Thanksgiving recipe help

[michellejed]

Sweet potato/apricot casserole.

I use one fresh yam for each person then add 2 more.
Wash,peel and boil like reg potatoes. When done then mash and add enough butter and milk to make it all nice and fluffy.

Add 2 cups chopped apricots (for about 10 people),1/2 cup packed brown sugar and depending on who is coming I add chopped pecans at this time, half a cup will do.

Put into baking dish and heat for about 15 min at 350 and then cover with mini marshmallows for a few minutes more till melted.

This can be made days ahead, just heat a little longer.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving with your family and friends and don't worry if it isn't perfect, things happen but it will all make fun memories for your 1st Thanksgiving!

 

[Sagginit]

my brother and his wife did thanksgiving for the first time two years ago. they used some real simple recipes including this one which we loved and is now a staple :http://www.realsimple.com/food-reci...yed-carrots-oranges-00000000044522/index.html

in our house we do lots of fresh veggies that we don't eat everyday. that includes fresh greenbeans, beets, turnips, etc. they are a nice treat that make the day special but are not super complicated.

when i was a kid we always did the traditional stuffing recipe already mentioned here (onion, celery, butter/margarine, seasoning, bread in turkey). yams we still keep simple, boil, cool & peel. they go in a casserole dish in the oven with butter/margarine, brown sugar, and marshmallows.

i was watching rachel ray the other day and she did thanksgiving in an hour. one of the things she mentioned is you may not want a whole bird, or one really big one. in my family we only like the white meat so we just get one or two turkey breasts which is what she did. it cooks quicker and we have less waste.

 

[pixiewings71]

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 would love it please!!

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

That sounds really good!!

DBF's Mom cooks, we just take dishes, I don't know what she wants us to bring this year, she hasn't said, although I keep asking.

 

[lukenick1]

Wow...all great suggestions here

 

[ToddyLu]

MIL is having us over this year. I have been asked to bring the staple 7 layer salad.

Layers
one heal of lettuce, washed and drained and placed in large bowl
One green bell pepper diced
Several green onions diced
then add almost a can of Le Seur English peas, drained( I hate English peas but in this salad they are awesome)

Then make your dressing with 2 cups Real Mayo and 3 tablespoons sugar (or sugar to taste), mixed until well blended and smooth, then spread this out over the above layers.

Final two layers are
almost 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
then almost a bag of bacon bits

Place in fridge for about an hour before serving

Folks around here love it. My parents had never had it since it is a hubby family recipe---they usually eat two helpings

 

[SarahKate]

Ok all, here is the ever WONDERFUL Pumpkin Crunch Recipe. I got this from www.allrecipes.com years ago and it has never failed us! Can't believe we get to eat this NEXT week!

Ingredients

2 cups pumpkin puree
12-ounce can evaporated milk
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups white sugar
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
1 (18.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup margarine, melted
1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease one 9×13 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix well and spread into the prepared pan.

Sprinkle the yellow cake mix evenly over the top of the pumpkin mixture and pat down gently. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top of the cake mix, then drizzle the melted butter all over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for about one hour, but no longer than 1 hour and 20 minutes. Let cool. Serve with whipped topping.

Makes one 9×13 inch cake.

 

[christineann]

Thanks, SarahKate!

 

[Jaya]

SWEET 'TATER CRUNCH (old family recipe):

2 beaten eggs
1 small can evaporated milk
1 stick margarine or butter
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 quart of smoothly mashed sweet potatoes (I used canned)

Mix above ingredients together and pour in buttered casserole dish

Topping:

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 stick margarine or butter
1 cup SELF RISING flour (must be self rising or add 1 tsb. baking powder to regular flour)
1 1/2 cups shopped pecans

cut butter or margarine into flour and brown sugar, add pecans. Sprinkle over sweet potato mix.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until firm. If topping starts to brown too much, put some aluminum foil over it.

 

[Jaya]

SWEET 'N SOUR COLE SLAW:

Make this 12-24 hours before for maximum taste.

Combine:

1 small onion, chopped finely (use less if you don't like onion)
2 stalks of celery, chopped finely
1 green pepper, chopped finely
small head of cabbage, shredded, or take a shortcut and get a bag of coleslaw mix at the grocery store

Mix:
3/4 cup vinegar (1/2 rice wine vinegar and 1/2 apple cider vinegar)
1 cup sugar
2 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp celery seed

Mix til sugar is dissolved. Pour over celery mix. Let sit in refrig 12-24 hours. If it's too tart or too sweet for your taste, adjust by adding more vinegar or sugar. I like it a bit on the tart side, some like it sweeter. Your choice.

