Recipe(tried): Georgia Mountains Thanksgiving Dinner 2006

Hey Y'All,

I am posting my menu and recipes at this time as I am leaving on Friday and won't have access to a computer (must ask Santa for a laptop) unless I go the local library.

It's nice and nippy outdoors...just came in from taking pictures of the Cassia tree that has sprouted all these lovely buds that burst into butter- yellow petaled flowers! Here's a picture to enjoy this wonderful Fall morning! The thermometer on the shed reads about 53....

By mid-October, I was really looking forward to the Fall magazines and their recipes and pictures for this year's Thanksgiving. I found a shoebox in the garage and into it went any recipe or copy of a recipe for Thanksgiving. I got inspired by the many pretty pictures and recipes for new desserts, which is what I was looking for really since I love to put on a dessert buffet. It gives us all a chance to indulge in holiday sweets. I love displaying them in a fun and inviting way using holiday trinkets, glass cake stands and platters. The picture of the brownies mounded high up on a plate and covered by a glass dome in the Thanksgiving Entertaining by Williams-Sonoma looked really great! And, it will give me a great excuse to drag my glass cloches out this year...The Thanksgiving book by Williams-Sonoma is a must have...it is full of holiday recipes and incredible holiday pictures to die for!

Thanksgiving will be celebrated in Georgia this year and guests will be hungry in the morning, thus the breakfast menu and nibbles in the afternoon will surely keep them content until dinner is served around 5PM. I will enjoy the day before with Mama making all of the desserts and later on in the afternoon, a craft session with the grandchildren. We will be making Thanksgiving pinecone turkeys to put on the table. This will be a fun hands-on activity and make them feel included in the festivities. Later on we will rake leaves and jump in the piles!

This year let us give thanks for all the good things in our lives, the continued good health of family and friends, and a delicious meal shared with love!

Happy Thanksgiving! Gina

---

THANKSGIVING BREAKFAST & AFTERNOON NIBBLES:

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins
Pumpkin Spice Bread
Fresh Fruit Platter
Vegetable Fritatta
Applewood Crispy Bacon
Spiced Apple Cider
Roasted Spice Pecans
Baked Brie with Pistachios, Raspberry & Dried Fruits

---

THE RECIPES:

FRESH FRUIT PLATTER THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA COOKBOOK
Show: Barefoot Contessa
Episode: Good Home Cooking

Suggested list of ingredients:
2 small ripe melons
1 "golden" pineapple
2 bunches grapes
1 pint fresh figs
1 pint raspberries
1 pint strawberries
1 pint blueberries
1 red papaya

Ina says...
Begin the platter with a base of ripe, colorful, sliced melons and pineapple--for example, cantaloupe, honeydew, Galia, or Cavaillon melons, plus the new "golden" pineapples. Peel the outside of a whole melon, cut it in half through the stem end, and scoop out the seeds. Place the melon halves cut side down on a board, and slice them straight across into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Fan each half-melon out slightly and arrange it on the platter. Next, cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple, peel the outside, and use a sharp knife to remove the "eyes." Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise and remove the core by cutting a "V" down the center of each half. Again, place the pineapple halves, cut side down, on a board and slice them straight across into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Fan the slices out and arrange them next to the melon on the platter.

Once the base is set, you can add any kind of fruit that's available. Have one thing that is taller than the rest, such as a large bunch of grapes or a decoratively cut papaya, to give the platter height. Then add raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and fresh figs in casual but organized groups. The platter can look like a bowl of M&M's if there are too many colors scattered with no order. Visually, your eye needs to have a focal point and to be able to see each type of fruit. After all the fruit is arranged, add flat green leaves around the outside of the fruit, to set off the colors. Use lemon and galax leaves from your florist, or fig leaves and grape leaves from your garden. Make sure they are pesticide-free and well washed.

Any kind of fruit will work well on this platter. For special occasions, add persimmons, kiwi, passion fruit, Queen Anne cherries, fresh apricots, and mangos. Choose whatever is colorful and seasonal.

---

BLUEBERRY COFFEE CAKE MUFFINS
Barefoot Contessa Family Style
Show: Barefoot Contessa
Episode: Good Home Cooking

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 half-pints fresh blueberries, picked through for stems


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place 16 paper liners in muffin pans.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and milk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed. Fold in the blueberries with a spatula and be sure the batter is completely mixed.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup just over the top, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on top and a cake tester comes out clean.

---

VEGETABLE FRITATTA
Source: Real American Food by Michael and Jane Stern
Servings: 6-8

This is made in a springform pan, it rises nice and tall and is quite delicious!

