What's on the menu for Turkey Day!

 I can't believe it is Thanksgiving week!  

I feel like November just flew on by!   

Thanksgiving dinner is always enjoyed at parents or siblings house on Tracy's side of the family.  However, I like to always do our own Thanksgiving dinner for just the four of us the weekend before Thanksgiving, usually because I have a turkey in the freezer from last year, that I need to get cooked up so I can purchase more turkey that is on sale.

I thought I would share our recipes that we make up for Thanksgiving dinner...

here are recipes that I use for 

Classic Stuffing, Baked Yams, Cranberry Relish,

California Fruit Salad and Lion House Rolls,

(PLUS, links to my pie recipes)

Classic Bread Stuffing!

Classic Stuffing...very moist and delicious

(This is my moms recipe from her Grandma Ussing...the only change I have added is the dried cherries and walnuts and I cut the butter down by half)

1 loaf of French Bread, sliced, cut into cubes and let sit 1-2 days 

(here for my French Bread recipe)

After bread crumbs have dried

(season bread crumbs well with)
2 heaping Tbsp. of Sage

1 heaping Tbsp. Poultry Seasoning

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

Cook 1 cup of rice in 2 cups of boiling water 20-30 minutes until tender

Sautee together until very tender

2 Tbsp. butter

1-2 onions finely chopped

4 stalks chopped celery

  

In large metal bowl pour the cooked onions/celery over the seasoned bread crumbs

Add rice and stir well

(optional... we add in 1 cup dried cherries and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts)

Then add 3-4 cups chicken broth (start with 3 cups and if it seems like it needs more, add more in 1/4 cup at a time)

Put in greased casserole dish

Pour 2 Tbsp. melted butter over the top    

Cover and bake at 350 for about 60-75 minutes 

Enjoy!

California Fruit Salad!

California Fruit Salad
(this is Tracy's moms recipe)
2 cups miniature marshmallows (colored OR plain)
1 can pineapple chunks
1 cup FRESH orange sections (or you can use 1 can mandarin oranges)
1 pomegranate peeled and seeded (the pomegranate makes it so yummy!)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup coconut
(chopped nuts optional)  

Mix all ingredients together—let chill for at least 1 hour.  Enjoy!  

(this is a Smith Family Turkey-day tradition)  

Fresh Cranberry Relish

Fresh Cranberry Relish

(from the back of the cranberry bag)

1 (12 oz) bag fresh cranberries

1 orange, peeled and sliced

blend together and then add in

3/4 cup sugar

Blend again

Chill until ready to serve.

This is SO yummy served on top of Turkey

Leftovers are also yummy served with cream cheese and crackers.

Baked Yams!

Baked Yams

1-2 large sweet potatoes peeled and chopped

3 apples peeled, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 heaping Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp. butter

(sprinkle on about 1/4 cup water)

Cover with foil and bake at 350 about 1 hour until tender.

Lion House Rolls!

Lion House Rolls
Ingredients:
2 cups HOT tap water 
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder (instant)
2 Tbsp dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter melted
1 egg
5-5 1/2 cups flour (unbleached flour)

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the water and the milk powder and stir so the milk dissolves.
Add the yeast to this mixture then the sugar, salt, butter, egg and 2 cups of the flour.
Mix on low speed of mixer until ingredients are wet, then turn to medium speed and mix for 2 minutes.
Stop the mixer and add 2 more cups of flour then mix on low speed until the ingredients are wet, then turn mixer on medium speed and mix for 2 minutes.
Add in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until you get a nice soft dough...The dough should be soft, not overly sticky, and not stiff.
Put the dough in a large metal bowl with 1 tbsp of olive oil and coat the dough well. (This helps prevent the dough from drying out.)
Cover bowl and allow to rise in a warm place until double in size. 

Sprinkle a cutting board or counter with flour and put the dough on the flour. It is now ready to roll out and cut into desired shape and size of rolls.
Place on greased baking pans. Let rise in a warm place until the rolls are double in size (approx. 1- hour)
Bake in a 375-degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until they are browned to your satisfaction.
Brush with melted butter while hot.

These are melt in your mouth, delicious!!

*****************
NOTE:
1/3 cup of butter is 6 Tbsp and so if you cut off the 6 Tbsp.
and set aside the remaining 2 Tbsp.
I use these 2 Tbsp. to melt and brush on the rolls
after you pull them out of the oven
and that way you only use 1 cube of butter to make the rolls
*****************  

The Desserts!

(Links to dessert recipes!)
Pumpkin Pecan Bars

Coconut Cream Pie

Pecan Pie Bars

Lemon Meringue Pie

Apple Pie

Happy a happy week, full of MUCH 

Thanksgiving and gratitude in your heart 

for all of the many things we are so abundantly blessed with!