Carol Brock Divulges Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes

Douglaston cooking maven Carol Brock said that neighborhood residents don't have to settle for the same recipes this Thanksgiving, offering a variety of helpful hints for vegetable dishes, drinks and desserts.

Brock, who worked for Good Housekeeping and was a food writer for the Daily News, founded Les Dames D'Escoffier, a philanthropic society of women in the food, beverage and hospitality industry that has thousands of members worldwide and 27 chapters across the United States and Canada, in 1976.

The long-time Douglaston resident suggested a variety of alternatives to traditional recipes for Thanksgiving.

To start, Brock recommended putting grapes under water in a crystal bowl and serving them with a plate of cheese and nuts.

"The nuts should be salted, which goes back to the Thanksgiving days of yore," she said. "And serve them in the shell, so they can be cracked at the table."

She said most of her favorite vegetable dishes for the holiday are not necessarily the most elaborate.

"For greens, take frozen collards and then chop and cook them," she said. "You can add a package of frozen spinach and mix in potato flakes. It's a delight and a crowd pleaser."

She also recommended serving slices of corn on the cob that have been buttered, salted and peppered.

"It's a good accompaniment to drinks or with the meal itself," she said.

Brock said corn bread goes well with any Thanksgiving meal, whether it comes in the form of sticks, muffins or cut into squares.

She said there are also a variety of drinks that can make the meal special.

"Cider is always a must at our house," she said. "If you want a grand flourish at the end, why not serve a liquer? An orange one might be most appropriate for Thanksgiving."

The dessert can also be an integral part of the holiday's dining experience, she said.

"For dessert, have a caramel or pumpkin custard," she said. Or, cut inch-thick apple slices and poach them with a bit of butter, sugar or salt. Put them on a big platter and put a scoop of cranberry jelly in the center of each slice."

But Brock said the food at the event is not the most important element of the day.

"I think every family should personalize the togetherness of a Thanksgiving dinner," she said. "At our extended family dinner, each person at the table relates something for which they are especially thankful."