*** Thanksgiving Recipes ***

[ColbertWatcher]

These are the recipes from a previous thread (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=8243304&mesg_id=8243304)

Please add your own in reply to the appropriate reply below.

Enjoy.

Please note: you are now in the Cooking & Baking forum, if you have any questions or if you need advice, post it in this forum, they're here to help.

[ColbertWatcher]

1. *** MAIN COURSES ***

Emeril's Fried Turkey Recipe

WARNING DUer spindrifter reminds you to cook this recipe outside and please see DUer Trajan's detailed warning in reply to this post.

recipe posted by DUer Just A Yeller Dawg

Ingredients

# 2 8-14 lb turkeys
# 10 gallons peanut oil
# 1 cup salt
# 1/2 tbsp cayenne
# 1/4 tbsp black pepper


Emeril's Cajun Marinade

# 2 tablespoon Lea & Perrins worcestershire
# 1 tablespoon crab boil
# 1/4 cup apple cider
# 3/4 cup honey
# 1 bottled beer
# 1 tablespoon salt
# 1 tablespoon allspice
# 1/2 cup essence or Creole spice
# 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
# pinch of clove


Equipment

# 40-60 quart pot with basket, burner and propane tank
# candy thermometer to measure heat oil
# meat thermometer to test turkey doneness
# safety goggles
# fire-safe gloves and pot holders
# fire extinguisher
# seasoning injector


Directions

1. Season and cure the turkey with salt, pepper and cayenne. Rub seasoning on skin and let sit overnight.

2. In a blender, add all the wet ingredients and then the dry ingredients to make the marinade. Puree on high for 4-6 minutes. Make sure all ingredients are completely pureed and add to an injector.

Deep-Fried Cajun Turkey
3. Heat oil to 350 degrees F. Depending on the amount of oil used, this usually takes between 45 minutes and one hour. (To determine the correct amount of oil, place the turkey in the basket and place in the pot. Add water until it reaches 1 to 2 inches above the turkey. Remove the turkey and note the water level, using a ruler to measure the distance from the top of the pot to the surface of the water. Pour out water and dry the pot thoroughly. Be sure to measure for oil before breading or marinating the turkey.)

4. While the oil is heating, prepare the turkey as desired.

Deep-Fried Cajun Turkey
5. Once the oil has come to temperature, place the turkey in the basket and slowly lower into the pot. Whole turkeys require approximately 3 minutes per pound to cook. Remove turkey and check internal temperature with meat thermometer. The temperature should reach 170 degrees F in the breast and 180 degrees F in the thigh. Turkey parts such as breast, wings and thighs require approximately 4 to 5 minutes per pound to come to temperature.

grilled Cuban chicken breasts

WARNING DUer soothsayer reminds you to boil the hell out of that leftover marinade if it's had raw chicken in it

recipe posted by DUer Sarah Ibarruri

If there are few of you for Thanksgiving, so you don't want to make a turkey, but you want something REALLY DELICIOUS, make a Cuban-style chicken.

Recipe:

Lightly mash all of this together:

1/3 cup olive oil
6 to 8 cloves garlic minced or sliced
2/3 cup lime juice
(or equal amounts of orange and lime juice)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Pour the mix into a gallon-sized zipper Baggy along with boneless,
skinless chicken breasts and mix so the breasts are covered, seal and
refrigerate at least 4 hours (overnight is best).

Remove the breasts from the marinade (don't throw out the marinade)
and grill chicken breasts on high, about 4 to 6 minutes until well browned,
then turn and do the same on the other side.

You can use what's left of the marinade if you add some more oil to it, as a sauce.

Serve with black beans and rice. (You can use black beans from a can if you add sauteed onion and garlic, salt and pepper).

Turkey rub

posted by

Equal amounts:

Thyme
Lemon Pepper
Season-All

[Trajan]

8. Heed this WARNING for Deep Frying Turkeys

SO many unfortunate accidents with these rigs ....

1) Place the cooker WELL AWAY from your HOUSE, OUTBUILDING, PATIO COVER, WOOD DECK, TREES - WHATEVER might carry flames towards places of habitation if there is an accident ..... TOO MANY have made a mistake with these things ... Make sure it is on stable ground, preferably in a yard well away from flammables and people (Dont let kids or idiotic/drunken adults near it)

2) Do NOT overfill the pot ..... If it overflows, the oil will instantly catch fire ... If the cook or any helpers have any oil or other flammables on their person, THEY can catch fire .... DO NOT OVERFILL THE POT ....

3) Do NOT use a frozen bird .... It will cause an explosive reaction ... ONLY a fully thawed bird ...

4) Keep EVERYONE away when the turkey is put into the pot ... This is the time when bad things happen ....

