This years Holiday Menu….2022

Here is a good menu for Thanksgiving I usually use. Adding and tweaking to meet the needs of my guest list. Adjust recipes according to the size of your guest list. More holiday treats and sides will be added to other posts. I don’t cut calories on holiday menus. You may adjust as needed.

I believe in traditional menu with lots of flavor, fine china, finest silver flatware, cloth napkins, place cards, napkin rings, ….the works. I’ve served up to 20 people at a sit down table with 3 birds required. I just love holiday meals. Adjust to meet your style and budget.

I always do my stuffing in a separate casserole dish. I stuff my bird with Herbed spices to perfectly bring out the flavors and keep it moist. JUST KEEP SCROLLING TO THE END.

Roasted Turkey Perfection

Ingredients

1 (18 pound) whole turkey (See Note Below)

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 Teaspoons Minced Garlic

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 quarts turkey stock, divided

Stuffing Bouquet

In a cheese cloth tie up 2 sprig fresh rosemary, 3 Tablespoons Chopped flat leaf parsley, 4 sage leaves, 2 sprig thyme. 1 large Onion Chopped, 3 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons tarragon. Tie the cheese cloth and place the herb bouquet in the cavity of your turkey.

Directions

Step 1 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Place a rack in the lowest position of the oven.

Step 2 Remove turkey neck and giblets. Rinse turkey and pat dry with paper towels.

Step 3 Place turkey, breast-side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Rub skin with butter, and also place butter and minced garic under the skin at the breast/leg area. then season with salt and pepper.

Step 4 Pour 2 cups of turkey stock into the roasting pan. Loosely tent turkey with aluminum foil.

Step 5 Roast turkey for 3 1/2 hours, basting with pan juices every 30 minutes. When drippings evaporate, add remaining stock to the pan, 1 to 2 cups at a time.

Step 6 Remove foil and continue roasting until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 165 degrees F (75 degrees C), about 2 hours more.

Step 7 Transfer turkey to a large serving platter. Remove the cheese cloth bouquet and toss. Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

NOTE: Roasting time depends on the size of the turkey. I’ve always used the 20 minutes per pound rule. Easiest for me to compute. The lower cooking temperature helps keep the bird moist. Only remove foil when read to brown the bird at the end.

Almost everyone loves the green bean casserole for the holiday meal. My daughter pitches a fit if I don’t fix it. Here is one I use.

Traditional Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients

4 Pounds Fresh Green Beans, Trimmed And Cut Into 2-Inch Pieces

2 (10.75 Ounce) Cans Cream Of Mushroom Soup

1 Pound Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Grated

1 (6 Ounce) Can French-Fried Onions

Directions

Step 1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2 Heat a large saucepan of salted water to a boil; add green beans and cook just until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.

Step 3 Mix green beans and cream of mushroom soup together in a bowl; spread into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese over the green bean mixture and top with French-fried onions.

Step 4 Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and browned, about 30 minutes.

Garlic Mash Potatoes

Ingredients

1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

4 Cups Water, Or As Needed To Cover

6 Baking Potatoes; Chopped

1 Cup Butter

1 8 oz. Package Cream Cheese, Softened

2 Teaspoons Minced Garlic

1 Tablespoon Cream, Or To Taste

1 Pinch Kosher Salt And Ground Black Pepper To Taste

Directions

Step 1 Dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in water in a saucepan and add potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to saucepan.

Step 2 Mash butter, cream cheese, and garlic into potatoes, using a potato masher or fork. Mix milk into potatoes, 1 teaspoon at a time, until potatoes are your desired consistency. Season with salt and black pepper. Serves 8

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

1 Pound Brussels Sprouts

3 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, Or As Needed

Sea Salt To Taste

Directions

Step 1 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Step 2 Remove and discard the hard stems from the Brussels sprouts. Halve the sprouts and place on a baking sheet. In a resealable plastic bag, Drizzle with olive oil and mix until coated. Season with salt. Dump onto baking sheet.

Step 3 Roast in the preheated oven until soft, 15 to 20 minutes.

Low Carb Cauliflower Mash

Ingredients

1 Head Cauliflower, Chopped

2 Cloves Garlic

1 Bay Leaf

Water To Cover

½ Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

2 Tablespoons Butter

2 Tablespoons Sour Cream

Salt And Ground Black Pepper To Taste

Directions

Step 1 Place cauliflower, garlic, and bay leaf in a pot; pour in enough water to cover. Bring mixture to a boil and cook until cauliflower is tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and discard bay leaf.

Step 2 Transfer cauliflower and garlic to a blender; add Cheddar cheese, butter, and sour cream. Blend mixture until desired consistency is reached; season with salt and pepper.

This is one of grandma’s great recipes. Mine never quite taste as good. I admit this is one of my cheats for the holidays. I use canned crescent rolls or freezer yeast rolls.

Old South Butter Rolls

Ingredients

4 ½ Cups All-Purpose Flour

¼ Cup Shortening

¼ Cup White Sugar

2 ½ Teaspoons Salt

1 ½ Tablespoons Active Dry Yeast

1 ½ Cups Cold Water

1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

Directions

Step 1 Mix together flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast in a bowl. Add shortening and mix well. Mix in water.

Step 2 Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead by hand for 20 minutes, or by machine for 12 to 14 minutes. Toss dough with vegetable oil in a bowl; cover the bowl and let proof for 1 hour.

Step 3 Form dough into 24 rounds, and place on a greased baking tray. Cover and let proof for 45 minutes more.

Step 4 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Step 5 Bake in the preheated oven until golden, 12 to 14 minutes.

We always made this the night before to save tome and get good flavor.

24 Hour Salad

Ingredients

1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained\Juice reserved

1 Small Jar Maraschino Cherries Drained

1 Tablespoon Corn Starch

1 Cup Half N’ Half

1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

2 (15 ounce) cans fruit cocktail, drained

2 (11 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

2 tablespoons sweetened flaked coconut, or more to taste (Optional)

Directions

Step 1 Heat the pineapple juice until bubbling and whisk in cornstarch. Remove from heat and cool about 5 minutes. Slowly Whisk in milk. Then, Mix pineapple, cherries, and pudding mix together in a bowl until pudding mixture is smooth. Fold fruit cocktail and oranges into pudding.

Step 2 Fold whipped topping into pudding mixture until smooth; top with coconut.

Step 3 Refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes; preferably 24 hours. 12 Servings

This stuffing calls for giblets. I don’t use the giblets. I boil them in 3 cups of chicken broth to make a great flavor add in for the stuffing and toss the giblets. Use or not according to your taste.

GRANDMAS Stuffing

Ingredients

1 Cup Butter

1 Sack Giblets From One Turkey

1 Cup Diced Celery

1 Cup Chopped Onion

1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

And Pepper To Taste

2 Teaspoon Poultry Seasoning

12 Cups Dry Bread Cubes

3 Cup Chicken Broth

Directions

Step 1 Chop giblets and cook in 3 Cups of water until reduced by half, strain to a bowl and toss giblets if not using. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, 2 minutes. Stir in celery and onion and cook until tender, but not brown. Remove from heat and stir in salt, pepper and poultry seasoning.

Step 2 Place bread crumbs in a large bowl. Toss with giblet broth mixture and enough broth to moisten the bread entirely. Bake separately, in a 9×13 quart dish, covered, 40 to 45 minutes in a 375 degree F (190 degree C) oven. Remove foil and brown another 5 minutes.

Pecan Pie

Ingredients

1 (9 Inch) Unbaked Pie Crust

3 Eggs, Beaten

1 Cup Dark Corn Syrup

1 Cup White Sugar

¼ Cup Melted Butter

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Pecan Halves

Directions

Step 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2Beat together the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla.

Step 3 Arrange pecans in bottom of pie crust and pour mixture over.

Step 4 Bake for 1 hour or until knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing.

Pecan Pie Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cooking Spray

2 Cups Brown Sugar

2 Cup Chopped Pecans

1 Cup All-Purpose Flour

4 Eggs

1 Cup Butter, Melted

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract, Or To Taste

Directions

Step 1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners and coat liners with cooking spray.

Step 2 Combine brown sugar, pecans, and flour in a large bowl; make a well in the center.

Step 3 Beat eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer until foamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Fold in butter and vanilla. Pour into the center of the brown sugar mixture. Stir until batter is well mixed.

Step 4 Spoon batter into the muffin tin, filling each cup 2/3 of the way.

Step 5 Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.