For Thanksgiving I have always gone to my parents house, never wanting to undertake the whole "Thanksgiving Dinner" thing any earlier than neccessary .

This will be the first year of my life that my mom will be gone for the holiday and originally I just assumed I would go to another relatives house instead. But after someone posted their Turkey recipe a few weeks ago, I became really motivated and excited about doing my first dinner this year!

So I'm inviting you to share your *best* holiday recipes... you know, the dishes you are famous for (or the ones you love to make and your family loves to eat)! I really want this to be a big success (in-laws will be there too) and I plan on preparing as far in advance as possible.

TIA

Don't miss these potatoes...They are amazing. The trick is to MAKE SURE you put the bag of hash browns in the refridge the night before you cook. They must be fully defrosted and have time to dry.

Princey’s Potatoes


350
45minutes-1hr

Mix all ingredients in bowl and pour into greased (I use Pam) 9x13 baking dish

32 oz. pkg of frozen hash brown potatoes. Thaw completely in refrigerator overnight.
1 pint Sour Cream
1 stick of melted butter (do not use margarine)
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 cup chopped white onions
8 oz package of Sharp Cheddar Cheese
½ tsp garlic salt


Sprinkle with Topping
½ cup crushed Ritz crackers
½ stick melted butter


Bake 30 minutes covered with foil, then remove foil and cook until brown and bubbly.

Great appetizer

Lobster Bruschetta

Ingredients
Small lobster 1.25-1.5lb (aka chicken lobster) - alternatively pre-packaged lobster meat
1 clove garlic - thinly sliced then chopped
2 tsp diced red onion
1 large tomato - diced
shredded romano
shredded mozzarella
baguette
olive oil

Boil the lobster, clean, chop meat to chunks

Slice the baguette, brush slices with olive oil then toast

Combine lobster, garlic, onion and tomato

mix in romano equal to about 1/4 to 1/3 of the lobster mix

mix in a small amount of mozzarella - just enough to hold everything together

Spoon lobster mix on top of toasts, then broil.

I don't actually measure much when I cook so all quantities are guesses. You want enough onion & garlic to add a little kick, but not so much that it overpowers the lobster. If you want to extend the lobster, just use more tomato.

Serve hot, preferably with champagne. This will stand up to a nice rose champagne like the Billecart-Salmon Rose or a nice dry blanc de blanc.

Corn Bread Stuffing:

Even people who don't like stuffing in my family LOVE this:

Ingredients:
1 pkg corn bread mix (I like Jiffy or Washington)
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 small onion
2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable or turkey stock)
2 teaspoons each of dried parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme (yes like the song )
One 10 oz. pkg of frozen corn nibblets(or can of corn nibblets)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Prepare the cornbread acoording to pkg directions. Cool and cruble or cut into 1/2" cubes. (Can be done up to 2 days in advance). You want the bread to dry out a little.

In a large stock pot: Melt the butter ove medium heat and saute the onions and celery until soft.

Add chicken stock and herbs salt and pepper. Bring to a slow boil. Add the corn and turn off heat. (The key is not to overcook the corn).

Toss this mixture a little at a time with the cornbread, until you reach the consistency of stuffing you like. And that's it! You can add more moisture or less according to your taste.

I don't have a name for this dish but it is a pleaser.

2-packages of polish sausage (like Hillshire Farms)
1/2-stick butter
1-box sprial pasta
1-bag of Hebrew National Saurkraut (drained)
Black pepper to taste

In a large sauce pan, cook the sausage until done..remove sausage and "juice" from pan and sit to side.
Cook pasta according to bax directions and drain.. While it is cooking...
In pan used for sausage add butter and the saurkraut.. stiring frequently.
After pasta is drained.. Add everything into pan and stir to mix.
Add black pepper (the more the better) and serve.

ACK!!! LOL! My mouth is actually watering, reading these recipes! I've gotta go eat something.

Thank you for the recipes, they all sound yummy

Please keep 'em coming ladies!

For others interested, here are some Turkey recipes from another thread: Turkey Ideas?

So easy and delicious! Make sure to roast turkey upside down for even more moist bird.

INGREDIENTS:
1 (12 pound) whole turkey
3/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon ground sage
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups water

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Clean turkey (discard giblets and organs), and place in a roasting pan with a lid.

2. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic powder, dried basil, ground sage, salt, and black pepper. Using a basting brush, apply the mixture to the outside of the uncooked turkey. Pour water into the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover. My friend puts peppers, onions and garlic cloves in the cavity. that tastes really good, too.

3. Bake for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh measures 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove bird from oven, and allow to stand for about 30 minutes before carving.

