HE BROAD BREASTED TURKEY, roasted to golden perfection, is the symbol of our American Thanksgiving. It's a time for family and friends to sit down together for the traditional holiday dinner.
Outside, the late fall air is chilly; inside, we're warmed by sharing familiar foods, as we sit down together and feel thankful for all we have.
Besides the turkey, the table is laden with relishes, corn, sweet potatoes, vegetable dishes and the venerable pumpkin pie.
In Colonial times, everybody pitched in, helping out with the preparations. Why not re-create something ofthat spirit today?
Make it a family affair. Set aside an evening or two to cook and prepare, which will not only lessen the work load, but will add a participatory aspect to the celebration.
It all adds up to a delicious Thanksgiving Day, in every way.
MAPLE GLAZED TURKEY BREAST
Meat
Serves 6 - 8
* 1 (5-7 pound) turkey breast
* salt and pepper
* 1 large orange, cut up
* � cup maple syrup, warmed
* � tablespoon orange marmalade, warmed
* � teaspoon minced garlic
* 2 teaspoons cornstarch
* � cup canned low sodium chicken broth
Pre-heat oven to 4000F. Rub a sprinkling of salt and pepper into the bone side of the breast.
Line a small roasting pan with heavy duty aluminum foil with an overhang of about 8 inches. Place the turkey breast, bone side down, in the pan on top �f the cut up orange.
In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, marmalade and garlic. Spoon half the mixture over the turkey breast. Bring the foil together pinching to seal.
Roast for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 325�F. Fold foil back to uncover turkey breast. Baste with remaining maple syrup mixture.
Roast 1 hour longer or until an instant read thermometer reaches 1700F, basting often with pan juices. If browning too quickly, cover lightly with aluminum foil.
When correct temperature is reached, place the turkey breast on a warm serving- platter. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing.
To make gravy, pour pan juices and any sediment into a small saucepan. Blend the cornstarch and broth until smooth. Stir into pan juices.
Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cook for 1 minute. Pour into a warmed gravy boat and pass to pour over turkey.
RAGOUT OF ROOT VEGETABLES
Pareve
Serves 6
A ragout is a thick, well-seasoned mixture of meat, fish, poultry and in this recipe, of vegetables.
* 18 baby carrots
*2 medium onions
* 2 small parsnips
* 6 tablespoons pareve margarine
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 �teaspoons caraway seeds
* kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Cut carrots lengthwise into quarters. Slice onions and parsnips thinly.
In a large, non-stick skillet, melt the margarine over medium heat. Stir in the oil. Add the carrots, onions and parsnips.
Reduce heat to low. Partially cover. Cook 25 minutes, stirring often until onions are soft and yellow, and carrots and parsnips are soft. Toss with the caraway seeds.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
Note: This may be made ahead and reheated in microwave.
POTATO-ONION CASSEROLE
Pareve
Serves 6
* 3 large baking potatoes (about IVa pounds total)
* � cup olive oil
8 � cup dry unseasoned bread crumbs
* 1 teaspoon salt
* � teaspoon pepper
* 1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 3500F. Coat a shallow, medium baking dish or 9- or 10-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.
Peel potatoes and thinly slice on a diagonal. Arrange half of potatoes over bottom of dish, overlapping slices slightly.
Drizzle on 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons bread crumbs, Vz teaspoon salt and 1A teaspoon pepper over potatoes.
Spread all of onion slices over potato layer and drizzle on 1 tablespoon olive oil. Top with remaining potatoes.
Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon oil over casserole. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons bread crumbs, V2 teaspoon salt and 1A teaspoon pepper on top.
Cover lightly with foil and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.
Remove foil and continue to bake until potatoes are browned on top and tender, about 15 minutes longer. (A sharp, pointed knife should slide in easily.)
Serve hot.
GARLICKY BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Pareve
Serves 4
* 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen baby brussels sprouts
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
* salt and pepper
Pat brussels sprouts dry on paper towels.
