CRANBERRY BRIE PULL APART BREAD

Ingredients

2 tsp Rosemary

2 tsp Thyme, fresh leaves

1 (15-oz.) can Berry cranberry sauce, whole

1 Black pepper, Freshly ground

1 Kosher salt

1 (8-oz.) wheel Brie

1/2 cup Butter

1 Large loaf of bread

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a serrated knife, crosshatch boule, slicing every inch in both directions and making sure not to slice all the way through the bottom. 

In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, thyme, and rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Brush bread with butter mixture, making sure to get inside crosshatches. 

Stuff each crosshatch with Brie and cranberry sauce and wrap bread completely in foil. 

Bake until cheese is melty and bread is warm and toasty, about 20 minutes. 

Let cool 5 minutes, then serve!

COSTCO MAC AND CHEESE.

That's it. You need it. It is the BEST mac and cheese on the planet, and it comes in a large tin vat. You won't regret it.

Pop it into your own container if you want to hoard all of the credit yourself, or just throw it into the oven in the container it comes in. Either way, you will be the mac and cheese hero of Thanksgiving.

CRISPY ROSEMARY SWEET POTATOES

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons butter, melted

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary, or 1/2 tsp. fresh

3 lbs. (3-4 medium) sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly

1 shallot, peeled and sliced thinly

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine melted butter, oil and crushed rosemary in a small bowl. Pour 2 tablespoons of butter-oil mixture in the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish. Arrange potato slices vertically in the dish. Add a sliver of shallot between every few slices of potato. Brush top with remaining butter-oil mixture. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Cover dish with foil and roast for 1 hour, covered, until potatoes are tender (If your potato slices are thicker than shown, you may need to increase cooking time). Increase oven heat to 450 degrees F. Remove foil and roast another 10-15 minutes, until tops of potatoes are browned and crisp.

WILD MUSHROOM BREAD PUDDING

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 to 10 medium to large fresh sage leaves chopped

2 links sweet Italian sausage skin removed, crumbled

3 leeks chopped, white and light green parts only

8 oz mushroom mix cremini, shiitake, oyster, porcini

3 large eggs

2 cups half-and-half

6 cups cubed country bread 1" pieces

3 ounces Gruyère grated (1 loosely packed cup)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium until shimmering. Add the chopped sage leaves, and saute until just crisp. Spoon them out of the pan (leaving the oil behind) and set aside on a plate.

Add the remaining oil, the sausage, and leeks, and cook until the sausage begins to brown up. Add the mushrooms, and cover the skillet with a lid or foil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have given off their liquids, and the sausage is browned, and the leeks are soft. Season with salt and pepper, give another quick stir, then remove from the skillet and set aside to cool almost to room temperature.

In a very large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, dairy, and a big pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fold in the bread cubes until completely coated, followed by the mostly-cooled mushroom mixture and the cheese.

Transfer to a 2 to 2 1/2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle the fried sage leaves over the top, cover the dish with foil, and bake until the edges are set (the center will still be a bit wobbly) for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 20 minutes more.

APPLE HAZELNUT STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Ingredients

for the squash:

2 acorn squash

2 tablespoons butter, softened

salt and pepper

for the filling:

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup minced onion, 1 medium

1 1/2 cup peeled and diced apple, 1 large or two small

2 tablespoons currants

3/4 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts

1 teaspoon dried sage

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup maple syrup

6 oz cubed smoked cheddar or the like

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.

Split the squash in half and place the four halves cut side up on a baking sheet.

Spread the squash with softened 2 tablespoons of butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated oven for about 40 minutes until the flesh is soft and the squash is golden on top.

Meanwhile, make the filling by melting the butter over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes until soft. Add apples and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Add the currants, hazelnuts, sage, salt and cinnamon; toss to combine. Add the maple syrup. Toss to coat everything evenly and remove from heat. Let mixture cool while the squash finishes baking. When cool, add the cubed cheese.

Divide the mixture between the 4 squash bowls. Cook 15-20 minutes just until the filling is heated through and the cheese is melted and gooey.

Top with chopped parsley if desired.

YORKSHIRE PUDDING

Ingredients

4 large eggs

1 1⁄2 cups whole milk

1⁄2 teaspoon coarse salt

1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons vegetable oil (or beef drippings or butter)

Directions

In a blender, combine the eggs, milk, flour, and salt. Blend until well combined and place in the refrigerator until ready to use (allow to rest for at least 30 minutes).

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Put 1 teaspoon of the oil (or beef drippings or butter) into each section of a 12-hole Yorkshire pudding tray or muffin tray and put into the oven on the top shelf until very hot, almost smoking.

As soon as you take the tray from the oven, pour in the batter to three-quarters fill the tins (it should sizzle) and immediately put back into the oven.

Bake until the Yorkshire puddings are well risen, golden brown and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Don't open the oven door until the end or they might collapse.