Recipes: Improved back-of-package recipes for Thanksgiving staples

Serves 9 to 12 (makes one 8-inch square).

Note: For more flavor and texture, we added green onions and frozen roasted corn, but feel free to add your choice of enhancements, including finely chopped bacon, cranberries and/or cheese. The cornbread is best the day it is made, but if you prefer, it can be baked a day in advance and stored, tightly wrapped, at room temperature. Adapted from the Jiffy corn muffin package.

• Butter, for greasing the pan

• 1 (8 1/2-oz.) pkg. Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

• 1/3 c. whole or low-fat buttermilk

• 1 egg

• 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt

• 1 c. frozen roasted corn, thawed under cool tap water and patted dry

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with the rack in the middle. Grease an 8-inch-square pan with butter and line the pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the corn muffin mix, buttermilk, egg and salt — the batter will be slightly lumpy. Stir in the green onions and corn until evenly distributed. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, then using a round-edged knife loosen the edges, turn out the slab, cut into squares and serve warm.

Nutrition information per each of 12 servings:

Calories90Fat3 gSodium270 mg

Carbohydrates16 gSaturated fat1 gTotal sugars4 g

Protein2 gCholesterol20 mgDietary fiber0 g

Serves 8.

• 2/3 c. sugar

• 3/4 c. dry red wine

• 1/2 cinnamon stick, optional

• 12 oz. fresh cranberries (about 3 c.)

• 2 long strips tangerine, clementine or orange zest, optional

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, wine and, if desired, cinnamon and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the wine has reduced slightly, about 4 minutes.

Add the cranberries and, if desired, the zest. Simmer until the cranberries soften and the sauce thickens, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat; remove and discard the cinnamon and/or the zest, if using. Set aside to cool for at least several minutes and up to several hours. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories100Fat0 g

Sodium0 mgCarbohydrates22 g

Protein0 gCholesterol0 mg

Dietary fiber2 g

Serves 8 to 10.

Note: This recipe is ripe for adaptation. Use your favorite type of nut or dried fruit, and mix in other additions, such as sausage and/or herbs as you like. Toast the nuts in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, stirring frequently, 3 to 5 minutes. Or toast on a rimmed baking sheet in a 350-degree oven for 7 to 9 minutes. The stuffing can be assembled a day in advance, covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before baking. The baked stuffing can be cooled, covered and refrigerated a day or two in advance. Reheat it, covered, in a 300-degree oven until thoroughly warmed through; uncover for the last 10 minutes, just before serving. Adapted from the Pepperidge Farm package.

• 5 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the dish

• 2 ribs celery, diced

• 3 c. no-salt-added chicken broth (may substitute vegetable broth)

• 1 (14-oz.) package Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Classic Stuffing

• 1 c. dried cherries

• 1/2 c. chopped walnuts, toasted (see Note)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the middle. Butter a 2-quart ovenproof casserole or similarly sized dish.

In a 4- to 5-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring from time to time, until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil.

Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the stuffing, cherries, walnuts and lemon zest and gently mix until combined. Transfer to the prepared dish. Bake, uncovered, 30 to 35 minutes, until heated through and the top is crispy and browned. If you prefer a softer stuffing, cover with foil for some or all of the cooking time. Serve warm.

From scratch recipe: Cube 16 ounces Pepperidge Farm sliced white sandwich loaf into 1/4- to 1/2-inch cubes, then toss in 1/4 cup olive oil. Add 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper and toss to combine. Toast in a 350-degree oven (middle rack) on an ungreased, unlined baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown, stirring every 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.

Calories300Fat11 g

Sodium580 mgCarbohydrates45 g

Saturated fat5 gTotal sugars13 g

Protein4 gCholesterol15 mg

Dietary fiber2 g

Note: The garlicky cream-and mushroom sauce is adapted from Alton Brown on foodnetwork.com. The basic recipe is adapted from the French's Crispy Fried Onions label.

• 2 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. kosher salt

• 1 lb. fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter

• 12 oz. mushrooms (a mix works well, such as white, shiitake and cremini), trimmed and cut into 1/2-in. pieces)

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tbsp. flour

• 1 c. no-salt-added chicken broth

• 1 c. half-and-half

• 1 1/3 c. French's Crispy Fried Onions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with the rack in the middle.

Bring a large pot of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately transfer to the ice bath until completely cool, then drain.

In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to give up some of their liquid, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring, for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium and add the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat as needed to prevent the mixture from scorching or bubbling too vigorously.

Remove from the heat and stir in 1/3 cup onions and the green beans. Top with the remaining onions. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the onions are crisp and dark golden brown, and serve.

Nutrition information per each of 6 servings:

Carbohydrates16 gSaturated fat9 gTotal sugars5 g

Protein5 gCholesterol30 mgDietary fiber3 g

Serves 12 to 16.

Note: Depending on how marshmallow-loving or -averse your crowd is, you can vary their amount and pattern. If you don't have a broiler-safe dish, bake the marshmallow-topped casserole at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes. The marshmallows will not be quite as dark or puffy. The casserole can be baked 1 to 2 days in advance, without the marshmallows, and then covered and refrigerated. Reheat uncovered in a 350-degree oven until heated through, then proceed with broiling with the marshmallows. From Becky Krystal, adapted from a recipe on the Bruce's Yams package.

• 3/4 c. light or dark brown sugar

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 2 (40-oz.) cans Bruce's Yams Cut Sweet Potatoes in Syrup, drained and broken into smaller pieces with your hands, if desired

• 4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-in. cubes

• 1 (20-oz.) can crushed pineapple in juice, well-drained

• 1 to 2 c. large marshmallows

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the middle.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt and cinnamon. Place sweet potatoes, butter, pineapple and sugar mixture in a large bowl and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes look glazed and there are no large pools of melted butter.

Turn the broiler to high. Arrange the marshmallows on top of the sweet potatoes in your desired pattern. Broil, 1 to 3 minutes, until puffy and browned. Serve warm.

Ingredients are too variable for a meaningful nutritional analysis.

Serves 8 to 10 (makes one 9-inch pie).

• 1 (13.4-oz.) can dulce de leche, such as La Lechera brand

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, plus more for optional garnish

• 1 tsp. ground cardamom

• 3/4 tsp. ground ginger

• 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

• 2 eggs

• 1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

• 1 c. evaporated milk

• 1 unbaked 9 or 9 1/2-in. pie shell, store-bought or homemade

• Whipped cream, for garnish, optional

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with the rack in the middle.

Transfer the dulce de leche to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 45 seconds to 1 minute. It should be just warm, not hot, and soft enough to be easily incorporated into the filling. Let cool slightly.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg and salt. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until combined. Whisk in the pumpkin and spice mixture. Gradually whisk in the evaporated milk. Whisk in the dulce de leche a little at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Pour the filling into the pie shell.

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. The pie will be mostly set but still jiggle a bit in the center.

Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. Top with the whipped cream and dust with cinnamon, if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed.

Calories220Fat8 g

Sodium210 mgCarbohydrates30 gSaturated fat5 gTotal sugars23 g