Thanksgiving with Loralee

For Thanksgiving we wanted to post a few of our favorite recipes that went a bit outside of the traditional turkey, yams and potatoes. Last Thanksgiving my wonderful Sister-In-Laws made some side dishes that I loved and that fit perfectly into our family’s Thanksgiving dinner. So, I thought I’d share them with you all. Hope you enjoy!

BROCCOLI SALAD

INGREDIENTS
1 large head broccoli salad, cut into bite size pieces
1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 cup sunflower kernels (some people prefer salted)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup craisins
1/2- 1 purple onion, finely chopped
1 cup mayo
4 T sugar
4 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 lb bacon, fried and broken into small pieces

DIRECTIONS
Combine broccoli, cauliflower, sunflower kernels, raisins. crasins and onion into a serving bowl. In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, sugar, and red wine vinegar to make a dressing. Pour dressing over the salad. Stir it together to evenly distribute the sauce. Chill in fridge for a few hours or overnight so that the dressing absorbs into the vegetables and the onion flavor is evenly distributed. Add the bacon pieces just prior to serving.

These little tarts are perfect if you want a tiny bite of sweetness after filling your tummy up with dinner. (It holds you over until you have enough room for PIE!)

BLUEBERRY LEMON MINI TARTS

INGREDIENTS
1-8 oz Package softened cream cheese
1-14 oz Can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 c Fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Vanilla
Zest of one lemon1-8 oz Package softened cream cheese
1-14 oz Can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 c Fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Vanilla
Zest of one lemon
Fresh Blueberries
36 small store bought tart shells

DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with a hand mixer until creamy and smooth. Add condensed milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla and continue beating just until smooth. Do not over mix or the filling will be runny. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6-8 hours, or preferably overnight. This mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week.

Fill tart shells and top with blueberries. Refrigerate until serving.