Holiday Cooking

The Pioneer Woman (Ree) is cooking up some amazing holiday dishes...including turkey!!!

You really need to check out her site (check out the link to the right under my favorite websites), if you are cooking Thanksgiving dishes this year.

So far she has covered brining a turkey, roasting a turkey and making turkey gravy. She's been posting every 2-3 days lately, so get on over there before you miss something!!

As far as our Thanksgiving holiday, we will have 12 of us this year (our 6 and 6 others). All at our house. I've made turkey before, but this year, I am planning on following Ree's recipes for the Roasted Turkey and Gravy. I am going to make my own brine, because my son is allergic to the apples in the Williams-Sonoma brine that PW is using.

I am also going to serve our own family favorite sides, unless I see one of Ree's that piques my interest.

Our menu will include:
Appetizers/Snacks:
Vegetable Tray
Sausage Balls
Dill Snack Mix
Chex Mix
Main Course:
Brined, Roasted Turkey
Side Dishes:
Dressing (my mom is bringing this, so sorry no recipe...but it's the
best daggone stuffing ever:) Moist!)
Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Baked Macaroni & Cheese
Corn on the Cob
Green Beans
Turnip Greens
Sweet Potato Casserole
Deviled Eggs
Cranberry Sauce
Breads:
Homemade Rolls & Bread
Desserts:
Deep-Dish Pumpkin Pies
Double Layer Pumpkin Pie
Chocolate Chess Pie
Snickers Pie
Pecan Pie
Pumpkin Squares
Cookies (not sure which kind yet, so I haven't included recipes, but
I'm sure I've already posted the recipes, so check my labels or
archives for my cookie recipes).
Beverages:
Tea (sweet & unsweet)
Lemonade
Coffee
Water

Here are my recipes:

Mom's Sausage Balls
Recipe by: Cherylann
Categories : Appetizers

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese -- grated
2 pounds sausage
4 cups Bisquick® baking mix

Preheat oven to 350°.

Ingredients should be at room temperature. Combine all ingredients and shape into 1" balls.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

NOTES : To freeze: Flash freeze on a cookie sheet for about 15 minutes. Then put into labeled zipper bags in desired quantities (however many you'd like to gift or take to a party). Freeze.

To reheat: Heat in 350 oven for 15 minutes or in microwave for 1-2 minutes on 50% power.

Dill Snack Mix
Recipe by: Cherylann
Categories : Snacks

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
10 ounces Cheez-its
10 ounces Wheat Thins® crackers
10 ounces tiny twist pretzels
Dressing:
1 package Hidden Valley Original Ranch Party Dip Mix -- NOT the salad dressing mix
3 Tablespoons dill weed
3/4 cup canola oil

In a big bowl, combine the crackers and pretzels.

Mix together the dressing ingredients. Pour oil mixture over crackers and pretzels, mix well, about 5 minutes (the best method for mixing is to use your hands). Divide the mixture and microwave in 2 batches, uncovered. Cook each batch 1 minute, stir, cook 1 more minute, stir, then cook another 30 seconds.

Cover and store in a tin; keeps for weeks.


Chex Party Mix

Recipe By : Cherylann
Serving Size : 24
Categories : Snacks

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
9 cups combination of Corn, Rice and Wheat Chex Cereals
1 cup salted dry-roasted peanuts
3/4 cup bite-sized pretzels
1 cup bite-size cheese crackers or goldfish

Preheat oven to 250°.

In large ungreased roasting pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in remaining ingredients until evenly coated.

Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Spread on paper towels until cooled.

NOTES : Store in airtight container.

Juicy Turkey Brine
Recipe by: Cherylann
Serving Size : 15

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 gallon vegetable broth (use low sodium)
1 cup sea salt or kosher salt
1 Tablespoon dried rosemary -- crushed
1 Tablespoon dried sage
1 Tablespoon dried thyme
1 Tablespoon dried savory
1 gallon ice water

In a large stock pot, combine the vegetable broth, sea salt, rosemary, sage, thyme, and savory. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to be sure salt is dissolved. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature. Place brining bag into a 5 gallon bucket.

When the broth mixture is cool, pour it into brining bag. Stir in the ice water.

Wash and Dry your turkey. Make sure you have removed the innards. Place the turkey, breast down, into the brine. Make sure that the cavity gets filled. Place in a bucket in the refrigerator. Marinade for 12 hours to 2 days.

Remove the turkey carefully draining off the excess brine. Rinse well and pat dry. Discard excess brine.

Cook the turkey as desired (according to PW's instructions) reserving the drippings for gravy. Keep in mind that brined turkeys cook 20 to 30 minutes faster so watch the temperature gauge.

**For Roasted Turkey & Gravy use PW’s recipes**

Mashed Potatoes
Recipe by: Cherylann
Serving Size : 12
Categories : Side Dishes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
12 white potatoes -- peeled and cubed
6 Tablespoons mayonnaise
4 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper -- to taste

Boil potatoes; drain.

Mix boiled potatoes, mayonnaise, butter, milk, salt and pepper until smooth. Add more butter and milk as needed to make potatoes smooth.

