thanks for sharing your enthusiasm & talent with us here. You are the best!
Posted on 11/11/2004 8:00:23 PM PST by carlo3b
Well, it's that time again, when we old timers dust off the holiday recipes. For you newcomers, just bear with us, it won't take long, and you could just move on if this is too corny for you to handle. Otherwise, cut and paste, and have a great Thanksgiving.. This is a bit early because I will once again be on the great oceans this years cookin and spinnin my tales of the kitchen.. ENJOY..
God bless you and your family!.. Chef
Remembering Our first recorded Thanksgiving Day
The Mayflower 1620- 2002
The voyage of the Mayflower in 1620 from Plymouth England, to Plymouth Rock started as a journey to find peace and justice in a new world. It began as a fervent prayer to give freedom a chance, and remains today as the promise each year for a new beginning. Thanksgiving Day is a celebration of hope, and remembrance.
Today, we bring our families and friends together to share our tables and our hearts, and give thanks for all that we have to be grateful for in our new and glorious country. From this grand experiment and it's courageous settlers, to the greatest nation of the world, we have a lot to be thankful for, indeed.
Remembering my Italian family Thanksgiving My earliest memory of Thanksgiving was the fuss over preparation of the wonderful food being planned in advance of our holiday feast. Being a traditional Italian American, midwestern home, a full cornucopia of cookies of every ethnicity was in abundance. Thanksgiving morning was a special treat with a home filled with the scent of baking bread, and roasted turkey which transformed our tiny cold water flat in "Little Italy" on the lower East side of Chicago into a 3 room palace.
Everyone was involved, family and friends, young and old, with 4 generations of our own majestic women. An unspoken but respected hierarchy prevailed, with the eldest women in control, and a dance like rhythm appeared to take charge of this traditional and noble endeavor. It didn't take long before our small kitchen and dinning room filled, and every flat surface was covered. People scurried into the hallway, where neighbors shuffled pans and pots, in and out of their apartment kitchens to make room for more, always more so everyone could share in the abundance.
The Preparations
Preparation started days earlier, with the making of the pasta. I recall my great aunt bringing in the clothesline from our back porch, the one that strung across the small yard to the adjacent porch and back. She washed and bleached this cord to string across our living and dining rooms, from sconces to chandelier, and doorjambs to windowsills. It was strung as tight as possible to hold the pounds of lasagna noodle, and spaghetti needed to hang dry, to satisfy the hearty Italian appetites. I recall as if it were yesterday listening to our nightly radio programs with the shadows of stringing pasta on the faded floral wallpaper, lending an eerie overtone to the Green Hornet, or Gangbusters.
How could I ever forget opening my eyes in the morning with the sight of hanging pasta overhead, but then, why in the world would I want to forget that magical moment after all, and what it meant to a young boy that a wonderful and glorious holiday was just around the corner?
The Family and Friends
Each family was represented in the choice of menu items. Every wonderful cook in each branch of the family offered to prepare their own special version of the chosen food. This made for a memorable feast indeed, there were at least 4 successful individual restaurant owners in our family. The competition was playful and fun filled, with chunks of bread, ladles, and spoons dipping into everything, testing, tasting, and teasing.
The Cooks
It should not be construed that the food preparation was the exclusive provence of our family women, to do so would be to underestimate the culinary contributions of some of the finest cooks in the clan. A few of my uncles, cousins and grandpa were cooks in the Army, Navy, and Marines, as well as in their own restaurants. My great uncle served as a cook in the Italian army, then captured and recruited to cook in the prisoner-of-war camp, when upon his release, served 2 tours as a cook in the US Marines during The Korean War. However, whatever greatness the men may have achieved in the outside world, the kitchen was ruled by those formidable, yet diminutive, strikingly gorgeous, black clad matriarchs of the family. Great grandmothers from both sides of the lineage, grandmothers, great grandmother-in-laws, and great great aunts.
Man I'll tell ya, it was a sight to behold at best, and an Italian culinary rivalry at least. Although sharing an Italian heritage, the 6 uncles married outside the Calabrian niche, creating a scrumptious provincial food fight.
The Kids
Children weren't immune from the holiday chores. Chairs were pulled up to the stove for short perpetual stirrers. The teens were given the sink, for the never-ending pots and pans, and preteens were runners for last minute fetches and food deliveries. I was honored almost exclusively with the delivery of food for the church and hospital shut-ins because I had the bike with a giant basket. Trying to describe my cousins and most of the local kids wasn't hard, the first thing I recall was, hair, lots of black hair, big doe eyes, dozens of beautiful children with wide grins. At least one kid, sometimes more, was forced to bring his or her accordion, and at every holiday gathering some poor child was browbeaten into playing "Lady Of Spain"!