Take the utmost care when using these cookers to avoid dreadful accidents ....

These things are dangerous .... Consider this my recipe for safety ...

[ColbertWatcher]

9. Thank you for adding this more detailed warning. n/t

[tigereye]

20. my in-laws are making a turducken outside ( I think)

I'm assuming they will be very careful - and the fire station isn't too far away.


I'm not trying to make light of this, I know it's rather risky if you don't know what you are doing.


Thanks for the safety tips!

[Trajan]

27. The hardest thing about Turkducken ....

First having the duck scarf the chicken, and then having the Turkey eat the Ducken soon after ...

Its difficult to get the timing down ....

:9

[ColbertWatcher]

11. credit added for turkey rub

Turkey rub

posted by DUer Hissyspit

Equal amounts:

Thyme
Lemon Pepper
Season-All

[HCE SuiGeneris]

19. WARNING -- On the Cuban Chicken Breasts! Be sure to boil the marinade prior to using as sauce.

Lots of salmonella in uncooked poultry juices.

[ColbertWatcher]

2. *** BEVERAGES ***

Hot Buttered Cider

posted by DUer honkydonkey

HOT BUTTERED CIDER

8 cups cider
1 orange, thinly sliced
1/2 cup honey
8 cinnamon sticks and 16 whole cloves
1 1/2 cups dark rum
8 pats unsalted butter

In a saucepan, heat cider, orange, honey, and whole spices until bubbly. Simmer, but do not boil for 10 minutes. Pour cider into warm heat-proof mugs, adding a cinnamon stick for each serving. Add rum to each mug, as desired, and top with a pat of room temperature butter. Stir until butter is melted; serve hot.

[ColbertWatcher]

3. *** STUFFING ***

Grammy's Maine Stuffing

posted by DUer jpak

**The Best**

Stuffing for 13 lb turkey

3 loaves stuffing bread (not Wonderbread or anything like it, Canadian White is OK)

3 sticks of real butter

4 cups wilted onions (chop onions, place in colander, pour pot of boiling water over them, wait until they are soft but still warm)

salt and pepper

3/4 box Bell’s Poultry Seasoning

Rip bread into small pieces
chop softened butter into small pieces.
place in bowl and work *warm* wilted onions and spices into mixture *by hand* until it's a uniformly mixed and dough-like
stuff turkey fore and aft
skewer bird shut

nxylas' yiaia's (grandmother's) Greek stuffing recipe

posted by DUer nxylas

As passed down to me by my mum.

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 cup long grain rice
1 medium onion
½ cup butter or oil
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp tomato puree
3 cups turkey broth
1 minced chicken liver (or the liver from the turkey if you buy one with giblets included)
salt, pepper and mint to taste

Fry the onion in the butter or oil in a saucepan until soft. Add the meat and liver and simmer for a few minutes (Greek recipes aren't real big on specifics!). Add all the other ingredients except the rice. Bring to the boil and add the rice. Cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes. The rice will continue cooking inside the roasting turkey, so 10 minutes is enough.

Edit: quantities are for a 12-14lb turkey, so adjust accordingly for a larger or smaller bird.

Tuscan Chestnut-Fig Dressing

posted by DUer Hans Delbrook

4 tablespoons olive oil
6 ounces pancetta, cut into small dice
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 large leeks, finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
½ bulb fennel, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
½ cup (or more) mixture of chopped fresh herbs: rosemary, basil, parsley, tarragon
~15 ounces roasted peeled whole chestnuts, coarsely broken
½ cup dried figs, stemmed and quartered
1 pound day-old ciabatta bread, torn into 1-inch cubes
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
1 cup (or more) chicken broth
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 large eggs, beaten to blend

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Oil a large baking dish.

Heat olive oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and sauté until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a very large bowl. Add the onions, leeks, celery, fennel and garlic (and more olive oil if necessary.) Sauté until the vegetable mixture is very tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer the onion mixture to the large bowl with the pancetta. Add the bread and Parmesan and toss to coat. Gently stir in the chestnuts, figs and herbs. Add enough broth to the stuffing mixture to moisten. Season the stuffing, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mix in the eggs.

Transfer the dressing to the prepared dish. Cover with foil (spray underside of foil w/ non-stick cooking spray) and bake until the stuffing is heated through, about ~30 - 45 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the top is crisp and golden, about 15 minutes more.

PS I agree w/ Alton Brown - don't stuff your turkey - cook it "on the side."

cranberry apple stuffing

posted by DUer OutspokenLiberal

1 bag Arnold seasoned stuffing mix
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups water
1 bag of cranberries
2 apples (i personally like to use two different kinds)

Place stuffing in a casserole dish or an oven safe bowl.
Chop cranberries and apples (I use the food processor for like 3 seconds)
Boil water and butter together. I use unsalted butter because the stuffing seasoning is salty enough.