NOTES : If potatoes are runny, can add potato flakes to thicken.

Ultimate Macaroni & Cheese
Recipe by: Cherylann
Serving Size : 12
Categories : Side Dishes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
24 ounces elbow macaroni -- cooked
36 ounces processed American cheese -- cut up
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to broil.

Add processed cheese, milk and pepper to macaroni; mix well. Cook on low heat until cheese is melted, stirring frequently.

Lightly grease a 2-quart casserole dish. Add macaroni and cheese mixture to dish. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top. Put in oven, checking every few minutes. Take out when cheddar cheese is melted and golden brown.

Sweet Potato Casserole
Recipe by: Cherylann
Serving Size : 6
Categories : Holiday Dinner Side Dishes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 large sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter -- softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Crunch Topping:
1/3 cup butter -- melted
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecans -- chopped
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Boil potatoes til tender. Take skin off when cooled and able to handle.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Put potatoes in a large bowl and whip them til fluffy adding all other ingredients. Pour into a buttered casserole and top with the crunch topping. Bake for 45 minutes.

Deviled Eggs
Recipe by: Cherylann
Serving Size : 12
Categories : Side Dishes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
12 eggs
mayonnaise -- as needed to moisten yolk mixture--do NOT add too much. You can always add more as needed.
2 Tablespoons relish
paprika -- for garnish
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard -- optional

Place eggs in cold water to cover in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat and leave eggs in covered pot of hot water 15 minutes. Drain eggs, refill with cold water. Remove shells.

Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks. In small bowl, mash yolks, mayonnaise, relish and mustard. Fill eggs with yolk mixture.

Sprinkle with paprika.

Whole-Berry Cranberry Sauce
Recipe by: Cherylann
Serving Size : 8
Categories : Holiday Dinner Side Dishes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound fresh cranberries
1 cup water
1 cup sugar

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, then turn to medium heat. Continue cooking until all the berries pop. Remove from heat and let cool. Refrigerate until cold, or serve warm.

Perfect White Bread

Recipe By : Cherylann
Serving Size : 16
Categories : Breads

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup Crisco
1 cup hot milk
5 cups enriched flour

Soften yeast in 1/4 cup of the lukewarm water for 5 minutes, then stir until blended. Measure sugar, salt and Crisco into mixing bowl, pour hot milk over them and stir, mashing Crisco against sides of bowl until broken into small lumps. Add remaining water and cool to lukewarm. Stir in 1 cup flour. Add yeast and 2 more cups flour and beat with a wooden spoon until batter is smooth and elastic. Stir in 1 1/2 to 2 cups more flour, then, with floured fingers, work in enough additional flour to make a soft dough that does not stock to the fingers.

Turn dough onto lightly floured board and knead for 2 minutes, about 100 kneading strokes. Shape dough into a ball and put it in a bowl rubbed with Crisco. Spread surface of dough lightly with Crisco, cover with a towel and let dough rise until double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down and turn onto floured board. Cut dough in half and shape each half into a smooth ball. Shape each ball into a loaf and put into bread pan rubbed with Crisco. Cover pans with a towel and let bread rise until the sides of the raised bread reach the top of the pans and the center is nicely rounded above it, about 1 hour.

To bake: Preheat oven to 400°. Bake loaves for 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown.

When baked: Turn loaves from pans immediately to keep crust crisp, and cool on a cake rack. For a soft, tender crust: Brush loaves with Crisco as soon as they come from oven.

Yield:
"2 loaves"

NOTES : For one loaf of perfect bread and one dozen rolls: Make Perfect White Bread and let rise until double in bulk. Punch down dough and divide in half. Shape one half into a loaf and follow directions for rising and baking. Divide remaining dough into twelve portions and shape each portion into a round roll. Place rolls 2 inches apart on baking sheet rubbed with Crisco, cover and let rise until double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes, or until browned.

Sourdough Bread

Recipe By : Cherylann
Serving Size : 24 (per batch of bread)
Categories : Breads

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
Sourdough Starter:
3 packages yeast
1 cup warm water

Starter Feed:
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons instant potatoes
1 cup warm water

Sourdough Bread:
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup starter
1 1/2 cups warm water
6 cups bread flour

SOURDOUGH STARTER: Combine and refrigerate, covered, for 3 to 5 days. Take out and feed with the starter feed.

STARTER FEED: Mix well and add to starter. Let stand out of refrigerator all day (5 to 12 hours). Mixture will be bubbly. Take out 1 cup to make bread and return starter to refrigerator. Keep in refrigerator 3 to 5 days and feed again. If not making bread after feeding starter, throw away 1 cup to avoid depleting your starter.

SOURDOUGH BREAD: Combine above ingredients and make a stiff batter. grease another bowl. Put dough in and turn over oily side on top. Cover with foil and let stand overnight. (Do not refrigerate.) The next morning, punch dough down. Divide into thirds. Knead each part on floured surface 8 to 10 times. Grease 3 loaf pans and turn each loaf over in pan so it has oil on both sides. Let rise in pans 4 or 5 hours. (All day is all right.) Cover with waxed paper. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove and brush with butter. Cool on rack. Wrap well and store. Refrigerate. Bread may be frozen.

