Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. My family is kind of weirdly "set up", My mom was a change of life baby (that my grandmother tried to pretend she wasn't pregnant with for quite awhile) and so she is nineteen years younger than her oldest sister. So my mom is closer in age with my first cousins, and so on and so forth, so many generations of us get together for the holiday.
My Aunt Marie, more lovingly known as Tootie, is definitely the family matriarch, and hosts this get together. She is an amazing cook, and her home is always so welcoming. But, while the food is delicious and the company can't be beat, the best part is the Black Friday strategizing in the afternoon.
My cousin Tammy heads this up, she has maps, lists of items, lists of people, and everyone is given their items to get. My cousin Candice is in charge of the movies every year, do not get between her and a $1.98 DVD, she will take you down.
I only got to go one year, last year and this year I will be on kid duty. Since that's the case I've opened my home up to a few friends children as well. You think Black Friday will be crazy? I have a feeling my living room will give it a run for it's money.
So with all that said let's get to the goods. The following are all recipes we make, or close friends make. They are tried and tested and definitely worth a try.
The Turkey
This is my husbands recipe. He makes the BEST turkey I've ever had, although I've never made a turkey...maybe we should have a turkey off?
15-20 lb turkey
2 sticks of butter
1 chopped red onion (which my daughter sneaks pieces of because she's gross)
1 sliced medium sized honeycrisp apple
1 package of bacon
2 cups chicken stock
Rinse Turkey and pat dry. Use a spoon "round side up" to detach skin from the breast of the turkey. Put half a stick of butter under the skin of each breast.
Fill turkey cavity with 1 stick of butter, the chopped onion, and the sliced apple.
Put the turkey in the roasting pan and drape with sliced bacon. Focus on covering the breast, thighs, and legs. Pour your stock all over the turkey.
My Aunt Marie, more lovingly known as Tootie, is definitely the family matriarch, and hosts this get together. She is an amazing cook, and her home is always so welcoming. But, while the food is delicious and the company can't be beat, the best part is the Black Friday strategizing in the afternoon.
My cousin Tammy heads this up, she has maps, lists of items, lists of people, and everyone is given their items to get. My cousin Candice is in charge of the movies every year, do not get between her and a $1.98 DVD, she will take you down.
I only got to go one year, last year and this year I will be on kid duty. Since that's the case I've opened my home up to a few friends children as well. You think Black Friday will be crazy? I have a feeling my living room will give it a run for it's money.
So with all that said let's get to the goods. The following are all recipes we make, or close friends make. They are tried and tested and definitely worth a try.
The Turkey
This is my husbands recipe. He makes the BEST turkey I've ever had, although I've never made a turkey...maybe we should have a turkey off?
15-20 lb turkey
2 sticks of butter
1 chopped red onion (which my daughter sneaks pieces of because she's gross)
1 sliced medium sized honeycrisp apple
1 package of bacon
2 cups chicken stock
Rinse Turkey and pat dry. Use a spoon "round side up" to detach skin from the breast of the turkey. Put half a stick of butter under the skin of each breast.
Fill turkey cavity with 1 stick of butter, the chopped onion, and the sliced apple.
Put the turkey in the roasting pan and drape with sliced bacon. Focus on covering the breast, thighs, and legs. Pour your stock all over the turkey.
Put your pop up timer in the turkey breast.
Cover with aluminum foil
Bake at 350 degrees for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Check pop up timer, if it has popped turkey needs to rest for 20 minutes and then carve.
Chicken and Noodles
This is a combination of my mothers recipe and my aunts recipe. I cheat, I do not make my own noodles. Part of the reason is I don't own a rolling pin...I may have just lost some street cred with that statement.
1 bag of wide Amish Noodles
2 32 ounce cans of chicken broth
1 32 ounce can of vegetable stock
3 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt
Pepper
Put the broth and stock in a large pot and bring to a boil.
Put all the chicken into the boiling broth
Now we get a little iffy, because i don't time this. I just let it boil for a LONG time because I don't want my family to get salmonella. I'm sure there's a science and I'm probably wasting time, but I boil it probably close to an hour.
Once the chicken is cooked through, take it out and shred it. (Shameless plug for the Pampered Chef Mix and Chop, I seriously don't know how people cook without it)
Put it back in the pot with broth still boiling, add your noodles. Let it boil until noodles are cooked and almost all the brother is gone. No one likes runny noodles all up on their plate.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Mashed Potatoes
Again this is a combination of my mothers recipe and the recipe of a woman I worked with. My kids love my mashed potatoes, and to me you can't serve chicken and noodles without mashed potatoes.
