Getting Ready for Thanksgiving!

It's my favorite time of the year! I love to make all things Thanksgiving and Christmas. There's so many choices and ideas. Here are some of my favorite recipes for a great Thanksgiving meal.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Thyme

Ingredients:
2 lb. brussels sprouts
5 oz. bacon, diced
4 shallots, finely chopped
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
1 1/4 to 1 1/3 cups chicken or turkey stock
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 Tbs. olive oil
3 tsp. salt
Directions:
Cut or pull off any dry outer leaves from the brussels sprouts. Trim away any brown spots and slice off the dry stem end. Cut the brussels sprouts into quarters. Set aside.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the bacon until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a bowl. Pour off the fat in the pan and discard.

Return the pan to medium heat, add the shallots and thyme and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer the shallot mixture to the bowl with the bacon. Pour 1/4 cup of the stock into the pan and, using a wooden spoon, stir to scrape up the browned bits from the pan bottom. Pour the stock over the bacon mixture.

Using paper towels, wipe out the pan and place over medium-high heat. Melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the brussels sprouts and salt and stir to coat evenly. Cook until the brussels sprouts begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir again, then cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. Stir in 1/4 cup of the stock. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally and adding more stock as needed, until the brussels sprouts are soft, about 15 minutes more. Add the bacon mixture and any remaining stock and stir to incorporate. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and serve immediately.

Sausage, Chestnut and Fennel Dressing

Ingredients:
1 box (16 oz.) focaccia stuffing
4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 yellow onions, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and diced
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups prepared French chestnuts, roughly
chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 1/4 lb. mild Italian sausage, casings removed
6 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 to 3 1/4 cups chicken stock, warmed, plus
more as needed
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 375°F. Butter a 3 1/2- to 4-quart casserole dish.

Put the focaccia stuffing in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, celery and fennel and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring to scrape up the browned bits, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the chestnuts and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onion mixture to the bowl with the focaccia stuffing.

Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring and crumbling with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the bowl with the focaccia stuffing. Add the parsley to the bowl and stir to combine. Stir in 3 cups of the stock. The dressing should be moist but not soggy. Add more stock if needed and season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the dressing to the prepared casserole dish, cover with a piece of buttered aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden and crispy, 15 to 20 minutes more. Serves 10 to 12.

Green Bean Casserole

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Dash ground black pepper
4 cups cooked cut green beans
1 1/3 cups French Fried Onions

Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.

Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the bean mixture.

Sprinkle with the remaining onions. Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.

Mashed Potatoes

I don't use a specific recipe, I dump it all in and test as I go.

6-8 yukon potatoes, peeled and cubed
lots of butter, maybe a stick or two (fattening, I know)
a pint or so of sour cream (fattening again)
1/2 cup of milk
salt and pepper

Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil; cook for 20-25 minutes or until very tender. Drain well. Add milk, butter, sour cream, salt and pepper; mash until light and fluffy. Test and taste as you go, especially before adding all the sour cream and butter.

Sweet Potatoes

3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 8), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup whole milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups mini marshmallows or chopped regular marshmallows
Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan, and cover with cold water by 1 inch; salt generously. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, and return to pan. Heat over medium, stirring, until liquid has evaporated and a thin film covers bottom of pan, about 2 minutes.
Remove pan from heat; add milk, butter, and nutmeg. Mash until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Transfer sweet-potato mixture to a 2-quart baking dish. (To make ahead, refrigerate, up to 1 day.)
Top casserole with marshmallows; bake until center is warmed through and marshmallows are lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

Herb-Butter Roast Turkey

Ingredients:
1 jar (1 lb. 2.2 oz.) turkey brine (I get it at Williams Sonoma)
1 fresh turkey, 16 to 18 lb., neck and giblets removed
8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 Tbs. roasted garlic
1 Tbs. finely chopped shallot
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. honey
2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbs. chopped green onion, white and light green portions
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Directions:
Prepare the brine according to the package instructions for a whole turkey. Let cool to room temperature.

Place the turkey in a brining bag and pour in the brine. Using the sealing clip, seal the bag securely; for added stability, place the bag in a pot or on a baking sheet. Refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours.

Remove the turkey from the brine; discard the brine. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Truss the turkey as desired using kitchen twine. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 400°F.

In a small bowl, stir together the butter, roasted garlic, shallot, mustard, honey, parsley, thyme, green onion, sage and pepper until well combined. Set aside.

