[mcgiver38]

Post your favorite recipes or recipe requests here for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, I got an email from the thread last year so I thought we should start a new one since people are looking.

[cgk]

Gourmet Sweet Potatoes:

Even people who hate sweet potatoes love this one.

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 sweet potatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

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DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Bake sweet potatoes 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until they begin to soften. Cool slightly, peel, and mash.
3. In a large bowl, mix the mashed sweet potatoes, salt, 1/4 cup butter, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, sugar, and heavy cream. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
4. In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup butter, flour, brown sugar, and chopped pecans. Mix with a pastry blender or your fingers to the consistency of course meal. Sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture.
5. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until topping is crisp and lightly browned.

[perfect stranger]

bump and bttt

[saganite]

Pour bourbon. Insert ice.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

Bookmarking for future yummies!

Thanks for starting this thread:)

[gathersnomoss]

My giblets will be ready.

[mcgiver38]

My first one is on brining your turkey, this is critical for me and will guarantee a moist delicious bird every time, here is the FAQ:
http://www.bbq-porch.org/brining00.asp
Here is how I do it:
Since I cant fit a big bucket in my fridge overnight I take an ice chest and clean it really well, then a week or so before thanksgiving I fill 3 or 4 gallon sized ziploc bags with water 1/2 to 3/4 full and freeze them, they take around 24 hours to freeze solid, then I put the turkey in the cooler breast down and mix the brine (kosher salt and sugar according to recipe, I use 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup sugar per gallon)in a gallon pitcher, mix it well and pour over the turkey and just keep repeating a gallon at a time until the turkey is covered then I add some aromatics to the cooler, celery, garlic etc, some people use fruit but I don't.
The FAQ is full of recipes and mixtures, then I drop in two of the gallon ice bags and close it up, you want to let him soak at least 12 hours depending on the size, I try to go 18 to 24 hours for big ones (I usually cook 23-25LB) and change the bags after 12 hours or so, keeps the water below 40 degrees so it is safe for the bird, after you are ready to take him out be sure to rinse him real well to get all the brine off of the outside, if you don't you risk it being salty, the salt and sugar change the texture of the meat and make it suck up moisture, it seems like it would taste salty but it doesn't unless you forget to rinse.
I recommend taking him out a few hours before cooking to let it get close to room temperature, if you cook straight out of the cold brine your time may be off. Also if deep frying make sure to get him dry.
You can test this out with a chicken to get some confidence, try your brine mixture from the recipe list on a whole chicken for 4-6 hours in the fridge, cut parts 1-2 hours, cook as you always do and you will see the difference, you can also do pork, only thing I know for sure you cant do is beef. I believe the famous places that serve rotisserie chickens like Boston market etc. brine them first.
Be sure to use kosher salt as the measurement is different for table salt and almost all brine recipes use kosher.
Check out the FAQ link and if you have any other questions feel free to freepmail me

[Guenevere]

bttt

[asp1]

Last year I roasted my turkey upside down for half of the cooking time. It was the juiciest and most delicious turkey ever (35 years worth).

[TASMANIANRED]

It's a little early but since it looks like I am the cook this year, thank you very much.

[cyborg]

[bigsigh]

http://www.msn.americangreetings.com/view.pd?i=382219626&m=1652&rr=y&sou

[ladyinred]

Oh goody! I love these threads! Thanks!

[Serb5150]

I am a pumpkin fanatic. I just found this recipe today and although I haven't made it yet I'm pretty excited just reading the ingredients. It looks like a great alternative to the standard pumpkin pie we're all used to.

Pumpkin Pie with Ginger Streusel

[LucyT]

BONUS!

Holiday Eating Tips

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine
single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-aholic or something, you can always leave out the 'aholic'.
It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying asports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention.

11. Reread tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the
corner.

[Guenevere]

Sweet Potato Casserole....

3 Cup sweet potatoes
1 Cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, well beaten
3/4 stick margarine
1/2 Cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
(optional) 1/2 Cup crushed pineapple, drained

Topping:
1 Cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 Cup flour
1 Cup chopped pecans
1/2 stick melted margarine

Boil and mash sweet potatoes.
Add remaining ingredients and beat until well blended.

Pour in casserole dish.(I do a 13 x 9 baking dish.)

Add topping.

Bake at 350 degreees for 30 minutes.

*Note...I have made this for years!...and it always turns out well, and receives compliments!

It's just foolproof! :)

[kalee]

bttt

[mcgiver38]

Here is my #2, delicious cinnamon rolls that are a knockoff of the cinn*bon chain, these are a keeper and will impress your family and friends, I give these as gifts every year to close friends:
Title: Cinn*bon Rolls
Categories: Yeastbreads
Yield: 20 Lg rolls

1/2 c Warm water (105-110 degrees)
2 pk Active dry yeast
2 tb Granulated sugar
3 1/2 oz Pkg instant vanilla pudding
1/2 c Butter, melted
2 Eggs, beaten
1 ts Salt
8 c All-purpose flour
1 c Butter, melted

MMMMM

---

CINNABON TOPPING

---

2 c Brown sugar, firmly packed
4 ts Cinnamon

MMMMM

---

OR* CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

---

8 oz Cream cheese, softened
1/2 c Butter, softened
1 ts Vanilla
3 c Powdered sugar
1 tb Milk, just enough to fluff

MMMMM

---

OR* STICKY BUNS & TOPPING

---

1 c Butter
1 c Brown sugar
9 tb Light corn syrup
1 c Pecans or walnuts,
- coarsely chopped

BUNS: In small bowl, combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside. In large bowl, make pudding mix according to package directions. Add butter, eggs and salt; mix well. Add the yeast mixture; blend. Gradually add flour and knead until smooth, adding "sprinkles" of flour as needed to control stickiness. Once the dough is no longer sticky and is soft and silky feeling (like as baby's behind), the dough is ready. Place in very large greased bowl.
Cover and let rise until double in bulk (about 1 hour). Punch down and let rise again (about 45 minutes). On a lightly floured surface, roll out to a 34" x 21" rectangle. Spread 1 cup of melted butter over surface.

CINNABON TOPPING: In small bowl, mix brown sugar and cinnamon together. Sprinkle all over top of surface. Roll up very tightly. With a knife, put a notch every 2 inches. With string or thread, place under roll by notch and criss-cross over to cut roll (makes a nice clean cut). Place on greased baking pan, 2-inches apart. Lightly press rolls down with your hands (just a LITTLE, it helps to hold them together better)(I pinch a little at the seam). Cover and let rise until double again. Bake at 350-degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Take them out when they JUST start to turn golden. DON'T OVER-BAKE! Frost warm rolls with Cream Cheese frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING: Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth. Spread on very warm rolls. Rolls are best when served warm.

CARAMEL STICKY BUNS & TOPPING: In a sauce pan or in your microwave oven combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Heat and stir until blended. Pour topping into the bottom of the pan (pans) you are using for the rolls, place unbaked cinnamon rolls on top on the caramel sauce. Allow to rise in a warm place until double in size (about 1 hour). Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly brown. After removing pans from oven, cover with foil; invert onto cooling racks, cool 1 minute, (be careful, hot syrup will run everywhere) and remove pan. Cool before serving.


My Notes: these are BIG!!! I would cut them thinner than 2 inches if you want to have more rolls, cut at 2" for a gigantic sinful roll :) I also found that the sticky bun recipe was a little slight for the amount of rolls I made, I would increase it by at least half if not double it due to how many pans you have to use as 4 rolls will fill a 9x9 pan,
I think the recipe is only meant to cover the bottom of 2 pans and I ended up using 4 Didnt try the cream cheese frosting but I bet it would be good....
UPDATE: The cream cheese frosting is delicous but I would put a very thin layer if not just a few ribbons on the roll, a thick coating spawned complaints of the rolls being too sweet.
UPDATE 2: The last few times I made these I cut down the amount of sugar in the cream cheese frosting. I prefer the sticky ones but always make both to please everyone.

[Valpal1]

World's Best Idiot Fudge:

1 can sweetened condensed milk, 1 package semi sweet chocolate chips.

Melt them together over medium low heat until smooth. Pour in 9x9 pan and refridgerate 4 hours before cutting.

[martin_fierro]

Heat in the over at 400 degrees for 1.5 hours.

Boom. You're golden.

[Fintan]

 

 

Recipe available upon request.