Yeast Rolls

Recipe By : Cherylann
Categories : Biscuits & Rolls

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6 cups bread flour -- 6-8 cups
2 packets dry yeast
2 cups milk
1 Tablespoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs -- beaten

In a large mixing bowl, mix 4 cups. of flour with the yeast. Set aside. Pour the milk, salt, oil and sugar into a pot, stirring to mix, and place over medium heat until lukewarm. Pour the milk mixture into the flour and yeast; beat until smooth. Add the eggs, stirring hard to mix well (use your hands). One cup at a time, add as much of the remaining flour as needed to form a soft dough. Put the dough on cutting block. Let it rise to double its size. Knead dough 12-15 times. Roll out on floured block until about 1/2" thick. Cut rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased baking pan. Let rise again until doubled in size. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

2 Deep-Dish Pumpkin Pies
Recipe by: Cherylann
Serving Size : 16
Categories : Pies & Cheesecakes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
4 large eggs
29 ounces canned pumpkin
24 ounces evaporated milk
2 9" deep dish pie shells

Preheat oven to 425°.

Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

Pour into pie shells.

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350°; bake 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours.

Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Yield:
"2 pies"

Do NOT freeze pie. The crust will separate from the filling.

Double Layer Pumpkin Pie
Recipe by: Cherylann
Serving Size : 8
Categories : Pies & Cheesecakes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6 ounces graham cracker pie crust, 9 inch
4 ounces cream cheese -- softened
1 Tablespoon milk
1 Tablespoon sugar
8 ounces Cool Whip®
1 cup cold milk
2 packages vanilla instant pudding mix
16 ounces pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Mix cream cheese, 1 Tablespoon milk and sugar in large bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Gently stir in ½ of the cool whip. Spread on bottom of crust.

Pour 1 cup milk into bowl. Add pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk for 1 minute (mixture will be thick). Stir in pumpkin and spices with wire whisk until well mixed. Spread over cream cheese layer.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until set. Garnish with remaining cool whip.

Soften cream cheese in microwave on high 15-20 sec.

Chocolate Chess Pie
Recipe by: Cherylann
Categories : Pies & Cheesecakes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup cocoa
1 stick butter
pinch salt
9 inch pie shell -- unbaked

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine cocoa, butter and milk in saucepan.

Cook over low heat until smooth.

Remove from heat, add sugar, eggs and vanilla; beat well.

Pour into unbaked pie shell.

Bake 30 minutes or until well done.

Snicker Bar Pie
Recipe by: Cherylann
Serving Size : 8
Categories : Pies & Cheesecakes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 ounces cream cheese -- softened
1 Tablespoon milk
12 ounces Cool Whip® -- thawed and divided
2 packages Snickers candy bars -- 4.14 ounces total, chopped
1/2 cup half-and-half, fat free -- or cold milk
2 packages chocolate instant pudding and pie filling
6 ounces Oreo pie crust

Mix cream cheese & 1 Tablespoon milk in large bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Gently stir in ½ cups cool whip & chopped snickers bars.

Pour 1 ½ cups cold milk into another large bowl. Add pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. (Mixture will be thick.) Gently stir in 2 cups cool whip. Spread ½ of the pudding mixture on bottom of crust. Spread cream cheese mixture over pudding mixture. Spread remaining pudding mixture over cream cheese layer.

Refrigerate 4 hrs. or until set. Garnish with remaining cool whip. Sprinkle with/additional chopped snickers bars or chocolate curls. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.

NOTES : Soften cream cheese in microwave on high 15 seconds.


Pecan Pie
Recipe by: Cherylann
Serving Size : 12
Categories : Holiday Dinner Pies & Cheesecakes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter -- melted
1 1/4 cups light corn syrup
1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 9 inch pie shell -- unbaked
1 cup pecans -- chopped

Preheat oven to 350°.

Beat eggs with a wire whisk or fork. Add salt, butter, syrup, sugar and vanilla; mix well. Pour into pastry shell; sprinkle with pecans.

Bake for 45-50 minutes.

Pumpkin Dessert Squares
Recipe by: Cherylann
Serving Size : 16
Categories : Brownies & Bars

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 box yellow cake mix -- reserve 1 cup
1 stick unsalted butter -- melted
1/2 stick unsalted butter -- cold, and cut into small chunks
3 eggs -- divided
1 jar Pecan Pumpkin Butter
2 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 13 X 9" baking pan. Set aside reserved 1 cup cake mix. Stir remaining cake mix, melted butter and one of the eggs. Pour into prepared pan. In another bowl, stir the Pecan Pumpkin Butter, remaining eggs and milk. Pour over the cake batter in the pan. Mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon and reserved cake mix; stir to combine. Add the cold butter. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until pea-size crumbs form and the mixture clumps together. Crumble over the Pecan Pumpkin Butter mixture. Bake until golden, about 35-40 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool. Cut into squares and serve.