When the butter is melted, mix all together and either stuff a bird with it or bake it.

harmonicon's grandma's stuffing

posted by DUer harmonicon

1 loaf of white bread
1 stick butter
1 white onion
1 stick of celery
celery salt
salt & pepper
poultry seasoning
1 can of campbell's cream of mushroom soup

you melt the butter and saute the chopped onions and celery in that, then add the spices to taste

after the loaf of bread is cut into small (less than 1 inch) squares, coat it with the buttery goo

then, mix in the can of cream of mushroom soup

Now, you can stuff it into a bird, or, what my mom does that I like, is to cover some pan-fried chicken with it, once the chicken has been turned over once - that cooks the stuffing. I've also just made the stuffing and then put it into the oven in a pan. It's really good.

Jamastiene's Dearly Departed Grandmother's Turkey Dressing Recipe

posted by DUer Jamastiene

1 cup of bread crumbs

2 eggs

1 cup of unpopped popcorn

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of pepper

1 teaspoon of sage

4 onions, chopped

1 cup of water


Roast at 325 ° F. Dressing is done when the popcorn blows the ass off the turkey.

[Lochloosa]

28. What! No oyster dressing?

Oyster Dressing


1 cup butter

2 cups chopped celery

1 cup chopped sweet yellow onion

1 teaspoon leaf sage, crumbled

1 teaspoon thyme leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 pint oysters, drained and chopped

1 cup chicken or turkey broth, more or less

2 medium eggs, beaten

1 pound loaf whole grain bread, cubed (2 days old)



Preheat oven to 325-degrees. Coat an 15 x 11 x 2-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté celery and onion till tender. Stir in broth, seasoning, eggs and oysters. Remove from heat. Place bread cubes in a large bowl. Pour oyster mixture over and mix to coat. Transfer mixture to the prepared baking pan. Cover with foil and bake for 2 hours. Remove foil the last 30 minutes of baking time for the surface to crisp.

Yield: 12 servings.

[ColbertWatcher]

4. *** SIDE DISHES ***

jpak's mom's Broccoli, Onion and Cheese Casserole

posted by DUer jpak

3-4 boxes frozen broccoli cooked 4 minutes (don’t overcook). Drain well

36 boiling onions, boil until fork tender. Drain well.

Alternate broccoli and onions in 13 x 9 casserole dish with broccoli crowns “down”.

Cheese Sauce

2 cups milk
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons Wonder Flour
Wisk until smooth
Cook over medium heat until bubbling
Add 24 slices Kraft American Cheese one at a time
Stir until cheese is melted

Pour cheese sauce over broccoli and onions
Sprinkle with paprika
Bake at 350 degree until bubbly - its done when a fork placed in center is hot enough to “burn your arm” :D
Sauce can be made and frozen ahead and heated in microwave
Casserole cannot be frozen

Wicked good

Cranberry Orange Relish

posted by DUer jpak

4 cups cranberries (finely chopped - but no pureed - in food chopper)

1 large orange (peel and pulp: finely chopped - but not pureed - in food chopper )

2 cups sugar

mix ingredients

refrigerate

(my favorite - yum)

mac and cheese

posted by DUer rocknation

1 1-lb. box elbow macaroni
8-10 oz. Sharp cheddar cheese
8-10 oz. Extra Sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup flour
Paprika, basil (or oregano) to garnish

Grate cheeses while pot of water for macaroni is boiling. Mix lightly. Put aside a spoonful for garnishing on top.
Rub a little butter inside the casserole dish.

Once the water is boiling and you‚ve added the macaroni, put the flour and butter in a separate pot. Stir together under medium heat as butter melts. Slowly add milk, stirring until well blended and mixture thickens a little.
Reduce heat. Add cheeses about half a cup at a time, stirring constantly. Stir until cheese dissolves and sauce has a medium thick consistency.

If macaroni is not done, sit pot on top of a larger part of heating water or bottom of a double boiler. Drain macaroni.
In casserole dish, add about a quarter of the cheese sauce, then add enough macaroni to coat it. Repeat until casserole dish is almost full.

Sprinkle spoonful of grated cheese on top. Sprinkle Paprika, basil and oregano.

Bake in 350-degree for 30-40 minutes until cheese sauce forms bubbles. Serves 6-8.

Wayne Hills High School Macaroni and Cheese

posted by DUer LiberalEsto

I tried to make this taste as much as possible like the wonderful macaroni and cheese with stewed tomatoes from my old high school cafeteria back in the 1960s.

