Recipe(tried): Thanksgiving Menu from Meg

Here is our Thanksgiving Menu:

These are the things that I will make this weekend because I can either freeze them or keep in the fridge. Marinated Olives (recipe follows), these are so tasty and get better with time. Store these in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Pumpkin Pie, this is just the standard Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk recipe. I will freeze this one and take it out the night before. Chocolate Pecan Pie (recipe follows), easy with sweetened condensed milk rather than corn syrup. Freeze this too and take out the night before. I will also be making a round of sourdough from my starter for the crab dip. I'll freeze it and take it out the night before.

The night before I will make the following: Orange Cranberry Sauce and keep it in the fridge. Crab dip filling stored in an airtight container. Don't forget to take the turkey out of the freezer.

On Thanksgiving morning I will prepare 60 minute rolls. These are from the KitcheAid cookbook that came with my mixture. You know what I'm talking about if you've made these! They are great and easy. Getting off the subject they are really good with sausage links and a fried egg, made into a breakfast sandwich. I'll prepare the sweet potato puff and the squash and keep in the fridge until time to bake. I'm also going to have relish trays with pickles, my marinated olives. If you don't want to bake bread make sure you get to the store and by bread early. It might not hurt either to preorder some so you aren't left out in the cold! I will also make shrimp cocktail. It is a good stand by.

We are going to do our turkey on the rotisserie on our grill. All you do is rub it with Old Bay seasoning and just keep basting it with your favorite BBQ marinade. We use a local marinade called Chiavetta's. It is more vinegar based not a ketchup one. It never makes it into the kitchen in one piece. There will be lots of wine for the ladies and beer in the garage for the guys. Don't be afraid to ask for help, nobody can do it all by their self. There is always someone to help.

I just have to say this, too, don't forget to clean the inside of your turkey out before you cook it! I've heard too many stories about this!

This is a wonderful time of year I hope you all enjoy yourselves!

Marinated Olives

1 orange
1/2 lemon
1 can black olives, drained
1 clove garlic
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Dash of cayenne pepper

Cut orange in half. Dice up one half into large chunks and squeeze the juice of the other half into a bowl. Squeeze the juice of a lemon into the same bowl. Discard squeezed orange and lemon halves and places diced orange in bowl of juice. Add rest of ingredients to this mixture and keep in refrigerator at least 24 hours. When you serve let come to room temperature.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
2 (5 ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups pecans
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium saucepan, combine chocolate, butter and condensed milk over medium heat. Stir continuously until chocolate chips melt and sauce is smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in eggs, vanilla, salt and pecans; mix well.
Pour mixture into pie shell and bake on bottom shelf of oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Serve hot or cold; cold is preferable.

Orange Cranberry Sauce

2 (12 ounce) packages fresh cranberries
1 orange, zested
3 cinnamon sticks
2 cups orange juice
2 cups packed brown sugar

In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, orange zest, cinnamon, orange juice, and brown sugar. Add enough water to cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Immediately reduce heat, and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the sauce has thickened. Taste for sweetness, and adjust with additional sugar if necessary. You can not overcook, so continue cooking until you have a good thick consistency. Let mixture cool, then refrigerate in a covered container.

Crab Dip

11 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 small onion, finely chopped
5 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 (6 ounce) cans crabmeat, drained and flaked
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (1 pound) loaf round, crusty Italian bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, onion, mayonnaise, crabmeat, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Spread mixture into a 1 quart baking dish.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. While the dip is baking, cut a circle in the top of the bread, and scoop out the inside to create a bread bowl. Tear the removed bread into pieces for dipping.

Remove baked crab dip from the oven, and stir well. Spoon the mixture into the hollowed out loaf. Place bread bowl and chunks of bread on a medium baking sheet, and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Sixty-Minute Rolls

1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 packages active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (105 F to 115 F [40 C to 46 C])
5-6 cups all-purpose flour

Place milk, sugar, salt, and butter in small saucepan. Heat over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool to lukewarm.

Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed mixer bowl. Add lukewarm milk mixture and 4 1/2 cups (1.125 L) flour. Attach bowl and dough hook to mixer. Turn to Speed 2 and mix about 1 minute.

Continuing on Speed 2, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup (125 ml) at a time, and mix about 2 minutes, or until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl. Knead on Speed 2 about 2 minutes longer, or until dough is smooth and elastic. Dough will be slightly sticky to the touch.

Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover. Let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 15 minutes. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Shape into about 24 rolls and place in greased 9x13 pan. Cover. Let rise in slightly warm oven (90 F [32 C]) about 15 minutes. Bake at 425 F (215 C) for 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.

Sweet Potato Puff

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1/4 cup melted butter
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites
1/2 cup cream or half and half
Salt and pepper to taste

Whip all until light and fluffy--beat 3 egg whites to stiff peaks fold into sweet potatoes. Spoon into a buttered casserole and bake about 30 minutes or until it puffs and is lightly brown on top. 350 degrees.

Butternut Squash

3 cups mashed, cooked butternut squash
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup white sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter one 2 quart casserole dish.
Blend together the butternut squash, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, butter, vanilla, cream and sugar.

Pour into prepared casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 45 minutes or until set and edges begin to bubble.

Prepare a topping if desired by combining 1 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/3 cup butter and 1/2 cup chopped nuts. Mix together and sprinkle over squash before baking.