Hollandaise sauce is an emulsion, like mayonnaise, and making it the traditional way involves adding butter one tablespoon at a time while beating the sauce in a double boiler over heat. It's easier for two people. I tried it again recently and decided it isn't worth the trouble. Here is an easier sauce that I think is every bit as good. It is meant for vegetables like green beans or broccoli, but why not try it for eggs benedict some time.

Lemon Cheese Sauce

1/2 teaspoon powdered mustard
2 teaspoons water
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup grated sharp cheese
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon or more salt

Mix the mustard with the water and let stand 10 minutes. Melt butter in a 1-quart saucepan. Remove from heat. Blend in the flour. Stir and cook 1/2 minute or until it's bubbly. Remove from the heat and stir in the milk. Stir and cook until medium thick. Blend the egg yolk with lemon juice and blend with the sauce. Heat 1 minute. Stir in mustard and remaining ingredients. Serve over hard-cooked eggs and fresh vegetables.

I'm probably not going to make it for Thanksgiving because the rest of the meal is complex so plainer vegetables will be okay. I don't like to make that green bean casserole with the canned fried onions because I think those onions are the spawn of the evil empire. If I knew how to make something like them from scratch I might consider it, but I don't think they are worth the trouble, and they just add calories. There are plenty of other good recipes for green beans, including this family favorite. I've seen it in other places with garlic and black olives added, but I don't always do that.

Olive Oil Green Beans

1/2 onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons flavorful olive oil
1 can (16 oz) green beans
1 - 2 fresh tomatoes, cut in eighths or 1/2 can (16 oz) diced tomatoes
(Garlic powder)
Salt and Pepper
(Sliced black olives)

Saute the onion in the olive oil until transparent. Stir in the green beans, coating with the oil. Cover pan and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes until heated through. Add the tomatoes and optional olives, cover again and heat 10 minutes more until the tomatoes are soft and heated through. Season with the garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Also try: chunky tomato salsa, or Mexican stewed tomatoes

My cousin is coming for dinner on the big day, and last night she told me what she is looking forward to having. It's nice to know what she expects. I'm grateful that she didn't mention a fancy Jello salad or something in addition to the basic turkey ("You don't have to buy a very big one," she told me), potatoes, stuffing and cranberry sauce. And she says that green beans go with anything. And I'll make dinner rolls, I suppose. They are good for making turkey sandwiches.

I've never made this recipe before, but it's similar to the way my mother makes them.

Parker House Rolls - Alton Brown


Nonstick spray
8 ounces warm whole milk (100 degrees F)
2 1/4 ounces sugar (about 1/3 cup)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
15 ounces all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
2 egg yolks
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 ounces unsalted butter, 3 ounces at room temperature, 1 ounce chilled and cut into 16 small cubes

Directions

Spray a half sheet pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

Place the milk, sugar, yeast, flour, egg yolks, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine on low speed for 1 minute. Change the paddle attachment to the dough hook and rest the dough for 10 to 15 minutes.

Add 2 ounces of the room temperature butter and mix on low speed. Increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and you are able to gently pull the dough into a thin sheet that light will pass through, about 8 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll and shape with hands to form a large ball. Return dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm, dry place to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Remove the dough from the bowl and roll into a 16 by 3-inch log. Use a bench knife to cut the dough into 1 3/4-ounce portions, about 16 rolls. Using your loosely cupped hand, roll each portion on the counter until they tighten into small balls. Working 1 at a time, use a rolling pin to roll each small ball into a 3-inch circle or oval. Use the side of your hand or a small dowel to make an indentation across the middle of the circle. Place a small pat of chilled butter into the center of the indentation, then fold in half and gently press to seal the edges. Place the rolls, top-side down, onto the prepared sheet pan, spacing them evenly. Melt the remaining 1 ounce butter and brush the tops of the rolls. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, dry place to rise until doubled in size, 30 to 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the plastic wrap and bake until the rolls reach an internal temperature of 200 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking.

Remove the pan to a cooling rack and cool for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

For Brown and Serve option:

Assemble rolls as above, but bake as follows.

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

Bake until the outside of the rolls just begin to set but have not browned and the internal temperature is 185 degrees, about 30 minutes. Remove and cool on the pan for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the rolls from the pan and place on a cooling rack until they are room temperature, 30 to 40 minutes. Place the rolls in bags and freeze for up to 3 months.

To Finish:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Thaw the rolls for 60 to 90 minutes.

Spray a sheet pan with nonstick spray. Place the rolls on the prepared sheet pan and bake until the rolls reach an internal temperature of 200 degrees F. Rotate the pan halfway through baking, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the pan to a cooling rack and cool for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.