While we still have time to plan and choose what we want to serve, I thought we would get the recipe thread going. That gives everyone time to shop and be all ready for Thanksgiving Day.
It has been a hard year. Tough on most of us individually and as family and community. We need a day of gratitude for the many blessings we all have, and good times with family and friends. Don’t let anyone steal your joy.
Help Me Thanksgiving Day Prayer
O God, when I have food, help me to remember the hungry;
When I have work, help me to remember the jobless;
When I have a home, help me to remember those who have no home at all;
When I am without pain, help me to remember those who suffer,
And remembering, help me to destroy my complacency;
bestir my compassion, and be concerned enough to help;
By word and deed, those who cry out for what we take for granted.
Amen.
— Samuel F. Pugh
I will start with a new recipe I found. I love this guy’s videos. For all the mac n cheese lovers, here’s a way to combine with a classic bread stuffing. Looks great to me! I like to try new recipes and change things up, but we always have the core favorites mixed in too.
Here my family’s favorite pie recipe. Yep, I know there’s an official Derby Pie and no one is supposed to use the name. Oh well. I have used a recipe closer to that famous one with bourbon in it, and it is excellent, but a lot harder to make than this one. If you time this pie just right it has a little gooey in the center, a caramel like flavor over the chips. Yum.
My second favorite dessert (I have cookies that I can only make once a year or I’d not fit through doorways).
Derby Pie
1 stick butter
1 package chocolate chips (smallest package)
1/2 cup self rising flour
1 cup sugar
2 eggs well beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Deep dish pie crust
Pour choc chips into bottom of pie crust. Melt butter and add to flour and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla and nuts. Pour over choc chips and bake at 350 degrees 40-50 minutes. Note about baking time: it varies according to your oven. If you cook the pie just the way I like it, it has a melty caramel center. A little more done and it is like a big chocolate chip cookie. Best cooled completely. Not good hot or warm, believe it or not. Great with cool whip! Or better yet, fresh made whipped cream.
Here’s another big favorite we discovered about five years ago. Aebleskivers are a delicious, fun treat to make. They are also known as Danish pancakes, and I’m sure they would be a great breakfast treat. I make lemon curd filling, blueberry and tart cherry, and Nutella. Everyone will be crowding around asking for their favorite in the next batch. It’s great fun to give everyone their favorites, warm from the pan.
Best. Apple Cake. Ever. Not Kidding!
This recipe is not mine, it’s from a deceased gentleman who was a friend of the family.
Grease and flour 9×13 pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1 and 1/4 cups oil
2 C sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3 C all purpose flour
3 C apples peeled and chopped into bite sized pieces
1 C chopped nuts
2 tsp vanilla
Blend oil and sugar. Sift all dry ingredients and add to mixture. Beat eggs slightly and add to batter. Add vanilla, then fold in nuts/apples. This is a very thick, stiff batter. The baking apples make it moist. Bake 45-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean Cool and top. Bake 45-50 minutes.
Topping
1 C brown sugar
1 stick butter
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla
Cook in heavy saucepan to full boil. The recipe says to beat, then cool and top. I don’t. I just cook the glaze, cool to lukewarm and top the cake by pouring it on. If you get the right apples, there is no better cake.
Here’s another recipe I copied from an older post. Looks too good not to try!
From Czarowniczy’s Wife
Blender Chocolate Truffle Pie
Serve with or without whipped cream. Note: you only need a very small sliver – it’s THAT rich!
Pour 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips in a blender. Scald 12 oz. heavy/whipping cream (note to non-cooks: scald means heat to ALMOST boiling). Turn on the blender as you begin to carefully pour the hot cream onto the chips. Blend until the cream is all poured & the chips melted. Turn off the blender, scrape down the sides, put in 1 tsp real vanilla, then turn blender back on for a few seconds. Pour into a graham cracker pie shell. Refrigerate until set. Lick off the scraper. Wash the blender & the pan & you are done.
For variety, use dark chocolate chips, mint chocolate chips, peanut butter chips,or white chocolate chips. Or, make 1/2 recipe of one kind, chill that, then pour 1/2 of another kind on top. Or swirl together. Hah!
Zurich Mike gave us this recipe back in the day. Hmm. No bacon in it. He must serve this with mounds of bacon instead.
Cranberry-Orange Nut Bread
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. grated orange zest
3/4 cup orange juice
3 cups chopped cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts
Sift dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Cut in butter until crumbly.
Add egg, juice, and zest. Mix until moistened evenly.
Fold in nuts and cranberries.
Bake at 350 degrees F.
9 x 5 loaf pan greased or lined with baking paper
Bake for 60-70 minutes (toothpick test).
Spread for bread:
Cream cheese mixed with a little organge marmelade and orange zest.
Here’s a recipe for roasted cherry tomato soup, which czar commented on several years ago, although he likes to mix and match recipes.
https://www.gatheratable.com/blog/roasted-cherry-tomato-soup
And finally, since I started with dessert, detoured to soup, let’s finish with a ham recipe. I’ve never had better, this is a family favorite. I like Costco’s Kirkland brand hams, which are flat and hold the liquids well. Don’t change the recipe, and don’t open that oven door. This is excellent cooked the night before a holiday and left in the oven all night long.
https://www.sweetteaandcornbread.net/2012/12/kentucky-bourbon-brown-sugar-ham.html
Here is the recipe pictured above. Look’s great!
https://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/1898/sweet-and-spicy-bacon-wrapped-155227.shtml
Good grief people, I’ve already had to trash two inappropriate comments. This is a recipe thread. Leave your garbage out or I will just take the post down.