Roast the turkey for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Continue roasting, brushing the turkey with the herb butter every 20 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast, away from the bone, registers 165°F and into the thigh registers 175°F, 1 1/2 to 2 hours more.

Transfer the turkey to a carving board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Serves 12 to 14.

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
1 piece pre-made pie dough
Whipped cream, for topping
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

Pecan Pie

I always have someone bring this, I never seem to get it turned out just right :-)

Beef Stroganoff

YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup stroganoff and 1/2 cup noodles)

Ingredients

1 (1-pound) top round steak (1 inch thick), trimmed
1 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (8-ounce) package sliced mushrooms (about 2 cups)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup beef broth
1 (8-ounce) container low-fat sour cream
2 cups hot cooked medium egg noodles (about 4 ounces uncooked)
Preparation

1. Cut steak diagonally across grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place steak and next 8 ingredients (though garlic) in a 3-quart electric slow cooker; stir well.

2. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a small bowl; gradually add broth, stirring with a whisk until blended. Add broth mixture to slow cooker; stir well. Cover with lid; cook on high-heat setting 1 hour. Reduce to low-heat setting, and cook 7 to 8 hours or until steak is tender. Turn slow cooker off; remove lid. Let stroganoff stand 10 minutes. Stir in sour cream. Serve stroganoff over noodles.

Baked French Toast

Delicious AND Easy!!!

Ingredients
FRENCH TOAST
1 loaf Crusty Sourdough Or French Bread
8 whole Eggs
2 cups Whole Milk
½ cups Whipping (heavy) Cream
¾ cups Sugar
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
Topping
½ cups All-purpose Flour
½ cups Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
¼ teaspoons Salt
1 stick Cold Butter, Cut Into Pieces
Fresh Fruit (optional)
Preparation Instructions
Grease 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter. Tear bread into chunks (or cut into cubes) and evenly distribute in the pan.
Mix together eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge several hours or overnight.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add nutmeg if desired. Add butter pieces and but into the dry mixture until mixture resembles fine pebbles. Store in a Ziploc in the fridge.
When you’re ready to bake the casserole, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove casserole from oven and sprinkle crumb mixture over the top. (If you’re using fruit, sprinkle on before the crumb mixture.) Bake for 45 minutes for a softer, more bread pudding texture. Bake 1 hour or more for a firmer, less liquid texture.
Scoop out individual portions. Top with butter and drizzle with maple syrup.

Tomato Basil Soup

First of all, it rocked! It was a hit and we paired it with hot ham and cheese sandwiches. Thank you Cooking Light for posting this one!

Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients

2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 pounds plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt
3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

Preparation

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Place half of tomato mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining tomato mixture. Stir in salt and pepper. Ladle 3/4 cup soup into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with 1 tablespoon yogurt and 1 1/2 teaspoons basil.

Breakfast Casserole

1 pound favorite pork sausage, fried and crumbled
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 eggs, beaten
2-1/2 cups milk
2 cups grated cheese
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 box garlic croutons


Pour the box of garlic croutons in a greased 9 x 13 dish
Layer sausage over croutons
Layer cheese over sausage
In large bowl, whisk eggs, mushroom soup, mustard, milk
Pour over croutons, sausage, cheese
Refrigerate overnight
Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes

Potato Skins from Pioneer Woman

top with sour cream and then add the green onions.....


8 pieces of thick-cut bacon
8 (cleaned) potatoes
canola oil
kosher salt
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
4 sliced green onions

Bake the potatoes for 45 min in the oven at 400 degrees or until they are fork tender
Fry your bacon up
When your potatoes come out of the oven, slice them in half, then with a spoon core
out the potatoes leaving a little flesh on the skin
Next brush both side of the the potatoes with canola oil and salt both sides liberally
Cook on both sides for 7 more minutes each or until the skins are crispy
Grate your cheese and chop the bacon into bits
Sprinkle the potatoes cheese and bacon, then return it to the oven just until the cheese melts
Right before you serve spoon in some sour cream, and sprinkle with green onions

Strawberry Sugar Cookie Tarts

2 packages(16 Oz. Size) Pillsbury Ready To Bake Sugar Cookies
8 ounces, Whipped Cream Cheese
8 ounces, Cool Whip
1/4 cup sugar
1 pint Fresh Strawberries

Spray mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Place one Ready to Bake Sugar Cookie in each tin.
Bake for 12–15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and use a Pampered Chef Mini Tart Shaper to press them into tart shapes. Let them cool a few minutes before you remove them from the pan to a wire rack. While the cookie tarts are cooling, make the filling.
Combine whipped cream cheese, Cool Whip and sugar. Mix with an electric mixer until fluffy.
Put filling in a pastry bag with a tip and pipe into each cookie tart. Top with a strawberry or other fresh fruit.
Makes 48 cookie tarts.

