**Bumped**
I usually do this thread a little closer to Thanksgiving. This year we all know we might be having problems finding things, so I plan to shop for all the things I need that don’t have to be fresh this week. Anyhow, we hope you will contribute your family’s favorite recipes, and especially any new things you plan to try.
My family loves our traditional Thanksgiving dinner. My sons have all become excellent cooks, and my daughters in law are good cooks as well, so we share the cooking duties. One son will spatchcock and smoke the turkey. He is especially good at smoking meat, and we’ve had just about every kind of meat there is from his table, but all of us have loved the turkey best. Kind of strange for a bunch of red meat lovers, but it is so good. He brines it for a day or two, and then smokes it Thanksgiving morning.
We fill out the table with cornbread dressing, an array of fresh vegetables, breads, pies, and maybe a cake or two. My specialties are sweet potato casserole, homemade bread, and derby pie. Sometimes I bake a bourbon brown sugar glazed ham overnight.
Here are some links for the ham recipe we love best, and some recipes that are similar to how I make sweet potato casserole and derby pie. This ham recipe is the only one my guys want after we had it the first time. It is easy and luscious. I like Kirkland brand hams from Costco. They are cut flat and hold the glaze on well. Don’t skip the pineapple slices, they catch the glaze and keep it on top of the ham.
https://www.sweetteaandcornbread.net/2012/12/kentucky-bourbon-brown-sugar-ham.html?m=1
I can’t find a good recipe for my sweet potato casserole. I’m putting a link here, but I do not like the way all these recipes do the topping. They all have flour in it, and in my experience that messes up the topping. My topping is only brown sugar, pecans, and butter. This is a good guide for ingredient quantities, but leave that flour out!
Here’s a recipe for derby pie similar to what I make. This is a luscious, rich pie. It is tricky to know how long to cook it. If you cook it just the way I like it, the top crusts a bit and underneath a caramel like layer covers the chocolate. I do not mix in the chips, I put them on the bottom of the pie shell, so you have a layer of chocolate, the caramel like layer, and cookie crust similar top. If you cook the pie longer it has an almost chocolate chip cookie texture. Don’t forget the ice cream or homemade whipped cream. Not a traditional Thanksgiving dessert, but you won’t regret it.
https://www.thespruceeats.com/kentucky-derby-chocolate-walnut-pie-recipe-101352
Here are some links to Stella’s Thanksgiving posts. She has some really good recipes and tips over there.
I’ve made sourdough bread for years. I almost always keep the starter bubbling on the counter throughout the fall and winter. A few years ago I really got into the health benefits of fermented food, and I learned to make my own kombucha and kefir, along with fermented pickles. I have tried to make sauerkraut several times, and I almost always get pink mold, which is not the kind you can scrape off. If any of you have any tips on what I’m doing wrong I’d sure appreciate it. I’m an experienced, good cook and this is a big failure on something simple to do and I’m baffled. I’ve googled it over and over and I cannot find my problem. Sorry for the temporary side track!
So, here’s a new recipe I’m going to try. This site is full of great recipes and tips for fermenting all kinds of foods, if you are interested. I love sourdough bread, and I love cranberries, so hopefully this will be a real treat.
Wow! Sounds like a wonderful Thanksgiving feast at your house. I would love to learn more about your son’s technique for his smoked turkey. We have not yet found best recipe for the bird.
I have a Masterbuilt, (tall and narrow) electric smoker and do a 20-22 lb turkey about 4 times a year. I spatchcock (remove the spine) then remove the breastbone cutting the turkey in half. It is then brined overnight. I put each half on a shelf and cook for 4-4.5 hours at 225.
TURKEY BRINE
1 whole unfrozen turkey, 10-22 lbs, neck and giblets removed and set aside
A bunch of ice cubes
Rind of 1 lemon or orange
1 gallon vegetable broth
1 cup sea salt
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup molasses
1 tablespoon crushed dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried savory
1 gallon ice (water)
1 small onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic
In a large stock pot, combine the vegetable broth, sea salt, rosemary, sage, thyme, and savory. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to be sure salt is dissolved. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature. 20 minutes before brining your turkey, and put about 2-3 quarts of ice cubes in, letting them bring the temperature down to low 40F.
Since it is heavy, bulky and hard to fit the both turkey halves plus a gallon+ of brine in the refrigerator, I put each turkey half into one plastic garbage bag with half the brine in each. Remove as much air as possible before sealing the bags, then put them in your refrigerator overnight.
Remove the turkey carefully draining off the excess brine and pat dry. Discard excess brine and put them in your smoker with a temperature probe in each thigh. Switch shelves after 2 hours.
I can see you’re pretty much guaranteed to get good results with this. It requires more effort, though, than most people would be willing to invest.
I keep it simple. I make a brine out of 1/3rd apple juice and water base. Add salt, sugar and throw it in a bag with the Turkey or Homer bucket. You can simmer some poultry seasonings in a sauce pan and throw them in if you want. The Homer bucket will never leak in your fridge.
Smoking I like the snake method of a line of about 3 coals thick around the base of a Weber BBQ. Space some wood chunks on top of the coals far enough apart that they do not catch each other on fire.
In the middle of the bottom of the BBQ place a pan of water to keep it moist and the added humidity helps with heat transfer to your bird. When the snake is done, the smoking of your turkey is done and it is only a matter of bringing it up to temp. You can finish it in the BBQ or oven.
An even simpler recipe is have friends invite you over to their place.
My recipe this year, when cooking has become difficult, is dinner with my DH at his daughter’s home. 🙂 I recall wonderful Thanksgivings Past at my Grandmother’s and my Mother’s tables, as well as at my DIL’s and at my other son’s home (both sons are great cooks!). And my own were no slouches. But when the cook’s legs give out…
Smoking produces excellent results, generally, but is also weather dependent where many live, including myself. I can’t do it if it rains, and it gets increasingly inconvenient as the weather gets colder. The timelines also makes it more problematic if having guests over. For Thanksgiving, indoor cooking methods generally work best for me. When having guests over for Thanksgiving turkey, I prefer to debone a turkey breast and pan roast the resulting boneless breast halves. The cooking process takes of around 35 minutes, give or take, and the meat is done to perfection. Most people prefer white meat, anyway, so it works out well.
