My Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes

Turkey

Keep it simple

Select your turkey

Seasoning your turkey -- I simple use a little salt and pepper and a cooking bag. Stuff your turkey and place in cooking bags and follow the cooking times listed below.

Roasting times are for a preheated 325 degrees F. oven.

Approximate Roasting Times for Stuffed Turkey
Turkey Weight Hours
6 to 8 pounds 3 to 3-1/2 hours
8 to 12 pounds 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours
12 to 16 pounds 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 hours
16 to 20 pounds 5-1/2 to 6 hours
20 to 24 pounds 6 to 6-1/2 hours
Approximate Roasting Times for Unstuffed Turkey
Turkey Weight Hours
6 to 8 pounds 2-1/2 to 3 hours
8 to 12 pounds 3 to 4 hours
12 to 16 pounds 4 to 5 hours
16 to 20 pounds 5 to 5-1/2 hours
20 to 24 pounds 5-1/2 to 6 hours

Also, make sure you let your turkey rest after you bring it out of the oven. Don't cut right away give it 10-15 minutes at least.

Stuffing
2 tbsp butter
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
6 cups bread crumbs (you can dice your own or buy the packaged bags -- I use my own so I can use wheat bread)
1 can chicken broth
2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp black pepper

In skillet warm butter and cook your celery and onion until the onion start to turn clear. Add the chicken broth, sage and pepper. Mix in bread crumbs and stir until mixed. You are now ready to stuff your turkey.

Now remember you cannot for any reason stuff your turkey more than a few minutes before you are going to put your turkey in the oven. Don't want to get any weird poultry diseases.

Now you have your turkey and your stuffing cooking time to get to work on all the trimmings.

Whipped Sweet Potatoes
4 large sweet potatoes
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon works too -- I would use 1 tsp)
Marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook sweet potatoes in large pot of boiling water for about 15 minutes. Drain. Mix in butter and pumpkin pie spice and mash (either with a masher or I use a mixer). Once mashed and mixed put in casserole. Top with marshmallows and back 15 to 20 minutes or until marshmallows are golden brown.

We also have rolls (I use the Rhoads rolls from the freezer section) -- I really should try and make my own, but I have not yet. And we add cheese broccoli to the menu too, but that does not need a recipe it is simply steamed and then adding a little cheese sauce.

And for dessert my bread pudding

Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce
5 large beaten eggs (I use egg beaters)
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups cubed Italian bread (I used cracked wheat bread)
1 cup brown sugar (I used half brown sugar, half splenda)
1/4 cup butter softened (I use apple sauce)
1 cup chopped pecans (I use sliced almonds and craisins)
2 cups granulated sugar (do not use)
2 cups milk (I use 2 cans fat free sweetened condensed milk)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease 9x13 pan

Mix together eggs, condensed milk and vanilla. Pour over cubed bread and let stand for 10 minutes.

In another bowl mix together brown sugar, splenda, apple sauce, almonds and craisins.

Pour bread mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture on top.

Bake for 35 – 45 minutes or until set.

Serve with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce

Caramel Sauce
1/2 can fat free sweetened condensed milk
4 tbsp. butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Cook in sauce pan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Let boil until bubbly. Remove from heat and let cool. Once sauce is cooled you can store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Heat before drizzling over bread pudding and ice cream.