Thanksgiving food is my favorite, and with Thanksgiving quickly approaching, it is getting harder and harder to wait for my holiday favorites. My favorite two dishes served on Thanksgiving are both sides – stuffing and cranberry sauce. Try this non-traditional, caf-salad-bar-inspired recipe for this seasonally scrumptious side dish. Also listed is a secret cranberry sauce recipe I seldom share. Finally is a delicious new take on a classic essential—premade canned cranberry sauce!

Mushroom and Golden Raisin Stuffing

INGREDIENTS

Mirepoix:

1/2 cup red onion

1/2 cup shredded carrot

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 tbs. olive oil

3 tbs. butter

salt and pepper (to taste)

1/4 tsp. each of nutmeg, cloves, allspice

Flavoring:

1/2 cup roughly chopped mushrooms

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/4 sunflower seeds

salt and pepper (to taste)

1/4 tsp. each of nutmeg, cloves, allspice

1 tbs. butter

2 cups vegetable broth (1/3 cup extra if needed)

Bread:

4 thick slices of pumpernickel bread

4 thick slices of sourdough bread

salt and pepper (to taste)

Pumpkin:

1 cup pureed pumpkin

1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. each of nutmeg, cloves, allspice

2 tsp. garlic

1 tbs. dehydrated minced onion

2 tbs. olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400*F.

2. Chop the bread into small squares, sprinkle with salt and pepper and dehydrate on a baking sheet for 30 minutes, turning the bread cubes over every five minutes.

3. Heat olive oil in a pan and add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and seasonings. Sauté until soft. Slowly add butter and brown vegetables for several minutes. Remove the Mirepoix from the pan and place in a bowl.

4. Melt 1 tbs. of butter in the pan and add the mushrooms, raisins, seeds and seasoning. When soft and slightly brown, mix in the Mirepoix and dehydrated bread cubes. Stir vegetables and bread together.

5. Slowly add broth to the vegetable and bread mixture. Stir until completely incorporated.

6. Reheat oven to 350*F.

7. Oil a 9×12 baking dish and evenly spread pumpkin on the bottom. Sprinkle the top of the pumpkin with seasonings and spoon stuffing into the baking dish.

8. Bake the stuffing for 30-40 minutes, and enjoy!

Secret Cranberry Sauce

INGREDIENTS

Cranberry Sauce:

Two 12 oz. bags of fresh cranberries

1/2 cup white sugar (may need 1/4 more depending on taste)

1/2 cup water (may need 1/4 more to loosen sauce)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tbs. orange peel

1 orange (juiced)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large saucepot, combine water, orange juice, sugar, zest, salt, and spice, emulsifying to a light syrup upon soft boil on medium-high heat.

2. When completely incorporated and boiling, pour bags of cranberries into syrup, stir until berries are completely coated. Turn the stovetop heat down to medium-low with the lid on. Stir occasionally.

3. After about 20 minutes, mash half of the cranberries and stir. Taste sauce and adjust according to taste and preference and enjoy.

Cranberry and Candied Orange Spiced Upside-Down Yellow Cake

INGREDIENTS

Candied Orange Simple Syrup:

1/2 orange peel

1 juiced orange

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Spiced Yellow Cake:

1 box yellow cake mix

1/2 cup melted butter or canola oil

1 cup vanilla soymilk

3 eggs

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Canned Cranberries:

14 oz. Cranberry Sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350*F.

2. Begin making the simple syrup by peeling and thinly julienned the orange. Put the orange peel, squeezed juice, sugar and spices into a small saucepot and let boil. After 5-10 minutes, remove from heat and let cool.

3. Next, mix the cake batter. Add soymilk, butter/oil, eggs, vanilla and spices until combined. Then add in the yellow cake mix. Stir until lumps are gone.

4. In a 9×12 baking dish, pour 14 oz. (1 can) of pre-made cranberry sauce into the bottom. Drizzle the orange syrup on top of the cranberries, then pour the cake batter on top of both.

5. Bake the cake on the middle rack of the oven for 30-40 minutes. Allow to cool for one hour before enjoying.