Holiday Recipes

Recipes


1. Pumpkin Pecan Pie
2. Pumpkin Gingersnap Pie
3. Cornbread Stuffing with apples and sausage
5. Perfect Mashed Potatoes
7. Fresh Cranberry Sauce
8. Perfect Roast Turkey
9. Perfect Turkey Gravy


Pumpkin Pecan Pie

buttonPumpkin Pecan Pie

  • 1 unbaked pie crust
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup Pumpkin Purée or canned pumpkin
  • 2/3 to 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup dark corn syrup
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • Freshly whipped cream, for garnish
    • 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 2. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Add the pumpkin, sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt, and blend well. Pour mixture into the pie shell, and sprinkle pecans over the top. 3. Bake for 55 minutes and then test for doneness every 5 minutes — first by visually checking that the filling is set (doesn’t jiggle in the center) and then, when it’s set, by inserting a thin knife into the pie; the knife should come out clean when the pie is done. 4. Cool the pie, then chill it; serve pie slices with dollops of whipped cream.


Pumpkin Gingersnap Pie

buttonPumpkin Gingersnap Pie

    Crust

  • 8 oz. gingersnap cookies dry and firm
  • 1/8 cup pecans
  • ¼ cup (½ stick) butter, melted, plus more for greasing the pie pan

    • Filing

  • 2 eggs, separated (keep the whites in the fridge till needed)
  • ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup milk
  • 8 oz. Pumpkin Purée or canned pumpkin
  • 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. ground allspice
  • 1 tsp. ground nutmeg (preferably freshly ground)
  • ¼ tsp. ground cloves
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup water, bourbon, or Grand Marnier
  • 1 envelope plain gelatin
  • 1 Tbsp. white sugar

    • Garnish

  • ½ cup whipping cream
Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the cookies and pecans in a food processor and blitz until the ingredients are crushed and combined. (If you don’t have a food processor, put the cookies and nuts in a ziplock bag and smash them to bits with a rolling pin.) Add the melted butter slowly through the feed tube of the processor, processing until the mixture resembles damp, even sand. Butter an 8- or 9-inch pie pan. Scrape the gingersnap mixture into the pan. Press the mixture firmly and evenly over the bottom and sides of the pan to form a crumb crust. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool while you prepare and cool the filling. Make the filling: Place the egg yolks in a double-boiler insert and beat with a whisk until light. Slowly mix in the brown sugar and the milk. Stir in the pumpkin, spices, and vanilla. Put the insert over simmering water and cook for 10 minutes, stirring steadily. Remove from the heat. Pour the water, bourbon, or Grand Marnier into a small saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin powder over the surface. Let sit for 1 minute, then heat and stir slowly until the gelatin has dissolved and the liquid is translucent. Add the gelatin mixture to the pumpkin mixture, beating well to combine thoroughly. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 to 40 minutes, then beat again when cool. Place the egg whites in a bowl and beat with a whisk or electric mixer until they begin to form soft peaks. Slowly add the white sugar and continue to beat until the egg whites form stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites in stages into the pumpkin mixture, folding gently to incorporate after each ½ cup addition of egg whites. When the mixture is smoothly combined, scrape it into the cooled pie crust and chill, uncovered, for 30 minutes. If not serving after 30 minutes, cover with plastic wrap and return to the fridge. When ready to serve, whip the cream in a chilled bowl and dollop some on each slice of pie.
Cornbread Stuffing

buttonCornbread Stuffing with Apples and Sausage

Source: The Neeley's
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
  • 1 medium onions, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped coarsely
  • 1 teaspoon freshly minced thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon freshly chopped sage leaves
  • 1/2 cup bourbon, or chicken broth
  • 1 1/4 pounds cubed and dried cornbread stuffing
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 2 cups turkey or low-sodium chicken stock
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in 12-inch skillet. Cook sausage for 5 to 7 minutes until browned. Add onions and celery and saute until softened. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Mix in apples, thyme and sage and saute for another 2 minutes. Add bourbon. *Cook's Note: When adding alcohol take pan off flame. Allow to simmer until bourbon is almost evaporated; 1 to 2 minutes. In a large bowl, add cornbread stuffing, parsley, chicken stock, eggs and pecans. Mix well. Mix in vegetable mixture to bowl. Combine and stir well together. Add to a large casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes.
Perfect Mashed Potatoes

button Perfect Mashed Potatoes

This recipe serves 4
  • 1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered length-wise
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 Tbsp heavy cream
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1 Tbsp milk
  • Salt and Pepper
I have discovered that the real trick to creamy, buttery, heavenly potatoes is to use Yukon Gold potatoes instead of Russets. That's really all there is to it (along with butter, cream, salt and pepper). Just start with the type of potato that tastes better and mashes up better.
Put potatoes into a saucepan. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add water until potatoes are covered. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15-20 minutes, or until done - a fork can easily be poked through them. Warm cream and melt butter, together, either in microwave or in a pan on the stove. Drain water from potatoes. Put hot potatoes into a bowl. Add cream and melted butter. Use potato masher to mash potatoes until well mashed. Use a strong spoon to beat further, adding milk to achieve the consistency you desire. (Do not over-beat or your potatoes will get gluey.) Salt and pepper to taste.
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Holiday

