Thanksgiving Menu & a recipe, too!

Over the past few days, I've read many Thanksgiving menus in my Google reader, as you have, too, I'm sure.  If you're in need of a few ideas, I hope you find a few here, or if you're feeling inundated with Thanksgiving menus, scroll to the bottom of this post for a delicious ragu recipe. 
Thanksgiving dinner will be at our house this year, and there will be 8 of us gathered around the table, my parents, my sister, brother-in-law, nephew, and of course, Brett, Andrew, and I.  In my family, we cook to excess, which is something I imagine everyone does for Thanksgiving.  While Christmas dinner always includes a pasta dish of some kind, we have a traditional New Orleans Thanksgiving meal.  Some of these are recipes I've posted in the past, so I've linked them; others will be posted next week. 

Appetizers

Oyster Patties

Cheese Truffles with Assorted Crackers

Fried Cabbage Patties

Stuffed Artichokes

Salad

Baby field greens, feta, pears, red onion, sweet & spicy pecans, with tangy cranberry vinaigrette

Main Course

Baked Turkey

Glazed Spiral-sliced Ham

Fried Turkey

Side Dishes

Cornbread Dressing

Mirliton & Shrimp Casserole

Deluxe Mashed Potato Casserole

Praline-topped Sweet Potato Souffle

Soft Dinner Rolls

Cranberry Sauce

Desserts

Pumpkin Pie

Pecan Pie

Sugar Cookies

Now, time for a recipe!  I usually make meat sauce when I have extra marinara in the freezer, and we've eaten all of the meatballs.  After I brown a pound or two of ground beef, I just add my marinara, and voila, meat sauce.  But, there are times when I'm in the mood for a rich-flavored ragu, and today was that day.  This is not a quick sauce nor is it hours long; it's great to make when you're puttering around in the kitchen, as I was this morning.  I got the sauce going, then I made pie crust, baked some sweet potatoes, made and baked a batch of meatballs, loaded and unloaded the dishwasher twice, played an online I Spy game with Andrew, and enjoyed 3-4 cups of strong coffee!

Ragu Printable recipe

2 lbs ground sirloin

2 onions, diced

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 stalks celery, diced

1/2 bell pepper, diced

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra if needed

1/2 cup milk

4 oz tomato paste

28-oz crushed tomatoes

1 cup dry red wine or beef broth

2-3 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

Heat extra virgin olive oil in large skillet.

Add onions, garlic, celery, & bell pepper; cook until transparent and lightly golden on the edges.

Add ground sirloin; cook until meat begins to brown (if pan is dry, add a bit of olive oil)

Pour in milk and cook until milk evaporates.

Stir in tomato paste, then add crushed tomatoes and either wine or broth.

Bring to a boil, add dry seasonings and reduce heat to a very low simmer.

Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 60-75 minutes.

Taste for seasoning, adding salt & pepper as desired.

Toss with your favorite pasta.

Linked to Hearth and Soul, Tuesdays at the Table, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Tasty Tuesdays, and  What's Cooking Wednesday