Hey Snellville, Woodstock is in the house too!!!
Thank you for explaining “spatchcock”
Learned somethin new today
Just take out the back bone and press gently on the breast until in breaks. Aslo called to butterfly.
You need a good set of meat scissors to cut thru the bones from the spine. After going thru 3 pairs I finally found Gerior Spring Loaded Poultry Shears. They are excellent.
Okay, where do you live? I’m coming over for dinner!!???
Heck……I’d be happy with just the leftovers.
Inflation is so bad in my neck of the woods, a mouse ran through my kitchen and was carrying its own lunch…………….
Mine was wearing a mask and it claimed he was vaccinated ?
Mine claimed he belonged to the computer?
Hard to eradicate sometimes.
Every time I check out this post I come across this photo, it is just nasty. All this yummy food and nifty stories and then there is the RAT BASTID of the world.
That’s a good one!
Here’s an appetizer recipe that I jazz up for Thanksgiving and Christmas using cranberry sauce. Crab tartlets
Ingredients
2 pkgs Phyllo Miniature Tartlet shells
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (6 ounce) can crab meat, drained
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pinch paprika
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Set tartlet shells on baking tray.
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, crab, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, Cheddar cheese, green onions and Worcestershire sauce. Spoon 1 teaspoon of mixture into tarts and garnish with paprika.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 15 to 20 minutes, or until light brown. These freeze wonderfully. Just reheat before serving.
Option: Take one cup of whole cranberry sauce and top each tartlet with dollop of sauce and cranberry to make it more festive.
Boy that sounds good!
I do easy stuffed mushrooms. Wash them, pull the stems, stuff them with Jimmy Dean sausage, bake at 350 for 45 to 60 minutes. So easy and so good.
Menagerie
Love Cooking Classy recipes been following her for years
What a bountiful house you will have, Menagerie. I’ll be right over! In spirit only, of course.
Cooking, baking are so pleasurable as we do both for those whom we love and who are what I call appreciative eaters. I’d be surprised if there are any leftovers.
You are one truly blessed mother and grandmother…as are those you cook for.
Yum! Happy Thanksgiving, Menagerie, and thank you for sharing. Here is my favorite yeast bread – just a hint of sweetness!
Cardamom Braid
1 pkg active yeast
¾ cup milk
¼ teas cardamom
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup flour
¼ cup butter
½ teas salt
1 egg
1 ¾ cup to 2 cups all purpose flour
In a large mixer bowl combine 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 package active dry yeast, and ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom.
Heat ¾ cup milk, 1/3 cup sugar, ¼ cup butter or margarine and ½ teaspoon salt til warm, stirring constantly to melt butter. Add to dry mixture, add 1 egg.
Beat at low speed with electric mixer for ½ minute, scraping bowl. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. By hand, stir in 1 ¾ to 2 cups all purpose flour to make a moderately soft dough.
Turn out on floured surface, knead till smooth (5 to 8 minutes). Place in greased bowl; turn once. Cover; let rise till double (about 1 ¼ hours). Punch down. Divide in thirds; form into balls. Cover, let rest 10 minutes.
Roll each ball to a 16 inch rope. Line up the 3 ropes, 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet. Braid loosely, starting in middle of rope and working to ends; pinch ends together and tuck under. Cover; let rise in warm place till almost double (about 40 minutes).
Brush with milk and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from baking sheet; cool. Makes 1 braid.
Orange Honey Butter
¼ cup butter
½ Tbls Honey
½ teas orange zest
Cream butter until light and fluffy, add honey and orange zest. Chill.
This is not a recipe, but a suggestion that I got from a guy at the store. We were both pawing through frozen turkeys looking for the correct one. He was looking for large ones and I wanted small. I found two like I wanted and said I needed small because the large ones are hard to cook. He said that he wants large ones because he splits them and bakes two half turkeys, one traditional and one spicy. I am intrigued by this idea. We usually just get a turkey breast if we want small.
BTW, my local store had whole turkeys for $.33 per pound and they were selling fast. I am going to get more this week. They are still on sale but I don’t know about supply. Poultry tends to be regional and the supplies are not that bad. Prices are another issue as people substitute proteins.
Much beyond 15 pounds, or so, the results from roasting a whole turkey become increasingly disappointing. That’s because the leg meat tends to get way overdone before the breast is cooked through. The standard way to counter this is to lower the oven temperature, but this can radically increase overall cooking time and also inhibits browning. If roasting a whole turkey, I’d therefore advise purchasing one no bigger than 17 lbs. and brining it before roasting. The best results, though, can be achieved by deboning the raw turkey and cooking the white and dark meat separately, but this can be too much of a hassle for most people.
I have the best results when I roast a turkey in an oven bag. No muss, no fuss, and the white meat is always tender and juicy and the dark meat not overdone. The oven bags are a cook’s dream.
I tried this once as family members recommended it. Meat seemed stewed rather than roasted…OK but not terrific. I did follow directions.
I also missed the dark golden crispy skin and the gorgeous fond that develops on the bottom of the roasting pan which is a must for fabulous gravy! I started roasting the bird breast down for the first 1/3 of the roasting time and then roll it over using some butcher’s twine that I tied to the leg and wing on one side of the bird. This seems to keep the breast from drying out. The roasting rack does leave indentations on the skin, but I don’t consider that a problem.
That was my late Mom’s way with turkeys. Flipping them is some feat. The roasting rack is essential… We never did a ceremonial turkey presentation so tha few indentations in the breast skin were a fine tradeoff for moist breast meat.
Yes, it really takes two pair of hands to flip it. One pair to hold the rack in place and the other pair to pull the twine and roll the turkey over! I’ve never had dry breast meat since I started doing that.
When I use the oven bags, I put a peeled onion and a few celery stalks in the cavity and then wrap the turkey in bacon. The bacon browns up brilliantly and gives the turkey added flavor.
concur- Oven bag works great. been using for over 20 years.
My secret is to use a paper grocery bag. I cut it open to get it flat and then oil the bag completely with vegetable oil, so that it won’t catch fire in the oven. I place over the turkey in the pan and tuck all around to seal. Bake according to instructions on packaging. The Turkey always comes out perfectly browned and juicy.
