UPDATE: Here is the perennial Tammy Blog Thanksgiving food thread. This is a Lounge, so the “no links” rule is lifted in the name of sharing recipes 🙂

This is the fifth year I’ve bumped it up because recipes never get old and there are plenty of good ones in the Comments, which are begging to be added to. Whether or not to Roast or Fry is also an issue, I’ve had both and love them both. Here’s an additional link for this year: Gobble on and see what all the fuss is about. William Shatner has a warning video out about the dangers of frying the turkey, but then again there are dangers to waking up. I say learn the rules and proceed with caution with whatever you choose 🙂

I am, as usual, in charge of the Cranberry Sauce for Thanksgiving. Here is the recipe I love most. I also have the suggestion of replacing the apple ingredient with pear!

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 (16-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
1 cup chopped apple
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
1/2 orange, juiced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated

Combine the sugar and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the cranberries and return to a boil, then lower the heat so that the liquid simmers. Add the apples, walnuts, raisins, Grand Marnier, orange and lemon juices, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the sauce cool. Makes 4-5 cups.

Mmmm….

This section is for comments from tammybruce.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Tammy agrees with or endorses any particular comment just because she lets it stand.
79 Comments | Leave a comment
  1. Asher Abrams says:

    Serve with eight crispy terrorists, well-done and lightly seasoned.

    Happy Thanksgiving!

  2. Dave J says:

    It’s practically blasphemous for a New Englander to say this, but I’ve never liked cranberry sauce. Maybe your recipe will change that? Regardless, Happy Thanksgiving, Tammy (and commenters)!

  3. BigDana says:

    Looks wonderful! We’re “non-traditional” this year; my wife’s not really nuts about turkey so we’re doing prime rib. No reason why cranberry sauce wouldn’t work with it, though. You’re invited! 🙂

  4. Artist for truth says:

    I guess I have rethought my position of not writing. You are slightly addictive and so is your recipe. Thanks. This is a recipe worthy of any vegetarian. . . .

  5. predoc says:

    Everybody doesn’t like something, but nobody doesn’t like a Grand Marnier recipe —

  6. PeteRFNY says:

    Since you’re bringing the cranberry sauce, I’ll bring the stuffing!

    Two “big”-sized bags of your favorite stuffing mix (purists can use their own)
    2 sticks of butter (relax…it’s Thanksgiving) – and a couple of pats on the side for later
    2 cups chicken stock
    1 pound breakfast-style sausage (recommended: Bob Evans pork sausage in roll form)
    1 big onion, finely chopped
    2 cloves of minced (or preferably, pulverized) garlic
    2 or 3 celery stalks (as you like it – personally, I’m not a big celery guy)
    1 teaspoon sage leaves (the dried variety is fine)
    1 teaspoon thyme (ditto)
    1 pinch parsley
    3 apples (pick your favorite) cored and thinly sliced
    If you like, you can add some chopped walnuts (if that’s your bag)

    Melt the butter in the chicken stock and when fully melted, add the stuffing mix (or bread). Stir until the bread soaks up the liquid. If it looks a little dry (it should be moist), add some more stock (or water).

    Over medium-high heat, brown the sausage in the one pat of butter. Break up the sausage in to small pieces as it cooks. When it is completely cooked, drain the sausage. Melt the other pat of butter and cook the onions, along with the sage, thyme, parsley, celery and garlic until the onions become translucent and the celery is softening. Add slices apples and sauté for a minute or so. If adding walnuts, add them too. Combine the stuffing mix with sausage and add to the pan. After combining all the ingredients, fill an appropriate-sized pan with the mixture and cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, then remove the foil until the top is browned (around 10 minutes or so).

    Yum yum!

  7. neocon cowgirl says:

    Hey, hey!
    I have to say, I have the best sweet potato recipe. Even die hard canned-with-marshmallow lovers, have been converted. Being from a crazy family, it is all about the food!

    Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Topping
    1 Cup flour
    2/3 C. brown sugar
    1/4 C. margarine, melted
    1/4 C. chopped toasted pecans
    1/2 t. ground cinnamon
    2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and halved
    1/2 C. sugar
    1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
    1 large egg
    1 (5 oz.) can of evaporated milk

    1.Preheat oven to 350. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a small bowl,stirring to form a streusal. Set aside.
    2.Bring to a boil potatoes in water, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until very tender. Drain and mash well. Stir in 1 cup of streusal mixture, sugar, vanilla, egg and evaporated milk. Spoon into a casserole dish coated with cooking spray, top with remaining streusal. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
    Happy Thanksgiving…..
    PS my kids are the age of your kids on your list…although this is a little nerdy, if they don’t have the C.S. Lewis Narnia books, please think about it. They are wonderful, unforgettable and values-filled. Plus cool since the movie is coming out December 9th.

  8. helpunderdog says:

    Delicious Tasty Maize

    In tribute to the dish American Indians brought to the first Thanksgiving, I offer this modern take on their original recipe:

    1 package Green Giant Niblets Corn & Butter Sauce

    Create a small slit in center of pouch. Place in microwave. Cook on high for 4 minutes. Pour contents into serving dish. For color, lightly sprinkle with paprika before grandly placing beside turkey on dining table.

  9. Talkin Horse says:

    Do NOT NOT NOT (a triple negative is still a negative) call it “Turkey Day”! It’s THANKSGIVING, darn it! We need to remember that this national holiday is about a greater principle than gluttony.

    Do a Google search on keywords “Thanksgiving” and “proclamation” and you’ll call up some of the history of how Thanksgiving came to be a national holiday.

  10. cynmack says:

    An even easier cranberry sauce.
    12 ounces fresh cranberries.
    4 ounces dried cherries
    2/3 cup brown sugar
    1 cup water
    a good grinding of black pepper.
    Put it all in a pan and bring to a boil while stirring occasionally. When all the cranberries have popped open,then turn the heat down to a simmer and let simmer for about ten more minutes. Allow to cool, it turns into a wonderfully sweet and tart side dish.

  11. CTinker says:

    Talkin Horse, I’m totally with you on this! One of my best friends is an Early American historian and it never fails, every year I say “Happy Thanksgiving” and she says “Happy Turkey Day.” It’s a conscious act on her part because she thinks the whole Indian/Pilgrim thing is a sham. It’s so irritating.

