Great Thanksgiving Recipes

Roast Turkey with Herbal Rub

1 13-Pound WHOLE TURKEY fresh or thawed
1 Medium onion quartered
1 lemon quartered
1/4 Cup vegetable oil
1 Teaspoon dried thyme
1 Teaspoon dried tarragon
1 Tablespoon dried rosemary
1 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 325.

Remove giblets and neck from turkey and reserve for broth.
Rinse turkey with cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Place onion and lemon quarters in neck and body cavities.

In a small bowl, mix oil with herbs, salt and pepper. With your finger tips, gently loosen skin from the breast without pulling off the skin.
Place 1 tablespoon of herb mixture under skin; replace skin. Rub cavities and outside of turkey with remaining herb mixture.
Secure the neck skin to the back with skewers. Fold wings under back of turkey. Place legs in tucked position. May be prepared to this point, covered and refrigerated for several hours.
Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large shallow (no more than 2-1/2 inches) deep roasting pan. Insert an oven-safe thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, being careful it does not touch the bone.
Cover bird with a loose tent of foil. Roast turkey in a preheated 325 degree F. oven for about 2-1/2 hours.
Remove foil and baste bird with pan juices. Continue to roast for about another hour until meat thermometer registers 180 degrees F. in the thigh.
Remove turkey from oven and allow to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving. Transfer to a large platter and serve with gravy.
Yields 18 servings at 6 ounces per portion.
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Herb-Roasted Turkey with Citrus Glaze

1 15-Pound WHOLE TURKEY fresh or frozen (thawed)
3 Large lemons
2 Large limes
1-1/2 Teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 Teaspoon black pepper coarsely ground
1/4 Cup dry white wine (see note)
1/4 Cup packed brown sugar
Pan Gravy
1 Bunch, each fresh sage, marjoram, and thyme, divided

Preheat oven to 325.
Remove giblets and neck from turkey; reserve for gravy. Rinse turkey with cold running water and drain well. Blot dry with paper towels.
Peel skin from lemons and limes to make rose garnishes. Reserve in refrigerator. Squeeze enough juice from the lemons and limes to equal 2 tablespoons each. Cut the remaining lemons and limes in half and place in the turkey cavity. Sprinkle salt in the cavity.
In a small bowl, mix the wine, brown sugar, and citrus juices; reserve for glaze.
Gently loosen skin from the turkey breast without totally detaching the skin and carefully place 1 tablespoon each fresh sage and marjoram under the skin. Replace the skin.
Fold neck skin and fasten to the back with 1 or 2 skewers.
Fold the wings under the back of the turkey. Return legs to tucked position.
Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large shallow (about 2-1/2 inches deep) roasting pan.
Rub turkey with salt, pepper, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of salad oil. Insert oven-safe meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, being careful that the pointed end of the thermometer does not touch the bone.
Roast the turkey in a preheated 325 degree F. oven about 3-3/4 hours.
During the last hour of roasting time, baste with the pan drippings.
During the last 30 minutes, baste with the citrus glaze.
Loosely cover with lightweight foil to prevent excessive browning.
Continue to roast until the thermometer registers 180 degrees F. in the thigh, or 170 degrees F. in the breast.
Remove turkey from the oven and allow it to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.
Place on a warm large platter and garnish the platter with the remaining fresh herbs and lemon and lime roses.
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Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing

3-4 loaves of white bread (or 5 if you like leftovers)
water
chicken broth
insides of the turkey
2 bunches of celery
1 or 2 onions
2 TBSP butter
1/2 tsp. sage
oysters (optional)
mushrooms (option)

The night before you want to eat the stuffing, break the bread into small pieces (about 1 inch squares) into 2 huge bowls or pots. Let the bread sit overnight to dry out.
The next day, after you remove the insides of turkey, boil them in water in 2/3 qt. sauce pan until cooked (about 20/30 minutes).
Remove insides for later use or discard. Keep water and put aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Chop onion and celery and place into food processor until minced.
Melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter in large saucepan.
Saute onion and celery until heated through. Do not brown! (Saute mushrooms also at this time if wanted). Depending on how much stuffing you want and how much celery and onion you\'ve chopped, you may have to saute the onion and celery in two parts.
Once cooked, pour the onion/celery mixture directly over the dried out bread.
Pour 1/2 tsp. sage over bread/onion/celery mixture.
Then take your reserved water and pour slowly over bread. The bread will shrink as you do this. Be careful not to pour too much water in.
Mixture thoroughly and smell/taste for perfect stuffing.
If you need more liquid, open a can of chicken broth and pour over bread. If you need more spice, add more sage.
If you are using oysters, add them now.
Once stuffing is of a consistency that it will stick together and does not look too dry, do not add more liquid.
Either stuff in turkey to be baked in oven, or put in 9 x 13 pan.
If using oysters, it is recommended that you bake the stuffing in a pan so as to ensure the oysters will be cooked through.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour. You want the stuffing to have a nice brown crust on top.
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Minnesota Wild Rice Dressing

