Thankful

I am Thankful for so many things"

my family and how we all support each other

my husband

my health

my friends

that I am able to provide for my family

that I love with all my heart

that I have made huge changes over this last year

that I am learning to let go

this is only the short list

I hope that everyone has a great Thanksgiving and enjoys the company that they have.

Time line- Turkey day

This will all depend on when you have dinner. We don't eat until 6 pm so I have all day. To tell you the truth sometimes I feel as if I am way behind. I don't put my turkey in until 2 pm!!

Day before- I bake, bake and bake! I get all my pies, breads and home made cranberry sauce done.

Big day-

9-10- Macy's Thanksgiving parade!!
10- baked another loaf a bread
10:30- baked squash
11- started my stuffing put in oven @12, remove squash removed from skin put in bowl added butter, brown sugar let sit
11- cutting my celery, onion that I would need for the day
12- put stuffing in oven for 45 minutes
12- peeled sweet potatoes put in oven 12:30
12:30- dishes and cleaned kitchen
12:45-1 break time- Blog
1:15- start getting my turkey ready- for the first time ever I have decided to use a turkey bag. Several people have recommended it and it cuts down on cooking time
1:30 out turkey in oven (3 1/2-4 hours) 5:30 done time
1:30- peel potatoes I am also using a different recipe than I post. It was giving to me last minute and you use your crock pot and chicken broth. takes 4 hours, make ice cubes
2- clean up kitchen. empty dish washer for after dinner dishes.
2:30 shower, get cleaned up
3:30- set table, make lemonade, ice tea, cut cheese foe pies, organize refrigerator
4- mom should be arriving, visit relax
4:30- everyone else should arrive
4:45-5 check turkey, pull turkey out, remove pan drippings, let turkey sit for 15-20 minutes
5:15- make gravy, put stuffing, sweet potatoes, squash back in oven to warm up, put mashed potatoes in serving bowl
5:30 carve turkey and sit down and enjoy my family and friends

Day 7- Caramel=pecan Cheesecake pie

In fall or any time of year, nutty, rich and delicious pie is one I am proud to serve. While it seems very special its a snap to make.

Ingredients:

1 sheet refrigerated pie pastry

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup chopped pecans

1 jar (12 1/4 oz) fat free caramel ice cream topping

Directions:

1. line a 9-in. pie plate with pastry. trim and flute edges. in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg and vanilla until smooth. spread into pastry shell; sprinkle with pecans.

2. In a small bowl, whisk remaining eggs; gradually whisk in caramel topping until blended. pour slowly over pecans.

3. Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned (loosely cover edges with foil after 20 minutes if pie browns to quickly). Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight before slicing. Yields 6-8 servings.

Prep: 15 minutes

Bake 35 mins + chilling

**when you bake this pie the caramel will sink to the bottom and the pecans will rise to the top**

Day 6- Cherry Bread

Cherry Bread- Grandma's recipe

Cherry Nut Bread* 1 cup of sugar, 1 1/2 cups four, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 eggs(beaten), 1-8 oz jar maraschino cherries(chopped) with juice, 1 cup nuts

Preheat oven to 350. Combine sugar, flour, baking powder in bowl. Add eggs, cherries with syrup and walnuts. Mix well; spread batter in greased loaf pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes. *this bread freezes well*

****Reminder***

Don't forget to take your turkey out of the freezer

Day 5 Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

12 oz of fresh or frozen cranberries

6 oz unsweetened apple juice concentrate

Directions:

In a sauce pan, combine the cranberries and apple juice. Cook over medium-low heat until berries burst. Additional sugar may be added if desired. Mix well, chill and serve.

*you can use orange juice as well*

I don't usually make cranberry sauce. not many in my family like it so I have tons leftover. I plan on making it the day before and whatever I have left freezing it.

Day 4 - Stuffing- Dressing

Easy Sausage Stuffing

Ingredients:

1 pound Bob Even Savory Sage or Original Recipe Sausage roll

1 large onion, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 (14 oz) package cubed stuffing

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup melted butter

Directions:

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, crumble sausage. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally until sausage is brown. In a large bowl, place cubed stuffing. Add sausage mixture. Sprinkle with poultry seasoning. Pour broth and butter over the top toss and combine. Spoon mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish; cover.

bake at 250 for 45 minutes

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Ready in 1 hour

serves: 8

recipe from Allrecipes.com

***I don't like chunks of celery & onion. I use my food processor and chopped them very fine**

Day 3- Sweet Potatoe

Sweet Potatoes

I love them. I like them as fries, baked and mashed but for Thanksgiving I make a casserole.

Ingredients:

3/4 large sweet potatoes

3-4 tablespoons butter

3-4 tablespoons brown sugar

sprinkle of cinnamon

handful of Cranraisins

**for this recipes like many of mine I don't have a written follow to the tea recipe.**

Directions:

Peel and slice s. potatoes (the thinner you slice them the faster they will cook, slice all the same so they all are done at the same time)

put in a 9x13 casserole dish

sprinkle brown sugar, cinnamon and cranraisins on top

cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes until potatoes are soft

This is my favorite dish of Thanksgiving!!!

Day 2- mashed potatoes

Day 2- mashed potatoes

I love this recipe for many reasons. One being I can make them ahead and have them turn out as if I just made them.

