Last-minute turkey-day (or any time) food and drink recipes from live ...

The Tuesday live chat on NOLA.com was so fun, and I'm excited about all the great ideas and recipes generated by readers, so I'm rounding them up here.

The first two queries sent in were about drinks. This cocktail, Apple Fall, is from manager Ryan Iriarte at High Hat Cafe on Freret Street. It's made with apple cider, which you can serve to the young 'uns straight.

You will need to make the apple shrub, which is super easy and way trendy. Bartenders are making shrubs with vinegar and using them for the bright note in drinks similar to what citrus can add. The shrub takes 10 minutes to make. Refrigerate after creating it.

APPLE FALL

1/2 ounce apple shrub

1-1/2 ounces Laird's Applejack

2 ounces apple cider, chilled

Cinnamon sugar (half cinnamon, half white sugar)

Make the apple shrub a day ahead if possible. Combine 1 cup chopped apples, 1 cu- apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup white sugar in a saucepan and cook on low heat about 10 minutes. Blend in a blender or food processer, and then pass through a fine mesh strainer. Refrigerate until use.

To make the cocktail, coat the rim of a rocks glass with cinnamon sugar. Stir together ingredients and serve.

NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES:

CRANBERRY SPRITZER: Cranberry juice, club soda and lime

PUMPKIN PUNCH, with pumpkin puree, apple cider, cinnamon and nutmeg and, if desired, rum

ALMOND TEA: Frozen lemonade, fresh orange juice, steeped tea, almond extract and fresh mint.

SIDE DISHES:

BUTTERNUT SQUASH GRATIN: From Cate: "All you need for this recipe is a very sharp knife. Peel and cube a butternut squash and lay the pieces in a casserole dish. Toss in a few leaves of fresh sage (it gets more aromatic if you pinch it or smack it against your hand) and pour in some heavy cream (enough to cover halfway up the squash cubes). Top with shredded Parmesan and bake in a 350 oven until medium-brown and toasty. This dish is to die for, easy to bake ahead and reheat!"

BLEU CHEESE COLESLAW: Stir bleu cheese into mayonnaise with lots of black pepper and a teaspoon of horseradish. Toss with shredded cabbage and chopped-up green onions. It's really good.

BAKED ACORN SQUASH: It's so simple but really a show-stopper. Cut the acorn squash in half, slather it with butter and brie, a sprinkling of paprika, salt and pepper and roast it in the over until the flesh is soft and the top is all bubbly and crusty.

PEAS IN A CREAM SAUCE: Here's my two cents for a side dish I throw together at the last minute when I suddenly realize I need another one: I made a white roux with flour and salted butter, add hot evaporated milk and white pepper to get the consistency I want. I pour it over a couple of cans of quality green peas. I'm always astonished how people love it.?

PEAS WITH SHRIMP AND CHEESE: Cream of mushroom soup, Cheez Whiz, garlic, pepper, cooked shrimp, added to two cans of quality green peas

A LITTLE EXTRA SOMETHING FOR THE DESSERT SPREAD:?Whip cream with cinnamon and orange zest to top pumpkin and pecan pies.

Source: http://www.nola.com/food/index.ssf/2012/11/last-minute_turkey-day_or_any.html

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