Non-Scary Thanksgiving Recipes From "Kitchen Nightmares"

FOX and Kitchen Nightmares have teamed up to bring us some new and yummy new recipes for our Thanksgiving dinners. Since Chef Ramsay has already whipped these restaurants into shape, you can feel good about trying their holiday recipes. Hey, there are a couple here that I will definitely try!!

All of these tasty-sounding recipes are after the jump:

• J. WILLY’S SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
• GIUSEPPI’S EGGPLANT ROLLENTINI
• FINN MCCOOL’S ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH BISQUE
• THE OLDE STONE MILL’S CHICKEN POT PIE
• HANNAH & MASON’S CHRIS’ BANGIN’ BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
• HANDLEBAR’S CHERRY BREAD PUDDING
• CAMPANIA’S EGGPLANT CAPONATA

And be sure to tune in to two back-to-back episodes of Kitchen Nightmares on FOX, November 20 at 8:00 PM ET.

[Photo: © FOX Broadcasting Co.]

(Click on “Read More” for all the tasty recipes!)

J. WILLY’S SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

Ingredients:
Potatoes:
9 cups Sweet Potatoes, Cooked and Mashed
3 cups Sugar
½ tbsp Salt
3 Eggs (beaten)
½ tbsp Vanilla Extract

Topping:
3 cups Brown Sugar (packed)
1 cup Flour
3 cups Chopped Walnuts
½ cup Butter (melted)

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl combine: sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, egg, milk and vanilla. Stir well and set aside.
Combine the brown sugar, flour, pecans and butter in a bowl and mix well.
Spread sweet potato mix into a greased baking dish. Sprinkle top with brown sugar mix. Cover and freeze.
When needed, remove pan from freezer
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

GIUSEPPI’S EGGPLANT ROLLENTINI

Ingredients:
Eggplant:
1 large firm Eggplant (pealed & sliced)
1 cup Flour (to coat Eggplant)
9 Eggs
2 cups of Parmigiana Cheese
1 tbsp Granulated Garlic
¼ cup Fresh Parsley
Olive Oil

Cheese Mixture:
2 cups Ricotta Cheese
½ cup Romano Cheese
½ cup Fresh Diced Basil
2 tbsp Toasted Almond Slices

Topping:
½ cup Mozzarella Cheese
2 cups Marinara Sauce

Directions:
Peal and slice eggplant, the long ways (approx. 1/8 inch thick).
Press slices into plain all purpose flour and set aside.
Mix eggs, parmigiana cheese, garlic and fresh parsley together.
Dip eggplant into cheese egg batter slide against side on bowl to remove some of batter.
Add olive oil to heated skillet and fry eggplant 3 minutes on each side until golden. Drain on paper towel.
In a separate bowl mix ricotta and romano cheese. Add basil and toasted sliced almonds.
Drop 2 TBSP of cheese mixture at the end of a egg plant slice and roll up loosely.
Line up egg plant rolls in a baking dish and cover with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese
Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes.

FINN MCCOOL’S ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH BISQUE

Ingredients:
5 Large Butternut squash (peeled & seeded) diced
4 Large Carrots (peeled) diced
2 large Sweet Potatoes (peeled) diced
2 Spanish Onions (peeled) dice
3 Sage leaves (fresh)
5 Basil Leaves (fresh)
6 cups of vegetable stock
4 cups heavy cream
Salt and Ground Pepper to taste
Pinch of Cinnamon, Ground Ginger & Coriander.

Directions:
Roast all vegetables (squash, carrots, potatoes, onions and olives) until tender.
Season with sage, basil, salt & pepper.
Add vegetable stock, heavy cream, cinnamon, ground ginger and coriander.
Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes.
Puree until your desired consistency.

*Optional: Top w/ dollop of cream and a fresh mint leaf.

