A Few Sides to Go with the Turkey, Dressing, Gravy & Mashed Potatoes!!!

Here are a few of my favorite sides. 

Broccoli Salad

Excellent Salad for Thanksgiving or any Festive Occasion

1 head of broccoli in small pieces                 Dressing              

1 medium onion, chopped                            1 cup mayonnaise

½ cup white raisins or dried cranberries        ½ cup sugar

1 cup pecans                                           2 tsp. vinegar

½ lb. bacon, cooked crisp & crumbled

Prepare all ingredients except bacon and add dressing.  Chill.  Sometimes I do this the day before or a little before serving.  Just before serving, crumble the bacon on top and serve.

Corn Casserole

1 can Creamed Corn                                    1 cup Sour Cream

1 can Whole Kernel Corn                              ¼ cup butter

1 box Jiffy Cornbread Mix                              1 – 1 ½ cup grated Cheddar Cheese

¼ tsp. garlic powder                                    1 Tbsp. Chopped jalapeno

2 eggs                                                        

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl, stir together the 2 cans of corn, corn muffin mix, garlic powder, eggs, sour cream, jalapeno and melted butter. Pour into a greased 9 by 13-inch casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and top with Cheddar. Return to oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let stand for at least 5 minutes and then serve warm.

Cranberry Sauce

Easy to Make – With Hint of Orange

12 oz. cranberries                                        1 cup orange juice

1 cup white sugar                                        optional:  ¼ cup Grand Marnier

 In a medium saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice.  Stir in the cranberries and cook until the cranberries start to pop, about 15 -20 minutes.  Remove from heat and pour into bowl.  Sauce will thicken as it cools.

Spinach Creamed

5-6 strips bacon, diced                                    2-10 oz. pkgs. frozen spinach, thawed

¼ cup fine chopped onion                                        and well drained         

3 Tbsp. Butter                                              ½ tsp. salt & ¼ tsp. pepper

3 Tbsp. Flour                                                1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1 ¼ cup half and half                                     ¼ cup parmesan cheese

Cook bacon in a skillet and when almost done, add onion.  When onion is tender and bacon is crispy, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.  In a large sauce pan, melt butter and stir in flour until smooth.  Gradually stir in cream.  Bring to boil over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring.  Reduce heat, stir in spinach, seasonings, cheese, bacon and onion.  Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until heated through.

Sweet Potato Casserole

3 cups Sweet Potatoes                                 Topping:

4 Tbsp. Butter                                              ½ cup Butter

¼ cup Milk                                                   ½ cup Pecans

¼ cup Brown Sugar                                       ¼ cup Flour

1 tsp. Vanilla                                                ½ cup Coconut (optional)

                                                                 ¼ cup Brown Sugar

Whip together potatoes, butter, milk, brown sugar & vanilla.  Place in buttered casserole.  Mix topping and spread on potatoes.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Turkey Time!

This is my favorite turkey & stuffing ~ juicy and delicious. 

Turkey – Roasted

Rub entire exterior of turkey with extra virgin olive oil.

Roasting at 225° – roast .55 hours per pound

Roasting at 250° – roast .49375 hours per pound

Roasting at 275° – roast .4375 hours per pound

Last 15-30 minutes increase heat to 400° to brown with the lid off.

Turkey Stuffing

¾ cup minced onion                                    2 tsp. salt

1 ½ cups chopped celery                             1 ½ tsp. ground sage

1 cup butter                                              1 tsp. thyme leaves

5 cups Pepperidge Farm Seasoned                 ½ tsp. pepper

   Bread Crumb Stuffing Mix                          3-4 cups chicken/turkey broth

5 cups Pepperidge Farm Cornbread                1-3 Tbsp. sugar (to taste)

   Stuffing Mix                                              Optional:  mushrooms, giblets

Note:  If possible, boil the giblets in chicken broth, celery and onion to make the chicken/turkey broth.  In large skillet, cook and stir onion and celery in butter until onion is tender.  Stir in about 1/3 of the bread cubes.  Turn into deep bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and toss.  Stuff turkey just before roasting

Thanksgiving Desserts & Treats!!!

