Recipe(tried): Thanksgiving 2002 Menu!!!!! part 1 - Green Bean Casserole-Ranch Style, Corn Pudding, Country-Style Mashed Potatoes, Cauliflower in Cheese Sauce, Bread stuffing with Sausage and Apples

This is my most favorite time of the year. I look for recipes and think about it for most of the year and it's coming!!!!! I haven't been posting here very regular but I just couldn't let this year escape without posting my planned menu for thanksgiving. I hope everyone has a wonderful thanksgiving. Does anyone else go out shopping while the turkeys cooking? This is all I have so far, I'm still looking for sides/appetizers and desserts and will be posting more. I hope you find something you like!!!

Turkey-cooked in rotisserie
Green Bean Casserole-ranch style
Corn Pudding
Country Style Mashed Potatoes
Cauliflower in Cheese Sauce
Bread Stuffing with sausage and apples

Green Bean Casserole-Ranch Style:

1 1/2 T butter
3 T all-purpose flour
1 1/2 C Milk
3-4 t dry ranch-style salad dressing mix
1/4-1/2 t white pepper
1 C chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c sliced fresh mushrooms
1 1/4 pounds fresh green beans, cooked until crisp tender
1 cup fresh bread crumbs, toasted

1. Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour; cook 1-2 mins, stirring constantly. Using wire whisk, stir in milk; bring to a boil. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened. Stir in dressing mix and white pepper, set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350. Spray medium skillet with nonstick cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir 2-3 mins or until tender. Remove half of onion mixture; set aside.

3. Add mushrooms to onion mixture remaining in skillet and cook about 5 mins or until mushrooms are tender. Combine mushroom mixture, green beans and white sauce in 1 1/2 quart casserole. Combine bread crumbs with reserved onion mixture; sprinkle over casserole. Bake, uncovered, until heated through, about 20-30 mins.

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Corn Pudding:

3 or 4 green onions with tops
4 T butter
1 (15 1/4 oz) can whole kernel corn
1 (14 3/4 oz) can cream style corn
1 cup sour cream
1 (7 oz) package corn muffin mix
2 large eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 325. Spray a 1 1/2 qt baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Chop the green onions finely. Place the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until melted, about 15-30 secs.

3. Drain whole kernel cron. Combine with green onions, butter, cream-style cron, sour cream and corn muffin mix in a med bowl and mix well.

4. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl until blended. Add the eggs to the corn mixture in bowl and mix just until ingredients are moistened.

5. Spoon batter into prepared baking dish. Bake until set, about 45 mins. Serve immediately.

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Country-Style Mashed Potatoes

4 lbs baking potatoes, unpeeled
6 lg cloves garlic
1/2 c milk
2 T butter
1/2 cup sour cream
2 T finely chopped fresh parsley
2 T finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 T finely chopped fresh thyme

1. Cut potatoes into 1" peices and place in meduim saucepan.

2. Peel garlic cloves and place in the saucepan with potatoes; cover with water.

3. Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 mins. Drain well and set aside.

4. While potatoes are cooking, place milk and butter in small saucepan over low heat. Cook and stir until milk is warmed and butter is almost melted.

5. Place potatoes and garlic in large bowl.

6. Beat potatoes with an electric mixer set at low speed just until potatoes are mashed. Beat in warm milk-butter mix and the sour cream until potato mix is almost smooth. Blend in spices and serve immediatley.

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Cauliflower in cheese sauce

2 reg sized packages frozen cauliflower
2 T butter
2 T all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cup shredded cracker barrel vermont white cheddar cheese

1. In a small saucepan melt the butter and stir in flour and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir over medum heat till thickened and bubbly and cook for one more minute and then gradually add the shredded cheese.

2. Place cooked cauliflower into baking dish and pour cheese sauce all over. BAke in 350 oven for 15-20 mins.

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Bread stuffing with sausage and apples

1 pound bulk sausage
3 large granny smith apples
4 T butter
2 med onions, cut into medum dice
2 med celery stalks, cut into small dice
1 pound sliced firm white sandwich, french, italian or sourdough bread, cut into 1/2" cubes (10-12 cups0 dried out and toasted
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1 t rubbed sage
1t dried thyme
3/4 t salt
1/2 t ground black pepper
1 cup homemade chicken broth or low sodium canned broth
2 large eggs

1. Adjust oven to lower middle position and preheat oven to 350. Heat butter in a large skillet over meduim heat. Add onions and celery and saute until fully cooked, 8-10 mins.

2. fry the sausage and break into bite size pieces until fully cooked. Drain, leaving 2 T drippings in pan. Peel and core the apples and cut into medium dice. Saute apples in drippings until tender, about 5 mins.

3. Transfer the sausage and onion mix to a large bowl, add bread cubes and remaining ingredients, including eggs. Toss to combine and adjust seasonings.

4. Turn into a 3 qt buttered casserole and bake until top forms a crust and dressing has heated through, 30-40 mins.