Thanksgiving Recipes

I wanted to share a few of my favorite recipes with readers. Hope ya'll have a Happy Thanksgiving and get stuffed! :P

Old Fashioned Cornbread Stuffing and Roast Turkey

1 small stalk celery,chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup margarine or butter
1 Tbsp. ground sage (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 loaf white bread, crumbled
1 (9″) pan yellow cornbread, crumbled
1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken broth or water
1 10- to 12-pound turkey
1 stick butter, melted

For stuffing, in a medium saucepan cook celery and onion in chicken broth or water and margarine or butter until tender; remove from heat. Stir in sage, pepper, and salt. Place dry bread cubes in a large mixing bowl; add onion mixture. Tossing lightly.

Rinse turkey on the outside as well as inside body and neck cavities; pat dry. Season body cavity with salt. Spoon some of the stuffing loosely into neck cavity. Pull the neck skin to the back; fasten with a skewer.Lightly spoon more stuffing into the body cavity. (Place any remaining stuffing in a casserole, cover, and chill.

Bake stuffing alongside turkey for 30 to 45 minutes or until heated through.) Tuck the ends of the drumsticks under the band of skin across the tail. If the band of skin is not present, tie the drumsticks securely to the tail. Twist wing tips under the back.

Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Brush with melted butter. Insert a meat thermometer into the center of one of the inside thigh muscles. The thermometer bulb should not touch the bone. Roast turkey in a 325° F. oven for 30 minutes (or until golden brown) uncovered. Cover turkey loosely with foil.

Continue roasting turkey for 3 to 3-1/4 hours or until thermometer registers 180° F. to 185° F. After 2-1/2 hours, cut band of skin or string between the drumsticks so thighs will cook evenly. When done, drumsticks should move very easily in their sockets and their thickest parts will feel soft when pressed.

Remove turkey from oven. Cover; let stand 15 to 20 minutes before carving. Use a spoon to remove stuffing from turkey; place in a serving bowl. Carve turkey. Makes 12 to 14 servings.

Bourbon Sweet Potatoes

2 lbs sweet potatoes
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp bourbon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prick potatoes with fork; arrange on foil inbed baking pan. Bake 1 hour or until tender. Let stand until cool enough to handle.

2. Peel potatoes. Transfer to food processor. Add butter. Process until smooth. Add heavy cream, bourbon,salt and pepper; pulse until blended.

Caramel Pecan Apple Pie

1/4 cup Butter or margarine, melted
1 cup Packed brown sugar
1 cup Chopped pecans (or almonds)
2 pounds Tart green apples Peeled, and thinly sliced
1/4 cup Bourbon OR Apple juice
1/4 cup Flour
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 Egg, beaten
Pastry for two crust 9" pie

Line 9" pie pan with half of the pastry, crimping edges. Pour melted butter over pastry, then sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the brown sugar and 3/4 cup of the pecans. Set aside. In large bowl, combine apples and bourbon (or apple juice) Combine flour the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the spices; add to apples tossing to coat. Arrange over pecan layer. Roll out remaining pastry; cut into strips and arrange over filling to form a lattice crust. Brush with beaten egg. Finely chop or grind remaining 1/4 cup of pecans; sprinkle over crust. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350 and continue baking about 50 minutes, until apples are tender and filling is bubbly. Cool slightly before cutting.