Making a List and checking it Twice

But this isn't a christmas list. This is my thanksgiving menu list. Then I will usually have a thanksgiving prep list going too These are things that I want to get done around the house that aren't food related. Things like make sure that there is toilet paper in the bathrooms, clean the oven and wash the good china. Then there is of course the grocery list.


Our Thanksgiving meal is usually very traditional, but I usually try at least one new recipe every year. And when I say new I mean something I've never tried before. Ever. No trial run before the big day to make sure that I can even make it or that it actually tastes good. I like to torture myself like that. It just wouldn't be Thanksgiving for me if I didn't have at least one cooking related panic attack.
This year though, my untested recipes are really easy so I'll just have to find something else to panic about. Like is there enough propane to cook the meal or did I buy enough potatoes.
Here they are in case you're curious. The first one is Emeril Legasse's Bacon Braised Green Beans because lets face it everything is better with bacon.


1 Tbsp. olive oil
6 slices of bacon, diced
1 cup thinly sliced onion
2 Tbsp. sliced garlic
2 pounds green beans, rinsed, ends trimmed
1 cup chicken stock, canned low sodium chicken broth or water
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Set a dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once the olive oil is hot, add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is well browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are trasluscent, 3-4 minutes. Add the greeen beans and toss to combine with the bacon and onions.
increase the heat to medium high and add the chicken stock. As soon as the stock begins to boil, place the lid on the pan and cook the beans for about 6 minutes. Remove the lid, season the beans woth the salt and pepper, and toss well. Replace the lid and cook until the beans are tender, 1 or 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and transfer the beans to a serving dish.


The other recipe is Buttered Rosemary Rolls from The Pioneer Woman

Frozen, unbaked dinner rolls
Melted butter, regular salted
Fresh rosemary, coursely chopped
Course sea salt

Spray a small iron skillet with cooking spray (or olive oil). Place frozen rolls in the skillet, leaving plenty of room for rising. Cover and allow to rise for several hours. After rising brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary. Brush with additional butter. Sprinkle with couse sea salt. Bake according to package directions, usually 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes), until rolls are a deep golden brown on top. Serve skillet on the table.


Now I have one more recipe that I haven't decided whether I will make as part of Thanksgiving dessert or not but I will include it here. My favorite candy is chocolate covered cherries and as much as I love them I only eat them during thanksgiving/christmas season. This recipe is for
chocolate covered cherry cookies and it is from the Tasty Kitchen website.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 whole egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 jar (10 oz.) Maraschino cherries drained, reserve juice
1 package (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cups sweetened condensed milk

In a large bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Blend well and set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat together butter or margarine and sugar on low speed until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Beat well. Gradually add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and beat until smooth and well blended. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place on a ungreased baking sheet. Press down the center of the dough with your thumb. Place a cherry in the center of each indentation.
In a small saucepan, combine chocolate pieces and sweetened condensed milk. Heat over low heat until chocolate is melted. Stir in 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the reserved cherry juice.
Spoon about 1 tsp. of the topping over each cherry, spreading to cover the cherry. If the topping seems too thick, thin it with a little more cherry juice.
The frosting does not melt and run all over the place seals in the cherry.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until done. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.