Exactly. I always use a Reynolds brown in bag. Makes for very moist, tender meats.
This is why when I have to cook a large turkey, I heat the oven to 475 or 500 degrees and insert the fully prepared turkey, including at least 1/2 cube of quality margarine smeared over all of the skin, into the oven for about 15 minutes, or whatever it takes to get a golden brown skin. I have to wrap foil on the bone end of the drum sticks and the tip segment of the wings ahead of time so they won’t burn before I can get the golden color. Once that is done, remove the turkey and add some more of the herbs and spices while the oven cools to 200 degrees or even as low as 180 depending on how close your oven holds its temperature. Then put that bird back in the oven and let it cook for +/- 45-50 minutes per pound. A 15 lb turkey would cook another 12 hours (overnight works good) Don’t baste it until it has been in the oven at least 9-10 hours. The turkey should have a nice brown color by then. Basting should be done about every 1/2 hour or so until you like the temperature of the meat deep in the breast. The browned skin will help to keep the juices inside the turkey, but you will have plenty of juices to baste with. After you decide to pull the turkey out of the oven, cover the cooking pan with a tent of aluminum foil and seal it round the edges, and let it cool slowly for at least 30 minutes before carving the meat for dinner. The turkey will be tender and tasty.
The only problem you could have is that in a 500 degree oven you will get some smoke and you will want to have the nearest fire alarm covered so it won’t detect that smoke and go off in the middle of the night when you are the only person still awake. Also, your oven may have an automatic shut off at less than 10 hours, so be sure to reset the oven often enough to keep the tempurature steady while you sleep. Most ovens will let you sleep and all you need to do is set the timer for the length of time you need before you wake up and can get back to the kitchen. But some of the newer ovens are smarter than you because the Consumer Product Safety Commission is also smarter than you and has a built in shut off time to save you from overcooking the turkey!
I cut the turkey into five pieces (breast, leg sections, wings) dry brine for 2 days, then roast. Meat comes out moist and well cooked. Use this method:
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/expertly-spiced-and-glazed-roast-turkey
If you are using a fresh turkey, ask the butcher to cut it up for you. It can be intimidating to do it yourself, particularly if you don’t have good knives.
I usually buy a 16 pound turkey. I make dressing, not stuffing. I put a mixture of 4 sticks of unsalted butter (room temperature) mashed with 1-1/3 cup yellow cornmeal under the skin, cover the turkey with 1 cup butter, salt and pepper. I roast first at 350 degrees for 40 minutes on one side, 40 minutes on the other side then breast side up, basting occasionally (20 minutes or so) until it’s done. Cavity is stuffed with two chopped onions, garlic, bay leaf and thyme. My bird is done in less than 3 hours. I cover it, turn the oven to 250 and let it sit for however long it needs to sit (sometimes a couple of hours for other prep, and the soup and salad). The bird has ALWAYS been perfect, always browned to perfection. Every year I ask my guests if they want a different turkey (cholesterol, hahaha) and they say NO. I buy an organic hen. I’ve been making this same turkey for three decades. Stuffing is seasoned bread cubes, cornmeal, green onions, mushrooms, fried in another 4 sticks of butter, drained and parsley added to the mix. I only eat turkey once a year and give all the leftovers away to my guests.
My wife usually orders two Mary’s organic turkeys in the 15 to 20 pound range. Size does not really matter to me as I use a Kamado-style smoker which is easy to keep the meat moist. My favorite smoker is the Big Green Egg. I can regulate the heat and set it at 300 for an hour and then tamp it down to 250-275 for two hours.
She is highly salt sensitive, so no brining. I simply thaw the turkey, remove the giblets (this is critical for the wife’s delicious smoked-turkey gravy) place it in a large roasting pan and let it smoke for 45 minutes. Then I either use the pan lid or aluminum foil to cover the turkey. The lid lets in a little more smoke.
I use local Ozark hickory wood to start a natural fire and then add chunks of Hick after the bed of coals has developed. The hickory wood is my preference. Some folks use Pecan, Oak or even Mesquite.
The pan catches the juices from the turkey which my wife uses for her giblet gravy. She starts a rue with drippings and unbleached all-purpose flour (add the flour to a little milk to smooth it out and prevent lumps) until it thickens. She adds more drippings and seasons with sea salt (her only salt), garlic powder and white pepper. She adds diced giblets and diced boiled eggs. Then finally she adds a little chopped or pulled turkey meat. You could add any spices, seasoning or additional sauteed veggies you prefer.
The natural juices from the smoked turkey adds an indescribable smokey flavor and aroma. We boil potatoes, add butter, mash and add the gravy in a pool on top.
I could eat the gravy as my dinner. I frankly smoke the turkey just to have the gravy. Life is good.
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
(P.S.: I was born on Thanksgiving morning 69 years ago; so it is always special in my heart. I try to never watch any Christmas movies until after Thanksgiving…. hard to do, yet I attempt to do so.)
If you fancy a change from turkey , I made Emeril’s New Orleans stuffed boneless leg of lamb before.
With a twist , I lightly grilled it to sear both sides first with some char – smoke goodness.
Then it was stuffed with a mix of crumbled bacon, parm. cheese, olives & spices , bread crumb and maybe some artichoke hearts ,( garlic big time ).
Roll it up, tie it off and give it 1.5-2 hrs at 325.
Just search for Emeril’s lamb recipes , leftovers are not an issue.
Bam!
Very nice. Lamb is scrumptious and unctuous (in the good sense of being satiated after eating lamb).
The pink mold could be from not having enough salt.
https://www.makesauerkraut.com/sauerkraut-fermentation-gone-bad-troubleshooting-tips/
Thank you!
It helps to weigh the salt rather than measuring it, as the way the salt is flaked makes a difference in the amount.
Thanks, I’ll do that.
I use the K&K fermentation crock (has water channel seal) includes 2 part weight stone. Remove core from 2 heads cabbage, slice thin, crush (in separate container) add to crock in layers using 2 Tbl salt bwt layers. Add one Tbl carraway seeds, shred lrg carrot (for color)
Be sure liquid covers cabbage, if needed add 1 tsp salt to 4 C (boiled water, cooled) to cover cabbage.
takes about 5 weeks to be totally fermented.
