.) Transfer to a baking dish. Let cool, cover and refrigerate. Return to room temperature.

COOKING
Grated fresh Parmesan

Preheat oven to 375F. Uncover gratin and bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly throughout. Top with Parmesan and bake another 15 minutes.

TO MAKE AHEAD

• The day before, assemble the entire gratin, except the Parmesan topping
  
• Return to room temperature before baking
  

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Serving 8, Per Serving: 223 Cal (38% from Fat, 13% from Protein, 49% from Carb); 8 g Protein; 10 g Tot Fat; 6 g Sat Fat; 28 g Carb; 6 g Fiber; NetCarb 22; 241 mg Calcium; 2 mg Iron; 119 mg Sodium; 28 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 4 points

Serving 12, Per Serving: 148 Cal (38% from Fat, 13% from Protein, 49% from Carb); 5 g Protein; 6 g Tot Fat; 4 g Sat Fat; 19 g Carb; 4 g Fiber; 161 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 79 mg Sodium; 19 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 2 points

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MORE IDEAS for THANKSGIVING VEGETABLE RECIPES

featured in 2006
~ Turnip Puff, a family recipe ~
~ Maple Ginger Sweet Potatoes ~

more good choices for Thanksgiving
~ Creamed Turnips ~
~ Mashed Turnip & Apple ~
~ 2007 collection of Thanksgiving vegetable recipes ~

~ more turnip recipes ~

~ more sweet potato recipes ~

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.

Move aside, turkeys. (No, not you, dear readers! Thanksgiving turkeys!) Here at A Veggie Venture, vegetables are the real stars of the Thanksgiving table. So it's new Thanksgiving recipes all November long for a fabulous collection of Thanksgiving vegetable recipe ideas. Whether it's last year's famous World's Best Green Bean Casserole or a brand-new recipe which catches your fancy this year, move over turkeys, it's vegetables' time. © Copyright 2007

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Twice-Baked Potatoes ♥

[From now til Thanksgiving, A Veggie Venture is featuring new recipes using vegetables traditional at Thanksgiving. So far, there's been butternut squash and yams, today it's potatoes. To see what Thanksgiving vegetables are still to come, check the grand collection of 2007 Thanksgiving Vegetable Recipes.]

Oh! these twice-baked and slightly over-stuffed potatoes are good! And they weren't at all fussy to make, easier than expected. They are 'over-stuffed', with the flesh of three potatoes filling the skins of two. This made the taste all about the potato, rather than the cheese.

For great potato taste, bake the potatoes for three hours -- yes, three hours. (No, that's not a typo.) I know, I know, 'one hour' is the standard answer when you ask how long to bake a baked potato. But you won't believe the difference in the texture of the flesh in Slow-Baked Potatoes. After three hours, the potato flesh is creamy (though not soft) and almost nutty in flavor. And the skins, oh! the skins are so crispy and good. There's no NOT eating them. They're just perfect for twice-baked potatoes.

TIPS

• Choose 'baking' potatoes, some times called Idaho potatoes, the russets that have brown rough skins.
  
• Chipotle cheddar cheese adds a nice 'bite' but any good cheese will do.
  
• The potato flesh is quite soft so there's no need to 'mash' the potatoes unless you prefer. Just smash a bit with the spoon while mixing with the other ingredients. We really enjoyed having small chunks of potato throughout.
• If portion management is important, pick out the smallest russet potatoes. That said, the smallest ones seem to weigh 3/4 pound, the biggest nearly 1-1/4 pounds. That's big!
  
• Since even half of a large potato is 'big', especially for a multi-course meal like Thanksgiving, consider cutting each potato half in half again for a serving.
• I also experimented with white and red potatoes because they're smaller; they're okay taste-wise but just not as tasty as the russets.
• Do you need to prick the potatoes with a fork before baking? I haven't (twice) with no oven blow-ups. Plus, logic says that piercing the skin would release moisture, drying out the fleshy interior.
  

MAKE-AHEAD TIPS

• A DAY AHEAD Bake the potatoes. Scoop out the centers and prepare the filling. Refrigerate. (There's no reason why the potatoes can't be made the day of, just be sure to coordinate with other things that require the oven.)
• THE DAY OF Bring the potato mixture to room temperature. Fill the potato skins. Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes or until heated through.

LEFTOVER REPORT These rewarm well but the texture is definitely better the first time out of the oven.

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MORE IDEAS for THANKSGIVING VEGETABLE RECIPES

featured in 2006
~ Mashed Potatoes with Vegetarian Apple Cider Ginger Sage Gravy, also how to make mashed potatoes ~

more good choices for Thanksgiving
~ Mashed Potatoes & Carrots ~
~ Those Pink Potatoes ~
~ Potato & Poblano Pepper Gratin ~

~ more potato recipes ~

TWICE-BAKED POTATOES

Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 4 hours
Serves 4

BAKE THE POTATOES
3 Idaho potatoes
Olive oil

Set the oven to 350F with a rack in the center and a tray or piece of foil below to catch any bits of dripping. Scrub the potatoes well. Pour maybe a teaspoon of olive oil in your palm and rub the skins all around. Put the potatoes into the oven directly on the rack and bake for 3 hours (2-1/2 is likely okay too). If you think about it, turn the potatoes halfway through. Let the potatoes cool enough to handle. Cut all three in half, lengthwise. With a small spoon, scoop out the interiors into a bowl. Save four of the halves for stuffing, eat the other two on the spot, enjoying the nutty chewiness! If you're going to bake immediately, leave the oven on.

