Thanksgiving recipe help

[Neesy228]

Up until now, I've only had to make some side dishes to contribute to the thanksgiving meal, but now our parents are all getting older and it's all on me this year! While I'm happy to have a house full of family on thanksgiving, I'm a little nervous about preparing the meal myself. I could really use some advise!

I was wondering if anyone has any fantastic sweet potato casserole recipes to share as well as any stuffing recipes. These are things I've never made, and don't want to screw up. I really really appreciate any help!

 

[SarahKate]

I don't have one recipes but I have one for a dessert called pumpkin crunch if you're interested. This is a family fave and has been for the past 10 yrs or so! Very easy and soooo decadent.

 

[Soulsearching]

Up until now, I've only had to make some side dishes to contribute to the thanksgiving meal, but now our parents are all getting older and it's all on me this year! While I'm happy to have a house full of family on thanksgiving, I'm a little nervous about preparing the meal myself. I could really use some advise!

I was wondering if anyone has any fantastic sweet potato casserole recipes to share as well as any stuffing recipes. These are things I've never made, and don't want to screw up. I really really appreciate any help!

I take a whole case of yams, it's about 6 yams sold in a card board crate.

Wash, make slices down the sides of the yam and place them in a corning ware with a little water (sprinkle) Microwave on high till done.

Let them cool down a bit and then begin to peel the skin off and scoop out. The skin should come off easily be careful not to burn your hands.

Mash the hot yams, add butter, a little milk, brown sugar, maple syrup, salt and pepper to taste.

Put in a casserole dish, top with mini marshmallows if desired and bake till marshmallows are slightly brown, then serve.

This can be made a half hour before the turkey is ready, because you are using the microwave.

When you take the turkey out to sit a bit before it is carved, put the casserole in the oven to heat and brown.

Hope this helps.

 

[Jedana]

I do the sweet potatoes very simply. Boil until almost done (not quite totally soft), drain, peel, dice. Mix with brown sugar, cinnamon, pinch nutmeg. Top with butter, cook in oven for 15 minutes or so, until done and carmelized.

Stuffing is just as easy. Saute Sage Sausage (think it's jimmy dean--comes in a silver roll) with some onions in butter. add in died celery when almost done.
Make 3-4 boxes of Jiffy corn muffin mix, (I add dried sage, rosemary and thyme to the batter) and cool. Mix the sausage mix, crumbled cornbread, more sage/rosemary/thyme/pepper/salt to taste. Add in chicken stock until moist but not wet. Bake to heat and crisp top.

My husband likes stuff simple. His grandma put eggs in her stuffing, but I am ok without.

 

[Soulsearching]

This is my menu and I find it very easy to do for a large crowd

Appetizer: Brie served with crackers: food.com/recipe/easy-brie-appetizer-149011
Apples with a caramel dip: tastykitchen.com/recipes/appetizers-and-snacks/caramel-apple-dip-4/
and whatever appetizers guests bring.

Dinner: Turkey, gravy, stuffing (I use stove top stuffing and add whatever I feel at the moment, sausage, walnuts, cranberries and sometimes just leave it plain, it always seems to go over well, you really can't go wrong unless you have nut allergies in the family), sweet potato casserole, fresh green beans, Cranberry sauce, apple cider, rolls, butter

Dessert: apple pie, pumpkin pie, ice cream, coffee, tea and whatever dessert guests bring (hopefully they bring wine too, because I usually need a lot of it that day)

 

[dsny1mom]

I take a whole case of yams, it's about 6 yams sold in a card board crate.

Wash, make slices down the sides of the yam and place them in a corning ware with a little water (sprinkle) Microwave on high till done.

Let them cool down a bit and then begin to peel the skin off and scoop out. The skin should come off easily be careful not to burn your hands.

Mash the hot yams, add butter, a little milk, brown sugar, maple syrup, salt and pepper to taste.

Put in a casserole dish, top with mini marshmallows if desired and bake till marshmallows are slightly brown, then serve.

This can be made a half hour before the turkey is ready, because you are using the microwave.

When you take the turkey out to sit a bit before it is carved, put the casserole in the oven to heat and brown.

Hope this helps.

