We asked Lanea Stagg, the author of the "Recipe Records" cookbook series, to offer up a rock'n'roll-inspired Thanksgiving menu. Here's what Lanea suggests would be real crowd-pleasers and sure to rock the house!
Rock And Roll Hoochie Couscous
"Lawdy mama, light my fuse..."
1 cup water
1 cup couscous
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded & chopped
12 cherry tomatoes, sliced into halves
1 chili pepper, seeded, minced
1 tablespoon cilantro, minced, may add more to taste
5 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
3 tablespoons minced garlic
Broil green pepper, skin side up until black and bubbly; remove from oven, cover with foil and cool. Chop green pepper and set aside. Boil water; add couscous. Remove from heat and cover for 10 minutes. Put in mixing bowl and fluff with fork. Let cool completely.Add cucumber, tomatoes, and peppers to the couscous. Whisk together lemon, olive oil, cumin, paprika, and minced garlic. Add to couscous and mix gently.
Give Peas a Chance
"All we are sayin'..."
1 – 14.5 oz. can French-style green beans, drained
1 – 15 oz. can small peas, drained
1 – 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained
½ c. vegetable oil
¾ c. white vinegar
¾ c. granulated sugar
2 stalks celery, chopped finely
½ c. green pepper, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
In bowl, combine beans, peas, celery, green pepper and onions. In separate bowl mix vinegar, oil and sugar. Pour over vegetables and stir. Cover and chill at least 24 hours.
House of the Rising Bun
"It's been the ruin of many a poor boy..."
1 c. 100% bran cereal
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. shortening (Crisco® or margarine)
1½ tsp. salt
1 c. boiling water
2 whole eggs
2 pkgs. dry yeast dissolved in 1 c. lukewarm water
6 c. flour
Pour 1 c. boiling water over bran, sugar, shortening & salt. Mix well with mixer. Add eggs, dissolved yeast & again mix well with mixer. Add 3 c. flour and mix with mixer. Then add 3 c. flour & mix by hand. Make sure dough does not become too tough with flour. Just tacky to the touch. Make rolls night before you plan to use them. Refrigerate in greased covered bowl. Remove from refrigerator and punch dough down. Roll out 2 hours before serving time. Pinch off dough and roll to make a ball. Grease all sides with melted shortening. Place in a round metal baking pan or cookie sheet, cover & allow to rise. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes. Makes 70 small rolls.
Bad to the Bone-In Ham
"B-B-B-B-Bad, B-B-B-Bad, B-B-B-Bad, Bad to the bone..."
1 butt portion bone-in ham (or top portion ham)
whole cloves
1 (20–ounce) can pineapple slices
1 (10–ounce) jar maraschino cherries
1 jar honey
About 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse, pat, score ham. Insert cloves at intersection of all lines. Place in large baking pan. Pour pineapples and cherries over top. Insert toothpicks into ham to hold pineapple rings, topped with cherries Pour jar of honey over top of entire ham and sprinkle brown sugar on top of honey. Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top of sugar. Baste every half-hour. Bake at 325°F, allowing 15 minutes per pound. After baking, you may strain the juice, heat, and reduce. Serve on side.
Once Bitten Twice Baked Potatoes
"My best friend told me you're the best in town..."
6 baking potatoes, scrubbed
2 sticks butter or margarine, divided
sea salt, for sprinkling
1/2 cup bacon bits
1/4 cup sour cream or bottled ranch dressing
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, plus extrasalt and pepper to taste
paprika (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut six pieces of aluminum foil, large enough to completely cover potatoes. Put potato on foil and rub 1 tablespoon of butter onto potato; sprinkle
with sea salt. Wrap in foil. Repeat for rest of potatoes and bake for about 1 hour, or until potato feels softened when squeezed with a potholder. Remove potatoes from oven and let cool
completely. Once potatoes are cooled, slice in half lengthwise and scoop potato out of skin. Put into large mixing bowl and mix with rest of ingredients, using electric mixer. Spoon mixture equally into the potato skins, top with a little shredded cheese, and then a little pepper or paprika. Put potatoes on baking sheet and broil for about 10 minutes, watching closely not to
burn.
Smashing Pumpkin Pie
"I know I can't be late, supper's waiting on the table..."
1 (15–ounce) can pumpkin
1 (14–ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon (divided)
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (6-ounce) graham cracker pie crust
Streusel Topping:
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter, chilled
3/4 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 425. Beat together pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, egg, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Pour into crust. Bake for 15 minutes and remove from oven. Combine brown sugar, flour and remaining cinnamon. Cut butter into mixture until crumbly. Stir in pecans. When pie is out of oven, sprinkle topping onto pie. Reduce oven to 350. Bake streusel-topped pie for 40 minutes or until set. Serve warm with whipped cream.
You Say Goodbye I Say Jell-O
"I say go go go..."
6 oz. pkg. orange gelatin
1 c. boiling water
8 oz. carton whipping cream
2 c. orange sherbet
2 – 11 oz. cans of mandarin oranges, drained
With mixer, mix whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Chill in refrigerator. Dissolve gelatin with boiling water. Add sherbet until blended and completely mixed. Fold in whipped cream. Stir in oranges (may reserve some for garnish.) Pour into gelatin mold or serving dish. Chill at least 3 hours. May garnish with additional oranges after set.
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