I've (yes, me) been cooking Thanksgiving dinner for my family and friends for over 30 years now. Nothing fancy but everyone seems to like the menu...
Turkey with dressing (meaning, it's stuffed)
Stuffing is simple (but everyone loves it):
Pepperidge Farms cubed, herb seasoned stuffing
Chopped oinions
Chopped celery
16 oz. breakfast sausage (Jimmy Deans, Owens, etc.)
Bell's seasoning (if you're from New England, you know what this is, but you can get it on line now-a-days... it's the best seasoning for turkey!)
Chicken broth
Chop onions and celery and saute
Brown sausage
Follow directions on stuffing package regarding broth and mix
Add sausage and veggies to stuffing and stuff the bird - if you have extra, put it in a shallow tin and you can cook, then brown (broil) it later
I take the "innards" of the turkey and put them in a large pot and let them boil all day long for gravy
Turkey
Heat Bell's seasoning and butter in small saucepan
Allow bird to come to room temp (let sit for about two hours before oven)
Stuff the bird (loosely) with stuffing (above), baste entire bird and stuffing with Bell's/butter
Place four strips of bacon width-wise on breast (do NOT do what Deiterbrock does!! LOL)
Put in oven (350) for an hour
Take out, baste, put aluminum tent on, and return to oven @ 325
Follow directions on turkey wrapping for time remaining but use a meat thermometer and make sure inner thigh is at least 165 degrees
Best part (to me)? The stuffing that's plugging the cavity and has been basted with Bell's, butter and turkey juice all day and then gets all crisp!
Mashed potato casserole (this is awesome):
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/...teriest-tastiest-mashed-potatoes-ever-2656612
The difference here is the creamed cheese... makes the mashed potatoes great!
Sweetest potatoes
About 5 sweet potatoes
Jumbo marshmallows
Brown sugar
Butter
Crackin' Oat Bran
Boil the potatoes and mash them with liberal amounts of butter - let cool
Put Cracklin Oat Bran in blender and reduce to fine crumbs
Take handful of cooled potato and surround marshmallow with the potato
Roll that in the Cracklin Oat Bran crumbs
Assemble a bunch of these "balls" on cooking sheet
Mix brown sugar and butter in small saucepan to create a syrup
Drizzle brown sugar "syrup" on each "ball" and bake until marshmallows start to melt.
(caution: sugar shock is a very real possibility but the sweetness of these compliments the other flavors of the meal wonderfully)
Sting beans
The usual... you can find the recipe anywhere on the internet... involves green beans (I use fresh, not frozen), cream of mushroom soup and onion strings (French's)
Gravy
Once you take the turkey out of the oven (it's should stand for at least 1/2 hour)... remove fat from pan and scrape brown bits off bottom.
Add those (and a little fat if you wish) to the pot of "innards" you've been boiling all day
Remove innards
Mix corn starch and water in small container ()tea cup or whatever)
Add one jar of turkey gravy (I use Heinz) and a little chicken broth
Add cornstarch mixture to pot of innard stock gradually... you'll see it thicken
Thicken to desired consistency
We also have
corn and
carrots... the corn is basic and the carrots are:
https://www.thespruce.com/simple-honey-glazed-baby-carrots-3052490
(except, I use normal carrots, not baby)
Oh... and the most important thing?
When I wake up and take the turkey out to get to room temp... start chopping and browning and all... I MUST listen to a New England tradition:
https://video.search.yahoo.com/sear...c4937aa2a40bfd2109c6615f9f70696a&action=click
A most joyous and happy Thanksgiving to all here on ROD!!
