Last-minute Thanksgiving recipes courtesy of the community

Readers, family, friends and CT Publishing staff shared recipes from their holiday tables for ideas this Thanksgiving.

Maple Cranberry Sauce

Courtesy Sue Anderson of Battle Ground

Anderson added that she has made this recipe every year for three decades, and it is super easy and loved by everyone. The recipe is from a cookbook her mother-in-law gifted her, Anderson stated. 

12 ounces fresh cranberries, well rinsed

1 cup pure maple syrup

1 cup raspberry-cranberry juice

Grated zest of 1 orange

1 cup walnut halves

1. Combine the cranberries, maple syrup, juice and orange zest in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until the cranberries pop in about 10 minutes. 
2. Carefully skim off any foam that has formed on the surface of the cranberry mixture, and stir in the walnuts. Allow the sauce to cool; then cover and refrigerate. This sauce will keep for three to four days. 

Fran's sweet stuffing

Courtesy Janell Sorensen of Battle Ground 

Sorenson thanked the community and added that she is grateful for the Northwest Gospel Church: Battle Ground, “who’s truly blessed our family.”

1 package (Fran's brand) stuffing mix

1 package chopped frozen onions

1 1/2 cup chopped celery

1 1/2 cubes of butter

2-3 tbs sugar

sprinkle Cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins

1 egg

1/2-1 cup milk (just to moisten breadcrumbs)

Fry onions & celery in butter, then pour onto breadcrumbs.  Add seasoning packet, 1 egg, sugar, Cinnamon raisins (toss until mixed with your hands), drizzle with milk until moistened (not soggy), and bake at 350 in a greased pan for about 20-30 min... or until the egg is cooked through.  (If you don't like sweet stuffing, you can skip the sugar cin and raisins and just add a little extra poultry seasoning and bake for traditional stuffing) (Sage and pepper)

Mom's candied yams

Courtesy Janell Sorensen of Battle Ground 

2 big cans (family size) yams, drained

2 Braeburn apple (or Granny Smith) sliced like an apple pie

1/4 cup golden raisins

Sauce:

1 cup apple juice/cider

1tbs. corn starch (add while cold)

2 tbs. butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon (or apple pie spice)

Whisk sauce ingredients until boiling — will thicken. Pour over apples, yams, and raisins and bake in a sprayed glass 9x13 dish at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until apples are soft.  (Can be prepared the day before!)

Pickle Pinwheels

Courtesy Jennifer De Luz of Woodland

De Luz added that this recipe is always a hit, and if her mom does not make it, she steps in and makes the Pickle Pinwheels.

Buddig ham slices (multiple slices per roll may be needed due to thinness)

Cream cheese, softened (whipped cream cheese spreads more easily)

Sweet pickles (spears or whole baby pickles work best)

1. Prepare the ingredients: Lay the ham slices on a flat surface, overlapping a few slices if needed to ensure the pickle is fully covered. Pat the ham and pickles dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and help the cream cheese adhere.
2. Spread cream cheese: Spread a thin, even layer of softened cream cheese over each ham slice, going all the way to the edges.
3. Add the pickle: Place a sweet pickle spear or whole baby pickle at one end of the cream cheese-covered ham slice.

4. Roll it up: Tightly roll the ham slice around the pickle, starting from the end with the pickle.
5. Chill (optional but recommended): For the cleanest slices, wrap the entire roll in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
6. Slice and serve: Use a sharp knife to slice the chilled roll-ups into bite-sized rounds (about 1/2-inch to 1-inch thick). Secure individual pieces with a toothpick if desired.

Yummy Potatoes

Courtesy Kim Conrad of Battle Ground

6 large potatoes (substitute with 2-pound bag of frozen hashbrowns)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 can cream of chicken soup

16 ounce sour cream

1 stick melted margarine

Chopped green onions

1. Boil potatoes for roughly 20 minutes, cool, peel and shred. 
2. Combine cream of chicken soup, sour cream, margarine and green onions in a bowl. Mix with potatoes. Put in pan. 
3. Top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake for 45 minutes at 300 degrees. If frozen, bake 350 degrees for one hour. 

