Special dishes for Thanksgiving

KUSA - Chefs from Johnson and Wales University want to share some of their favorite recipes for Thanksgiving.

Cranberry Relish Recipe
Ingredients
• 2 cups washed raw cranberries
• 2 skinned and cored tart apples
• 1 large, whole, unpeeled seedless orange, cut into sections
• ¼ cup candied ginger
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Add all ingredients and chop in a food processor (be very careful not to over-pulse, you want a rough chop). Let sit at room temperature until sugar dissolves, about 45 minutes.
Store in the refrigerator.
Makes about 3 cups.

Pear Endive Salad
• 6 endives; center removed and julienned
• 2 pears cored and sliced thin
• 2 grapefruits, cut in segments
• 3 oz candied walnuts (recipe below)
• 3 oz crumbled bleu cheese (Roquefort, Cabrales, Maytag)
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 oz red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper; to taste
• 2 oz extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. minced shallots
• 1 tsp. curry powder

Preparation
To prepare vinaigrette, whisk together mustard, curry powder and vinegar until well incorporated, add shallots and while whisking constantly slowly add the olive oil until all is emulsified into the mustard. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside until needed. Combine the endives, pears, grapefruit, walnuts and Roquefort cheese in a medium bowl and toss. Place mixture in the middle of a plate and drizzle with vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Candied Walnuts Recipe
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups raw walnut halves
• 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
Method
1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Use middle rack in oven. Lay walnuts out on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 5 minutes. If not quite toasted enough, toast for 1 or 2 more minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in pan on a rack.
2 Pour sugar into a medium saucepan with a thick bottom. Have walnuts nearby, ready to quickly add to the pan at the right time. Cook sugar on medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon as soon as the sugar begins to melt. Keep stirring until all the sugar has melted and the color is medium amber. Add the walnuts to the pan, quickly stirring and coating each piece with the sugar mixture.
3 As soon as the walnuts are coated with the sugar mixture, spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet, lined either with a non-stick mat, or with wax paper or parchment paper. Use two forks to separate the walnuts from each other, working very quickly. Sprinkle the nuts with the salt. Let cool completely.
Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Chimayo Cocktail
Ingredients:
• 1/4 oz lemon juice
• 1 1/4 oz premium tequila
• 1 1/2 oz apple cider
• 1/4 oz Creme de Cassis
• apple wedges, thinly sliced (optional for garnish)

Preparation:
Add tequila, creme de cassis, cider and lemon juice to a shaker. Blend well and pour over ice into glass. Garnish with an apple wedge.

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
2 med. sweet potatoes
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp. chopped pecans
½ cup mini marshmallows

Bake potatoes at 375 degrees until tender. Cut a slice lengthwise from the top of each potato. Scoop out the inside and mix with syrup, butter, nutmeg and cinnamon. Spoon mixture back into shells. Cover and chill. When ready to serve, top potatoes with pecans, marshmallows and drizzle a little extra syrup over top. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.