Popular Thanksgiving Sidekicks

We could all use a sidekick. A good sidekick makes the main character look good and is always around when needed. While turkey is the undisputed headliner for Thanksgiving, the large bird has a number of trusty sidekicks to make him look and taste great.

Our research staff was working 'round the clock this weekend trying to figure out what people like to eat on Thanksgiving besides turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie. Turns out sushi is near the bottom of the list. Near the top, we have cranberry sauce (both canned and fresh), sweet potatoes and green beans.

To find you the best sidekick recipes, we powered up the FoodPair search engine and found the tastiest and easiest side dishes for Thanksgiving.

While we're still fans of cranberry sauce straight out of the can, it's definitely worth making from scratch. Next, sweet potatoes are delicious, nutritious and versatile. And, green beans can taste great in regular or casserole form. Alright, let's make some side dishes!

Green Beans with Balsamic Shallot Butter
Green beans can be delicious, especially dressed with a compound butter.
Ingredients in this recipe: balsamic vinegar, green beans, shallot, butter



Green Beans with Garam Masala Butter and Toasted Hazelnuts
Garam masala is a fantastic Indian spice-mix available everywhere.
Ingredients in this recipe: green beans, butter, hazelnut, garam masala, kosher salt

Candied Sweet Potatoes
Candied potato deliciousness. Enough said!
Ingredients in this recipe: butter, sweet potato, sugar

Roast Sweet Potato with Sesame Glaze
Try this Asian-inspired sweet potato dish.
Ingredients in this recipe: honey, olive oil, sweet potato, sesame seeds, soy sauce, salt, black pepper

Classic Cranberry Sauce
Fresh cranberry sauce will have the canned stuff running for the hills!
Ingredients in this recipe: cranberry, sugar, water

Cranberry and Blood Orange Relish
A great riff on the classic cranberry recipe.
Ingredients in this recipe: cranberry, sugar, blood orange

Let’s get cooking (and eating)!

Any other favorite ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section or on our Facebook page! And while you're at it, "Like" us on Facebook to get helpful updates in your news feed.

Pie from the Sky!

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and we couldn't be more excited for the big day. When Turkey Day finally arrives, don't forget to pace yourself. Sure, the turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes are great, but dessert is where it's at! We're huge fans of the classic pumpkin pie, but come to think of it, we're huge fans of all the dessert pies, especially when they're served hot and topped with ice cream.

With the pie in the sky in our eye, we powered up the FoodPair search engine and found plenty of great pie recipes that'll make your holiday sing. Just don't forget the ice cream and/or whipped cream!

There are two schools of thought on pie: some people love to make everything from scratch, including the crust; others are fine with a store-bought crust because it saves time & energy. No surprise here, we're fans of both options, so long as they lead to delicious pie. Alright, let's make some pies!

Perfect Pie Crust
For the scratch-bakers, here's a classic recipe for pie crust.
Ingredients in this recipe: butter, sugar, salt, all-purpose flour, water


Citrus Pumpkin Pie with Grand Marnier Cream
Just the sound of this pie is making us hungry!
Ingredients in this recipe: sugar, whipping cream, lemon peel, orange peel, Grand Marnier

Sour Cream Apple Pie with Streusel Topping
We'll never forget about classic apple pie, but this looks amazing!
Ingredients in this recipe: egg, apple, butter, sour cream, sugar, brown sugar, salt, all-purpose flour, vanilla extract, pie crust, cinnamon

Rhubarb Pie
For those of you craving a fall classic, try rhubarb pie.
Ingredients in this recipe: egg, sugar, rhubarb, pie crust, tapioca

Boysenberry Pie
And, for the berry-lovers, here's boysenberry.
Ingredients in this recipe: egg, lemon juice, sugar, nutmeg, pie crust, tapioca, boysenberry

Raspberry-Pistachio Ice Cream Pie with Almond Praline
Don't worry about topping this pie with ice cream, it's already inside!
Ingredients in this recipe: butter, sugar, amaretti biscuit, slivered almonds, ice cream, gelato

Let’s get cooking (and eating)!

Any other favorite ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section or on our Facebook page!

Stuffing that's worth the trip!

