The Holidays Are Here

As impossible as it may seem, the fourth Thursday in November, which we have been celebrating for years as Thanksgiving Day, is just a few days away. Between now and then, my son will turn 16, most likely have the state’s permission to operate a motor vehicle without me by his side, and I will try to stuff a turkey while attempting to calm my nerves from all the stress that I know I will be experiencing. Other than that, I plan to have a peaceful Thanksgiving Day with family and pay tribute to the day for what it was designed – to give thanks for my many blessings. And yes, I will be the first to say, having a sixteen-year old son is one of life’s greatest blessings.

With Thanksgiving Day come parades, family gatherings centered around turkey and all the trimmings, football, and an afternoon snooze.

Of course the long weekend also marks the beginning of Christmas season, with Santa bursting at the seams to take a seat in every mall and store he can find to entice the youngsters to aggravate their parents to death for another toy. I don’t mean to sound like Scrooge, but as usual this season will fast become another commercial event in which the origins and meaning of the days we honor are almost totally obscured. For starters, let’s just celebrate Thanksgiving . . . for what it is. Give thanks and spend every moment you can with those you love. Thank you for being a part of my life and for the kind comments you keep sending my way.

Old Fashioned Stuffing

12 cups plain dry stuffing, day-old bread or cornbread, or mixture of all
3 cups chopped onion
2 ½ cups chopped celery
½ cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons poultry seasoning
¼ cup chopped parsley

Sauté onion and celery in butter or margarine just until tender. Add to bread along with salt, poultry seasoning and parsley. Toss lightly until well mixed. (Add a little hot broth or water to moisten, if desired.)
Place in two buttered baking dishes. Bake covered, at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer. Drizzle with juices from the turkey roasting pan for additional flavor and moistness.

 

Roasted Turkey

Approx. 16 lb Turkey
1 cup butter or margarine
Flour
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 onions
4-5 stalks of celery
2 cloves of garlic crushed
Turkey Roasting Bag

Remove giblets and neck from turkey; wash, and set aside. Wash turkey thoroughly inside and out; pat dry with paper towels. Preheat oven to 325F.

Mix about half of the butter with onion and celery and stuff into cavity of turkey Place more butter and garlic under the skin of turkey. Bend wing tips under body, or fasten to body with poultry pins. Brush with more butter; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place turkey in roasting bag and tie, making a few small slits in top of bag to allow steam to escape. Then place in a shallow roasting pan and bake about 4 hours, or until meat thermometer registers 185F. Remove from oven and take out of bag; place on serving tray. Take the remaining juice in bag and roasting pan; heat and mix in a saucepan with a little flour until thick gravy forms.

(Directions with roasting bag are similar and very easy.)

 

Sweet Potato Casserole

3 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
½ cup melted butter
1/3 cup canned milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Dash salt

Mix all ingredients together and put in a square baking dish. Recipe may be doubled and baked in a larger baking dish. Cover with topping:

Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts
1/3 cup butter

Mix well and sprinkle on top of sweet potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. (I often mix in coconut, too, with a little more butter)

 

Frosted Pumpkin Dessert Squares
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup butter or margarine, melted
1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin or 2 cups fresh pumpkin puree
½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened
Whipped cream
Toasted coconut

Mix crumbs with sugar and butter. Press into bottom of 9-inch square pan. Combine pumpkin with brown sugar, salt and spices. Fold in ice cream.
Pour into crumb-lined pan. Cover and freeze until firm. Remove from freezer about 20 minutes before serving. Cut into squares; top each square with whipped cream and toasted coconut. Makes about 9 (3-inch) squares.