5 pound bag of red potatoes
Sour cream
2-3 sticks of butter
Salt
Pepper
Boil 6 cups of water
I have a family of four (who can eat) and so I usually peel two more potatoes than people eating, so six.
Cut up potatoes into large cubes
Put in boiling water
Again, I don't time this. I don't have a kitchen aid (yet, it's on my list) and so I have to hand mix my potatoes, so I want them super mushy. Probably about forty five minutes in the boiling water.
Put a healthy amount of salt and pepper in the bottom of your mixing bowl, as well as half a stick to a stick of butter sliced up.
Drain potatoes and put them in your mixing bowl
Cut up one stick of butter for the top, and 3 spoonfulls of sour cream. Again, sour cream is a guesstimate. You can always add more, so if you don't trust how it will taste, start with less.
Smash and mix your potatoes, you want to mix them for probably three minutes to get that thickness.
If you like flavored potatoes it's as easy as adding some garlic powder or ranch and mixing it in. I've also added chive, bacon, cheese, and oregano, sorry no exact measurements, just taste as you go.
Sweet Potatoe Casserole
Now, I've never had this, but this is my pastors wife's recipe, so you know it's gotta be good. We've had some other things she has cooked, and now my family prefers her lasagna to mine.
2 quart dish
3 cups of cooked mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp of nutmeg
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 stick of melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
Mix all of your ingredients together and pour into your baking pan
Top with the following mixture;
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup self rising flour
1 cup of brown sugar
1/2 stick melted butter
Spread that mixture over your sweet potatoes mixture and bake at 300 degrees for 35 minutes.
Green Bean Casserole
So, I've never eaten green bean casserole. I will this year, I promise. But, when I posted on my facebook for recipes this one started a bit of a friendly debate. So I will post with all the possible ingredients.
2 cans of green beans
1 can of cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom)
1 can of french fried onions
Optional onion powder
Mix green beans and soup together and put in greased baking dish.
Top with 3/4 cup of French Fried onions
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes
Top with more onions
Bake another five minutes
Dressing
Stuffing goes in the bird, dressing goes on the plate. I love a good, moist dressing, and I'm not even picky about it. Stove Top is fine with me. Now some people like a bit of crunch in their dressing, I am not them, If you are them, you will not want this recipe.
This is not a family recipe (yet muhaha) and is actually a Pioneer Woman recipe. So, in order to not seem like I"m trying to pass it off as mine I am simply going to post the link here. Trust me, it takes some work, but it is so worth it.
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/stuffing_dressing_my_favorite_thanksgiving_food/
Deviled Eggs
I have to eat one deviled egg at all of my aunts get togethers. I don't make them at home, and I don't particularly love deviled eggs, but they are a staple and so I have to eat at least one.
6 hard boiled eggs
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons mayo
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
2 tablespoons pick relish
Paprika
De-shell the eggs and slice in half length wise.
Gently remove the yolks from the eggs and put into a bowl
Mix up everything but the paprika until its smooth
At this point you can either spoon your yolk mixture back in, or if you're fancy, you can pipe it.
Sprinkle with paprika
keep in the fridge until you're ready to serve
Grapes and Apple Salad
This is a friends recipe, but I will be making it this year. The kids in our family love fruit, and it's probably the healthiest thing that will be in the thanksgiving spread
Bag of your favorite apples
Bag of seedless grapes
Two to three stalks of celery
Mini marshmallows
Walnuts
Cool Whip
Cube up your apples
Slice your grapes in half
Chop that celery up very fine
Take all of your ingredients and mix them in a bowl
Cover with aluminum foil
Bake at 350 degrees for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Check pop up timer, if it has popped turkey needs to rest for 20 minutes and then carve.
Chicken and Noodles
This is a combination of my mothers recipe and my aunts recipe. I cheat, I do not make my own noodles. Part of the reason is I don't own a rolling pin...I may have just lost some street cred with that statement.
1 bag of wide Amish Noodles
2 32 ounce cans of chicken broth
1 32 ounce can of vegetable stock
3 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt
Pepper
Put the broth and stock in a large pot and bring to a boil.
Put all the chicken into the boiling broth
Now we get a little iffy, because i don't time this. I just let it boil for a LONG time because I don't want my family to get salmonella. I'm sure there's a science and I'm probably wasting time, but I boil it probably close to an hour.
Once the chicken is cooked through, take it out and shred it. (Shameless plug for the Pampered Chef Mix and Chop, I seriously don't know how people cook without it)
Put it back in the pot with broth still boiling, add your noodles. Let it boil until noodles are cooked and almost all the brother is gone. No one likes runny noodles all up on their plate.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Mashed Potatoes
Again this is a combination of my mothers recipe and the recipe of a woman I worked with. My kids love my mashed potatoes, and to me you can't serve chicken and noodles without mashed potatoes.
5 pound bag of red potatoes
Sour cream
2-3 sticks of butter
Salt
Pepper
Boil 6 cups of water
I have a family of four (who can eat) and so I usually peel two more potatoes than people eating, so six.
Cut up potatoes into large cubes
Put in boiling water
Again, I don't time this. I don't have a kitchen aid (yet, it's on my list) and so I have to hand mix my potatoes, so I want them super mushy. Probably about forty five minutes in the boiling water.
Put a healthy amount of salt and pepper in the bottom of your mixing bowl, as well as half a stick to a stick of butter sliced up.
Drain potatoes and put them in your mixing bowl
Cut up one stick of butter for the top, and 3 spoonfulls of sour cream. Again, sour cream is a guesstimate. You can always add more, so if you don't trust how it will taste, start with less.
Smash and mix your potatoes, you want to mix them for probably three minutes to get that thickness.
If you like flavored potatoes it's as easy as adding some garlic powder or ranch and mixing it in. I've also added chive, bacon, cheese, and oregano, sorry no exact measurements, just taste as you go.
Sweet Potatoe Casserole
Now, I've never had this, but this is my pastors wife's recipe, so you know it's gotta be good. We've had some other things she has cooked, and now my family prefers her lasagna to mine.
2 quart dish
3 cups of cooked mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp of nutmeg
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 stick of melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
Mix all of your ingredients together and pour into your baking pan
Top with the following mixture;
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup self rising flour
1 cup of brown sugar
1/2 stick melted butter
Spread that mixture over your sweet potatoes mixture and bake at 300 degrees for 35 minutes.
Green Bean Casserole
So, I've never eaten green bean casserole. I will this year, I promise. But, when I posted on my facebook for recipes this one started a bit of a friendly debate. So I will post with all the possible ingredients.
2 cans of green beans
1 can of cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom)
1 can of french fried onions
Optional onion powder
Mix green beans and soup together and put in greased baking dish.
Top with 3/4 cup of French Fried onions
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes
Top with more onions
Bake another five minutes
Dressing
Stuffing goes in the bird, dressing goes on the plate. I love a good, moist dressing, and I'm not even picky about it. Stove Top is fine with me. Now some people like a bit of crunch in their dressing, I am not them, If you are them, you will not want this recipe.
This is not a family recipe (yet muhaha) and is actually a Pioneer Woman recipe. So, in order to not seem like I"m trying to pass it off as mine I am simply going to post the link here. Trust me, it takes some work, but it is so worth it.
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/stuffing_dressing_my_favorite_thanksgiving_food/
Deviled Eggs
I have to eat one deviled egg at all of my aunts get togethers. I don't make them at home, and I don't particularly love deviled eggs, but they are a staple and so I have to eat at least one.
6 hard boiled eggs
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons mayo
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
2 tablespoons pick relish
Paprika
De-shell the eggs and slice in half length wise.
Gently remove the yolks from the eggs and put into a bowl
Mix up everything but the paprika until its smooth
At this point you can either spoon your yolk mixture back in, or if you're fancy, you can pipe it.
Sprinkle with paprika
keep in the fridge until you're ready to serve
Grapes and Apple Salad
This is a friends recipe, but I will be making it this year. The kids in our family love fruit, and it's probably the healthiest thing that will be in the thanksgiving spread
Bag of your favorite apples
Bag of seedless grapes
Two to three stalks of celery
Mini marshmallows
Walnuts
Cool Whip
Cube up your apples
Slice your grapes in half
Chop that celery up very fine
Take all of your ingredients and mix them in a bowl
So there you go, some tried and true recipes for your Thanksgiving dinner. Do you have some recipes you can't live without on your table? Leave them in the comments! Later this week I will post some delicious dessert recipes, so keep an eye out!