Old Fashioned Thanksgiving

I had never heard of An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving by Louisa May Alcott before this year. It was a fun little story that we all enjoyed.

 It ends with a recipe for "Apple Slump", and since we had been blessed with apples we had to try it.

Thanksgiving 2012

 

Thanksgiving at our Home

We had a small Thanksgiving with just our family this year. 

It was a lovely day!

We had delicious turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, a new stuffing recipe which I did not love, corn, pumpkin rolls and cornbread. 

and of course, pumpkin pie!

Thanksgiving

 I have a few loved ones cooking for the first time and wanted to make my recipes available to them before they approached this big milestone!

Turkey: 

I'm a big fan of stuffing from inside the bird,but I've learned that the turkey just tastes better when you cook it separately.  

Instead, fill your turkey with big chunks of celery, onion, carrots, and  whole, peeled garlic cloves. 

 Loosen the skin, and use your hand to cover the meat (under the skin) with garlic butter (minced garlic mixed with softened butter, I used about 3/4 a cup and 5 cloves for a 21 lb turkey). Salt the skin with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  

If you dont have a fancy roasting pan with a rack, then line the bottom of your pan with celery and carrots to keep the turkey elevated just a bit. Bake according to directions on the package at 325 until the meat reaches 165 degrees. Remember stuffed turkeys take longer. 

Let it sit about 20 minutes after you take it out of the oven before carving. My husband is the master carver, so I have no tips on that, but once it is carved, arrange on your platter and garnish with fresh cranberries and parsley.

Cranberry Sauce:

1 bag fresh cranberries

1 ½ cup sugar

1 cup water

Splash of orange juice

Cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg

Mix liquids and sugar over medium heat until sugar dissolves, add cranberries and boil gently until cranberries “pop”. Let cool overnight before serving.

Mashed Potatoes:

Start with 5 lbs of potatoes, peeled, chopped,  cooked and then drained. Mash with 3 sticks of butter slowly. Add milk to desired consistency. Then season to taste. I use a LOT of salt, pepper, garlic powder and nutmeg.

Sweet Potatoes:

Always use fresh sweet potatoes, not yams (I use about 4 large ones). Peel and cube, then boil until tender. Mash with butter(about half a stick) and brown sugar to taste (I used about 2/3 a cup last time). Top with a sprinkle of mini marshmallows, and put in the oven  until they are nice and melted! 

Pumpkin Pie:

Make the day before.

3 cups pumpkin (I prefer fresh, but canned is fine)

2 cups milk

4 eggs

1 ½ cups brown sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp flour

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla

Mix well, then pour into 2 pie shells and bake at 400 for 45-50 minutes

For more pumpkin recipes click here 

or if you prefer apple pie or apple crisp click here

Breads:
Cheddar Garlic Biscuits and Pumpkin Rolls