Wayne Hills High School Macaroni and Cheese

16 oz. dry elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons white flour
1½ cups milk or skim milk
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp celery seed or celery salt
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
½ cup breadcrumbs, plain or Italian seasoned.
Olive oil cooking spray

Cook a package of elbow macaroni according to directions. – do not overcook. Meanwhile spray a casserole dish with olive oil cooking spray. Add the macaroni when it is cooked and drained.
While the macaroni cooks, slowly melt 4 tablespoons butter in a saucepan and remove from heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons of white flour until thoroughly blended. Then gradually stir in 1½ cups of milk, stirring with a whisk until the mixture is blended and free of lumps. Add salt and a dash or two of paprika and celery salt or celery seed. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until the milk mixture thickens. Remove from heat and pour over the cooked macaroni.
Stir in 2 cups of grated cheddar.
Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top and spray lightly with the cooking spray.
Bake 35-40 minutes at 350.
Top each serving with stewed tomatoes.

Stewed tomatoes

2 15-ounce cans stewed tomatoes
2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch
1 can water
½ can water

Pour the tomatoes and liquid in a pot and add a can of water. If you want, cut the tomato slices into quarters. Heat slowly.
Meanwhile, stir 1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch in about 1/2 can of water until dissolved. When the tomatoes begin to simmer, add the water-cornstarch mixture and cook until the liquid is thickened.

Pear Honey Cranberry Sauce

posted by DUer foxglove1

This freezes VERY well

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
2 pears - peeled, cored and diced
1 (12 ounce) package fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

In a medium saucepan, stir together the water and sugar over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Stir in pears, and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring frequently for 3 minutes, then stir in cranberries and honey. Continue to cook until cranberries pop and the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Cool to room temperature, then store covered in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Cranberry-Orange Relish #2

posted by DUer Hissyspit

I bag of fresh cranberries - grind in a food processor
1 orange - cut into eight sections and grind into the cranberries
about a cup of pecans or walnuts - grind into cranberry and orange
add sugar to taste 1/2 cup or more

No Canned Soup Green Bean Casserole

posted by DUer grannylib

This is a from-scratch version (except for the french fried onions!) of the popular green bean casserole, but with NO canned soup in it.
If you can get fresh green beans, do! If not, use french cut beans, frozen, thawed and drained. 2 bags will fill a 9x13 casserole dish.

I use fresh button mushrooms (one container) and one small onion and 2-3 cloves minced garlic; coarsely chop the mushrooms, dice the onions, and saute in butter over medium heat until the onions are clear. Remove from pan and make the sauce.

Sauce: make a roux using 3 T. butter and 3 T. flour; cook over medium heat until nicely colored, so you don't get that icky raw flour taste. Then I blend a cup of cream or half and half with 2 cups of the water in which I've been simmering the turkey giblets and whisk that into the roux (whisk like MAD so it doesn't get lumpy!) I add fresh ground black pepper, along with the mushrooms and the onions and the garlic to the sauce. Pour over the green beans. Bake at 325 for about 25-30 minutes or until bubbly; add the french fried onions to the top for the last 10 minutes so they stay crunchy.

French Fried Onions, From Alton Brown's recipe for green bean casserole recipe.
posted by DUer rebel with a cause

For the topping:
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Nonstick cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
Combine the onions, flour, panko and salt in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Coat a sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray and evenly spread the onions on the pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes. Toss the onions 2 to 3 times during cooking. Once done, remove from the oven and set aside until ready to use.

CORN PUDDING

posted by DUer Inspired

4 cups of corn...thawed. Approx. 19 ounces of frozen corn equals 4 cups.
4 eggs
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup whole milk
6 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter at room temperature
2 Tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients in food processor or blender.
Pour in buttered 8x8 baking dish.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.

I usually double the above recipe and serve in a 9x13 baking dish. It might take a little longer than 45 minutes if doubled so you will want to watch it and remove from oven when the center appears to be set.

Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish

posted by DUer crispini

Weird, but good. I make it every year

Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish

2 cups whole raw cranberries, washed

1 small onion

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons horseradish from a jar ("red is a bit milder than white")

Grind the raw berries and onion together. ("I use an old-fashioned meat grinder," says Stamberg. "I'm sure there's a setting on the food processor that will give you a chunky grind -- not a puree.")

Add everything else and mix.

Put in a plastic container and freeze.

Early Thanksgiving morning, move it from freezer to refrigerator compartment to thaw. ("It should still have some little icy slivers left.")

The relish will be thick, creamy, and shocking pink. ("OK, Pepto Bismol pink. It has a tangy taste that cuts through and perks up the turkey and gravy. It’s also good on next-day turkey sandwiches, and with roast beef.")

