Turkey Day? Why not Side Dish Day?

Thanksgiving is a holiday defined by its signature food in a way that is different from really any other American celebration.

We might eat cookies at Christmas but we don’t call it Cookie Day. We might indulge in an Easter ham and dye eggs, but we don’t celebrate Ham and Eggs Day. Hot dogs on Independence Day and candy at Halloween don’t change the name of the event.

But Thanksgiving is frequently shorthanded as Turkey Day. The bird alone conjures up visions of a Norman Rockwell-like picture of the perfect Thanksgiving, so the name does make some sense.

But should it? Do you really want a slice of white meat poultry that can be a bit temperamental to cook without getting dry? Or are you really looking to dish up the other stuff sitting alongside it on the holiday table?

Let’s be honest. Thanksgiving is really Side Dish Day. That plate groaning under the weight of your meal is only a fraction about the turkey. It’s mostly about Grandma’s stuffing, mashed potatoes swimming in gravy and all those other things that are the makings of a truly epic food coma.

The real trick when making Thanksgiving dinner is to find a way to serve up sides that fill the cravings while still providing a way to keep things interesting — for diners and cooks alike.

I am blessed (cursed) with a family that does not like experimentation on the holidays. The rolls must be the same rolls they have eaten for literally 20 years. The potatoes, the gravy, etc., are expected to be the same. Admittedly, I would cry real tears if my mother didn’t make her Cool Whip-centric fruit salad.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t wiggle room to add something that might get a place on the must-have roster someday. The key? Addition — not substitution.

Those rolls will still show up on my table. But so will a beautifully decorated focaccia. Actually, I’m going to make two. One is a savory garden style with a floral motif styled from peppers, onions and poppy seeds. The other is a sweet harvest bread with cross-cut apple slices and a sprinkle of raisins and brown sugar.

Will there be a cylinder of canned cranberry sauce for my nephews? Of course. But there will also be a bowl of ruby-red sauce that marries whole berries with sweet cherries and oranges for a sweet-tart complement to sliced turkey — or a great spread on a turkey sandwich.

And let’s not forget the veggies. My favorite green bean casserole is not a requirement for anyone else, so I get to play with it a bit. This year it will appear as a strudel with the saucy green beans topped with crumbled bacon wrapped in pastry. The kids around our table want raw veggies. While they eat those, another option will be carrots roasted with apples and maple syrup.

It’s important to give people what they want on a holiday — especially one where the food is the main event. But that doesn’t mean you can’t try something new on the side.

Focaccia

2 cups warm water

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons olive oil — plus more for rising and baking

1 packet (or about 1 tablespoon) yeast

4 cups bread flour (No bread flour? All-purpose flour will work fine. It just might be a little less chewy.)

For savory: Red or yellow bell peppers, green onions, shallots and poppy seeds.

For sweet: Apples, raisins, brown sugar.

In a large bowl, combine water, salt, oil and yeast. Add the flour a cup at a time until well combined. Weather affects bread making — you may need to add more flour or water on any given day. Your dough should be thicker than a batter but looser than a typical pizza dough. Using a spatula, scrape the sides of your bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes.

Stretch your dough by picking up the dough on the far side of the bowl and pulling it toward you. Rotate and repeat three times before covering again and resting for another 30 minutes. Do this twice more, resting each time. The last time, pour 1/4 cup of oil over your dough, rolling the dough to make sure it is completely covered. Then cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. An overnight rest is how you get the signature bubbly texture of a focaccia.

The next day, add 1/4 cup olive oil to a 9 x 13-inch cake pan. Stretch your dough again and place in the pan. Top with another 1/4 cup of oil. Rest one hour.

Arrange your toppings. If you are going savory, slice peppers and shallots into rings. Cut stems from green onions. Create a floral scene, using poppy seeds for the center of your pepper-slice flowers. Drizzle with more oil and rest another hour.

If you want a sweet focaccia, use fruit instead of vegetables. Slice an apple crosswise into circles. Yes, you want the star-shaped seed area left in the middle — but remove any seeds. Scatter on some raisins or dried cranberries and a sprinkle of brown sugar. Drizzle with oil and rest.

Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Easy cranberry cherry sauce

1 can whole berry cranberry sauce (Homemade works fine, as does a cranberry relish from the deli.)

1 can dark sweet cherries, drained (Cherry pie filling works too, but the finished product is juicier.)

1 large tangerine or orange, zested and juiced

Place the sauce in a bowl with a lid. Stir gently to get a spoonable texture without breaking up all of the berries. Add the cherries, orange zest and juice, stirring gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours. Overnight is better.

Green bean and bacon strudel

2 cups green beans (canned, frozen or fresh, depending on your preference)

2 tablespoons butter (or oil or bacon grease)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed (Crescent roll, phyllo or pie dough all work, too.)

4 ounces cream cheese, cubed

1/4 cup crumbled bacon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a skillet, saute green beans in butter with onion and garlic until tender. Add Worcestershire, cayenne, salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature.

On a baking sheet, spread out pastry dough. Puff pastry is often naturally divided vertically into thirds. Cut an equal number of diagonal slits in the outer thirds. Place the green beans in the middle third. Top with cubed cream cheese and crumbled bacon. Close the outer slits of the pastry over the center, alternating side to side.

Bake about 25 minutes or until golden brown and puffed.

Roasted carrots and apples

1 pound carrots, peeled and bias cut

1 pound apples, peeled and sliced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss carrots and apples with thyme, salt, pepper and olive oil. Roast for about 30 minutes or until carrots are tender. Remove and drizzle on maple syrup. Return to oven for 5 minutes. Serve hot.