Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. It’s a bitter sweet celebration this year. I miss the Thanksgivings we once knew, with the house bursting at the seams with extended family. Growing up, family was more than just relatives. Friends were family, too. Our house was filled with people and plenty of good food.
I miss the way we all gathered ‘round the table. While not wearing our “Sunday Best” everyone was dressed nice. The men wore slacks and white shirts minus the coat and tie. The women wore dresses. Mom made it a point to sew new dresses for my sisters and I, while Brother Dear got a new pair of pants and a shirt with a collar, which he tugged at throughout the meal. I don’t know how my parents managed to buy and cook all that food. There was turkey, stuffing, dinner rolls with real butter. Dad’s amazing gravy, Mom’s Fruit Cocktail Salad. Candied Yams with marshmallows on top and Cranberry Jelly sliced from a can. A big bowl of sweet peas was sure to be found. Pies, and cakes and Mom’s Caramel Flan. If we were lucky, Dad would let us have some Christmas Cookies early. Looking back now, that’s just the way Holidays were back then. As we got older, we had our own friends, and they were often included. I can remember having dining tables in the kitchen, in the living room and out on the enclosed back patio to accommodate everyone. Often times our parish priest came. Ours was an open invitation to all.
When my mother passed away, we realized she was the glue that kept us all together. Slowly the extended groups dropped away. We were grown now, trying to make new traditions with our own young families. That was a mistake.
Now that we are aging, with children that are grown who have children of their own, we are gravitating back to those Thanksgivings of the past. We might not dress for the holidays, and that’s okay. It’s pot luck buffet style instead of a sit down feat. And as much as we’d like to say that’s okay, it will never been the same. There are too many empty chairs in our hearts that can never been filled.
Hang on to your family while you can. Make every moment count. Love one another, and say it often.
Seems I’m feeling a bit nostalgic. And it certainly shows in this year’s menu – I’ve brought together some of my fondest memories of Thanksgiving while introducing a few new dishes to savor. I’ve even including Cranberry Relish. After all, today is National Cranberry Relish Day. I hope you have an amazing Holiday filled with joy and love to keep you warm.
Happy Thanksgiving!
A Mix of Old and New Thanksgiving Recipes
Simple Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey
Flavorful Mashed Potatoes
Turkey Gravy
Slow Cooker Sage Pork Stuffing
Browned Butter Peas
Cranberry Relish
Fruit Cocktail Salad with Mini Marshmallows
Heat and Serve Dinner Rolls
Nilla Vanilla Banana Pudding Trifle
Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie
Old Fashion Pecan Pie
Simple Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey
Chicken or Turkey Stock as needed
12-13 lb Turkey, thawed
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 teaspoons Kosher Salt or to taste
Fresh Black Pepper to taste
3 tablespoons Mesquite Seasoning
1 large Onion
Parsley for garnish
Grapes for garnish
Begin with a bird that has been completely thawed, with any giblets, neck and pop-up thermometer removed along with any plastic trussing on the legs. Set bird aside.
Heat oven to 475-degrees. Place a U-shaped or V-shaped rack in the bottom of a roasting pan. Add about 2-inches or so of stock to the bottom of the pan, set aside.
With fingers, gently lift skin between around the breast, thighs and legs of the turkey. This will help the skin crisp as it cooks. In a bowl, mix salt, pepper and mesquite seasoning. Rub a little of the seasoning over the breast meat, under the skin. Repeat over the legs, under the skin. Sprinkle any remaining seasoning into the cavity of the bird.
Peel onion, cut into large wedges, break apart. Place onion into the cavity of the bird. Fold wing tips under the breast. Drizzle skin with olive oil. Use foil to form caps over the ends of each drumstick, crimp tightly. Place bird in the prepared roasting rack. Place in the oven, on the second to lowest rack in the oven.
Roast for about 90 minutes in the hot oven, rotating mid-way through. Check on the bird as it roasts, basting inside the cavity and adding stock as needed to prevent the bird from drying out as it cooks.
Remove from oven when done. Tent to keep warm, let rest for about 15 minutes before carving. Transfer to a large serving platter. Garnish as desired with parsley and grapes. Carve tableside for a dramatic presentation. If serving buffet style- carve turkey on a cutting board. Arrange on a platter and garnish as desired for a splash of vibrate color.