Keep water channel seal filled, to avoid air contamination causing the mold.
Store in qt canning jars in frig, will keep 30 days or more.
Enjoyable project, as best sauerkraut ever.
Thanks, I’m looking for the crock now.
I still have nightmares from when, as a kid, my dad made sauerkraut. Took a 5 gallon glass jar, stuffed it full of cabbage and some water, put it near the water heater in the basement, and sealed it tight. After about 2 weeks, we noticed a very strong, unpleasant smell. The jar had cracked from the pressure, and fermented cabbage had embedded itself into the cement floor of the basement! I may look into buying a proper crock!
O/T
FTA: “I’ve made sourdough bread for years. I almost always keep the starter bubbling on the counter throughout the fall and winter. A few years ago I really got into the health benefits of fermented food, and I learned to make my own kombucha and kefir, along with fermented pickles. I have tried to make sauerkraut several times, and I almost always get pink mold, which is not the kind you can scrape off. If any of you have any tips on what I’m doing wrong I’d sure appreciate it. I’m an experienced, good cook and this is a big failure on something simple to do and I’m baffled. I’ve googled it over and over and I cannot find my problem.”
Not since I asked.
“One son will spatchcock and smoke the turkey.” Had to look that one up, never heard of that before. The video above shows how to do that. I will have to try that! Thanks!
Thank you for sharing this.
Me too. I thought it was a typo!
(Bread Machine) Traditional Banana Bread recipe
2 whole bananas (RIPE, not green- softer the better)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk (.66 cup)
1/2 cup butter (1 stick) OR 8 tblsp oil (8 TABLEspoons)
2 1/2 cups flour (2.5 cup)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (2.5tsp)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (.5 tsp)
(optional) pinch of pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice)
SMASH and break apart bananas, load into the bread machine. Add the 2 eggs, butter (or oil), 2/3 cup milk, salt and sugar. Then add flour/baking powder/baking soda over the top, add pinch of pie spice.
ATTN: Use QUICKBREAD setting- this has no yeast and does NOT rise.
Lastly- as it stirs- turn it over some with a rubber spatula from the sides IN, to help prevent non-mix (flour buildup on the side/white chunks)
DAMN good stuff, in between a cake and bread (like good banana bread should be)
It should be ready in under 2 hours. For NON-machine users- mix, turn it all over into a small loaf pan, bake it at 350 for ~ 1 hour. (if knife comes out clean, it’s done)
If you want to add nuts/raisins etc, do them last- on top, with the pie spice.
PERFECT for gifts/etc. (but NOT diabetic friendly!!)- also GREAT as a coffee bread or sweet snack.
Happy Holidays! This one gets asked for EVERY year by family/friends/neighbors/ex-lovers 😉
This is for leftovers the next day. Take 2 slices of bread. Place stuffing on top of 1 slice. Place Turkey pieces above the stuffing, with a little sea salt (healthier). Spread some cranberry sauce on top of the chicken. Spread Mayonnaise on the top slice of bread, and you have the best sandwich!
I’ve heard some people prefer Thanksgiving leftovers the next day more than they love the Thanksgiving dinner.
My Mother did. She always produced a perfect meal (ditto her prime rib at Christmas) and managed to exhaust herself. Next day, she thought everything tasted wonderful! (Did I mention that I miss her?)
I am going to miss my mother at the table this year too. She passed three years ago. It still hurts. We always feel she, and other loved ones we lost, are at the table with us!
I used to pack my kids left over stuffing sandwiches when they went back to school after Thanksgiving. They told me years later that there was always a bidding war from their friends for them (same recipe as your sandwiches).
I (almost) love these leftover sandwiches better than the dinner. Stuffing is my favorite. My aunt put crumbled sweet Italian sausage in hers. My grandmother would put out bread for a few days to harden it a bit, then soak them in milk, and drain them. Both were excellent. Happy Thanksgiving to all of good will
I do this, but add mashed potatoes.
I’m contributing this unique “Banana Bread” recipe I found a while back…looks easy to make.
Looks like my banana bread.
Oh man……! Now that’s interesting!
Hilarious!
For those not fans of the sweet, rich sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, I suggest a sweet potato and parsnip tian from Epicurious.com. It’s delicious, far healthier and is a lovely presentation. I take the ingredients as a guide and substitute slices of butternut squash neck and Japanese sweet potatoes (pale tan flesh and only slightly sweet) for the parsnips, since they are all easy to find in similar diameters and they balance the inherent sweetness of sweet potatoes very nicely. The spice can be harissa powder, sumac, pumpkin/apple pie spice or Chinese five-spice. For those who prefer savory to sweet!
Sundance, you are the husband and father everyone dreams of. Truly, you’re the absolute best. Wishing you all good things, my friend.
Menagerie posted this thread.
I usually do two birds. I dry brine them for at least 24 hours. Spatchcock and smoke one, and deep fry the other.
Both have many fans in the family.
HAS to be from a can so it’ll have those delightful little concentric rings … cranberry sauce! Dropped out of the can intact … in one piece on it’s side, quivering jello -like onto a serving plate which makes it easy to slice. When I was a kid that was the Thanksgiving table sight I most looked forward to and still do.
Back in the olden days when we had to watch steam powered TVs, the size of a Timex, by candle light, cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving was the ONLY time we had the delightful taste of cranberries to savor. Ocean Spray was still Pond Spray and there was no cranberry raisins, cranberry fruit drinks or cranberry candies … nothing.
I plop my cranberry sauce out on a serving dish and slice a little off the side. Turn it to the sliced side and it’s easier to cut and serve. It has to be cold.
“…cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving was the ONLY time we had the delightful taste of cranberries to savor.”
I grew up in Labrador where the only native fruits were tiny blueberries and cranberries that grew on the ground; mom spent hours picking berries and we had cranberry sauce a lot.
We always had two cranberry dishes – one of those slices and one with the whole berry sauce. The latter usually Mom’s own; the former from Ocean Spray.
Same here except we had cranberry relish instead of the whole berry sauce.
