The Best Thanksgiving Dinner I've Ever Had I made Myself!

Thanks to Allrecipes and a good friend whom I love (but I've never met!).

Turkey Brine

Heather Thomas

1 Unit = 1 Gallon water, 1 C Kosher (not table) Salt and 1/2 C Brown Sugar
use 2-3 units to cover your thawed bird completely (I only needed 1 unit this year for a 10 lb turkey)
brine at least 8 hours, but no more than 24 hours
discard brine and roast as usual


the turkey drippings makes excellent gravy!!!!

Old Fashioned Mashed Potatoes

Allrecipes

6 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled (optional), and cut up
1 C half & half
1/4 C Butter
Salt & Pepper to taste


technically everything in this recipe is to taste, you just adjust till you like.
boil your potatoes roughly 20 minutes, or until soft.
drain water, mash up a bit, add butter and cream and use a mix master to whip up.  Add S&P till it tastes terrific!  If you're going to use the drippings from the brined turkey go easy on the salt because the turkey juice will be rather salty.

Slow Cooker Stuffing

Allrecipes (slightly adapted)

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter or margarine (calls for 1 C, but it's just wayyy too buttery for me!) 
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (or 4 tsp dried)
• 12 ounces sliced mushrooms (I put in 1 small can)
• 12 cups dry bread cubes (about 2 loaves of the cheap bread, place slices in oven at lowest temp till crunchy but not browned)
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 1/2 cups chicken broth, or as needed (3 cans Swanson's)
• 2 eggs, beaten

Directions

1. Melt butter or margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, mushroom, and parsley in butter, stirring frequently.
2. Spoon cooked vegetables over bread cubes in a very large mixing bowl. Season with poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, marjoram, and salt and pepper. Pour in broth to moisten, and mix in eggs. Transfer mixture to slow cooker, and cover.
3. Cook on High for 45 minutes, then reduce heat to Low, and cook for 4 to 8 hours.

To make the slow cooker stuffing in the oven, prepare as directed using the full amount of broth. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish or other large casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

• This recipe is designed for use in a standard 4 quart slow cooker. Larger slow cookers will also work.

Old Fashioned Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

I got this from my Aunt Bobbi, who in turn got it from her best friend Sherri

1/2 cup shortning

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup sour cream

2 3/4 cups flour

Cream shortning, and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, mix well. Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Mix until well combined. Add in sour cream. Last add the flour. Roll as thin as you like, or not. I like my sugar cookies on the thick side.

Bake at 350 until done.

You can sprinkle with sugar before baking, or frost when they are cooled. Either way, very tasty.

Triple Onion Baked Potatoes

I got this from taste of home-

4 large baking potatoes
1 pound sliced bacon, diced
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp milk
1 cup diced american cheese*
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 green onions, finely sliced

Bake potatoes at 400 for one hour, or until they are done. While they are baking, in a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove from pan, place on paper towels. Drain all but 1 tbsp oil from the pan. Saute red and yellow onion until tender. Set aside.

When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out pulp, leaving 1/8 inch shell. In a large bowl, beat the pulp, sour cream and milk until creamy. Stir in sauteed onions, american cheese and 1 cup bacon. Spoon back into potato shells.

Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese, green onion, and remaining bacon, Bake 5-10 minutes longer until cheese is melted.



*There are a few changes I usually make, I am not a huge fan of american cheese. So I usually use only cheddar, or whatever sounds good, in place of it. When I freeze them, 2 halves in a package, I do not add the cheddar to the tops, or the green onion, Just the rest of the bacon.
And add the other when i cook them.

they are way worth the effort!!!

Spicy Pepper Steak

4-servings-11/2 lbs beef round stk or chuck, fat trimmed off

Marinade:
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/3 cup salad oil, divided


1&1/2 cups sliced peppers(red, yellow, and or green)
1 cupfinely sliced celery
1 cup sliced green onion
1 Tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup diced fresh tomatoes

We love vegis, so, I also add

1 cup sliced zucchini

1 cup sliced mushrooms (thrown in towards the end, they dont take as long to cook)

1. with a sharp knife, cut beef into thin strips, across the grain.
2. combine soy sauce, garlic, paprika, ginger, and 1/4 cup oil
3. add beef strips, toss to blend. let stand at room temp at least 30 min. Strain and reserve marinade. - i never strain it
4. prepare vegis
5. in lg heavy frying pan, or wok, heat remaining oil
6. Add beef. Toss over high heat until evenly browned. Taste. if not tender enough, add a little water, and simmer over med heat about 20 min
7. remove meat from pan. Add vegis to pan. turn up heat. cook vegis until tender crisp about 10 min. Add meat to pan. Add left over marinade to pan.
8. Mix cornstarch with water, add to pan. stir and cook until thickened.
9. Add tomatoes. add salt and pepper to taste. reheat. serve over cooked rice or noodles.



I personally am not a big rice fan, so i use the noodles.

Cherry Dream Bars

Its soo good, I promise!

cookie crust-

2 cups flour
1 cup butter
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup brown sugar

preheat oven to 350. Cream above ingredients together and pat 1/2" thick onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes and cool. Crumble and set-aside 1 cup of cookie crumbs. Spread the rest into the bottom of a 9 x 13" serving dish.

filling

2 8-oz pkg cream cheese
5 cups non dairy whipped topping
1 can cherry lite pie filling
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

Whip the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until very fluffy. Whip the whipped topping and vanilla into the cream cheese mixture until fluffy and lump free. Spread the filling over the crust evenly. Spread the pie filling over the top of the cream filling and sprinkle the remaining crumbs over the top. Chill for at least one hour, cut into squares and serve.

this is soooo yummy!!

Easy cream cheese frosting..

And by that, I mean WAY easy..

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla-or any flavoring your heart desires

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar.

If you want, add 1/2 cup cocoa-mmmmmm, chocolate....

Cream cheese and butter together until well blended. Add the vanilla and mix well. Add in the powdered sugar. Mix until light and fluffy. The longer you mix this, the better it is. And the lighter the color will get.

I use this one for almost everything I frost, its great on the beet cake, and works great with cookies. It does take extra time to set up though..

Beet Cake

Make this.. Your tummy, and your taste buds will thank you.

2 cups cooked beets-you can mash, dice, shred, buy in a can, the 14 oz can is the exact amount you need..

1/2 cup beet juice

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

3 eggs

1 cup oil

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

Mix it up, put in a greased and floured (or not, if you arent going to serve it out of the pan) cake pan. Bake at 350, until done-averages about 45 min.

Cool. Frost. Eat. Enjoy.