4 Slices TURKEY BACON cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Cup onion chopped
1 Cup celery chopped
1/2 Pound mushrooms sliced
1 Package (4 ounces) wild rice cooked according to package directions
2 Cups bread crumbs
1/2 Pound TURKEY BREAKFAST SAUSAGE cooked
1 Teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 Teaspoon dried sage
Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 325.
In medium-size skillet, over medium heat, saute bacon until almost crisp.
Add onion, celery and mushrooms; continue cooking until vegetables are tender.
In large bowl combine bacon mixture, wild rice, bread crumbs, sausage, oregano and sage.
Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired.
Spoon dressing into lightly greased 2-quart casserole dish.
Bake, covered, at 325 degrees F. 35 to 40 minutes.
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Cornbread Stuffing

2 Tbsp. cooking oil
4 cups cornbread (crumbled)
1/2 lb. chopped chicken livers
1/2 lb. chopped chicken gizzards
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped bell pepper
Poultry seasoning, salt and black pepper (add according to taste)
Butter or olive oil for sauteing vegetables
Chicken broth

Brown chopped chicken livers and gizzards over medium heat in cooking oil.
Add celery, onion, and bell pepper cook until soft.
Season with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning.
Add crumbled cornbread to vegetables and meat.
Pour chicken broth into mixture until it reaches the desired consistency.
Adjust seasoning and cool before stuffing bird.
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Basic Turkey Gravy

1 Package Neck, heart, gizzard from TURKEY giblets
1 Medium carrot thickly sliced
1 Medium onion thickly sliced
1 Medium celery rib thickly sliced
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1 TURKEY liver
3 Tablespoons fat from poultry drippings
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 Teaspoon salt

In a 3-quart saucepan, over high heat, place neck, heart, gizzard, vegetables, and salt in enough water to cover.
Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 45 minutes.
Add liver and cook 15 minutes longer. Strain both into a large bowl; cover and reserve broth in the refrigerator.
To make gravy, remove the cooked turkey and roasting rack from the roasting pan. Pour poultry drippings through a sieve into a 4-cup measuring cup.
Add 1 cup giblet broth to the roasting pan and stir until the crusty brown bits are loosened; pour the deglazed liquid/broth into the 4-cup measure. Let the mixture stand a few minutes, until the fat rises to the top.
Over medium heat, spoon 3 tablespoons fat from the poultry drippings into a 2-quart saucepan. Whisk flour and salt into the heated fat and continue to cook and stir until the flour turns golden.
Meanwhile, skim and discard any fat that remains on top of the poultry drippings. Add remaining broth and enough water to the poultry drippings to equal 3-1/2 cups.
Gradually whisk in warm poultry drippings/broth mixture.
Cook and stir, until gravy boils and is slighty thick.
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Sweet Potato Casserole

2 lbs. sweet potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed
2 eggs, beaten 2 oz.
margarine, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. nutmeg and cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Will be very soupy.
Bake at 350°F for 1 hour
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Pumpkin and Praline Pie

2 pie crusts

Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. bitters (optional)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp. butter
1 can (29 oz.) pumpkin
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1/4 cup milk
1 cup water

Praline:
4 tbsp. butter, softened
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
Whipped cream, for garnish (optional)

Mix sugars, flour, bitters, spices in large bowl.
Stir in egg; set aside.
Melt butter in large skillet over low heat.
Add pumpkin, simmer, stirring occasionally until purèe thickens slightly, 10 minutes.
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Caramelized Pear Strudel

1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 large pears, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 sheets phyllo dough (14 inches x 9 inches)
1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar

In a large bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add pears and cranberries; toss gently to coat. In a large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add fruit mixture; cook and stir for 7-8 minutes or until cranberries pop. Stir in the dried cranberries, ginger, orange peel and cinnamon. Cool.
Line a baking sheet with foil and coat the foil with cooking spray; set aside. Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface; coat with cooking spray. (Until ready to use, keep phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent drying out.) Repeat five times with remaining phyllo. Spread cranberry mixture over dough to within 1 in. of edges. Fold in sides. Roll up, starting at a long side. Place seam side down on prepared baking sheet.
Bake at 400° for 20-23 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.
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