Based on our informal survey, most people's favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal is the stuffing. Why? Well, in our humble opinion it's because good stuffing is delicious and a part of the Thanksgiving meal that's not usually served year-round. We all see plenty of turkey and mashed potatoes throughout the year, but not nearly enough stuffing, which is more of a fall and winter holiday classic.

To change all that, we powered up the FoodPair search engine and found plenty of great recipes for stuffing that are great for Thanksgiving and the rest of the year. Seriously, don't forget to add stuffing to those turkey sandwiches you'll be eating on Black Friday!

Stuffing recipes shake out into two categories: those with pork and those without. Stuffing with extra bacon, chorizo or ham gets flavor and juiciness from the meat. But, veggie-based stuffing is also delicious, so don't forget to try both. Even those recipes calling for chicken stock in a veggie stuffing are great with veggie stock instead.

Alright, let's make some stuffing!

Herb and Bacon Cornbread Stuffing
Spice up the classic cornbread stuffing with bacon, sage and rosemary
Ingredients in this recipe: bacon, onion, celery, turkey, chicken broth, mixed herbs (thyme, sage, rosemary, marjoram), cornbread


Cornbread and Chorizo Stuffing
Chorizo makes this stuffing spicier and bolder than all the rest!
Ingredients in this recipe: garlic, dried oregano, egg, onion, celery, chorizo, vegetable oil, chicken broth, cornbread

Chestnut and Pancetta Stuffing
Chestnuts add sweet & nutty notes and pancetta gives the meaty punch!
Ingredients in this recipe: olive oil, butter, pancetta, onion, parsley, chestnut, breadcrumbs, salt, black pepper, turkey stock

Rustic Bread Stuffing with Bell Pepper & Fresh Thyme
Try this classic stuffing with the addition of tangy green bell pepper.
Ingredients in this recipe: garlic, olive oil, butter, green bell pepper, onion, parsley, celery, thyme, chicken broth, white bread

Chestnut, Onion and Currant Stuffing
This veggie stuffing has a great sweetness and balance.
Ingredients in this recipe: butter, onion, parsley, thyme, sage, chestnut, dried currant, chicken or vegetable broth, seven-grain bread

Bulgur Stuffing with Brussels Sprouts & Dried Musrooms
Try this delicious & unique veggie stuffing!
Ingredients in this recipe: butter, onion, parsley, Brussels sprouts, water, chicken or vegetable broth, dried porcini & morel mushrooms, bulgur wheat

Let’s get cooking (and eating)!

Any other favorite ingredients or dishes you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section or on our Facebook page!

More Mashed Potatoes, Please!

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, that bowl of delicious mashed potatoes is so close we can almost taste it.

Mashed potatoes have long been a staple of the Thanksgiving "diet" alongside turkey, stuffing and maybe some veggies. We still love the classic preparation with butter, cream, salt & pepper, but the dish has come a long way since then as clever chefs have added their modern spins.

So, when you get the call to bring mashed potatoes to a Thanksgiving meal, or any meal, make one of these recipes and you'll be the star of the show. Using the FoodPair search engine, we found our 6 favorite mashed potato recipes. Give one (or all) a try today!

Perfect Mashed Potatoes
We start with the classic, and still perfect recipe.
Ingredients in this recipe: butter, cream, salt, black pepper, milk, Yukon Gold potatoes


Garlic-Smashed Potatoes
Adding garlic enhances flavor, and smashing potatoes is fun.
Ingredients in this recipe: garlic, olive oil, butter, sour cream, chive, Yukon Gold potatoes

Sour Cream-Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
For the next level, add sour cream & horseradish for tang and spice.
Ingredients in this recipe: sour cream, chive, horseradish, salt, Perfect Mashed Potatoes (see above)

Caramelized Shallot & Sage Mashed Potatoes
Shallots and sage add great flavor and sweetness.
Ingredients in this recipe: olive oil, shallot, sugar, sage, salt, white balsamic vinegar, Perfect Mashed Potatoes (see above)

Saffron-Corn Mashed Potatoes
Saffron and corn add exotic flavor & color to the classic mashed potatoes.
Ingredients in this recipe: garlic, olive oil, corn, onion, saffron, salt, milk, Perfect Mashed Potatoes (see above)

Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Goat Cheese & Fresh Sage
Nearly everything is better with cheese, including mashed potatoes!
Ingredients in this recipe: goat cheese, butter, sage, milk, Yukon Gold potatoes

Let’s get cooking (and eating)!

