This Thanksgiving Dinner
is detailed with instructions for step-by-step preparation.
You may use my plan, or modify it to suit your own dishes.
Enjoy!
SUNDAY
BEFORE THANKSGIVING
Calculate how many hours turkey will need
to defrost if in the refrigerator. (My favorite way and one
of the safest ways to
thaw meat)
Here are
some turkey links:
Butterball Turkey
Honeysuckle
White Turkey
USDA Home and
Garden Bulletin Number 243
Survival
Guide to Thanksgiving Helpful cooking tips and carving instructions.
Ever wanted to know exactly how to
carve a turkey? This site will show you how.
TUESDAY
BEFORE THANKSGIVING
1. Make cheesecake.
"I OUGHT TO FEEL GUILTY" CHEESECAKE
from Whole Foods for the Whole Family, La Leche League Cookbook
- 24 oz. cream cheese
- 3/4 c. eggs (3 TO
5)
- 1/4 c. honey
- 1 t. grated lemon
rind
Process until smooth.
Bake at 350 for 45 to 60 minutes - until the top puffs lightly
all the way to the center.
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2. Make
pumpkin pies.
PUMPKIN
PIE
- 1 yolk, 3 whites
- 4 C. pumpkin
- 1 C. honey
- 1/2 t. salt
- 2 t. cinnamon
- 1 t. ginger
- 1/4 t. cloves
- 1/2 t. nutmeg
- 1 c. lowfat evap
milk
- 1/2 c. water
Blend filling ingredients
with blender. Pour into pie crust. Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes,
reduce heat to 350 F and bake 45 minutes more. Makes 2 deep
dish pies. Bake pies on top of cookie sheets, in case they dribble
over.
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WEDNESDAY
BEFORE THANKSGIVING
1. Boil 1 potato for rolls, mash and save 1/2 cup of potatoes.
Save water.
2. Cut up celery, onions, mushrooms.
3. Peel potatoes and cut in quarters, refrigerate covered in
water.
4. Bake cornbread and cube. (see recipe below)
5. Mix together liquid ingredients for rolls:
- 1 1/4 c. milk
- 1/4 c. honey
- 1 1/2 t. salt
- 1/4 c. margarine.
- Refrigerate.
6. Take out neck, etc.,
refrigerate. Save for making the gravy tomorrow.
7. Mix ingredients
for Hot Cocoa English Toffee. (see recipe below)
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THANKSGIVING
DAY, THURSDAY
Time planned
on to eat: 2:00 pm
A key to success here is to stay on your feet all day, every
spare moment should be spent tidying the kitchen of the last
round of dishes. Otherwise, look forward to 2-3 hours of dishes
to wash at one time... You might ask yourself if this dinner
is really worth it. *grin*
9:45 Put
turkey (around 20# turkey) in the oven in bag.
Plates, silverware, napkins, glasses on table.
Open cranberry sauce, clear flat dish, refrigerate.
Open olives; pickles. Arrange on dish, refrig.
Start broth w/neck, etc.
10:45-11:15
Start on rolls; Recipe
for rolls
heat liquids.
Add to dry mixture.
Add egg and potato.
Beat at low 30 seconds.
Beat at high for 3 minutes.
Stir in flour to make soft dough.
Knead 6-8 minutes.
Place in bowl, cover.
11:15-12:15 Let rise till double.
12:00 Place cut potatoes in pan to steam, don't cook yet.
Place butter on plates to soften.
Take package corn out of freezer.
12:15-12:30 Punch down, let rest 10 minutes.
12:30 Start white potatoes cooking.
12:30-12:45 Shape into rolls. (We do crescents or cloverleafs)
12:45 Check to see if turkey is done.
Wrap in foil and place
sweet potatoes in oven.
1:00 Check white potatoes for doneness.
12:45-1:45 Let rolls rise until almost double.
Saute onions, celery, mushrooms.
Mix potatoes with mixer.
1:10 Mix dressing together, cornbread, vegetables, frozen corn
and broth.
1:15 Check on sweet potatoes. (They are
done when you can press an indention into them. Or, take one
out, unwrap and if you can place a fork easily into the potato.)
1:20 Take broth from turkey.
Make gravy.
1:20-1:45 Bake stuffing.
1:45-1:55 Take stuffing out of oven.
Bake rolls at 400 F.
1:45 Place turkey on serving tray.
Place stuffing on table on potholders.
Place cranberry sauce on table.
Place olives, etc., on table.
Place potatoes on table.
Place gravy on table with ladle.
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STARLENE'S
STUFFING
Cornbread:
- 1 c. cornmeal
- 2 t. baking powder
- 1 c. whole wheat
flour
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1 to 2 eggs
- 1 c. milk
- 1 t. chili powder
Mix wet and dry ingredients
in separate bowls. Mix together quickly and briefly, only until
moistened. Bake cornbread, (400F for 20 min.), slice into cubes.