1 cup sliced and halved zucchini
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped onions
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
6 eggs
1/4 cup cream
1 lb. cream cheese
2 cups cubed white bread, crusts removed
1 1/2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Saute zucchini, mushrooms, bell pepper, onion and garlic in oil til barely soft. Cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat eggs and cream together in a large bowl. Add cream cheese in pinches. Add bread, cheddar and cooled veggies. Add salt and pepper. Pour mixture into a well-buttered 10-inch springform pan. Bake 55 minutes. Let stand 10-15 minutes. before serving.

---

PUMPKIN SPICE BREAD
Source: Cottage Living Nov 2006
Makes 1 loaf

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 plus 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup plus 1 1/2 tbsp. canned unsweetened pumpkin
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour an 8 1/2-4 1/2-inch loaf pan. Sift together first 5 ingredients; stir in kosher salt.

Combine sugar, oil, and pumpkin in a large bowl; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add egg, beating until well blended. Gradually add dry ingredients, beating at low speed until blended. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour 5 minutes or until loaf is golden and a wooden pick inserted in middle comes out clean. Let cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ROASTED SPICE WALNUTS
Source: Thanksgiving Entertaining by Williams-Sonoma
Servings: 10-12

3 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 large egg white
2 tsp. grated orange zest
2 cups walnut halves (i use pecans)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly butter the foil.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and spices. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy. Add the sugar mixture and whisk to blend. Whisk in the zest. Add the nuts and blend thoroughly to coat the nuts. Spread the coated nuts on the pan and even out.

Bake, stirring every 10 minutes to loosen them, until golden. Bake for 30 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

---

BRIE WITH PISTACHIOS, RASPBERRY AND DRIED FRUITS AND NUTS
Source: Thanksgiving Entertaining Williams Sonoma
Servings: 10-12

1 round Brie cheese (1 lb)
2 tbsp. Curacao, Cointreau or any orange brandy
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
3 tbsp. dried cranberries or golden raisins
2 tbsp. raspberry jam (my addition)
3 tbsp. pistachios
toasted thin baguette slices or crackers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the cheese round on a rimmed baking dish. Prick the top with a fork a dozen times and drizzle with 1 1/2 tsp. of liqueur.

In a bowl, toss the remaining liqueur with the nuts and fruits. Spread the jam over the cheese and scatter the fruit and nuts on top. Bake until the cheese warms and softens 8-10 minutes. Using a wide spatula, transfer the round to a plate lined with lettuce leaves and surround with baguette slices and crackers.

---

THANKSGIVING MENU 2006

Herb Roasted Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy
Apple, Sausage and Pecan Stuffing
Yukon Mashers with Garlic Butter
Corn Pudding
Spinach & Leek Pudding
Green Peas
Sweet Potato Crunch

Cranberry Sauce
Mama's Slaw
Dinner Rolls/Butter

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
Pecan Crunch Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
Extra-Rich Sheet Brownies
Iced Tea
Coffee

THE RECIPES:

---

HERB ROASTED TURKEY WITH APPLE CIDER GRAVY

1 (10- to 12-pound) whole fresh turkey
1/2 cup melted butter
12 fresh sage leaves
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 c. chicken broth
2 cups apple juice
Turkey Gravy (Optional)

Rinse the inside of the turkey; pat dry with paper towels. Carefully use your hands to loosen the skin of the turkey at the breast. Gently arrange the sage and parsley leaves under the skin so that you can see them. Spoon stuffing into neck and body cavities. Pull neck skin to the back and use skewers or sew up. Twist foil around the wing tips. Close up the front cavity using skewers and stuff half an apple in opening. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Place turkey breast side up, on rack in a shallow roasting pan. Brush butter mixture on top and all over turkey. Cover loosely with foil. Pour apple juice and chicken broth in bottom of pan.

Roast turkey in a 325 degrees F oven for 3-4 hours. Baste every 1/2 hour. If using thermometer, the meat should register 180 and the stuffing inside should register 165. Take foil off turkey the last hour to brown and cover again if it gets too dark.

Remove turkey from pan, reserving pan drippings. Place turkey on a platter and cover; let it stand 15-25 minutes before cutting and taking stuffing out.

---

TURKEY GRAVY
MAKES: about 1 3/4 cups

Pan drippings
2 tablespoons flour

Pour pan drippings into a fat strainer; let stand until fat rises to top. Pour 1 3/4 cups turkey broth into a liquid measuring cup; reserve 2 tablespoons fat from drippings. Heat reserved fat in bottom of heavy-duty roasting pan. Whisk in flour, and cook 5 minutes, whisking to loosen particles from bottom of pan. Gradually whisk in reserved turkey broth, and cook, whisking constantly, 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Serve immediately with turkey.

