Complete Thanksgiving Meal

Here is a pic of Jeremy’s plate of all the Thanksgiving food, except dessert. As you can see I also made gravy,corn (canned) and deviled eggs (my secret recipe, sorry!).

Caramel Apple Pie

I also made this pie for Thanksgiving. This was the first pie I had ever made. The crust is super easy to make yet it tastes and looks like it took forever!  Im gonna be lazy though and just post the link to the recipe!

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1932620

Old Fashioned Chocolate Pie

The only kind of chocolate pie I had ever had was the kind made with pudding from a box. Homemade chocolate pudding has a much richer, more chocolatey flavor. This pie is SOO good. I didnt make the meringue for this because Jeremy doesnt like it.

http://www.mommyskitchen.net/2009/11/old-fashioned-chocolate-pie-for.html

Ingredients:

1 pillsbury pie crust

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

pinch of salt

1 heaping tbsp cocoa powder

2 cups milk

3 egg yolks

1 tbsp vanilla

2 tbsp butter

Bake crust as directed on package. Let cool.

In med-large saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cocoa together using wire whisk. Add milk. Over med heat, cook, stirring constantly until heated through. Temper in egg yolks.  Stir constantly until thick. Add in vanilla and butter. Let cool. Pour into crust.

Sweet Potato Casserole

This recipe is from combining several recipe that I found. It turned out very good and will definately be the one I use from now on. Its not overly sweet and the pumpkin pie spice really lets the sweet potato flavor shine through.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs sweet potato

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 cup half and half

 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

2 tbsp maple syrup

pinch of salt

1 cup mini marshmallows

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375. Line baking sheet with foil. Prick skin of the sweet potatoes with fork and roast for 1 hour. Peel and transfer to large bowl. Mash with potato masher. Add in everything except marshmallows and pecans. Stir to combine and pour potato mixture into baking dish. Bake 20 mins. Remove from oven and top with marshmallows and pecans. Bake additional 15 mins.

Cranberry Sauce

I have no clue where I found this recipe but I had written it down sometime last year. If this recipe belongs to you, let me know so I can credit you.  This is my go to cranberry sauce recipe. I really hate canned cranberry sauce because of the weird can shape lol It grosses me out so I started making my own. Who would’ve known it was so simple!

Ingredients:

1 bag cranberries

1 cup sugar

2 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1 cinnamon stick

2 tsp orange peel, grated

1/8 tsp ground cloves

pinch of salt

Directions:

Combine everything together in med saucepan. Cook on med heat for 10-15 mins until thickened and sugar is dissolved. Transfer to bowl to cool and remove cinnamon stick.

 

Yeast Rolls

I LOVE rolls but have never really tried making yeast rolls at home. I usually just buy those packages of frozen yeast rolls at the store! These are way better and worth every bit of effort it takes to make these. This recipe is from Katie Lee Joel’s cookbook, The Comfort Table.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup warm water

Two 1/4 oz packets of active dry yeast (41/2 tsp)

1 cup plus 1 tsp sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup canola oil

1 tbsp salt

1 cup cold water

1 cup boiling water

7-8 cups flour- I use self rising

Directions:

In small bowl, combine warm water with yeast and 1 tsp sugar. Set aside for 5 mins until mixture starts to bubble slightly.

In large bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, eggs, salt, and oil. Mix in cold water and then boiling water. Add yeast mixture and stir until combined. Slowly stir in 7 cups of flour, until incorporated.

Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Coat your hands with flour and knead dough 8-10 mins. If dough remains sticky, add up to 1 more cup of flour. When you’re done, dough should be stretchy like elastic. Put dough in clean large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours.

Punch down dough. Grease two 12 cup muffin pans. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Using knife, cut dough into 24 equal pieces. Divide each piece into three 1 inch balls. Place each set of 3 balls into one muffins tin. Loosely cover and allow rolls to rise for 3 hours at room temp.

Thirty mins before baking, preheat oven to 350. Bake 15 mins or until golden.

 

Broccoli Casserole

For the last few years broccoli casserole has been a holiday staple at my house. I use Paula Deens recipe. It turns out delicious every time!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/broccoli-casserole-recipe/index.html

Ingredients:

2 10 oz boxes chopped frozen broccoli, cooked and drained

1 cup mayo

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese- I always use Cabot 75% Fat Free block cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup

2 eggs, beaten

1 sleeve ritz crackers

2 tbsp butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 13×9 pan with nonstick spray.

Combine everything except crackers and butter together in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into baking dish. Top with crushed crackers and dot with butter. Bake 35 mins.

Cornbread Stuffing

Its not the holidays without stuffing. This is hands down my favorite stuffing recipe. It couldnt be easier to make.

Adapted from:http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/neelys/neelys-holiday-cornbread-stuffing-recipe/index.html

Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped

5 sprigs fresh thyme, minced

5 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced

8-10 sprigs fresh sage, minced

3 tbsp butter

1 bag cornbread stuffing mix ( I use Pepperidge Farm)

2-3 cups chicken or turkey broth, depending on how moist you like your stuffing

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.In large skillet, melt butter. Saute onion until soft. Add in herbs and cook about 2 mins. Pour stuffing mix into large bowl. Add in onion/herb mixture. Pour in broth until you reach desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.  Transfer stuffing to casserole dish and bake 20 mins.

 

Thanksgiving Turkey

I look forward to Thanksgiving every year simply for the turkey! I use a brining kit called Gourmet Gobbler kit that includes brine, brining bag, and herb seasoning.