As a little girl I got to grind the oranges and berries with an old crank grinder then Grama would add the sugar and stir it up. It’s one of my favorite memories.
Lol, my daughter says cranberries are the devil’s fruit but everyone else loves both the canned and the relish. For my other daughter it isn’t Thanksgiving without the canned sauce.
Usually make canned (One Pie) pumpkin pie, but this year going to experiment with baking our holloween pumpkin whole, then use the freshly baked flesh instead of canned. Been watching diy pumpkin pie vids.
Have to make it soon to make sure it works out before making it for the big dinner. Plan on the same basic recipe as listed on the can, my wife especially likes this one.
Should be a fun experiment, although pie pumpkins or butternut squash work better for pie.
When I pulled the pumpkin out of the oven, I was excited. After cooling and mashing….. my confidence waned.
Tomorrow I am still going to try baking. If this one fails, we have a lot of black bears in our area who aren’t too picky, so I’ll treat them.
Probably too late to expect anyone to read this post, but being one of the admins, you may.
Despite watery puree from a less than appropriate pumpkin, it worked very well and tasted great. I baked it this morning.
I used about 1/4 cup less milk, and added an extra egg, every thing else the same as listed on the can. I set aside about 1/3 cup of the pie mix and used it to make my wife a pumpkin pancake for breakfast, she said it was great (I had to confirm it with a taste; she was right:)
The pumpkin yielded just under 14 cups of flesh, so, 6 pies and a little pumpkin butter to boot. I already measured out 5 servings for future pies and put them in the freezer.
Just so you know, Martha Stuart says that there are few things that are better commercial than homemade. Canned pumpkin, she said is one of those things that tastes just as good as the fresh.
Yes, I bet she is probably right. It was just a flash of inspiration to try.
Not only just as good, but sometimes it is cheaper to buy canned. I wondered if it would cost more in electricity running the oven than the can cost.
Don’t want to be a spoilsport, but I tried that one year and ended up with watery rather tasteless glop. Pie pumpkins are a breed apart from the jack o’lantern type. Maybe someone smarter than I will chime in, but that was my experience. Libby and its ancient recipe (still on the pumpkin can and still excellent) are the very best for taste and consistency. (I used to be a purist, doing everything from scratch. It is possible to get beyond that!)
My baking results were similar to yours. I was happy when I first pulled it from the oven, but became surprised and a little deflated when after mashing, it was so wet. I strained out some liquid but still had some standing liquid.
Tomorrow I am still going to try baking. I think I will use 1/2 cup less milk to compensate for extra liquid, and/or use an extra egg for extra binding power. I can tell it won’t be as smooth as can pumpkin. As you say, pumpkin type matters, maybe next time.
Anyone got a good homemade buttermilk biscuit recipe? For the first time in our lives, we think it might be necessary to learn to make a few things from scratch. The Mrs is not happy about it. She tried making some in her 20’s but they failed to rise so she threw them out the door, accidentally hit the neighbor’s dog and sent it yelping back home. I hope her biscuits this time will be better than her aim.
A lady in Alabama, Brenda Gantt, has a cooking show and southern recipe book that is fantastic.
I’m told that biscuits will not rise if you twist the biscuit cutter. Also, White Lily brand flour makes1 the best flour to prepare biscuits. Use the recipe on the bag. Use vegetable shortening or you won’t get the texture you’re looking for. Seems like such a simple recipe, but there’s a trick to it.
Or use lard. Also, if you crowd your biscuits in the pan they will rise higher, rather than spreading.
Yes, Bobby D! I forgot that bit about not twisting the biscuit cutter! V. important!
I did several posts about biscuits over at Stella’s Place. Here is one that might help:
https://stellasplace1.com/2021/04/17/biscuits-the-science/
I haven’t made baking powder bisdcuits for years, but I do recall that a very light touch is required. And a very sharp cutter dipped in flour between each cut so that the cut sides allow rising.
When I was in my 20s I used Bisquick, and had good results as well…:-)
Chris D. Look up the biggest fattest fluffiest all butter biscuit. The website is sugardishme.com. I had no luck with making biscuits. They flopped and flopped. I made these and they rise so high and are so delicious. Just follow the instructions and you cannot fail. Hope this helps.
Look at Stella’s comments above. I use the White Lilly recipe, and it is the ONLY flour I use for biscuits. Always use full fat buttermilk, lard or cold butter, and like Stella said, crowd the biscuits so they rise up. I don’t like to roll them out, I just pat them into balls and put them in a high walled pan, rather than on a baking tray.
When I was a kid we used a biscuit cutter, but when I married I used a pinch and roll them method. I still have the plastic bowl I mixed in. Fun Fact…when I left to get a divorce, the little plastic blue bowl came with me. I’m leaving it to my son in my will.
I don’t use a cutter at all. Pat the dough into a square or rectangle shape & use a knife (one stroke) to cut into square biscuits. I do the entire thing on waxed paper.
No waste, no overworking the dough & fast. Normally use my longest slicing knife. Agree on the White Lilly flour.
Check out Joanna Gaines recipe for biscuits. For those who don’t know who she is, her husband, Chip, and
her had the hit television show whereby they renovated houses. They have the cutest complex with
an awesome cupcake bakery in Waco, Texas and I believe she has her own cookbook out called Magnolia
Table (not sure of the name). Granddaughter goes to Baylor and so have been there a few times. At any
rate, people rave about her biscuit recipe.
2½ cups self-rising flour
1½ cups heavy cream
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
Put the flour in a medium mixing bowl and add the cream. Stir until a soft, sticky ball forms. (The dough will seem wet at first.) On a very lightly floured surface, knead lightly with your well-floured hands about 3 times, just until the dough comes together.
Pat the dough to about ½-inch thickness. Cut out biscuits with a 2 ½-inch round cutter, or small juice glass. Bake on the prepared baking sheet for 10 to 12 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown.
Makes 10-12 biscuits.
I learned how to make the lightest fluffiest biscuits from my southern aunt. No real recipe just technique.