Mirliton Cornbread Dressing

From Reflector reporter Cade Barker

Barker is always trying to find cajun food items to make at home and this cajun dressing from Louisiana Cookin’ will pair well with traditional stuffing. 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 mirlitons (chayote squash) — can be substituted with zucchini — cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 

1 pound ground Italian sausage

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped carrot

½ cup chopped red bell pepper

¼ cup chopped jalapeño peppers

1 pound cornbread, cut in 1-inch cubes

1 cup chicken stock

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (7.4 ounce) jar chopped chestnuts (about 1 cup)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 3-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat; stir in mirliton, and cook until tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
3. In an extra-large skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat until cooked through, about 8 minutes; 
add celery, onion, carrot, and peppers, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in cornbread, and toss until well coated with the vegetable mixture. Pour 1/4 cup chicken stock over the cornbread, stirring well to combine, and repeat until the cornbread appears damp. Stir in mirliton, salt, pepper, chestnuts, and parsley. Spread evenly in the prepared baking dish, and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

My Mama's Incredible Stuffing

Courtesy Rachel Frankel of north Clark County

Ingredients:

2 packages of Mrs. Cubbison's stuffing (preference, not mandatory)

1 package of sweet Italian sausage 

1 large onion (white or sweet)

3 stalks of celery

2 large carrots

1 package of sliced mushrooms, if desired

1 large red bell pepper

1 box or 2 cans of low-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons of fresh chopped garlic 

In a pan, sauté the chopped onion, garlic, shredded or ribboned carrots, chopped celery, diced or rough-chopped red bell pepper (mushrooms at the end if desired) in olive oil until softened.  Set aside. Remove the sautéed veggies into a casserole dish. Cut the sausage into bite-sized pieces and saute in the same pan used for the veggies with a teaspoon of olive oil until cooked or starting to brown. Set aside the sausage. In the casserole dish, begin adding stuffing and broth. Make sure it is thoroughly mixed, and add enough liquid to ensure it is very saturated. This will ensure that the stuffing has flavor and enough liquid before baking. Add the sausage and fold in. If you would like, add a little black pepper, onion and garlic salt, paprika, and oregano. Use your best judgment. 

Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on the casserole dish.  For the final 10 minutes of baking, slice some unsalted butter on top and leave uncovered for 10 minutes, and bake.

Texas Sparkle drink 

Courtesy Reflector office manager/page designer David Boehmke

Brew 4 tea bags with 4 cups of boiling water.  

Steep for 6 minutes.  

Add 3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 1/2 cups orange juice

Mix tea with the remaining ingredients. Chill. Add 1 quart of ginger ale. 

Cranberry and Rosemary Sangria

Courtesy Natalie Beck of Port Angeles

1 bottle Pinot Grigio

1/2 Cup white grape juice

1/4 Cup Sugar

1 Cup fresh Cranberries

3 sprigs of rosemary

2 granny smith apples, small dice

1. In a small saucepan, combine grape juice, sugar, and 1 cup of wine; bring to a boil. A watched pot never boils so you might as well take a few swigs of wine while you wait. You're just passing the time.
2. Add cranberries and cook for 30 seconds. When they begin to pop, they're ready.
3. Strain cranberries, reserving the wine syrup.
4. Add rosemary to hot syrup and set aside to steep.
5. In a pitcher, combine the remaining wine, blanched cranberries, and apples. It's best to chop the

apples right before this step.

7. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour, then add cooled wine syrup.
8. Garnish with candied rosemary and serve.  

Orange Marshmallow Salad

From Reflector Media Sales Representative Billy Armstrong

Billy said he found this recipe as a youth in a pro-wrestling cookbook, and his mom still makes it every year. 

8 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed 

3 oz. package orange gelatin mix, just the powder 16 oz of 4% fat cottage cheese, small or large curd will work

14 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained 

1 cup mini marshmallows

Combine the thawed whipped topping and orange gelatin powder in a large bowl, stirring until well combined. 

Add in the cottage cheese, mandarin oranges, and mini marshmallows, and gently fold in until the mixture is combined. 

Chill covered in the fridge until ready to serve. The flavors tend to blend better after it's been chilled for at least 1 hour.

Sweet Potato Soufflé

Courtesy Chronicle Media Sales representative Austin DeBolt

While this recipe originated at La Comedia Restaurant & Theater in Springfield, Ohio, Austin’s grandmother cuts the amount of sugar in half. 

1 large can of (18 oz.) sweet potatoes

1 cup of sugar

2 eggs

½ cup milk

½ tsp salt 

⅓ stick of butter of margarine, melted

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix well and pour into a buttered pan

Topping 

1 cup of brown sugar

½ cup flour

⅓ cup butter or margarine

1 cup pecans

Crumble topping over the potato mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes