Recipe(tried): Thanksgiving Menu 2006 (with recipes)

Nothing like getting things done at the last minute! I finally finished my Thanksgiving dinner menu, and luckily have been doing lots of shopping this week so I have most everything I need. I hope you all have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving, and I want to say a heart-felt thank you to all of you for posting and sharing your delicious recipes all year long. We enjoy so many meals in my home that all of you have shared, and it's so nice knowing that in this crazy world we live in, there are still kindred spirits out there who love making the world a more beautiful place in which to live. Even through sharing a little old recipe, we are opening our hearts and homes to each other! God Bless you all, and Happy Thanksgiving!

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THANKSGIVING DINNER 2006

Appetizers:
Baked Caramel Cinnamon Brie*
Mixed Nuts

Main Course:
Roast Turkey
Sausage, Apple, and Pecan Stuffing* (I think this is very similar to Gina's recipe)
Baked Sweet Potatoes with Apples and Pecan Butter*
Pyramid Potatoes* (posted at Recipelink originally by Phyllis)
Spinach Maria*
Buttered Corn
Buttered Green Beans with Basil and Onions
Buttermilk Salad*
Bacon-Swiss Tossed Salad*
Sweet Potato Pecan Bread* with Assorted Butters (Apple Butter, Cinnamon Maple Butter, Honey Butter, and Pumpkin Butter)

Desserts:
Pumpkin Cheesecake*
Pumpkin Bourbon Pound Cake*
Spiced Pumpkin Tiramisu ala Twinkies* (yes, Twinkies)

*Recipes included

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Recipes:

BAKED CARAMEL CINNAMON BRIE

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (12-ounce) round Brie cheese
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
TO SERVE:
1 baguette French bread, thinly sliced
fresh strawberries and/or Golden Delicious or Granny Smith apple slices

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Combine the butter, brown sugar and sugar in a saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter melts and the sugars dissolve, stirring frequently.

Add the heavy cream gradually, stirring constantly. Stir in the nutmeg and cinnamon. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly.

Place the Brie in a round baking pan. Drizzle the brown sugar mixture over the top of the Brie.

Bake at 250 degrees in a preheated oven for 10 minutes or until the Brie is heated through.

Remove from oven. Sprinkle with the almonds. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

TO SERVE:
Garnish with fresh strawberries and/or Golden Delicious or Granny Smith apple slices. Serve with the sliced bread.

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SAUSAGE APPLE PECAN STUFFING

1 lb. pork sausage
2 cups chicken broth
2 sticks (1/2 cup each) butter, divided use
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 (14 oz.) bag Pepperidge Farm herb seasoned stuffing
3 red delicious apples, peeled and diced
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

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

In a medium saucepan, heat the broth, and melt 1 stick of butter in it. Set aside.

Saute onions and celery in the other stick of butter until onions are tender and golden.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the herb seasoned stuffing, onions and celery, sausage, apple, raisins, nuts, poultry seasoning, and cinnamon. Blend with your hands. Add the broth and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place in a 9x13-inch covered casserole dish.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes at 325 degrees F.

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BAKED SWEET POTATOES AND APPLES WITH PECAN BUTTER

1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup pecans
2 Tbsp orange juice
1 Tbsp grated orange peel
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
About 1 to 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes, sliced
3 small tart cooking apples, sliced

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

In 13x9-inch baking pan melt butter, stir in all ingredients except potatoes and apples. Add potatoes and stir to coat.

Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until fork tender.

Add apples and stir to coat. Bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes more, or until tender.

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PYRAMID POTATOES

6 large all-purpose potatoes
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Peel and cube potatoes. In a 4 qt. Dutch oven, cook potatoes in a small amount of boiling salted water, covered, for 20-25 minutes or till tender. Drain.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place potatoes in a large bowl, and add milk and butter. Beat till fluffy. Add cream cheese, sour cream, salt, pepper, and garlic. Beat into mixture until well blended. Stir in onion. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish. Top with cheddar cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes until bubbly. DELICIOUS!

(My note: I made these last year and they were a huge hit with everyone. Everyone loved them, and if I remember correctly I doubled the recipe and people were asking me for containers to take some home with them.)

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SPINACH MARIA

5 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
4 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 small onion, diced
1 tbsp. butter
5 tbsp. butter, melted
6 tbsp. flour
8 oz. Velveeta cheese
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
4 oz. Monterey jack cheese, shredded
shredded cheese for topping (cheddar, Monterey jack, etc.)

Squeeze thawed spinach dry; set aside.

Heat milk and all spices on medium heat until just ready to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

While the milk mixture is simmering, saute the chopped onion in 1 tbsp. of butter on medium heat for about 5 or 6 minutes. Add the onion to the milk mixture.

Combine the 5 tbsp. melted butter with the flour in a small saucepan. Whisk until blended. Cook on low 4-5 minutes to make a roux. Add the roux to the milk mixture; mix well. Cook until the sauce thickens.

