Gobble-less Recipes

Good morning after Thanksgiving! If you're like me you'll have just rolled out of bed, our stomachs still aching from all the food the evening before... however, if you're like those crazy folks who participate in Black Friday sales and shopping, well I suppose there is no hope for you. I had intended to write a post dedicated to my recipes last night, but after three pieces of pie and enough stuffing to feed an army, I decided sleep was my better bet. So here I am, 11 AM, typing away on my computer to make due my promise to myself (and Mother-in-Law). We spent a lovely dinner at our Aunt's house with good company, delicious food, and festive (Christmas) music. Their Christmas Tree was already up and decorated to perfection, lovely and snowy... I wanted to eat the branches the "snow" looked so puffy and fresh! My Beau and I contributed three dishes to the feast - a Chickpea Bruschetta Appetizer, Wild Rice Stuffing, and two Double Layer Pumpkin Pie Cheesecakes. Recipes of which are below:

 

Chickpea Bruschetta

Serves 2 (as a dinner)

It's yummier than it looks, promise.

Time: 10 minutes prep / chill in fridge for 20+ minutes

Ingredients
1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons black olive paste

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, finely shredded
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
Thick crusty bread (we used french bread from the deli)



Mix all ingredients together. Season to taste with pepper. Allow to marinate for at least 20 minutes, preferably longer.

Toast the bread or grill it for more dramatic presentation. Spoon mixture onto bread, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.

Now, if you can't find olive paste, as I couldn't, then I suggest buying a can of black olives. Drain the black olives of their liquid until there is about 1/4 of the can in liquid left. Put it in a food processor and give it a good blending. That should make you the paste you need. FYI- the paste you make will be a considerable amount more than you need. Store the rest in the fridge for another meal- I'm sure we can find a use for the extra.






Wild Rice Stuffing

Serves 6-8 (or more depending on the meal type)
Time: 20 minutes prep / 1 hr 25 min total

Ingredients
1 32 oz vegetable broth (recipe calls for chicken broth, I switched it out for veggie broth)
1 cup wild rice
1 1/4 c brown rice
1 stick unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh sage, finely chopped
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
1 cup dried apricots or cranberries, roughly chopped (I use both- looks very pretty and tastes yummy!)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

In advance: assemble the dressing, but do not bake it. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake as directed, adding 10 minutes to the baking time. (This comes in handy if you want to make the dish the day prior to needing it.)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a pot, over medium-high heat, bring the broth and 2 cups water to a boil. Add the wild and brown rice, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer until tender, about 45 minutes. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cooked rice, parsley, safe, pecans, cranberries, apricots, pepper, and toss. Transfer to a buttered casserole dish. Cover and bake for 25 minutes.

*Note: The left over pecans, cranberries, and apricots make for a tasty trail mix for later in the week!

Double Layer Pumpkin Pie
Serves 10

Time: 20 minutes prep / Total Time: 4 hours and 20 minutes

Ingredients
4 oz (1/2 an 8 oz package) of cream cheese (softened)
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk, divided
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tub of cool whip topping, thawed, divided in half
2 graham cracker pie crusts (9 in)
15 oz can of Pumpkin
2 packages (4 serving each) Jello Vanilla flavor instant pudding and pie filling
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Mix cream cheese, 1 tablespoon milk, and the sugar in a large bowl until well blended. Gently stir in half of the whipped topping. Spread onto the bottom of the crust. (Will be thick)

Pour 1 cup of milk into a large bowl. Add pumpkin, dry pudding mixes, and spices. Beat with a wire whisk for 2 minutes or until well blended. (Mixture will be thick). Spread over cream cheese layer..

Refrigerate for 4 hours or until set. Dollop with remaining whipped topping. Store in refrigerator.

*Note- buy a second tub of cool whip for your pumpkin pie pieces! Yum!

Chickpea Bruschetta Photos:


Ingredients



Homemade black olive paste



Wild Rice Stuffing Photos:



Celery Before

Celery After



Onion Before



Onion After





Pecans Before



Pecans After





The rest of the ingredients

Apricots and Cranberries







Onions and Celery into the skillet

All that's left to add is the rice!

All set for the oven!

Left over ingredients Trail Mix!

Double Layer Pumpkin Pie Photos:

The cheesecake layer

Mixing the pumpkin mix.

All of these recipes were found online randomly throughout the years and I don't remember where I found them. I've made small adjustments as I have gone along such as using a rice medley that includes brown basmati rice, long grain red rice, wild rice, and sweet brown rice. It works out nicely and is a lot more cost effective than buying wild rice on its own.

Happy Thanksgiving!

~ Birdie