And if you like coconut and pecans, try Sawdust Pie. Found in your favorite browser. RICH!!!
That turkey bacon thing looks like an invitation for cardiac arrest! Non traditionalist here. I like baked honey ham, spicy green beans, and have even entertained pulled pork for Thanksgiving.
Almost anything can be improved with the addition of bacon.
I sure miss eating bacon and sausage.
what about just cutting to the chase – bacon only! 🙂
but I do wonder how that works when you commence to carve it at the table – I suppose you have to get it just right so it doesn’t pull off the entire canopy of bacon and send it flailing all over the place – pickled watermelon rind, bacon-flavored!
(does anyone remember those cute little gherkin pickles and and the watermelon rind that great-grandmother canned every year)
(does anyone remember those cute little gherkin pickles and and the watermelon rind that great-grandmother canned every year)
Yes I do! And don’t forget the candied orange rinds.
I found an easier way. Peel, slice and remove seeds from cucumbers. Use the same watermelon juice recipe. Most can’t tell the difference.
Go East— make Oi Kimchi, 오이 김치 (cucumber kimchi)
It’s delicious with everything
https://mykoreankitchen.com/cucumber-kimchi-oi-kimchi/
Thank you. I could lick the screen.
My great-aunt-in-law made her brother (my father-in-law) a bacon-wrapped meatloaf for his birthday. My health-conscious mother-in-law said it would be his last. Somehow, he’s outlasted her.
I always form the meatloaf on parchment, fork spread ketchup over the top and lay six half slices of bacon over the ketchup.
Would never do that any other way! ????????
I WANT THE BACON WREPPED TURKEY BREAST RECIPE!!!!!!!!!!
And I have gained 10 Lbs just reading up to here!!!!
Link is in the post.
YUMMMMMM!!!! TY, M!!!!!!
This will be just right for this year!!!! If you are not allowed out in NYS, may as well wallow in bacon-clad turkey breast for two!!!!
We shall be whooping it up on the deck with tinis and ??????❣️
All our very best wishes for you and yours! God bless and have FUN!!!! TY for the post…always lifts my spirits!
Brine your turkey….
And then spatchcock it! Once you roast your turkey this way, you may never go back. The turkey roasts in a shorter amount of time AND all meat (both light and dark) are done at the same time. No more dry breast meat while the dark meat is underdone. You’ll also have plenty of crispy skin.
You can also use the removed backbone from the same bird to make the stock and gravy.
Content removed by admin. Leave trash and politics out of this post or I will take it down and moderate the people who cannot simply post or enjoy recipes.
Now that was wicked, listing… (snicker)…
I have always thought that, if I ever tried to spatchcock a turkey, the turkey would win…
Agreed. We started to make all of our fowl like this a few years ago. It works best.
With chicken, I will put them in sous vide for 3 hours (or so) at 165F, then finish on the grill.
With duck, OMG….
With turkey… bring out the BIG platter for this one.
I got a very, VERY sharp chinese style cleaver. Chop, slice, CHOP!!! that bird. It makes a spectacular display on the platter, specially when surrounded by those small potatoes roasted in covered pan in butter.
I also roast nearly all whole fowl this way. Like I mentioned to Z below, having the right tools to remove the backbone is essential. The first time I tried this on a cold, slippery, 20-lb bird with an ordinary kitchen knife was nearly a disaster.
I once, only once, played a trick with a big turkey, a cleaver, a bit of pimento and some acting.
Never again. I thought it was funny, they didn’t.
Yes, sometimes I have wonder if there’s a market for small chainsaws for turkeys.
Victorinox makes an excellent, affordable pair of shears that I use on Turkeys.
Thanks for the tip. Happy Thanksgiving. God bless.
Thanks for the kind wishes. A few words of caution: removing the backbone from a cold, slippery, 20-lb bird requires caution. The first time I tried this I nearly lost a finger.
Use the right tools. An extra heavy-duty pair of kitchen shears may work. After the first try, I went to the hardware store and now have a pair of shears that could cut through heavy metal.
The end result is well worth the effort.
I spatchcock it, remove the breastbone, brine it overnight and 22 lb turkey will cook in my Masterbuilt smoker. One half on each shelf, leaving out the other 2 shelves. Mmmm.
Absolutely. I am firmly in the spatchcocking camp. Except I smoke mine at about 325F.
Thank you for the delicious looking recipes, Menagerie, but I really like the grace you posted.
I’m going to memorize it for Thanksgiving grace.
We(my immediate family) will be celebrating thanksgiving apart from the rest of the family, sadly.
They are panic-stricken over the corona fiasco, and robotically liberal. They have become, really, almost paranoid, and have begun infighting amongst themselves.
I dare not interfere, I am the ‘black sheep’ youngest sibling, I want to help them, but don’t know how to reach them.
Thanksgiving and Christmas used to loosely bind us together, with great meals and one-day fellowship.
Now, even that is gone.
We will still have a-
HAPPY THANKSGIVING, and we wish you and your family the same.
Yes, the grace is wonderful, thank you!! Now where is that cookie recipe?