STUFFING
4 ounces bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (chipotle works great)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped chive (reserve a bit for garnish)
Salt & pepper to taste

While the potatoes cool, cook the bacon until crispy. (Be sure to save the bacon grease in a glass refrigerator jar. It's really useful to cook with.) Reserve a bit for garnish.

In the potato bowl, stir the potato flesh with the butter, 'mashing' a bit with the spoon but not so much as to be 'smooth' like mashed potatoes. Stir in the cheese, sour cream, cooked bacon, chive and salt and pepper.

With a spoon, arrange the potato mixture in the four skins, pressing a bit to compact. Garnish with bacon and chive.

If making ahead, let cool completely, then cover and refrigerate. Return to room temperature before proceeding. Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes, until hot clear through.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving: 578 Cal (54% from Fat, 17% from Protein, 30% from Carb); 25 g Protein; 35 g Tot Fat; 18 g Sat Fat; 12 g Mono Fat; 43 g Carb; 3 g Fiber; NetCarb40; 2 g Sugar; 307 mg Calcium; 3 mg Iron; 927 mg Sodium; 94 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 13 points [Yikes. If you've ever wondered how many calories and Weight Watchers points in twice-baked potatoes, this is an eye-opener. And these are relatively 'spare' and 'half' the portion size recommended by the inspiring recipe. Yikes. They ARE delicious, so worth a very occasional indulgence.]

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUE
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse, on Food & Wine

SHORTHAND RECIPE
Bake 3 russets 3hrs 350F. Mix flesh w 4oz cooked bacon, 2T butter, 1c cheddar, ½ c sour cream, 2T chive, S&P. Stuff four halves, bake 350F 30min. 4=WW13 VV07

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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. And if you like the looks of A Veggie Venture, be sure to sign up to automatically receive recipes from my food column Kitchen Parade too.

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Move aside, turkeys. (No, not you, dear readers! Thanksgiving turkeys!) Here at A Veggie Venture, vegetables are the real stars of the Thanksgiving table. So it's new Thanksgiving recipes all November long for a fabulous collection of Thanksgiving vegetable recipe ideas. Whether it's last year's famous World's Best Green Bean Casserole or a brand-new recipe which catches your fancy this year, move over turkeys, it's vegetables' time. © Copyright 2007

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Fresh Candied Yams ♥

Ten years ago, I was in New Orleans for a banking conference. Already a foodie, I seized the chance to meet Paul Prudhomme (the 'Emeril' of New Orleans pre-Food Network) and then score a table at his (then) no-reservations K-Paul, the Cajun restaurant that brought blackened redfish to fame and even post-Katrina, remains a N'awlins institution. I came home with an autographed cookbook inscribed 'Good Cooking, Good Eating, Good Loving' and stocked up on 'Chef Paul's' Magic Seasoning Blends.

That was then. This is now. Spice blends are low on the priority list, I blend my own or go without.

So when I spied the cookbook's lonely-only recipe for no-purchase-required ingredients, I paid attention. And hunted up real red-skinned yams, not their brown-skinned tuber-cousins the sweet potatoes. And peeled and chopped. And bathed for cooking in nothing more than water and sugar spiked with vanilla (!) and lemon juice (!!). And tasted. And savored. And praised the Cajun gods there were two pounds, not one, in that bowl of fresh candied yams.

Chef Paul, thank you for the reminder, that you can, indeed, cook from the pantry. And thank you, thank you, thank you, for introducing me to real and really wonderful, fresh candied yams. [2008 UPDATE Turns out, I fell for a supermarket label reading 'yams'. What I actually cooked with here were a variety of sweet potato, the red garnet. They are slightly different and much recommended. I have now, finally, figured out the difference between real yams and sweet potatoes.]

FRESH CANDIED YAMS

Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Time to table: about 60 minutes
Serves 8 for 'regular' servings, 16 at Thanksgiving

2 pounds red-skinned yams (or sweet potatoes), peeled and cut into large roughly same-size pieces

2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar (this is half what the recipe specified but plenty)
1/4 cup brown sugar (ditto)
2 tablespoons butter
Zest and juice of a lemon (don't skip this!)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla (don't skip this!)

2 tablespoons butter

OPTIONAL BUT MUCH-RECOMMENDED SAUCE
cooking liquid
about 1 tablespoon cornstarch
about 1/2 cup half & half

Combine the yams, water, sugar, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, lemon and vanilla and bring to a boil. Cover and let cook for about 30 minutes -- no al dente toothsome yams here, the softer on the edges, the better. Uncover and keep cooking for about 10 minutes, hoping that the liquid doesn't cook away because otherwise there'll be no sauce. Add the butter and let melt, cooking another 10 minutes or so. If, praise the Cajun gods, there's liquid left, scoop out the yams into a serving dish (preferably warmed, if you want the yams to stay hot) and cover with foil. Keep warm!