Cut Velveeta into cubes and add to milk mixture. Add the shredded cheddar also. Cook until the cheese melts. DO NOT LET IT BURN! Watch it carefully and keep stirring. When the cheese has melted, remove from heat and let cool 15 minutes.

Then, add the drained spinach to the cheese sauce, and mix until blended. Spoon into a buttered 9x13-inch casserole dish. Top with more grated cheese.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for about 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

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SWEET POTATO PECAN BREAD (bread machine)

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
3 cups bread flour
4 tablespoons rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 pinches of nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons powdered milk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
3/4 cup sweet potatoes, mashed
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons dark raisins
1/3 cup pecans, chopped

Place all ingredients in bread machine and push start! Use raisin bread cycle, adding fruit and nuts at beep.

(My note: I'll make 2 loaves for dinner the day before Thanksgiving. Just warm thick slices in the microwave before serving)

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BUTTERMILK SALAD

1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple - DO NOT DRAIN
1 (3-1/2) oz. pkg. orange Jello
1 cup buttermilk
1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip, thawed

Heat crushed pineapple with juice and Jello in a saucepan until Jello is dissolved. Mix in buttermilk and Cool Whip. Pour into Jello mold or bowl. Refrigerate overnight. YUM!

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BACON-SWISS TOSSED SALAD

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
6 cups mixed salad greens
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 package (10 oz.) frozen peas, thawed
8 oz sliced Swiss cheese, julienne
1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sugar, salt and pepper.

In a large salad bowl, layer a third of the greens and a third of the mayonnaise mixture, onion, peas and cheese. Repeat the layers twice.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Just before serving, add the bacon and toss.

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PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

3/4 cup crushed graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. brown sugar, firmly packed
3 tbsp. butter, melted
4 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided use
5 eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin
2 tsp. or more pumpkin pie spice, to taste
2 tbsp. rum
FOR THE TOPPING:
2 cups sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with cinnamon and brown sugar, then stir in melted butter. Press mixture in bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl, with electric mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Stir in 1-1/2 cups sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, and sprinkle flour over mixture and beat. Thoroughly mix in pumpkin, then pumpkin pie spice and rum. Pour into the springform pan.

Bake in preheated 325 degree F oven 1 hour and 30 minutes. Turn off heat and let cake stand in oven another 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix together sour cream, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla. Spread smoothly over top of cheesecake. Return to 425 degree F oven and bake 10 minutes. Remove cake from oven and let cool until it is warm but not hot to the touch.

Cool in refrigerator at least 4 hours before serving. (Best if cooled overnight.)

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PUMPKIN BOURBON POUND CAKE WITH BOURBON CARAMEL GLAZE
Servings: 10-12

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature beaten
1/4 c. milk
2 tbsp. bourbon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups fresh or canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Small pinch of salt
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. pecan halves, coarsely chopped, divided use
Bourbon Caramel Glaze (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease and flour a 12 cup angel food cake pan or a Bundt pan.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar until fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs on low speed. Beat in the milk, bourbon, vanilla and pumpkin puree.

In a bowl, sift the flour with the baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix until blended. Stir in 1 cup of the pecans.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a rack to cool completely.

Transfer to a plate. Drizzle warm Bourbon Caramel Glaze over the top of the cake. Garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons of pecans.

BOURBON CARAMEL GLAZE:
1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
About 3 tbsp. heavy cream
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 tbsp. bourbon
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter over moderately low heat. Stir in the brown sugar until incorporated. Stir in the 3 tablespoons cream and simmer, stirring for 3 minutes. Using an electric mixer, beat in the confectioners' sugar, bourbon and vanilla. If necessary, add more cream to achieve a heavy glaze consistency. Use warm.

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SPICED PUMPKIN TIRAMISU ALA TWINKIES

1 package Twinkies (10 Twinkies)
1/8 cup Frangelico Liqueur
1 (8 oz.) package mascarpone or cream cheese
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground mace
1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. orange extract
2 1/2 cups heavy (whipping) cream, whipped and chilled, divided, (or 12 oz. Extra Creamy Cool Whip, thawed)

Slice Twinkies in half lengthwise. Place on the bottom of a 9x13-inch glass baking dish, with cream side up. Drizzle Frangelico liqueur over Twinkies. (You may substitute the same volume of Orange Juice for a non-alcoholic preparation, but it's not as good!)

In a mixing bowl, blend together the mascarpone with the pumpkin puree. Add the cinnamon, ginger, mace, confectioner's sugar and orange extract.

Fold in 1 1/2 cups of the whipped cream. Pour the mixture over the Twinkies.
Gently spread remaining whipped cream on top of pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle the top with a dash or two of additional cinnamon, if desired.

Cover and refrigerate at least two hours before serving, or overnight. Slice to serve.

(My note: I always double the mascarpone filling and sometimes use Extra Creamy Cool Whip instead of whipping the heavy cream if I'm short on time. It's really yummy - who would think Twinkies could taste so good!)