Makes 1-1/2 pints.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=844268

sweet potatoes

posted by DUer GoddessOfGuinness

Par-boil your sweet potatoes and remove the skins, then cut them into rounds and place them in a glass baking dish. Sprinkle with pecan pieces and pour enough apple cider in to cover the bottom of the dish. Drizzle with real maple syrup (the thin kind), cover, and bake 30 minutes at 325.

Cranberry Sauce w/caramelized Onion

posted by DUer peacefreak

2 T. butter
3 med red onions, sliced very thin (about 1 lb.)
1 bag fresh cranberries (3 cups)
1 cup water
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 T. balsamic vinegar
dash of salt

Melt butter in med skillet & saute onions until quite Bowen & tender--about 10 minutes
Add to medium sauce pan with cranberries & rest of ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat & simmer uncovered until cranberries ~pop~ & mixture thickens. Stir occasionally.

Nice with pork also.

Basic cranberry sauce

posted by DUer Bertha Venation

1 c water
1/4 c orange juice
1 c sugar
1 bag cranberries

Bring to a boil, then cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens. Allow to cool for a few hours in the fridge before serving.

Basic cranberry sauce with a twist

posted by DUer surrealAmerican

The great thing about a nice, basic recipe like this ...

... is how you can customize it. I make my cranberry sauce like this except:
1. I substitute frozen concentrated apple juice for the water and sugar.
2. I add julienned orange and lemon zest.
3. I also add quantities of ginger, cinnamon, and allspice.
4. I quadruple the recipe.(we like to have plenty of this stuff on hand.)

This can also be canned for use all winter long.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Topping

posted by DUer oktoberain

This is one of our absolute must-have family dishes, and I am the one who always makes it now that Grandma's rheumatoid arthritis keeps her from doing it herself. I don't use a set "recipe," so bear with me while I try and estimate amounts. :)

Oktoberain's Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Topping

Filling Ingredients:
Roughly 3 1/2 cups of warm (not hot) cooked, well-mashed sweet potatoes
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons melted real butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup white table sugar
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Topping:
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 stick melted real butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sifted flour

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, use a mixer to blend together the first eight ingredients on
the top list--everything but the whipping cream. Let it blend until everything is well
whipped and smooth. Pour in the whipping cream, mix until smooth and light.

Lightly spray a 13x9 inch glass or ceramic baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Pour the sweet potato mixture in, and use a rubber spatula to smooth it, level it,
and get rid of any air pockets. Set aside for a bit.

For the topping: in a medium-sized bowl, mix together the hot, melted butter and the salt.
Stir in the brown sugar and stir until blended, then add the nuts and flour. The end result
should be moist and crumbly. Spread it on top of the sweet potato mixture evenly, from the
middle outward. Cover the baking dish in aluminum foil, and bake at 350 degrees for
roughly 30-35 minutes.

Remove foil covering, return to oven and bake another 10 minutes. Let cool a bit, then
serve with a dollop of sweet whipped cream, or even with vanilla ice cream if you like that.

Peas

posted by DUer Ohio Joe

I love the green giant early peas.

Strain them into a pot, add your favorite cream soup (I like cream of asparagus but almost anything goes). Add cooked, wicked crispy bacon (crumbled up). Heat, put into a corning ware dish, put bread crumbs on top and bake for ten or fifteen minutes. mmmmmm, peas

Pearl Onion Casserole

posted by DUer Oregonian

The classic preparation with the white sauce is my favorite:

* 2 lb white pearl onions, left unpeeled
* 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 1 cup milk or cream
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Put onions and 1 teaspoon salt in same pot and add fresh water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until onions are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well in colander, let cool, and pop onions out of their skins. Discard skins.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 1- to 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add milk or cream in a stream, whisking, and bring to a simmer, whisking. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Stir in pepper, nutmeg (if desired), and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pour sauce over onions.

Squash Casserole

posted by DUer yellowdogintexas

It is really easy and very good.


thinly slice 2 pounds of summer squash
and a small onion
crush a couple cloves of garlic
combine in a saucepan w/ just enough water to cover and bring to boil, then simmer about 10 minutes. Drain and mash with potato masher.

Grease a 3 quart casserole.

combine the squash with 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 1/2 stick of butter,
1/4 cup of milk and crushed saltines (about half a stack)

Pour all into the casserole, bake @ 350 until puffed and golden.

Candied Sweet Potatoes

posted by DUer WakeMeUp

Recipe from my PA Dutch husband's Aunt (RIP, snif)

Two large cans sweet potatoes, with juice
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup dark molasses

Lightly saute all in pan for about 30 minutes, don't overcook. Easy and heavenly!

