Thanksgiving Bliss.

Byline: What's for Dinner by Maryana Vollstedt For The Register-Guard

TAKE THE STRESS out of the biggest meal of the year with an innovative, make-ahead Thanksgiving dinner menu. The turkey goes on the grill, freeing the oven for casseroles. This keeps the last-minute preparation and hassle to a minimum.

Grill-roasted turkeys are tender, moist, juicy and full of flavor. The dressing should be baked separately in a casserole.

Begin several days ahead by making the Butternut Squash Soup with Curry, the Cranberry Compote, the dressing for the salad and a rich Holiday Pumpkin-Bourbon Cheesecake.

Casseroles to make the day before are Broccoli-Mushroom Gratin topped with sliced almonds, a creative casserole of mashed potatoes with parsnips and carrots, and roasted sweet potato wedges with fresh rosemary. All dishes should be covered and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Remember to bring them to room temperature before baking.

Prepare the vegetables for the dressing and store in plastic bags. Cut up the bread and air dry it on baking sheets overnight. Make the giblet stock ahead of time.

There are still a few last-minute things to do on Thanksgiving morning. Prepare the turkey for the grill, assemble the salad to be tossed later, finish the dressing and wrap the rolls in foil so they are ready to be popped in the oven. Timing is important. Allow 20 minutes per pound for the turkey plus a 20- to 30-minute rest period. Bake the casseroles to be ready at serving time. While the turkey rests, make the gravy and bake the sweet potatoes.

For easy serving, arrange all the food buffet style and let everyone help themselves. Share the cleanup and enjoy the day with family or friends.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash (about 3 pounds), unpeeled, seeds removed, cut into 4 large pieces

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1 garlic clove, minced

5 cups chicken stock or broth

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon curry powder (optional)

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

Sour cream or nonfat yogurt for topping

Chopped chives or finely chopped parsley for topping

Chutney for topping (1 tablespoon per serving)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place squash pieces in a flat baking pan. Pour about 1 cup water around squash. Bake until soft, about 1 hour. Remove to a plate to cool. When cool enough to handle, scoop out squash pulp. You should have about 4 cups. Set aside.

In a large soup pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add squash pulp and 1 cup of the stock and mix well. Transfer to a food processor or blender in batches and process until smooth. Return to pot and add the remaining 4 cups stock and seasonings. Simmer, uncovered, until flavors are blended, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle into bowls and add toppings of your choice. Serves 6.

Spinach, Pear, Gorgonzola and Hazelnut Salad

6 ounces baby spinach leaves, stems removed, if desired

2 winter pears, peeled, cored, quartered and thinly sliced

Raspberry Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese

1/4 cup toasted, chopped hazelnuts (see note)

Place spinach in a large bowl. In another bowl, toss pears with a small amount of dressing and let stand 10 minutes. Add to spinach along with hazelnuts and cheese. Toss with just enough dressing to coat. Serves 6.

Note: To toast hazelnuts: Place on a piece of aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees 12 to 15 minutes. Wrap in a towel and rub together, removing most of the skins.

Raspberry Vinaigrette

1/4 cup raspberry vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a bowl, mix vinegar, garlic and sugar. Whisk in oil and add salt and pepper. Shake before serving.

Grilled Turkey

1 turkey (15 to 20 pounds)

Salt

1 large yellow onion, quartered

1 or 2 celery stalks, cut into 3-inch pieces

2 whole garlic cloves

Fresh rosemary, basil and parsley sprigs

Scott's Turkey Baste (recipe follows)

Prepare turkey by removing and discarding leg truss and pop-up timer. Remove giblet packet and neck (save for stock). Cut away excess fat and skin around neck and body cavity. Generously salt cavity. Place onion, celery, garlic and herb sprigs in the cavity. (It is not recommended to use bread stuffing for a grilled turkey).

Preheat covered grill. Place turkey on a V-shaped rack in a shallow roasting pan or aluminum foil pan. Add a little water to pan. Brush on baste. Place on grill over indirect medium heat. Oven thermometer should read 325 to 350 degrees.

Do not grill directly over coals or gas heat. Grill about 20 minutes per pound. Continue to baste about every 40 minutes and keep a small amount of water in grill pan.

Grill until an instant-read thermometer registers 170 degrees in the breast and 180 degrees in the thigh. If turkey starts to brown excessively, tent with aluminum foil. Allow to rest 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Save pan juices for gravy.

Scott's Turkey Baste

3 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Mix all ingredients together.

Classic Bread Dressing

12 cups dried bread cubes (let air dry the night before)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

2 cups chopped celery

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 to 1 1/4 cups giblet stock or chicken broth

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 teaspoon dried sage

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 large egg, beaten

Place bread in a large bowl. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Saute celery and onion until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 1 cup stock, parsley and seasonings and pour over bread. Add egg and mix well. Add more stock if bread seems dry. Place in a lightly sprayed or oiled, 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake, covered, until heated through, about 45 minutes. Remove the cover for the last 10 minutes to brown. Serves 8 to 10.

