thanksgiving

• Question:-Thanksgiving?
  i sent my husband to the flea market this morning to get me a few sweet patatoes to make with our Thanksgiving dinner... he came home with like 15 pounds of them!
  
  does anyone know of different things to make with them?
  
  all i was gonna make with them was baked sweet patatoes and a sweet patatoe cream cheese pie.
  
  Answer:-If you want some great recipes just go online.There are so many sites to check out for what ever your need may be. Here are a few of my favoirites: www.kraft.com., www.bettycrocker.com, www.foodnetwork.com, www.allrecipes.com., www.pastrywiz.com. These are just a few but all of them are wonderful. Most of them you can join for free and even start your own personal recipe box to make it even easier to get to your favorites and start cooking!! Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving. I also wanted to let you know that you can always boil and freeze your sweet potatoes for later use. Just remember to not over boil them and to cut them in pretty big chunks. Let cool before freezing. If all else fails pass some along to friends and co-workers, or even the local food bank!! : ) Good Luck!!
• Question:-thanksgiving?
  okay this will be my first thanksgiving on my own making dinner for people and i need some advice on what to make and how to make it ..also there is the yam dish with marshmellow fluff i had once i dont know how to make it or what it is callled so if anyone knows please help!! also whats the best way to make the turkey?
  
  Answer:-"Sweet Potato Mallow" - 4 servings
  
  1 lb. sweet potatoes or yams (about 3 medium - or use 16 oz. can)
  1/2 cup sour cream
  1 egg yolk
  1/2 tsp. salt
  1/4 tsp. mace
  3/4 cup miniature marshmallows or cut-up large marshmallows
  
  If using fresh sweet potatoes, prepare and cook: Wash, but do not pare. Heat enough salted water to cover potatoes (1/2 tsp. salt to 1 cup water) to boiling; add potatoes. Cover and heat to boiling; cook 30-35 minutes or until tender. Drain; slip off skins. Leave whole, slice or mash.
  Heat oven to 350*. In small mixer bowl, combine sweet potatoes, sour cream, egg yolk, salt and mace; beat on medium speed until smooth.
  Pour sweet potato mixture into buttered 1-quart casserole; top with marshmallows. Bake 30 minutes or until marshmallows are puffed and golden brown.
  
  
  "Traditional Stuffed Turkey" - 18 to 20 servings
  
  1 lb. fresh pork sausage
  1/2 cup butter or margarine
  2 large apples; peeled, cored and chopped
  1 medium onion; chopped
  1/2 cup chopped celery
  1/2 cup water
  4 cups crumbled corn bread or 1 (8 oz.) pkg. corn bread stuffing mix
  1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
  1/4 cup chopped parsley
  1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
  1 (18-20 lb.) frozen ready-to-stuff turkey; thawed
  1/2 cup butter or margarine
  Salt
  Pepper
  Giblet Gravy (recipe follows)
  
  1) In 10" skillet over medium heat, cook sausage until browned; breaking apart with fork. Stir in 1/2 cup butter, apples, onion and celery; cook until celery is tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water; heat to boiling. Remove from heat. In large bowl, combine meat mixture with corn bread, pecans, parsley and poultry seasoning. Stir until well mixed.
  2) Remove giblets and neck from inside turkey; reserve for gravy. Rinse turkey with running cold water; drain well. Spoon some stuffing lightly into neck cavity. Fold neck skin over stuffing; skewer closed. With turkey breast-side up, lift wings up toward neck, then fold under back of bird to balance it.
  3) Spoon remaining stufffing lightly into body cavity. Fold skin over opening; skewer closed. Tie legs or fasten under metal clip. On rack in roasting pan, place turkey breast-side up. Brush skin with melted butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of meat between breast and thigh., not touching bone.
  4) Roast uncovered, at 325* - 4 to 4 1/2 hours until thermometer reads 180* or thickest part of drumstick feels soft when pressed between thumb and forefinger protected by paper towels. Baste occasionally with pan drippings. When skin turns golden, cover loosely with tent of foil. Begin checking for doneness after 3 hours cooking time. Toward end of roasting, remove foil; brush turkey with drippings.
  5) Remove turkey from oven; let stand 20 minutes for easier carving. Serve with Giblet Gravy.
  (Note: If you don't want to stuff your turkey, you can make stuffing muffins: Coat 12-cup muffin pan with melted butter. Using ice cream scoop, fill and mound stuffing mixture into muffin cups. Bake at 375* until set and top is crisp, 20-30 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; transfer to platter to serve.)
  GIBLET GRAVY:
  Reserved giblets and neck from turkey
  1/2 cup chopped celery
  1/2 cup chopped onion
  1 tsp. salt
  Water
  Pan drippings from roast turkey
  6 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  
  1) While turkey is roasting, in 2-quart saucepan combine giblets, neck, celery, onion and salt. Add water to cover; over high heat, heat to boiling.
  2) Reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 1-2 hours until giblets are tender. With slotted spoon, remove neck and giblets. Strain broth; discard celery and onion. Chop neck meat and giblets; set aside.
  3) When turkey is done, pour pan drippings into 4-cup measure; let drippings stand until fat separates from meat juice.
  4) Skim 1/3 cup fat from drippings; pour fat into 2-quart saucepan; set aside. Discard any fat remaining on drippings. Add strained giblet broth to drippings; add water if necessary to make 4 cups. Pour broth mixture into roasting pan; stir to loosen browned bits.
  5) Stir flour into fat in saucepan. Over medium heat, cook until lightly browned and bubbling, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in broth mixture; cook until mixture boils, stirring constantly. Stir in reserved meat and giblets; heat through. Yields 4 cups.
  