Mike, I feel you. We have a nice big family that has fun together and is ideologically on the same page… with one exception and her kids. This past July, while we looked forward to gathering from several cities at the beach for July 4th, and re-connecting our families, we did each secretly worry about the increased tension from our supercharged political atmosphere. I’m sorry to admit we all breathed a huge sigh of relief that, terrified of WuFlu, they gathered separately, hunkered in an urban bubble, masked and waving across the yard. We spent that blessed week riding the elevator with strangers (gasp), letting our kids play freely, going to the arcade, hugging and freely venting about politics. No masks in sight. It was a guilty pleasure, like a week with a support group, and I am sure they felt the same way. I do hope this all gets smoothed out enough to temporarily ignore it for next summer. I fear it’s too easy to slip further apart in this climate, and we probably need to put forth extra effort to remember that we still have so much in common, lest we become more divided as a nation.
Feel ya, Mike! We’re in the same boat with our family — so liberal and now so paranoid. Food used to be one topic of conversation we could all participate in. We all loved sharing delicious recipes and eating! But with this current craziness, I just don’t see them wanting to gather at all over the holidays. Sigh. Raising a glass to sunnier days ahead!
Buttermilk Pie. I sprinkle a little freshly ground nutmeg on top of mine just before I put it in the oven.
Oh!!!!!
One of my favorites!!
My mother in law used to make this, and a chess pie. I loved them, but almost no one ever makes them anymore.
I make a chocolate chess pie with bourbon whipped cream. So good.
Pie Queen does. That is where we get ours.
https://www.burgerandpies.com/
All Hillbilly food is delicious!
i am definitely trying this. Have wanted to for some time and it looks amazing!
Whoah!
You always do this to me! Now I will be terminally hungry until the 26th.
Wonderful grace as well, Thank you,
Any idea for recipes using fortified wine? I’ve got 2 oz each of Port, Maidera and Sherry
Use the “port” for the gravy.
Drink the rest. Over the rocks.
Then, go buy more. 2oz is nothing in my house. Gulp, gulp, gulp, gone.
BTW, I assume you got a ruby port? There’s ruby, tawny, vintage, white…. and for “sherry” there’s fino, manzanilla, amontillado, palo cortado, oloroso and cream. I myself prefer the Palo Cortado but it’s hard to find and a cruel wine… it has the bouquet of a sweet wine but it tends to be terribly dry. Manzanilla is my second choice. Usually from the province of Cadiz.
Honestly, life is too short to buy cheap wines. And by “cheap” I don’t mean monetarily cheap… with a good port/sherry you won’t be using it on anything but a nice glass.
Although I will put a cheaper ruby port to finish the gravy.. err… “brown sauce”… The end result is astonishing. The finish is very elegant, smooth. Put it over roasted duck breasts – don’t forget the blueberries in the sauce! – and you will be speaking Français in no time.
C’est tres bon!
PS: Why is it that we only have one liver? That sucks.
One liver. Us or the poultry? I love liver pate.
They made “the sale” of pate de fois gras illegal in Calimexistan.
Fools. you can get lots of it in Vegas. And, since we drive to the Puget Sound often, a cooler will keep the stuff fresh.
Oh, I mean MY liver. It really sucks to get old.
Foie gras!!! Seared! With Tony’s blueberries and any his above libation sauces!
Great memories of sampling barrels of sherry in Jerez along with live music. Terrific post!
LOL… I recall as a young teenager, on vacation, I went with my mom, my aunt and uncle for “sherry tasting” at Jerez de la Frontera.
Now, being a good boy, I didn’t drink as much. My uncle could really put it down but since he was driving, he drank in moderation.
My aunt and mom… Holy Shit! At the time, the “tasting” was composed of a tour of some of the soleras and they they let you loose in a “tasting” room with hundreds of bottles of sherry on a table. They didn’t care if you took bottles home either. So long as you couild walk out of the place and didn’t make a mess out of the place they didn’t really care.
On that day, I think we did like four or so places.
I think it was the cigarettes that kept the adults walking on a straight line. How my uncle drove that big Buick was a mystery…. or maybe because I slept the whole drive home.
A different world, a different place.
Ha!!!! And the entire country of Portugal is a pleasure, between the grilled sardines, gambas and any of the local wines…what a treasure.
Sun, saltwater spray, sand and…lunch!!!!!
Yeah, but they speak real funny. You know? Portuguese?
My last year in the old country, we had a kid from Brazil in our class. He learned Castilian fast enough but he had such a wonderful accent. We loved that kid he was so easy going.
Ha!!! I have friends from Brazil!!marvelous!!!
My Taller Half actually gets away with the Portuguese!!! Lots of jjjj’s! But that is due to a year wasted…I mean spent… in Seville for college!!! Stayed in Portugal quite a bit!!
Glorious, all!
Nice to be on the same Iberian Peninsula wave length. Gambas a la parilla. !Sabrosas! I could do those on the grill for Thanksgiving – while the turkey is still in the oven. Served as apps, with the Tío Pepe or Sandemán.
Yum!!!!! Agua para mis caballos, i babidas para mis hombres!
@TonyEuropa, you need to come over to show me how to do these fortified wines properly:) Sherry-Amontillado, Port-Warres Ruby, Madeira-Henriques Boal. We purchased them with a group of wine fanciers and transferred the contents into small sample bottles. I did poke my head into an antiques mall today to see if they had some of those tiny little glasses for aperitif drinks. A votre sante’! Canard aux sauce de la myrtille–mmmm
I have medium sized champagne flutes that work very well with fortified wines.
