Thanksgiving: The follow up.

Though football was not on the TV on Thursday, Thanksgiving was as full as I could have possibly wanted it.

Generally, Thanksgiving is a family holiday. We did have plans to go to my uncle's and spend the holiday with my cousins and my aunt's family. After a particularly crazy week previous (giant weird migraine that kept me out of the office) I realized we weren't going to be able to do that. Cue last Sunday, a small group from church blesses us with a wonderful gift basket full of amazing things that provide for the trimmings we need to do Thanksgiving.

Now, I was born in California and moved with my immediate family to Georgia when I was 8. I learned very quickly that your friends become your family when you're removed from the family you would normally celebrate with. We had many holidays spent out with friends or hosting people at our apartment when I was a kid. So, naturally, with the group of friends we've been so blessed to find in the last few months, I invite a couple of the guys that have no family in the area over for dinner. It was really amazing. I remembered how much I love to entertain and cook...really! We opened up the apartment for anyone else to come hang out whenever they were done with family if they wanted to, just spend some time with what we affectionately call our "Squirrel Family". (yes, another post...I'm just racking them up now aren't I?)

We had everything I could have wanted for Thanksgiving. And a full home after about 6pm. Warm cinnamon and turkey scents in the air, good friends and good time together. It was a happy evening and though I missed my family...I somehow think God had other plans for us. (We've been feeling like God has put us in this place at this time for a reason...and no matter what, we will follow that) It just felt like a little piece of home...and my memories of Thanksgivings past came flooding through in fuzzy little kid thoughts. Now, I've made my first turkey...and I'm the one making sure everyone got enough to eat. :) Hide and seek and flashlight tag outside my grandparents house with my cousins and now playing Rock Band until late Thanksgiving evening are all filing themselves in the archives of my memory. It's a great feeling. :)

So..on to what you really would like...the recipes. Come on now, we had to get past all the gushy mushy stuff first. The turkey stuff is going to be last, it's long and involved. :) Anything noted in the prep section of the recipe is something that I did the night before. It took about 2 and a half hours...but made Thursday breeze by...seriously, everything was just timed and came out perfectly.

Cranberry Sauce: I made this the night before.

2/3 C Water
2 C white sugar
1/4 tsp nut meg
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 lb fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
1 tsp orange zest
1/2 tsp all spice (optional)
1/2 tsp ground cloves (optional)

1. Combine sugar, water and spices in saucepan over medium high heat, until sugar is dissolved.
2. Once mixture starts to come to a boil, add cranberries and orange zest. Bring to a boil.
3. When entire mixture boils, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir every so often.
4 Check texture and flavor. Add sugar to taste if necessary.
5. Place in container.

Yams:

4 medium yams, skinned, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 lemon - juiced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
6 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large onion roughly chopped
4 tbsp brown sugar

Prep -
Combine yams, garlic, onion, olive oil and lemon juice in gallon size bag. Place in refrigerator.

Cook:
1. Preheat over to 415 degrees
2. Spread contents of bag in baking dish or over safe pan, 2" or shallower.
3. Sprinkle brown sugar over yam mixture, turn over with spoon.
4. Bake for 15 minutes, stir, repeat twice.
5. Spoon in to serving dish, cover with foil (unless serving immediately). Reheat at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Green Bean Casserole: Next year this recipe will be from scratch

Prep:
2 Cans cut green beans
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 c milk
Onion strips (for garnish)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine green beans, soup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and milk. Stir until smooth.
2. Pour in to serving dish, top with onion strips

Heat at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Garlic Roasted Mashed Potatoes: I'm not a big fan of boiling potatoes because you loose a lot of the good stuff that's in there for you.

6 medium potatoes, washed, cut to 1" cubes
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/8 red onion, minced
1 c milk
4 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in large pot.
2. Saute onion and garlic until clear.
3. Add potatoes and coat in existing mixture.
4. Allow to simmer slightly, cover and reduce heat. Roast potatoes until soft
5. Add milk, mash potatoes. For creamier or softer mash, use more milk.

Turkey: This is going to be big.

Stuffing -
1 large orange, quartered
1 large red onion, quartered
1 celery stalks, chopped in to four pieces
1 small apple, quartered
1 large lemon, quartered
1 tsp basil

Combine in bowl.

Basting -
1 cup butter, melted
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 tsp basil
1/2 lemon, juiced

Combine in basting bottle (I used a silicon brush with a detachable bottle, Pampered Chef)

Prep -

Bring turkey to room temperature, remove plastic wrapping, neck and giblets. Wash inside and out.
1. Fill inside of turkey with stuffing mixture. Sew closed.
2. Place turkey breast side down in cooking rack with drip pan.
3. Baste with mixture, wrap in plastic and place in refrigerator.

Cook:
1. Remove turkey from refrigerator, bring to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Remover plastic wrap, place turkey in over, cook for 15 minutes.
4. Lower heat to 350 degrees, cook for 2 hours, baste every 30 minutes.
5. If meat thermometer does not register at least 165 degrees when placed in to the thickest meat on the turkey, lower heat to 225 degrees and cook an additional hour to hour and a half, basting and checking temperature every 30 minutes.
6. Remove turkey from oven when internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Let rest for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the weight of the turkey.
7. Carve, plate and ENJOY!

Honey Butter:
1 c butter, softened
1/2 c honey

Mix until smooth.

Hubby made pumpkin rolls too...I'll have to get that recipe ;)

Next year, rolls and green bean casserole will also be made from scratch :)