So we’ve all heard Jerry Seinfeld’s wife authored a cookbook that is similar to another woman’s, who is not married to a celebrity and wasn’t offered a spot on Oprah, and therefore (as she tells it) has sold fewer cookbooks.

Because they both seem to have the same good idea (which if you ask me just isn’t that inventive, but whatever. Velveeta over broccoli anyone?) of masking veggies inside delicious food, here is a variation of one of their recipes, which may be a variation of the other one’s recipe.

This mac and cheese recipe is simple, but I recommend making it in advance. Otherwise your prep and bake time is almost an hour.

I’m not sure if it’s worth fighting over, but this recipe is “deceptively delicious,” as they say.

Cauliflower mac and cheese
2 C. cauliflower
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
2 ¼ C. milk
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
2 C. shredded cheddar cheese, divided, plus more for sprinkling on top
1 package (about 7 C.) firmly cooked pasta (macaroni, spirals, mini shells, etc.)

Directions:
Microwave cauliflower florets with ¼ C. water until tender (about 8-9 minutes). Then, puree until completely smooth. Set aside. Next, melt butter in large pan, adding milk, then flour and salt and pepper. Remove from heat and add 1 ½ C. cheese, stirring until smooth. Add cauliflower puree; stir until well blended. Add cooked pasta; stir until well coated. Transfer mixture into a sprayed baking dish, while intermittently adding the remaining ½ C. cheese. Sprinkle desired amount of cheese on top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees, 25-30 minutes, or until top is slightly browned.

Posted by · November 28, 2007 2:39 AM · Comments (0)

Turkey: check.
Stuffing: check.
Potatoes and gravy: check, check.

Assuming you've already got the staples, here are my suggestions for everything else you'll need for a special and delicious Thankgiving dinner. While the traditionals are essential, the extras are what set your dinner a part.

Good luck!

Side dishes:
Fresh green bean dish
Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh green beans
1/2 cup butter
1 lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons soy sauce
fresh garlic
1, 4 ounce jar diced pimento peppers, drained
3/4 cup chopped peanuts or almonds
Directions:
Melt butter with lemon juice and soy sauce over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook for about 10 minutes. Steam green beans until tender but crisp (about 10 minutes.) Pour sauce over beans. Stir in pimentos and nuts. Toss and serve.

Broccoli Casserole
Ingredients
2 packages frozen broccoli
½ cup (one stick) butter, melted
8 ounces Velveeta
¼ pound Ritz crackers, crumbled
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Boil broccoli and drain well. Then add ¼ cup butter and chunks of the cheese. Spread in a 9 by 13 inch baking pan and cover with crushed crackers and remaining butter. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and top is crunchy. Serves six.

Breads:
Pumpkin bread
1 3/4 cups flour
1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Combine flour, pumpkin, brown sugar, butter, eggs, spice, baking soda, salt and baking powder in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed until well mixed. Spoon batter into greased loaf pans. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes at 350 degrees.
Makes one large loaf or three mini loaves.

Zuchinni BreadIngredients
2 C. white sugar
1 C. vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/4 C. grated zucchini
3 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
Directions
In a large bowl combine sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add grated zucchini. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground ginger and ground cloves; mix well.
Pour into two loaf pans with cooking spray. Bake in a 325 degrees for one hour. Cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from pans.

Dessert:
Pumpkin Roll recipe
Cake
Mix:
3 eggs
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 C. canned pumpkin
3/4 C. flour
Step 1: Pour into greased and waxed papered cookie sheet. Sprinkle 1/2 C. chopped nuts on batter. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Sprinkle 1/2 C. sugar and 1/2 C. chopped nuts over a clean kitchen towel. Immediately turn baked cake on towel. Remove waxed paper and roll up cake in the towel. Let cool completely.
Filling
Mix:
2 Tbsp. butter
3/4 tsp. vanilla
8 ounces cream cheese
1 C. powered sugar
Step 3: Unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly on cake, and re-roll (without the towel). Wrap in saran and then foil. Refrigerate overnight before slicing and serving.

Snacks:
Creamy crab dip
Ingredients:
1, 8-ounce package cream cheese
1, 6-ounce can crab
1 1/3 tsp. minced onion
1 1/2 tsp. horseradish
4 Tbsp. mayo
Directions:
Mix ingredients and spread into a small casserole dish. Bake at 250 degrees until warm throughout. Serve warm with crackers, chips, crusty bread.

Orange-cran snack mix
Ingredients:
2 C. Quaker Oatmeal cereal squares
2 C. Corn Chex
2 C. mini pretzel twists
1 C. whole unsalted almonds
1/4 C. butter
1/3 C. o.j. concentrate
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 C. dried cranberries
Directions:
Combine cereals, pretzels and almonds in a large bowl. Melt butter and mix in o.j., sugar and spices. Pour over cereal mixture and stir well to coat. Spread in a sprayed 9- x 13-inch pan. Bake at 250 degrees for 50 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. (Seriously.) Stir in cranberries and let cool until mixture is crisp. Store in airtight container.

Posted by · November 14, 2007 2:23 AM · Comments (0)