I do love my duck… specially duck breasts on a blueberry-port demi glace sauce with a good California Pinot or French red Burgundy.
I need to get some truffles.
@ Tony Europa, Oregon Pinot Noir is a much better value: try Beckham or Christopher Bridge. Did you know Pinot goes well with bean soup? We’re all about squeezing our champagne taste into a beer budget at my house, so I’d better train my dogs to find truffles in our forest.
I live in SoCal… so we get our Pinots from Central California… Paso Robles and the Santa Ynez Valley. it’s a beautiful country marred by horrendous politicians.
How did you end up with 2 oz. each of those three?
I have been hoping this was a typo…20 oz!
Carrots Madeira (a family favorite)
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 to 2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 tsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
1/4 cup Madeira wine
Fresh or dried dill
Melt butter in saucepan; add sugar, salt, Madeira and carrots. Bring to boil, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with dill and serve.
Don’t follow many recipes. I typically learn about the process of cooking certain things, pull together 2 or 3 recipes and kind of average them out. Maybe you’ve noticed that when you compare recipes, they are all different.
On that note, here are few favorites for you to try.
Turkey – I always wet brine the night before.
Mashed potatoes are great with a little sour cream with the milk.
Stuffing or dressing – Lots of sage with various bread including leftover corn bread, and I always chop the well cooked neck meat, trimmed gizzards, and a little liver very fine. Onions and celery of course with a tiny bit of finely chopped dried fruit. Trick is getting it wet enough so that when baked in a casserole dish the top gets real crunchy and inside stays nice and moist. Classic.
Brussel sprouts – Fry up some bacon bits, drain off most of the fat, add some onions and caramelize, add in some boiled till tender brussel sprouts and saute until you see a touch of brown on the sprouts. No butter needed.
Finally, gravy. The most important.
The secret is to whisk flour and cold or cool chicken broth until there are no lumps. You want about 2 tablespoons flour for every cup of finished gravy for medium thickness. 1 cup broth + 1 cup drippings would need 4 tablespoons flour in the chicken broth. Add your flour mixture to drippings, stirring constantly bringing to a light boil, turn down the heat and simmer/stir for a couple more minutes. It is so easy and works every time.
And this may be regional but sweet corn next to mashed potatoes and gravy so that they can be eaten together is a favorite.
I cook the same way, no actual recipes to give, but on the gravy, I have to put my $.02. I make a deep, peanut butter colored roux. You need a little extra because the darker the roux, the less thickening power. It’s a flavor you can’t get any other way, soooooo good.
Same, and never throw away any bones. I have a freezing operation. All bones get frozen, and hauled out for stock. I normally keep a chicken, turkey and ‘Meat’ stock in the house. ‘Meat’ is a combination of whatever steak and other meat bones. Works well with anything in the red meat variety.
Salted boones and roasted on foil covered sheet pans for a half hour…375. Throw the usual mix in to a dutch oven, bay leaves, salt carrot, onion and celery, and slow simmer for at least four hours.
Ding!
Freeze in small quantities until needed. I have one entire shelf reserved for this. Same with shrimp!
My brother makes a mound of potatoes, covered with gravy and the corn on top. We’re in Beautiful West Michigan – you’re right it must be a regional thing.
Yes! to the midwest!
We have a pretty large “turkey platter”. It’s oval, about 2 feet long, white and has a turkey reverse “engraved” on it.
Our get together is gonna be small. The Chairman of the Calimexistan Politburo is once again getting his panties in a wad up his ass.
Two options:
(1) Put a whole jamon serrano, on its stand, on the table, and I’ll carve on the fly. Pile the platter with “pan amb tomaquet” (*), a selection sliced spanish chorizos, catalan fuet, cured lomo, good manchego cheeses (hard and soft). Accompanied by dried apricots, walnuts, various types of olives, etc… offer a salad on the side and some good chilled cava. Non traditional, a charcuterie really. Very “real” Spanish actually.
(2) Roast a capon, a duck, some beef ribs, some good sausages, cut everything to big chunks and pile it all up on the platter. Offer some red wine, water, lots of napkins… and oh, yeah, some broccoli on the side ( need those greens) and a tomato/cucumber salad. Very medieval really.
I honestly just hope we have something to give Thanks for. This has been a terrible year. No one has died, but this must be the “greyness” of life under a totalitarian regime.
(*) Means “bread with tomato”… slices of french french, lightly toasted in the over, rubbed with fresh garlic, fresh tomato, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. Try it..
That first line on #1 above will set you back a couple hundred or much more, but well worth it. But boy are you doing it right!!!
You’re bring back fond memories of Spain where it is impossible to get a bad meal.
What time is dinner?
They sell a good jamon at Costco, it comes with a stand and knife. The stand is OK, we got a much better knife.
It’s an awesome way to do it. Put that jamon on the kitchen island, open some good wine and start slicing away. Slowly bring out the olives, bread, cheese, fruits, more wines… and you got a “dining party”.
It’s a tapas thing…boquerones, tortilla de patata.. if I feel like it I might make some calamares a la romana.. Now, we’re talking really good eating.
In my family history, dinners like that were/are common. My kids grew up with it.
