Recipe(tried): Gina's Thanksgiving Menu 2003

Hello Everyone!

It is soooo relaxing to just be able to sit here and share my recipes and menu for this year's feast at our home. As you all well know, I have been running around getting our kitchen in order and ready for cooking tomorrow. I am looking forward to chopping and dicing and baking in it with my Mom.

I am so happy to report that I also found 4 fabulous counter chairs at Pier One and only 49.00 each!! I am very excited with the price, especially after going around town and looking at some others at incredibly obscene prices. These are dark wicker back and seat and wrought iron. The pic was in the Sunday flyer and thank goodness I opened it! Of course, they just lend more charm and flair to the kitchen...just the perfect choice! Now I can enjoy cutting recipes and coupons on the counter!!! See now, I am thankful for my kitchen and being able to cook for my family!!

This year's Thanksgiving menu is very comfy - dishes that have satisfied our family for a long, long time. They are our family favorites and they are characterized by familiar flavors, enticing aromas, and soothing textures. Many have been previously posted and that alone attests to the recipe's durability. The Thanksgiving holiday is my very favorite because it is all about family.

I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving Day with family and friends and a heart full of love and hope. Enjoy!!

THE MENU

Apple Cinnamon Cider Glazed Turkey
Homemade Gravy
Apple Nut Sausage Stuffing
Sweet Green Peas
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potato Crunch
Spinach Noodle Casserole
Fabulous Corn Pudding
Frozen Cranberry Sauce
Mama's Holiday Cole Slaw
Assorted Rolls & Muffins with Butter
Assorted Cold Beverages

Lemon Cheesecake with Strawberry Sauce
German Sweet Cocolate Cake
Pumpkin Pie in Chocolate Crust

THE RECIPES

Apple Cinnamon Cider Glazed Turkey

1 16-20lb. turkey
1 stick butter
2 pkts. of G Washington Seasoning and Broth
2 sticks celery
2 carrots
8 ozs. chicken broth
1/4 cup Cinnamon Cider Syrup (at Wms. Sonoma)
1 lemon
salt and pepper

Wash and dry turkey. Place on a large and deep baking dish. Squeeze lemon all over and in cavities to refresh. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Best if left to rest for several hours.

Wash and scrape carrots and cut into long slivers. Wash and cut celery likewise. Place vegetables in bottom of roasting pan, place turkey on top and butter all over. Sprinkle with packets of G Washington's Seasoning and salt and pepper. Cover wings with foil. Pour broth over and pour cinnamon cider over. Roast at 350 for 6 hours. Baste with juices occasionally and tent with foil if browning to fast.

Sausage Apple Pecan Stuffing

1 lb. Tennessee Pride or Jimmy Dean Pork mild sausage
2 c. chopped onions
1 c. chopped celery, incl. leaves
1 bag 14 oz. Pepperidge Farm herb seasoned stuffing plus a small bag of stuffing
2 c. chicken broth (Swanson's canned)
2 sticks butter
1 c. golden raisins
3 red apple, washed, cored and chopped
1/2 c. chopped almonds or pecans or walnuts
1t. cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste
2 packets GWashington's Seasonings

Cook sausage in skillet till browned. Drain and set aside. Heat the broth and melt a stick of butter in it. 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 and nuts and begin blending, with your hands, add 1 c. of broth at a time till you get to the desired stuffing consistency.

Taste and adjust seasoning by adding salt and pepper to taste.

Stuff the turkey both ends and truss. In the tummy area, cut an apple in thirds widthwise, and put this slice over the opening so stuffing does not leak out. You should have enough left over to put in a casserole with foil over and bake the last 45 minutes of the turkey.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes
serves 8

6-8 potatoes, washed, peeled and cubed
1 stick butter
1/2 c. sour cream
salt and pepper
3 garlic cloves
1/4 c. milk or more if needed

Boil potatoes and the garlic cloves together. When tender, mash with potato masher, add butter and mash some more, add sour cream and enough of milk to your liking for consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Fabulous Corn Pudding
serves 6

1 reg. size can of creamed corn
1 reg. size can of yellow corn, drained
1/4 c. sugar
1 scallion, chopped
8 oz. sour cream
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. margerine, melted and cooled
1 box Jiffy corn bread mix
paprika for sprinkling top
Preheat oven top 350. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and blend well. Pour into a greased 12x8x2 baking dish, sprinkle paprika over top and bake for 45 minutes.

Sweet Potato Crunch

6 sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
1/3 c. well packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 stick butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 t. Cinnamon-Cider Syrup
handful of small marshmallows

Crunch Topping: 1/3 cup melted butter
1/3 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tblsp. cinnamon

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 and top with the crunch topping.Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Sprinkle on marshmallows arounbd the edges and bake additional 5 minutes.