Any other favorite ingredients you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the Comments section or on our Facebook page!

Wake up! And try these Coffee Creations!

It's Monday (and we remembered to adjust our clocks yesterday) so the first thing we're reaching for is a big ol' cup of coffee. Gotta satisfy that caffeine fix to get the week off on the right foot.

Sure, we all know you can drink coffee. But, can you eat it? And is it delicious? The answers to both those questions are a resounding "Yes," so let's check out some classic and creative ways to use coffee in your next meal.

Don't worry, there's not nearly enough coffee in most of these recipes to keep you up all night, but feel free to substitute decaf for regular. Using the FoodPair search engine, we found our 6 favorite coffee recipes. Give one a try today!

Cardamom & Coffee Zucchini Bread
Wake up in style with coffee-infused zucchini bread.
Ingredients in this recipe: egg, zucchini, sugar, brown sugar, salt, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, canola oil, coffee beans, canned pineapple, ground cardamom

Country Fried Ham with Redeye Gravy
For a heartier breakfast, check out this easy, 3-ingredient recipe.
Ingredients in this recipe: ham, milk, coffee

Coffee-Rubbed Roasted Chicken
For lunch or dinner, try coffee-rubbed chicken.
Ingredients in this recipe: garlic, chicken, butter, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, coffee beans

Lou Lambert's Coffee-Rubbed Roasted Brisket
Slow-cooked brisket comes alive with coffee.
Ingredients in this recipe: carrot, paprika, brown sugar, chili powder, black pepper, kosher salt, brisket, yellow onion, ground coffee, coffee, dark beer

Coffee Granita
Granita is a light, easy and delicious dessert.
Ingredients in this recipe: sugar, water, espresso

Coffee Ice Cream
We always scream for ice cream.
Ingredients in this recipe: egg, cream, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, milk, coffee beans, ground coffee

Let’s get cooking (and eating)!

Any other favorite ingredients you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the Comments section or on our Facebook page!

We're Talking Turkey for Thanksgiving

Like you, we feel intimidated by the prospect of cooking turkey for Thanksgiving. The turkey is an icon, a hero, a symbol of a great holiday that's focused on food (like all of FoodPair's favorite holidays). On top of that, turkey is the star of the show, and like those three tenors at the opera, the Thanksgiving turkey is huge.

So, how should you tackle this giant, tasty bird? Let FoodPair show you the ropes and check out our ideas for making a delicious turkey without breaking a sweat.

1. The Beginning: buy a Turkey and make sure to defrost it early.

Let's get the easy stuff and prep out of the way early:

Plan ahead: Figure out how much turkey you need based on the crowd you're feeding. Typically, aim for a 12-15 lb turkey for 10-12 people, 15-18 lb turkey for 14-16 people, or 18-22 lb turkey for 20-22 people.

Defrost well in advance: Thanksgiving Turkeys are typically huge, running well over 10 pounds. So, if you buy one frozen it's best to defrost it for 3 days in the fridge before Turkey Day arrives.

Start early on Thursday: When the big day arrives, remember that large turkeys take anywhere from 3 to 5 hours to cook, so plan your day accordingly. Get that guy in the oven early so you have time to relax with family & friends and watch some classic Thanksgiving football.

Pre-heat the oven: Along those lines, remember to pre-heat the oven. Most of our recipes call for cooking at 325 or 350 degrees. At those temperatures, the turkey will take a while to cook, but will be moist and that's what it's all about.

2. Prep the Bird.

OK, so we're ready to open the package and get moving. First, remove and discard everything you don't want: for most, this means tossing the neck and bag of innards that comes in the package. Next, rinse the turkey with water, inside and out.

For the outside of the turkey, we like to add more flavor. A lot of people rub or spray butter on the outside of the bird and that works well to add moisture and get the skin golden brown. We've also enjoyed spreading a marinate on the turkey. It's simple: combine 1/4 cup olive oil with 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar and minced garlic. Mix it up, then rub the mixture all over the turkey. Sprinkle salt & pepper on the bird as well.

Also, coat the bottom of the roasting pan. It's your call on what to use, but a lot of people use chicken stock, water, or olive oil. We like water or stock since evaporation will add moisture to the turkey as it cooks.

3. The Stuffing!

For a lot of people stuffing is their favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal, so don't miss out. Of course, there are prepared stuffing mixes or home-made recipes. This one with Sausage & Fennel sounds delicious. Nearly anything will work for stuffing and we like ones with cubes of bread, carrots, onion, celery and green pepper. Here's the deal for safety: if you stuff the turkey with veggies at the beginning, those should be discarded after roasting. If you want to eat the stuffing from the bird, add it during the last 30 minutes of cooking. It's a good idea to have stuffing in the bird from the beginning for moisture and flavor, so with 30 minutes to go, you can swap the original for a tasty version for dinner.

4. Roast the turkey, but stay alert for basting.

So, a large turkey will take 3 to 5 hours to cook. The rule of thumb is about 15 minutes per pound, but it's best to have a pop-up thermometer in the turkey or a meat thermometer to check the temperature. When it hits 170 to 180 degrees, you're done. Check out some of the great turkey recipes from FoodPair for more tips & ideas: Roast Turkey with Spiked Gravy or No Basting Roasted Turkey.

Cover the turkey with foil for roasting, but remove it for the last hour of cooking to allow the skin to crisp.

Basting is key, so every 15 to 20 minutes, spoon the liquid from the pan over your bird.

Remove the stuffing and let the turkey rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. That seals all the juices in!

Finally, the best gravy is made from the pan drippings. You can serve them straight up, or season with salt & pepper and thicken with a little flour

Have other favorite Turkey recipes or tips? Post them in the comments section!

Pomegranates are in-season right now!

Looking for a fruit that's delicious, healthy and historic? Look no further than the pomegranate!

• Pomegranates are packed with flavor: the seeds are crunchy & tasty and the juice is tart & luxurious.
  
• Pomegranates packed with nutrients: plenty of Vitamin C, B-Vitamins, Potassium and Fiber.
  
• And pomegranates are packed with history: in Greek mythology, Hades tricked Persephone into eating 6 pomegranate seeds when she was his prisoner in the underworld, so we get 6-months of cold weather each year. Oops!
• Pomegranates also feature prominently in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Now that's a famous fruit!

OK, what's next? After grabbing some pomegranates at the store you'll want to know how to break them down. Our favorite method is to cut the fruit in half, hold it over a bowl and whack it with the back of the spoon. The seeds should fall right out! Another popular method is to cut the pomegranate in half and submerge in a bowl of water. As you shake, the seeds will sink and the inedible pulp will float to the top. Turns out people have invented some easy & fun pomegranate prep techniques over the last 5 thousand years!

Once you've harvested some fresh, vibrantly-red pomegranate seeds or bought some antioxidant-rich pomegranate juice, which delicious recipes should you make? FoodPair to the rescue! We've culled through thousands of years of dishes to present our 6 favorites. Enjoy!

Persimmon-Pomegranate Fruit Salad
A delicious fruit salad is good for breakfast, lunch or snack!
Ingredients in this recipe: honey, mint, lemon juice, pomegranate seeds, Fuyu persimmon, Fuji apple


Mediterranean Salad with Prosciutto and Pomegranate
Pomegranate seeds are a great salad-toppers.
Ingredients in this recipe: prosciutto, arugula, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mint, scallion, pomegranate seeds, kosher salt, fennel

Warm Shredded Lamb Salad with Mint and Pomegranate
This warm & savory is salad is a great and hearty meal.
Ingredients in this recipe: garlic, mint, shallot, carrot, pomegranate seeds, water, lamb shoulder, sea salt

Grilled Eggplant with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Use pomegranate molasses for a fantastic dressing.
Ingredients in this recipe: eggplant, cilantro, olive oil, shallot, pomegranate seeds, salt, black pepper, pomegranate molasses

No-Churn Pomegranate Ice Cream
We'd never forget about dessert. Try making no-churn ice cream today!
Ingredients in this recipe: lime, cream, pomegranate juice & seeds, powdered sugar

Sweet Yogurt Sundae with Saffron and Pomegranate
We love this modern, Indian-inspired dessert.
Ingredients in this recipe: honey, yogurt, nutmeg, kiwifruit, pomegranate seeds, saffron, ground cardamom

Let’s get cooking (and eating)!

Any other favorite ingredients you'd like us to highlight? Post them in the comments section or on our Facebook page!