But when I grew up, the adults all smoked their cigarettes… funny, those cancer sticks made people happier and thinner. I came to identify the aroma of Winston menthol to the “mom’s home” whenever I walked into the flat.
Salem that is. Not Winston.
Tony, you had me at “Jerez de la Frontera”. It’s been decades since I visited there as a young woman – undergraduate student. We spent an afternoon in one of the Sandemán. Touristy, pero muy divertido para todos. It was my introduction to sherry, port, and manzanilla – a life long love affair for this grape lover and linguaphile.
I Need A Good Recipe For The 100-Lb’s Of Pinto-Beans And Rice I Bought Back In January.. LOL I Also Have Enough Bathroom Tissue To Toilet-Paper Bill Barr & Chris Wray’s Houses..
Well just a thought but with all that extra TP, maybe we should give Barr and Wray a “white Christmas” . Both deserve coal in their stockings, second thought maybe the whole darn mine. Happy Thanksgiving!
Try looking into Cuban recipes…. spice it up with some smoked pork. Cook the beans with the pork, onions, garlic, bay leaves, salt, pepper, oregano, smoked spanish paprika…
Just make the rice normal and then serve the beans over the rice. I myself like a dollop of sour cream on top and some parsley for color.
Cured Spanish sausages ( chorizos and longanizas ) also work great. Put them into the beans. Don’t use the Mexican kind. That will just make a greasy mess.
If you can’t find those sausages locally, this is the place I get them from ( I’m close enough to go to the store ). They ship all over the place.
https://laespanolameats.com/
Take it from a Cuban, marinate the pavo (turkey) in mojo (sour orange, lots of garlic, oregano, salt and pepper) the night before. You’ll never settle for flavorless turkey again!
Have you tried Spanish Morzilla? The blood sausage? It comes with rice or with onions.
We stocked up on baked and refried beans for hurricane season… and now we’re all sick to death of them. xD
I just smoked a turkey over charcoal on a rotisserie. An hour in the gears of the rotisserie began slipping.
Had to finish it in the oven. It got a fair smoke so I’m good. I ordered a replacement motor much stronger.
Ouch! Great save!
A few years ago our niece introduced us to this turkey brine. It’s what we use every year now https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/turkey-brine-kit/.
I raise my own free range turkeys, the hens usually dress out at about 25 to 30 pounds. This brine has worked just fine on them. One year we whole cooked up one of the toms which dressed out at 56 pounds. I used 1-1/2 package of the brine, it came out perfect.
Dang 56 pounds!
I don’t want to cook at 16-18 lb turkey Because I think it might be dry! Sticking with the 14 to 16 pounder.
Whoah!
Always so nice to see the holiday cooking threads. This year it will just be the three of us, unless we have a warm day and that is not likely in Upstate New York. We have a great place for turkey and fixings so I may not cook. We’ll see, I could still change my mind. Carry on…
Hmmmmm…the Mountain Brauhaus, by chance?
Nope, Old Bryan Inn, Saratoga Springs, NY.
Just a bit farther up!!!!! Wonderful!
Yummy
Not a recipe, but a song we’ve been singing at the table since kids were small. A tradition at our house!
In November (sung to the tune of Alouette)
1. In November all of us remember how the first Thanksgiving came to be.
Pilgrims had a merry feast, splendid at the very least. Merry feast, (at the
least,) Oh,
2. In November all of us remember how the first Thanksgiving to be. Baked a
tasty turkey roast, They all said that it’s the most. Turkey roast, (it’s
the most,) Merry feast. (at the least,) Oh,
3. In November all of us remember how the first Thanksgiving came to be.
Made a sauce o’ cranberry, Oh, what fun and how merry. Cranberry, (how
merry,) Turkey roast, (it’s the most,) Merry feast, (at the least,) Oh
4. Such delicious pumpkin pie, Everyone said “my, oh, my!” Pumpkin pie,
(my, oh, my!) Cranberry, (how merry,) Turkey roast, (it’s the most,) Merry
feast, (at the least,) Oh,
5. Pilgrims in a brand-new land, Thankful for their freedom grand.
Brand-new land, (freedom grand,) etc.
6. In November all of us remember how the first Thanksgiving came to be.
?
The mashed potatoes … after decades of the battle for stove-top real estate on Thanksgiving, I found this GEM of a make-ahead mashed potato recipe from Cooks Illustrated. Ingredients are simply russet potatoes, butter and cream. Can be made up to 2 days ahead — and microwaved 15-20 minutes before serving!
Hope the link below works:
https://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/3594-make-ahead-mashed-potatoes?extcode=MASCD00L0&ref=new_search_experience_2
Ever since we tried it the first time, we make mashed potatoes with Boursin herbed cheese. Just potatoes, salt and pepper, Boursin and 1/2 & 1/2. A bit of butter, and “Bob’s your uncle”!
I use a Williams-Sonoma recipe for mashed potatoes with parsnips. The potatoes are a little bit sweet and delicious. Ingredients: 4 lbs potatoes peeled and quartered, 1 lb. parsnips, peeled and cut into large pieces, pinch of salt, 1/3 to 1/2 cup warmed milk, chopped fresh parsley, a grind of pepper, a dollop of butter. Directions: put potatoes and parsnips in saucepan, cover with water, add salt. Bring to a boil, put lid on pan and reduce heat and boil gently for 20 to 25 min. Drain. Mash potatoes and parsnips, gradually add warm milk, beating with a wooden spoon till fluffy. Season with salt and pepper, place in serving dish, add chopped parsley and butter. Yum!
