Food, Family, Community: Cooking with Gas this Thanksgiving
Across the U.S., Thanksgiving is a celebration of community and gratitude for families, friends and other loved ones. With more than 1.4 billion pounds of turkey expected to be consumed in the U.S. this year, millions of people are each celebrating Thanksgiving in a unique and special way.
Many Thanksgiving celebrations at home will include a home-cooked meal. Home chefs who want to make their holiday cooking more efficient and consistent know that cooking with natural gas is the best way to tackle the Turkey Day feast. The ease and speed afforded by natural gas ovens and cooktops help streamline cooking, freeing up more time to spend with loved ones. The consistent heat and precise temperature control allow for perfect preparation of everything from the turkey to the pies.
Sharing cooking traditions from household to household is a great way to celebrate community and share holiday joy. Are you looking to jazz up your celebration this year? Take a look at some of the AGA staff’s favorite hit recipes.
Rose Pasta
From Joe S.
Ingredients
100grams of pancetta or 8-10 slices of bacon
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp of unsalted butter
1 tsp chili flakes
2 shallots, finely diced
4 cloves of garlic, finely sliced, chopped, or grated
1-2 cups of baby bella mushrooms, finely diced
6-8 ounces of tomato paste
3/4 cup of cream
half a box of pasta (add full box if desired)
1 bunch of broccolini, sliced into small pieces
1 bunch of chives, finely chopped
Instructions
- Prepare a pot of salted, boiling water for pasta.
- Heat a large fry pan over medium heat for sauce.
- Fry pancetta (or bacon) in pan until golden and crispy, then use a slotted spoon or spatula to remove into boil (leave the rendered pancetta/bacon fat in pan).
- Add olive oil and unsalted butter to pan.
- Once butter has melted, add chili flakes, shallots, and garlic (with a pinch of salt) and cook until translucent.
- Add mushrooms and sauté until brown and softened.
- Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until color has deepened (about 2 minutes).
- Add cream and stir until combined.
- Add pancetta and chives into sauce, and continue to simmer at a very low heat
- Cook pasta until al dente (or longer if preferred). In the last 2 minutes of cooking pasta, add broccolini. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Strain pasta and broccolini, add to sauce and stir to combine.
- If necessary, loosen the pasta sauce with reserved pasta water.
- Taste and season
Optional: Serve with shredded parmesan on top.
Cheddar Sausage Balls
From Amy B.
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups grated cheddar – about l/2 pound
1 pound bulk breakfast sausage 1/2 large yellow onion, grated on large holes of a box grater
3 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and baking powder.
- Add cheddar and toss to coat.
- Add sausage, onion, and butter.
- With your hands, mix until well combined and roll mixture into 1-inch balls.
- Place balls, l/2 inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake until balls are golden and cooked through, 25 minutes.
- Serve warm.
Tip: Can be frozen and dethawed. Also goes well with any kind of dipping sauce you have on hand. Siracha, mayo and ketchup could make a simple one in a pinch.
While inspiration for beautiful dishes runs rampant across social media feeds, those finishes products do not come without effort—preparing for the holiday, between shopping and cooking, can take 1.5 times longer than actually enjoying the meal. That’s why some will forgo cooking at home, opting to eat at a local restaurant instead. In fact, approximately 57% of U.S. consumers plan on eating out at a restaurant for holiday meals. And it’s almost guaranteed that those celebrations will still benefit from a meal cooked by natural gas.
According to the National Restaurant Association, 76% of restaurants in the U.S. are cooking with natural gas. In the words of Chef Jeff Bradley in Phoenix, AZ, when cooking with gas “We’re talking about the ability to cook many things rapidly, which is what every chef in every restaurant needs.”
Regardless of whether your holiday meal is at home or in your favorite restaurant this Thanksgiving, natural gas utilities are proud to be fueling your holiday meal. Whether you’re hosting a large, festive gathering or enjoying dinner at your favorite local restaurant, natural gas ensures your Thanksgiving is about making memories with those closest to you.