No ideas of what to make this Thanksgiving? Here are some recipes to try

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

Pumpkin S’mores Layer Cake

Courtesy Jenni Guajardo of Woodland

For the cake

1/2 stick (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pans

6 whole Graham crackers

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree

1/2 cup buttermilk

For the filling

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

12 marshmallows

2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1 cup cold heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the meringue

6 large egg whites

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Pulse the Graham crackers into fine crumbs in a food processor. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and pulse until well combined. 

2. Beat the butter and both sugars in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the pumpkin puree (the batter will look curdled). Beat in half of the flour mixture, then the buttermilk, then the remaining flour mixture. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Tap the bottoms of the pans against the counter to release any air bubbles. 
3. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.

Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then loosen the edges with a knife and invert the cakes onto the rack; discard the parchment and let cool completely.

4. Meanwhile, make the filling: Microwave the chocolate, marshmallows, cocoa powder and 1/3 cup heavy cream in a bowl in 30-second intervals, whisking occasionally, until melted and completely smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Let cool to room temperature.
5. Whisk the remaining 2/3 cup heavy cream in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Whisk one-third of the whipped cream into the chocolate-marshmallow mixture, then gently fold in the rest with a rubber spatula. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
6. Meanwhile, make the meringue: Whisk the egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar and salt in a large heatproof bowl. Place over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water) and cook, whisking, until the mixture is warm and the sugar dissolves, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan. Add the vanilla to the bowl and beat with a hand-mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture is cool and stiff glossy peaks form, about 12 minutes (or transfer to a stand mixer and beat 6 to 8 minutes).
7. Assemble the cake: Using a long, serrated knife, split each cake in half horizontally to make 4 layers total. Place 1 layer on a cake stand or plate. Transfer 1 cup meringue to a large resealable plastic bag and snip a corner. Pipe a ring of meringue on the perimeter of the cake layer (the meringue will keep the filling from oozing out). Spread one-third of the chocolate filling inside the ring. Repeat with 2 more cake layers, then top with the final layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining meringue, using the back of a spoon to make peaks. Brown the frosting with a kitchen torch. Refrigerate the cake for 1 hour before serving. 

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, saute 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 sausage. In the casserole dish, start adding stuffing and broth. Make sure that it is thoroughly mixed and you add enough liquid to ensure that 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.

Baked Mac ‘n’ Cheese

From Joselyn Evans of Ennis, Montana

1 lbs pasta noodles (preferably cavatapi pasta)

1 lbs mozzarella 

1 lbs Colby jack

1/2 lbs (8 oz) sharp cheddar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp pepper

1 1/2 tbsp garlic powder 

1 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika 

3 tbsp butter

flour

12 Oz evaporated milk

2 cups heavy cream

1. Boil your pasta for 8-10 minutes
2. Shred all your cheese (don’t buy pre-shredded!!)
3. Divide your cheese into 2 portions 
4. Combine all your spices
5. In a pan melt 3 tbsp of butter and then add half of your seasoning mix. Mix for roughly a minute.
6. Add 3 tbsp of flour to your buttered/seasoned pan, quickly mixing to make a roux, allow to cool for 3-4 minutes.
7. Stir in 12 oz. of evaporated milk, adding little at a time to avoid clumps. 
8. Add in SLOWLY 2 cups of heavy cream on medium heat. Stir for about 3 minutes.
9. Turn your heat to low and add 1/2 of your cheese mixture. Add in slowly, constantly stirring until all cheese is melted.
10. Add the other half of your seasoning mix.
11. Add your pasta and fold it into your cheese.
12. Add half your mac to a baking dish. Layer some cheese and continue until your cheese and pasta fills the dish. Make sure to top with cheese.
13. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes until all your cheese is melted.
14. To finish it off, broil for 2-3 minutes to golden the top

Stuffed Mushrooms

Courtesy Joselyn Evans of Ennis, Montana

16 oz baby bella mushrooms

Olive oil 

Save the stems for the mushroom stuffing*

1 shallot

3 garlic cloves

1tbsp chopped parsley 

4 oz cream cheese

1 egg

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350° and lightly grease a baking dish.

2. Rinse mushrooms and dry

3. Pop the stems off the caps and toss dried mushroom caps in olive oil.*Save mushroom stems for the stuffing. 

4. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan
5. Dice shallot and mushroom stems, add to your oiled pan and cook until tender. 

6. Mince garlic cloves and add them to the pan. Saute until fragrant and put them into a small bowl.
Allow them to cool a little bit and add cream cheese, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix well until all combined.

7. Place mushroom caps into the baking dish. Fill each cap with stuffing mixture. 
8. Bake mushrooms for about 20 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and golden
9. Sprinkle grated Parmesan on top and serve.


Easy, “Almost” Consomme Madrilene

From Reflector editor Jessica Keller

While traditional recipes for Consomme Madrilene are much fancier, this is easy to make and hard to mess up, probably because it only requires four ingredients: tomato juice, beef consomme, beef bouillon cubes and lemons. My family has eaten the broth for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter brunch my entire life. The ratio of the main ingredients are 1:1:1, and you can decide how much you want. 

Instructions: For every 8 ounces or so of tomato juice, add one can of beef consomme and one beef bullion cube. Pour the tomato juice in a consomme can to measure it if you wish. If the amount isn’t exactly 8 ounces, nobody will notice.

Pour all the ingredients except for the lemon into a pot and heat, stirring occasionally, or just dump the juice, consomme and bouillon into a slow cooker and heat until warm or you are ready to eat. Stir before pouring your broth into a cup or mug and then add a piece of sliced lemon before drinking.  

• Note: This is not a low-sodium recipe, so if that is a concern, you can either drink it in moderation or use low-sodium ingredients on the market.  

Lime Jell-o salad

Courtesy Chronicle Assistant Editor Emily Fitzgerald

Every holiday meal going back as far as I can remember has had one staple: grandpa’s green Jell-o. Neon green with suspicious chunks suspended inside, this Jell-o salad recipe was one of many developed in the ’50s and ’60s when my grandparents grew up. They loved it enough to keep making it long after jello salads fell out of fashion, and as much as I love watching people’s faces crumple in confusion when I describe the dish, me and the other younger members of the family has been eating it long enough that we’ve grown to love it, too. 

• 1 package (3oz) lime Jell-o  
• 1 package (3oz) lemon Jell-o  
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup mayo
• 1 can (14oz) condensed milk
• 1 pint cottage cheese
• 1 can (20oz) crushed pineapple, drained

Mix the lemon and lime Jell-o with the boiling water and let it cool to room temperature. Then combine all other ingredients (mayo, condensed milk, cottage cheese and pineapple) to the Jell-o mixture, transfer to a dish of your choice, and let it set in the fridge overnight. 

Texas Sparkle drink 

Courtesy Reflector office manager/page designer David Boehmke

Brew 4 tea bags with 4 cups 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 ginger ale. 

Cranberry and Rosemary Sangria

Courtesy Natalie Beck of Port Angeles

Ingredients

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

7. In a small saucepan, combine grape juice, sugar and 1 cup of wine; bring to a boil. A watched pot never boils so ya might as well take a few swigs of wine while you wait, right? You're just passing the time.
8. Add cranberries and cook for 30 seconds. When they begin to pop, they're ready.
9. Strain cranberries, reserving the wine syrup.
10. Add rosemary to hot syrup and set aside to steep.
11. In a pitcher, combine remaining wine, blanched cranberries, and apples. It's best to chop the apples right before this step.
12. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour, then add cooled wine syrup.
13. Garnish with candied rosemary and serve.  

Sweet Potato Souffle

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 potato mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes

Grits

From Reflector reporter Cade Barker

• 4 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups quick grits
• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 pound sharp cheddar cheese - grated
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• egg - beaten
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce

Bring water to a boil. Add salt and grits. Cook for 3 - 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter, cheese and garlic. Stir until butter and cheese are melted. Add beaten egg and Tabasco and mix well. Pour into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 250 degrees F for 1 hour 15 minutes. Sprinkle with paprika for the last 10 minutes of baking time if desired.

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. 

Ingredients

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

Instructions

Combine the thawed whipped topping and orange gelatin powder together in a large bowl and stir until combined. 

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