Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving Dinner

This year I will have extended family for the holiday.

So dinner will be a little bid of what everyone likes. All the side dishes that will be made are listed below according to cooking time.

It will not be that traditional but we will all get something we identify with the holidays for me its Grandma Beldings Red Cabbage Salad.

Here is what we decided to have and how to make it in case you are looking for ideas:

Whole Boneless Turkey Breast

1 12lb turkey breast

Brine

2 bottles of Kens Italian dressing

1/2 box of chicken or vegetable broth.

Directions:

1. In a large gallon bag place the brine and turkey and make sure it is in a large enough pan to hold it.

2. Turn it a few times to make sure that all of the turkey breast is brined.

3. Allow the turkey breast to remain in the brine over night or at least 8 hours.

4. This brine can be used on a whole turkey as well


Cooking:

I am using a crook pot.

1. Remove the turkey from the brine and dispose of the brine you will not be using it again

2. add the balance of the box of broth and then place the turkey in the crock pot

3. Start the turkey on high in the crock pot for two hours then reduce the heat to low for 5 or 6 hours.

4. It will be done and juicy and ready to eat but let the breast or turkey sit for 20 minutes so all the juices can go back into the bird. No it will not be cold.

While you are letting the turkey rest make the gravy.

This is simple enough.

Take the turkey drippings (add more broth if there is not enough drippings for gravy.)

First make a rue that means melt butter and stir in Wondra flour until smooth and flour is cooked you don't want to have the taste of raw flour.

Then add the drippings and stir and allow to thicken to the way you like it.

Now here are the sides we will use:

Grandma Belding's Red Cabbage Salad

make a day ahead

Ingredients:

1 head of red cabbage


1 jar of old fashioned bread and butter pickles finally chopped including juice

1 carrot grated (optional)

1 stick of celery finally chopped

1 onion grated

1/2 to 1 cup of mayonnaise (as needed)

1 tablespoon of sugar (only add as much as you need for flavor)

Directions: 


Combine and let sit uncovered in the refrigerator for an hour to allow all the flavors to marinate and combine.

ONE JAR CORN RELISH

make a day or two ahead


Ingredients:


1/3 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. celery seed

1/4 tsp. salt

1 (17 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained

1/2 cup of shredded cabbage

1/4 c. chopped green pepper

1 sm. onion, chopped

1/3 c. vinegar

2 tbsp. salad oil

Dash of fresh ground pepper

Directions:

1. Mix together sugar, vinegar, celery salt, salad oil, salt and pepper; heat.

2. Pour hot mixture over the remaining ingredients and chill 8 hours before serving.
3. Put in clear jar and keep in refrigerator.

Why corn relish? It is fantastic with poultry and that is what turkey is if course.

Corn Casserole

Ingredients:

1 Box Jiffy Cornbread Mix

4 oz block of cream cheese softened

1/2 Stick of butter

1 Can of Cream Corn

1 Can of Regular Corn (not drained)

Directions:

1. Place the cream cheese and butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave 1 minute or until butter is melted.

2. Whisk together till most of the lumps are gone.

3. Add in the 1 box of cornbread mix.

4. Stir in the 2 cans of corn un-drained.

5. Pour batter into a greased 9x13 baking dish.

6. Place into a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 45 minutes until golden.

Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (7 ounces)

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground mustard

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 cups milk

2 cups shredded or cubed Cheddar cheese (8 ounces)


Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350ºF.

2. Cook macaroni as directed on package.

3. While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat.

Stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce.

Cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly

remove from heat. Stir in milk.

Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.

Boil and stir 1 minute.

Stir in cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted.

4. Drain macaroni. Gently stir macaroni into cheese sauce.

Pour into ungreased 2-quart casserole.

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:


2 cans (14.5 oz each) Green Giant™ French-style green beans, drained
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup milk
1 can (2.8 oz) French-fried onions

Directions:


1. Heat oven to 350°F. In 1 1/2-quart casserole or glass baking dish, mix green beans, soup and milk.

2. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, topping with onions during last 5 minutes of baking, until bubbly. 

Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake 

Make this a day ahead:

Ingredients:

1 package (about 15 oz) yellow cake mix I used Betty Crocker Lemon Cake Mix

1 package (4 serving size) lemon gelatin

4 eggs

2/3 cup of water

1/2 cup of vegetable, peanut, or canola oil

Grated peel and juice of 1/2 lemon ( if you use the lemon cake mix you can save the lemon juice for the frosting)

1/4 cup poppy seeds

Lemon Glaze (recipe follows)


Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Grease and flour bundt cake pan.

2. Combine cake mix, gelatin, eggs, water, oil, lemon peel and juice, in a large bowl

3. Bake about 35 mins. or until toothpick comes out clean (My stove took 40 mins)


Lemon Glaze 


Ingredients:

1 cup of powered sugar

2 tablespoons of lemon juice


Directions:


Mix ingredients together until smooth


the recipe calls for the glaze to go on a cooled cake.
I prefer to have it dripped over my cake when the cake is hot. Its up to you when you do it

I will add King Hawaiian dinner roles which I will heat in the oven for a few moments so they are warm and serve them with sweet cream butter.


Desert will be easy this year I bought a chocolate cream pie for desert.
I am going to make my trade mark Lemon Poppy Bunt cake for a little extra and a snack while we are getting everything read.

This our planned dinner for Thanksgiving but thanksgiving is about being grateful  and sharing the day with the ones you love. So no matter what you make that day it will be special.

Happy Thanksgiving!