The Holiday Table
Serving 30-40 people, in a one bedroom apartment on the 3rd floor, rear, walkup, was a challenge, but doable. It took the coordination of most of our wonderful neighbors, and the cooperation of all of the residence, which were always invited anyway. Everyone brought pots, pans, dishes, and utensils, at least a chair, and some brought their kitchen tables. Everyone brought something eatable, most were prearranged as in bread, but some were heirloom dessert recipes, enough for at least a good spoonful, for everyone to get a taste. Older adults, always got a chair at the table, all adults got a seat, and kids sat at the card tables, on the stairs or on a carpet in front of the radio in one of the neighbors homes.
The Prayer
All kids had to be within earshot of the saying of the formal Grace before dinner. Then everyone recited their own prayer in various languages of their native tongue. Our family and friends were of many faiths and nationalities, the overwhelming majority of coarse were Italian. Most remembered a loved one not present, and the names of every absent serviceman and woman were individually read aloud. With all heads bowed, everyone gave thanks for the wonderful gifts of food and health, and each and every person present, gave a special thanks and how grateful they were for being in the United States of America.
The Family
Any good excuse to gather the clan in our family was and still is, paramount. Weddings, holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, births, baptisms and unfortunately funerals are used as good excuses to get together and, you guessed it.... eat. This is usually done at the familial home of eldest member of the family. The Italian family circle is close and tight, and many families still living within their hometown even today, and still live within walking distance of one another. In our family as in many, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins grow as one single family unit.
The elders live within the homes of their offspring or siblings. The hierarchy is established by the ability of the surviving parents to have living arrangements central to the greatest number of kids and kin. Love of family is the reason, and love of food is the cement. Thanksgiving is one of the most popular days of the year, and has been since my earliest memory. Even today as I did with my parents in my youth, I talk to each of my 5 children and each of my grandchildren with rare exceptions, every single day, I am truly blessed.
The Food
Food for an Italian holiday is second to only to the family. Present at every holiday feast were several types of entree, lasagna, ham, veal, and one or more specialty pasta and of course, the giant stuffed Turkeys. There were Kosher dishes aplenty for our many Jewish friends. Our next door neighbor kept a Kosher kitchen and always shared their wonderful food with us as we did in return. No holiday would be complete without homemade sausages, meatballs, and grilled peppers. A strange calzone, one I recall with nuts and octopus was always somewhere on the table as was Braciole (Italian beef rolls), and great cannoli desserts were always compliments of our Sicilian side of the family.
Salads and antipasto were a mainstay, with favorites cellentani con Insalata di Peperoni (cellentani with pepper salad), and the ever popular soups, usually a bean, as in minestrone. Breads, rolls, pizza and a mixed variety of biscotti, were always in abundance. Side dishes were a meal in themselves. A vast array of vegetables prepared as specialty items, like artichoke and bacon frittata rounded out every holiday meal. Even our popular lasagna, the recipe that created a chain of famous restaurants, has broccoli or spinach as a principle ingredient to the recipe. Desserts... oh my, great custards, and pastries, ice creams and cakes such as lemon berry tiramisu or frittelle di zucca (pumpkin fritters)
The Moment of Truth
My great grandfather sat at the head of the table, and next to him sat a gallon jug of his homemade Italian red wine. Almost everyone seated for dinner were given a glass of his wine, if only for the many toasts that were posed, to the cooks and a milieu of other celebrations.
The moment of truth came when he would call the name of the boys that he felt were to be worthy of manhood, a scholarship know only to him, usually by some unknown merit method. If you attained that status in his trusted eye, he would invite you to accept a glass of wine and he would toast your new position and with everyone's applause you drank a glass and thanked him.
When my moment came, I had just turned 10, and having worked with him on his paper stand in downtown Chicago for 3 years and to my surprise he felt I was ready! Proudly I swallowed a huge gulp, and felt the heat go down my throat and explode at the core of my stomach and began to rush back up. I forced a smiled and swallowed again and hugged him as tight as I could, until my uncle secretly handed me a chunk of bread, which I bit into and forced down before I let my pa loose, perhaps in the nick of time because he slapped me on the back and everything went back down... I never drank another drop of his wine, but accepted his offer to take a glass, each time he offered it until he passed a year later. How I loved that man.
The Carving was done at each end of the long tables where the huge turkeys were displayed. The male head of each of the households was given the honor of carving these beautifully prepared golden trophies. It was a ritual and with surgical skills each bird was sliced and distributed to all in attendance until nothing remained but the bare bones. At the conclusion of this wonderful occasion, the men stood and with glasses raised toasted the blushing ladies as we sang... in our best voice, and in Italian, a song dedicated to our wonderful women, .. "Momma"
Holiday Roast Turkey with Herbal Rub
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- 1 13 pound whole turkey, fresh or thawed
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2. Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey and reserve for the broth.
