Complete Thanksgiving Guide, 2012

I am so excited to be in charge of the Thanksgiving Feast this year!!!!  My first time!! I'm super lucky in that I have amazing recourses with all the incredible cooks in my family--RECIPES GALORE!! 

 Here is the spread for our Turkey day.  All of these recipes are tried and true and will hopefully fill your bellies this Thanksgiving, as well!  You will be so happy with how everything tastes, everyone will be asking you for your recipes:)

  I've also included the cooking schedule for the week of Thanksgiving so that you know what you can make ahead the days before Thursday so that your big day will run as smoothly and simply as possible.  Lastly, I've also included an invaluable Thanksgiving Morning schedule of when to put what in the oven, etc. so that you are ready to go when your guests arrive!!  Basically, I've done all your menu planning and time management for you, and am letting you take all the credit!  

Enjoy your special Thanksgiving Feast!  I can't wait for ours!!

all image sources found through recipe links below

The menu, in all it's glory: 

click on each item to take you to the recipe

Appetizers:

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Rosemary Brie en Croute

Spinach Artichoke Dip with Baguette (from Costco)

Dinner:

Cranapple ale

Citrus Sage Turkey

Sausage Apple Stuffing

Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Turkey Gravy

Sweet Potato Souffle

Creamed Corn

Bacon Wrapped Green Beans

Cranberry Tossed Salad with Brown Sugar Dressing

Grandma Marilyn's Rolls

Cranberry Sauce

Dessert:

Mini Berry Pies

Bavarian Apple Torte

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Oatmeal Cake with Coconut Frosting

Cooking Schedule:

Monday before Thanksgiving:

-make mini berry pies to freeze

-make oatmeal cake, freeze whole

-assemble salad dressing, keep in air tight container in fridge

-if turkey is frozen, take it out today and keep it in the fridge to thaw

Tuesday before Thanksgiving:

-make cranberry sauce, keep in air tight container in fridge

-assemble bacon wrapped green beans (do not put the butter, brown sugar or garlic on yet, and do not bake them), put them in a casserole dish, wrap the dish in tinfoil and freeze

-assemble sweet potato souffle (do not bake it), wrap it in tinfoil and put in the fridge

-assemble stuffed mushrooms (do not broil them), put on a cookie sheet, wrap them in foil and put in the fridge

-make mashed potatoes, cool, keep in an air tight container in the fridge

Wednesday before Thanksgiving:

-assemble stuffing (leave out the broth and do not bake it), wrap it in tinfoil and put it in the fridge

-dice the apples for the salad, soak them in water with a little lemon in it for 5 minutes, drain and then put in a baggy in the fridge

-make the pumpkin chiffon pie, cover with a lid if you can, keep in the fridge

-make the Bavarian apple torte, cover if you can, keep in the fridge

-assemble the brie en croute (do not bake it), wrap in tinfoil and keep in the fridge 

-put spinach dip in serving bowl, cover, and keep in fridge

-set the table

THANKSGIVING DAY:

This is all assuming you have at least two ovens.  If not, then get people to help you!  This schedule is made to have the feast ready to go between 1:00 - 1:15 pm.

6:00-7:00 am 

-start assembling the turkey (the remainder of the turkey schedule is according to a 20-24 pound turkey)

-finish assembling green beans (do not bake them yet) and put them in the fridge

-take the pies out of the freezer and leave on the counter to thaw

-take oatmeal cake out of the freezer and leave on counter to thaw

7:00-8:00 am

-have turkey in the oven by 7:00

-baste turkey with melted butter at 7:30

8:00-9:00 am

-baste turkey with melted butter at 8:00

-start the rolls

-put mashed potatoes in a crock pot on medium heat to begin to heat them up

-baste turkey with melted butter at 8:30

9:00-10:00 am

-baste turkey with melted butter at 9:00

-baste turkey with melted butter at 9:30

10:00-11:00 am

-baste turkey with melted butter at 10:00 am

-stir mashed potatoes, continue heating them in crock pot

-cut oatmeal cake into individual servings and put each square on a paper muffin cup, continue to thaw them on the counter

-baste turkey with melted butter at 10:30, then put a tent of tinfoil over the bird for the remainder of its oven time

-finish assembling stuffing and put it in the oven to bake no later than 10:30 

11:00-12:00 pm

-baste turkey with turkey drippings at 11:00

-make creamed corn, keep covered and be prepared to reheat it in the microwave closer to dinner time

-baste turkey with turkey drippings at 11:30

12:00-1:00 pm

-remove turkey from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before carving

-put the brie en croute in the oven to bake

-make the gravy with the turkey drippings, adding store bought gravy if needed

- put the green beans in the oven to bake when stuffing is done

-put the rolls in the oven when the brie is done

-put sweet potato souffle in the oven when the green beans are done

1:00 pm

-put the mushrooms in the oven to broil once the rolls are done

-set out your appetizers for people to nibble on while you finish the rest of the list

-assemble salad

-mix the beverage

-reheat anything you need to in the microwave

-set out your spread! (don't forget everything still in the fridge!)

Final checklist:

+ stuffed mushrooms

+ brie en croute with crackers

+ spinach dip with baguette slices

+ cranapple ale

+ turkey

+ gravy

+ stuffing

+ mashed potatoes

+ sweet potato souffle

+ bacon wrapped green beans

+ creamed corn

+ dinner rolls

+ salad 

+ salad dressing

+ cranberry sauce

+ mini pies

+ pumpkin chiffon pie

+ oatmeal cake squares

Mother Marilyn's Dinner Rolls

 

source

These dinner rolls are very special to us.  They were my Grandmother's recipe and a Thanksgiving essential in our home.  Although they are delicious every single time, they were the most delicious when she made them.  Miss you Grandma Marilyn!