Now, to get her Sweet Potato Bread recipe out of me you will have to make me an astouding offer

[ColbertWatcher]

10. DUer mb7588a's Squash Soup

Squash Soup

posted by DUer mb7588a

I can't post in the group forum because I am not a donor (poor grad student, sigh), but here is my very favorite squash soup recipe. I made it last night for a pre-Thanksgiving potluck that included many picky eaters. They all enjoyed it. It has that perfect spicy that burns that back of your throat rather than the tip of your tongue - good chili does the same thing. The ancho chili powder and cayenne is key for this effect.

1 large butternut squash
1 large acorn squash
1 medium sweet onion
1 T olive oil
2 T butter
3 T brown sugar
1 T maple syrup
3/4 C orange juice
1/4 C apple juice
1 T black pepper
1/2 t cayenne pepper (careful!)
1/2 t ancho chili powder
1/2 t red chili powder
1/2 t curry powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel and cut both squashes in half. Remove the webbing inside, but set the seeds aside in a bowl of warm water after rinsing and removing any remaining squash bits. Chop squash into 1" chunks and place in a large stock pot. Pour water over until all the squash is covered and bring to a boil.

While the squash boils, caramelize the onion in a nonstick pan using the olive oil and butter.

Spray cooking oil/spray (I prefer olive oil.) on a baking sheet. Dry the seeds in a towel and place on the sheet in a short pile. Spray the seeds with the oil/spray also. Stir the seeds on the sheet so all are coated with the oil/spray. Sprinkle the seeds with garlic powder, salt, pepper and red chili powder. Stir again and shuffle into a thin layer on the sheet. Place in oven, stir every 5 minutes. Remove the seeds when they start to pop or have turned slightly more than golden brown and are quite crispy.

When the squash easily falls apart but has not pulverized (approx. 25 minutes?), use a slotted spoon, place squash chunks into a blender. Ladle the boiling water over the top until squash is covered in the blender. Blend until smooth on lowest blender setting. (May have to repeat several times depending on the size of your blender.) On the final blend, add the onions to the blender and blend with the squash and boiling water.

You should have some boiling water left over, set that aside in case you want to add it to the soup later.

Combine the blended mixture back into the stock pot and add the brown sugar, maple syrup, orange and apple juices and the spices. Do the cayenne pepper last and only do a little bit at a time and taste while doing it so you won't be killing your guests. Simmer the soup for 30 minutes before serving.

I like to serve it with a condiment selection that the guests can put on top: the seeds (Try it! It adds a great smokey flavor!), cranberry sauce, plain nonfat yogurt, chopped smoked sandwich turkey.

Enjoy

[yellerpup]

30. Sweet Potato-Coconut Puree

I just tried a very easy one out of the current "Gourmet" magazine. I have found that their best recipes have five ingredients or less.

This is a variation (in size, I didn't actually measure anything)

4 large sweet potatoes - baked (in foil) until the skins turn syrupy and can be peeled easily away from the flesh
1/4 C. or so of raw dried cane sugar (although any light brown sugar would be good)
1 Cup well-shaken canned coconut milk (About half a can)

Peel warm potatoes, add sugar and coconut milk then puree by your favorite method.

Simple as can be, but really delicious.

I had some large-flake, unsweeteded coconut shavings leftover from a cupcake making spree so I toasted the shavings lightly and plan to use them as a crunchy garnish after I heat up the puree in a microwave for a few minutes.


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! :loveya:

[ColbertWatcher]

5. *** DESSERTS ***

Cranberry Ice

posted by DUer jpak

THE after-dessert dessert (when you are completely stuffed) and wicked good....

Cranberry Ice

1 pound cranberries

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

2 cups cold water

Cook cranberries in 2 cups water for 10 minutes until skins break.
Rub berries through sieve to make smooth pulp
Stir in sugar, lemon juice and orange peel
Stir in 2 cups cold water
Pour into baking dish 8x8x2
Freeze
Scoop out to serve

Cherry Cream Pie

posted by

Believe it or not there are people out there who don't like pumpkin pie, so I always make Cherry Cream Pie, very easy.

1 graham cracker pie crust,
1 can cherry pie filling,
1 box instant french vanilla pudding.

Open and rinse most of the gel off the cherries, make instant pudding according to directions on box for pie, mix in cherries, refrigerate till set.

My m-i-l puts meringue on top but I'm not a meringue person so I don't. Really easy, really good!

Auburn Southern Pecan Pie

posted by DUer csziggy

1 9 inch deep dish pie crust
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup corn syrup (light or dark)
2 Tbspns margarine or butter, melted
1/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsps vanilla
1-1/4 cups pecans

Preheat oven to 375 F. Stir eggs, sugar, corn syrup, margarine, and vanilla together until blended. Stir in pecans and pour into pie crust. Bake 50 to 55 minutes until knife inserted into filling comes out clean. Cool thoroughly on wire rack. Serves 8 (or more - some like very thin slices).