Flavorful Mashed Potatoes
8 medium Russet Potatoes
1 tablespoon Granulated Chicken Bouillon
1/3 cup Milk
4 tablespoons Butter
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Peel and cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Place potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes by about an inch. Add bouillon to the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce and slow boil until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes well in a colander.
Return potatoes to the pot. Add butter, season with salt and pepper. Mash potatoes, adding a little milk until a nice thick mashed consistency is reached. Gently warm potatoes in the pot, stirring as needed.
Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy.
Turkey Gravy
4 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
4 tablespoons Butter
1/2 cup Flour
3-1/2 cups Turkey or Chicken Stock
1/2 teaspoon Dried Thyme
1/2 teaspoon Rubbed Sage
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
In a heavy bottom sauce pan, melt butter with oil over medium heat. Sprinkle with flour. Lower heat to medium-low and cook until a golden brown, about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
Note: If the mixture burns, start over.
Add broth slowly, whisking constantly. Season with thyme, sage and black pepper. Let simmer until gravy consistency is reached, about 10 minutes longer. If too thick, add more stock. Transfer to a gravy boat when ready to serve.
Slow Cooker Sage Pork Stuffing
1 medium Yellow Onion
2 Celery Ribs
1 lb bulk Sage Pork Sausage
1-1/2 cups Turkey Broth
1/2 teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried Oregano
1/2 teaspoon Rubbed Sage
1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
8 cups Seasoned Stuffing Bread Cubes
Fresh Parsley, garnish
Peel onion, dice and set aside. Clean celery, dice and set aside.
Warm a skillet over medium heat. Add pork sausage, crumbled, chopped onion and celery. Cook until sausage is cooked through, breaking into small pieces as it cooks. Set aside.
Bring broth to a boil in a kettle. Keep warm.
Place bread cubes in a large heat-proof bowl. Add sausage mixture. Sprinkle with poultry seasoning, rubbed sage, thyme and black pepper. Toss to mix. Pour warmed broth over bread mixture, stir to moisten.
Spray a 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Transfer stuffing mixture to the slow cooker. Cover, cook on LOW until heated through and edges are lightly browned, about 2 hours.
When ready to serve, spoon stuffing into a serving bowl. Snip parsley and garnish stuffing just before serving.
Browned Butter Peas
14 oz bag frozen Young Peas
1 Shallot
4 tablespoons Butter
Salt to taste
Place peas in a colander. Place under cold water to thaw. Let drain. Peel and finely mince shallots, set aside.
In a skillet, melt butter over low heat. Cook until butter begins to brown. Add shallots, fry for a few minutes to flavor the butter. Add peas, stirring together until the peas are buttery and warm.
Season with a pinch of salt. Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy.
Cranberry Relish
1 medium Navel Orange
1 medium Apple
1 (8 oz) can Crushed Pineapple
3-1/2 cups Cranberries, fresh or frozen
1-1/2 cups Sugar
3/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
Peel orange, break into sections and set aside. Core apple, cut into wedges and set aside. Drain pineapple, set aside.
Place cranberries in a blender or food processor. Add oranges and apples. Pulse until chopped. Transfer to a bowl.
Stir in pineapples. Add sugar, ginger and nutmeg. Blend well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Original Recipes: Taste of Home
Fruit Cocktail Salad with Mini Marshmallows
2 Apples, cut into chunks
7-Up, enough to cover apples
1/2 lb Grapes, cut in half
1/4 cup Maraschino Cherries, cut in half
1 large can Fruit Cocktail, well-drained
1 small can Mandarin Oranges, drained
3 Bananas, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup Mini-Marshmallows (optional – kids love them)
1 pint Heavy Cream, whipped
1 tablespoon Sugar
1/4 cup Walnuts, chopped
Place mixing bowl and whip attachment for STAND mixer in freezer to chill. Slice apples into bite size pieces. Place in a bowl and cover with 7-up. (The 7-up will prevent the apples from turning brown and give them a light, sweet taste). Set aside.
