Thanksgiving~Autumn Recipes

Thanksgiving~Autumn Recipes
Samhain is our anniversary and the Witch's New Year, so are very special to me. But my favorite holiday of all is Thanksgiving! I LOVE Autumn, my favorite season, all the incredible colors, the cooler temperatures, watching the leaves fall from the trees and they become incredibly beautiful dark skeletons against gray & white skies. Awesome!

But like I said, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. When my boys were growing up we always had Thanksgiving at our home, and we rarely had less than 10 people. The most was 22 four days after my youngest son was born! LOL I loved the challenge!

Over the years there have been some recipes added and others altered or deleted altogether, but each has memories attached. Food and memories, scientifically proven to go hand-in-hand, so no wonder they are always so strong in our minds!

So here are some of our recipes that I've gathered, altered, invented, and used over the last 30+ years. I've placed them in order of when to make them, some of which are made a few days in advance.

Enjoy!

Stuffing
1 Loaf each - Rye, Pumpernickel & White bread - cubed & dried in the oven
1 pkg Mushrooms
1/2 pkg fresh Cranberries
3 lg Celery Stalks
1 pkg Hot Jimmie Dean Sausage
1 pkg Walnuts
1/2 cup Sugar

Three days before Thanksgiving (Monday) you will put all of these ingredients together:
Cube & dry the breads in the oven.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix very well.
The sausage will need to be broken up into small pieces as it is added to the mixture.
Cover with plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator.
Each day stir the mixture completely.
This setting in the refrigerator allows the sugar to combine all the ingredients' flavors, and mellow the hot sausage.
There will be enough to stuff both ends of the turkey as well as have more to heat on the stove.

Cranberry Sauce
1 12 oz pkg Fresh Cranberries
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Water
1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Orange juice
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch

Two days before Thanksgiving (Tuesday) you will make this:
Combine sugar &  water, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Add lemon & orange juices & cornstarch.
Add cranberries.
Cook cranberries & sauce until the cranberries burst, then mash.
Cook 10 minutes, then remove from heat.
Place in bowl, cover and refrigerate.
This time will allow the flavors to blend and make a perfectly flavored cranberry sauce.

Ambrosia
1 20 oz can Chunk Pineapple - drained
1 16 oz can Mandarin Orange segments - drained
1 1/2 cups Seedless Grapes
1 cup Mini Marshmallows
1 cup flaked Coconut
1/2 cup broken Walnuts
3/4 cup Vanilla Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Sugar

One day before Thanksgiving (Wednesday) you will make this:
Combine all ingredients together and mix thoroughly.
Refrigerate, stirring occasionally until serving.

Turkey
This one everyone knows, but I'll just give a few hints regarding how I season ours and keep it super moist.

Melted Butter (1 stick)
Salt
Pepper
Morton's Seasoned Salt
Garlic Salt

Combine all of the seasonings into the melted butter and spread over the entire turkey. I do this before it goes into the oven, wait 30 minutes and then every 15 minutes until I take it out of the oven. The final time, I syringe just the drippings from the turkey over it.

The giblets are cooked separately and with the drippings are kept and used to make the gravy - yes, lumps and all! ;)

Spicy Mustard Deviled Eggs
6 (or more) hard-boiled Eggs
2 Tablespoons Butter - softened
2 Tablespoons Mayonaisse
1 teaspoon Spicy Brown Mustard
1/2 teaspoon White Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Curry Powder
Chopped Chives
Paprika

Boil & prepare the eggs, slicing in half lengthwise.
Remove the yolks into a bowl.
Place the sliced eggs on a platter.
Mash & cream the yolks with the butter & mayonaisse.
Add the mustard, white pepper & curry powder and mix well.
Garnish with the chives & paprika.
Refrigerate until serving.

Smashed Potatoes
2 potatoes per person
Salt
Pepper
Butter
Ranch dressing

Boil the potatoes, do not peel the skins.
Drain and place in a large bowl.
Add salt, pepper, butter and begin mixing until smooth but still a bit "dry".
Add Ranch dressing a little at a time until the potatoes are smooth, creamy & fluffy.

Turkey Giblet & Drippings Gravy
Giblets - cooked on stove top in seasoned water
Drippings - from bottom of turkey pan
2+ cups Milk
2+ Tablespoons Flour

Chop the giblets and place in saucepan on medium-high heat.
Add the turkey drippings.
Add 1 cup milk to saucepan.
Add flour to the remaining milk, and combine completely until smooth and creamy.
Add flour-milk mixture slowly to the saucepan, stirring constantly.

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Of course, there is always the awesome desserts! Usually if I make the dinner, the guests bring the desserts. So I'll leave those recipes up to you. ;)

While making each of these recipes I always bless the foods to bring happiness, joy, health & well-being to all who eat them. I make sure to have a thankful frame of mind, so that each dish is infused with love and the joy of making them for those who will be coming into my home to consume them.

So go shopping, get your ingredients, and begin planning your Thanksgiving dinner!