Originally from the Auburn Cookbook with modifications from Karo brand corn syrup and my own touches. This is always required for me to bring to all family holiday meals.

Auburn Sweetpotato Pie

posted by DUer csziggy

the Auburn Cookbook

It is a great little cookbook from the Auburn University Cooperative Extension Service. I don't know if it is still in print but if you can get a copy it is great. My copy cost 50 cents - now it would cost more than that to mail it!

Here is their version:

Sweetpotato Pie
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 t. salt
1/8 t. nutmeg
1 t. cinnamon
1 c. milk
2 T. butter
1-1/2 c. cooked mashed sweetpotato
1 unbaked pie shell

Beat eggs slightly; add sugar, salt, spices, and milk. Add butter to mashed sweetpotato and blend with milk and egg mixture. Pour into unbaked pie shell and bake in hot oven (450 F) for 10 minutes; erduce temperature to 375 F and bake 35 to 40 minutes longer. Makes 1 8- or 9-inch pie.

Just checked - Auburn Cookbook is available in a new, improved version:
http://www.aces.edu/dept/extcomm/newspaper/dec9b02.html

Blethen House Molasses Cookies

posted by DUer jpak

(this is an old old Maine logger camp recipe)

1.5 cups shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
4 cups flour
6 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons cinnamon'
1 teaspoon ginger

Mix ingredients
Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on cookie sheet
Bake at 350 degrees until firm in middle (watch like hawk so not to burn).

Wicked wicked good

list of Sweet potato pie recipes

posted a list of sweet potatoe pie recipes

http://southernfood.about.com/od/sweetpotatodess/r/?once=true&

Easy banana cream pie

posted by DUer sgcase

I ready made pie crust

1 box cook and serve vanilla pudding

3 fairly ripe bananas

1 container cool whip (I use cool whip lite)


bake the pie crust and let it cool. Cook the pudding and let that cool. Pour cooled pudding into pie crust.

Layer sliced bananas on top of pudding and cover with enough whipped cream to cover the bananas.

let sit overnight for extra banana-ny goodness!

Double-layered pumpkin pie

posted by DUer Wednesdays


Once upon a time, our family was just about the only one around who made this, and we've made it every Thanksgiving since the mid-1980's. Then, with the rise of the Internet around 10 years ago, the idea caught fire and the recipe is now rather ubiquitous. Still, I'll post it here for the few who haven't seen it. Even after all these years, it's still my all-time favorite.


1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 cup plus 1 Tbsp. milk, divided
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) whipped topping, thawed, divided
1 Graham cracker pie crust (6 oz.)
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
2 pkgs. (3.4 oz. each) vanilla instant pudding
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Beat cream cheese, 1 Tbsp. milk and sugar in large bowl with whisk until blended. Stir in 1/2 of whipped topping. Spread into crust.

Whisk remaining milk, pumpkin, pudding mixes and spices 2 min. (Mixture will be thick.) Spread over cream cheese layer.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until set. Top with remaining whipped topping just before serving.

link for Chocolate and Pumpkin Cheesecake

DUer Paula Sims posted a link for a Chocolate and Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe

http://dessert-recipes.info/pumpkin/dark-chocolate-and-pumpkin-cheesecake.htm

BACARDI RUM CAKE

posted by DUer Inspired

1 cup chopped walnuts
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 pkg. vanilla instant pudding
4 eggs
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Bacardi Amber Rum (I also use Bacardi Gold Rum if I can't find Amber)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease and flour bundt pan.
Sprinkle nuts in bottom of bundt pan.
Combine above ingredients and blend well at medium mixer speed for 2 minutes.
Pour batter over nuts in bundt pan.
Bake 1 hour.
Cool and invert on plate.

Glaze for rum cake (this is the best part!)

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup rum

Melt butter in small sauce pan.
Stir in water and sugar.
Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, stirring to dissolve sugar.
Remove from heat and stir in rum.

Poke holes in cake with fork and brush glaze over entire cake. (Hint....I pour some of the glaze in the bundt pan and put the cake back in it to soak it up. This is tricky, and can be messy, so be careful!)

Serve with whipped cream. I always make my own because this cake is too special for anything else!

