Classic Thanksgiving Stuffing

3/4 cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter plus more for baking dish

1 pound good-quality day-old white bread, torn into 1-inch pieces (about 10 cups)

2½ cups chopped yellow onions

1½ cups ¼-inch slices celery

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided

2 large eggs

Step 1

Preheat oven to 250°. Butter a 13x9x2-inch baking dish and set aside. Scatter bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until dried out, about 1 hour. Let cool. Transfer to a very large bowl.

Step 2

Meanwhile, melt 3/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery. Stir often until just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add to bowl with bread. Stir in herbs, salt, and pepper. Drizzle in 1 1/4 cups broth and toss gently. Let cool.

Step 3

Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk 1 1/4 cups broth and eggs in a small bowl. Add to bread mixture and fold gently until thoroughly combined. Transfer to prepared dish, cover with foil, and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of dressing registers 160°, about 40 minutes.

Step 4

Remove foil and continue to bake dressing, uncovered, until set and top is browned and crisp, 40–45 minutes longer.

Do Ahead:

Dressing can be baked (before browning) 1 day ahead. Uncover and let cool, then cover and chill. Uncover and bake until top is browned and crisp, 50–60 minutes.

Buffalo Chicken Chili

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter (or ghee)

2 lbs ground chicken (or ground turkey)

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

2 red, orange, or yellow peppers, seeded and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

3 ribs of celery, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp paprika

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

4 cups chicken stock

1/4 to 1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce (or other hot sauce)

1 15oz can tomato sauce

1 15oz can crushed tomatoes

Place a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter is melted, add the ground chicken and brown it, about 5-10 minutes. Add the carrots, peppers, onion, celery, garlic, paprika, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. (If the pot seems too full you can remove the chicken and cook the veggies  alone for a few minutes, then add the chicken back in.) Add the chicken stock, hot sauce, tomato sauce, and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a bubble, then simmer for 10 more minutes.

* To make this paleo or Whole 30 approved, use ghee instead of butter and use Frank's Red Hot brand hot sauce.

Serves 6.

{Adapted from Rachel Ray}

Slow-Roasted Orange Pork

1 (6-7 pound) boneless pork shoulder or Boston butt, well marbles
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp  ground allspice
1 tsp ground corriander
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbs salt
6 cloves garlic, thinnly sliced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-1/3 cups orange juice, divided
1.5 cups dry red wine, divided

2 Tbs fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs olive oil
2 thin-skinned oranges, thinly sliced

Three days before cooking, make deep cuts into the roast. Combine cloves, allspice, coriander, pepper, cinnamon, salt, garlic, oil, 2/3 cup orange juice and 1/2 cup of wine. Smear mixture all over roast, stuffing spices and garlic into the cuts. Put in a bag or container with extra marinade and refrigerate for 3 days, turning several times.

Day of cooking:
Remove meat from fridge and preheat oven to 400 F. Puree rosemary, onion, oil and salt. Spread over meat, stuffing into cuts. Put the roast into a shalow pan (such as a 9x13x2 or a half sheet pan) with the fat side up and scrape any remaining marinade over the meat. Lay orange slices over the roast and roast for 30 min.

Pour the remaining wine and orange juice over the roast, reduce temp to 325 F and roast 90 min, basting over 20-30 min. Once meat reaches 145-150 F, reduce heat to 200 F for another 30 min, or until internal temperature is 155-160 F. Remove from oven and let rest for 10-15 min before slicing.

Thinly slice pork and drizzle with pan juices. Serve along side roasted potatoes and salad.

Chicken Wild Rice Cranberry Soup

8 T. unsalted butter
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 c. onion, finely chopped
6 T. flour
6 c. chicken stock
3 c. cooked wild rice
2 - 12.5oz cans of chicken (or about 2 cups cubed or shredded chicken)
1 c. dried cranberries
2 c. milk or half-and-half
4 T. dry sherry
Few dashes of Worchestershire sauce
S & P to taste

Melt butter in Dutch overn over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery, and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrot is tender, about 8 minutes. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Gradually add the stock, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir until the soup is thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken, rice and cranberries. Reduce heat; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries are softened and plumped, about 15 minutes. Stir in all the reminaing ingredients. Stir occasionally until warmed through. Season to taste.

Serves 6-8.

{From Michael's cousin Marija}

Mushroom Casserole

Use any cooked grain you like. Feel free to use low-fat cottage cheese or sour cream if you prefer.


1 pound (2 containers) brown mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
1 large onion, well chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups cooked brown rice, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
a bit of fresh tarragon, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Rub a medium-large baking dish with a bit of olive oil or butter and set aside. The pan I use is slightly smaller than a classic 9x13 baking dish - just grab for something in this ballpark.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat saute the mushrooms in a glug of olive oil sprinkled with a couple pinches of salt. Stir every minute or so until the mushrooms have released their liquid and have browned a bit. Add the onions and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes or until they are translucent. Stir in the garlic, cook for another minute and remove from heat. Add the rice to the skillet and stir until combined.

In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, and salt.

Combine the rice mixture and cottage cheese mixture in a large bowl, stir until well combined and then turn out into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 2/3 of the Parmesan cheese, cover with foil and place in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20 or 30 minutes more or hot throughout and golden along the edges. Sprinkle with the chopped tarragon, and the remaining Parmesan and enjoy

Wild Rice with Dried Fruit and Nuts

• 8 scallions
• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2.25 cups uncooked wild rice or wild rice blend (any seasoning packet discarded)
• 4 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1 cup dried cherries or cranberries
• 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
• 
  

1. Add wild rice and cook according to package instructions.
2. Meanwhile, thinly slice scallions, separating white and green parts. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add scallion whites and cook, stirring often, until soft, 3 minutes; drain out excess oil; season with salt and pepper; set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, dried cherries, and 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce to a simmer and cook until vinegar is almost absorbed, 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add rice, cooked scallions whites, scallion greens, and chopped pecans. Stir well to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 8 (side dish portions)

{adapted from Martha Stewart}