Thanksgiving Dinner for the Beginner: Cranberry Sauce and Vegetables

Written by: Sherry Holetzky

You can impress your family and friends with tasty sauces and vegetables, even if you have never prepared Thanksgiving dinner before. These simple tips show you how to make these items from scratch or simply "doctor" ready to use products to achieve homemade quality.

Cranberry Sauce

Rinse and drain 3 cups of frozen or fresh cranberries and place in large saucepan. Add 1 cup of water, 1 cup of cranberry-apple juice, and 1 cup of sugar. Bring to boil, stirring often, and continue boiling until cranberries pop open and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add 1 cup of dried cranberries. Mix and allow to cool. Spoon sauce into a serving dish and chill for 2-3 hours before serving. For a quicker, simpler sauce, combine one 16 oz. can of jellied cranberry sauce and one 16 oz. can of whole berry cranberry sauce in a mixing bowl. Add 1 cup of orange marmalade or mint jelly to add unique flavor, if desired. Mix thoroughly. Garnish with orange slices or mint leaves as appropriate. Spoon sauce into a serving dish and chill for one hour before serving.

Broccoli Casserole

Thaw and drain one large bag of frozen, cut broccoli (or broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot mix). Evenly line a greased baking pan with vegetables and dot with butter. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Top with shredded cheddar cheese. Melt two tablespoons of butter in a medium skillet. Remove one sleeve of Ritz crackers from the box and crush them inside the sleeve to avoid mess (store brand snack crackers are fine). Slowly pour crackers into skillet and toss gently until evenly coated with butter. Top vegetable mixture with buttered crackers and bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until casserole is heated through, cheese is bubbly and crackers are golden brown. If you prefer vegetables with a creamy cheese sauce instead of a casserole, simply melt Velveeta or Cheese Whiz over vegetables.

Green Bean Casserole

Thaw one large bag of frozen French cut green beans or drain two 16 oz. cans of same. Evenly line greased casserole dish with green beans. Top with one can of cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, or cream of celery soup straight from can. Smooth until beans are covered evenly. Top with one small can of French fried onion pieces. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until heated through.

Seasoned Corn

Thaw one large bag of frozen corn or drain two 16 oz. cans of whole kernel corn. Pour into saucepan. Add two tablespoons of butter, one tablespoon of minced onion, one tablespoon of finely chopped pimento, and 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic salt and pepper. Heat over medium flame, stirring occasionally, until corn is warm and minced onion is soft. This dish can also be made in the microwave. Place ingredients in microwave safe dish, cook on high for two minutes, and stir. Continue heating until onion is soft.