Have to have a membership to read!
Yummy!
https://www.saveur.com/cranberry-crumb-cake-recipe/
Classic Crumb Cake, with Wisconsin cranberries. I cut these into squares, stack two to three inside clear party bags and deliver to friends & family for Thanksgiving breakfast.
Okay – anything that is covered with basket weave bacon has got to be incredible. Now I’m sitting at my desk craving bacon. I feel a “breakfast dinner” coming on.
As a child, my favorite part of Thanksgiving was watching the March of the Wood Soldiers on NY TV. Enjoy this scene and God bless:
Oh man! I remember that one.
Time to unlease the Wooden Soldiers.
I have a cheat recipe – I make a totally normal pumpkin pie (using the recipe on back of the can of pumpkin) but I use a ready-made graham cracker crust rather than a flaky one.
Really great idea, thanks..
Diamond makes some yummy pecan or walnut crusts that are divine .
Used one of those (walnut) for a banana cream pie with whipped cream and candied walnuts as garnish. It was yummy.
evan, great bakers have for eons used Libby pumpkin and the recipe on their can. I have found interesting pumpkin pies, but none better than that classic one…
I use Marie Callender frozen pie shells. Deeper than most, come in their own pans. I brush the inside of the unbaked pie shell with a bit of egg white. Let it dry while making pie filling. It keeps the bottom crust from becoming soggy. Works like a charm.
❣️
I wish I could see a recipe for that mac and cheese stuffing. I don’t want to have to watch an 11 minute video I would rather read! I’ve looked online and searched for this recipe but don’t see this exact one and others are using boxed mac and cheese!
It’s worth the watch.
https://www.homechef.com/meals/classic-stuffing-and-mac-cheese-fresh-and-easy
Not the same, but…. it’s read-able. lol
I just put the turkey in one of those plastic roasting bags like the Indians used to do.
That’s me. Overnight on 200 next morning if it’s not tan like my President I crank it to 375 for a bit watching making sure It doesn’t look like the ‘fake’ magic negro we had in the White House.
Do you remove the bag before cranking it up?
Nope.
Def going to try this!
Is there a secret password hidden in one of these recipes?
When I was a kid, my mother nailed Thanksgiving… everything was super simple,, but mmmmm
One thing she did was to make easy sweet potatoes. You boil them til tender,,, pull off the skin.. then you cut them into thick(ish) slices. Put some butter in a pyrex dish, arrange the slices, top each slice with a dab of butter, and a dab of brown sugar. Sprinkle more brown sugar all over..
You can do this ahead of time.,,, keep it in the frig, then just heat up till the butter melts and the brown sugar kinda dissolves… I love sweet potatoes any which way, plain is fine.. But doing this reminds me of all those special family celebrations that she gave us… I was given the task of butter dabbing,, I remember being on a stool or something.. mother’s little helper…
Ty Menagarie, this brings back such good, warm memories..
Bacon? I know there is bacon somewhere in your thanksgiving amwick.
Sadly,,, no bacon.. Not Thanksgiving.. But, I remember my mother used to suture the turkey closed (after stuffing it) with a needle and thread… Not easy to do… funny what you can remember… But it really worked,, and I have tried it myself..
I needed this thread. Happy Thanksgiving y’all.
Help Me Thanksgiving Day Prayer
O God, when I have food, help me to remember the hungry…
.
Amen.
— Samuel F. Pugh
For Patriots: Friends, family, feast and fellowship.
For Democrats: Crow. Alone in lock down.
I used this method last year and will do so again this year. Turkey cut into breast, legs and wings, dry brined then roasted with a delicious glaze. Fast and delicious!
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/expertly-spiced-and-glazed-roast-turkey
Made gravy ahead of time and used the Bon Appetit recipe for their simple best dressing. I thought I would miss turkey stuffing, but I didn’t, and I only had to make ONE vegetarian dressing (we have a veggie in the family.) Links to gravy and dressing recipes.
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/why-is-it-so-good-gravy
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/simple-is-best-dressing
I can endorse Not Another Cooking Show as well. One of the best on YouTube. I just made his Italian wedding soup yesterday
Here’s a recipe for a creamed corn that I can’t get enough of.
Creamed Corn with Boursin Cheese
The local steakhouse added creamed corn to their side dishes. Ordered it, didn’t think much about it
It stole the show though. I had to figure out how to reproduce it at home. This was my first attempt at it and I didn’t need to change it
1 package favorite frozen corn (petite or sweet corn works best)
1 shallot very finely diced, ~2mm
1 red bell pepper, very finely diced, ~2mm
4 oz pancetta, diced about 1-2 times size of corn kernels
Fresh cilantro, about 1/4 to 1/2 of a bundle, finely chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 cups heavy cream
1 package 5.2oz Boursin garlic and fine herbs cheese
salt to taste
Cook the pancetta to render the fat
Remove, leaving fat in pot
Add 1/2 of the butter
Add corn, shallot, bell pepper, cilantro, salt, cook until corn is tender
Add cream, remaining 1/2 of butter, bring to low simmer
Add cheese
Add pancetta back
Season to taste
Cook on low to desired thickness
About the only thing you can screw up with this recipe is adding too much butter. Too much better will cause it to separate
You can sub parsley for cilantro if you want
Over time I ended up adding about 50% more of the veggies than in the recipe. 1 and 1/2 bell pepper, 1 and 1/2 shallots (3 cloves)
You can thin it out and make a soup from this
This reheats well. To reheat, mix in a few tbsp of cream, reheat on the stovetop
You can probably make ahead too
Ever try Copes Corn? It is not the luxuriest creamed corn recipe you have up top, but this is a very unusual sweetened corn our family would have when we visited the grandparents in Bethlehem, PA for Thanksgiving. Pennsylvania Dutch stock.