Put self rising flour (a lot) into a larger bowl making a well in the center. Put in your shortening (maybe a half cup) pour in cold buttermilk (maybe 3/4cup). With fingers start breaking up the shortening into the buttermilk and gradually pulling in some flour and lightly mix until you have a dough. Gently pinch off a biscuit size portion and dip into some flour and gently shape with your fingers. Bake. The less handling the lighter the biscuit. Use a sifter to sift leftover flour, returning flour to container and throwing away the larger bits. Voila
GINGER GLAZED CARROTS WITH TURMERIC AND FRESH THYME
The whole concept behind glazing is fairly simple; extract the vegetable’s natural juices and sugars into the pan using steam (covered sauteing), and when the vegetables have cooked to your preferred texture, uncover the pan and reduce the juices until the glaze is formed. The addition of butter at the beginning of the process helps to enrich the overall flavor of the dish, but will also emulsify into the glaze as it continues to reduce and thicken. If the glaze becomes too thick before the vegetables are cooked all the way through, simply add a little more liquid, cover with a lid, and continue to reduce until the vegetables have reached your preferred texture. The recipe can be upsized as necessary.
INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
Total cooking time is about 20 minutes.
Yammie! Thats a delicious recipe! Thank you!
CARMELIZED ONION TURKEY GRAVY
INGREDIENTS:
6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) (3 oz./90 g) unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh sage
1/3 cup (2 oz./60 g) all-purpose flour
3 cups (24 fl. oz./750 ml) chicken (or turkey) stock
Pan drippings from roasted turkey
1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) white wine
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
DIRECTIONS:
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and sage and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the onions and stir until combined. Whisking constantly, slowly pour in the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Strain, if desired, and set aside to let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until ready to use.
After the turkey is cooked, transfer it to a carving board to rest while you finish the gravy. Place the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium heat and add the wine. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits on the pan bottom. Slowly whisk the gravy base into the pan. Simmer until the gravy is smooth and thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot. Makes about 3 cups (24 fl. oz./750 ml).
A couple years ago, I started adding carrots, onions, celery, and a split head of garlic in the roasting pan with the turkey. Those vegetables caramelize beautifully! When it’s time to make the gravy, just scoop them out and proceed with deglazing the pan and making the roux. Between the drippings from the turkey and the caramelized vegetables, the gravy comes out so tasty that I don’t even need to season it! (And I am big on seasoning!) I might mention that I always use a roasting rack for the bird which I start roasting breast-side down to keep the breast meat moist.
I miss my regular visits to the beautifull States.. Thank you all for the recipes! They do lessen the pain of missing my regular dose of freedom!
Will be testing sfdebre’s Ginger Glazed carrots!
Unfortunately, we have increasingly less freedom here, but hopefully the carrots will provide some measure of solace. 🙂
You can feast on your memories, and toast them with what I call a “mental cocktail”… no recipe for that one. Just a mixture of all the happy times you’ve had. Guaranteed to warm and satisfy.
i will Betsy! and… i always have you guys in my favorite clubhouse 😉
Red Royal
a jigger of crown royal
a jigger of disaronno amaretto
a bing cherry or two
over crushed ice
holidays in a glass
I’m am so stealing that. Thanks.
Do people drink eggnog on Thanksgiving? I gave up alcohol on 1/1/00 but heartily recommend using Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum in your eggnog.
I like my cherries soaked in bourbon and dipped in chocolate, but will save your recipe!
ALMOND CAKE
Accompany slices of cake with fresh berries.
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
12 Tbs. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
12 oz. almond paste
Grated zest of 1 orange
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. kirsch
1 tsp. vanilla extract
5 eggs
2 Tbs. apricot jam, warmed with 1 Tbs. water
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat an oven to 325ºF. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan and line it with parchment paper.
Over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour and baking powder; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the almond paste, orange and lemon zests, almond extract, kirsch and vanilla, and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs and beat until smooth and blended, about 1 minute more. Reduce the speed to low and fold in the flour mixture until smooth and lump-free. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
Bake until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Transfer the cake pan to a wire rack and cool for 1 hour. Turn the cake out onto a plate. Brush the top with the apricot jam and sprinkle with the toasted almonds
what is kirsch?
Kirsch, or kirschwasser, is a cherry brandy.
ty
I really like the Sweet Tea and Cornbread website associated with the Bourbon glazed ham recipe, OP Menagerie. Lots of one pot meals for hungry families. Thanks, Now, on to the rest of your post!
Sundance, when I used to make my sweet potato casserole, I always added a jigger (or more) of Bailey’s Irish Cream to the recipe. Mmmmmgood.
I’d be drinking the Irish cream!
Menagerie posted this thread.?
A veggie based stuffing I have been making for a long time:
Stuffs a large Turkey…scale accordingly…I have doubled this to stuff the Turkey and fill a glass baking dish to use as a side dish for a few days after.
White or Wheat Sliced Bread – 1 large loaf + any other bread or left over rolls you have on hand
3-4 eggs
Saute in a large wok type skillet, with 1/2 stick butter and olive oil:
2-3 Bell Peppers – I use the multi-color peppers for effect…looks cool
1 Large Sweet Onion, chopped
1 large stalk of Celery, chopped
1 large Jar of Sliced Mushrooms
Add any other veggies you desire…I have added a small can or bag sweet peas and shredded 1-2 carrots.
Salt, Course Black Pepper, Poultry Spice to your own taste
I do not add any extra water and use the liquids that come off the veggies in the skillet as the liquid to make the stuffing.
Stuff the Turkey and put the rest into a glass baking dish..for the baking dish…bake at about 385-400 for about 1 hour.
Since there are eggs and veggie juices involved, be sure to refrigerate any left overs.
stuffing made with old home made bread (usual white bread) butter, celery, onion, sage from herb patch. then I throw in a few cranberries, chestnuts, maybe an oyster.
our old milking bucket full of eggnog provides the velvet hammer
Some Nog with 14 year old Oban scotch , a lill cinnamon, a tad of Bristol’s Irish cream, an a drop of coffee Brandy,
In a mug .
Enjoy.
This year, I’ll be making reservations.
