I’m working on smaller one or two person dishes for Thanksgiving this year because many of us will be on our own or with just one other person because of the pandemic. My first recipe was for a cornish game hen with a wild rice dressing. The link to that post is here: http://waynesweekend.com/2020/11/20/thanksgiving-for-one-cornish-game-hens/

For side dishes in this video, I’m making candied sweet potatoes and a cranberry spinach salad with a lemony raspberry vinaigrette. I hope to also make an acorn squash and apple soup and a pumpkin cheesecake to complete the meal. I hope you’ll continue to follow along.

Cranberry Spinach Salad
servies 1 or 2

Ingredients

1/4 lb Spinach
1 tbl Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Raspberry Balsamic Reduction
2 tbl Vegetable Oil
1 tsp Black Sesame Seeds
1 tbl Sugar
1/2 tsp Minced Shallots
1/8 tsp Paprika
1/8 tsp Salt
1/4 cu Dried Cranberries
1 tsp Lemon Zest

Method

Wash and dry spinach. Tear into small bitesized pieces just before adding the dressing ingredients and preparing to serve. Whisk together the cinder vinegar, raspberry balsamic reduction, and vegetable oil in a bowl. Add sesame seeds, sugar, shallots and paprika. Season with a pinch of salt. Toss the spinach leaves in the dressing and then add the cranberries and lemon zest and lightly toss again.

Candied Sweet Potatoes
serves 1 or 2

1 med Sweet Potato, about 3/4lb
1/2 tbl Butter, softened
1 1/2 tbl Brown Sugar
1 tbl Maple Syrup
1 tbl Orange Juice
1/8 tsp Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/8 tsp Salt
2 tbl Pecans

Method

Preheat oven to 400˚F.

Peel and slice sweet potato into small 3/4” cubes. Place in bowl and set aside.

Combine butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, orange juice, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt in a small container. Either microwave or heat in a small saucepan until butter is melted and combines easily with the other ingredients.
Stir mixture into potatoes and then transfer them to a baking dish.

Roast for 20 minutes. Remove from oven toss with pecans and then place back in the oven for an additional 15 minutes until potatoes are tender. Serve warm.