It's always a hectic time around the holidays, and it's no different for Anne. If you haven't seen it yet, she posted a blog entry recently about the best thing on her family Thanksgiving table with a recipe to try. But, she also asked about your own Best Thing There. I thought I'd start it off by saying the best thing on my table was definitely a twist on an old favorite, traditional stuffing.

This year I was treated to stuffing with artichoke hearts and mushrooms, and though I was a little hesitant to steer away from the usual, it was worth it. Here's a pretty simple recipe for it that I may be working into Christmas dinner. My family usually opts for two very similar and tasty dinners each year, which I have no problem with.

Mushroom and Artichoke Stuffing

A shoe peg corn salad. I am not a fan of green bean casserole and wanted something else green. This is shoe peg corn, english peas, green beans (all of those are canned), pimentos, chopped green peppers, onion....think that's it...they are all tossed in a red wine vinagrette. yummmmmmmmmmm. It's always a hit at potlucks and just so darn good. Thanks to my friend Lauren for sharing her recipe.
Karen

Karen, that sounds good! When you get a chance (in all your spare time ), will you pm or email me that recipe. I don't care for green bean casserole either.

The favorite thing at our house this year (mind you, we had premade honey baked ham and sides) was my Jalepeno Cranberry Sauce. It is an Alton Brown recipe. My mother is 84 and usually doesn't like anything too "out there". She requested I make it again this year. I've made it 3 years now. She even took what was left home and has been eating it on her toast in the morning.

My Cranberry Cumberland Sauce - got it from the 1994 Bon Appetit Thanksgiving issue (I think October) and have been making it ever since.
KathyB

Mary,
I didn't cook for Thanksgiving, either, so my kids asked if we could have Thanksgiving for Christmas! I started to explain that we could have the Thanksgiving menu for Christmas...instead, I just told them yes! Usually Christmas is a very casual meal here, but I guess I am committed to cook the whole shebang! The menu so far:
Turkey and gravy
Stuffing (nothing fancy!)
Mashed potato pie
Potato rolls
Broccoli and cheese sauce
Cranberry sauce
Corn
French cut green beans
Sweet potatoes or steamed baby carrots
DGCC
Pumpkin pie
Pecan Apple Crisp with vanilla ice cream

My family likes pretty basic food, nothing too gourmet. They also like most of their veggies just steamed! I guess the food that HAS to be there for me is the Mashed Potato pie. It was passed down by my father, whose mother was Irish, and whose father was French. Sauteed onions and bacon are added to thick mashed potatoes, and used to fill a two-crust pie. It is sooooooo good. I'll probably have to make some plain potatoes for the less-adventurous eaters, but at least the rest of us can enjoy it!
Diane

The jalepeno cranberry sauce mentioned sounds great! I looked on the Food Network site and found one by Emeril-is that the one? Thanks!

Fabbie, I just sent you the recipe via PM. I've had the recipe for a few years now. It was originally from Alton Brown, but I don't find it on Food Network anymore. I didn't see the one from Emeril that you mentioned.

My kids are happy that we finally had a Christmas dinner! I usually cook for Thanksgiving, then make something fun for Christmas, like tacos or pizza...it makes the day more relaxing. Since I didn't cook for Thanksgiving this year, they let me know that I was on the hook for Christmas! The best thing there was the Mashed Potato Pie. Two of my children have totally converted to this, with just one child preferring plain mashed potatoes. They liked it so well, they offered it to my best friend's children as a snack after dinner (Would you care for some Mashed Potatoe Pie? It's really good!) They instead chose cookies! I added a little garlic this time, and I really liked the extra flavor it gave. The pies can be made earlier in the day, then reheated, which makes it really handy if you have a full oven.
Diane

Dday, would you pleeeze tell us how you make that "Mashed Potato Pie"? Preferably in simple terms even an holiday-exhausted brain could comprehend? Pretty please? I'm *tired* of plain ol' smashed 'taters! But at this point I'm too brain dead to think of anything else. And yours sounds right up my alley for a lunch next week.

MaryT - the other one

Since I had to pretty much figure it out on my own, this is what I came up with:

5 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces
12 oz. bacon, diced
1 med. onion, finely diced
2 pks. pie crusts (4 crusts total)
1 stick butter, melted
warm milk
salt and pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes. Fry the bacon pieces; add the onions (I did 2 cloves garlic this year, too) when the bacon is just about crispy. Drain on paper towels. When the potatoes are done, drain. Add the stick of butter and some warm milk and mash. Important: make sure the potatoes are thick, so don't use as much milk as you normally would. When mashed, fold in the bacon and onion mixture; add salt and pepper.
Prepare the pie crusts for a 2-crust pie, as directed on the package. Bake at 400 for 45 minutes (make sure to cover the edges with foil, or they will burn.)
Makes 2 pies...cut into 8 pieces each pie (kids usually eat 1/2 piece.)

I warmed it tonight for 5 minutes in the microwave, then put it in at 350 for 15 minutes with the rolls I was baking. The crust wasn't as crisp, but that was ok, too. It is sooooooo good slathered with gravy! My one hold-out tried it for dinner tonight, and went back for more. Hurray! Now, after two meals, we still have almost a whole pie left. I guess I need to just make one pie, since it is so filling...but I love it so much! I bet it would be really good with a beef roast, too...instead of the Yorkshire pudding I grew up with. Maybe that will be tomorrow night!
Diane

Here's another potato recipe that I saw on Food Network and tried recently. We really liked it and will have it again soon. I didn't use the horse radish in it, because DH doesn't care for it.

Crispy and Creamy New Potato Pie

Ohhh my! Ask and you shall receive!

Dday that sounds explicit enough that even I can't screw it up. Simply fill the bottom crust, spread the potatoes in, add the top crust, then bake. Tooooo easy. And perfect for a roast beef next week! (yorkshire pudding??? what a waste of perfectly good food! <evil mischevious grin>)

Tiffysma, I've got non-horseradish people too, so you're not the only one leaving it out. But otherwise it sounds good! Got to try that one soon.

Many Thanks to both of you!
MaryT

Dday: Now that I've got your dander up for disparaging yorkshire pudding -


Would you part with the recipe for your Yorkshire Pudding? Please? The first one I ever had years ago was done by a vacationing Brit friend and out of this world good! But the versions I've tried since then...well, "it's wasted effort" is about the best I can say.
I'd love to get my taste buds on something resembling "good" again!

Please?

MaryT - the hungry other one