Vegetables
to add into cubed cornbread:
- 3 ribs celery, sliced
- 1/2 large onion,
chopped
- 1 lb. mushrooms,
quartered
- 1/2 c. turkey broth
or water
- 1 T. poultry seasoning
- 16 oz. frozen corn
Saute celery, onion and
mushrooms in 1/2 cup water or broth until celery and onion are
transparent. Mix poultry seasoning in sauteing vegetables. Salt
to taste. Mix cornbread cubes into vegetables, place in baking
dish. Bake 30 min. at 350 F.
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BETTER
HOMES AND GARDENS' POTATO ROLLS
- 1 small potato, pared
and cubed
- 1 c. water
(if you are following my plan, you have already cooked the
potato yesterday)
- 4 to 4 1/2 c. flour
- 1 T. quick rising
yeast
- 1 1/4 c. milk (liquid
from boiled potato plus milk)
- 1/4 c. honey
- 1/4 c. margarine
- 1 1/2 t. salt
- 1 egg
In saucepan, cook potato,
covered, in the water till tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain.
Mash potato and measure 1/2 c. mashed potato; set aside. In
large mixing bowl combine 2 cups of the flour and the yeast.
In saucepan heat together milk, honey, margarine, and salt just
till warm (115 F to 120 F), stirring constantly till margarine
almost melts. Add to dry mixture in mixing bowl; add egg and
mashed potato. Beat at low speed of electric mixer for 1/2 minute,
scraping sides of bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes at high speed.
By hand, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft
dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead till
smooth and elastic, 6 to 8 minutes. Shape in a ball. Place in
lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover
and let rise in warm place till double, about 1 hour. Punch
down; turn out on a lightly floured surface. Cover; let rest
10 minutes. Shape into rolls. Place on greased baking sheets.
Cover; let rise in a warm place until almost double, about 1
hour. Bake in hot oven (400 F.) for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes
2 dozen rolls.
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MASHED
POTATOES
Take the steamed potatoes from the pan and place into a bowl.
Add in margarine/butter to taste, and I use milk and some of
the remaining potato water to moisten the potatoes and make
them fluffy and light. Add salt and pepper to taste.
OR --
try Swanson's (tm) Skinny Mashed Potatoes
- 5 large potatoes,
cut into 1" pieces (about 7 1/2 cups)
- 3 1/2 cups Swanson
Chicken Broth
- Generous dash pepper
In medium saucepan place
potatoes and broth. Over high heat, heat to a boil. Reduce heat
to medium. Cover and cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Drain, reserving broth. Mash potatoes with 1 1/4 cups broth
and pepper. If needed, add additional broth until potatoes are
desired consistency. Salt to taste. Serves about 6.
1/2 gram fat per serving (traditional mashed potato recipe:
8 gram fat per serving.)
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GRAVY
I take all the broth from inside the cooking bag and put it
in a 6 quart pot. I always skim off the fat. One year I skimmed
off one cup of fat. Then I add in the broth made from cooking
the neck and parts. Then I take 1-2 cups of cool water and mix
in some flour, and then pour the flour water into the hot broth,
mixing constantly with a whisk. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Personally, I prefer a thin gravy with Thanksgiving dinner.
Rule of thumb for gravy thickness:
Thin: 1 tablespoon flour per cup of liquid
Medium: 2 tablespoons flour per cup of liquid
Thick: 3 tablespoons flour per cup of liquid
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VEGGIE
TRAY
- celery
- carrots
- radishes
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- cucumbers
- cucumbers with garlic
seasoning
Hidden
Valley Ranch Dressing with Daisy Light Sour Cream.
(Cucumbers with garlic seasoning: sliced cucumbers with freshly
crushed garlic, 1 clove or more per cucumber, lemon juice
or vinegar and salt.)
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FRUIT
SALAD
- Fresh papaya,
diced
- 1 can pineapple
chunks and the juice
- 3 bananas, sliced
or diced
- red grapes
Mix and serve immediately or chilled.
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ENGLISH
TOFFEE HOT COCOA
- 3 cups water
- 2 bags Celestial
Seasonings English Toffee tea
- 1 1/2 cups cold
water
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 t. cinnamon
- 1 t. vanilla
- dash salt
- 1/4 c. cocoa
- 1/2 c. nonfat
dry milk
Boil
water, steep tea for 5 minutes. Mix remaining ingredients
in blender. Pour into hot tea. The cocoa and milk are frothy
making the cocoa seem like it has marshmallows on top. Very
good and creamy.
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