CHAMPAGNE PUNCH
INGREDIENTS:
o 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus lemon slices for garnish (optional)
o 1 cup superfine sugar
o 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, plus orange slices for garnish
o 1/2 cup Grand Marnier
o 1/2 cup Triple Sec
o 1/2 cup Cognac
o Two 750ml bottles dry Champagne or sparkling wine, chilled
o Lime slices, for garnish
o Fresh strawberries, stemmed and sliced on the vertical, for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
· Combine lemon juice, sugar, orange juice, Grand Marnier, Triple Sec, and Cognac in a nonreactive bowl and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Transfer to a decorative bowl or pitcher, add Champagne, and stir to combine. Garnish with citrus slices and fresh strawberries. Serve immediately in Champagne flutes, wine glasses, or punch cups.
· Note: You can pre-make the punch base hours ahead of time and store it covered tightly with plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Add the sparkling wine and garnish with the fruit immediately before serving.
First time in 25 years where we have less than 15 at the table-so just a small turkey breast.
On another note, your comments on your family piqued my interest. Did your kids turn out liberal/progressive, or have they also “seen the light” (hmm, are we allowed to even say that? Might be racist…)
Sausage, Fennel, & Chestnut Dressing
16 oz. dried focaccia (or other bread), cubed
4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 yellow onions, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and diced
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups prepared chestnuts, roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 1/4 lb. mild Italian sausage, casings removed
6 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 to 3 1/4 cups chicken stock, warmed, plus more as needed
Preheat an oven to 375°F.
Butter a 3 1/2- to 4-quart casserole dish.
Put the focaccia stuffing in a large bowl. Set aside.
In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, celery and fennel and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring to scrape up the browned bits, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the chestnuts and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onion mixture to the bowl with the focaccia stuffing.
Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring and crumbling with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the bowl with the focaccia stuffing. Add the parsley to the bowl and stir to combine. Stir in 3 cups of the stock. The dressing should be moist but not soggy. Add more stock if needed and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the dressing to the prepared casserole dish, cover with a lid or a piece of buttered aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden and crispy, 15 to 20 minutes more.
Serves 10 to 12.
That sounds awesome. Thanks for sharing. Best wishes
It’s my personal favorite and hope you enjoy it, as well, while having a Happy Thanksgiving.
Thanks, Menagerie. Good point about buying early.
My favorite Thanksgiving side dish is, believe it or not, green bean casserole. Everyone has that recipe.
That ham sounds delicious.
Emerilized (from Scratch) Green Bean Casserole
The year before last, I made this take on Green Bean Casserole from Emeril. It’s a lot fussier than what most might be accustomed to, but my guests positively RAVED about it. It’s on the menu again for us this year.
INGREDIENTS:
· 6 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
· Vegetable oil for deep frying
· 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced into rings
· 1/3 cup Crystal Hot Sauce
· 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
· 2 teaspoons Emeril’s Original Essence
· 2 cups chopped yellow onion
· ½ cup finely chopped celery
· 1 tablespoon minced garlic
· 1 pound button mushrooms, wiped clean, ends trimmed and sliced
· 1 ½ teaspoons Emeril’s Bayou Blast (see Note)
· ¾ teaspoon salt
· 1½ cups chicken broth
· ½ cup heavy cream
· 2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed and blanched in salted water until tender
· ¾ pound fontina cheese, rind removed and cut into ½-inch cube
DIRECTIONS:
· Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9- by 13- inch casserole dish with 2 teaspoons of the butter and set aside.
· Heat at least 4 inches of oil in a large saucepan or deep fryer to 360°F.
· Separate the onion slices into individual rings. Combine with the Crystal Hot Sauce in a mixing bowl and toss thoroughly. Place 2 cups of the flour in a large mixing bowl and, working in batches, dredge the onion rings in the flour to coat. Transfer the coated onion rings to a colander or strainer and shake over the mixing bowl containing the flour to release any loose flour from the prepared rings. Fry the onion rings in batches until just lightly golden, about 1 minute per batch. Note: it is important to allow the temperature to return to 360°F between batches. As batches are completed, transfer the onion rings to paper-lined baking dish to drain. Season the onion rings with the Essence and set aside. Repeat with the remaining batches.
· Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over high heat and sauté onion and celery until soft, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, Bayou Blast and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are soft and golden brown and have released their liquid, 4 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of flour and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the chicken broth and heavy cream and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until sauce is thick and creamy and any floury taste is gone, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
· In a large bowl combine the green beans, mushroom sauce, and cubed fontina cheese. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish and top with the fried onion rings. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the casserole is hot and bubbly and onion rings are golden brown. Serve immediately.
· Note: You may substitute Emeril’s Bayou Blast with the following mixture
1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper combined.
We substitute asparagus for the green beans. Really yummy.
My mom is not with us this year, but here is her lemon pecan pie:
LEMON PECAN PIE
1/3 stick margarine, melted 1 tsp. lemon flavoring
3 eggs Juice of 1 lemon
3/4 c. pecans, chopped Grated rind of 1 lemon
1 1/2 c. sugar 1 unbaked pie shell
Preheat oven to 400o. Mix all ingredients and pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 400o for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 325o and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes.
We had pecan trees, so we added lots of nuts! Enjoy, and have a Blessed Thanksgiving.
This sounds great. We get our pecans from Fredericksburg Pecan Company in Fredericksburg, Texas. I wonder if one could substitute un-salted butter for margarine and honey for sugar.
Mom’s simple sausage-meat stuffing
Fry crumbled sausage-meat till done;
Crumble white hot dog buns;
Add crumbled sausage meat and lots of chopped white onion to crumbled bread;
Season dressing to taste with salt, pepper and savoury.
Stuff and roast the turkey.
As yummy as it is simple.
I do the deviled eggs. Here are my secrets. I stick eggs in cold water, set to boil, wait 10 minutes, turn off heat and lid, wait 5 more minutes then pull off the burner. Perfect every time. Halve and extract egg filling. For a dozen eggs, mix filling with 1.5 cups mayo, 2 tblspoons of mustard (I like traditional yellow for sweetness and taste, heavy mustards can be raunchy flavor) and the secret weapon, a half teaspoon of white vinegar (DO NOT USE TOO MUCH). Mix together as desired. When finished, you can add additional ingredients to the filling. Popular examples – bacon & cheddar (melt and mix in), avocado, sriracha sauce (folks who hate spicy stuff love this), or cranberry, maybe decorated with a sprig of turkey on top. Enjoy, y’alls!