Sprinkle the cornstarch over the cooking liquid and whisk til smooth. (Or if this worries you, or if you have a history of making lumpy gravy, put the cornstarch in a small bowl and add a drop or two of the liquid, stir to make a smooth slurry. Add a few more drops and stir. Repeat til the mixture is liquid enough to whisk into the big pot of cooking liquid without getting lumpy. Let cook a minute or two - taste to make sure the starchy flavor is gone. Don't taste it all, save it for the sauce! Stir in cream to taste; that means, when it tastes good, it's ready to pour on top of the yams. Gobble 'em up.

MAKE-AHEAD TIPS
TWO or THREE HOURS BEFORE Peel and chop the sweet potatoes. Submerge in cold water to prevent browning. (I didn't do this but believe it works, right? -- Does anyone know for sure? For complete safety, peel just before ready to cook. I wouldn't cook in this water, it may have gotten starchy. Update: For my own family's Thanksgiving meal, I made these several hours in advance and did, yes, submerge in cold water. They didn't turn brown.)

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Assumes 8 servings - Per Serving: 262 Cal (26% from Fat, 3% from Protein, 70% from Carb); 2 g Protein; 8 g Tot Fat; 5 g Sat Fat; 2 g Mono Fat; 47 g Carb; 5 g Fiber; NetCarb42; 14 g Sugar; 45 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 21 mg Sodium; 21 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 5 points

Assumes 16 servings - Per Serving: 131 Cal (26% from Fat, 3% from Protein, 70% from Carb); 1 g Protein; 4 g Tot Fat; 2 g Sat Fat; 1 g Mono Fat; 23 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; NetCarb21; 7 g Sugar; 22 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 11 mg Sodium; 10 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 2 points (which makes me recommend all Weight Watchers eat two of these servings for 4 points, versus one of the above servings for 5)

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUE
Adapted from Chef Paul Prudhomme's Pure Magic, largely a sales pitch for the spices

KITCHEN NOTES
Even after cooking uncovered for some time, the yams were done but lots of liquid remained in the pan. I scooped out the orange chunks with a slotted spoon and then thickened and creamed the liquid: wow, yam ambrosia. I recommend the sauce as much as the yams themselves. It's like white-on-white or tone-on-tone, two flavors so alike but not the same, one alone is boring, two together are mesmerizing.

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MORE IDEAS for THANKSGIVING VEGETABLE RECIPES
~ Maple Ginger Sweet Potatoes ~
the featured 'sweet potato recipe' in 2006

more good choices for Thanksgiving
~ Sweet Potato Puff ~
~ Warm Sweet Potato Salad ~

~ more sweet potato recipes ~

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.

Move aside, turkeys. (No, not you, dear readers! Thanksgiving turkeys!) Here at A Veggie Venture, vegetables are the real stars of the Thanksgiving table. So it's new Thanksgiving recipes all November long for a fabulous collection of Thanksgiving vegetable recipe ideas. Whether it's last year's famous World's Best Green Bean Casserole or a brand-new recipe which catches your fancy this year, move over turkeys, it's vegetables' time. © Copyright 2007

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Kitchen Parade Extra: Cranberry Chutney ♥

So even if one could eat nothing but vegetables at Thanksgiving (and I promise, there are many more vegetable recipes for Thanksgiving in the works, watch for them all this month), most of us are plenty attached to turkey and dressing and all the trimmings too.

My food column Kitchen Parade is also celebrating Thanksgiving this month, starting off with two favorite cranberry recipes from a 2002 column. Cranberry Chutney (pictured) is so good that my friend Cindy requests it specifically and its cousin Cranberry Ginger Relish is frosty sweet with fresh ginger!

Here's the column.

So check out all the Thanksgiving recipes at Kitchen Parade, including thinking ahead for Thanksgiving leftovers.

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SO WHAT IS KITCHEN PARADE, EXACTLY? Kitchen Parade is the food column that my Mom started writing for our family newspaper when I was a baby. Today it's published in my hometown newspapers in suburban St. Louis and features 'fresh seasonal recipes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences'. Want to know more? Explore KitchenParade.com, including Kitchen Parade's Recipe Box!

WHY DOESN'T THIS POST ACCEPT COMMENTS? Because I hope that you'll click through to the actual column and comment there!

E-MAIL & RSS SUBSCRIBERS You may subscribe to Kitchen Parade directly, then you'll receive the complete column and recipe directly in your In Box or RSS reader. Just sign up for Kitchen Parade via e-mail or Kitchen Parade via RSS.

A Veggie Venture is home of the Veggie Evangelist Alanna Kellogg and award-winning vegetable inspiration from Asparagus to Zucchini. © Copyright 2007

reade more... Résuméabuiyad