    Turkey Day is the equivalent of Happy Holidays.

  12. mythusmage says:

    Talkin’ Horse and Ctinker,

    Lighten up, Francis.

  13. greenbeens101 says:

    Thanks Tammy for the wonderful cranberry sauce recipe! I have NEVER liked cranberry sauce in any way, shape or form but your recipe sounded so good I had to try it. All I can say is OH MY GOSH!! This stuff is awesome! I will be using it on pancakes and waffles too! Thanks again and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!
    Ann in Tucson

  14. Dave J says:

    Ooooh, Mythusmage beat me to it. Great line, great delivery, from a great movie (the first 2/3 of it anyway: the last third of Stripes, when they’re in Europe, is just awful and best forgotten).

    As tactfully as I can possibly be, some people appear to need to grow a sense of humor.

  15. Scott Ferguson says:

    The cranberry sauce recipe I used was from a Food Network show on Christmas in Harlem. It’s by Norma Jean Harden of Spoonbread Catering. Link is here.

    Much to my chagrin, I found out that cranberries come in 12-ounce bags these days, not 16-oz (1 lb) bags. So, I had to adjust my recipe. It makes wonderful sauce, though! My co-workers at the Thanksgiving day potluck at work gobbled it up.

    Gobbled, get it? Heh.

  16. sue says:

    Ho hum……your recipes sound delicious and then comes the nuts. Sorry Tammy but eating your wonderful cranberries would make me a little too Thankful……for oxygen. Any recipes out there for those of us prone to nut allergies? Woe is me, newly diagnosed and missing them terribly. Happy Thanksgiving to All!

  17. artgal says:

    OK – I have to admit: I’m a big loser because I don’t have time to cook, even on holidaze. So I cannot offer anyone on this blog any earth-shattering, mind-altering recipes – well, I could but those are best for New Year’s Eve.

    Anyway, my best suggestion is to visit the bakery/pastry sections of your store (I know Safeway & their affiliates, & Basha’s carry it) and pick up a Pumpkin Cheese Pecan Streusal pie by Bonerts. Great stuff! (Sorry to Sue who posted before me: this is yet another suggestion that includes nuts, but there are tons of other selections by this company as well).

    You can visit their site at http://www.bonertspies.com, which is not to be confused with Bonert Spies unless the Bonerts Pies are just a clever title to throw us a bit.

    Anyhoo – here’s wishing Tammy & everybody a very wonderful, safe and Happy Thanksgiving! Keep our troops & their families in all prayers.

  18. CinderellaMan says:

    Hey Tammy, thanks for the recipe. Sounds great. FoodTv is a great site, here’s a few others I like:

    For great fish:
    http://www.capmel.com/recipes.htm

    Italiano!!!:
    http://www.ciaoitalia.com/

    Lots of recipes:
    http://www.momslilgreentin.com/listing.php

    Barbecue tips from the best barbecue house in Central NY:
    http://aroundcny.com/features/memorial_day/index.cfm

  19. pat_s says:

    Exotic cuisine.

    No recipes, just a word of encouragement for other people who may feel, like me, that cooking is a formidable task. I just learned that what is easy cooking and what is challenging cooking is mostly a matter of perspective.

    My husband is from India. Believing Indian cooking to be some daunting foreign mystery, I have been unable to put together a decent Indian dish for the past 33 years despite instruction from his sisters to just add some of this and a little of that, and assurances that it’s no big deal.

    The other day I got a call from one of them asking ME for cooking advice. How to make mashed potatoes! I know, I know, it can become complicated if you want to, but really, basically the name IS the recipe.

  20. tirion says:

    We fell into a great method of cooking Turkey from watching Alton Brown of Good Eats fame.

    We were pondering how to cook the bird and I got the silly idea to treat the Turkey like a Chicken and just butter fly it, then cook it flat.

    This involves cutting out the back bone (toss it in the pan you are cooking the giblets in) then removing the keel or breast bone and lay it out flat.

    To cook it, get out the broiler pan from your oven, and cover the lid (the part that goes on top of the broiler pan with the slots in it) with thin sliced onions, white potatoes and apples done up in layers. Then lay the Turkey out flat on the the bed of veggies and fruit. Put a meat thermometer in the breast of the bird and cook at between 300 and 350 until the bird is 170 or 180.

    You can add flavor to the bird by putting a mixture of minced garlic between the meat and skin of the Turkey.

    It cooks up in a very short period of time. You may want to cover the wing tips with foil to prevent them from overcooking.

    When the bird reaches the chosen temperature, remove from the oven, cover with foil to rest fifteen to twenty minutes and then serve.

    Gravy can be made from juices that have dripped into the pan. The veggies and fruit not covered by the bird will be a bit worse for the wear, but the parts covered can be plated and served as well.

    Enjoy

  21. CinderellaMan says:

    Hey Pat_S:
    Indian and Thai cooking is my favorite, and not that hard. Getting the spices is hard- and expensive. Things like Kaffir lime leaves, cardamom pods, and star anise are tough to acquire. Go to:

    http://www.zamourispices.com/comingsooniii.html?gclid=CO6u5K2J3YgCFTlmGgodXh8wkw

    or

    http://www.kamdarplaza.com/index.php?cPath=21_39&gclid=CMCLv72J3YgCFTA8FQod9SBvpw

    For recipes, a nice site ( a blog ) is :

    http://isouthpotpourri.blogspot.com/

    It’s not that intimidating, just a mental frame of mind going in that Indian cooking developed from the need to preserve things with a lot of spices. I have been churning out dishes like “Fragrant Coconut Beef”, “Moroccan Lentil Soup”.

  22. pat_s says:

    Thanks for the links Cinderellaman. I’ll check them out and I’ll never stop trying. Ordinary Indian home cooking is a lot less complex than the typical published recipes for Indian dishes too and not as oily or heavily spiced as restaurant fare. Sure is good food.