3. Rinse the turkey with cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
4. Place onion and lemon quarters in the neck and body cavities.
5. In a small bowl, mix the oil with the herbs, salt and pepper.
6. With your finger tips, gently loosen the skin from the breast without pulling off the skin.
7. Place 1 tablespoon of the herb mixture under the skin; and replace the skin.
8. Rub the cavities and outside of turkey with the remaining herb mixture.
9. Secure the neck skin to the back of the turkey with skewers. Fold the wings under the back of turkey. Place the legs in tucked position.
Note: May be prepared to this point, covered, and refrigerated for several hours.
10. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large shallow (no more than 2-1/2 inches) deep roasting pan.
11. Insert an oven-safe thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, being careful it does not touch the bone.
12. Cover bird with a loose tent of foil. Roast turkey in the preheated oven for about 2-1/2 hours.
13. Remove the foil and baste bird with pan juices.
14. Continue to roast for about another hour, until meat thermometer registers 180°F in the thigh.
15. Remove the turkey from the oven and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.
16. Transfer to a large platter and serve with gravy.
Yields 18 servings at 6 ounces per portion
Good Old Fashioned Bread Dressing
The night before
- 3 to 4 loaves of white bread (or 5 if you like leftovers)
- 2 cups water
- turkey inners
- 1 or 2 onions
- 2 bunches of celery
- 2 to 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 teaspoons sage
- oysters (optional)
- mushrooms (option)
- chicken broth
1. The night before you want to eat the stuffing, break the bread into small pieces (about 1 inch squares) into 2 huge bowls or pots. Let the bread sit overnight to dry out.
The next day
2. The next day, remove the insides of turkey and boil them in water in 2/3 quart sauce pan until cooked (about 20 to 30 minutes).
3. Remove the insides from the saucepan for later use or discard. Keep the broth and set aside.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
5. Chop the onion and celery and place into food processor until minced.
6. Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
7. Sauté the onion and celery in butter until heated through. Do not brown! (Sauté the mushrooms also at this time, if wanted).
Note: Depending on how much stuffing you want and how much celery and onion you've chopped, you may have to sauté the onion and celery in two parts.
8. Once cooked, pour the onion mixture directly over the dried out bread.
9. Sprinkle the sage over bread mixture.
10. Take your turkey broth and pour slowly over the bread mixture. The bread will shrink as you do this. Be careful not to pour too much water in.
11. Mixture thoroughly.
Note: If you need more liquid, open a can of chicken broth and pour over bread. If you need more spice, add more sage.
13. If you are using oysters, add them now.
14. Once stuffing is of a consistency that it will stick together and does not look too dry, do not add more liquid.
16. Either stuff in turkey to be baked in oven, or put in 9 x 13 pan.
17. If using oysters, it is recommended that you bake the stuffing in a pan so as to ensure the oysters will be cooked through.
18. Bake in 350°F oven for 45 minutes to an hour. You want the stuffing to have a nice brown crust on top.
Note: If you are cooking the stuffing in a pan and not inside the turkey, try stuffing the turkey with small apples. It smells wonderful and the apples have a great flavor when you take them out.
Real Homemade Turkey Gravy
1. In a 3-quart saucepan, place neck, heart, gizzard, vegetables, and salt in enough water to cover, and cook over high heat.
- 1 package.. neck, heart, gizzard from turkey giblets
- 1 medium carrot thickly sliced
- 1 medium onion thickly sliced
- 1 medium celery rib thickly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 turkey liver
- 3 tablespoons fat from poultry drippings
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
2. Heat to boiling.
3. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Add the liver and cook for 15 minutes longer.
5. Strain broth into a large bowl; cover and reserve broth in the refrigerator.
6. To make gravy, remove the cooked turkey and roasting rack from the roasting pan. Pour the poultry drippings through a sieve into a quart size measuring cup.
7. Add 1 cup giblet broth to the roasting pan and stir until the crusty brown bits are loosened.
8. Pour the deglazed liquid/broth into the measuring cup.
9. Let the mixture stand a few minutes, until the fat rises to the top.
10. Over medium heat, spoon 3 tablespoons of fat from the poultry drippings into a 2-quart saucepan. 11. Whisk flour and salt into the heated fat and continue to cook and stir until the flour turns golden.
12. Meanwhile, skim and discard any fat that remains on top of the poultry drippings.
13. Add the remaining broth and enough water to the poultry drippings to equal 3-1/2 cups.
14. Gradually whisk in warm broth mixture.
15. Cook and stir, until the gravy boils and is slightly thick.
Makes 14 servings at 1/4 cup per serving
Home Sweet Home Potato Casserole
Preheat oven to 350°F.
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes, boiled, peeled, and mashed
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 tablespoon margarine, melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
Combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Mixture will be very soupy.
Bake for 1 hour.
