My Perfect Thanksgiving Feast

Jules here--So this year, I'm not cooking on Thanksgiving, but I am sure excited about eating! Now, I have cooked Thanksgiving dinner the past five years so I know what I enjoy making and eating.....

First off, to be at my Thanksgiving table, it has to be special (only made at holidays), fattening, and delicious. I have compiled family recipes and some new internet favorites!!

TURKEY
I cook a big Turkey-- usually 20-25# as I LOVE leftovers. Emily & I both discovered the Reynold's oven bags to cook the turkey in to make it moist and yummy! I use a variety of seasonings usually involving onion, celery,butter, and paprika.  But it ends up like this:

GRAVY
O.k. I'm going to have my mom guest-post on gravy, as mine is awful. I use store bought usually... much quicker and one less thing to do last-minute.


MASHED POTATOES
I found this recipe a few years ago on the internet, and I really like them! Honestly, what I like most about this recipe, are the leftovers. These potatoes make the BEST soup a few days after T-day.   Click the name for the link:

Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

And for the leftover soup link:

 Leftover Mashed Potato Soup

It is a FANTASTIC way to use leftover potatoes. AND you can freeze leftover potatoes too and make the soup later. 

YAMS & MARSHMALLOWS
Now, living in New England, people call Delaware (where Ems & I are originally from) the SOUTH. The classic sweet potato dish is a standard "down South" and my eldest can't wait to decorate the top of the yams with big marshmallows-- the more the better!

Ingredients

2 Large cans of Bruce’s yams (drained)
2 bags of marshmallows
1/3-1/2 cup (to taste) brown sugar
2 eggs
4 TBS butter, softened

Directions

1. Spray large casserole with Pam.
2. In mixer, put drained yams, butter, brown sugar, and eggs. Beat until smooth.
3. Put in serving casserole dish, then place marshmallows everywhere on top!
4. Bake at 350° for 1/2 covered with foil.

Yams (Right) Fruit Fluff (Rear) Jello Salad (Left)

 

OVERNIGHT FRUIT FLUFF
At Thanksgiving, this may SEEM like a dessert, but any chance to put heavy cream into a side dish, do it :)  We have served this at parties, baby showers, and more; it is like a really good ambrosia without the coconut. 

Ingredients 

2 eggs
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup lemon juice1 TBS Butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Cup heavy cream
3 Cups mini marshmallows (1/2 bag)
1 can mandarin oranges
1 can crushed pineapple (or tidbits)
1 Cup green grapes (halved)
1 Cup red grapes (halved)

Directions

1. Beat eggs slightly and stir in sugar, lemon juice, butter and salt. 

2. Cook over low heat, stirring just to a boil. Remove and cool completely. 

3. Whip 1 cup heavy cream. 

4. Fold whipped cream into cooled mixture (from step 2) 

5. Add 3 cups mini marshmallows and stir. 

6. Add remaining ingredients and fold together. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

AUNT LENORE'S JELLO SALAD 
This is another *healthful* side at our dinner..... Our Aunt has made this for years, but hers always comes out an integrated, smooth jello mold. For some reason, when we make it, it divides into two layers. It tastes FANTASTIC no matter what way we do it..... 

Ingredients

1 Large Box Jello (preferably orange)
2 cups hot liquid (water and reserve)
1 large can of Fruit (canned mandarin oranges)
2 Cups Vanilla Ice Cream

Directions

1. Drain fruit reserving liquid. Heat reserve liquid in microwave. Add boiling water to equal necessary amount of hot liquid.
2. Dissolve jello in hot liquid.
3. Add ice cream and stir until melted. Add fruit and stir.
4. Refrigerate until set.

 O.k., did you read the ice cream and say, "Oh my Lord--this is the most unhealthful Thanksgiving feast I have ever heard of"?  It's Thanksgiving, just enjoy, count calories later.... :)

EASY CREAMY CORN CASSEROLE

I found this recipe online a few years ago-- it's easy, scrumptious, and it fits in a 9x9 which fits in my toaster oven (yeah! clears up oven space!)  You can also mix and make ahead of time.  Click on the link for the full recipe.

Awesome & Easy Corn Casserole

 STUFFING

This classic stuffing is not something to alter. Yummy flavors that have stood the test of time! Thanks Mom!!

INGREDIENTS: 
1- 2 Loves sliced and cubed white bread
3/4 Cup butter or margarine
1 onion chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 Cup Chicken broth
2 tsp poultry seasoning (Bell's is best)
Salt & pepper to taste
 
Directions:

1.	Let bread  dry out over night, tossing occasionally to make sure all parts are dried out.
2.	Cook onion and celery until soft (we do this first thing in the morning). Season with poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir in bread cubes until evenly coated. Moisten with chicken broth; mix well (ONLY Mix in broth when you are READY TO COOK-- it will get soggy if you fix it too early)
3.	Chill, and use as a stuffing for turkey, or bake in a buttered casserole dish at 350 degrees F for 30-45 minutes.

BREAD

We definitely have the homemade bread that Emily blogged about before. It can freeze well for make ahead timing too!

DESSERTS

Pumpkin pie is the traditional dessert and I LOVE it, but I am not a huge fan of crust. I find it to be more fattening than it's worth (like white wedding cake-- not worth the calories).  Anyway, I usually make this pie as well as some other chocolate dessert (this usually rotates every year as I love trying new dishes).  I found this pumpkin pie through pinterest, and I LOVE it. And it's much healthier than the original-- NOT that it matters on this holiday....

No Crust Pumpkin Pie

To sum up my virtual feast, here is the menu:

TURKEY

GRAVY

MASHED POTATOES

STUFFING

CORN CASSEROLE

YAMS AND MARSHMALLOWS

OVERNIGHT FRUIT FLUFF

JELLO SALAD

BREAD

PUMPKIN PIE

MYSTERY CHOCOLATE DESSERT

Post links to your favorite holiday dishes and maybe I'll add even more to this gluttonous feast!

Easy Rule #1128  Thanksgiving is a time of counting your blessings, not your calories.