Thanksgiving is such a special time of the year. It is a time to be thankful and grateful for where ever life takes you and for the people that love you. It was my Mom's favorite holiday and her spirit will be with us as we prepare and make our dishes this year. So be thankful for everything that makes you happy and have a Happy Thanksgiving with your family and friends!
The Menu ~
Butter Basted Turkey and Gravy
Sausage Apple Pecan Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes with Garlic and Sour Cream
Corn Casserole Supreme
Sweet Potato Crunch
Spinach Noodle Pudding
Pumpkin Pie with Brown Sugar Pecan Streusel Topping
BUTTER BASTED TURKEY
1 (12-16 lb.) turkey
1 lemon
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
Salt and pepper
8 ozs. chicken broth
Wash and dry turkey. Place on a large and deep baking dish. Squeeze lemon all over and in cavities to refresh. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Best if left to rest (refrigerated) for several hours.
WHEN READY TO COOK:
Wash and scrape carrots and cut into long slivers. Wash and cut celery likewise. Place vegetables in bottom of roasting pan, place turkey on top and butter all over. Season with salt and pepper. Cover wings with foil. Pour broth over.
Roast at 350 degrees F for 5-6 hours covered with foil to ensure juiciness. Uncover and let brown. Baste with juices occasionally and tent with foil if browning too fast.
SAUSAGE APPLE PECAN STUFFING
1 lb. Tennessee Pride or Jimmy Dean mild ground pork sausage
2 cups chicken broth (Swanson's canned)
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, divided use
1 (14 oz.) bag Pepperidge Farm dry herb seasoned stuffing plus a small bag of stuffing
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery, including leaves
3 red apples, washed, cored and chopped
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped almonds or pecans or walnuts
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste, if needed
Cook sausage in skillet till browned. Drain and set aside.
Heat the broth and melt a stick (1/2 cup) of butter in it. Set aside.
Saute onions and celery in remaining 1/2 cup butter till onions begin to golden.
In a large mixing bowl, add all the dry stuffing, the onion, celery, sausage, chopped apple, raisins and nuts and begin blending, with your hands, add 1 cup of broth at a time till you get to the desired stuffing consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding salt and pepper to taste.
Stuff the turkey both ends and truss. In the tummy area, cut an apple in thirds widthwise, and put this slice over the opening so stuffing does not leak out. Roast turkey as desired. You should have enough stuffing left over to put in a casserole with foil over and bake during the last 45 minutes of the turkey roasting.
MASHED POTATOES WITH GARLIC AND SOUR CREAM
Makes 8 servings
6 to 8 potatoes, washed, peeled and cubed
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk, or more if needed
Salt and pepper, to taste
Boil potatoes and the garlic cloves together. When tender, mash with potato masher. Add butter and mash some more, add sour cream and enough of milk to your liking for consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
CORN CASSEROLE SUPREME
Makes 6 servings
1 (16 oz.) can creamed corn
1 (16 oz.) can whole kernel yellow corn, drained
8 oz. sour cream
1/2 cup margarine, melted and cooled
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1 scallion, chopped
1 (8 1/2 oz.) box Jiffy corn bread mix
Paprika, for sprinkling top
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine all ingredients, except paprika, in a large bowl and blend well. Pour into a greased 12x8x2-inch baking dish, sprinkle paprika over top.
Bake for 45 minutes.
SWEET POTATO CRUNCH
6 sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup well packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
FOR THE CRUNCH TOPPING:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup butter, melted
Boil potatoes til tender. Take skin off when cooled and able to handle. Put in a large bowl and whip them til fluffy adding all other ingredients, except the topping. Pour into a buttered casserole. Combine the ingredients for the topping and sprinkle over potatoes.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.
SPINACH NOODLE PUDDING
Makes 8 servings (this recipe easily doubles to serve 16)
1 (8 oz.) pkg. noodles (fine or medium)
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, divided use
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, pressed
2 pkg. (9 oz. each) Birds Eye Creamed Spinach, thawed
8 ozs. sour cream
2 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper, to taste
Bread crumbs to sprinkle on top
Cook noodles according to directions on pkg. Drain noodles and toss with 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter; set aside.
Saute your onion until golden in remaining 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter. Add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
Combine the noodles with the spinach, sour cream, sauteed onions and eggs. Salt and pepper to your taste. Blend well. Pour into a buttered casserole dish and sprinkle with the bread crumbs.
Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 45-60 minutes. YUMMY!!!
PUMPKIN PIE WITH BROWN SUGAR PECAN STREUSEL TOPPING
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie, 8 servings
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
1 (14 oz.) can condensed milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Chinese Five Spice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 (9-inch) graham cracker pie crust
Brown Sugar Pecan Streusel Topping (recipe follows)
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon (for sprinkling on top)
Whipped topping (for serving)
Beat pumpkin, condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt together til creamy. Pour onto the graham cracker crust.
Set pie onto cookie sheet and into preheated 425 degree F oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees F and bake another 15 minutes.
Sprinkle on streusel mixture and then sprinkle on 1 tablespoon cinnamon all over top. Bake for another 10 minutes. Let cool on wire rack and then refrigerate.
Serve cold with whipped topping. Keep refrigerated.
BROWN SUGAR PECAN STREUSEL TOPPING
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cold butter or margarine
1/4 cup chopped nuts
Mix brown sugar and flour together in a bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in nuts.