Ingredients:

5 pounds potatoes, peeled & cubed

1 cup sour cream

2 (3oz) packages cream cheese, softened

3 tablespoons butter, divided

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon onion salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Place potatoes in pot; cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until very tender; drain well.

2. in a large mixing bowl, mash potatoes. Add sour cream, cream cheese, 2 tablespoons butter, salt, onion salt and pepper; beat until fluffy. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Dot with remaining butter. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until heat through.

Serves 8

Prep time 35 minutes

Cook time 20 minutes

Ready in 55 minutes

* I put them in when I take my turkey out. My turkey need to rest for 15-20 minutes.

* I boil and mash my potatoes the day before and have them ready to put in oven on T-day.

Thanksgiving 2010/ Day 1

I love Thanksgiving.

I thought I would share some of my favorite foods/recipes.

I will post everyday a new recipe that I use or have used for Thanksgiving.

Day 1- turkey

Day 2- mashed potatoes

Day 3- sweet potatoes

Day 4- stuffing

Day 5- cranberry sauce

Day 6- rolls/bread

Day 7- pies apple/pecan tassie & pumpkin

Day 8- Timeline

Day 9- What I am thankful for & pictures of my 2010 Thanksgiving

Day 1- TURKEY

the most important item of the day. I am lucky that we don't eat until 6 pm. No having to get up early and put the bird in!!! I have a basic recipe for turkey. I don't stuff my turkey I cook mine separate. My goal is to have a moist turkey with flavor (aren't we all).

22 lbs turkey

vegetable oil

salt & pepper

thaw turkey according to safety tips below (22lbs=4 days in refrigerator)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove turkey from bag. Drain juices and pat dry with clean paper towels.
Place turkey lifter across full length of flat rack in a shallow roasting pan, 2 to 2 1/2 inches deep.
Tuck wings back to hold the neck skin in place. Doing so will help stabilize the turkey in the pan and when carving. Place thawed or fresh turkey, breast up, on the turkey lifter. Raise one loop over wings and breast, and the other loop over drumsticks. Rest loops on turkey, not over edge of pan during roasting.
Brush skin lightly with vegetable oil or spray with cooking spray to prevent the skin from drying.

Sprinkle salt and pepper on turkey and in the cavity of the turkey
Insert oven-safe meat thermometer deep into the lower part of the thigh muscle but not touching the bone. When thigh is up to temperature and if turkey is stuffed, move thermometer to center of stuffing. Stuffing should be 165 degrees when done.
Place your turkey in the pre-heated oven at 325 degrees.
When the turkey is about 2/3 done, loosely cover the breast and top of drumsticks with a piece of lightweight foil to prevent overcooking.
Your turkey is done when the meat thermometer reaches the following temperatures:
180 degrees deep in the thigh. At this temperature juices should be clear, not reddish pink, when thigh muscle is pierced deeply.
165 degrees in the center of the stuffing, if turkey is stuffed.
Lift roasted turkey onto platter with turkey lifter and discard lifter.
Before removing stuffing and carving, let your turkey stand 15 minutes to allow juices to set.

I cover my turkey with tin foil and a kitchen towel to keep warm while resting.

22 lbs = 3 1/2 to 4 hours un-stuffed

4 1/2-5 hours stuffed

**great tool @ butterball.com to determine thawing time, cooking time and how big of a turkey you will need**

Turkey Safety Tips:
Thawed turkey may be kept in the refrigerator up to 4 days before cooking.
Use paper towels, not cloth, to wipe off turkey and clean up juices.
Combine stuffing ingredients and stuff turkey just before roasting, not the night before.
Food Safety Tips:
Keep cold food below 40 degrees and hot food above 140 degrees.
Thaw your frozen meat on a tray in the refrigerator or in cold water with the breast side facing down. Once thawed, prevent uncooked juices from dripping onto other foods in the refrigerator by placing packaged meats on a separate tray or in a sealed dish.
Cook fresh meat as soon as possible, but no later than the Use-By date on the package. Fully cooking meat destroys bacteria that could cause food-borne illness.
Store raw meats away from the cooked meats, as well as away from fresh fruit and vegetables, to prevent cross contamination from occurring.
Store cooked meats in the refrigerator as soon as your meal is over. The maximum time limit for keeping cooked meat at room temperature is 2 hours.
When transporting cooked meat from your home to a party or another location, remember to keep it cold in a cooler or similar vehicle.
Experts recommend using two cutting boards, one strictly to cut raw meats and the other for vegetables and cooked foods. Cutting boards should be washed thoroughly in hot, soapy water after each use and allowed to air dry or be dried with clean paper towels.
Wash hands, work surfaces, and utensils touched by raw meat and its juices with hot, soapy water.
Use a meat thermometer to determine turkey’s doneness. If you don’t have a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the stuffing in the turkey, the stuffing should be cooked separately.

Use cooking methods that allow the turkey to reach an internal temperature of 140 degrees in less than 4 hours and a final temperature of 180 degrees in the thigh. If stuffed, the stuffing should reach 165 degrees. Avoid using a low roasting temperature or partial cooking method.
Store turkey, stuffing, gravy, broth, and other leftover cooked foods in separate containers in the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking. Remove turkey from bones before storing.

I hope this helps!

Day 2 mashed potatoes