Even if it's Thanksgiving or Christmas Day or, maybe, the day before,I kmow you'd like a little time to chill a bit, reading or otherwise "re-creating"...maybe just hanging out with your loved ones. I know you like to (or have to) cook or you wouldn't be here at QuickEatsPlus, but, after all, these are holidays.
Here are some holiday recipes for appetizers, soups, veggies, desserts, salads, sauces and even a sneaky way to create your holiday dinner in less than an hour.
So, come on! Like the song says,"Make it e-e-e-asy on yourself"...
Whisk the eggs with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add butter and milk and whisk well. Sift or whisk the flour and baking powder and fold into the egg-milk mixture. Do not beat. If the batter is a bit lumpy it'll be fine.
Heat the griddle to the point where a drop of water will bounce off. Pour batter onto the hot griddle to the desired pancake size, and quickly place the sliced strawberries on the pancake so they can really be seen when you serve 'em. Flip the pancake before the bubbles in the batter burst.
Special Half-Hour Stuffing
Makes 8 cupsDo something special - and different - with your stuffing this Thanksgiving; something like this. Sure, it's not like last year and every previous year anyone remembers, but go ahead and shake things up a bit. Then at Christmas you can go back to your standard stuffing and everyone will tell you "it's still the best".
1 14-15 oz pkg cubed seasoned stuffing mix
1 14 oz can chicken broth
4 Tbsp margarine or butter
1 7 oz package chopped mixed dried fruit(1 & 1/4 cup)
1/4 tsp coarsely ground pepper>P>
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place stuffing mix in 13x9" glass baking dish.
In a 3-qt saucepan, combine the rest of the ingredients plus 1 & 1/2 cups of water. Heat to boiling over high heat, or until butter melts; pour over the stuffing mix, toss to coat and bake, uncovered, until heated through and top is browned, about 25 minutes.
Super Pesto
Makes 1 & 1/2 cupsThis is "super" because:
(A) you make it with 2 greens that are more nutritious - and cheaper - than basil,
(B) same goes for the walnuts versus pignolas (pine nuts),and
(C) it's a great appetizer for Thanksgiving because you can make it 4 or 5 days ahead (and refrigerate it, of course), not on Turkey Day when you're preparing all those other holiday favorite dishes.
1 bunch each kale & spinach, washed,tough stems removed
2 medium garlic cloves, peeled
3 Tbsp toasted walnuts
4 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup e. v. olive oil
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Fill a bowl about halfway with ice and water; set aside.
Add kale and spinach to the boiling water and cook until it wilts, about 2 minutes. Drain it through a colander and plunge into the ice water - not you, the green stuff.
When they're cooled off, place the greens into your food processor along with the garlic, walnuts and vinegar.
Pulse until all of the oil is blended in and the mixture is smooth, probably 2-4 minutes. Season with a bit of salt and serve, now or later.
Click here if you want see many, many more easy dip recipes
Half-Hour Sweet Potato Pie
Serves 4-6You're probably going to serve sweet potatoes in some form with your T-day dinner so make a little extra and use it to create this fabulous southern favorite to offer along with all those other desserts you'll decadently serve.
1 cup cooked mashed sweet potatoes
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 stick melted butter
1/2 cup each white & dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 dash each salt, cinnamon & nutmeg
1 unbaked pie crust
Preheat oven to 400.
Mix everything together and pour into the pie crust. Bake 12 minutes at 400F, then about 15 minutes at 350F until done. Easy, huh?
Click here to see tons of other quick desserts you'll love
Green Beans With Cider Glaze
Serves 8 What makes this a Thanksgiving recipe? It's the apple cider. Why? Because October and November are the months when it's easiest to find low-priced apple cider at most supermarkets. And this dish takes a common veggie and makes it special enough for a really grand feast - like Thanksgiving.
1 lb green beans
1 medium red onion, halved,sliced thinly
2 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup apple cider
3 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, freshly ground
2 tsp dijon mustard (optional)
Cook beans in boiling water until crisp-tender, 5 minutes; drain.
Cook Onions in butter in a large skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add apple cider, cider vinegar and cook until almost all the liquid is gone, 7 minutes.
Stir in salt, pepper, and mustard (if you so choose); add beans and stir until completely heated. Done.
Click here for a whole page of veggie dishes, just as quick & easy
Rosemary-Mushroom Gravy
Makes 3 cupsIn the past I’ve tended to just add white pepper, flour and water to the turkey drippings, but this year I’m going to try this; it sounds yummy. Of course, if everything is coming out of the oven at once, and eaters are pestering with "When do we eat" questions, I might do the same-old.
drippings from roasted turkey
chicken broth
1/2 lb sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp each salt & white pepper
Pour turkey drippings into a measuring cup, skim fat, reserving 1/4 cup and set aside. Add enough broth to the drippings to measure 3 cups and set aside.
In a large saucepan, saute mushrooms in reserved fat until tender. Add onion powder and rosemary and cook a minute longer. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until blended.
Gradually stir in the broth & drippings mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Done.