Its after Christmas and I am just getting to this thread. These all sound delicious. Doesn't help that it is 1 in the morning. Is that MY stomach growling? Mmmmmmmm Thanks Ladies, these all sound great. I will be recreating Thanksgiving tomorrow..

Homemade Holiday Banana Layer Cake



For the Cake:
o 1 Cup sugar
o ½ cup butter, softened
o 1 cup (3 medium) mashed over-ripe bananas (I use ones that the skins have turned almost all dark brown)
o 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
o 3 eggs
o 2 ½ cups all purpose flour (measured then sifted)
o 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
o 1 teaspoon baking soda
o ½ teaspoon salt
o ¾ cup store-bought eggnog (can be substituted with buttermilk, or ¾ cup milk with ¼ teaspoon lemon juice added)
o ¼ teaspoon each: cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, and allspice (these ingredients can be omitted if desired)

For the filling:
o ½ cup sugar
o 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
o ¼ teaspoon salt
o 1 cup milk (I use whole milk, but will work with low-fat)
o 1 egg, beaten
o 1 teaspoon vanilla
o 1 tablespoon butter
o ½ cup cool whip OR homemade whipped cream, sweetened

To make the cake:

Place sugar and butter in mixer bowl. Cream together if using electric beater, or if using a stand mixer, place in mixer bowl and use flat beater to mix. Turn to speed 2 and mix for 30 seconds. Stop and scrape bowl. Add banana and vanilla. Continue mixing on speed 2, for another 30 seconds. (or for another minute on medium speed with hand-held electric beater). Add eggs, one at a time, mixing about 15 seconds after each addition. Stop and scrape the bowl if using stand mixer.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Add half of flour mix to sugar mixture in bowl. Turn to speed 2 and mix about 30 seconds (or for a minute if using electric hand beater). Add the eggnog at this point, and then the remaining flour mix. Mix on speed 6 for another 30 seconds, or on high if using hand beater for another minute so that all is completely mixed. Can be baked in two or three layer pans at 350 for approximately 25 – 40 minutes, depending on oven and amount of layers. Cake is done when toothpick comes out clean from the center. Cool completely on wire racks.

To make the filling:

Combine sugar, flour and salt in medium sauce pan. Gradually stir in the milk. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir about ¼ C hot mix into beaten egg in separate bowl. Pour egg mix into saucepan. Pour egg mixture into the saucepan, and cook until mix is bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and butter. Cool slightly, then refrigerate for an hour while cake is cooling. You can either use this mix as is to top each layer of the cake, or mix this together with cool whip or homemade whipped topping to be a fluffier layer filling.

Assemble the layers, top with store bought topping, or use your favorite homemade topping. Can also be eaten without frosting, as my children love. I have yet to make this cake and get frosting on it because they usually devour it before I can frost it!

Caramel Crème Frosting:

o ½ C margarine or butter
o 1 C firmly packed brown sugar
o 1 cup miniature marshmallows
o 2 cups powdered sugar
o ½ teaspoon vanilla

Mel the marg/butter in medium saucepan. Add brown sugar and milk; mix. Heat to boiling. Cook about one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add marshmallows. Stir until marshmallows are melted and mix is smooth.

Place powdered sugar in mixer bowl. Add brown sugar mix and vanilla. Attach bowl and flat beater to mixer. Turn to stir speed and mix about 30 seconds. Turn to speed 4 and beat about 1 minute, or until smooth and creamy. Spread on cake while warm

Just wanted to let you know that I made this cake and it was wonderful!

HALLOWEEN TIME!!!

does anyone have any creepy crawly treats?

i've been looking online for something to make this halloween, but everything makes me want to barf haha, they look so gross

just wondering if you had anything special that you make for this time of year *^_^*

well..what about sugar cookies in the shape of bats, cats and crescent moons? that's tasty and harmless enough

that's much better than the severed fingers i've been seeing *bleh*

i like sugar cookies - they will be gone shortly after i make them, but they'll be fun *^_^*

Oh, good! I'm glad you liked it!

This is a great salad to make the day after thanksgiving After indulging the night before, this is a lighter way to enjoy some of the leftover ingredients.

Day After Thanksgiving Salad

Spring Mix Salad
Shredded Turkey
Dried Cranberries
Pecans
Goat Cheese (or cream cheese, or feta)
Sliced Granny Smith apples
Lite Rasberry Vinegrette (or light red wine vinegrette)

Combine turkey, cranberries, pecans and sliced apples with spring mix in salad bowl. Use a fork to "flake" the cheese into small bite size chunks into bowl. Lightly drizzle with dressing, toss, and enjoy.