I still try look for it! Tastes like the first Thanksgiving!
Two words come to mind viewing your recipes…….bliss and divine! Thank you, Menagerie!
(FWIW, our son in law splays open his turkey, lays flat it on a sheet pan…it cooks so much quicker.)
CURRIED FRUIT:
1 can Peach halves (29 oz.)
1 can Pear halves (29 oz.)
1 can Chunk Pineapple (20 oz.)
1 6 oz. jar Maraschino Cherries
Drain fruit & layer in casserole.
In saucepan, heat 1 stick of butter; 1 TBS. curry powder; 3 TBS. flour; 1/2 cup brown sugar — to boiling – simmer & stir until thick.
Pour mixture over fruit. Cover & refrigerate for 24 hours.
Heat at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
(This makes an amazing ‘topping’ for turkey, ham & vanilla ice cream.)
My very elegant late mother-in-law used to make that compote. She did serve it with ice cream…
Elegant? I like that!
I would call it — additive — and, what is this?
Lovely!
My husband brines a turkey the night before then cooks it on the smoker. Makes your eyes roll back in your head it is so tasty and juicy! Best part is by smoking the bird, leaves the oven free for me to prep sides.
Easiest Recipe there is!
1-865-983-PAPA….??????
Someone posted a Red Royal on here two years ago. Crown Royal, Amaretto and a splash of Grenadine. That is now my holiday drink. So good!! Thanks whoever!
Very quick, very delicious, traditional pumpkin pie.
Heat oven to 350. Brown a pie 9-10 inch pie shell for 10-15 mins.
Mix one can of pumpkin (not the big one), one can of sweetened, condensed milk, one tsp cinnamon or half cinn/half nutmeg, and one egg.
Pour into shell, bake for 50 minute, or until toothpick comes out clean.
You will love it.
With our smaller family, we have found that a turkey breast in the Instant Pot is the way to go with turkey. We do a sun dried chili rub and a quick skillet brown in olive oil before the Instant Pot with onions.
Then there is coma inducing Hot Chocolate. Not mine but from a radio program.
5 pints of LIGHT CREAM or 1/2 & 1/2.
12 Hershey candy bars. The regular 1.55 oz sized ones.
Slowly heat cream on stove, break candy bars in small pieces and slowly add to warm cream. Stir until melted candy is fully mixed.
Serve ASAP and try not to go into a coma.
WARNING: DO NOT EAT WITH TURKEY OR YOU MAY NEVER WAKE UP
Stix & Stones (Snack Mix):
1 box of Cheezits (cheese snack crackers)
1 bag of Fritos
1 can of mixed nuts
1 bag of pretzel sticks
1 bag of ‘already popped’ popcorn
Mix together in a saucepan:
1/2 lb. butter
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 glove crushed garlic
1 tsp. curry powder
6 drops Tabasco
1 TB. Worcestershire sauce
Sprinkle liquid mixture through dry mixture.
Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
This may be made weeks in advance if stored in an airtight container.
(I make this, and give it out as Christmas gifts. Everyone loves it — and this is also addictive.)
Just throw bags of the above ingredients together. Increase the ‘sauce’ accordingly.
Honestly, it is the Curry that no one can figure out. They just can’t.
I’m old fashioned. I like a very traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Just stuffed roasted turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, candied yams, green bean casserole, jellied cranberry sauce and Little Grandma’s cranberry salad. We called her Little Grandma because she was only 4’9″.
Her cranberry salad is one of my favorite Thanksgiving/Christmas recipes:
Little Grandma’s Cranberry Salad
1 lg. Box lemon Jell-O
2 C. Boiling water
1C. Sugar
2 C. Cranberries, run through blender
1 C. Chopped apples
1 C. Chopped celery
½ Orange, juice and grated rind
¼ tsp.Salt
Combine Jell-O, sugar and boiling water. Stir to dissolve. Add remaining ingredients and chill. After partially set check to see if needs stirring again to mix fruits.
Can double recipe. Use 3 boxes of Jell-O and 3 cups boiling water. Serve on lettuce leaves with mayonnaise, if desired.
I put the cranberries, apples and celery in the food processor and run till they’re pretty finely minced. If chopping by hand cut them in very small pieces. Little Grandma would grind them in her old hand grinder. So flavorful and delicious.
Oops! To double recipe use 2 large boxes of Lemon Jello, not 3. Be sure to double the other ingredients as well.
SD didn’t write this. Menagerie did. Connor is her grandson.
Thank you, Stella. I keep thinking that after 11 years, folks will grok that you and Menagerie are the cooks around here. But with so many new readers showing up, that never seems to sink in.
