Favorite Turkey day "things"

[normiss 622]

Any family traditions, foods, family recipes that you just LOVE about Thanksgiving?

My family has always had "Gooey Butter Cake" - it's simply decadent - and I'm making mine tonight...and my kids have insisted on my baking a Chocolate Merengue Pie for years...so that's starting to become at least a regular...

you?

[NWFlyer 2]

Dude. Recipe. You can't just post three words together like "Gooey Butter Cake" and not share.

For me, it's all about the stuffing. I made the cornbread last night for mine - the rest will get put together tomorrow night or Thursday morning. This is the recipe I use (and I want to think I got it from here or from someone on here.... though I use a lot more sausage and none of that wimpy turkey stuff).

Sausage, Apple, and Fennel Corn Bread Dressing

*note: prepare the corn bread up to two days ahead, or use a box mix
if you're lazy like me.

Corn Bread:

1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fat-free milk
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
cooking spray

Stuffing:

2 teaspoons olive oil
6 ounces lean, low sodium smoked turkey sausage finely chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups diced granny smith apple
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced fennel bulb
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. To prepare corn bread, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring
cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and
1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; make a well in the center of the
mixture. Combine milk, canola oil, and 1 egg in a small bowl. Add to
flour micture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8 inch
square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425 for 16
minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove from pan; cool
completely.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 375.
4. To prepare stuffing, heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet
over medium high heat. Add sausage; cook 5 minutes or until browned,
stirring occasionally. Add onion and bay leaf; cook 8 minutes or until
onion starts to brown, stirring occasionally. Add apple, celery and
fennel; cook 5 minutes. Add garlic and next 5 ingredients (through
black pepper); cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; discard bay leaf. Cool
to room temperature. (Important step!)
5. Crumble corn bread into a large bowl. Add sausage mixture to bowl,
toss to combine. Add broth and 2 eggs, toss to combine. Spoon into a
13 x 9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375 for 50
minutes or until top is crisp and golden brown. Yield: 10 servings
(serving size: about 3/4 cup)

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[boinky 0]

We make an "apple salad." Not a Waldorf type, as there are no oranges or coconut in it. It has marshmallows and maraschino cherries instead.

And some sweet potato casserole that has Golden Grahams in the topping. They're both scrumptious.

I was just going to go to IHOP or Denny's this year, but some friends of mine put a screeching halt to that idea.

Nina

Are we called "DAWGs" because we stick our noses up people's butts? (RIP Buzz)
Yep, you're a postwhore-billyvance

[Jewels 0]

I confess, I don't get all THAT excited about the food, although I could completely get into the "gooey" thing. However, two different sets of friends have invited me to come by and it's the second year in a row for this. It's my skydiver family and I'm about as thankful for them as I am for my own. I can't wait just to spend the time with them! (It's so good that I'm not male. This post alone would require a shredding of my man card.)

TPM Sister #102

[skypapa 0]

Quote

We make an "apple salad." Not a Waldorf type, as there are no oranges or coconut in it. It has marshmallows and maraschino cherries instead.

And some sweet potato casserole that has Golden Grahams in the topping. They're both scrumptious.

I was just going to go to IHOP or Denny's this year, but some friends of mine put a screeching halt to that idea.

That apple salad sounds absolutely delicious.

[boinky 0]

Quote

That apple salad sounds absolutely delicious.

Oh it is. I made some for my honey one time when he was home. And the two of us polished off the entire bowl in an hour or so.

Nina

Are we called "DAWGs" because we stick our noses up people's butts? (RIP Buzz)
Yep, you're a postwhore-billyvance

[skypapa 0]

Quote

Quote

That apple salad sounds absolutely delicious.

Oh it is. I made some for my honey one time when he was home. And the two of us polished off the entire bowl in an hour or so.

I bet you did. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

[NWFlyer 2]

Again. Recipes!!!!!

People... get it together!

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[skypapa 0]

Quote

Again. Recipes!!!!!

People... get it together!

Do you have any you would like to share?

[grannyinthesky 0]

What do you uise for the dressing for it? I used to make something like that, but I can't remember.

"safety first... and What the hell.....
safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy

POPS #10490

[boinky 0]

Well, I was going to just send it to skypapa in a pm. But if you insist....


Real easy. No real recipe. You just sort of add stuff until it tastes good to you.


Red apples (peeled, cored, etc), cut into tiny bite sized pieces
Seedless grapes, quartered
Maraschino cherries, quartered
Pecans, chopped well
Miniature marshmallows
Mayo
Maraschino cherry juice



Cut and mix the fruit. Add pecans and marshmallows. Add a tiny bit of mayo (you want it to taste sweet, not mayo tasting). Pour in some of the cherry juice. Mix well. Taste. If it isn't sweet enough, add more cherry juice.



If any of you actually try/use this for your meal, you gotta' come back and let me know if you liked it. Deal?

Nina

Are we called "DAWGs" because we stick our noses up people's butts? (RIP Buzz)
Yep, you're a postwhore-billyvance

[grannyinthesky 0]

Now, I remember. I use about the same things with some chopped walnuts and some Coolwhip for the extra sweetness.

"safety first... and What the hell.....
safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy

POPS #10490

[skypapa 0]

Thank you for sharing. Sounds absolutely scrumscious!

[boinky 0]

My family doesn't care for walnuts. And whipped topping breaks down so fast.

They all fight over this stuff. It's like dessert!

Nina

Are we called "DAWGs" because we stick our noses up people's butts? (RIP Buzz)
Yep, you're a postwhore-billyvance

[grannyinthesky 0]

It doesn't sound like it would stick around long enough to breakdown. I think I may have to try the pecans. I like about any kind of nuts.

"safety first... and What the hell.....
safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy

POPS #10490

[jonstark 8]

"Family" traditions... no

Get the eff away from the relative work and spend the week in the sun at Z-Hills !?!?!

Yessssss!!!!

jon

[peregrinerose 0]

My father in law starts making Bloody Marys bright and early and all day long, they are GOOD!! And after everyone gets up from having eaten too much, the family tradition is to roll on the floor to compress everything in the full belly... silly... but tradition. And you just can't screw with a tradition like rolling.

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[skymama 35]

I like meat.

The family is scattering to different places on Thursday, so we had Thanksgiving on Sunday. I made a cranberry-pear chutney that was in the paper last week that went over very well. I make a pretty good pumpkin bread too.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[normiss 622]

I thought you like lamp?

[skymama 35]

Quote

I thought you like lamp?

It's all one in the same.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[FreeFallin247 0]

Mine would be all of the left over Turkey for the next week. Turkey sandwhich anyone? haha

[grannyinthesky 0]

Oh, yeah....mmmmmmm, leftovers!

"safety first... and What the hell.....
safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy

POPS #10490

[skysprite 0]

Quote

Mine would be all of the left over Turkey for the next week. Turkey sandwhich anyone? haha

Yes! Turkey sandwich the next day! Or even late that night!

~skysprite

[skypapa 0]

Hi mama. I've heard a lot about you. All good of course.

[turtlespeed 212]

Heavenly Hash.

Bunch of Cherry/Strawberry Jello
some fruit in a can and some fresh fruit
Some Cool Whip
Add little marsmallows
Stir until the jello is still a little lumpy and the mix is pink.

Yummm!

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun