Friday, November 29, 2013

Thanksgiving 2013


Chop the celery and onion coarsely for the Turkey Stuffing.









I use one big stalk of celery for the Turkey Stuffing, the Regular Stuffing and the Stuffed Celery.  I trim both ends of the celery. I then chop off the top section and use that for the Turkey Stuffing and the Regular Stuffing.  The bottom portion of the celery is cut in equal halves and used for the Stuffed Celery.


20 pound Fresh Turkey

Stuff the turkey with onion, celery and a few handfuls of regular stuffing. Drizzle melted butter over the whole turkey and salt generously.


Make a tent for your turkey.

Regular Stuffing is made separately with smaller pieces of onion and celery, also butter and cream.

Stir ingredients well and warm in microwave with a huge dollop of butter.

Regular Stuffing

Wash and dry the bigger stalks for stuffing with cream cheese.

Stuff the celery.

Stuffed Celery and Black Olives







































































































Grandma's Cornbread Stuffing

Fixin's for Grandma's Cornbread Stuffing
This is a classic favorite of my family and friends and whomever has ever had the joy of tasting it.  I have had many requests for the recipe throughout the ages. It all started back in Colorado on a farm.  My Grandfather did not like mashed potatoes, so my Grandmother added grated potatoes to her cornbread stuffing.  We used to ground a whole hard salami into it, but now that the hard salami comes sliced, I just slice it into long strips to go with the long strips of grated potato.

It has evolved from milk, eggs and vegetable oil to this.  We have always used +Mrs. Cubbisons Corn Bread Stuffing Mix.  I did make my own cornbread one year, but I couldn't get the spices right, so it's easier just to grab the box.  When you make this, make a lot because anyone who tastes it will want more!
  • 1 Box  +Mrs. Cubbisons Corn bread stuffing mix
  • 1 Quart Heavy Whipping Cream to moisten and to soak the grated potatoes
  • 1 Large Package Hard Salami - Beef - Sliced
  • 1 Cup Olive Oil
  • 10 Large Potatoes -washed and grated with skin on

Mix all ingredients until very mushy.

This year I made the stuffing in my dutch oven and also a small batch in the microwave.   The microwave one turns out better, you don't have to worry about the bottom burning or the stuffing getting too browned.  The secret is to cook it enough.  The texture ends up being divine with bites of potato, salami and a square or two of the cornbread stuffing.




Layering the Salami and Olive Oil

Grating the potatoes into the cold cream.

Slicing the Salami into strips.

Washing the potatoes.

Grating the potatoes.

Next, layer the cream soaked potatoes.

Then a layer of stuffing.

Another layer of Salami.

More potatoes and more salami.

Add the lid to the dutch oven and cook on low.

Grandma's Cornbread Stuffing - so yummy!


Fixin's for the Cranberry Fruit Ambrosia



Fresh cranberries, heavy whipping cream, sugar-free gelatin (I used orange and strawberry this year- I usually use black cherry) and pecans.


Cranberry fruit salad transformed into Ambrosia

Everything goes in the blender.  Blend until smooth.  I did my fruit salad differently this year.  A family member had two wisdom teeth pulled the day before.  I wanted them to be able to eat their favorite cranberry fruit salad and so I processed it until it became ambrosia. This was good, but I prefer my traditional textured fruit salad with the black cherry gelatin.








Boiling the potatoes for Mashed Potatoes
 I boiled the potatoes.  I peeled them while still hot, under cool running water.  I heated the butter and whipping cream in the microwave and poured over the hot potatoes and mashed with a potato masher until smooth.





Brown and Serve Rolls

Gravy in a packet?

Yams in a can?
 I usually make homemade crescent rolls, but this year I went for easy.   I didn't have my usual helper, so I had to plan accordingly.

Yams covered with mini-marshmallows.



































My son prepared the yams.  I popped them in the oven with the rolls 10 minutes before serving time. Yams go on the top rack and the rolls go on the middle rack.
Removing the foil so the turkey can brown.


Thankful for our wonderful Feast and Family to share it with!









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