  23. HawaiiBob says:

    Tammy,
    Try this cranberry sauce recipe:
    Bob’s Christmas Cranberry Sauce

    1 1/2 cups Sugar
    1 cup Red wine (see notes)
    12 oz Cranberries; rinsed and drained.
    1/2 cup Orange Marmalade
    1/2 cup Orange Juice
    2 Cinnamon sticks
    1/2 heaping teaspoon Allspice, ground
    2 1-inch pieces of peeled ginger
    Zest of 1 orange

    In a medium size saucepan, bring the sugar, wine, orange marmalade, and orange juice to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Add the cranberries, cinnamon sticks, allspice, ginger and the orange zest and bring back to a boil.

    Simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until all the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens slightly.

    Remove the cinnamon sticks and ginger. Remove the cranberry sauce from the heat, place in a bowl and allow to cool thoroughly. Then refrigerate, covered until ready to serve with your Christmas turkey or Bob’s French toast.

    Notes:
    I prefer a good Shiraz in my cranberry sauce. I have found the Aussie wines to be excellent and reasonably priced as well.

    If you would prefer not to use wine for this dish, you can substitute Welch’s Grape juice in equal amounts.

  24. Kelly says:

    Here’s the greatest recipe for yams that I’ve ever tasted. Like Tammy’s cranberry sauce recipe, it utilizes Grand Marnier. Enjoy!

    Ingredients:

    1. 12 yams
    2. ½ lb. Turkish dried apricots
    3. ½ cup orange juice
    4. 1 stick butter
    5. Rinds of 2 oranges
    6. ¼ cup Grand Marnier
    7. Brown sugar (to taste)
    8. Salt (to taste)
    9. Walnuts (to taste)

    Directions:

    1. Boil yams in skins until done.
    2. Cool, peel, put in bowl and chop coarsely.
    3. Pulse apricots in blender/food processor.
    4. Put apricots into microwave bowl with orange juice, butter, orange rinds, brown sugar and Grand Marnier.
    5. Heat in microwave for about 3 minutes.
    6. Fold mixture into potatoes and add salt. (This is very important.)
    7. Dot with brown sugar, butter and coarsely chopped walnuts.
    8. Bake for 30 minutes at 350°.

  25. gritster says:

    Set your stove on fire one year and nobody allows you to bring anything.It was an accident !

  26. JoelN says:

    Why does the turkey have to be roasted or fried? Why not smoke it?

    Well, I guess you’d need a smoker and about 8-10 hours, but it’s always worked well for me. Use an injecter, rub some salt and pepper on it, and slow smoke (250-275 degrees) over hickory, mesquite, maple, any fragrant hardwood (NO softwoods) for 8-10 hrs. Simple and good. Plus, it leaves the oven open for other things.

  27. pat_s says:

    It was fun reading comments from the previous years. I’d like to add a handy tip pertinent to the food news of 2007: Cranberries alter E. coli bacteria.

  28. Jennifer says:

    I too ask: Why does it have to be roasted or fried?

    We went camping for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago (a bonus for living in AZ) and used a dutch oven to cook our turkey (I found a 2 piece one that fits up to a 20 lb’er. called the Ultimate Turkey Roaster http://www.dutchovenpro.com/product/TDO-20) Think Beer Can Chicken, this cooks the Turkey the same way. We soak the Turkey in a brine courtesy of Alton Brown overnight, then cook away for 2 hrs. It just falls right apart when done, plus we cook our potatoes in the bottom and mash away when done. Because the potatoes cook with the Turkey you can skip the gravy. (We don’t cause we LOVE gravy)The only downside is that the turkey doesn’t brown unless you use a rub.

    In addition dutch oven yams/sweet potatoes are the way to go too!

  29. Trinity says:

    This is Emeril’s Pumpkin Cheesecake with Bourbon Cream..the most amazing creation I have ever made. It is a family fav! Enjoy!! And to Tammy and the our ‘family’ here a truly Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!!

    1 1/2 cups vanilla wafers, crushed into crumbs
    1 cup ground pecan pieces
    1 stick melted butter
    2 pounds cream cheese, softened and cubed
    1 cup light brown sugar
    6 eggs
    1/2 cup heavy cream
    1/2 cup all-purpose flour
    Pinch salt
    1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
    1 teaspoon vanilla
    2 cups pumpkin puree
    2 cups sweetened whipped cream
    Dash bourbon
    1 cup semisweet chocolate sauce, warm, recipe follows

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
    Combine the crumbs, ground pecans and the butter together. Mix well and press into a 12-inch spring-form pan. In a food processor, with the metal blade, mix the cream cheese until smooth. Add the brown sugar and blend. Add the eggs 1 at a time to thoroughly incorporate into the cheese mixture. Add the heavy cream. Add the flour, salt, cinnamon and vanilla and blend until smooth. Add the mashed pumpkin and blend until smooth.
    Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the cake is set. Remove from the oven and with a knife loosen the sides from the pan. This will prevent the cake from splitting down the center. Completely cool the cake before cutting.

    Combine the whipped cream and bourbon together, blend well. Garnish each piece of cake with the Bourbon Whipped Cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce.

    Chocolate Sauce:
    3/4 cup half-and-half
    1 tablespoon butter
    1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips
    1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

    Combine the half-and-half and butter in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Heat the mixture until a thin paper-like skin appears on the top. Do not boil. Add the chocolate and vanilla and stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool.
    Yield: 1 1/2 cups

    With Love,
    Rachel

  30. jdb says:

    1. Open one can of cranberry sauce and add nuts and stuff.
    2. Hide the can.
    3. Lie about the recipe.

    Note: Guests are probably relatives and you’ve most likely lied to them before. Maybe next time they won’t come back.

  31. Barry in CO says:

    nO NO NO you’ve got it all wrong- here is the ONLY cranberry sauce recipe you’ll ever need:

    1) open can
    2) dump into bowl
    3) serve

    All that other stuff takes away from football-watchin’ time

  32. Paul says:

    The Turkey gets grill roasted on the Weber at my house
    You may find the way at the Guru’s site:

    http://www.barbecuebible.com/featured/bbqu/bbq_u_the_perfect_thankskgivin.php

  33. Kelly says:

    Last year I posted the yams with the Grand Marnier and Turkish dried apricots. My recipe this year is Sweet Potato Souffle courtesy of Mary Mac’s Tearoom in Atlanta. Here’s their website: http://preview.tinyurl.com/5mbzfk

    I tried the souffle when I was in Atlanta in April. The recipe looks easy enough for me to follow so don’t let the word “souffle” scare you. I’m attempting it myself tomorrow. Happy Thanksgiving Tammy and peeps!

    SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE′

    Cover with water in large pot:

    * 2 pounds small sweet potatoes, washed (I couldn’t find small so I just picked up large ones)

    Boil covered, for about 1 hour, until soft. Drain, slip skins off, and mash in large bowl. Preheat oven to 350°.

    Add:

    * 4 tablespoons butter
    * 4 to 5 tablespoons sugar, to taste
    * 1/3 cup light cream (I could only find regular cream)
    * 2 eggs beaten
    * Pinch of ground cinnamon and/or ground allspice

    This recipe involves a lot of tasting, because the sugar content of sweet potatoes varies by season and region, so it’s up to your own taste to decide how much sugar to add.

    Pour into buttered 2-quart baking dish and bake until center of souffle′ is set, 30 to 40 minutes. Raise oven temperature to 475°.

    Place on top to cover:

    * Miniature mashmallows.

    Return to oven for 3 to 5 minutes to brown.

    You can also add ½ cup raisins or ½ cup toasted pecans folded in. If you do this, you may want to leave out the spice and marshmallows since it might make it too rich.

  34. GenRach says:

    Happy Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

  35. ffigtree says:

    Cranberry sauce, canned and homemade, elicit strong emotional reactions at our house. One year, I overlooked the canned cranberry sauce ( the gelled kind that in the shape of the can it comes in) and served homemade. Gasp! Half of the family will never let me forget canned cranberry sauce. Some, now bring their own can! I, however, continue to make the fresh homemade cranberry sauce.

    Looking forward to trying Tammy’s recipe! Much to be grateful for. Happy Thanksgiving.

  36. KWH says:

    “my wife’s not really nuts about turkey so we’re doing prime rib. “
    Have an extra seat at your table? 🙂
    Happy Thanksgiving to all!

  37. Monk says:

    @ Neocon Cowgirl- Thanks for the sweet potato casserole recipe. I’ve been wanting one.
    As for Fried or Roasted Turkey – Has to be Roasted so I can put my family’s homemade stuffing inside the turkey (contains the innards!). YUM!

    What’s Thanksgiving or Christmas without Pecan (pronounced pi-cän) Pie?!

    Texas Pecan Pie:

    3 Tbls Flour
    1 ½ cup light brown sugar (or dark), Packed.
    2 Tbls butter/ Margarine, Softened
    1 ½ cup Light or Dark Corn Syrup
    5 Eggs, well beaten like a terrorist
    1 ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
    1 ¼ tsp Salt
    2 cups Pecan Halves (approx)
    2 9inch Pie Shells (shallow)

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Make filling: In medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar, mix well. Add butter, beat with wooden spoon to combine.
    Stir in syrup and eggs, combine thoroughly. Add vanilla and salt.
    Pour filling into the two pie shells. Carefully arrange pecan halves, making sure to “glaze” their tops with filling by pushing the pecan underneath the filling. (The pecans float, so they will comeback up in the way they were arranged.)
    Bake 40-50 minutes or until filling is set around edge when pie is gently shaken.
    Cook completely on wire rack. Serve with whipped cream (homemade is preferred).

  38. Sally says:

    Neocon Cowgirl, Kelly, and Monk- Thanks for the sweet potato and pecan pie recipes!

    For those who aren’t into cranberries; try this Raspberry Jello recipe.

    1 23oz jar of apple sauce
    2 boxes raspberry jello
    2 boxes or bags of frozen raspberries
    1 cup ginger ale

    Heat applesauce to a gentle boil, add 2 boxes of jello, and stir for about 5 minutes until well mixed. Remove from heat. Add thawed raspberries and ginger ale. Pour into a glass bowl or casserole and refrigerate until firm.

    Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!!

  39. PeteRFNY says:

    Still oh so fat. Thanksgiving good.

  40. If the turkey is being roasted in an electric oven so there is no open flame, one of the finest ingredients to add is cognac. When you clean the turkey up have a few ounces of cognac that you put in a plastic bag with the turkey, and shake it all around to expose the turkey thoroughly. When you are cooking with stuffing inside the turkey make sure there is a generous addition of cognac into the freshly mixed stuffing just about when it’s going into the turkey.
    Obviously it will help to kill any biotics. The thing I mostly liked about it though was how the cognac tenderized and permeated and flavored the whole bird. Done that way it was the best turkey I ever had.

  41. angelaisms says:

    What, no rolls? This must be remedied.

    2 cups milk
    1/2 cup + 1 tsp sugar, divided
    1/3 cup butter
    2 tsp salt
    4 1/2 tsp yeast
    2/3 cup warm water
    8-9 cups flour (I use half all-purpose and half fresh fine-ground wheat)
    3 beaten eggs

    Combine butter, milk, sugar, & salt in a saucepan. Heat until butter melts; let cool till lukewarm.

    Dissolve yeast and 1 tbsp sugar in warm water; let stand 10 minutes.

    Combine 3 cups flour, milk mixture, and eggs. Beat on low for 30 seconds, then add yeast mixture and beat on high for 3 minutes.

    Stir in as much remaining flour as you need to make a soft, sticky dough. Put it in a large bowl, cover, and allow to rise for one hour.

    Punch dough down. Divide in half, split each half into 12, and place in cooking-sprayed pan(s). Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

    Preheat oven to 375. Bake 15-18 minutes. Makes 24.

  42. Kat says:

    Roasted for Thanksgiving and then the Hubby SMOKES one for Christmas….YUMMO!
    Now for the BEST Sweet Potato Casserole! I am going to name this YAMS FOR TAMS!!!

    3C mashed Sweet Potatoes (cooked)
    1C Sugar
    2 Eggs
    1 tsp Vanilla
    1/3 C Milk
    1/2 Butter

    Combine above ingredients. Beat with electic mixer until smooth. Spoon into shallow buttered casserole dish. Prepare Topping!