THE OLDE STONE MILL’S CHICKEN POT PIE

Ingredients:
4 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast cubed
2 cups Heavy Cream
1 gallon Chicken Stock
2 medium Carrots diced
3 large Celery stalks diced
1 large Onion chopped
1 cup Frozen Peas
½ lb. of Butter
½ cup of Flour
2 large Potatoes cubed
½ bunch chopped Parsley
½ bunch chopped Thyme
Salt & Pepper to taste
Olive Oil
3 store-bought Pie Crusts

Directions:
Add olive oil to a hot saucepan, brown chicken.
Remove chicken and cook onions until soft and translucent. Add celery, potatoes and carrots, then cook until tender.
Add thyme and parsley and add in the browned chicken that has now been cubed. Stir in butter, flour, salt & pepper.
Slowly add chicken stock and heavy cream.
Simmer over medium-low heat until thick, cook for 1 hour, add frozen peas.
Ladle into 24 oz crock bowls.
Roll out pie crusts and cut out 6 crusts for each of your crock bowls and place over the bowls.
Place bowls on a foil lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

HANNAH & MASON’S CHRIS’ BANGIN’ BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Ingredients:
1 cup Onion, small dice
½ cup Celery, small dice
2 tbsp Whole butter
¼ cup Melted butter
2 tbsp Olive oil
3 ½ lbs. Butternut squash
3 tbsp Cinnamon, ground
½ cup Brown sugar
6 cups Chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup Maple syrup

Directions:
Split and seed butternut squash. Place on sheet pan and brush with melted butter, sprinkle cinnamon, brown sugar and salt and pepper on top. Roast in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes, or until tender when pierced with fork.
While squash is roasting, sweat onions and celery in butter and olive oil for about 10 minutes over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
When squash is roasted and cool enough to handle (can be done 1 day ahead) scoop out flesh and add to simmering soup.
Let soup cook for about 25 min. Puree with hand blender and strain soup. Adjust seasoning and add pure maple syrup.

HANDLEBAR’S CHERRY BREAD PUDDING

Ingredients:
3 loaves French bread cute into 1″ cubes
12 oz. white chocolate chips
12 large eggs
1-1/4 cups sugar
1tbs. vanilla extract
1 qt heavy cream
3 cups whole milk
2 jars cherry preserves

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl combine eggs, sugar and vanilla. Whisk well then add heavy cream and milk.
In a separate bowl pour melted white chocolate chips over bread and mix. Allow to stand for 15 minutes.
Spray two half pans and evenly portion egg mixture and bread/chocolate chips in them.
Top each pan with one jar of cherry preserves.
Bake for 50-60 minutes. Allow to cool before slicing each pan into 8 portions.

CAMPANIA’S EGGPLANT CAPONATA

This is a great spread to dab on sandwiches, spoon it on to crusty bread with olive oil, or place it alongside just about anything you’re eating.

Ingredients:
Approx. ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium size eggplant, cut into ¼ inch dice, skin left on
1 medium size green zucchini, cut into ¼ inch dice
1 red pepper, cut into ¼ inch dice
½ Spanish onion, cut into ¼ inch dice
1 cup good olives, pitted and cut in half (kalamata, cerignola, calabrese, etc.)
1/3 cup capers (rinsed, preferably salt packed)
½ cup honey
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 ½ tsp cocoa powder
4-5 basil leaves cut into ribbons
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat until very hot.
Add eggplant and cook, stirring frequently, until edges just begin to turn brown around edges. Remove from heat and transfer to a baking sheet until cool.
Add another 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and heat until very hot. Sauté the zucchini just until edges begin to turn brown around edges (don’t allow the zucchini to cook to the point in which it no longer holds its shape). Transfer to a baking sheet until cool.
Add another 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and sauté the peppers and onions just until cooked throughout (do not brown). Transfer to the baking sheet until cool.
Wipe the sauté pan clean and add the vinegar and honey. Cook over high heat until reduced by 1/3 of its original volume. Remove from heat.
Combine the cooked vegetables in a bowl and add the olives, capers, honey-vinegar mixture, cocoa powder and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The caponata should have a good balance of acidity and sweetness. Adjust with more honey or vinegar as needed.

*Optional – For a nice addition of texture and flavor, add a handful of toasted pine nuts to the caponata.