So good!

Mmmm, thanks for the recipe MrsB! Thanksgiving was just 2 days ago here, and I'm already bored with microwaved leftovers. This will be dinner tonight!

Your recipe actually sounds like a similar salad that we've eaten here... minus the turkey, and add in baby spinach leaves and homemade maple vinaigrette dressing...

omg my MIL always makes day-after turkey dinner paninis for all us kids to take with us when we hit the road to travel home.

she butters her panini pans and spreads gravy onto the both pieces of bread. then on one piece of bread, she piles on shredded turkey, a layer of stuffing, a layer of mashed potatoes, a layer of cranberry sauce, and pours some more gravy over everything. put the other piece of bread on, warm everything up in the panini pans and about 10 mins later.... HOT turkey dinner paninis for the road.

That's making my mouth water, Bling!

We do turkey pot pies for leftovers. Into the deep dish pie crust goes the stuffing, gravy, leftover veggies (we have green beans, glazed carrots, peas and corn), then the turkey. One pie gets a mashed potato topping, the other gets a mashed sweet potato topping. More gravy on top of each and a little bit of butter. Cover sides of crust with foil to prevent burning. Bake at 375 F for about 50-55 min. I almost like it better than the actual Xgiving dinner!

oh man. my mouth is DEFINITELY watering!

I cant believe we are talking about Thanksgiving already! Where did the year go?

I have Mrs.B's salad year round minus the turkey and I use a strong crumbled blue cheese- its one of my favs!

We do wraps in my family- large flavored wraps stuffed with any leftovers you can fit! Everyone is still here so we just reheat everything and set up a wrap bar. We usually dont have any left overs left after that!

Ohh I want to make a turkey dinner just to make the left over turkey pot pies... cept ive never made a turkey....

Sugar and Spice Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Don't throw away those seeds after Jack O Lanterns! I don't use exact amounts for most of the spices, just "to taste"

Pre-heat oven to 400.

Boil the seeds in water for 10 minutes. I add salt, a cinnamon stick, whole cloves, whole allspice, and some ground ginger to the water, but this is optional.

Drain, and toss with butter and spices (ground cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, nutmeg, white sugar, brown sugar, and a shake of cayenne pepper, and vanilla or almond extract). Spread in an even layer on baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes. Do a taste test for doneness and spices; alter spices and cook time as needed.

Enjoy!

This is for my israilie/irish posters-cornedbeef & cabbage...I usually soak my corned beef about 30 minutes in warm water, this usually leaches some of the salt away from the meat. Prep the pressure cooker by small spray of canola oil to bottom of cooker. Place the beef @1-1.5 lbs. in the cooker with 2-3 cups of water. Bring cooker to usual temp-slight steam sound-for @ 30 minutes. Bring cooker to stop using cold water, when safe, open cooker & add quartered cabbage & cut potatoes-usually halves-close cooker & continue cooking for 45 minutes and then cool down cooker, open & serve. The meat is always tender but should be cut along the grain of the meat for easy serving. The cabbage & potatoes pick up the flavor of the meat & literally melt in ur mouth. very tender. A real treat to the pallet & actually pretty quick using the cooker-steve...

Some of my fav big dinner/holiday recipes:

Lazy Cabbage Rolls(even people who don't like cabbage end up liking this one):

EVOO, enough to soften onions and brown meat
1 small white onion, diced
1lb lean ground beef
2 or 3T Montreal Steak Seasoning
1/2 package bacon, chopped (NOT flavoured, e.g. maple/smoked/etc)
1 medium green cabbage, shredded or sliced thin and core removed (I slice it into bite size pieces)
3-4 carrots, shredded or sliced thin (I shred them)
1 can diced tomatoes, with juices
2 cans Campbell's Tomato Soup
3T white sugar
3T white vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Serves 8-12ish

-In large pot, sauté onions in oil until translucent. Add ground beef and Steak Seasoning on Medium-High to brown (not cook through) meat. Add bacon and turn down to Medium. Let bacon almost cook through (you DON'T want crispy bacon), then add all other ingredients.
-It will seems like A LOT because of the cabbage, but the cabbage will cook down (this is why you need a BIG pot). Let all ingredients come to a boil, then turn down to Medium-Low, cover, and let simmer until cabbage and carrots have reached desired tenderness (let it cook until the cabbage is almost as soft as noodles). Add salt and pepper to taste. The cabbage and carrot will release their juices so it will almost look like you are making a soup, this is ok! Place all ingredients in a 9x13 casserole dish and keep warm in the oven, uncovered, until needed, or let cool and prepare for transport or freeze!
-You can always adjust the amount of seasonings, but try to keep the sugar and vinegar in equal amounts as this gives it the sweet and sour taste to compliment the savoury and makes it an eastern european flavouring.