    Topping
    1C Firmly packed Brown Sugar
    1/3C Flour
    1/3C Margarine
    1C Finely chopped Pecans

    Mix together (should be crumbly). Sprinkle on top of Sweet Potato mixture that is in the casserole dish.
    Bake at 350 for 30 min (longer if mixture is cold)!
    This can be made a day or 2 ahead of time! Best if fresh Sweet Potatoes or Yams are used!

    Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!!!

  43. Shifra says:

    For TAM beer-drinkers, from the WSJ:

    What did George Washington Drink?
    In the spirit of authenticity, a home-brewer attempts to recreate a founding father’s beer recipe.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204323904577038190404341490.html

    Enjoy! 🙂

  44. Kat says:

    Now for my tip for those of you who worry about fat and calories during the holiday season…..when baking a cake (store bought cake mix) substitute equal amount of applesauce for the oil…..I PROMISE no one will be able to tell the difference! You’re Welcome!!!! 😀

  45. Kat says:

    I found this after I made my previous posts, but felt that if any of you are cooking a Turkey for the first time or need help in cooking a Turkey, the following tips may help! You are Welcome….again! 😀
    http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/perfect-roast-turkey-190900018.html

  46. AniMel says:

    Take it from someone who has answered a number of fire calls on Thanksgiving over the past five years (and heard about the ones that I DIDN’T run on)…if you’re gonna fry the bird, study up on it first and know what you’re doing. As long as you’ve got it down, enjoy it because I tell ya, we fry our birds at the firehouse every year and it is sensational!

  47. Pathman says:

    Best when sipped in from of a cozy piñon fire. An invention of the “Rancho de Chimayo” restaurant in Chimayo, NM.

    Chimayo Cocktail:

    Ingredients:
    •1/4 oz lemon juice
    •1 1/4 oz premium tequila
    •1 1/2 oz apple cider
    •1/4 oz Creme de Cassis
    •apple wedges, thinly sliced (optional for garnish)

    Preparation:

    Add tequila, creme de cassis, cider and lemon juice to a shaker. Blend well and pour over ice into glass. Garnish with an apple wedge.

  48. Karan says:

    I make this every year ~ 7 layer salad.

    7 Layer Salad

    1 head lettuce, shredded (might add Romaine lettuce)
    1/2 cup celery, diced
    1/2 cup red onion, shredded
    8 Ounces peas, frozen (have used canned/but drain well)
    2 tablespoons sugar
    2 cups mayonnaise
    4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
    8 slices bacon, crumbled

    How to make it

    Fry the bacon crisp, drain it and put on paper towel to remove as much grease as possible.
    Shred the lettuce and spread in a layer on the bottom of a large salad bowl.
    Add a layer of celery. Then a layer of red onion. Then a layer of frozen peas. Add the peas frozen, don’t thaw them.
    Keep each layer separate, don’t mix together.
    Mix the sugar and mayonnaise and spread in a layer on top of the peas.
    Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the mayonnaise layer.
    Add the crumbled bacon on top.
    Cover with food wrap or foil and refrigerate overnight.

    Happy Thanksgiving all.

    Karan L.

  49. BarbaraM says:

    Easy vegetables:

    1. Cook your turkey with washed UNPEELED full length carrots, and 3 sliced onions. Put inside the bird, and around it. When finished cooking, remove gently to a ceramic dish and cover until ready to serve.

    2. Cut small acorn squash in half for individual size portions. (sometimes I need to go to 2 stores to get enough of same small size)
    Cut stem so bottom is flat. Remove seeds.
    Salt and pepper and put butter in the middle.
    Take a bag of frozen baby peas and put aside in a bowl to thaw.
    Bake squash in a pan in quarter inch of water. Whatever temp you are using until soft. When they are out of the oven, spoon thawed peas into the middle and cover with foil until ready to serve.

  50. MaryVal says:

    Best. Ever. Dessert. This is an apple pie-filling topped cheesecake with a sugar cookie crust. I’m heavy handed with the vanilla, because I love it. You need a sprinform pan – a cheesecake pan – and the apple juice may drip or bubble over. I put a sheet of tin foil on the oven rack below the torte while baking to catch the drops. When pressing the crust into the pan, push 1/4 to 1/2 inch up the sides, to help reduce leaking.

    BAVARIAN APPLE TORTE

    12-14 Servings
    Prep: 15 min. Bake: 55 min. + cooling

    CRUST:
    3/4 cup butter, softened
    1/2 cup sugar
    1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    1/2 teaspoon real vanilla

    FILLING:
    2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
    1/4 cup sugar
    2 eggs
    3/4 teaspoon real vanilla

    TOPPING:
    3 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples
    1/2 cup sugar
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    Directions

    Combine the first four ingredients. Press onto the bottom of an ungreased 9-in. springform pan. In a bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Pour over the crust. Combine topping ingredients; spoon over filling. Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until the center is set. Cool on a wire rack. Store in the refrigerator. Cut into wedges with a serrated knife. Yield: 12-14 servings.

    Editor’s Note: Even a tight-fitting springform pan may leak. To prevent drips, place the pan on a baking sheet in the oven.

  51. dogbite says:

    looking for a TAM’s house to come to for dinner Thursday.. too much drama here to bear…#caring
    feel like a NJ housewife at MILs house…..

  52. Shifra says:

    GLAZED SWEET POTATOES — *really* good!

    4-5 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled
    4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
    1 cup dark brown sugar
    1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/4 cup whiskey or bourbon

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch slices. Steam sweet potatoes for 10 minutes or until soft but *not* mushy. remove from steamer and set aside.

    In small saucepan, melt the margarine (or butter) over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, vanilla, and salt, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the whiskey or bourbon and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until slightly thickenend, stirring occasionally.

    Spray large 9 by 13 inch glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place sweet potatoes in the pan and drizzle the sauce over top.

    Bake uncovered for 1 hour. Baste with the sauce every ten minutes to keep the potatoes from drying out.

