“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful.” -Buddha
Recipes below:
Stuffing
Baked Mac N Cheese
Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans with Garlic and Almonds
Sweet Potato Casserole
Cranberry Sauce
Au Gratin Potatoes
Ham
Ruth Chris Sweet Potato Casserole (already posted)
http://recipesbylizzie.blogspot.com/2012/03/ruth-chris-sweet-potato-casserole.html
Hagan Stuffin' (already posted)
http://recipesbylizzie.blogspot.com/2012/02/hagan-stuffin.html
Garlic and Almond Green Beans (previously posted in Valentine's Dinner Post)
So you can try this with real green beans and cook them in a variety of way. But I like to just buy the steam in bag (call me lazy lol) but it is just as good and super easy. If you want to take the time, follow this link to how to cook Green Beans in different ways: http://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/cook-with-fruits-and-vegetables/how-to-cook-green-beans/
Ingredients
8oz bag of Steam-in-Bag Frozen Green Beans
1/2 Cup of of Finely Chopped Almonds
1/2 Cup of Minced Garlic (yes that much)
1/2 stick of melted butter (or you could substitute extra virgin olive oil)
Follow cooking instructions on back of bag of frozen green beans (typically 5 minutes in the microwave)
After Green Beans are tender, pour green beans (drained) into a dish.
Melt a 1/2 stick of butter in the microwave.
Pour in butter with green beans, add in minced garlic and almonds.
Stir together, and salt and pepper to taste.
Microwave for an additional minute or two to heat before serving.
| The Best Baked Mac N Cheese You'll Ever Taste |
| 1 1/2 boxes of elbow Mac |
| 1 block of Velveeta |
| 1 stick of butter |
| 1 large can of cream of chicken or two small cans |
| Cook noodles |
| Preheat oven to 375 degrees |
| Melt in microwave 1/2 box of Velveeta and 1/2 stick of butter |
| Pour noodles and cheese and butter and 1/2 can of soup mix into pan and mix |
| While mixing, melt the other half of the butter and Velveeta in the microwave |
| Add the rest of the cheese, butter, soup mixture to the noodles in the pan |
| 45 minutes
Au Gratin Potatoes
Ingredients
4 whole Russet Potatoes, Scrubbed Clean
2 Tablespoons Butter, Softened
1-1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 cup Whole Milk
2 Tablespoons Flour
4 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
1 teaspoon Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste
1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Freshly Grated
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Smear softened butter all over the bottom of a baking dish.
Slice potatoes, then cut slices into fourths.
In a separate bowl, whisk together cream, milk, flour,
minced garlic, salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
Place 1/3 of the potatoes in the bottom of the baking dish.
Pour 1/3 of the cream mixture over the potatoes.
Repeat this two more times, ending with the cream mixture.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 20 minutes,
or until potatoes are golden brown and really bubbling. Add grated cheese to
the top of the potatoes and bake for 3 to 5 more minutes, until cheese is
melted and bubbly.
Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving by the
spoonful. Delicious!
Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1 cup (250 mL) water
4 cups (1 12-oz package) fresh or frozen cranberries
Preparation
1 Wash and pick over cranberries. In a saucepan bring to a
boil water and sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cranberries, return to a
boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst.
2 At this point you can add all number of optional
ingredients. We typically mix in a half a cup of roughly chopped pecans with or
without a few strips of orange zest. You can add a cup of raisins or currants.
You can add up to a pint of fresh or frozen blueberries for added sweetness.
Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice can be added too.
3 Remove from heat. Cool completely at room temperature and
then chill in refrigerator. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.
Cranberry sauce base makes 2 1/4 cups.
Gravy without drippings for Deep Fried Turkeys
Take all giblets from turkey and put in a sauce pan
Add 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of chicken broth
Add salt, pepper, bay leaves, dried thyme, dried sage and dried rosemary
Simmer for 20-30 minutes
In a separate sauce pan make a roux
Take 3/4 stick of butter (almost 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup of flour
Melt butter in skillet. Add the flour and stir constantly until blondish brown, being careful not to burn. If there is the slightest indication of over-browning, dispose of the Roux and start over.
Take the stock you made and over a strainer, drain on top of rue
Add milk if you want it creamier
Add pepper to taste if u think needs be
Add more chicken broth if you think it needs to be lighter
**for non deep fried turkeys add drippings from pan into first sauce pan and use less water and stock
Honey Mustard Ham
|
Ingredients
1 cooked, bone-in half ham (about 7 to 8 lbs.)
15 whole cloves
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 325°. Cut off the tough skin from ham (if it has it; some hams will not), and score the fat in a crosshatch pattern. Stud ham all over with cloves, put in a large roasting pan, and loosely tent with foil. Bake until a thermometer inserted in center of thickest part (not touching the bone) registers 135°, about 20 minutes per lb. or 2 to 2 1/2 hours total, basting occasionally with any accumulated juices.
2. While ham is baking, make the glaze: In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, maple syrup, and mustard. Whisk until smooth. When ham has about 40 minutes left to bake (internal temperature will be 120° to 125°), brush generously on all sides with glaze. Continue baking until ham reaches 135° and glaze is well browned.
Helpful Hints to make you look like you are not actually the stressed out mess this day and instead a well prepared thanksgiving provider!
*Make a grocery list two weeks before
*Plan out all recipes and put all together in an excel document that you can print easily
*Research pricing and make a budget in your grocery list
*Get Cinnamon Rolls and make them in the morning. It will fill the house with a great smell, they are easy and you can cook them in a disposable dish.
*Use aluminum foil baking trays. makes clean up easy and baking and storage easier. Get the dishes that come with a plastic lid for storage after
*Make sandwich wraps if you have a night time dinner and not a lunch as thanksgiving. They are easy, no cooking necessarily and gives you more time to cook dinner. Try the High Roller Sandwiches I make or even easier the Chicken Salad Sandwich Wraps and buy the chicken salad from the deli at the store. Links: http://recipesbylizzie.blogspot.com/2012/10/chicken-salad-wraps.html and
http://recipesbylizzie.blogspot.com/2012/02/high-roller-sandwiches.html .
*Use scented fall candles around the house. Adds to your food scents with taking some of the not as fun smells out.
*Try casual Thanksgiving. Get fun colorful plastic dishes, heavy duty plastic silverware. Wrap up your napkins with cute ribbon. Makes easier clean up. If you are doing a more formal sit down, then use the nicer plastic see through dishes on top of a charger plate.
*If you are short on oven space, invest in an Infrared Deep Frier. This will cook the turkey in a separate device without causing the risk of a house fire.
*Use a crock pot to make a super easy Hard Cider with Apple Cider from the grocery store, Captain Morgan, cloves, oranges and cinnamon sticks. It creates a wonderful aroma and warm drink for everyone as the day goes on. It is also great for the cook while cooking and can be made over and over throughout the day.
*BIGGEST TIP OF ALL:
Make a Game Plan for your day. Look at all your recipes and see which are cooked at the same temperature and for how long. This means you can cook more than one thing at a time. Estimate your prep times also so that way you know when you need to start what and also while things are cooking you know how long you have to prep something. If you have everything mapped out by time and degrees etc you will know when u need to start and what you need to prep the day before. This makes for less stress on you and much more fun for everything else.
Good Luck and Happy Holiday Cooking
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