Thanksgiving Schedule

Wednesday:

Make Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes, Mustard Sauce, and Cream of Corn

Thursday:

Turkey

When the Turkey is done Put Mashed Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes in the same time. Make stuffing while that is going.  Heat up everything else and we are good to go:)

Thanksgiving Grocery List

This is a grocery list for: Turkey, Sweet Potatoes, Cream of Corn, Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce, Mustard Sauce, and Mashed Potatoes. I ordered rolls and Pie this year:)

4 Large Sweet Potatoes

Celery

Onion

6 Apples

Rosemary Leaves

3 Oranges

Pecans 

Walnuts

Bag of Corn

Can of Cranberry

 Mustard (1/2 cup)

Chicken Broth (2 cups)

Apple Juice (1 cup)

2 Mrs. Cubbinson's seasoned stuffing mix

Flour 

Lawry's Seasoned Salt

Garlic Powder

Peppercorns

5 Bay Leaves

Marshmallows

Cream Cheese

Sour Cream

Half and Half

Heavy Cream

Unsalted Butter (5 cups)

Eggs

Twine 

Thermometer

Plates 

Napkins

Utensils

Tupperware

Turkey
Foil

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

• 5 pounds Russet Or Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 3/4 cups Butter
• 1 package (8 Oz.) Cream Cheese, Softened
• 1/2 cup (to 3/4 Cups) Half-and-Half
• 1/2 teaspoon (to 1 Teaspoon) Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon (to 1 Teaspoon) Black Pepper

Preparation Instructions

Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces that are generally the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. When they’re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost, but not totally, fall apart.

Drain the potatoes in a large colander. When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients.

Turn off the stove and add 1 ½ sticks of butter, an 8-ounce package of cream cheese and about ½ cup of half-and-half. Mash, mash, mash! Next, add about ½ teaspoon of Lawry’s Seasoning Salt and ½ a teaspoon of black pepper.

Stir well and place in a medium-sized baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and place them in a 350-degree oven and heat until butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through.

Note: When making this dish a day or two in advance, take it out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before serving time. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed through.http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/11/delicious_creamy_mashed_potatoes/

Stuffing, Apple and Walnut

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup butter

1 cup chicken broth

3/4 cup apple juice

2 (6 oz) packages of Mrs. Cubbison's Seasoned Dressing Mix

2 cups chopped, peeled apple

1 cup chopped walnuts

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook celery and onion in butter until tender, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and heat for 2 min. In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Add both mixtures together. Loosely stuff turkey just before roasting. Place remaining stuffing in a greased baking dish and bake at 350 for 30 min or until thoroughly heated.

Shelley's recipe I LOVE THIS!

Turkey

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/10/roasted_thanksgiving_turkey/

• 1 whole Brining Bag
• 1 whole Fresh Turkey (I Use A 20-lb. Turkey)
• 1 jar (about 1 Pound Of Spices) Williams Sonoma Turkey Brine (See Note Below)
• 1 stick Butter

Preparation Instructions

(Note: If you want to make your own brining spice, start with about 1 1/2 cups kosher salt and build the spice mix from there.)

First of all, brine the turkey. Bring one gallon of water to a boil, then open the jar of brining spice and take a whiff. faint. Then when you come to, pour the spices into the boiling water. Stir to dissolve. Then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until cold.

Remove the turkey from its packaging and remove the bags inside that hold the neck and giblets. Rinse them and put them in a Ziploc bag in the fridge because you will need them later. Rinse the turkey thoroughly with cold water. Place the turkey into a large brining bag and place in the fridge for 16-24 hours and let it work its magic.

After the turkey has slurped up all of the wonderful flavor of the brine for 16-24 hours remove it from the brining bag and rinse the turkey thoroughly again inside and out.

Now tuck the legs and wings however you like to tuck them and place bird, breast side up on a rack in a large roasting pan. Cover the turkey tightly with heavy-duty foil. Make sure it is entirely covered (cover over the bottom edges of the pan. Place in a pre-heated 275 degree oven and walk away. The rule of thumb now is to roast the turkey at 275 degrees for about 10 minutes per pound. So for a 20-pound turkey, roast it at 275 degrees for about 3 ½ hours. (For a 15-pound turkey, roast it for 2 ½ hours.) Note: there’ll still be more cooking time after this, but it’ll be at a different temperature).

When it’s time to remove the turkey from the oven, melt one stick of butter in a bowl. Remove the turkey from the oven and increase the temperature to 375 degrees. Remove the aluminum foil and set aside. Brush 1/3 of the butter all over the skin of the turkey. Insert a meat thermometer into the thigh, near the hip joint. Place the turkey uncovered back into the oven. Continue roasting the turkey, basting with butter every 30 minutes until the thermometer registers 170 degrees and until the juices are no longer pink.

Remove from oven, cover with foil until you are ready to serve it.

Brine Turkey

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/10/my-favorite-turkey-brine/

Enough said:)

• 3 cups Apple Juice Or Apple Cider
• 2 gallons Cold Water
• 4 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary Leaves
• 5 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1-1/2 cup Kosher Salt
• 2 cups Brown Sugar
• 3 Tablespoons Peppercorns
• 5 whole Bay Leaves
• Peel Of Three Large Oranges

Preparation Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cover.

Allow to cool completely, then pour into a large brining bag or pot. Place uncooked turkey in brine solution, then refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours.

When ready to roast turkey, remove turkey from brine. Submerge turkey in a pot or sink of fresh, cold water. Allow to sit in clean water for 15 minutes to remove excess salt from the outside.

Discard brine. Remove turkey from clean water, pat dry, and cook according to your normal roasting method.

Potato Cheese Soup

1lb. thick-sliced bacon, diced

Ingredients:

1white onion, diced (2 cups)
1cup minced celery
1Tbsp. minced garlic
2Tbsp. all-purpose flour
6cups peeled and diced russet potatoes (2 lb.)
1Tbsp. dry mustard
2tsp. paprika

STIR IN:

3cups low-sodium chicken broth
1Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1tsp. Tabasco sauce
4cups shredded sharp Cheddar
2cups half-and-half
Salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
Minced scallions

Directions:

Cook bacon in a large pot over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate; set aside. Pour off all but 2 Tbsp. drippings.
Add onion, celery, and garlic to drippings in pot and sweat over medium heat until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in flour and cook 1–2 minutes. Add potatoes, dry mustard, and paprika; cook, stirring to coat potatoes, 1 minute. Stir in broth, Worcestershire, and Tabasco. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, partially covered, until potatoes are soft, 10–15 minutes. Coarsely mash potatoes, then stir in Cheddar and half-and-half until Cheddar is melted, 2 minutes. Remove soup from heat; season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne.
Garnish servings with bacon and scallions.

Suggestion: A hint of Tabasco sauce adds a spicy kick to the cheese and potatoes Found online going to try it

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups half-and-half ( or skim milk)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 pound fresh broccoli ( florets only)
• 1 cup carrots, julienne
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 8 ounces grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Saute onions in a little butter in a small pan – set aside.
2. In a large stockpot ( I accidentally used a medium-size pan) – melt butter. Add flour and mix for 3 minutes.
3. Slowly add half- half – mixing the entire time.
4. Slowly add chicken stock- mixing the entire time.
5. Let simmer on low for 20 minutes.
6. Add broccoli, carrots; onions and cook on low for 25 minutes.
7. Season with salt, pepper; nutmeg.
8. Place soup in a blender or use an immersion blender and puree.
9. Heat soup over low heat and add cheese and mix till melted.
10. Serve ( hopefully in a bread bowl) and Enjoy  Found online going to try it:)

Taco Soup

• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 (15.25 oz.) can sweet corn, drained
• 1 (12.5 oz.) can white chicken breast, drained
• 1 (10.75 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
• 1 (10 oz.) can green enchilada sauce
• 1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
• 1 packet taco seasoning

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a large pot.
2. Heat until warm, stirring occasionally (Found online I am going to try it:)

Grilled Chicken Bow Tie Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
1 (12 oz) package bow tie (farfalle) pasta, uncooked
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
2-3 grilled chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces (or you could use a rotisserie chicken or any kind of cooked chicken you have available)
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes OR 1 large tomato cut into chunks
1 green pepper, cut into small pieces 
1/2 of a 16 oz bottle of Italian salad dressing (we love Wishbone Robusto Italian)
4 oz of Colby Jack cheese, cut into tiny bite size pieces
1 small can of sliced black olives
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

(You could also add any other fresh vegetables that you have on hand. Anything goes!) 

Directions:
Cook pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli to the cooking water to the last 2 minutes. Drain water. Toss chicken, tomatoes, pepper, cheese, dressing, and olives together in a large bowl. Add pasta and broccoli, toss lightly. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

I found this on http://www.sixsistersstuff.com they have great recipes:)

Beef and Broccoli (Crock Pot)

Ingredients
1 pound boneless beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips
1 cup beef consumme
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons sauce from the crock pot after being cooked
Fresh broccoli florets (as many as desired)
Hot cooked rice

Directions
1. Place beef in a crock pot.
2. In a small bowl, combine consomme, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, and garlic. Pour over beef. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
3. In a cup, stir cornstarch and sauce form the crock pot until smooth. Add to crock pot. Stir well to combine.
4. Add broccoli to the crock pot. Stir to combine.
5. Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes on high (the sauce has to boil for it to thicken).
6. Serve over hot cooked rice.


I found this online I am going to be trying it this week:)

Chicken Salad with Grapes

• 2 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken
• 4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
• 1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
• 1 cup halved green grapes
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
• 2 teaspoons finely minced onion
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• Combine chicken, bacon, water chestnuts, celery and grapes in large bowl; set aside. In another bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients; add to salad and toss to coat. Chill until serving I found this on allrecipes.com I haven't tried it yet but when I do I will let you know how it goes.

Baked Falafel

• I found this on all recipes and I want to know how it tastes:) 4 pts on weight watchers I thought this had good flavor but I didn't like the consistency. I am going to try to not process the food together as much and see if that makes a difference. 
• 
  
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons olive oil

1. Wrap onion in cheese cloth and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Set aside. Place garbanzo beans, parsley, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, and baking soda in a food processor. Process until the mixture is coarsely pureed. Mix garbanzo bean mixture and onion together in a bowl. Stir in the flour and egg. Shape mixture into four large patties and let stand for 15 minutes.
2. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Heat olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place the patties in the skillet; cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side.
4. Transfer skillet to the preheated oven and bake until heated through, about 10 minutes.  

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

1/2 cup mayo

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

4 tsp Italian bread crumbs

Preheat oven 425. Lay chicken on a lined baking sheet. Mix mayo and cheese then spread it on top of all the chicken. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of the chicken. Cook for 20 min or until its cooked thoroughly and juices run clear.

Found on pinterest.

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets

• 16 oz (2 large) skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into even bit sized pieces
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 6 tbsp whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp panko
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• olive oil spray (I used my Misto)

Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray.

Put the olive oil in one bowl and the breadcrumbs, panko and parmesan cheese in another. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then put in the bowl with the olive oil and mix well so the olive oil evenly coats all of the chicken. Put a few chunks of chicken at a time into the breadcrumb mixture to coat, then on the baking sheet. Lightly spray the top with olive oil spray then bake 8 - 10 minutes. Turn over then cook another 4 - 5 minutes or until cooked though.

My sister-in-law made this similar recipe for us and it was sooo good!

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

BAKED CREAMY CHICKEN TAQUITOS
recipe from: Pennies on a Platter

Yield: 12 taquitos

• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup green salsa
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (juice from half a lime)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• 2 Tbsp sliced green onions
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 cup shredded Mexican flavored cheese
• small flour or corn tortillas
• kosher salt
• cooking spray

Preheat your oven to 425˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, ground cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic. Once combined, stir in the cilantro and green onions. Add the chicken and cheese; mix thoroughly.

(If you decided to prep this in advance, refrigerate the mixture at this point until ready to continue.)

Working with a few tortillas at a time, heat them in the microwave between two paper towels until they are soft enough to roll (about 20 – 30 seconds).

Spoon 2-3 Tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto the lower third of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla as tightly as you can.

Place the rolled tortilla seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas until the mixture is gone. Make sure the taquitos are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until crisp and golden.

Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole.

**To freeze: Before baking, flash freeze the taquitos in a single layer on a baking sheet then place in a labeled freezer bag and store up to 3 months. To bake a frozen taquito (no need to thaw first): Preheat oven to 425˚F and bake for 20 minutes. (Flash Freeze means freezing the taquitos in a single layer for 15-20 minutes (until hardened) so that when you add them to the freezer bag, they will not all stick together).

Enjoy!
Makes 12 ( 3 taquitos- 4 points plus)

Crock pot Orange Chicken

Ingredients:
• 3-4 boneless chicken breasts, chopped into small chunks
• 1/3 cup flour
• olive oil
• 1/2 T salt
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 3 T ketchup
• 6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate (thaw or throw it in the microwave for 45 seconds)
• 4 T brown sugar

Cut up chicken flour them and fry them. Add the last five ingredients and mix together then put it in the crock pot with the fried chicken cook on low 5-6 hrs or high 2-3 hrs.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chicken Enchilada Soup

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (I used the kind with sweet onion in it)
1 10-ounce package frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped yellow, green, or red bell pepper (I used red, which is my favorite pepper)
1 10-ounce can enchilada sauce (I used mild)
1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups milk (I used skim)
1 cup shredded Pepper jack cheese (4 ounces)
2 chicken breasts

In a 3 1/2 to 5 quart slow cooker, combine drained beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper. Place 2 chicken breasts on top of mixture. In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker.Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Remove chicken and cut or shred into bite sized pieces. Add chicken back into soup. Top with pepper jack cheese and serve. Can also be topped with avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips. Note: if the soup is too thick for you, just add a little more milk after it’s all cooked.

I found this on pinterest. I just made this today! SOOOOOOOOO GOOD! I am so excited because this was so easy and so yummy and it has good replay value.

Crock pot Teriyaki Chicken

12 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce
6 tablespoons cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 1/2 teaspoons cold water
Hot cooked long grain rice

Place chicken in a 4 qt. slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, soy sauce, cider vinegar, ginger, garlic and pepper. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken to a serving platter; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking liquid. Place liquid in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into liquid and stir until sauce is thickend. Serve with chicken and rice.

I found this on pinterest

I made this this week and it is really good!

Peanut Blossom Cookies

1/2 cup crisco

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoon milk

1 3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

sugar (for rolling)

Chocolate candy kisses

Cream Crisco, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add the egg, vanilla, and milk. Blend in the flour, salt, and baking soda.

Shape a teaspoonful of dough in a ball and roll in granulated sugar. Bake in 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Immediately top with chocolate candy kiss.

Peppermint Bark

2 bags nestle white chocolate

1 pkg of candy canes

peppermint syrup (optional)

Grind the candy canes until it's powder

Sift the candy canes until the powder and the bigger pieces are separated

Melt chocolate in the microwave 30 sec and stir repeat the process until the chocolate is smooth

Combine the powder and chocolate and stir

Thinly spread it out on parchment paper and then add the bigger pieces on top for decoration

Wait until it hardens and then break apart and enjoy