  53. deaves1 says:

    My favorite way to prepareour Thanksgiving turkey is still deep fried in peanut oil. It’s fast and the meat is tender and juicey. You do have to be careful when puting the turkey in the boiling oil. The stupid shall be punished. Here in San Diego, you can BBQ year round, so we deep fry the turkey on the patio, and use the oven for other dishes we’re preparing for the meal. The hardest part of deep frying the turkey is getting the oil back up to temp after you put the turkey in. You have to crank up the fire to get it back up, then gradually turn it down as it gets back up to temperature. I pull up a webpage with the cooking directions before starting. I don’t try to memorize it, and refer to it as the bird is frying. It’s yummy. Going to have a house full of people this year. All the kids and grand kids are coming, 2 of my brothers will be here. All this less than a week after a water pipe ruptured in the bathroom wall and flooded my house out. I have sheetrock cut back, blowers and dehumidifyers going. What a mess. Happy Thanksgiving TAMs…

  54. careless says:

    Careless’ Sweet Potato Pone’

    Ingredients:
    5 peeled sweet potatoes
    1 large egg
    4 fl oz allspice
    1 tsp ground cinnamon
    1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
    1/8 tsp ground cloves
    1/4 packed cup of brown sugar
    1 large juiced orange
    1 cup chopped pecans
    1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
    1/4 cup white all-purpose unenriched wheat flour
    1 tsp vanilla extract
    4 tbs unsalted butter
    1 tsp grated orange zest (no bitter white pith)

    Directions:
    Preheat oven to 350. Cook or steam sweet potatoes until tender. Mash the potatoes, and then stir in melted butter. Beat the eggs in a bowl and add brown sugar. Beat thoroughly . Stir into mashed sweet potatoes, add cream, vanilla, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cocnut, flour, juice from orange, and orange zest and mix until well blended. Place the mixture into a 9-/2″ X 13″ baking dish. Sprinkle top of the pone’ with chopped pecans. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes.

    Serves 12. Then learn how to say in delicious in Cuban.

  55. Pathman says:

    I think I have been working too hard.

    #winning Hot toddy: 1 tsp Trader Joe’s mulling mix, honey, @dryflydistiller Washington Wheat Whiskey and boiling water.

  56. cactuswren says:

    Another take on sweet potatoes. This is requested of me every year. It is from a Lawry’s seasoned salt recipe, but I substitue whatever favorite rub (for meat) I have at the time; usually a chile, cinnamon, garlic rub.

    ROASTED SWEET POTATOES

    4 Tbsp. melted butter
    2 Tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar
    1/2 tsp. of Seasoned salt
    1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
    2 and 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes
    “Candied Pecans” (recipe to follow and can be made ahead of time)

    1. Preheat oven to 425*
    2. Combine all ingredients except potatoes and pecans. Add potatoes and toss to coat. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on baking sheet or pan. Roast, stirring once, 40 minutes or until golden. sprinkle with Candied Pecans before serving. Warning: this is best served fresh and not reheated.

    “Candied Pecans”

    Combine 1/2 tsp. season salt, 1/3 cup sugar and 1 cup chopped pecans. In nonstick skillet, cook pecan mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently (10 minutes or until sugar melts and pecans are carmelized. Cool completely before serving.

    Happy Thanksgiving to all TAMs, no matter what you’re eating! (and drinking) 🙂

  57. MaryVal says:

    My Thanksgiving cranberry recipe: vitamin C, antioxidants, protein: what could be better.

    2 pkgs. dried cranberries
    2 small cans salted almonds
    2 dark choco candy bars, chopped. Use the good stuff, not Hershey’s.

  58. dogbite says:

    Kat- isn’t it hard to keep the damn thing lit???? lmao

  59. rtthorne says:

    This is one of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions. Every year, I make this quiche the day after the big day with leftover turkey. I go a bit heavy on the cheese too-never hurts.

    Turkey and Artichoke Quiche

    1 store-bought pastry shell (deep dish)
    1 cup cooked turkey, diced fine
    1 14 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and diced
    1/2 cup crumbled blue or Roquefort cheese
    4 eggs
    1 teaspoon tarragon
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon black pepper
    3/4 cup milk
    Heat oven to 450 degrees.
    Combine turkey, artichokes and cheese in a bowl and toss to combine. Spread the mixture in the bottom of a prebaked pie shell. In the same bowl that you mixed the turkey, etc., beat the eggs with tarragon, salt and pepper. Beat in milk.
    Pour egg mixture over turkey mixture and place in oven. Reduce heat immediately to 375 degrees. Bake 35 minutes, or until the center is slightly puffed and a knife inserted a little off center comes out clean. The center should not be wiggly. Remove from oven and let stand 5 to 10 minutes before
    slicing.

    Serves 6.

  60. rosebud2186 says:

    This Cheesehead is ready to share the BEST Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip for TAM enjoyment!

    1 can artichoke Hearts, drained & diced
    1 10 oz. pkg. frozen spinach – thaw & squeeze until dry
    1 c. mayo
    1/2 c shredded Parmesan cheese
    1/2 c shredded Swiss cheese
    1/2 c shredded Mozzarella cheese
    1/4 tsp. Garlic powder

    Mix all together & top with some extra cheese. Bake @ 350 deg. for about 30 minutes. I serve it with Garlic Bagel Chips. You can use fresh veggies too, but it may have a bit more moisture in it.

    So sorry for the lactose intolerant…(might be worth taking a pill for this if that works for you!) Happy Thanksgiving Tammy & all the TAMs!

    PS I will roast my Turkey………

  61. CajunGal says:

    Make this every year always a hit and super easy

    Waldorf Salad
    2 c. diced unpeeled apples
    1 c. diced celery or little marshmallows
    ½ c. coarsley chopped pecans
    ¼ c. mayonnaise
    1 tbs. sugar
    1 tsp. lemon juice
    dash salt
    ½ c. whipping cream whipped
    lettuce leaves
    Variation – omit cream and sugar, increase mayonaise to ½ cup.
    In a bowl combine apple, celery and pecans. Blend together mayonnaise, sugar, lemon juice and salt, fold in whipped cream. Fold cream mixture into apple mixture. Chill serve on lettuce if desired.

