Sweet treats to spice up any Turkey Day feast
This Halloween season was chock-full of Charlie Sheen bowling shirts, Black Swan tutus and tiara-wearing toddlers, many of which could be spotted right here on the streets of Columbia. But now the season of scary has officially come and gone. Although we have only just ripped off the calendar page to November, we find ourselves in the rush of Christmas sales, commercials and nonstop Justin Bieber carol sing-alongs. And with all those sleigh bells ringing, one holiday often seems to get drowned out and left behind: That’s right, we’re talking about Thanksgiving. Besides an endless barrage of delicious treats and eats, Thanksgiving is perhaps the only time of year when it’s socially acceptable to unbutton your pants at the dinner table. Many students are heading home this year to spend Turkey Day with their families, and with thousands of recipes out there to choose from (all on a college-friendly budget), it’s never a bad idea to bring something a little extra to the table.
Pecan pie is a dessert staple for any holiday gathering. Mixing in a little chocolate with this recipe (courtesy of All Recipes) will only add to the pie’s sweet flavor and ensure the pan is licked clean by the end of the night. Plus, it’s super easy.
One 9-inch unbaked pie crust
3 large eggs
2/3 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup melted margarine (or butter if you’re Paula Deen)
1 cup light corn syrup (or dark Karo syrup if you want a heavier flavor)
1 cup pecans, halved
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Beat eggs and mix with sugar, salt, margarine and corn syrup. The pecans and chocolate chips can be handled in two ways: Either line the pie crust with pecans and add in chocolate chips and mixture, or simply mix in halves and chips and pour into crust. Bake between 40 and 50 minutes or until filling has hardened. Serves eight.
In the South, almost no Thanksgiving table is complete without a little sweet potato casserole, and it can usually be found right between the green bean casserole and the honey baked ham. Sure, many of the more “uppity” recipes call for whole potatoes, which require extensive time slicing, chopping and baking, but who really has the time for all that? This recipe tastes just as good using Bruce’s Yams in a can.
1 40-ounce can sweet potatoes or yams, drained (But do make sure to keep a little bit of the liquid. You’ll need it later.)
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (Again, this is a question of taste.)
Pam or some other form of cooking spray
1 1/2 cups mini-marshmallows
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients except for marshmallows in a large bowl, and stir until all lumps have disappeared. Make sure to remove any potato stems or large lumps. Coat casserole dish with cooking spray and pour mixture into dish. Top with a single layer (or more) of marshmallows until the top is completely covered. Bake for approximately 30 minutes.
Let’s face it: Men can cook too. In fact, there are numerous websites and books dedicated to the art of “manly” cooking, providing great dishes with cheap, easy, delicious (and did we say easy?) recipes that even the least kitchen-friendly man can whip up in a short amount of time. One such recipe comes from the Art of Manliness website, which provides a perfect cornbread stuffing recipe using only six ingredients.
2 boxes Jiffy cornbread mix
1 package Pepperidge Farm cornbread dressing mix
1 head or bunch of celery
1 medium yellow onion, chopped well
3 eggs, beaten
Chicken stock or broth (Think Swanson brand.)
Prepare the Jiffy cornbread the day before serving, following the directions on the box. Chop both onions and celery well, and then sauté onion in a tablespoon of butter before letting it cool. Crumble cornbread into a large bowl, adding in the majority of the Pepperidge Farm mix. Add in celery and onions and stir continuously to mix well. Cover and let sit overnight.
The day of your gathering, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Stir the broth and eggs into the cornbread mix. In a large pan or iron skillets, add enough butter or oil to cover the pan. Once the oven is at temperature, melt or heat shortening or oil until it begins to lightly smoke. Remove and pour dressing batter into the pan to create the crust. Bake approximately 45 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.