Thanksgiving Recipes

I’ve been in the mood for comfort foods lately with the warmer weather. I’ve been wanting pinto beans and collard greens. We went grocery shopping at Wal-Mart last weekend and I found that they now have frozen pinto beans (ready in 12 minutes) and collard greens that are already cup up and cleaned. I already had corn bread in the freezer. I will be totally spoiled now, this was too easy.

I have been thinking a lot about Thanksgiving lately. My kids really don’t want turkey but after seeing the recipe for Turkey Soup on Culinary In The Desert, I think I may just have to make one anyhow.

So if I get MY way here is what we will be having for dinner on Thanksgiving.

Turkey – I like to buy a Butterball and rub it down with butter and then sprinkle with some Penzey’s Bicentinial Rub. I don’t stuff my turkey, I fill the cavity with onion, carrots and celery and them make my stuffing in the crock pot (recipe below). I roast the turkey according to the directions that come in the package.

Crock Pot Stuffing

7 c. dry bread cubes (I use half white/wheat bread ends and ½ corn bread)
1 c. minced white onion (not the dry kind)
1 c. minced celery (fresh, not dried)
1 c. chicken or turkey stock
¼ c. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. paprika
½ tsp sage
½ tsp. thyme
1 stick butter or margarine

Rub crock pot with the butter, cut the remainder in small pieces and set aside. Combine all ingredients including butter and put into crock pot. Cook on low 2 – 3 hours.

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy – ok, so shoot me but I use instant potatoes and gravy from a mix.

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

2 c. uncooked macaroni
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1/3 c. finely chopped onion
3 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 3/4 c. milk
1 1/2 c. shredded medium cheddar cheese
Dry bread crumbs
Cook and drain macaroni. Put into a 2 qt. greased casserole dish. In medium sauce pan, melt butter or margarine over med. heat. Add onion, cook until tender, stir occasionally. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly. Add cheese, stir until melted. Combine macaroni and cheese sauce, mix well, pour into greased dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake at 35o degrees for 35 - 40 minutes.

Collard Greens

Rolls – I buy frozen ready to bake rolls

Cranberry Sauce – we love the jelled kind in the can.

Sweet Potato Pie – Thanksgiving would not be Thanksgiving without a piece of this pie.

Tropical Cheesecake – this may not sound like a traditional recipe for Thanksgiving but it is so beautiful and festive it has become a holiday tradition in my family.

Ingredients
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1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbs. sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. orange juice (reserved from can of mandarin oranges which will be used for topping)
1/2 tsp. pineapple juice (reserved from can of pineapple chunks which will be used for topping)
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
3 eggs
2 Tbsp. butter melted
1 tsp. orange juice (reserved from can of mandarin oranges which will be used for topping)
1 tsp. pineapple juice (reserved from can of pineapple chunks which will be used for topping)

Toppings
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1 small can of mandarin oranges, well drained
1 small can of pineapple chunks, well drained
maraschino cherries
flaked coconut

Method
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Combine first 5 ingredients, mixing well. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch spring-form pan. Set aside. Beat cream cheese with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup sugar and flour, mixing well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in 2 Tbsp. melted butter, 1 tsp. pineapple juice and 1 tsp. orange juice. Spoon into prepared pan; bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to serve.When ready to serve add toppings as follows:Around the very edge of the cheesecake place mandarin oranges forming a ring around the cake. Working in towards the center next add a ring of pineapple chunks. Next add a ring of coconut and finally add cherries (cut in half) in the center.