Thanksgiving Recipes

Young turkey, pan ready 15lbs(6.8kg)
Onion chunks or stuffing
To Roast Unstuffed:
Put 2 or 3 onion chunks in cavity. Tie string around the body holding wings close to sides. Tie legs to tail. Place on rack in roaster. Cover with lid or foil.(To cook uncovered,rub skin with butter.You will need to baste a few times.)Roast in 400F(205C) oven for 30 minutes.Reduce heat to 325F(160C). Cook for about 5 hours, basting occasionally, until a thermometer inserted in thigh reads 190F(95C). Meat should show signs of pulling away from bone. Drumstick meat should feel soft when pressed. Leg should move and twist easily. To brown, remove cover for 20 to 30 minutes.
To Roast Stuffed:
Stuff front and back cavities loosely. Tie string around body to hold wings close to sides. Skewer skin together to hold stuffing in place. Tie legs to tail. Cook as above, allowing an extra half an hour to cook.When thermometer is inserted into center of stuffing it should read 165 F (75C).
Remove bird and rack to platter. Remove stuffing to bowl and keep covered. Cover turkey while you make gravy. It will be easier to carve meat after it stands 30 minutes. Serves 12.

Stuffing

A loaf of day old bread
1 onion diced very small
5 cooked, mashed potatoes
3 heaping tbps of summer savory
1 tbsp of sage
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
enough water to make it moist
Break bread into small pieces in a large bowl. Add the potatoes, diced onion and spices. Mix very well. Then add enough warm water to make it very moist, but not dripping. Mixing it with your hands is the best way to get it mixed well. Stuff your turkey and put any extra in tinfoil beside turkey or in a small casserole dish and cook seperate.
 

Gravy

Remove about 4 cups of juice from pan of cooked turkey. Add about a cup, maybe a bit more, of water to it. Cook till it boils, then add a mix of about 1 cup of flour mixed with water to make a paste. Add salt and pepper to your taste preference. Cook till it thickens and serve.
 

Carrot Medley

2 tbsp margarine
2 cups coarsely chopped onions
4 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 lbs carrots, cut in thick slices
2 tsp chicken bouillon powder
water
Melt margarine in frying pan. Add onion. Saute until soft. Remove to bowl. Add mushrooms to frying pan along with more margarine if needed. Saute until soft. Add to onions. Put carrots, bouillon powder and water in large saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Simmer, covered , until tender-crisp. Add onion and mushroom mixture. Simmer until tender. Serves 8..
 

Other Veggies

I also have peas, potatoes and squash with my turkey meals. Steamed peas are nice, thats how I always prepare them for this meal. Potatoes I prefer boiled and mashed with butter. As for squash, I like buttercup squash which can simply be boiled like pumpkin and served mashed(it is an aquired taste, but I grew up with it and would miss it if I didn't have it with my turkey)

Pastry

5 cups of flour
2 tsp of salt
2 tsp of baking powder
1 lb or 2 1/3 cups of lard or shortening
Combine the 4 ingredients. Cut shortening in with blender or pastry mixer. Add 1 egg and beat lightly with fork, add 1 tbsp of vinegar and fill cup with cold water. Add to flour mixture and blend with hands. Can be kept for about three weeks
 

Pumpkin Pie

1 1/2 cups of pumpkin
2/3 cups of brown sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
Stir in
2 well beaten eggs
1/2 cups of milk
2/3 cup of evaporated milk
Bake in 400 F oven for 15 minutes then drop it to 350 F for 30 minutes
 

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