Compiled by Staff, with recipes from Suzanne Corbett, Food / Travel Editor

November is fast approaching and that means it’s only three weeks until Thanksgiving– November 25, 2021.

Most traditions in our country say that we have exactly the same food every year.– because that’s what we always do. Sometimes it is because we like the individual dishes and sometimes it’s because we don’t want to upset the ritual and leave out Aunt Martha’s special homemade dressing.

Our food editor, Suzanne Corbett recently did a cooking demonstration featuring recipes for Thanksgiving which she is sharing with us. Corbett has a suggestion– try something new. It’s like make new friends, but keep the old, it’s possible to have the same menu with new additions, or even just make a new take on something you normally serve. She suggested if you always have green bean casserole, you could try substituting another green vegetable, such as the Broccoli Blue recipe listed in the recipe area.

Also she suggests taking the old tried and true dishes like cranberries and upping your game by trying something new like her Cranberries in Red Wine shown below.

Everybody loves the smell of turkey mixed in with the smell of dressing and breads. It’s the aromas that make the traditions so special. Suzanne Corbett suggests adding Parker House Rolls to your bread basket this year.

Parker House rolls got their start at what is now the Omni Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts– but in the 1870s it was known as Parker House. Founded by Harvey D. Parker in 1855, that hotel was known for creating the Parker House rolls and Boston Cream Pie.

Legend has it that their German baker pastry chef lost his temper while making bread dough and tossed the unfinished rolls of dough into the oven. When he checked on it, he found the tossed dough looked like a dented pocketbook. It was perfectly light and puffy on the inside while crispy and buttery on the outside. Parker House rolls never fail to impress as the perfect comfort food.

With the temperatures changing and a new Cardinals manager– it’s a good time to move on to the next season, which is Thanksgiving. Of course once we head into Thanksgiving it morphs into Hanukkah and Christmas so to get started on your gift-buying please check out our STORE for all the Fanatics Cardinals and Blues items plus FOCO (Forever Collectibles) for special Cardinals and Blues items. When you buy from our links you are supporting STLSportsPage.com– yet you are getting the same items you get anywhere sports gear is sold– including the team stores.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Hazelnut Brown Butter Sauce and Thyme

1 large butternut squash (about 21⁄2 – 3 pounds)
6 tablespoons butter
1⁄2 cup roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and adjust the rack to the lowest position. Using a vegetable peeler or a knife, peel the butternut squash. Peel and remove the stem and butt end of the squash, then cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and slice each half into 3⁄4-inch thick half-moons.

Place the sliced squash in a bowl, toss with 2 tablespoons of melted butter, a big pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper. Spread in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and place on the lowest rack of the oven. Roast for about 30 minutes, or until the side of the squash touching the baking sheet in the back of the oven starts to turn golden brown. Rotate the pan, and bake for another 8-10 minutes, until squash is tender and lightly browned. For even browning, flip squash over half-way through baking.

While the squash is roasting, add the remaining butter to a skillet or saucepan. Add the chopped hazelnuts, and place over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring or swirling the pan frequently, until the butter has started to turn golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the balsamic vinegar, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the roasted squash to a bowl or platter and pour the browned butter hazelnut sauce over the top. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6

Broccoli Blue

2 pounds fresh broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons flour

4 ounces cream cheese

3/4 cup blue cheese

2 cups sour cream

1/3 up crushed cracker crumbs

Steam broccoli in a steam basket or saucepan for a about 8 minutes until tender yet crisp. Or microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. Melt butter in a saucepan and whisk in flour and cook until smooth ,about 1 minutes. Add cream cheese, blue cheese add sour cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place broccoli in a buttered casserole dish, pour sauce over top and sprinkle with cracker crumbs. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serves 6

Cranberries in Red Wine

12-ounce bag fresh cranberries

1 cup red wine

1 1/2 cups sugar

peel of 1 orange, finely chopped

1 cinnamon stick

Combine all the above ingredients together in a saucepan and cook until thickened and berries pop. Takes about 25 –30 minutes. Remove from heat and chill. Makes 6-8 servings.

Pumpkin Bisque with Parker House Rolls

¼ cup butter

1 cup finely chopped onion

½ cup finely chopped carrots

5 cups chicken stock

1 ½ cups mashed pumpkin (canned or fresh)

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

dash of allspice

kosher salt and black pepper to taste

1 cup half ‘n half

sour cream and chopped chives for garnish

Melt butter in a 2 ½ quart saucepan over a medium, heat. Add onion and carrots; carrots; sauté until tender. Add chicken stock and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in pumpkin, thyme leaves, allspice, salt and pepper. Simmer for about ten minutes. Stir in half ‘n half and adjust taste with salt and pepper. Heat through and serve garnished with sour cream and chives. Makes 6-8 servings

Parker House Rolls

4 – 5 cups bread flour

2 packages dry yeast

1/2-teaspoon salt

1 cup milk, warmed to 125 degrees

1/2-cup sugar

2 eggs

Melted butter

Combine 2 cups flour, yeast and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the milk, sugar and eggs. Mix in enough flour to make a stiff dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Cover dough with a cloth. Allow dough to rise until doubled. Punch dough down and pat dough about to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into circles, brush with melted butter; fold over to form a half moon shape. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 11 to 15 minutes.

Makes about 1 ½ – 2 dozen rolls.