  62. thierry says:

    i am thankful this year that this drink is no longer an impossibility in america:

    champagne
    splash of crème de violette (once hard to get-it’s in an Avengers episode as the favorite drink of a russian diplomat)

    http://www.alpenz.com/images/poftfolio/violettefacts.htm

    popular 1900’s- 1930’s cocktail-Aviation the way it’s meant to be made:

    2 oz. gin
    1/2 oz. lemon juice
    1/2 oz. maraschino liqueur
    1/4 oz. crème de violette

    shaker with ice, garnish with cherry. take the maraschino and cherry out and it’s a Blue Moon.

    my Ladies prefer the roast turkey offering- and they wait in front of the oven until the cat’s turkey is done.

  63. houstongracie says:

    What to do with all of that left over turkey??? Here is my favorite. In fact, I always cook a huge turkey just so I can make several of these casseroles to put in the freezer for later.

    CHICKEN/TURKEY SPAGHETTI

    2Tbsp Oil Oil
    ¾ cup Onion chopped
    1 & ½ Celery stalk finely chopped
    2- 10.5oz cans Healthy Request Cream Of Mushroom Soup
    8oz 2% Velveeta or Regular Velveeta cubed
    ½-1 cup 1% Milk or whatever milk on hand
    1-14.5oz can Diced Petite Tomatoes drained
    1-2.5oz can Sliced Black Olives drained
    3 cups Roasted Chicken or Turkey chopped or shredded
    12oz Dried Spaghetti ( Break pasta in half then cooked according to package instructions al dente & drained)
    ¼ cup Parmesean ( I just use the Kraft in the shaker container for this)
    ¼ tsp Garlic Powder
    1 tsp Italian Seasoning
    ¼ tsp Gound Cayenne Pepper
    Salt and Pepper to taste
    1Tbsp Fresh Chopped Parsley or 1tsp dried
    4oz Grated Sharp Cheddar
    ¼ cup Italian Bread Crumbs (optional)

    Preheat Oven to 350

    Using cooking spray, spray a 8×13 casserole dish or 2- 8×8 casserole dishes
    In medium to large non stick heat olive oil. Add the chopped onions and celery and sauté until onions are translucent about 5 minutes. Reduce heat and add the soup and milk stirring occasionally. When it starts to bubble add the Velveeta and stir until just about melted. Turn off heat and set aside.
    In a LARGE mixing bowl add the chicken, diced tomatoes and hot pasta. Pour the soup mixture over and add the black olives. Mix gently. Once well incorporated add the parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, cayenne, and black pepper. Mix gently again and taste. I don’t usually ever add salt but this is a personal taste and you can adjust any of the seasoning at this point to your liking.
    Spoon into prepared casserole dish/dishes sprinkle with the cheddar cheese and the bread crumbs if you are using them. Bake until bubbly approx 30 minutes.
    ** Note this recipe is great to freeze just plan on adding a bit of extra milk to the portion you are going to freeze and leave off the grated cheddar and bread crumbs. You can thaw casserole in fridge overnight. Bake thawed, covered casserole at 350 until starting to bubble. Uncover, add the cheddar and bread crumbs and bake until melted and yummy. You can also pop frozen, covered casserole directly into the oven on 250 for about 45 minutes or so and then follow instructions for thawed casserole.
    I hope y’all enjoy this as much as I do and YES dang it I’m Southern so it’s gotta have a cream of something soup and Velveeta in a casserole. It’s a RULE you know.

  64. jmm says:

    All of the recepies look wonderful!
    My problem is that i am “cooking challenged”. You have inspired me to try.

  65. longhorn mama says:

    A friend sent me this;

    Sherried Tomato Soup; yields 6 servings
    6 T melted butter
    1 medium onion, finely diced
    1 (46oz.) bottle tomato juice
    1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
    1-3 T Chicken Base, to taste(I just used one Knorr’s Chix Bouillion cube)
    3-6 T sugar, to taste (I used 3)
    1 pinch salt
    black pepper to taste
    1 c. cooking Sherry (optional)
    1 1/2 c. heavy cream
    chopped fresh parsley (omitted because I didn’t have any)
    chopped fresh basil, use to taste

    Saute diced onion in butter until translucent. Then add canned tomatoes, tomato juice, chicken base, sugar, salt, black pepper and stir. Bring to a near boil, then turn off heat. Add sherry and cream and stir. Add parsley and basil to taste.

    I’d go light on the basil because a little goes a long way. And if you want a smooth soup, pass the base through a food mill after cooking the tomatoes and onions well done, or a blender or food processor.

    And most of all enjoy. I found that by adding a little more 1/2 & 1/2 it came to the right consistency, but even milk would work too. I made a batch and froze it up in single servings for me and have reheated it two different ways. Micro was OK, but because I hadn’t cooked the onions enough they were still a bit hard, but when I reheated it in a sauce pan, over the lowest setting on my stove, it was enough to finish cooking the onions and was even better than doing it in the micro. Now if only I’d had some cheddar cheese, I could have had a grilled cheese sandwich to enjoy with it. This will be one I do again. It was that good, so Goodbye Campbells. I’ve finally found your replacement.

  66. longhorn mama says:

    I got this off a favorite blog;
    This year I am sharing yet another family fave. This one is also raved about by young and old, and in particular, people who hate cottage cheese, because you could never tell that it has cottage cheese in it. Not only does this “casserole bread” have the perfect savory flavor for the Thanksgiving meal (it tastes more of onion than dill), the next day it makes the most delectable toast EVER. Yummy and crumbly, and with butter melting on top it just about kills you with the deliciousness. I say this as a person who cherishes the institution of Toast: Dilly Bread makes the best toast. So make sure you make enough for toast. Although it is a yeast bread, it’s a pretty quick stir-and-rise operation, with no kneading and no blasting flour all over the kitchen.
    Dilly Bread

    Yield: One loaf, approximately 12 slices
    (In other words, if you don’t double or triple the recipe, you run the risk of No Toast.)

    1 package active dry yeast
    1/4 cup warm water
    1 cup cottage cheese, heated to lukewarm (ick! stay with me!)
    2 tablespoons sugar
    1 tablespoon instant/dried minced onion
    1 tablespoon butter
    2 teaspoons dill seed (which is hard to find, so I use 3 teaspoons of dill weed)
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon baking soda
    1 unbeaten egg
    2 1/4 cup – 2 1/2 cups of flour

    Soften the yeast in the warm water and combine this mixture in a mixing bowl with the cottage cheese, sugar, onion, butter, dill, salt, baking soda, and egg. Beat it up really good. Add flour gradually to form a stiff dough, beating well.

    Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

    Punch down and turn into a well greased round 1 1/2 – 2 quart casserole dish. Let it rise until doubled.

    Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-50 minutes, when it is brown on top and gives a hollow sound when tapped.

    Brush the top with extra melted butter if you are a member of my family. Serve warm; it reheats well.

    I’m making mine on Tuesday night and freezing it until Thursday so that nobody eats it before then.

  67. longhorn mama says:

    This is another from the same blog;
    I will leave you with a Thanksgiving recipe. This is a child-pleasing side dish from the Heartland, where Combined Canned Goods Cuisine is as vibrant today as it was in 1956. My kids, who otherwise live on air and Gatorade, ask for seconds, as do their cousins and, truth be told, their uncles and aunts. I make no apologies for it. It’s delish.

    Corn Souffle*

    *Formerly known as Corn Casserole, renamed because my children, who did not come up the Hudson in a banana boat, will not eat anything called casserole.

    2 cans cream-style corn (ew! stay with me)
    1 package frozen corn kernels or fresh corn cut off the cob if you are some kind of freak
    6 eggs, beaten lightly
    1/2 cup milk
    1 stick (1/4 lb) butter
    approximately 2 cups of crushed cracker crumbs (I use saltines like my depression-era grandma did; Most Moisturized Mom goes for the finesse of Club Crackers)
    Salt and pepper to taste

    Melt the butter. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cracker crumbs, and butter the remaining crumbs, which you will use for the topping.

    Mix all the other ingredients together with the 1/2 cup of reserved cracker crumbs until well combined, then pour into a buttered casserole dish. Top with all of the buttered crumbs, which will seem excessive. (Because it is).

    Bake at 350 degrees until the souffle puffs up a bit and the crumbs are golden brown, which is usually about 30 minutes. (You want your frozen corn well-thawed and your eggs set.)

    It’s delicious. You can thank me later.

  68. longhorn mama says:

    Alton Brown’s Roasted, Brined Turkey
    Ingredients

    1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey

    For the brine:

    1 cup kosher salt
    1/2 cup light brown sugar
    1 gallon vegetable stock
    1 tablespoon black peppercorns
    1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
    1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
    1 gallon heavily iced water

    For the aromatics:

    1 red apple, sliced
    1/2 onion, sliced
    1 cinnamon stick
    1 cup water
    4 sprigs rosemary
    6 leaves sage
    Canola oil

    Directions

    Click here to see how it’s done.

    2 to 3 days before roasting:

    Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.

    Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.

    Early on the day or the night before you’d like to eat:

    Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.

    Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.

    Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.

    Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey’s cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.

    Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.

  69. aardvark says:

    You’ll get hungry again in a couple of days and I recommend pound cake! Hope the formatting is fixed; it fell apart when I transferred it here.

    GLAZED ORANGE POUND CAKE
    Martha Stewart Living Magazine Yield: 2 loaves
    You can make this cake with lemon, orange, lime or another citrus flavor if you like, or you can blend several of them together. Garnish your plates with a sampling of the fruits you use so everyone knows what flavor to look forward to! For a more decorative presentation, this bakes well in a bundt pan too.

    INGREDIENTS
    Cake
    3/4 cup buttermilk (low-fat is fine)
    Zest of 2 lemons or 1 orange, finely grated
    1/3 cup fresh lemon or orange juice (about 2 lemons or 1 orange)
    3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans
    1-1/2 tsp salt
    1/2 tsp baking powder
    1/2 tsp baking soda
    1 cup unsalted butter at room temp (2 sticks) plus more for pans
    2 cups sugar
    5 large eggs
    Glaze:
    3 to 4 tbsp fresh lemon or orange juice
    A few drops of Boyajian Orange Oil, optional, see note below
    2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted

    METHOD
    Preheat oven to 350°F, with rack in lowest position. Butter and flour two 4-1/2 by 8-inch (6-cup) loaf pans.In a small bowl (or liquid measuring cup), combine buttermilk with lemon zest and juice. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three parts alternately with the buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour; beat just until smooth (do not over-mix).Divide batter evenly between pans; smooth tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes (tent with foil if browning too quickly). Cool 15 minutes in pan. Turn out cakes onto a rack; cool completely before glazing.
    ** To make Glaze: Place confectioner’s sugar in a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup; stir in lemon (or orange) juice. Glaze should be thick, yet pourable. Add more sugar or juice as necessary to achieve desired consistency.
    Set rack with cakes over a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Pour glaze over cakes, letting it run down the sides; let dry, about 30 minutes.

    COFFEE POUND CAKE
    1/2 pound salted butter, room temperature
    1 1/2 cups sugar
    3 eggs
    1/2 cup whole milk
    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    2 teaspoons instant coffee
    1/2 tablespoon baking powder
    2 cups unbleached white flour

    Using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar at high speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Remove from electric mixer. Pour just enough boiling water into instant coffee to liquefy. Sift together dry ingredients. Mix together milk, vanilla, and coffee-water mixture. Add wet and dry to butter mixture alternately, beginning and ending with dry.
    Mix by hand after each addition, using a wooden or bamboo spoon or spatula. Pour into buttered and floured loaf pan (if you have extra batter, pour into a mini-loaf pan). Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out dry. After the pound cake has cooled for 10 minutes, turn it onto a plate, then let it cool completely before slicing and serving (if you can wait that long!).
    Top your pound cake slice with whipped cream, vanilla or coffee ice cream, or your favorite topping. Trust me, it’s so much better than other pound cakes! [Used brown sugar glaze]

    BROWN SUGAR GLAZE
    * 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
    * 1/2 cup butter
    * 1/4 cup milk

    Brown Sugar Glaze: Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan; bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Let cool to lukewarm.

    http://www.food.com/recipe/raisin-nut-cake-with-brown-sugar-glaze-178467#ixzz1RU\kigOUg

You must be logged in to post a comment.