Let's Talk Turkey-Thanksgiving

[Yardgnome]

SV- That is almost identical to how my mom does hers. She also puts cut up chives in hers as well. They are super good.

I agree about the PW, I'm shocked at the number of recipes of hers that involve using the leftover bacon grease. It makes my stomach hurt thinking about it.

[Mariner]

I did a few searches for the scalloped potato recipe in the locked Recipe thread, but couldn't find it.

So did I Keymaster. Now, I'm thinking I must have never posted it. I'll do so when I get home. They were yummy.

[VelvetRed]

I don't understand why mashed potatoes need a recipe. But then my tastes tend toward the simple.

Steam the potatoes until soft. Test them with a fork, and better yet, by tasting (you can tell if they're still too starchy). If you must boil them, reserve the water and use for making gravy (or for soup). You can even use the water used to steam them for the same purposes.

Put the potatoes into a large bowl, mash them by hand (or whip with a mixer), adding milk slowly to get the right consistency, add butter (real butter), mix well and serve. Or you can omit the butter and let everyone add whatever they prefer (butter, salt, pepper, cheese). For anyone lactose or calorie intolerant, milk and butter substitutes can be used.

[livin4reality]

Who has really good stuffing recipes (that don't require in-bird cooking)?

Cornbread Dressing

I put this in the crockpot about 4-6 hours before dinner.

Cornbread (I use 2 small jiffy boxes) made the Sunday before tday and bake, crumble it, cover it with a tea towel and let it dry out. Some people would just dry it in the oven the day of..

1/2 loaf of cheap white bread. Take it out of the package and sit to dry with cornbread. When it is dry you can just break it into pieces.

I also make my turkey stock on the weekend before..comes in handy for the dressing and gravy but you can use chicken stock. I'll buy a couple legs or thighs, roast them and make stock.

So back to recipe:

In huge bowl, mix your cornbread, dried bread. Saute a chopped onion and celery (3 or 4 ribs) in butter. Add to breads. Mix 2 eggs with your stock, start with about 6 cups and add to bowl. Sprinkle in some sage (1 or 2 teaspoons or so..until it smells right) lol add some salt/pepper. Toss lightly, don't overmix. You want enough liquid so a little bit is seeping out of the bread mixture. Add more stock if you need it, don't overmix. Put into crockpot and cook.

Ta-da! The livin method of cooking.

[iguanachocolate]

well, I promise that if I am ever offered deep fried turkey, I will at least try it!

As to chestnuts, definitely they must be cooked in some manner before they are eaten. Roasted, baked or boiled. I like roasted the best - when I was living in London I used to take a train into central London and there were a lot of streetside vendors that sold chestnuts literally roasted over an open fire. They were yummy! I don't particularly like them boiled, but I had a Chinese girlfriend who absolutely loved them that way. In France they make a lot of candy with chestnuts, but I didn't like the texture of the chestnut jelly.

As for mashed tators, just before I serve them, after putting in the butter and a little milk, I always add a bit of sour cream (I use fatfree) - it adds a nice tang to them.

ETA: livin, I was just going to post to see if anyone had a cornbread stuffing recipe! thanks!

[luvsginger]

I don't understand why mashed potatoes need a recipe. But then my tastes tend toward the simple.

Steam the potatoes until soft. Test them with a fork, and better yet, by tasting (you can tell if they're still too starchy). If you must boil them, reserve the water and use for making gravy (or for soup). You can even use the water used to steam them for the same purposes.

Put the potatoes into a large bowl, mash them by hand (or whip with a mixer), adding milk slowly to get the right consistency, add butter (real butter), mix well and serve. Or you can omit the butter and let everyone add whatever they prefer (butter, salt, pepper, cheese). For anyone lactose or calorie intolerant, milk and butter substitutes can be used.

I agree, I use the same method as you but for Thanksgiving and Christmas, I use the Ultimate Mashed Potato recipe by Tyler Florence. It is rich and actually comes out so much better but I am not willing to rice my potatoes or use cream for weeknight dinners!

[luvsginger]

Ah she uses SO MUCH BUTTER and cream cheese too? They do look yummy though. Giada de "check out my boob job" Laurentiis used parm cheese and mozerella cheese in her t-day mashed potatos. I'm a traditionalist or purist when it come to my t-day potatoes. I'll leave out the cream cheese and assorted cheeses. Tyler's recipe looks more to my taste.

Thanks for the info MRD. If I see some chestnuts I'll buy some. Alton said to roast them at 350 for about 30 min. (after cutting an X in the top)

Can everyone tell I've been watching a lot of food network.

She recently had a baby, you think she is bigger because she is breast feeding? I haven't seen her since she had the baby.

[MRD]

Livin, that is MY way of cooking too.

Thanks all for the mashed potato tips. I think I will use part of my method and part of Pioneer woman's and make them ahead.

My stuffing recipe is similar to Livin's.

I freeze leftover cornbread in the freezer and then I always end up buying a bag of Pepperidge farm cornbread stuffing mix too.

But I put a carrot, 2 celery sticks, 1 onion and 3 cloves of garlic in my food processor and process until very small.
I then saute this in a stick of butter (hey it's Thanksgiving!) until it starts to smell mouthwatering. I then add about a tablespoon or two of poultry seasoning.

I put the crumbled cornbread and stuffing mix in a large bowl and pour the hot veggies and butter on top. I then add about a tsp. salt, some pepper and more poultry seasoning and toss. I then add 2 raw eggs and several cups of chicken broth until I get the consistancy about right. I want it wet. I stuff the bird, put the leftovers in a casserole dish and bake them for about 30 min. I should just put the leftovers in the trash as they never get touched on Tday as everyone likes in the bird stuffing. They linger in the fridge until about the Mon. after Tday and I throw them away.

But I've been told for years that my stuffing is really good. But it's really simple. Not a lot of ingredients and I think the key is to get the veggies in tiny pieces and saute them first.

[queenb]

MRD, I always make the mashed potatoes ahead all the time (especially holiday ones, as I like to add sauteed onions ad bacon, which take prep time) and they are just as good; if you want you can use only half of the milk, cream, stock or watever liquid you like when you make them on day one, and heat the rest of it the second day, then add it in to warm the refrigerated potatoes before you microwave--fridge-cold taters can take a while.

[livin4reality]

OMG. I'm thinking of making a coconut cream pie. I'm already doing an apple and a pumpkin. But coconut cream pie with a real meraingue topping sounds really good. Does anyone have a recipe/tips etc? Can it be made the day before?