#tgiving14

9 cups 1/2-inch Italian bread cubes (about 12 ounces)

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 1/2 cups chopped leek (about 2 medium)

1 1/2 cups chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrot

2 tablespoons minced fresh sage

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound sliced cremini mushrooms

1 cup no-salt-added chicken stock (such as Swanson)

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet or jelly-roll pan. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly.

3 (12-ounce) packages haricots verts (French green beans), trimmed

1 (1-ounce) slice sourdough bread, torn into pieces

2 ounces thick-cut bacon, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Place haricots verts in a saucepan of boiling water; cook 4 minutes. Drain and plunge into ice water; drain.

1/3 cup crème fraîche

3/4 teaspoon grated orange rind

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Combine first 4 ingredients; set aside.

Cognac butter:

1 1/2 teaspoons butter 

3 tablespoons minced shallots

3 tablespoons cognac

6 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened 

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

Tenderloin:

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 

2 teaspoons honey 

1 teaspoon lower-sodium soy sauce

3/4 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

1 (2-pound) beef tenderloin, trimmed

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

Cooking spray 

1. To prepare cognac butter, melt 1 1/2 teaspoons butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add shallots; cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring shallots occasionally. Carefully stir in cognac; cook 1 minute or until liquid is reduced by about one-third. Remove from heat; cool.

2. Place 6 1/2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl; stir in cooled cognac mixture, 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Cover and chill 10 minutes. Divide butter mixture in half. Scrape each half of butter mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap; shape each portion into a 4-inch-long log. Wrap each butter log in plastic wrap; refrigerate or freeze 1 log for another use.

3. Preheat oven to 425°.

4. To prepare tenderloin, combine mustard and next 4 ingredients (through 1/2 teaspoon pepper); stir with a whisk. Spread mustard mixture over all sides of tenderloin; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons thyme. Place tenderloin in a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 38 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in center of tenderloin registers 135° or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 10 minutes.