A cowboy Thanksgiving at the Karageorge's house

This is our tradition - spending Thanksgiving with our dear friends at their amazing house in Nicasio - what a day under the redwoods (and yes we are dressed as cowboys and girls and a couple Indians) Thanks as always for being our family too. Love to all. Here are various recipes that always make an appearance I copy and pasted so sorry about all the wacky typefaces. There are tons of other recipes out there so if you send them people I will post!

Too many delicious appetizers

Plate of goodness

Sweet Potato Casserole

Heat oven to 350, grease a 2 quart oblong baking dish

3 large eggs

5 lbs sweet potatoes or yams boiled, drained, peeled and mashed or bake, peeled and mashed

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup butter

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp nutmeg and allspice

Topping

1 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1 cup finely chopped pecans

1/3 cup butter cut into small pieces

12 or so pecan halves for garnish

Beat eggs, stir in sweet potatoes and blend

Add rest of ingredients and spread in dish

Mix sugar, flour, nuts and work in butter

Sprinkle over potatoes

Bake 60-70 minutes

Garnish with pecan halves

Carol's Sour Cream Coffee Cake - Bake at 350 for 1 hour, let cool for 1 hour

1/2 lb butter

4 eggs

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla

2 cups sugar

4 cups sifted flour

1 pint sour cream

Topping

1 or 2 cups walnuts

2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup dark brown sugar

chocolate chips

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs

Alternate dry sifted ingredients with sour cream. Add vanilla

Pour in 1/2 the batter into a greased baking pan .

Then put 1/2 the topping mix in a layer

Put the rest of the batter on top of that and add the other 1/2 of the topping

Claire's secrets - Shhhhhh

use less sugar and more chocolate chips

bake it a few minutes shy of the full hour so it's slightly mushy in the middle

ENJOY!

Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon minced shallot 1 small garlic clove, finely grated 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning Freshly ground black pepper 2 large bunches of Tuscan kale (about 1 1/2 pounds total), center stem discarded, leaves thinly sliced 12 ounces brussels sprouts, trimmed, finely grated or shredded with a knife 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1/3 cup almonds with skins, coarsely chopped 1 cup finely grated Pecorino Combine lemon juice, Dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper in a small bowl. Stir to blend; set aside to let flavors meld. Mix thinly sliced kale and shredded brussels sprouts in a large bowl. Measure 1/2 cup oil into a cup. Spoon 1 tablespoon oil from cup into a small skillet; heat oil over medium-high heat. Add almonds to skillet and stir frequently until golden brown in spots, about 2 minutes. Transfer nuts to a paper towel–lined plate. Sprinkle almonds lightly with salt. Slowly whisk remaining olive oil in cup into lemon-juice mixture. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Dressing, kale mixture, and toasted almonds can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover dressing and kale mixture separately and chill. Cover almonds and let stand at room temperature. Add dressing and cheese to kale mixture; toss to coat. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Garnish with almonds. Sue's Baked Brie Oven 400 degrees Freeze one triangular brie wedge until solid but can still cut with knife. Chop 1/2 a medium onion & 8oz of mushrooms. Saute onion & mushroom in small am't of olive oil. When just done and dry, add large splash of Marsala wine  and a sprinkling of dry Thyme and Marjoram. Medium heat until again pan is dry, stirring occasionally. Use whole puff pastry sheet (thawed, but not left for too long or it will stick in its trifold position)  Use floured surface and roll out very slightly with rolling pin. (if sticky, sprinkle flour on top before rolling) Beat one egg and brush over pastry surface. Cut brie in half lengthwise. Place onion & mushroom mixture in between the brie and on top.  Place Brie on pastry sheet. Cut off one corner to use for decorations. Fold pastry carefully around the Brie making sure to have one flat surface on top, and no areas that the cheese can leak out of. Brush all surfaces with the egg wash. Make leaf and berry decorations and place on top, finishing with egg wash.  Freeze Brie completely. Bake at 400 until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad

Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1 small garlic clove, finely grated

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning

Freshly ground black pepper

2 large bunches of Tuscan kale (about 1 1/2 pounds total), center stem discarded, leaves thinly sliced

12 ounces brussels sprouts, trimmed, finely grated or shredded with a knife

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/3 cup almonds with skins, coarsely chopped

1 cup finely grated Pecorino

Combine lemon juice, Dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper

in a small bowl. Stir to blend; set aside to let flavors meld.

Mix thinly sliced kale and shredded brussels sprouts in a large bowl.

Measure 1/2 cup oil into a cup. Spoon 1 tablespoon oil from cup into a small skillet;

heat oil over medium-high heat. Add almonds to skillet and stir frequently until golden brown in spots,

about 2 minutes. Transfer nuts to a paper towel–lined plate. Sprinkle almonds lightly with salt.

Slowly whisk remaining olive oil in cup into lemon-juice mixture.

Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

DO AHEAD: Dressing, kale mixture, and toasted almonds can be prepared 8 hours ahead.

Cover dressing and kale mixture separately and chill. Cover almonds and let stand at room temperature.

Add dressing and cheese to kale mixture; toss to coat.

Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Garnish with almonds.

Sue's Baked Brie

Oven 400 degrees

Freeze one triangular brie wedge until solid but can still cut with knife.
Chop 1/2 a medium onion & 8oz of mushrooms.
Saute onion & mushroom in small am't of olive oil. When just done and dry, add large splash of Marsala wine 
and a sprinkling of dry Thyme and Marjoram.
Medium heat until again pan is dry, stirring occasionally.
Use whole puff pastry sheet (thawed, but not left for too long or it will stick in its trifold position) 
Use floured surface and roll out very slightly with rolling pin. (if sticky, sprinkle flour on top before rolling)
Beat one egg and brush over pastry surface.
Cut brie in half lengthwise. Place onion & mushroom mixture in between the brie and on top. 
Place Brie on pastry sheet. Cut off one corner to use for decorations.
Fold pastry carefully around the Brie making sure to have one flat surface on top, and no areas that the cheese can leak out of.
Brush all surfaces with the egg wash. Make leaf and berry decorations and place on top, finishing with egg wash. 
Freeze Brie completely. Bake at 400 until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.