Crackpot Crockpot Scalloped Potatoes
1. Spray the crockpot with the cooking spray.
- Cooking spray
- 6 to 8 potatoes, thinly sliced
- 1 can cheddar cheese soup
- 1 cup Velveeta cheese, chunked
- 1-1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
- Salt and pepper
2. Fill the crockpot with half of the sliced potatoes.
3. Layer half of the soup, velveeta cheese, Cheddar cheese, and milk.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Layer remaining the remaining potatoes.
6. The layer the remaining soup, velveeta cheese, Cheddar cheese, and milk.
7. Cook on high for about 6 hours.
Note: You need to check to see if you need to add more milk. You can pre-boil the potatoes for quicker cooking.
Sweet Potato-Pineapple Balls
2 (40 ounce) cans yams, drained
1 (20 ounce) can crushed unsweetened pineapple, drained
3 cups corn flakes (crushed very fine)
marshmallows (optional)
Mash the yams and pineapple in a large bowl with your hands.
Roll into baseball size balls and cover in the cornflakes.
For those who like marshmallows, place a marshmallow or use some mini marshmallows, placed in the center of the ball and then cover with the cornflakes.
Chill balls in the refigerator to firm up.
Place balls on a foil lined cookie sheet and bake, at 350 degrees, to heat through and until cereal starts to brown; about 25 minutes.
Pumpkin Roll
3 eggs
2/3 cup pumpkin
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup flour
Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese (You may use a drop of food coloring in the cream cheese for color)
2 tablespoons margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup nuts
1. Line cookie sheet that has edges with waxed paper and grease. Spread dough in pan and bake at 375F for 15 minutes.
2. After you take it out of the oven sprinkle top with powdered sugar, then flip onto a dish towel.
3. Then take off the waxed paper and sprinkle with more powdered sugar; roll up like a jellyroll in the dish towel.
4. Refrigerate for 1 hour or put in freezer for 15 minutes.
5. Unroll; spread filling on roll an d roll again without the towel.
6. Place in container or Reynolds Wrap.
7. Refrigerate or you may freeze for up to 4 months.
Pumpkin Bread
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin, cooked or canned
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups cooking oil
1 cup nuts
(For extra spice, add extra walnuts or pecans, 1/2-1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice, 1/2-1 tsp CLOVE and 1/2-1 tsp NUTMEG and Cinnamon)
1. Preheat oven to 350 deg.
2. Grease and Flour 2 loaf pans.
3. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl, set aside.
4. Mix pumpkin, eggs, oil, and nuts together.
5. Combine mixtures and blend thoroughly.
6. Pour into pans.
7. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Remove from pans and cool on a rack.
Pumpkin Cake
4 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups sugar
1 cup salad oil
1 (1 lb) can pumpkin
pecan halves or walnut halves
Cream cheese Frosting
2 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon rum or vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1. in large bowl of electric mixer, let eggs warm to room temoerature-about 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Sift flour with baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon,ginger and nutmeg At high sped, beat eggs with sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in oil and pumpkin to blend well.
5. At low speed beat in flour mixture just until combined.
6. Pour into an ungreased 9-inch tube pan.
7. Bake about 1 hour or until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip.
8. Cool cake completely in pan.
9. With spatula, carefully loosen cake from pan; remove.
10. Place on cake plate; frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.
11. Decorate with nuts.
12. Makes 12 servings.
13. ----Creamcheese Frosting------.
14. In medium bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, beat cheese with rum until creamy.
15. Gradually beat in sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
16. Spread over Pumpkin Cake, make swirls with knife.
Pumpkin Delight
4 large eggs
19 fluid ounces pumpkin pie filling (suggest E.D.Smith pie filling)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
13 fluid ounces evaporated milk
1 box Yellow/Butter cake mix (suggest Duncan Hines Yellow/Butter cake mix, 18 oz.)
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
TOPPING
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl blend together eggs and pumpkin pie filling using a whisk.
3. Blend in sugar, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and salt.
4. Whisk in evaporated milk, blend well.
5. Pour mixture into an ungreased 9" x 13" baking pan or an oven-proof casserole dish.
6. Sprinkle cake mix over the pumpkin mixture.
7. Spoon melted butter evenly over the top of the cake mix.
8. Sprinkle chopped pecans over butter.
9. Bake in preheated 350 F oven for 1 1/2 hours or until done.
10. To test for doneness, insert a wooden teter or wooden toothpick into center.
11. When it comes out clean, the Pumpkin Delight is done.
12. Cool on a wire rack.
13. In a mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat whipping cream until it just starts to thicken slightly.
14. Add vanilla extract and beat for 10 seconds.
15. Add sugar gradually and continue to beat until thickened.
16. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
Pumpkin Whip
(For those who would rather not have a pie with crust or in a hurry and no time to bake a pie)
1 (3 1/2 ounce) box instant butterscotch pudding mix
1 1/2 cups cold milk
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 cups whipped topping
1. Beat pudding and milk until smooth.
2. Blend in pumpkin and spice.
3. Fold in the whipped topping.
4. Spoon into dessert dishes.
5. Chill.
Better Than Pumpkin Pie
(blue-ribbon award-winning recipe)
1 (29 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 box yellow cake mix (2-layer size)
1 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine
1 cup chopped nuts
1. Combine in mixer the pumpkin, sugars, eggs, vanilla, evaporated milk and spices, mixing well.
2. Pour into a 12 x 9 inch baking pan.
3. Sprinkle the dry cake mix on top and pat down.
4. Melt the butter and drizzle over the top.
5. Sprinkle with nuts.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until lightly browned and set.
7. Let cool.
Bump for later reading...and menu planning!
Are those Sweet Potato-Pineapple Balls a light treat? Or are they pretty heavy on the stomach?
It sounds good but it seems like it would be tough to eat as an after-Thankgiving dessert treat.
I want to come to your house to eat. :-)
OMG!!!!!! You have me laughing so hard my face hurts! I'd rather spend Thanksgiving at your home than Martha Stewart's! Absolutely, FReepin' hilarious post. :)
I got lost ducking under the chandeliers and the drying pasta...
Pumpkin Pie
1 3/4 cups canned pumpkin
1 3/4 cups sweetened condensed milk
2 large eggs, beaten
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 9 inch pie shell, unbaked
1. Combine pumpkin and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes.
2. Pour into prepared piecrust.
3. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 50 additional minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Cool on a wire rack.
Pumpkin Dip
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ginger
8 ounces Cool Whip
1. Beat Cream Cheese and Powdered Sugar until smooth and creamy, add canned pumpkin and spices.
2. Fold in Cool Whip mix until creamy.
3. Serve with Apple Slices/Ginger Snaps/Graham Crackers.
Baked Pineapple
INGREDIENTS:
* 1 (20 ounce) can unsweetened pineapple chunks
* 3 tablespoons white sugar
* 6 tablespoons butter, melted
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 5 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
* 25 buttery round crackers, crumbled
DIRECTIONS:
1. Drain pineapple, reserving 3 tablespoons juice.
2. Combine pineapple, reserved juice, sugar, butter or margarine, flour, and cheese. Mix well. Spoon mixture into a buttered 1 1/2 quart baking dish; top with cracker crumbs.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.
Cranberry Salad
INGREDIENTS:
* 1 pound cranberries, finely ground
* 2 cups white sugar
* 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
* 1 (16 ounce) package miniature marshmallows
* 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
* 1 pint whipped cream, beaten stiff
DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix together the cranberries and sugar; cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. The next day, combine the cranberry mixture with the pineapple, marshmallows, pecans and whipped cream. Mix well.
3. Pour into a 3 quart dish, cover and refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve.
Holiday Dressing
INGREDIENTS:
* 1 (7.5 ounce) package dry cornbread mix
* 1 cup butter
* 2 onions, chopped
* 1 green bell pepper, chopped
* 6 stalks celery, chopped
* 1 pound pork sausage
* 16 slices white bread
* 2 teaspoons dried sage
* 1 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
* 2 eggs
* 4 cups chicken stock
DIRECTIONS:
1. Prepare corn bread as directed on package. Cool, and crumble.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onions, bell pepper, and celery in butter until tender, but not brown. In another pan, cook sausage over medium-high heat until evenly browned.
3. Place corn bread and bread slices in a food processor. Pulse until they turn into a crumbly mixture. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Season with sage, thyme, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix in chopped parsley, cooked vegetables, and sausage with drippings. Stir in eggs and chicken stock. This mixture should be a bit mushy. Transfer to a greased 9x13 inch pan.
4. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 1 hour.
Broccoli, Wild Rice, and Mushroom Stuffing
INGREDIENTS:
* 1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
* 1/2 cup butter
* 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 1 (16 ounce) package herb seasoned stuffing mix
* 1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
* 1/2 cup sliced almonds (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Bring rice and 1 1/2 cups water to boil in a pot. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 45 minutes.
2. Place broccoli in a pot with enough water to cover, and boil 5 minutes, or until slightly tender. Remove from heat, and drain.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking dish.
4. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the mushrooms and onion until tender. Mix in cooked rice, cooked broccoli, stuffing mix, broth, and almonds. Transfer to the prepared baking dish (or use to stuff turkey just before roasting).
5. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.
Apricot/Cranberry Chutney
INGREDIENTS:
* 1/4 cup diced dried apricots
* 1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries
* 1/2 cup raisins
* 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
* 1 pinch ground cloves
* 1 cup water
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup cider vinegar
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium bowl, mix together the apricots, cranberries, raisins, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves.
2. In a medium saucepan, boil water and sugar, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Add the dried fruit mixture and vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Serve immediately, or refrigerate in a covered container.
Chestnut Wraparounds
NGREDIENTS:
* 1/4 cup shoyu (soy and wheat soy sauce)
* 2 tablespoons white sugar
* 2 (5 ounce) cans water chestnuts, drained
* 10 slices bacon, cut in half
DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine shoyu sauce and sugar. Stir in water chestnuts. Marinate chestnuts overnight.
2. Wrap bacon slice around each chestnut. Fasten with a wooden pick. Place on a rack in shallow baking pan.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30-35 minutes. Serve hot.
Moist Glazed Ham
Instructions:
(The secret is in the basting..dont skip.)
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. Remove the rine from a large whole ham and score the fat in the traditional diamond pattern.
3. Stud it heavily with whole cloves and place it in a large roaster.
4. Pack One whole pound of brown sugar on to the top of the ham just as thick and as high as you cant pack it. Dont worry about the part that falls off it will be left in the pan to melt into the glaze
5. Put this in the 400 degree oven for thirty to forty minutes until the brown sugar begins to melt.
6. Then pour one can of Classic Coke over the ham very gradually trying not to wash off the melting sugar.
7. Reduce the oven temp to 325 degrees.
8. For the remaining basting you will use a mixture of half burgandy wine and half pineapple juice basteing every 30 minutes for 4 hours. Be sure to dip up the pan juices and spoon them back up over the top too. The idea is to keep the meat super moist for the whole time it is cooking.
You may "tent it" with foil the first 3 and a half hours.
Squash Casserole
Ingredients:
* 4 cups cooked yellow crook neck squash
* 1 medium onion
* 1 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp pepper
* 1 stick butter or margarine
* 2 cups crushed Cheezit (or Ritz) crackers
* 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
* 1 cup milk or heavy cream
Instructions:
1. Cook the squash, onion, butter, salt and pepper until onion and squash are tender.
2. Mix remaining ingredients except for 3/4 cup of the crackers and 3/4 cup of the shredded cheese.
3. Pour into a 2 quart casserole and top with remaining crackers & cheese.
4. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Pumpkin and Praline Pie
Ingredients:
* 2 pie crusts
Filling:
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup light brown sugar
* 1 tbsp. flour
* 1 tbsp. bitters (optional)
* 1 tsp. cinnamon
* 1 tsp. ginger
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
* 1/4 tsp. cloves
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 2 tbsp. butter
* 1 can (29 oz.) pumpkin
* 1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1 cup water
Praline:
* 4 tbsp. butter, softened
* 2/3 cup light brown sugar
* 2/3 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
* Whipped cream, for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
1. Mix sugars, flour, bitters, spices in large bowl.
2. Stir in egg; set aside.
3. Melt butter in large skillet over low heat.
4. Add pumpkin, simmer, stirring occasionally until purèe thickens slightly, 10 minutes.
5. Gradually stir hot pumpkin into sugar mix, stir in evaporated milk, milk and 1 cup water. If desired, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Praline:
6. Prepare crusts.
7. Preheat to 450°F.
8. Spread half the praline mix in each crust. Bake until praline is golden brown and bubbly, around 10 minutes; cool slightly.
9. Reduce oven temp to 400°F.
10. Pour half pumpkin filling into each crust; smooth top with spatula.
11. Bake until pumpkin is firm and crusts are golden brown, about 1 hour. Cool completely and serve.
12. Garnish with whipped cream or topping, if desired.
Pumpkin Nut Bread
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
* 1 cup butter, melted
* 4 eggs
* 1 can (14-1/2 oz.) pumpkin
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 2 tsp. baking powder
* 1 tsp. baking soda
* 1 tsp. ground cloves
* 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
* 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 2-3/4 cups flour
* 1 cup chopped nuts
Instructions:
1. Melt butter.
2. Add eggs and pumpkin. Beat thoroughly.
3. Add sugars, baking soda and powder, and spices. Beat thoroughly until all lumps are removed.
4. Add flour. Beat thoroughly.
5. Add nuts and mix.
6. Spoon into 2 greased bread pans.
7. Bake for 1 hour at 350°F. Test with toothpick to ensure loaves are ready.
Holiday Potato Casserole
INGREDIENTS:
* 3 pounds potatoes, peeled & quartered
* 1 1/2 sticks butter (6 ounces)
* 2 small (3 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
* 1 jar (2 oz) chopped pimiento, drained
* 1 small green pepper, finely chopped
* 6 green onions, finely chopped
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1 teaspoon salt
PREPARATION:
Cook potatoes in boiling water to cover 15 minutes or until tender; drain and mash. Add butter and cream cheese; beat at medium speed with and electric mixer until smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese and next 6 ingredients; spoon into lightly buttered 11x7x1 1/2 inch baking dish.
Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes, or until thoughly heated. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake 5 minutes or until cheese melts.
You may prepare the night before (except for cheese topping) and refrigerate, covered, overnight. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking.