Beignet

posted by DUer Swamp Rat

Ingredients:

1 envelope active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (approx. 105°)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup evaporated milk
7 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup shortening, softened
oil for deep frying
powdered sugar

Preparation:

In large bowl, sprinkle yeast over the warm water; stir to dissolve and let stand for 5 minutes. Add sugar, salt, beaten eggs, and evaporated milk. Whisk or use electric mixer to blend thoroughly. Add 4 cups of the flour; beat until smooth. Add shortening; gradually blend in remaining flour. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 4 hours or overnight. Roll out on floured board to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 2 1/2 to 3-inch squares. Deep fry at 360° for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned on both sides. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar. Serve hot with coffee.
Dough can cut and frozen, separated in container with waxed paper.

Makes 4 to 5 dozen.

Sweet Potato Pie

posted by DUer rebel with a cause

3 eggs
2 3/4 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnimon
3/4 tsp ginger (optional)
1/2 tsp cloves (optional)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 1/4 cups evaporated milk

Line pie tin with prepared pie crust and flute edges. Beat the eggs with whip. Blend in remaining ingrediants. Pour into pastry shell. Sprinkle top with cinnamon. Bake at 425% aboout 15 minutes and reduce heat to 350% for another 50 minutes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Canned pumpkin can be used instead of sweet potatoes, but I like it better with the sweet potatoes.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

posted by DUer honkydonkey

Strawberry Pretzel Salad...
This recipe is a hit and I'm required to fix it every year now. I usually make more of the cream cheese filling than required.....


Ingredients
2 cups crushed pretzels
3/4 cup melted butter
3 tablespoons sugar, plus 3/4 cup sugar
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 (8-ounce) container whipped topping
2 (3-ounce) packages strawberry gelatin dessert mix
2 cups boiling water
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen strawberries
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple
Whipped topping or whipped cream, to garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

For the crust, mix the pretzels, butter, and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Press this mixture into a 9 by 13-inch pan and bake for 7 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and 3/4 cup of sugar. Fold in the whipped topping, and spread over the cooled crust. Refrigerate until well chilled.

In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water, and allow to cool slightly. Add the strawberries and pineapple, and pour over the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate until serving time.

To serve, cut slices and serve with a dollop of whipped topping

pumpkin cheesecake

posted by DUer Dr Fate

Follow a regular vanilla cheesecake recipe- except add a can of pumpkin pie MIX (not pumpkin in a can, but pumplin pie MIX (it looks like dark apple sauce)to the batter...

For the crust, mash up crushed ginger snaps, crushed pecans, a little pumpkin pie spice & butter into the pan....

When baking is over, brush the tops with maple syrup...

If you make it, you will be the hit of the evening...

There should be one in here that sounds easy enough for you:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=pumpkin+cheesecake&spell=1

[ColbertWatcher]

12. credit for Cherry Cream Pie

Cherry Cream Pie

posted by DUer madmom

Believe it or not there are people out there who don't like pumpkin pie, so I always make Cherry Cream Pie, very easy.

1 graham cracker pie crust,
1 can cherry pie filling,
1 box instant french vanilla pudding.

Open and rinse most of the gel off the cherries, make instant pudding according to directions on box for pie, mix in cherries, refrigerate till set.

My m-i-l puts meringue on top but I'm not a meringue person so I don't. Really easy, really good!

[ColbertWatcher]

24. Credit for list of Sweet potato pie recipes

list of Sweet potato pie recipes

DUer Libertyfirst posted a list of sweet potatoe pie recipes

http://southernfood.about.com/od/sweetpotatodess/r/?once=true&

[Cleita]

6. Thank you! This was a lot of work.n/t

[ColbertWatcher]

7. Yes it was, but worth it.

Many people added their favorite recipes and the thread deserves lots of attention.

[lavenderdiva]

13. kicking for ColbertWatcher-

Thank you for compiling these great recipes for us to enjoy! :hi:

[ColbertWatcher]

14. Thank you! It would be great if we could get this on the Greatest Page, too! n/t

[AwakeAtLast]

16. I just tried, to give it a Rec., the message that popped up says we can't

:shrug:

[ColbertWatcher]

17. Damn, oh well. It will be DU's little secret then! LOL! n/t

[BrklynLiberal]

15. Wow!! Thanks.....

[ColbertWatcher]

18. You're welcome. n/t

[tigereye]

22. wow. Great recipes! Thanks for compiling and posting! Copied a few.

That chocolate-pumpkin cheesecake sounds really wild! Some day if I feel really ambitious, I might try that one.

[ColbertWatcher]

23. They all sound amazing! n/t

[Breeze54]

21. It won't let me Recommend but I can still KICK this great and useful thread!

:bounce:

[Hekate]

25. Bookmarked, with gravy spatters on it

:9 :9 :9 :9 :9

Hekate

[Terran]

26. Wow, thank you!

I'm scouting for a dessert to make and that Rum Cake sounds great!

[ColbertWatcher]

29. Yes it does! I'm thinking of trying the Cranberry Ice! n/t