Deviled eggs are a must on every holiday for us! Gulden’s Spicy Brown is our favorite. It gives the eggs a nice zing. I used Grey Poupon our first year together, and they tasted awful! My spouse does not let me live that one down. Since then I use Gulden’s with Hellman’s, just like my husband’s father use to make.
Imogene’s (Mom’s) Cranberry Relish
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
12 0z fresh cranberry
1 whole orange (blood preferred) peeled after zesting
1 Tbsp orange zest
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 lemon
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp fresh ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ground ginger
1/2 tsp fresh ground clove
Place all the ingredients in food processor and rough chop, or consistency you prefer. Cover and refrigerate. Can be made 1-2 days before serving. Great with leftover turkey panini sandwiches! Cheers!
Their is shortage of food in Thanksgiving
Moms Oyster stuffing
Cornbread stuffing chunks.
Follow directions for preparing stuffing. Add sautéd onions, carrots, celery and garlic.
Cook stuffing in chick broth.
Clean and warm oysters in separate pan on stove.
Plan to use extra broth before putting in oven.
Add fresh sage, chopped leaves only.
Add oysters and bring broth to boil.
Remove from heat and add stuffing mix.
Butter baking dish. Add a little prepared broth to bottom of baking dish.
Put dots of butter on top of stuffing before baking.
Oven directions on stuffing bag. Cover until last five minutes to crisp the top.
I will post a sour cream pecan pie later. Not as sweet as traditional but very rich.
Apple Cider Mimosas
rim glass with cinnamon and sugar
fill half way with apple cider
top off with champagne or Prosecco
garnish with an apple slice on the rim
looks so festive and SO simple!
Stuffed Mushrooms: our holiday dinner must always include this family favorite:
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Fresh Cranberries:
Stuffing (some call it “dressing”): My daughter just asked me to send her my stuffing recipe. I don’t have a recipe as it is an improv exercise more than a precise recipe. I hate to admit it, but why reinvent the wheel. I use
I always cook a fresh, organic, range raised turkey in a bag that you buy at the store in baking section. Follow directions on the bag which usually includes adding water for moisture to the baking pan which evaporates.
Yams
Salad:
We always have a huge salad of romaine and other greens, fresh sweet cherry tomato, sliced onion, & avocado tossed with OLIVE oil and vinegar, salt and pepper.
Meal always accompanied with wine or apple juice according to age and taste.
Dessert: home made cheesecake to die for, pumpkin pie and apple pie as desired.
Also remember the Thanksgiving tradition around “5 Kernels of Corn”
Previous generations were widely aware of the poem and the history behind it.
A couple of links –
The story: https://teachbesideme.com/thanksgiving-traditions-five-kernels-of-corn/
The poem: https://www.poetrynook.com/poem/five-kernels-corn
Thank you so much for the links.
My mom was a traditionalist. We always had a corn recipe on the table for Thanksgiving.
This one was our favorite. It’s called a pudding but is really a custard.
Golden Corn Pudding
2 cups corn (I like using fresh or frozen)
1 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup milk (I use Vit D)
1 T. butter
2 T. Ritz or Waverly crackers, crushed into crumbs
Heat oven to 350.
Mix thoroughly all ingredients except butter. Pour into a greased baking dish. Dot the top with the butter.
Bake in a water bath for 60-70 minutes, until a knife inserted comes out clean from center.
Nice recipe. I also add just a hint of nutmeg, never have done crumbs on corn pudding/custard. I love corn pudding.
I cheated this year, purchased a bone-in ham from Schwanns. I await the excoriation.
chuckling
We often buy Honey Baked, and just do the turkey ourselves!
Thank you, Rudolph, good to know I’m not the only one.
Us too. Daughter buys the Honey Baked and I buy and cook the turkey. Works out perfectly.
Thank you, Gramadeb50, good thoughts to you and yours.
I must have the stupidest turkey God ever created. Im watching it now over by the pole barn scratching and digging at the electrical conduit. 3rd time this week I had to shoo it away and re bury the cable. I figure it goes about 3o pounds undressed. Either way its on death row. Skittish too..cant catch it. Suppose I’ll use the Ruger MKIV with the suppressor on it to send it to the big turkey pen in the sky. Friday.
cooked turkey
Who wants to make Cornbread Pecan Dressing?
This one from the beloved Edna Lewis is the BEST recipe on the planet !!!
Enjoy!
https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/corn-bread-pecan-dressing
Stuffed Mushrooms: our holiday dinner must always include this family favorite:
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Fresh Cranberries:
Stuffing (some call it “dressing”): My daughter just asked me to send her my stuffing recipe. I don’t have a recipe as it is an improv exercise more than a precise recipe. I hate to admit it, but why reinvent the wheel. I use
Turkey:
Yams
Salad:
We always have a huge salad of romaine and other greens, fresh sweet cherry tomato, sliced onion, & avocado tossed with OLIVE oil and vinegar, salt and pepper.
Meal always accompanied with wine or apple juice according to age and taste.
Dessert: home made cheesecake to die for, pumpkin pie and apple pie as desired.
Tips for Cornbread Dressing.
There are many good recipes out there, but if you like a smooth, dense dressing:
It’s worth the bother to make your own cornbread. Mixes are acceptable.
Dice all the vegetables.
If you use hard-cooked eggs, mash them very fine. (This was my job as a child- I was the master!).
Dressing should be moist- “almost too much broth” is the aim- because it should overnight in the
fridge before baking.
It’s not as pretty as dressing with a lot of texture, but it’s our favorite.
Will be experimenting with this savory sweet potato recipe and the crispy roasted sweet potato with bourbon maple butter link found at the end of this savory recipe, before the big Thanksgiving day meal. Our family loves sweet potatoes, usually baked in foil like a regular Idaho baker, topped with butter, occasionally we will cook by slicing thin, fried in butter with a light touch of brown sugar thrown in at the end of cooking, but this savory one looks pretty interesting:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/crispy-parmesan-thyme-sweet-potato-stacks/?fbclid=IwAR2j7As2Zzl58jVP6FRqJuFbcNAlqIF8vaIMqTll4cTqtn-pV2eLZk_hCGA