Broccoli with Cheesy Mushroom Sauce
INGREDIENTS:
* 2 pounds fresh broccoli spears
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 4 ounces sliced mushrooms
* 3 tablespoons flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
* 1 cup chicken broth
* 1/2 shredded mild Cheddar or American cheese
* paprika
PREPARATION:
Cook broccoli in boiling salted water just until tender. Melt butter in saucepan; sauté mushrooms until tender. Stir in flour until smooth and bubbly. Stir in salt and mustard. Gradually add chicken broth, stirring constantly, until thickened Add cheese, stirring until melted. Pour sauce over hot cooked, well-drained broccoli. Sprinkle with paprika.
Coconut Sour Cream Cake
INGREDIENTS:
* 1 cake mix, butter flavor, about 18 1/2 ounces
* 2 cups granulated sugar
* 2 cups sour cream
* 1 package (12 ounces) frozen coconut, thawed
* 1 1/2 cups whipped topping
PREPARATION:
Directions for coconut cake
Prepare cake mix according to directions, baking two 8-inch layers. Cool completely and split each layer horizontally.
Combine sugar, sour cream, and coconut; blend well and chill.
Reserve 1 cup sour cream for coconut cake frosting and spread remaining sour cream mixture between layers. Combine reserved 1 cup sour cream mixture with the 1 1/2 cups whipped topping; blend until smooth. Spread over top and on sides of coconut cake. Keep sour cream coconut cake in an airtight container and store in refrigerator.
Cheddar Corn Casserole
INGREDIENTS:
* 4 ounces melted butter
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
* 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
* 3 eggs
* 1 cup sour cream
* 1 can (about 15 ounces) cream-style corn
* 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, or Pepper Jack
PREPARATION:
In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add onion and peppers and cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Combine remaining 6 tablespoons butter, eggs, and sour cream in a large bowl.
Whisk together until smooth. Mix in corn, cornmeal, salt and pepper. Stir in cheese and the onion-pepper mixture.
Turn into a 2-quart buttered casserole. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until puffed and golden.
Fruit Salad
This fruit salad with marshmallows is also known as Millionaire Salad
INGREDIENTS:
* 1 small package (3 ounces) cream cheese
* 3 tablespoons half-and-half
* 1/4 cup mayonnaise
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* dash salt
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 cup diced pineapple
* 1 can (about 11 ounces) mandarin orange sections, drained
* 1/2 cup halved maraschino cherries
* 1/2 cup green or red seedless grapes, halved
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans
* 1 cup miniature marshmallows
* 1 cup whipping cream, whipped
PREPARATION:
Direction for fruit salad
Combine cream cheese and 3 tablespoons whipping cream; add mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and sugar. Combine cream cheese mixture with fruit, pecans, and marshmallows.
Fold whipped cream into fruit salad.
Freeze this fruit salad in an 8-inch square pan.
Fruit salad serves 8.
Serves 8.
Did you hear that?
It's my stomach growling
Mine too. I'm about to go grocery shopping and I'm making a list. I think I should eat something unless I want to come home with half of the store. lol!
Fruit Salad
12 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled, quartered (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/2 dry pint fresh raspberries (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 kiwi, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
Toss the strawberries, raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a medium bowl to combine. Let stand until juices form, tossing occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add the kiwi.
Spoon the fruit mixture into 4 dessert bowls. Dollop the whipped cream, sprinkle with the almonds and serve.
Parmesan Smashed Potatoes
3 lb red new potatoes, unpeeled (but any type works)
1 tbs + 2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup half & half
1/4 lb unsalted butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Place potatoes and 1 tbs salt in a dutch oven and add water to cover. Boil, lower heat and simmer covered for 30-45 minutes of until potatoes are tender. Drain.
If you have a mixer with a paddle (like KitchenAid) this really makes the taters an easy recipe. Place potatoes in mixer and mix for a few seconds to break them up. In a small pan, heat the half & halfand butter. Add them slowly to the potatoes. The last 1/4 of cream should be folded in by hand. Fold in the sour cream, cheese, 2 tsp of salt, and pepper. Serve warm.
Cajun Deep Fried Turkey
1/2 Cup kosher salt
3 Tablespoons onion powder
3 Tablespoons black pepper
3 Tablespoons white pepper
2 Tablespoons sweet basil
2 Teaspoons bay leaves ground
1 Tablespoon cayenne pepper
2 Teaspoons file powder
3 Tablespoons garlic powder
1 1/2 Tablespoons paprika
1 10-12 Pound WHOLE TURKEY
4 to 5 Gallons peanut oil See Note
1. Stir salt, herbs and peppers together. Mix until well blended. Use 1/2 to 2/3 cup for a 10-12 pound turkey. May be stored for several months in an airtight covered jar.
2. Remove the giblets and neck, rinse the turkey well with cold water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Take care to dry both inside cavities. Place in a large pan and rub the interior and exterior of the bird with seasoning mix. To allow for good oil circulation through the cavity, do not truss or tie legs together. Cut off the wing tips and plump little tail as they may get caught in the fryer basket. Cover pan and place in refrigerator overnight.
