Menu and Recipes November       Menu Hassle-Free Thanksgiving �?Roast Turkey �?Easy Turkey Gravy �?nbsp;Cornbread Stuffing �?Whipped Potatoes �?Glazed Baby Carrots �?Peas with Mushrooms �?Creamed Onion Casserole �?Cranberry Relish �?Longwood Gardens Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie �?Perfect Pumpkin Pie ~~~~~~~~~ Recipes Creamed Onion  Casserole   1 (10-ounce) bag frozen pearl onions 1 cup milk 1 bay leaf 1 1/2 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour Dash nutmeg White pepper 1/4 cup (slightly buttered) plain bread crumbs 2 to 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese 1. Blanch onions in boiling water for a few minutes, then drain and cool. 2. To start the cream sauce, place the milk and bay leaf in a saucepan and heat it to just under a boil. 3. In a thick bottom pot, melt the butter and add the flour, nutmeg and white pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. 4. Whisk the milk into the roux and bring to a boil, stirring all the time. Discard the bay leaf. 5. Pour the sauce over the onions and place the mixture into a buttered casserole dish. 6. Sprinkle the bread crumbs and cheese over the sauce and bake in a 350-degree-F oven until bubbly. Cook's Notes: Center of casserole should reach 160 degrees F Serving: 4 Prep Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 15 Total Time: 25 minutes ~~~~~~~ Cranberry -Orange Relish 1 package fresh cranberries 1 cup granulated sugar 1 orange seeded and sliced 1. Grind the berries and the orange in a grinder, or process roughly in a food processor. 2. Mix in the sugar, and set in a bowl in the fridge until you are ready to serve. 3. NOTE: This relish is best when it sits a few days before using. �?Longwood Gardens Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie 5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (bar form) 1/2 cup sugar 1 tablespoon Bourbon (optional or to taste) 1 10-inch pie shell, par-baked 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans 1 1/2 cups light corn syrup 3 large eggs 6 ounces unsalted butter 1. In a small sauce pan, over low heat, melt the butter. Add chocolate and stir until melted. 2. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, sugar, and corn syrup. Slowly stir in chocolate mixture. Stir until throughly combined. Stir in the bourbon. 3. Place chopped pecans in the par-baked 10" pie shell. Pour chocolate mixture over nuts to fill the shell. Gently stir to combine. Bake at 325°F until filling sets, approximately 20-30 minutes.        ~~~~~~ Seven Tips for  For a Hassle Free Thanksgiving  There are so many possibilities for dishes to serve. Start by answering these three questions that will narrow your choices down to a manageable number. How much time do you have? Do any of your guests have special diets or allergies? Is there a family favorite dish that must be on the table or it just won't be Thanksgiving? 2. Then, think about taste, texture, temperature and color. The best meals incorporate dishes that complement each other and mix various tastes, textures, temperatures and colors. An example of this, on a small scale, is a crisp green salad, hearty chicken noodle soup and warm bread step one in creating a plan. 4. Print out the recipes you are using and read through them. Read through them again. Decide what can be made ahead and what needs last-minute attention. 5. Write out your shopping list. You may want to spread the items out over a few shopping trips. 6. Make your plan. Start from when you want to serve dinner and work backward to figure out when you need to get started. Take a look at A Hassle-Free Thanksgiving for the Complete Beginner for an idea of how this looks. 7. Get cooking! And, enjoy.     Hope to see yall next month Pg.3