---

SAUSAGE, APPLE AND PECAN STUFFING
Old family recipe of Gina Perez McClenning

This is our family favorite and it's incredible!

1 lb. Jimmy Dean Pork mild sausage
3 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped celery, including leaves
2 sticks (1 cup) butter
1 (14 oz.) bag plus 1 small bag Pepperidge Farm herb seasoned stuffing
3 red apples, washed, cored, and chopped
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped almonds or pecans or walnuts
2 packets G Washington's Seasonings
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups homemade turkey stock (recipe follows), divided use
salt and pepper to taste

Cook sausage in skillet till browned. Drain and set aside.

Saute onions and celery in butter till onions begin to golden.

In a large mixing bowl, add all the dry stuffing, the onions and celery, sausage, chopped apple, raisins, nuts, seasoning packets, and cinnamon; 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.

Put the stuffing in a casserole with foil over (refrigerate until ready to bake). Remove from refrigerator, let stand 15 minutes and then bake the last 45 minutes with the turkey or until heated through.

TO MAKE THE TURKEY STOCK:
I make turkey stock by putting the bagged contents that come inside the turkey in a pressure cooker, top with water, 1/2 and onion studded with 6 whole cloves, 2 garlic cloves, a sprig of parsley, 1 celery stalk cut in half, 1 bay leaf, salt and pepper. I pressure cook for about 45 minutes. I take out the turkey neck and pick off all the tender meat and place in a bowl. I then strain the broth. Discard everything else and use the stock and turkey meat to add to the stuffing.

---

YUKON MASHERS WITH GARLIC BUTTER
3 1/2 lbs. yukon gold potatoes, washed and cut into chunks
3/4 cup half-and-half
salt and white pepper, to taste
1 stick garlic butter

Place potatoes in a pot with enough salted water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until tender. Drain potatoes; mash, add garlic butter and half-and-half, season with salt and white pepper. Beat til fluffy.

---

DINNER ROLLS

1 pkg. white roll dough
1/2 cup melted butter
Italian seasonings

Thaw and rise package of roll dough. After rising, brush with melted butter and sprinkle herbs on. Bake according to package directions.

---

CORN PUDDING
Servings: 6

1 box Jiffy corn bread mix
1 (1 lb) can cream-style corn
1 (1 lb) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream (1 cup)
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 scallion, chopped
paprika for sprinkling top

Preheat oven top 350 degrees F. Grease a 12x8x2-inch baking dish

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and blend well. Pour into prepared baking dish, sprinkle paprika over top.

Bake for 45 minutes.

---

SWEET POTATO CRUNCH

6 sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1/3 cup well packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
FOR THE CRUNCH TOPPING:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup melted butter
1/3 cup flour
1 tbsp. cinnamon
handful of small marshmallows (for topping)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

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. Pour into a buttered casserole.

Combine the ingredients for the Crunch Topping (except marshmallows) and spread over the potato mixture.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Sprinkle on marshmallows around the edges and bake additional 5 minutes.

---

SPINACH AND LEEK NOODLE PUDDING (KUGEL)
Servings: 8

2 leek stalks, washed & chopped
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, divided use
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1 (8 oz.) pkg. egg noodles (fine or medium)
2 pkg Birds Eye Frozen Creamed Spinach
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. grated nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste
bread crumbs to sprinkle on top
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Saute leeks in 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter until golden. Toss in garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.

Cook noodles according to directions on pkg. Drain noodles and put them in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining1/2 stick of butter and toss to blend.

Cook creamed spinach according to package directions. Add to noodles with sour cream, sauteed onions, eggs, and nutmeg. Blend well. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Pour into a buttered casserole dish and sprinkle with the bread crumbs and grated parmesan cheese.

Bake 350 for 45-60 minutes.

---

MAMA'S SLAW
Servings: 8-10

2 pkgs. (10 oz. each) finely shredded cabbage
1 carrot, shredded
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp. white vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Combine cabbage and carrot in a large bowl.

Whisk together the remaining ingredients til nicely blended. Toss with the cabbage and carrot. Cover and chill 2 hours.

---

WHITE CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE
Source: Betty Crocker Thanksgiving Holiday 2006 (booklet)
Servings: 16

CRUST:
1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
FILLING:
1 bag (12 oz.) white vanilla baking chips
3 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
3 eggs
GLAZE & GARNISH:
1 pint (2 cups) fresh raspberries
3 tbsp. raspberry jelly

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease 9x13-inch springform pan.

Mix cookie crumbs and butter and press evenly on bottom and onto sides of pan.