Best Easy Cranberry Sauce - I always get compliments on this one!
1 can jellied cranberry sauce
1 can apple pie filling
1 can pears, drained
1T Poultry Seasoning
1-2 dashes Chinese 5 Spice
Salt and Pepper to taste

-Put all in a blender and blend. DONE! Please adjust the seasonings to your taste and feel free to use your own mix of poultry seasoning, but the Chinese 5 Spice just gives it a little extra something (I also put it on my Turkey!) but be careful not to put too much.

-This will make A LOT, but it freezes well and I just go to my freezer and scoop it out like ice cream when I need some!

Best Smoky Sweet Glazed Ham -guaranteed compliments!

~8lb bone in but UNCOOKED ham butt half, can be smoked.

Glaze:
1/2c Honey
1/2c Brown Sugar
2T liquid smoke
2T Worcestershire Sauce
1 pinch ground Cloves

1 can pop (ex. Coke)
Apple Juice as needed
2-3 bay leaves

cooking thermometer
large roasting pan and rack

-Preheat oven to 275'F. You will be cooking the ham over a long time and a low temperature, this is essential to a soft fall apart ham.
-Place Ham cut side down on rack in roasting pan (for those who haven't cooked a ham before, please ensure there is no plastic insert that sometimes is stuck into the bone on the cut side of the ham).
-Mix first 5 ingredients into a sticky liquid. Pour slowly over ham and rub into ham with bottom of spoon. Work in sections so all of the glaze doesn't end up on only one side of the ham!
-Pour in pop in bottom of roaster, the add apple juice to depth of 1" or so. Add bay leaves to liquid.
-Put meat thermometer probe into thickest part of ham, being careful not to touch bone. Cover in foil so that no steam can escape, "tenting" the top of the foil so air can circulate over the ham.
-Put in oven and let cook until internal temperature reaches 185'F. At this temp, the butt half's collagen will "melt" and you will get the most tender ham. This will take about 3 hours, give or take. Once temp is reached, remove ham from oven and set aside for 30 mins, leaving the foil on. Then transfer to cutting board for carving. The meat should fall off the bone at this point. Save the bone for split pea soup if desired!


Hope you guys enjoy these recipes, they are my faves and get the best compliments! Please let me know how they turn out if you use them, and if you changed anything!


Cooking history: I love cooking, and I cook not only for family and friends, but I work in a group home and cook for 8-12 people a few times a week.

Thanksgiving is at our house thise year, and its my first turkey!
I used to just make the potatoes, a dessert, and bring rolls, and I'm super anxious and in need of dish ideas, so..
*bump

Fresh Cranberry relish

1 bag of fresh cranberries washed
1/2 orange seeds removed
1/3 cup of sugar
3/4 cup of walnuts

Put all ingredients except nuts in food processor, process until finely chopped. Add walnuts and pulse 2 or 3 times.

Turkey tip (since it's your first, avila)

Take a stick of butter and cut it up into the 8Tbsp, use one or two slices to rub on the skin of the turkey (it will help spices stick and also make it nice and crispy) then take the rest and put them under the skin. It takes a little work sometimes to separate it from the meat, but it will guarantee fall off the bone tender turkey! I usually do two slices on each side of the breast - one on each side toward the top and one on each side toward the bottom - and one on each drumstick. Never get anything but rave reviews on my turkey

Also, I made this last year Cinnamon Honey Sweet Potatoes But I did it without the grated lemon peel

KTR that sounds good (the turkey) but since my rental house oven caught fire two days before Thanksgiving(many, many moons ago) I have been doing my Turkey in an electric roaster. Super easy and moist but not nearly as pretty

This one is an oldie and was my favorite as a kid...

Oven Caramel Corn

1lb Brown Sugar
2 sticks Butter~8oz.
1/2c. Dark Karo Syrup
6qts Popped Corn
1tea. Salt
1tea. Baking Soda
1tea. Butter Flavoring
*optional~nutmeats (walnut or pecan are my favorites)

Boil Brown Sugar, Butter, Karo Syrup, and Salt for 5 minutes in a large pan. Remove from heat and add Baking Soda and Butter Flavoring (this will rise when the Baking Soda is added)mix. Place Popped Corn in a large roasting pan pour Brown Sugar Mixture over the Popped Corn and stir well. Place in 200* oven for one hour and stir at 15 minute intervals. Remove from oven and let cool stirring occasionally to break into smaller pieces. Store in airtight container to keep crisp.

Enjoy ~Red