Cranberry Relish

buttonFresh Cranberry Relish

    Note: This is awesome stuff, don't have a photo of the real thing, so cranberries will have to do!
  • 1 bag of fresh cranberries
  • 1 orange cut in fourths, Take Seeds Out
  • 1 whole apple cut into fourths cut, Leave Skin On
  • 1 cup of sugar.
Add each ingredient to large bowl, stirring to merge sugar over all. With large spoon add to processor, one spoonful at a time. Try to leave it kind of chunky! DELICIOUS!!
green beans casserole

buttonGreen Beans Casserole

Source: Womans Day



  • 2 lb fresh green beans, stem ends trimmed
  • 2 tsp butter
  • 2 pkg (3.2 oz each) assorted wild mushrooms (such as Monterey Blend)
  • 1 can (103/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom with roasted garlic soup
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/8 tsp ground red pepper
  • 1 1/4 cups French fried onions (from a 6-oz can)
Heat oven to 350°F. Coat a 21/2- to 3-qt shallow baking dish with nonstick spray. Cook beans in a large pot of lightly salted water to cover 7 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain well. Melt butter in same pot. Add mushrooms and sauté over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until golden. Remove from heat. Add soup, milk and red pepper; stir until well blended. Add beans and 3/4 cup fried onions; toss to mix and coat. Scrape into prepared baking dish and cover with a lid or foil. Bake 30 minutes or until hot. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining fried onions and bake uncovered 5 minutes to crisp onions.
Perfect Roast Turkey

buttonPerfect Roast Turkey

Source: Barefoot Contessa



  • 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 fresh turkey (10 to 12 pounds)
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large bunch fresh thyme
  • 1 whole lemon, halved
  • 1 Spanish onion, quartered
  • 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the zest and juice of the lemon and 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves to the butter mixture. Set aside. Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey. Roast the turkey about 2 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes. Slice the turkey and serve.
Perfect Turkey Gravy

buttonPerfect Turkey Gravy

Things You’ll Need

  • drippings from a roasted turkey
  • turkey stock (recipe below)
  • 6 tbsp. flour
  • Groceries
  • Wire Whisks
  • Roasting Pans
  • Wooden Spoons
  • 1 Quart Measuring Cups
  • Gravy Boat
Set aside turkey after it is done cooking. Take the pan the turkey was roasted in and pour all the drippings into a glass measuring cup that can accommodate 1 quart of liquid. Leave any browned bits on the bottom of the roasting pan. (These are actually quite tasty and help give the gravy its flavor.) Let the drippings stand until the fat rises to the top of the measuring cup. Spoon off the fat and reserve.Add stock so that there are 4 cups of liquid in the measuring cup.Set the roasting pan over medium-low heat. (You may need to use two burners at once.) Spoon out 6 tbsp. of the reserved fat and put it back in the roasting pan. Sprinkle the flour over the fat and whisk.Whisk flour and fat for 1 to 2 minutes until the flour turns a nice golden-brown color.Pour the drippings and stock mixture into the roasting pan and scrape off the encrusted bits on the bottom of the pan. Simmer mixture for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking every so often.Adjust the thickness of the gravy. If it is too thin, simmer, whisking often until the gravy is as thick as you want it. If it is too thick, whisk in a little more stock. Season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste. Strain gravy if you want to get rid of any remaining encrusted bits you loosened earlier. Pour gravy into a gravy boat and serve.

Turkey Stock

  • Turkey Neck and Giblets from neck of turkey (discard liver)
  • 1/2 Onion
  • 1 stalk Celery
  • 1 carrot cut in half
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 1/4 tsp Poultry Seasoning
  • Salt And Pepper to taste
  • Water To Cover
Bring to a boil, take scum off the top. Reduce heat to simmer and simmer until turkey meat is very tender. Strain all vegetables. You may take meat off the neck and cut up giblets if you want giblet gravy. Or you can discard and strain the broth.