Spinach Noodle Casserole
serves 8

1 pkg. 8 ozs. noodles (fine or medium)
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, pressed
8 ozs. sour cream
2 pkg Birds Eye Creamed Spinach
2 eggs, beaten
bread crumbs to sprinkle on top
1 stick butter
salt and pepper to taste
Saute your onions until golden in 1/2 stick butter. Toss in garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Cook noodles according to directions on pkg. Drain noodles and toss with the other 1/2 stick of butter, blend with the spinach, sour cream, sauteed onions and eggs. Salt and pepper to your taste. Blend well. Pour into a buttered casserole dish and sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Bake 350 for 45-60 minutes. YUMMY!!!
This recipe easily doubles to serve 16

Mama's Holiday Cole Slaw
8-10 servings

2 10 oz. pkgs. finely shredded cabbage
1 carrot shredded
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. black pepper
1/2 c. mayo
1/4 c. buttermilk
2 1/2 T. lemon juice
1 1/2 T. white vinegar

Combine cabbage and carrot in a large bowl.

Whisk together the sugar and next 7 ingred. til nicely blended. Toss with the cabbage and carrot. Cover and chill 2 hours.

Frozen Cranberry Salad
serves 12

1 pkg. fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple
1 pkg. (16 0z.) mini marshmallows
2 c. whipping cream
2 T. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
1 c. chopped walnuts

In a blender or food processor, coarsely grind the berries. Pour into a bowl and add suagr. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Drain pineapple, reserving 1/4 c. juice. In a large bowl, combine pineapple, juice and marshmallows. Cover and chill for 1 hour. Add cranberry mixture.

In another mixing bowl, beat cream until it forms soft peaks, beat in sugar and vanilla. Fold in the cranberry-pineapple mixture. Stir in the nuts. Transfer to 2 8 inch square dishes or equivalent. Cover and freeze for up to 2 months. Remove from the freezer about 45 min. before serving. Cut into squares.

Pumpkin Pie in Chocolate Crust

1 c. packed lite brown sugar
1 T. cornstarch
1/2 t. salt
1 t. ginger
1 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. gr. cloves
1 1/2 c. pumpkin
3 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c. evapo. milk
a chocolate pie shell
whipped cream

Oven at 425.

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt, spices, pumpkin and eggs. Beat well til nice and creamy. Add milk and blend very well. Pour onto the chocolate crust and bake 10 min. Reduce to 350 and continue baking an additional 30 min. Cool on rack. When cool enough, refrigerate. Serve slices with whipped cream dusted with pumpkin pie spice.

Lemon Cheesecake with Strawberry Sauce

12 svgs.

2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c. packed dark brown sugar
5 T. unsalted butter, melted
2 t. fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 325.

Blend crumbs and sugar in food processor. With the blades running, add melted butter and lemon juice. Blend till crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs onto the bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Freeze for 15 min. Bake crust til set about 10 min. Cool completely.

Filling -
4 8 oz. bars cream cheese at room temp.
1 3/4 c. sugar
3 T. grated lemon peel
1 c. sour cream
1/4 c. whipping cream
1/3 c. fresh lemon juice
2 t. vanilla
4 large eggs, room temp.

Using an electric mixer, beat the first 3 ingredients till nice and fluffy. Add sour cream, whipping cream, lemon juice and vanilla and beat just to blend. Add eggs one at a time, beating just to blend.
Pour into crust (it will just fill crust). Place the springform pan on a baking sheet. Bake cheesecake til top appears set and puffed and golden around the edges and just slightly pulling away from pan but still moves slightly when moved. This is about 55 minutes. Cool cake 5 minutes.

Topping -
1 1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla

Mix all ingredients together and spoon over hot cake and covering completely. Bake 10 min. Transfer to rack to cool down 10 min. Run sharp knife around edge to loosen. Place hot cheesecake directly into fridge. Chill uncovered overnite.

Strawberry Sauce
1 large pkg. frozen strawberries, thawed
1/4 c. sugar

Put into a bolender and puree. Slice cake and drizzle sauce over.

German Sweet Chocolate Cake with Coconut Pecan Frosting

makes a 3 layer cake

4 oz. German Sweet Chocolate plus 1/2 c. boiling water
1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
4 egg yolks
1 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. sifted flour
1 t. baking powder
1 c. buttermilk
4 egg whites, stiffly beated

Melt the chocolate in the boiling water. Cool. Cream butter and sugar, add yolks one at a time beating well. Add vanilla, cooled chocolate and blend well. Add the flour alternating with buttermilk and finally add the baking powder. Fold in the stiff egg whites. Pour into 3 greased and wax-papered 8 inch round tins. Bake at 350 for 40 min.

Coconut Pecan Frosting

12 oz. can evapo. milk
1 1/2 c. sugar
4 egg yolks
1 1/2 t. vanilla
2 c. grated coconut
1 1/2 c. chopped pecans
1 1/2 sticks margering

Cook evapo. milk, sugar beated egg yolks, butter and vanilla together in a small saucepot. Whisk well to make smooth. As it thickens, add the cocont and nuts and continue stirring. Take off heat and continue beating til it is of spreading consistency.