My family loves these three pies for Thanksgiving Dessert.  Cranberry Cherry Pie, Pecan Maple Pie and Pumpkin Pie

You will also find a sweet, rich and creamy side to serve with dinner, or for dessert.  It is especially nice after Thanksgiving served like a bowl of ice cream.  It's called Pink Stuff.  See what you think.

Cranberry Cherry Pie

An Elegant Twist to An Old Tradition

1 (15 oz) pkg. Pillsbury                                 ¾ cup Sugar                  

          All Ready Pie Crusts                           2 Tbsp. Cornstarch

2 cups fresh or frozen Cranberries               1 (21 oz. can) Cherry Fruit Pie Filling

Prepare pie crust according to package directions for two-crust pie using 9” pie pan.  Heat oven to 425.  In large bowl combine cranberries, sugar and cornstarch - mix well.  Stir in cherry pie filling, mix lightly.  Spoon into pie crust-lined pan.  To make top crust, cut out 2 hearts or bells with cookie cutter, tops toward center.  Place crust over filling and fold edge of top crust under bottom crust.  Flute edges.  Brush underside of “cut out” heart or bell with water.  Place on crust between cutouts.  Sprinkle top of pie with cinnamon and sugar.  Bake at 425 for 35-45 minutes until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.  Cover edge of crust with strips of foil after about 15 to 20 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning.

Cranberry “Pink Stuff”

Kids Eat it Like Ice Cream – Adults Eat it like Sorbet!

1 cup Sour Cream                                       

2 16 oz. cans Whole Cranberry Sauce

1 3 oz. Cream Cheese softened                            

½ cup Sugar                                                         

1 8 oz. can Crushed Pineapple, drained

1 cup chopped Pecans                                         

1 8 oz. Cool Whip         

                                                                     

With electric mixer, combine sour cream, cream cheese and sugar.  Stir in cranberry sauce, pineapple and pecans.  Fold in cool whip.  Put in oiled mold and freeze.  Slightly thaw before serving.

Pecan Maple Pie

Maple Syrup Makes it Thick & Rich

Unbaked 9” Single Crust                              ¼ cup Butter, melted

3 Eggs, beaten                                            1/8 tsp. Salt

1 cup Sugar                                                 1 tsp.  Vanilla

¾ cup Maple Syrup (thick)                           1 ¼ cups Pecan halves

Heat oven to 375.  Prepare pie crust of single pie.  For filling – combine eggs, sugar, maple syrup, butter, salt and vanilla in bowl.  Mix thoroughly.  Spoon into unbaked pie shell.  Arrange pecans on top.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake for 45-55 minutes or until filling is set.  (Reduce temperature to 325 or shield with foil if crust and/or pecans begin browning too quickly).  Cool to room temperature before serving.

Pumpkin Pie

(you can substitute apple butter for some of the milk)

¾ cup sugar                                                 2 large eggs

½ tsp. salt                                                   1 (15 oz.) Libby’s Pure Pumpkin

1 tsp. cinnamon                                           1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

½ tsp. ginger                                               1 unbaked pie crust (deep dish)

¼ tsp. cloves

Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl.  Beat eggs in large bowl.  Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture.  Gradually stir in evaporated milk.  Pour into pie shell.  Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Reduce temperature to 350° and bake for 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool for 2 hours.  Top with whipped cream.

Holiday Candy Making

I love these treats filled with caramel, pecans and chocolate!!!  Great for gifts!!!

Texas Millionaires

Part of the Candy Assortment Included in My Christmas Gift Tins

1# caramels (50 Brach's)                                      3 cups pecans

2 Tbsp. butter                                              12oz. pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips

2 Tbsp. water                                               1/3 bar paraffin

Melt caramels with butter and water over low heat.  Add pecans and mix.  Spoon onto greased (I use Pam) waxed paper and let cool and set.  Melt chocolate chips and paraffin over double boiler or very low heat.  Dip each pecan cluster and put back on same greased waxed paper.  Let cool.  Makes about 35 pieces.