Ours is similar but a tad bit easier. Two of the largest sized cans of yams heated in their own juices on stove until falling apart, drain any juices not absorbed (the heat will evaporate most if not all of the juices). Mash by hand (you can use a hand mixer if you want them very creamy)adding maple syrup, brown sugar and approx 1/3 bag of mini marshmallows as you mash or mix. Put it in a cassarole dish and top with the remainder of the marshmallows and pop in oven until marshmallows are slightly browned. It's super sweet and super yummy!

dsny1mom

 

[Cheryllynn74]

Cooking a large meal by yourself can be stressful. The best advice I can give is to prepare dished ahead of time as much as you can. There is a fabulous make-ahead mashed potato recipe on allrecipes.com (just do a search) that I always make the day before, then just reheat with some dabs of butter in it to keep them moist. They are made with sour cream and cream cheese. Most casseroles can be put together the day before and then cooked the day of. My favorite sweet potato recipe is also on allrecipes.com. Just search "Charline's sweet potato casserole". It is more work than most, but my family demands it every year. It calls for fresh, but I use canned and it is just as good. Stuffing I always make in my crockpot so it frees up room in the oven. Just make sure to stir it frequently to prevent it burning on the sides. One year, my mom even cooked the turkey the day before, sliced it all up, then heated it the next day in the crockpot with gravy. Everyone loved it.

 

[mymeme]

I 2nd the crockpot for the stuffing. I make cornbread dressing ahead of time and then thanksgiving day just put in crockpot to cook. One less thing to worry about getting in the oven. My family has to have chicken pie. I make the dumplings and freeze on wax paper cookie sheets and then put in Tupperware. Just drop frozen in broth. Anything I can do ahead of time helps a lot.

 

[momxx5]

Super Easy, Old Fashion Homestyle Stuffings

-large onion,
-whole stalk of celery
-1 loaf of bread
-pepper to tatse

Slice celery into small (not tiny) equal size, slice/dice onion into small equal size.....sautee in butter until tender.

Bread - lay out overnight to get "stale" (or slightly toast in oven) and break apart into 1 in pieces.

Mix all 3 items in a large bowl, add pepper to taste.

Stuff both ends of turkey, pushing all the stuffing, packing pretty tight.
Cook turkey per instructions. Spoon all the stuffing out of the turkey getting all the parts. Enjoy.

You can make larger batches by increasing the amounts.

***Lately I have been making triple batches. I sperate it all into 2 bowls.....one to stuff turkey and other to bake.***

I make one batch and bake it in the oven, I add a can of chicken broth to the mixture, cover with foil and bake. I remove foil to let it get a bit crispy on top for the last 10 minutes or so.
I often mix both batches together......to give it all that baked-in-turkey taste.

Enjoy

 

[dakcp2001]

I don't have one recipes but I have one for a dessert called pumpkin crunch if you're interested. This is a family fave and has been for the past 10 yrs or so! Very easy and soooo decadent.

I'd love the pumpkin crunch recipe!

 

[clh2]

I have a great recipe for Make-Ahead mashed potatoes, that reheat nicely in a crock pot.

HOLIDAY MASHED POTATOES

5 pounds Yukon gold or russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1/2 cup milk
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 ground black pepper (We add a very tiny bit of pepper, I do not care for pepper too much)
4 strips cooked bacon, chopped (optional)

Place potatoes in large saucepan; add enough water to cover. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain. Return to saucepan.

Add milk, cream cheese, and butter to potatoes. Mash with hand masher or electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Stir in garlic salt and pepper. Spoon into a 12 x 9 inch casserole dish. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.

Remove potatoes from refrigerator 3 1/4 hours before serving time. Coat slow cooker insert with vegetable oil spray. Place potatoes in slow cooker. Cover and heat on low setting 3 hours, stirring tiwce. Add chopped bacon before serving, if desired. Potatoes can be held ad additional 30 minutes if needed. Makes sixteen 1/2 cup servings.

NOTE: Mashed potatoes also may be reheated in oven. Bake uncovered in casserole dish for 45 minutes until hot. (SORRY - recipe did not specify the temp here.)

Sorry - I can't help with any sweet potatoes recipes - I don't care for sweet potatoes, so If I am hosting - I will always mentioned to my family that if anyone wants some - they ought to bring some And - that is going to lead me into my next suggestion - if someone asks what they can bring - let them bring something! (When I do this - I know one of my sisters will always, always, always be late - so I suggest a dessert for her, my parents come from a distance - so wine is a good option for them etc.

 

[java]

Sweet Potato we made last year was a HUGE hit
Tipsy Sweet Potato

4 large sweet potatoes
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Jack Daniels Whiskey(I used Jack Daniels Honey and it was YUMMY)
1/2 cup pecan halves, lightly toasted
Directions:

1
In a large pan sweet potatoes in just enough water to cover.
2
Bring to a boil, cover and cook until tender, about 35 minutes.
3
Drain and cool, then peel off skins.
4
In mixing bowl mash the potatoes with butter.
5
Add sugar, salt and whiskey.
6
Spread half the potatoes in 1.5 quart buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle with half the pecans. Repeat layers.
7
Bake at 325 for 30 minutes.

Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/tipsy-sweet-potatoes-127156?oc=linkback

 

[christineann]

I'd love to have the pumpkin crunch recipe, too, SarahKate

 

[Neesy228]

I don't have one recipes but I have one for a dessert called pumpkin crunch if you're interested. This is a family fave and has been for the past 10 yrs or so! Very easy and soooo decadent.

Yes, I'm definitely interested! That sounds wonderful! Thank you!

And thanks to everyone who took the time to write out their recipes for me. I welcome any other knock-out dishes that you serve too. I need all the help I can get!

 

[HeatherC]

We will be having around 27 people at my house. I do as much ahead as possible. LOVE my crockpots. I use them for the mashed potatoes, stuffing, and sauteed apples.

I use stove top stuffing, but I sautee onion, sausage and apples in butter and add that to the stuffing. Make it the day before and put in crockpot. Just reheat and add some chicken broth if it seems dry. I keep on low for hours and it is fine. I do the same with potatoes. If they need it, I add a little milk to them as they warm.

I make the sauteed apples the day before too and keep them warm in the crockpot They are SO good. Recipe is on all recipes.

Will also make a spiral ham in crockpot. I add pineapple juice, pineapples and brown sugar. Smells so good.

I also make a cranberry apple relish that is good and easy. One bag of cranberries in pot. Add one small can of apple juice concentrate and some chopped apples and cinnamon. Simmer until cranberries pop and add some sugar if you want. Tastes even better if you make a couple days ahead and serve cold or at room temperature.

I also make butternut squash like mashed potatoes. Peel and chop like potatoes. Boil till soft. Then drain and mash with butter, milk or cream and a little cinnamon and nutmeg. Yummy! Can also go into crockpot and be made a day or two ahead of time.

Another make ahead dish is roasted red onions. Slice onions in half and put on a buttered cookie sheet. Sprinkle some thyme, salt and pepper and a splash of red wine vinegar. Roast at 375 until brown and soft. Leave on sheet and just reheat at 350 for 20 minutes when ready to serve. Surprisingly, even the kids love these....probably because they are so sweet.

I also make easy green beans. I use fresh beans and just blanche them the day before for a few minutes. Then on Thanksgiving just melt some butter with chopped shallots and some crumbled bacon. I use the precooked...just chop and throw in pan. Add the green beans and just heat them through. Takes about 10 minutes tops. I do these while dh is carving the turkey.

Hope some of these ideas help! Have a wonderful holiday!

Hope this helps!

 

[Happyjen27]

Try the sweet potato casserole recipe from Ruth's Chris's steakhouse.

It's even a make-ahead: assemble the casserole and bake it, and pre-mix the topping and set it aside. Refrigerate the casserole at this point for a day or two. Just add the topping and heat in the oven until thoroughly heated.

Otherwise keep it simple!! My sister threw her first ever Thanksgiving 10 years ago. She is quite a "foodie" and has an excellent palate. Unfortunately all the recipes she made were new recipes, so she spent a lot of unplanned time on them. Maybe try one or two new things, but mostly stick with standby recipes so you don't get too in the weeds.

 

[Elleshoodat]

One of my favorite easy side dishes is corn casserole. In a casserole dish, combine 1 can of corn, drained; 1 can of creamed corn; 1 box of corn muffin mix; 1 cup of sour cream; and 1 stick of butter, melted.

Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes (until the top is golden brown), then sprinkle shredded cheese on top and bake for another 5 minutes.

Depending on the crowd, I sometimes add diced jalapenos, but it's always a crowd pleaser.

 

[tlh0726]

We do buffet style at our house. Everything gets thrown into crockpots and/or nesco roasters and turned on to cook/heat.
We also use disposable plates, silverware, and cups. Only dishes I do is the crockpots and serving spoons at the end of the day.

I even do my turkey ahead of time. Slice it down, put it into containers, cover completely with broth and throw it back in the freezer. I then defrost, dump into a crock pot to re-heat and use the extra broth to make gravy.

Only thing I worry about making on the stove or in the oven the day of, is stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy And once these are done, they get thrown in a crock pot too. I try to make the day as stressfree as possible for me.

Our menu normally is
turkey
stuffing
mashed potatoes
gravy
sweet potatoes
corn
green bean casserole
dutch salad
potato party rolls
cranberry sauce
pumpkin pie
pumpkin roll
Punch (gingerale and hawaiian punch mix)


This year we will be at WDW
so for Christmas will be having turkey and roast beef.

 

[trip]

When you take your turkey out to "rest", cover it with foil and then a large bath towel. That will keep the turkey hot for up to an hour!

 

[trip]

Do all of your prep work in advance. Chop whatever onions, celery, etc. you will need and put in a labeled baggie. Get your serving pieces out and label. You could even set the table. In other words do everything that you can do in advance. And make a master list with times - temps for anything you need to cook.