Microwave vanilla chips on high 1 minute or until melted. Stir til smooth. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese til smooth. Beat in sugar, then melted chips. Beat well, add whipping cream and eggs until well blended. Spoon over crust.

Bake 1 hour 10 minutes or until edges are set but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly when moved.

Turn oven off; open oven door to 4 inches, leave cheesecake in for 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven, cool on coolling rack 30 minutes.

Without releasing sides of pan, carefully run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Refrigerate uncovered about 3 hours.

Arrange berries on top of chilled cake. Microwave jelly on high 30 seconds, stir til smooth. Brush or spoon over berries. Store cheesecake covered in fridge.

---

PECAN CRUNCH PUMPKIN-CHEESECAKE PIE
Source: Country Home Nov '06
Servings: 8

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
1 pie crust for a 9-inch deep dish
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. packed brown sugar
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. butter, softened
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
sweetened whipped cream

In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth. Beat in sugar, vanilla and 1 egg until smooth. Stir in lemon peel. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Arrange pie crust in 9-inch deep pie plate. Spoon cream cheese mixture into pie spreading evenly.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together pumpkin, half-and-half, 1/2 c. brown sugar, 2 eggs, pumpkin pie spice, and slat. Carefully pour over cream cheese mixture.

Bake, loosely covered with foil, in a 350 oven for 30 minutes.

Uncover, bake for 30-40 minutes more or until center is set. In a small bowl, combine 3 tbsp. brown sugar, flour, and butter. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle this mixture over pie filling. Bake 10-15 minutes more or until topping starts to brown. Cool 1 hour on wire rack. Chill at least 2 hours before serving. Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

---

BANANA BLACK-BOTTOM CREAM PIE
Source: A Return to Sunday Dinner, Russell Cronkhite
Servings: 8

OREO COOKIE CRUST:
2 1/2 dozen Oreo cookies
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

MAKE THE CRUST:
Place the cookies (including the cream filling) in bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. Blend to achieve fine crumbs. Add melted butter and pulse until combined. Press mixture into bottom and up the sides of a 2-inch deep dish pie plate. Bake crust for 10 minutes, remove from oven and cool.

FILLING:
1 tbsp. rum flavoring
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. unflavored gelatin
6 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
2/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
3 cups half-and-half
4 large egg yolks, room temperature
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
3 ripe medium bananas
1 pint heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
2 oz. semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate

PREPARE THE FILLING:
Combine the rum flavoring and vanilla in small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over and let mixture stand for 10 minutes; then whisk together until smooth.

Finely chop 6 oz. chocolate and transfer to a larger bowl.

Whisk together 2/3 cup sugar, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan and gradually add in the half-and-half and egg yolks, whisking lightly until smooth. Cook the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until custard is smooth, thick and bubbling, 6-8 minutes.

Quickly add 1 1/4 cups of the hot custard into the chopped chocolate. Stir until chocolate melts and mixture is completely smooth. Immediately pour the chocolate filling into baked crust and transfer to freezer or fridge to cool 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, add 1 cup of the remaining hot custard to the dissolved gelatin and stir so it is evenly blended. Then pour it back into the remaining custard and whisk together. Let the rum custard cool for about 5 minutes. Cut the butter into pats and whisk into the custard until the butter is completely blended in.

Cut the bananas into 1/2 inch slices and toss them into a little rum flavoring to prevent discoloration. Layer the slices over the cooled chocolate filling then spoon the rum custard over bananas and smooth out. Cover pie with wax paper to fit over custard and refrigerate until set, 4 hours.

PRESENT THE PIE:
Pour cream into chilled bowl, add 1/3 cup sugar and whip on high for 2 minutes. Carefully remove wax paper from pie and mound whipped cream over, smooth it out and you may pipe rosettes of the cream on top and sprinkle with grated chocolate.

---

EXTRA-RICH SHEET BROWNIES
Source: Thanksgiving Entertaining, Williams-Sonoma
Makes 24 brownies

1 1/4 cups chopped walnuts
8 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. espresso powder or instant coffee powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 large eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom and sides of 10x15-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, shiny side up. Lightly butter the foil with butter.

Place chocolate and butter on top of double boiler and melt. (Bain Marie) Let cool slightly.

In a bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, using a wire whisk, beat the eggs until light pale yellow. Add sugar and vanilla and beat well. Stir in melted chocolate mixture and the flour mixture. Add 3/4 cup chopped walnuts and stir to distribute nuts evenly. Spread brownie mix onto pan, sprinkle remaining nuts over top.

Bake 25-30 minutes; just until barely set and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with crumbs clinging to it. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Invert the pan, lift off the pan, and peel off the foil. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 2 1/2 inch squares. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.