Turkey Giblet Stock

4 cups water

2 cups chicken stock, broth or water

1 celery stalk, cut up

1 carrot, cut up

1 yellow onion, quartered

Neck and giblets from turkey

1 bay leaf

Sprigs of fresh parsley, thyme, sage and rosemary, or 1/2 teaspoon of each dried

1 teaspoon peppercorns

In a stock pot, bring water, stock, celery, carrot, onion, neck and giblets (except liver that will be added later) to a boil. Skim off foam. Add bay leaf, seasonings and peppercorns. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until liquid is reduced to about 3 cups, about 2 hours. Add liver for the last 15 minutes of cooking time. Pour stock through a fine sieve into a large bowl.

Cut up giblets to use in gravy, if desired. Discard remaining solids. Makes about 3 cups.

Turkey Gravy

1/2 cup flour

1 cup cold water

Juices from turkey

Giblet stock or chicken broth

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a small bowl, blend flour with cold water. Remove turkey from pan to a platter to rest. Pour off juices and de-fat with a fat separator. Add enough giblet stock or chicken broth to make 1 quart. Return to pan and bring to a boil. Slowly add flour-water mixture and whisk until smooth and thickened.

Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm on low heat. Makes about 1 quart.

Broccoli-Mushroom

Casserole

6 to 7 cups broccoli florets

3 tablespoons butter or margarine (divided)

1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cups milk

2 tablespoons dry white wine (optional)

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup sliced almonds

3 tablespoons dry bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large pot over high heat, cover broccoli with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Place in a 2 1/2 -quart casserole dish lightly coated with cooking spray or oil.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add mushrooms and saute until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Add to casserole.

Melt remaining butter and stir in flour until blended. Add milk and wine, whisking constantly until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in mustard, salt, pepper and cheeses. Whisk until cheese melts and sauce is smooth. Pour over broccoli and mushrooms and mix gently. Sprinkle with almonds and bread crumbs. Bake, uncovered, until bubbly, about 40 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.

Mashed Potatoes With

Carrots and Parsnips

3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 garlic clove, split

1 parsnip, peeled and quartered

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Freshly ground pepper to taste

2 medium carrots, peeled and grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook potatoes, garlic and parsnip in salted water until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and return vegetables to pan.

Add milk, butter, salt and pepper. Beat with an electric beater until smooth. Stir in carrots. Turn into a lightly sprayed or oiled 4-quart casserole. Cover and bake, until heated through, about 40 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges With Rosemary

1/4 cup butter or margarine

4 medium sweet potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed and cut lengthwise into eighths

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (see note). In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, melt butter. Add potatoes and toss to coat. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt and pepper and mix well.

Roast until tender and crisp, about 20 minutes. Carefully turn wedges with a spatula and bake, 5 minutes longer. Serves 6 to 8.

Note: This bakes at a higher temperature than the other casseroles. Bake while the turkey rests.

Cranberry Compote

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed

1/2 cup orange juice

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

1 teaspoon finely chopped, peeled fresh ginger or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Cook, uncovered, until cranberries start to pop and sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Serve at room temperature. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Holiday Pumpkin-Bourbon

Cheesecake With

Pecan Crust

Make 1 to 2 days ahead.

Crust:

1 1/2 cups crushed vanilla wafers

1 cup finely ground pecans

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter

Filling and topping:

2 pounds (four 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, cut into cubes

1 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Dash of nutmeg

4 large eggs

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

3 tablespoons bourbon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 pint whipping cream, whipped with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For the crust: Combine crumbs, 1 cup pecans and butter and mix well. Press into bottom and halfway up the sides of a 12-inch springform pan.

For the filling and topping: In food processor, mix cream cheese until smooth. Add sugars and blend. Add flour and spices and blend. Add eggs 1 at a time and mix after each addition. Add pumpkin, bourbon and vanilla and mix until smooth. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake until cake is set, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove from oven and loosen with a knife around the side. Cool on a rack. Cover and refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, release pan sides. Place on a plate and cut into wedges to serve. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pecans.

Eugene cookbook author Maryana Vollstedt can be reached by e-mail at [email protected] or by fax at 345-8731.

NICOLE DeVITO / The Register-Guard

CAPTION(S):

Barbecuing the holiday turkey opens up space in the oven for side dishes. Surrounding colorful mashed potatoes are (clockwise from top) the dressing, the broccoli gratin, the cheesecake, the turkey and a cranberry compote.

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Title Annotation:	Columns
Publication:	The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR)
Article Type:	Column
Date:	Nov 14, 2001
Words:	2082
Previous Article:	Ken Kesey memorial set today.
Next Article:	Washington state's flavorful wines may surprise you.

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