3. Place the OUTDOOR gas burner on a level dirt or grassy area. Never fry a turkey indoors, in a garage or in any structure attached to a building. Do not fry on wood decks, which could catch fire, or concrete, which could be stained by the oil. (Safety tip: have a fire extinguisher nearby for added safety.)
4. Add oil to a 7-10 gallon pot with a basket or rack. At the medium-high setting, heat the oil to 375 degrees F., (depending on the amount of oil, outside temperature and wind conditions, this should take about 40+ minutes).
5. Meanwhile, place the turkey in a basket or on a rack, neck down.
6. When the oil temperature registers 375 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer, slowly lower the turkey into the hot oil. The level of the oil will rise due to the frothing caused by the moisture from the turkey but will stabilize in about one minute. (Safety tips: to prevent burns from the splattering oil wear oven mitts/gloves, long sleeves, heavy shoes and even glasses. It is wise to have two people lowering and raising the turkey.)
7. Immediately check the oil temperature and increase the flame so the oil temperature is maintained at 350 degrees F. If the temperature drops to 340 degrees F. or below, oil will begin to seep into the turkey.
8. Fry about 3-4 minutes per pound, or about 35-42 minutes for a 10-12 pound turkey. Stay with the cooker at all times as the heat must be regulated.
9. When cooked to 170 degrees F. in the breast or 180 degrees F. in the thigh, carefully remove the turkey from the hot oil. Allow the turkey to drain for a few minutes. (Safety tip: allow the oil to cool completely before storing or disposing.)
10. Remove turkey from the rack and place on a serving platter. Allow to rest for 20 minutes before carving.
11. NOTE: Use only oils with high smoke points, such as peanut, canola or safflower oil. To determine the correct amount of oil, place the turkey in the pot before adding seasoning and add water until turkey is covered. Measure the amount of water and use a corresponding amount of oil. Dry the pot thoroughly of all water.
Serves 12
Pumpkin Maple Cake with Candied Pecans and Caramel Sauce
2 1/2 C. unbleached flour
2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. allspice
1 3/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground cloves
2 t. nutmeg
6 oz. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 C. sugar
3 eggs, separated, at room temperature
1/2 C. maple syrup
1 3/4 C. canned pumpkin (not pie filling)
1/2 t. maple flavoring
Caramel Sauce, optional (recipe follows)
Candied Pecans, optional (recipe follows)
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350° F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment or wax paper. Butter pan and paper. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. With a mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Add syrup, pumpkin and maple flavoring, and mix until combined.
In a separate, clean bowl, beat whites until soft peaks form. Fold flour mixture into butter mixture, then fold in whites. Pour into pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until pick comes out clean. Cool cake for 30 minutes. Serve plain or top slices with Caramel Sauce and Candied Pecans.
Candied Pecans
6 C. large pecan pieces
3/4 C. sugar
3/4 C. brown sugar
3/4 t. salt
4 t. cinnamon
1/2 C. melted margarine
Preheat oven to 325° F. In a bowl, combine all ingredients, tossing until well-mixed. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake, tossing frequently, for 10 to 12 minutes, until pecans are crunchy. Cool thoroughly before storing in an airtight container.
Caramel Sauce
2 1/2 C. sugar
1/4 C. water
3 C. whipping cream
2 t. vanilla
1/4 C. plus 2 T. maple syrup
2 t. maple flavoring
2 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. salt
Put sugar and water in a nonreactive pan over medium-low heat, and stir until sugar dissolves. Cover pan and cook, checking frequently,10 to 15 minutes until mixture turns amber. Remove lid and cook, watching closely, until it is deep amber. Keep warm over lowest setting. In a pan over low heat, combine cream, vanilla, syrup, flavoring, lemon juice and salt. Add caramelized sugar in a thin stream, stirring. Simmer for 5 minutes. Store refrigerated; bring to room temperature before serving.
Makes 12 servings. You should only need half of the nuts, so you can half the recipe if you desire.
thanks for sharing your enthusiasm & talent with us here. You are the best!
Bumping again with a week to go!!!
OMG! I missed this last week when you posted it.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!!
I am going to be popping into the hospital next Monday, and maybe spending the rest of the week in the recovery room, I don't know if I will be much help with the monitoring.. But I will sure be there with my heart.. Have fun and eat great food while thinking of me every so often.. :)
I'm sorry to hear you're going to be in the hospital over Thanksgiving. I hope it isn't something too serious and I'll pray for a fast recovery.
Can't wait for the cornbread recipe! Thanks!
Past Thanksgiving thread, reference.
First the recipes are terrific; and second, reading this old thread brings back so many memories.
It is worth reading the vignettes on how Thanksgiving “used to be” back when we were young.
And Carlo, if you can please jump back on FR over the holidays.
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