We are pretty much the traditionalists when it comes to what we eat at our Thanksgiving table. There are just certain things my family will not do without on this day, which means that I really can't go outside the lines with this meal, but we may make some of the items differently than you do. On holidays I often take short cuts and use convenience items to make it easier on myself. My grandma and mom always did, too. This is our line-up for Thursday.
Turkey- Even though we weren't the hosts for Thanksgiving dinner, every year we would buy a turkey just because they are so cheap. I've heard of some people getting theirs for anywhere from 22 cents to 40 cents per pound, but the cheapest in our area was 58 cents per pound, which is still a very good deal to me. We bought a 22-pounder, which will give us a good meal with some leftovers. My husband is pretty much in charge of the bird. He is going to take off the wings, legs, and thighs and we will cook these separately from the breast. He will then inject melted butter and turkey broth directly into the meat of the breast. It makes the best-flavored and moist meat I've ever had. Gravy is hardly needed.
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy-We almost made a different potato this year, but that was quickly voted out!
Green Bean Casserole-This is your typical green bean casserole that you can find in just about any November or December issue of magazines that have recipes in them. Here's how we make it:
- 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 4 cups cooked french cut green beans (frozen or canned)
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/3 cups French fried onions
Mix soup, milk and pepper in a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Stir in beans and 2/3 cup of the fried onions. Bake for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees F. Top with the remaining 2/3 cup fried onions and bake about 5 more minutes, until onions are lightly browned.
Serves 6. We usually double this.
Sweet Potato Casserole- It seems everyone has their own version of this dish. This is ours.
- 1 egg
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes
- Topping:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup coconut
Beat eggs, granulated sugar, and 3/4 cup butter. Add milk and vanilla. Combine with the mashed sweet potatoes; spoon into a greased 2-quart casserole. Combine brown sugar, flour, 2 tablespoons butter, and pecans, mixing until crumbly; sprinkle over sweet potatoes. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Serves 6.
Stuffing or Dressing- Over the years, we've made stuffing from cornbread or bread. We also add onions, celery, herbs and seasonings. Sometimes my grandma would make oyster or giblet stuffing. You can find a recipe for stuffing in any good cookbook.
Cranberry Relish-My grandma made this every year. I sat down with her one day a few years ago and she told me how she makes it, although there isn't an exact recipe for it, so the ingredients are estimates that she gave me. In my family you either hate it or love it. I love it.
1 package cranberries (chopped coarsely in the food processor)
2 ribs celery, chopped
1-2 apples, peeled and chopped
1 package raspberry jello, prepared as directed on package, except only use 1 1/2 cups water
1/2-1 cup nuts, chopped
1/2 cup sugar or to taste
1 orange, chopped and a little piece of peel, grated
Make the jello and mix with the celery, sugar, nuts, and fruit.
Rolls-Most of the time we just get rolls from the grocery store as a short cut. It just makes the day a little easier on the cook. You could make the rolls from scratch ahead of time and freeze them and reheat them before the meal.
Deviled Eggs- I love these. The filling for these is creamy and oh, so good. Here's my recipe:
6 hard-cooked eggs, cooled
1/2 teaspoon dry or 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, if desired
Paprika
Remove shells from eggs and halve lengthwise. Carefully remove yolks and place in small bowl. Mash yolks with fork and add remaining ingredients except paprika; mix until fluffy. Fill egg white halves with yolk mixture. Sprinkle with paprika. Makes 12 deviled eggs.
Corn Casserole- This is a pretty new addition to our Thanksgiving table and we really like it a lot. We got it from
Food Network's Paula Deen.
- 1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
- 1 (8-ounce) package corn muffin mix (recommended: Jiffy)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, stir together the 2 cans of corn, corn muffin mix, sour cream, and melted butter. Pour into a greased 9 by 13-inch casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and top with Cheddar. Return to oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let stand for at least 5 minutes and then serve warm.
Pumpkin Pie- Last week I gave the recipe for this gotta-have dessert for Thanksgiving day. You can find it
here.
Pecan Pie- This is a close second to pumpkin pie in my book. One of my favorites. Our oldest daughter is making this for us.
Cinnamon Rolls-This is a brand new addition to our table this year. My daughter's boyfriend will be joining us for dinner and we asked him what food makes it Thanksgiving for him. He said his grandma always made cinnamon rolls. So, we are, too.
Baked Cheese and Vegetable Twist- Our second oldest daughter is bringing this and this is another new one for us. It's a Kraft recipe and can be found
here with a video to give step-by-step instructions. It looks delicious!
So, what does your family just gotta have for Thanksgiving dinner? You know, the dishes that makes it Thanksgiving for them and you?
I'm participating in
Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays and
Tasty Tuesday.
Graphic courtesy of All Posters.
