COOK OF THE WEEK - THANKSGIVING RECIPES

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving! Our mouths are probably already watering for all that juicy turkey and all the delicious trimmings! Most school children are taught that the first Thanksgiving was held in 1621, with the Pilgrims and the Native American Indians. Although this was a three-day feast celebrating their first and bountiful harvest in America, this was not actually a holiday. For many years the people just used this as a day of Thanksgiving Prayer and most likely did not celebrate with the Native American Indians. In 1789, George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving, although many people were against it. And later, President Thomas Jefferson opposed the idea of even having a day of Thanksgiving. Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor, wrote many editorials campaigning to recognize Thanksgiving as a holiday, in her Boston Ladies’ Magazine, and later, in Godey’s Lady’s Book. Finally after 40 years of writing editorials and letters to governors and presidents, Hale’s obsession became a reality when, in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving. As a federal holiday in the United States, Thanksgiving is one of the major holidays of the year. Together with Christmas and New Year’s, Thanksgiving is a part of the broader “holiday season.” Sadly, some people celebrate Thanksgiving only to have family together and enjoy a big feast – but we really should all realize that we have so much to be thankful for each and every day of the year and use this day as an extra day of prayer thanking our God for all the blessings that we have all year long. Most of us will either be spending Thanksgiving in our own home with family joining us or we will be joining others in someone else’s home or other meeting place. On this day, despite all the hunger in the world, most of us in the United States will not give a thought to hunger. I’ve searched my favorite sites on the web to share some all-time favorites that many families will be sharing.Garlic and HerbRoasted Turkey My brother will probably do our turkey in brine first. And use his own recipe. This is another variation from Taste of Home Test Kitchen. Their recipe specialists use an easy herb rub to turn out a tender, tasty turkey with beautiful golden skin. Lemon adds a pleasant flavor to the gravy.14 to 16 pound turkey1/4 cup minced fresh parsley2 tablespoons minced fresh basil2 tablespoons minced fresh Oregano1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder 1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning1 teaspoon each minced fresh rosemary, tarragon and thyme1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon each lemon-pepper seasoning, cayenne pepper, chili powder and paprika2 garlic cloves, minced1 medium lemon, cut into wedges1 medium orange, cut into wedges2 tablespoons flour Pat turkey dry. Combine the seasonings and garlic; rub over the outside and inside of turkey. Place lemon and orange wedges in cavity. Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Bake in a 325-degree oven for 3-1/2 to 4 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees, basting occasionally with pan drippings. Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly. Remove turkey to a serving platter; Cover and let stand for 20 minutes before carving.Turkey Gravy After above turkey is out of the oven, pour pan drippings and loosened brown bits into a measuring cup. Skim fat, reserving 2 tablespoons. Add enough water to measure 2 cups. In a small saucepan, combine flour and fat until smooth. Gradually stir in drippings. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Ham Loaf or Ham BallsFrom cooks.com If you want the flavor of ham but don’t wish to have a whole big ham, ham loaf or ham balls are other good ideas.2 pounds ham loaf mixtureAdd to meat:1/3 cup grated onion1/2 cup milk3/4 cup bread crumbs or graham crackers2 eggs, beaten1 teaspoon dry mustard3/4 teaspoon salt1/8 teaspoon pepper1/2 teaspoon nutmegTopping:1 pound crushed pineapple, drained1 cup brown sugar1/2 cup cider vinegar1 teaspoon dry mustard Bring topping to a boil while stirring. For ham balls: Shape meat mixture into balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Top with topping and bake 15 minutes more. For ham loaf: Put topping in loaf pan. Put ham loaf in pan and bake at 350 degrees for at least 1 hour. Cooks.com gave these directions to put the topping in loaf pan first but when I make ham loaf I put the topping on top of the loaf. Isn’t it interesting how people do things differently? It probably tastes the same when done!Mashed Potatoes I think everyone has their favorite way of cooking and flavoring mashed potatoes. If you are reading this and don’t know how, you probably aren’t cooking the Thanksgiving dinner anyway. But if you are, just give me a call and I’ll walk you through the simple process.Bread Stuffing or Dressing If you make your turkey in a more traditional way than above, you will probably use this to stuff the bird. If making the one above, this is a good one to bake and serve in a casserole dish.1 pound loaf sliced white bread3/4 cup butter or margarine1 onion, chopped4 stalks celery, chopped2 tsp. poultry seasoning (I us sage instead)1 cup chicken broth (maybe a little more if you don’t like really dry stuffing) Cube bread, let air dry about 2 hours. In Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion and celery until soft. Season. Stir in bread cubes, coating all cubes. Moisten with chicken broth; mix well. Bake in a buttered casserole dish in a 350-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes. YUMM!Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes(allrecipes.com)3 sweet potatoes3 tablespoons butter1/4 cup maple syrup2 tablespoons brown sugar2 tablespoons coconut (optional)1/3 cup chopped pecans Place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan with water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil, reduce heat, cover and let simmer 25 to 30 minutes until tender. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Use non-aerosol non-stick spray to grease an 8 by 8 inch pan. When the sweet potatoes are cool, peel and cut them into large chunks. Arrange them in the prepared dish. In a small saucepan, melt butter, syrup and sugar over a low heat. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Sprinkle mixture over sweet potatoes. Top mixture with pecans. Bake 5 to 7 minutes, until top is lightly browned.Scalloped Corn My favorite corn casserole is made with corn bread mix.1 can cream corn1 can whole kernel corn 2 eggs, beaten3 teaspoons sugar8 oz. sour cream1 stick butter, melted1 Jiffy corn bread mix Beat eggs, add sugar, sour cream and butter. Mix in corn and corn bread mix. Put in baking dish and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.Cheesy Green Bean Casserole(2) 10-3/4 ounce cans condensed cream of mushroom soup3/4 cup milk2.8 ounce can French fried onions2 cups shredded cheddar cheese(2) 16 ounces packages frozen French cut green beans1/2 pound processed cheese, sliced Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish. In a mixing bowl, combine mushroom soup, milk, cheddar cheese, and half of the onions. Mix together. Layer the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish with half of the green beans. Pour half of the soup mixture over beans, and add half of the processed cheese. Repeat layering, and top with remaining onions. I do not use any processed cheese (just the cheddar). Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.Cranberry Orange Relish My Mother and Dad used to make this using the old food grinder. I use the food processor.2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries1 seedless navel orange1/2 cup sugar1/4 cup frozen or concentrated orange juice Wash but don’t peel the orange. Put cranberries and cut up orange in food processor. Chop but DO NOT puree. Add sugar and juice. Combine. Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. If your family really loves cranberry relish use a whole bag of cranberries and 2 seedless navel oranges and double the sugar and orange juice. SO SIMPLE TO MAKE.Plain Old Apple Salad My Mom used to make this salad and she never used a recipe. Just use the listed fruits in the quantity you want.Granny Smith apples, dicedred seedless grapes, halvedpecans, choppedcrushed or tidbit pineapple, drained (save the juice, someone always wants to drink it)miniature marshmallowssalad dressing or mayonnaise sugardressing and sugar to tastebananas may be added shortly before serving This is so simple and tastes so good (not just on a holiday.)Fresh Homemade Buns If you aren’t sure of making rolls from scratch, use frozen bread dough. Partially thaw, then make into rolls or buns and place about 1/2 inch apart in a well-greased pan. Let rise. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes or until nicely golden brown.Libby’s Pumpkin Pie I use the rolled up piecrusts and unroll and place in my own pie plates. Crimp up edge.3/4 cup sugar1 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon ginger1/4 teaspoon ground cloves2 large eggs15 ounce can pure pumpkin1 can evaporated milk Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl. In large bowl beat 2 eggs. Add dry ingredients and pumpkin. Mix, then gradually add the milk. Pour into the raw pie crust. Bake in a preheated 425-degree oven for 15 minutes, then in a 350 degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until a table knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack at least 2 hours. May be served with Cool Whip or whipped cream. Refrigerate any leftovers. If you are reading this, then you probably enjoy new recipes. If you would like to share some of your recipes with the community YOU could be Cook of the Week. Please contact me, Sally Cuthbertson, if you would like to be in this column some week. I can be reached by phone at 515-373-6346 or email me at sacuthbe@msn.com. I will be happy to email or send you my short questionnaire and set up a time to come and visit you at your convenience. I’m always looking for NEW Cook’s of the Week. Also, if you are new in town, this is a good way to introduce yourself to the Humboldt community and surrounding communities. I look forward to visiting with you. The COOK OF THE WEEK 3rd Edition Cookbook is available. Cost per copy is $10.70, plus $4.80 shipping/handling. Order a copy today by sending a check or money order, along with name and shipping address, to: Humboldt Independent, 512 Sumner Ave., Humboldt, IA 50548.