Rinse grapes, cut in half and place in a large glass serving bowl. Cut cherries in half, add to grapes. Drain fruit cocktail and add to grape mixture. Drain oranges, add to the bowl and toss to mix.
Peel and coin-cut bananas. Add to fruit cocktail mixture, toss lightly.
In the chilled mixing bowl, pour heavy cream. Whip on low until foamy. While mixer is running, add sugar. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until firm peaks form.
Drain apples and pat dry. Add to fruit cocktail mixture, toss to blend. Fold in whipped cream and mini-marshmallows.
Just before, chop walnuts and add to salad. Stir gently to blend. Serve and enjoy.
Heat and Serve Dinner Rolls
2 Package Dinner Rolls
4 Tablespoons Butter, softened
Heat oven to 400-degrees. Place dinner rolls on a baking sheet and brush tops with butter. Heat rolls for about 10 minutes.
Place warmed rolls in a basket with a warming stone. Pass around the table and enjoy.
Nilla Vanilla Banana Pudding Trifle
1 (5 oz) box Jell-O Cook and Serve Vanilla Pudding
3 cups Milk
6 Bananas
1 box Nilla Wafers
16 oz container Cool Whip
1 (3 oz) box Jell-O Instant Banana Pudding
1 cup Mini Marshmallows (optional)
Heat a sauce pan over medium heat. Following the Cook and Serve pudding instructions, add the milk and pudding mix to the pan. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens and reaches a boil.
Pour the cooked pudding into a mixing bowl and allow the pudding ti chill for at least 10 minutes.
Peel and slice bananas evenly into rounds. Set aside. Stir the banana flavored pudding mix into the cool whip, whisk to blend and set aside.
Add a layer of Nilla Wafers to the bottom of a trifle dish. Next spoon in a layer of banana flavored cool whip, then a layer of vanilla pudding, sliced bananas and top with another layer of Wafers. Repeat laying until all the layers have been created. Wafers; cool whip, pudding, bananas, repeat.
Optional Finish: Scattering marshmallows over the top of the trifle. With a kitchen torch, roast marshmallows lightly. (This is purely optional, bringing a hint of the old fashion banana wafer pudding to the table).
Final Touch: Insert a few wafers and bananas into the marshmallow topping (if including) or finish with a few wafers and bananas arranged on top. Crumble a handful of wafers to sprinkle over the top. Chill well until ready to serve.
Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz) Libby’s Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 oz) Evaporated Milk
2 Pie Shell (Pillsbury is a good choice if not making from scratch)
Cool Whip or Whipped Cream (optional)
If making a pie shell from scratch, use your favorite recipe and make the shell.
If using a packaged pie shell (such as Pillsbury), open pie shell and let come to room temperature before proceeding, about 20 minutes. Unfold pie shell and place in a 9-inch deep dish pie pan.
Crimp edges and refrigerate for 15 minutes. While uncooked pie shell chills, preheat oven to 350 degrees to blind-bake shell. (This will produce a better finish to the bottom of the crust).
Put a sheet of foil in the pie crust and add your pie weights. Beans work well. Place pie shells in the oven and bake about 30 minutes or until just beginning to brown.
Remove from oven and allow shells to cool to room temperature before filling.
Increase oven temperature to 425-degrees
Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Divide filling and pour into pie shells.
Bake in a 425-degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350-degrees; continue to bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours.
If desired, top with whipped cream before serving. Or serve with Vanilla Ice Cream ala mode.
Old Fashion Pecan Pie
1 Pie Crust
1 Cup Karo Syrup
3 Eggs, slightly beaten
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons butter, melted
1 cup pecans
Commercially prepared pie pastry shells may be used in this recipe. You will need a 9-inch UNBAKED shell. If using a store-bought crust, Pillsbury pie crust found in the refrigerator section of the grocery store most resembles “home made”. No one will be able to tell the difference, especially since you bake them in your own pie pan.
Heat oven to 400-degrees. Mix all ingredients for filling in large bowl, adding pecans last. Pour into unbaked pastry shell. Bake in hot oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 30-35 minutes longer. When pecan pie is done, outer edge of filling should be set, center slightly soft.
Let cool before serving.
Alleluia, alleluia.
If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.
Alleluia, alleluia.
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