Turkey & Dressing

(Aunt Jeanne)

20 pound turkey
1 loaf cheap white bread, cubed
2 eggs, beaten
1 medium white onion, diced
1 cube butter
3 celery stalks, diced
3 heaping tablespoons poultry seasoning
salt and pepper

Check both ends of turkey, remove neck, heart, and gizzards from inside of turkey. Wash and dry turkey, keep turkey cold.

Simmer neck, gizzard, and heart in 6 cups of water for 2 hours. Throw away giblets. Save turkey broth. Let cool. Melt butter and eggs into turkey broth. In a large bowl mix bread cubes, onion, celery, and turkey broth (with butter and eggs). Sprinkle seasoning on top and mix together. Add turkey broth to above until it is very moist. Put stuffing into neck and body cavity and secure with laced nails. Place turkey into brown paper bag that has been greased on the inside with Crisco. Seal bag (or use two).

Bake at 425 degrees for 2 1/2-3 hours. Use meat thermometer, remove turkey at 160 degrees (place in breast). Remove turkey from oven, let rest for 1/2 hour before removing dressing and slicing. Make gravy from pan drippings.

Jalapeno Mac n Cheese

(Riely via Budget Bytes)

12 oz. uncooked elbow macaroni
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup milk
4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (4 oz.) can sliced jalapenos
1 (4 oz.) can diced mild green chilies
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and then add the pasta. Let it continue to boil until it is soft (about 10 minutes). While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. 

In a medium sauce pot, cook the garlic in vegetable oil for about 1-2 minutes or just until soft and fragrant. Add the milk, cream cheese, and grated Parmesan. Continue to stir and cook over medium heat until the cream cheese is warm and softened. Use a whisk to stir the ingredients together until smooth.

Turn the heat down to low and then whisk in the sour cream. Drain the jalapenos and green chilies and then stir into the sauce. Taste the sauce and add salt if needed. When the pasta is finished cooking, drain it in a colander. Return the drained pasta to the pot (heat turned off), pour the sauce over top, and stir until well mixed. Sprinkle the shredded pepper jack over top and then stir in. The heat from the sauce and noodles should be enough to melt the cheese. Serve hot!

*You can omit the jalapenos, the green chilies add great flavor on their own.

Mac & Cheese

(Grandma Sheryl via Family Circle)

1 lb penne rigate
3/4 pound sharp cheddar, grated
1/2 pound Gruyere, shredded
1/2 cup Asiago or Parmesan, shredded
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 2-quart broiler safe baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boiling. Add pasta to boiling water. Cook for 6 minutes and then drain.

In a large bowl, mix cheeses and set aside.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth and slightly bubbly. In a thin stream whisk in milk. Stir in onion powder, salt, and cayenne. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in 2 1/2 cups of cheese mixture.

Stir together the pasta and cheese sauce. Pour half into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with a generous cup of the cheese mixture. Spoon remaining pasta into the dish and top with remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Increase oven temperature to broil and cook 3 minutes, until top is lightly browned. Cool slightly before serving.

Dressing

(Aunt Renie via Jaleen)

1 box (2 bags) Peppridge Farms bread crumbs
1 lb sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 tsp sage
1-2 cans chicken stock
1 cube butter, melted
pepper

Brown sausage and onion together. Mix with the rest of the ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Yams

(Aunt Renie)

3 yams, boil, peel, and cube

Mix together and pour over yams:

1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 Tbsp cinnamon

pecans

Top with marshmallows and bake.

Patio Beans

(Aunt Renie via Jolyn)

2 - 15 1/2 oz cans of kidney beans

1 can tomato soup

2+ Tbsp mustard

2+ Tbsp brown sugar

onion, chopped

salt

pepper

2+ tsp chili powder

1 lb hamburger

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Baked Beans

(Aunt Renie via Jaleen)

Cook together:
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped

Brown and chop:
1/2 to 1 lb bacon

1 can butter beans, drain and rinse
1 can pinto beans, drain and rinse
1 can black or kidney beans, drain and rinse
2 Tbsp vinegar (cider or white)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp molasses
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tsp prepared mustard

Mix vinegar, sugar, molasses, ketchup, mustard together. Mix hamburger, beans, and most of the bacon together, then add sauce. Pour into baking dish and top with remaining bacon. Cover and bake at 350 degrees, do not stir with baking.

Can be made a day or so ahead.

Cranberries

(Aunt Wendy) 

12 oz bag of fresh cranberries. (These can be bought in the produce department of the grocery store)

Put the cranberries in a pot with:
1 cup of water
1 cup of sugar
1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced
1 orange, peeled and chopped into small pieces
1 Tbsp of cider vinegar
1 tsp of allspice
1 tsp of cloves
1 tsp of ginger

I always add extra sugar at least 1/2 cup more.  Cook on the stove for about 10 to 15 minutes, until all the cranberries have popped and the sauce has thickened.