From Joy's Hope

Chicken Pocket Pies from Mad Hungry

Filling:
1 heaping cup of shredded chicken
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped carrot
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 recipe (2 disks) Cream Cheese Pastry (recipe below)
1 large egg, for egg wash
To make the filling, in a medium hot skillet, melt the butter and add the onion, celery and carrot. Sauté over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the salt and flour and cook for 1 minute more. Add the chicken broth and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1 heaping cup shredded chicken and the Parmesan cheese. Cool in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter or line a baking sheet.

To form the pocket pies, work with half of a disk of dough at a time, rolling it out on a floured surface to about 12 inches in diameter. Using an overturned bowl (about 5 inches across), cut out about 3 circles from each piece of dough. After cutting out all your circles, gather all dough scraps, reroll, and cut out a final time. Place 1/4 cup filling on one side of a dough circle. Wet the edges of the dough with water. Fold the dough over to form a half-circle. Pinch the edges of the dough together. Crimp the edges with a fork. Repeat the process until all the filling is used. The pocket pies can be frozen at this point.

Place the pocket pies on the prepared baking sheet and chill for a few minutes. Prick each pie on top twice with a fork. When ready to bake, beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the egg wash over each pocket pie. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. The pies can be cooled and frozen to reheat in the microwave.

Cream Cheese Pastry
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

In a food processor or using an electric mixer or by hand, process the butter, cream cheese and heavy whipping cream.


Add the flour and salt; process just until combined and the dough holds together in a ball. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and divide in 2 pieces. Flatten into disks and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. If the dough is chilled overnight, take it out 15 minutes before rolling out.


Rub flour all over a rolling pin. Working with one disk at a time, place the disk on a clean, well-floured surface. Roll gently from the center of the dough to the top and bottom edges. Rotate the disk, and roll to the top and bottom edges again. Reflour the work surface and rolling pin, turn the dough over and continue to roll the dough from the center out to the edges. Turn over and roll again, rotating the disk to ensure even rolling until the dough is about 12 inches in diameter, thin but not transparent.

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

One box chocolate cake mix (and the ingredients that go with it)
Sea salt
4-5 Skor bars or Heath bars
Caramel ice cream topping
Vanilla Buttercream (Recipe below)
Squeeze bottle

Bake your cupcakes according to package directions.

When the cupcakes are almost, make the salty caramel
Pour caramel into a measuring cup.
Add 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt per 8oz. of caramel.
Warm in the microwave for one minute.
Stir.
Pour the warm caramel into the squeeze bottle.

When the cupcakes come out of the oven, inject caramel into each one while warm

Cool the cupcakes completely. While they are cooling, smash the candy bars into tiny pieces.

Make the buttercream while the cupcakes are cooling

Vanilla Buttercream
1 stick of butter at room temperature
1lb. of powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbls. milk
pinch salt

Cream together butter and sugar. Add milk, vanilla and salt, mix together until creamy and thick.

Frost the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with the crushed candy bars and drizzle with more caramel sauce.

Breakfast Cupcakes

How easy it is to make breakfast cupcakes. I always have every intention of making a bunch of these and freezing them for breakfast all week. Well, with 4 hungry men in the house, they never make it past the counter.

I use a muffin tin, mix up about 8 eggs, throw in some things like bacon (cooked) or sauteed mushrooms. They're kinda like mini quiches without the crust. Cook at 350 for about 10 minutes. They will puff up and you can tell they're done!

The Bread Machine!

I'm so excited to have a bread machine!!! Tonight we're experimenting with multigrain bread!



Multigrain Bread
1-1/4 cups water
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1-1/3 cups bread flour
1-1/3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup seven grain or multigrain cereal
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1-1/4 tsp. salt
2-1/2 tsp. bread machine yeast

Place all ingredients in the bread machine pan in order recommended by the machine manufacturer. Select Whole Wheat or Basic/White Cycle. Use Medium or Light Crust Color. Remove bread from machine when done and let cool on wire rack.