No problem, MicD, and I wasn’t sending any ire your way. When I read the Treehouse on my iPhone, it does not show a byline for who wrote the post; I figure other people have the same issue and thus some don’t know when one of the other admins authors a post. Menagerie writes great posts, so of course I want her to get credit for her work.
I am not a big fan of turkey, We do a Rib Roast the past few years.
6 lb Rib Roast will feed 6 with leftovers
1 tsp Salt
3-4 TBSP Ground mustard
For the Rib Roast if you can get one that has had the ribs cut and the meat re-tied to the ribs that is the best. If possible buy at least two weeks before so it can age a little before it is cooked.
Trim as much fat off as possible.
Lightly salt roast.
Liberally rub mustard on all surfaces of roast.
Line a pan with aluminum foil and place in oven at 300 degrees.
After 80 minutes cover.
Total cook time will be 2.5-3 hours or until it is 160 degrees in the center for medium well, 150 for medium, 140 for medium rare. For us 130 is ideal removal as it will go up another 10 to 15 degrees resting.
Onions and garlic can also be added to the roast before it is wrapped in the foil.
If I must do a turkey I try to get a 10 to 12 lb bird and will brine. Small Turkey brine:
Ingredients:
• 1 cup salt
• 2 Tbsp Splenda brown sugar or 4 Tbsp real brown sugar
• 1 gallon water
• 1 can frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1 orange, sliced
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 lime, sliced
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
Process:
, add salt to the water and bring to a boil to dissolve.
, once salt has dissolved add everything else and bring up to a boil.
Fix this the day before you plan to brine the turkey.
Remove neck and giblets and rinse inside and outside of turkey and pat dry. Marinate the turkey breast side down in the mixture overnight in the fridge.
Then throw it on a smoker and keep the hickory smoke on it at 250-270 degrees until it hits 160 degrees internally. The skin will be black but the meat will be flavorful and juicy. Use bacon and cut out bologna to add a design (bikini or tom turkey with package). You can also do a Cornish hen and once it is at 140 degrees stuff it in the turkey. When you start carving announce the turkey was pregnant and pull out the Cornish hen. That one earned me of having my wife’s sister-in-law promise to never come to my house again – WIN!
OK so hear me out. This sounds strange but everyone I have served this to has become obsessed with it! I make an actual Ham Gravy!
I make it just like a regular gravy but use the drippings of the ham as my base. If you don’t get enough drippings, add some butter on top of brown sugar on top of the ham as its baking. Use super hot water to get everything you can out of the bottom of the pan. Then use Wondra and warm water to begin building your gravy and add salt and pepper to season. As it gets thicker and thicker, you can always add more brown sugar as you go along and it will end up being a fiarly thick and SWEET dark brown gravy. My family loves it and puts it on potatoes, stuffing, even veggies and of course, the ham. I also make a turkey gravy as well and the ham gravy is always the first to go!
Is it wrong of me to wish that our very stable genius President opens a big ol’ can of whoopass to top off his Thanksgiving dinner??!?
I would be grateful. Thanksgiving Day rounding up all the Swamp, wouldn’t that be glorious?
Going to try this for first time. It is spin off of a bakery treat that sells for $100+ from Piecaken Bake Shop, through Gold Belly. It is worth the money, but I have time on my hands and want my own pecan pie in it.
Thanksgiving piecake: Layer each of pecan pie, pumpkin pie, apple spice upside down cake. All are separated and surrounded by cinnamon butter cream frosting. Delicious and picture-perfect.
Picture and Recipe I will be spinning off from: https://www.food.com/recipe/thanksgiving-piecaken-524744
Just hope people show up to help eat. Virus scare back in town and some are already calling off.
So happy to see this thread, it is always relaxing and a joy to read. I just got a text that my brother is canceling Thanksgiving to the spike in Covid much to the dismay of his wife. I am shocked to learn he is one of those people. Anyway, looking forward to checking in each day to see more recipes.
Menagerie, every holiday I so look forward to your posts.
Unfortunately, unlike many wonderful Travelers, I’m a terrible cook ( but a decent provider.).
This year our family is having a fun ” bake off” for any part of Thanksgiving dinner.
It’s totally in love and fun but I am so taking a recipe from this thread to wow them.lol
We suffered an unexpected death this year and even though I’m in New York with a looming lockdown, I’m not going to waste a moment with my family that doesn’t include gratitude and joy.?
I am sorry for you sudden loss. I hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving, ya’ll deserve it.
Travelers, not travelers
Here’s a very simple but unusual way to jazz up the cranberry sauce for the adventurous:
Finely mince 1 TBS of raw garlic and 1 TBS of raw ginger. Saute in a small pan with 1/4 cup cider vinegar, stirring until the liquid is all gone. Add to your regular cranberry sauce recipe. Very interesting flavor, but it’s different and people who like things “the way they’ve always been” may not be crazy about it. I usually make a plain batch for them.
I also add a lot (1 cup) chopped walnuts and it’s so good I usually end up eating half of the cranberry sauce standing at the counter. Makes a great snack and keeps forever.
MicD, thanks for still thinking about Conner. He’s a pumpkins guy, actually. I did a post last year about his great love of pumpkins called The Christmas Pumpkin. There usually is a Conner post sometime during the holidays.
Our family is fortunate to have so many people here who prayed for Conner and still ask about him. Thank you!
Election prayer vigil 11/12/20