Yams or Sweet Potatoes

(Aunt Wendy)

Peel, cut and boil a large pot of yams or sweet potatoes.  
Drain the water off the yams or sweet potatoes.

Layer them in a casserole dish.  

On the stove in a pot, melt 1 1/2 to 2 cubes of butter in a pan.  Add about 2 lbs of brown sugar to the butter and stir till mixed well.  You can adjust the amount of butter and brown sugar as needed. I try to make it so that there is not a layer of melted butter on top of the brown sugar.

Add about 1 and 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon to the brown sugar mixture and pour over the yams. Stir a little to determine if you need more sauce.  Right before serving cover the top with mini marshmallows and broil in the oven to brown the marshmallows.

Macaroni & Cheese

(Aunt Renie)

1 2/3 cups (7 oz) dry small elbow macaroni, cooked & drained

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 can (12 oz) Nestle Carnation evaporated milk

1 cup water

2 Tbsp butter or margarine

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 2-quart casserole dish.

Combine cornstarch, salt, mustard, and pepper in medium saucepan. stir in evaporated milk, water, and butter. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese until melted. Add macaroni, mix well. Pour into prepared casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and light brown.

Ruth's Barbecued Shrimp

(Aunt Wendy)

1/4 tsp paprika

1 Tbsp chopped green onions

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

3/4 oz canola oil

1 1/2 oz dry white wine

1 tsp fresh chopped garlic

3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce

15 each 16/20 shrimp (peeled and deveined)

8 oz salted butter

1. Wash the shrimp under water and then peel the shells and discard. Devein the shrimp with a paring knife and then wash under water. Repeat until all the shrimp are done, place them on a sheet tray in the refrigerator.

2. Place a large cast-iron skillet on a burner and heat over high heat. Add oil and cook shrimp until they are just done. Remove shrimp and set aside.

3. Add green onions and cook for 1 minute.

4. Add white wine and reduce the volume by half (any good dry white wine will work).

5. When the wine is reduced by half, measure and add the chopped garlic, Worcestershire, Tabasco, cayenne pepper, and paprika. Shake the pan well. Cook for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low.

6. Cut butter into small chunks with a knife and slowly add to pan, shaking fast to melt butter. Continue to add butter until it is all added and shake until butter is melted. Add shrimp back to the pan and toss well to coat shrimp with butter and to heat through.

Ruth's Chris Special Sweet Potato Casserole

(Aunt Wendy)

Crust:
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans preferred)
1/3 stick butter, melted

Combine in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

Sweet Potato Mixture:

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes

1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a medium-size casserole dish with nonstick spray.

Combine all ingredients for "sweet potato mixture" in a large mixing bowl in the order listed. Beat thoroughly with a hand mixer to increase the fluffiness of the sweet potato mixture.

Pour mixture into the baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. (At this point, dish can be covered and refrigerated.)

Sprinkle the surface of the sweet potato mixture evenly with the crush and return to the oven for 10 minutes. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving.

The brown sugar and pecan crust should be slightly browned and crunchy.

Homemade Mac & Cheese

(Aunt Wendy)

16 oz elbow macaroni
1/2 cup melted butter
12 oz can evaporated milk
10 3/4 ounce can condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
1 cup milk
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Cook macaroni according to the package. Drain. In a large pot, combine macaroni and butter over low heat. In a bowl combine the evaporated milk, soup, milk and cheese. Cook until cheese is melted.

Can be frozen.

Gulliver's Creamed Corn

(Aunt Wendy)

2 packages (20 oz) frozen kernel corn
8 oz milk (1/2 pint)
8 oz whipping cream (1/2 pint)
1 tsp salt
5 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp accent (optional)
pinch of white pepper
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp melted butter

Combine all ingredients except butter and flour and bring to a boil. Blend flour with butter, cook in a sauce pan for 5 minutes. Combine with corn mixture and heat through.

Red Rice

(Amie, via Amy H.)

1 cup rice
3 tablespoons bacon drippings or vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped, or 5 scallions, chopped, including green part
2 cups hot water
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
garlic, minced
cumin
Salt, to taste
3 teaspoons chili powder
Pinch of Mexican oregano
2 beef or chicken bouillon cubes

Pour hot water over rice and let it stand for about 15 minutes.

Drain the rice and rinse it well in cold water. Shake the sieve and let the rice drain for a while. Shake the rice to remove any excess water.

In a heavy skillet, brown rice in bacon drippings or oil over low heat. Add remaining ingredients, reduce heat, cover tightly and cook for 20 to 25 minutes. You may use any mix of the spices you like best.