 

[Jaya]

My mom's best mac 'n cheese:

8 oz elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
2 cups large curd cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 beaten egg
3/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp Dijon or other spicy brown mustard
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Mix together and then sprinkle another 1/2 cup cheese on top

Pour into greased casserole and bake for 30-35 min.

This ain't Kraft mac-and-cheese. You'll never go back.

 

[Jaya]

Broccoli Casserole:

2 10-oz packages of frozen chopped broccoli
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
2 BIG cans of evaporated milk
2 cups of Velveeta cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 7-oz box of Minute Rice
2 sticks of butter or margarine
1 can sliced water chestnuts.

Saute broccoli and onion. Add cheese til melted. Add the rest and pour into greased casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until browned on top.

 

[Jaya]

Please note that all of my above recipes are NOT healthy cooking. Healthy cooking is not allowed in our family on Thanksgiving Day. Several years ago, we had a family member who insisted that we were going to "eat healthy this year" and prepared the meal accordingly. After the riot cleared and we washed the tar and feathers off her, it was agreed that we'd go back to the artery-clogging, sleep-inducing, cholesterol-raising and pants-button-popping meal the next year and just diet for six months to make up for it. I seriously doubt that anyone says with their last breath, "Gosh, I'm so glad we had tofu turkey, raw veggies and sugar-free low-fat pumpkin pie for all those Thanksgivings". I, for one, plan on going out with a smile and a burp.

 

[minnie1012]

I sympathize with you! I also (unexpectedly) am having Thanksgiving for the first time! I hate cooking turkey and getting all the sides out at the same time stresses me! My parents house was flooded in the hurricane so Thanksgiving is hopefully when I can get them to leave the house for the first time and have dinner in a warm house! Of course then my husband is like well if we are "having" Thanksgiving we have to invite my family. Ugh! (that is a whole different thred lol)

I like the sweet potatoes with marshmallows:
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/whipped-sweet-potato-bake-56902.aspx

This is also a favorite that my Mom makes every year:

Sweet Potato Crunch

1 can (1lb) sweet potatoes

Topping:

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup cornflakes

1.Preheat oven to 400. Grease a 7 or 8 inch pie plate
2. Drain potatoes, reserving 1/2 cup liquid. Mash potatoes. Gradually add reserved liquid, stirring until well combined. Turn into prepared pie plate, spreading evenly.
3. Make Topping: Toss butter, sugar and cornflakes to combine. Sprinkle evenly over potatoes
4. Bake, uncovered,20 minutes or until topping is golden brown and crispy.

It can also be doubled

 

[Jaya]

Just in time for the holiday baking:

Holiday Vodka Cake:

1 cup sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 cup water, 1 tsp. salt, 1 cup brown sugar, lemon juice, 4 large eggs, nuts, 1 bottle of vodka, 2 cups of dried fruit.


Sample a cup of the vodka for quality. Take a large bowl, check the vodka again to be sure it is the highest quality, then repeat. Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar. Beat again.

At this point, it is best to make sure the vodka is still OK. Try another cup, just in case. Turn of the mixerer thingy. Break 2 eegs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. Pick the fruit up off the floor, wash it and put it in the bowl a piece at a time trying to count it. Mix on the turner. If the fried druit getas stuck in the beaterers, just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the vodka to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift 2 cups of salt, or something, Check the vodka. Now ****, sift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find.

Greash the oven. Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the window. Finish vodka and wipe the counter with the cat. Enjoy!

I made this last year. Next thing I knew it was New Year's Day. My only problem with the recipe: why was my underwear out on the front lawn and why do the neighbors give me dirty looks all the time?

 

[Nana2Callie]

Ok all, here is the ever WONDERFUL Pumpkin Crunch Recipe. I got this from www.allrecipes.com years ago and it has never failed us! Can't believe we get to eat this NEXT week!

Ingredients

2 cups pumpkin puree
12-ounce can evaporated milk
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups white sugar
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
1 (18.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup margarine, melted
1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease one 9×13 inch baking pan. In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix well and spread into the prepared pan.

Sprinkle the yellow cake mix evenly over the top of the pumpkin mixture and pat down gently. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top of the cake mix, then drizzle the melted butter all over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for about one hour, but no longer than 1 hour and 20 minutes. Let cool. Serve with whipped topping.

Makes one 9×13 inch cake.

That really does sound good - may have to try that!