{What you need}

2/3 cup powdered milk

1 cup margarine

3 tablespoons dry yeast

2 cup boiling water

10-12 cups white flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup warm water

6 eggs, beaten

1 tbs salt

In a large bowl combine powdered milk, sugar, margarine and boiling water.  Soften yeas in 1 cup warm water.  Add beaten eggs to milk mixture, then add yeast water.  Sift enough flour and salt into the milk mixture to make a soft dough, making sure it is still a little sticky.  Beat thoroughly.  Turn out onto floured board and knead enough flour in to make a soft, smooth dough (still keeping it a little tacky).  Place in greased bowl, greasing the top of the dough as well.  Cover and rise until double in bulk, about 40 minutes.  Shape as desired (we fold them as pictured above), let rise an additional 40 minutes, and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Muffin Tin Berry Pies

source

These are so adorable and so fun!  You can make them weeks in advance and freeze them.  Just take them out the morning of the day you're serving them and let them thaw.  We're serving these for Thanksgiving this year as a fun twist on pie dessert.

{What you need}

4-6 store bought pie crust doughs

bowl or round cookie cutter about 4" diameter

muffin tin

decorative cookie cutters (optional)

4 cups assorted fruit of choice (I like berries, fresh or canned)

1/2-2/3 cups sugar

2 tablespoons corn starch

1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed

{optional crumb topping}

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup flour

2 tablespoons butter at room temp

Roll out the pie crust dough and with the cookie cutter cut out 24 circles, reserving the rest of the dough.  Place each circle of pie crust in each well of two muffin tins, pressing them to form a tad.  To make the filling, wash and prepare fruit.  In a large bowl, add fruit, sugar, corn starch and lemon juice, and mix until everything is evenly incorporated.  Spoon even amounts of filling into each muffin well.  Roll out the remaining crust dough and cut out desired shapes to place on top of the filling for the top pie crust.  If you'd rather have the crumb topping instead, mix all the topping ingredients together with a for until it is crumbly.  Top each pie with a heaping tablespoon of crumbs.  Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and pies are heated through.  Allow to cool completely before removing from tins.

inspired by this recipe

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

source

This is a very special dessert.  It's been in the H family for quite some time and is a favorite on Thanksgiving day.  It's a light and elegant twist on traditional essential for Fall.  

{What you need}

1 envelope Knox gelatin

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup cool water

3 eggs (reserve whites)

1 1/2 cup canned pumpkin

{crust}

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 cup crisco

1/2 cold canned milk

For the crust, mix salt and flour.  Add crisco.  Blend with a pastry blender (not too fine).  Add milk (a little at a time).  Press into a 9" pie pan.  Bake at 400 until light and brown, about 8-12 minutes.  Set aside.

For the pie filling, mix the gelatin, brown sugar, salt, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon together in a double boiler.  Stir in milk, water, egg yolks.  Cook over boiling water, stirring constantly, until dissolved and warm.  Remove and chill about 20 minutes in ice in double boiler until the mixture begins to set.  Beat the egg whites until very stiff, adding slowly 1/4 cup sugar.  Fold into gelatin mixture.  Pour into your pie crust and top with whipped cream.  Serve cold!

Cranberry Sauce

source

Another Thanksgiving staple.  Great on leftover turkey sandwiches, too!

{What you need}

12 oz. fresh cranberries

1 cup white sugar

1 cup orange juice

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice.  Stir in the cranberries and cook until the cranberries start to pop (about 10 minutes).  Remove from heat and place sauce in a bowl.  Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

Bacon Wrapped Green Beans

source

We love bacon in this house.  And green beans, so you can imagine how much these are adored by our family.  We plan on making them for Thanksgiving this year, too, instead of the green bean casserole.  They would be great for any occasion, though!

{What you need}

1 lb. fresh green beans

10-12 slices bacon

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 400.  Spray 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray (you can put in a rack, too, if you don't want the beans baking in the bacon grease).  Wash and thoroughly dry green beans, then season with salt and pepper.  Bundle together about 5-8 green beans, depending on the size of your beans and the amount of beans you get for one pound.  Bundle together as many as you like!  Using a slice of bacon, wrap it around the center of the beans to hold it together.  Lay the bundle of bacon seam side down in the baking dish to hold it together.  Repeat with remaining beans.  In a small saucepan over low heat, add butter, brown sugar, and garlic and whisk until melted and combined.  Using a pastry brush, brush the mixture over top of each green bean bundle.  Cover the bundles with foil and bake for 35 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for 20-25 more minutes more, until bacon gets crispy (you may need to broil them for a few minutes).  

inspired by this recipe

Creamed Corn

source

An amazing twist on the boring side dish.  We're excited to serve this for our Thanksgiving Feast this year, but you can make it for any fancy dinner.

{What you need}

20 oz. petite white corn, thawed (Costco!)

1 cup whipping cream

1 cup milk

1/4 tsp MSG

6 tsp sugar

1 pinch pepper

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons flour

In a pot, combine cream, milk, salt, MSG, sugar and pepper and bring to a slow boil.  Blend butter and flour and add to the mixture.  Add corn, heat through and remove from heat. 

compliments of Aunt Ruthanne