Five recipes to prepare for Thanksgiving

Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Jo Eveld shares several recipes that I think would make great additions to your holiday feasts this Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Eveld suggests serving these nuts on salads or simply for snacking.

Candied Nuts for Salad: Beat 1 egg white with ¼ cup sugar until stiff. Add enough sliced almonds or broken pecans to cover completely. Melt about 2 tablespoons butter in baking pan, spread nut mixture on top and bake until light brown, watching closely so they do not burn.

Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing

½ cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons milk, more as needed

2 tablespoons sour cream 2 teaspoons sugar

Dash of sea salt

1 tablespoons poppy seeds

Combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth. If too thick, add a little more milk.

Eveld describes this dressing as a “no fail recipe.”

“If desired, prepare mixture a day ahead and refrigerate overnight.”

Crockpot Dressing

1 (8- to 10-inch) pan or skillet of cornbread

8 slices toasted bread

4 eggs, beaten

1 medium onion, chopped ½ cup celery, chopped

1 ½ tablespoons rubbed sage 1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 cans cream of chicken soup 2 (16-ounce) cans chicken broth

2 tablespoons butter

Crumble breads; add eggs, onion, celery, sage, salt, pepper, chicken soup and broth. Pour mixture into slow cooker. Dot with butter. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or on low for 3 to 4 hours. Makes 16 servings.

Crack Green Beans

4 to 6 (16-ounce) cans green beans, drained

1 can water chestnuts, drained 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and broken

2/3 cup brown sugar

¼ cup melted butter 2 tablespoons PLUS 1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder

Put beans and water chestnuts in 9-by-13-inch casserole. Top with bacon. Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the bean mixture. Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Toss and serve.

Grated carrot and cream of mushroom or chicken soup give this squash casserole a familiar but new twist.

Squash Casserole

2 to 2 ½ pounds yellow squash (thawed if using frozen) ½ medium onion

1 grated carrot

1 can cream of chicken soup (or mushroom)

8 ounces sour cream 8 tablespoons butter

2 cups Pepperidge Farm cornbread dressing mix (or generic brand)

Cut up squash and onion and cook until crisp tender; drain and add carrot.

Stir together soup and sour cream; add to vegetable mixture.

Melt butter and stir in dry cornbread crumbs. Put half of the buttered cornbread crumbs in the bottom of 9-by-13-inch casserole, add all of vegetable mixture; top with remaining crumbs. Bake at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes.

REQUEST

■ Chicken and Hearts of Palm soup like that served at Cafe Bossa Nova for Linda Williams.

Email recipe contributions, requests and culinary questions to: