Thanksgiving at Our House

I guess there are many ways to celebrate Thanksgiving. I truly wanted to enjoy ours in a restaurant this year, but the cost was prohibitive and, to be honest, I wasn't very hopeful that the food would be all that great. So, here I am again, cooking Thanksgiving dinner.

I really shouldn't complain; Rob smokes the turkey (which is absolutely fabulous!) and I have the help of my bestie for the rest of the meal. This year, our good friend Barb is bringing the pies and mandatory whipped cream. Mmmmmm.....

Here is our very traditional menu:

Rob's Smoked Turkey & Cranberry Sauce

Sage Dressing & Giblet Gravy

Buttered Mashed Potatoes

Southern Yam Casserole

Standard Green Bean Casserole

Lisa's Challah

Deviled Eggs

Cheese-stuffed Celery

Pumpkin & Pecan Pies with Whipped Cream

Libations

Coffee, Tea & Soda

The day before the gluttonous holiday finds me doing as much ahead as possible.

Sage Dressing

1 12 oz. package Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing
1 whole yellow onion, diced
5 or 6 stalks celery, diced
2 cups veggie broth
2 eggs, beaten
1 - 2 Tbsp sage
salt & pepper, to taste

Saute onions and celery in 2 Tbsp butter until translucent. Mix all ingredients together; bake in a covered baker 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Homemade Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

1 package of fresh cranberries from the produce section
1/4 cup water
the juice of one orange or three satsumas (or 2 to 4 oz. orange juice)
1 cup sugar

Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan and bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Transfer sauce to glass container/bowl and let cool.  Refrigerate until service.

The Famous Deviled Eggs

1 18-egg package of large or extra large eggs, hard boiled

In a food processor combine:
the yolks of all eggs (eggs cut in half lengthwise)
a large dollop of Salad Dressing
a large dollop of Mayonnaise
a large spoonful (or two) of sweet relish
a healthy squeeze of dijon or country-style mustard
2 tsp dried mustard powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
black pepper to taste
barely a pinch of salt (trust me on this one)

Process until smooth; add in additional mayo/salad dressing if too dry. I use a small scoop to fill the egg white halves, then sprinkle with paprika as a garnish.  Refrigerate until service.

(For more information on Deviled Eggs, check this out!)

Southern Yam (or Sweet Potato) Casserole

5 or 6 large yams or sweet potatoes, scrubbed
1 egg
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 stick butter, melted
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup cold butter

Bake yams in a 425 degree oven, uncovered, until soft and mushy inside. Peel cooled yams and mash together with remaining ingredients (except pecans and cold butter). Pour mixture into casserole dish and top with pecans and pats of cold butter. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, uncovered.

THE Potato Casserole

This is THE best casserole for a potluck.  Yes, it has come from my kitchen, what seems like, hundreds of times - no one ever seems to tire of it!  I originally got the recipe from Southern Living, which used to publish a small monthly cookbook...you know, the kind at the checkout right next to the gossip rags? They don't publish them anymore, unfortunately, and the magazine itself just isn't the same for me.  Boo.

Anyway, I got some real gems from those mini-cookbooks and this is one of them.  As usual, I tweaked this recipe a bit - I know you are shocked.

Liz' Potluck Potato Casserole

2 packages refrigerated shredded hash browns (or 1 pkg regular and 1 pkg Mexican style)
1 medium yellow or sweet onion, diced small
1 can Cream of Potato Soup
1 can Cheese Soup (or Nacho Cheese Soup)
2 cups shredded cheese, I like cheddar/jack mix
pepper to taste (no salt for this one!)

In a 9 x 13 baker combine all ingredients and mix well. Cover with foil and bake at 450 degrees for one hour.