Simple Thanksgiving Recipes

Photos & Text: Celeste Rosenlof

The first Thanksgiving I felt like an adult participant was also the first year I brought a pie to Thanksgiving dinner. I made that pie from a pumpkin and the crust from flour and butter.

So for me, being an adult at that annual dinner means that I bring food like all the other adults.  If you want to grow up this year, too, here’s a few things you could bring that are easy to make and have just a few ingredients.

If you’re asked to bring a…

Side

A simple side for people who don’t like all their vegetables creamed (I’m talking to you, green bean casserole) and want some fresh options to balance out all the trans fats the other veggies are sitting in:

Broccoli with garlic and almonds*

Ingredients

2 pounds broccoli, sliced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

¼ cup sliced almonds

Directions

1.     Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add broccoli to water until water returns to a boil. Drain through a colander.

2.     Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and almonds; cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Add broccoli and warm through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 *Based off of a Martha Stewart recipe for broccoli rabe, replaced with the rabe from common broccoli.

Dessert

Baking a pie might be a little over your head, but fresh whipped cream can make the store-bought pie you buy on your way home taste like more effort was put in to it than swiping a card for $5.

Whipped cream

Pint of whipping cream

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1.     Combine all ingredients together in medium-sized bowl. Using electric beaters, whip on medium high until cream holds shape in peaks.

Sauce

Cranberry sauce comes in more forms than merely cylindrical. For those who love the canned stuff, you’ll endear yourself quickly with fresh sauce to accompany roasted turkey and mashed potatoes.

Ginger-orange cranberry sauce

½ c. sugar

¾ c. water

1 juiced orange

12 oz. fresh cranberries

½ teaspoon fresh ground ginger

1.    Wash the cranberries, juice the orange and grind the ginger. Add sugar, water and juice to a medium saucepan.

2.     Over medium-high heat, stir until sugar is dissolved. Add whole cranberries and ginger to saucepan. Uncovered, bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and serve warm or at room temperature.