In a large skillet, cook sprouts in olive oil over medium heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes, shaking pan several times, until tender.
Stir in garlic, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 2 minutes longer.
Season with salt and plenty of pepper to taste. Serve hot.
PUMPKIN PIE
Pareve
Serves 8 - 10
A light and easy pareve version of one of the most popular Thanksgiving pies.
* 4 eggs
* 6 rounded tablespoons brown sugar
* 1� cups canned pumpkin
* � cup cold coffee
* � teaspoon salt
* 2� teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
?1 (9-inch) frozen pie shell, unbaked, or make your own crust (recipe follows)
Pre-heat oven to 4000F. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs lightly. Add the sugar, pumpkin, coffee, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk to blend.
Pour into pie shell. Place on a baking sheet to prevent spillage. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 3250F. Bake 35 minutes longer or until mixture is set and slightly puffed up.
Serve at room temperature.
PERFECT
PROCESSOR PASTRY
Pareve
Makes 2 9-inch pie crusts
An unbelievably easy short crust pastry. May be refrigerated for 2-3 days or freeze for several weeks.
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* � teaspoon salt
* 1 cup (2 sticks) pareve margarine, cut in pieces
* 1 egg
* 1 � teaspoons white vinegar
* ice water to mix
Place the flour and salt in the food processor bowl. Using the pulse button, cut in the margarine until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
In a measuring cup, whisk the egg, vinegar and enough ice water to make 2/3 cup. Add the egg mixture.
Process until dough starts to clump together. Do not let it form a ball and come away from the sides of the bowl.
Remove and divide into two equal pieces. Wrap tightly in wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 3 days. Let stand at room temperature for 1015 minutes before rolling out on a floured board.
CRANBERRY-PEAR BUNDT CAKE
Pareve
Serves 15 - 20
This golden-crusted, moist coffee cake is studded with chunks of fresh pears and dried cranberries. Scented with aromatic cardamom, make ahead and freeze.
Apples may be substituted for pears.
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 cups plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
8 3/4 cup vegetable oil
* � cup walnut oil
* 5 large eggs
* � teaspoon orange extract
* � cup orange juice
* 2 firm pears, cored, unpeeled and cut in '/�-inch dice
* 1 cup dried cranberries
* 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
* confectioners sugar to sprinkle (optional)
Preheat oven to 3500F. Spray a bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray with flour.
In large mixer bowl, place the flour, 2 cups sugar, baking powder, oils, eggs, orange extract and orange juice. Beat at medium speed for 8 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl often.
In a separate bowl, mix the pears and cranberries with remaining sugar and the cardamom. Spoon half the batter into prepared bundt pan. Sprinkle threequarters pear mixture over. Cover with remaining batter and top with remaining pear mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for IVe- 2 hours or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Cool for about a half hour before turning out. Before serving, dust lightly with confectioners sugar.
[Sidebar]
NO TURKEY, NO STUFFING
The first Thanksgiving likely lacked the basics
*1621
When the Pilgrims held the first Thanksgiving feast in 1621,, giving thanks for the year's bountiful crop, it's unlikely that their- menu featured turkey, white or sweet potatoes, bread-based stuffing or pumpkin pie.
According to food historian Kathleen Curtin, "turkey" was the term used by the Pilgrims for any kind of wild fowl (albeit including wild turkeys).
N� recipe exists for pumpkin pie. although there are recipes for stewed pumpkin.
The Pilgrim's original celebration took place sometime between September 21 and November 11. Ninety or so friendly Indians who had helped the Pilgrims survive Were included in the feasting.
The festivities continued for three days, based on the English harvest festivals.
* 1863
In 1863, due to the persistent lobbying of Sarah Josepha Hale, President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday (JfewfSH Star, Nov. �4, 20?8). We continue to celebrate thfe purely American tradition.
EGH
Back to Tradition for Thanksgiving
[Author Affiliation]
By ETHEL G. HOFMAN
Food Columnist
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