  
  "Herb Smashed Potatoes" - 8 servings
  
  5 lbs. potatoes; peeled, cut into 1 1/2" chunks (10 cups)
  1-2 cups chicken broth
  1 small onion; finely chopped (3/4 cup)
  1 (4.4 oz.) container herb-and-black pepper flavored spreadable cheese; crumbled
  1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese; cut into pieces
  2-3 tbsp. chopped fresh chives
  2-3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
  1 tsp. salt
  1/4 tsp. pepper
  Butter (optional)
  
  In large pot, combine potatoes with salted water to cover; bring to boil. Cook until tender, 12 minutes. Drain; return to pot.
  Meanwhile, in separate pot over medium-low heat, combine 1 cup broth, onion, cheese and cream cheese; cook, stirring, until cheese melts and mixture begins to simmer. Stir into potatoes and mash, stirring in more broth if desired for creamier texture. Stir in remaining ingredients. Serve topped with butter, if desired.
  
  
  "Green Beans with Smoked Bacon and Onions" - 8 servings
  
  2 lbs. green beans; trimmed
  2 1/4 tsp. salt
  4 slices thick-cut smoked bacon; cut into 1" wide strips
  1 medium onion; cut into 1" pieces
  
  1) Blanch the beans: Prepare an ice bath. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil; add beans and 2 tsp. salt. Cook just until the beans turn bright green, about 7 minutes. Drain the beans and plunge them into the ice bath until they're cool. Remove beans from the bath; drain on a towel.
  2) Cook the bacon: Add the bacon to a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook until golden brown and lightly crisp. Drain all but 2 tbsp. of the bacon fat.
  3) Finish the beans: Add the blanched beans, onion pieces and remaining salt; toss to completely coat with the fat. Reduce heat to medium; cook until the beans are warmed through and the onions have softened, 4-5 minutes. Serve immediately.
  
  
  "Cranberry Gelatin Salad" - 8 servings
  
  1 1/2 cups boiling water
  2 (3 oz.) pkg. cranberry-raspberry gelatin
  1 (12 oz.) can seltzer
  1 1/2 tsp. unflavored gelatin
  3/4 cup sour cream
  1 tbsp. sugar
  1 (16 oz.) can whole-berry cranberry sauce
  1 rib celery; chopped (1/2 cup)
  1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  Additional sour cream and fresh cranberries (optional)
  
  Coat 1 1/2-quart mold with cooking spray.
  In bowl, pour boiling water over cranberry gelatin mix; stir until dissolved. Add seltzer. Transfer 1 cup mixture to separate bowl; reserve. Cover remaining mixture; refrigerate.
  Sprinkle unflavored gelatin over 2 tbsp. cold water; let stand 1 minute. Microwave on HIGH until dissolved; stir into reserved 1 cup cranberry gelatin. Whisk in sour cream; pour into mold.
  Refrigerate until just set, 2 hours. Uncover refrigerated plain cranberry gelatin mixture. Stir in cranberry sauce, celery and walnuts; spoon into mold. Refrigerate until firm, 2 hours.
  Run knife around edge of mold to loosen; place serving platter over mold and invert to release. Garnish with additional fresh cranberries and sour cream.
  
  Butterball Turkey Talk Line: 800-BUTTERBALL
  Reynolds Turkey Tips Hotline: 800-745-4000
  USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline: 888-674-6854
  Q&A: www.landolakes.com
• Question:-THANKSGIVING?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?
  Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday. But, before he did, when was Thanksgiving celebrated?
  
  Answer:-In the fall, but it varied from community to community.
  
  I believe Lincoln believed America had survived a very harsh winter... we, a newly united country, had a lot to be thankful for, thus the national holiday.
• Question:-Are There Any Thanksgiving Treats That Can Be Shipped In The Mail?
  I have some family members that are away at college, and won't be able to make it home for Thanksgiving. *sigh* Well, to cheer them up, I wanted to make some home made snacks and ship it to them. Obviously, it can't be something that has to be refridgerated, but are there any snacks that can be sent through the mail? Any ideas would be great, just as long as they are snacks that would remind them of Thanksgiving! Thanks!
  
  Answer:-Cookies! The fact that it will come around Thanksgiving will give them a clue. Cookies ALWAYS work at college.
  
  Or Flaming Turkey Wings.
  
  That's very sweet of you. If we couldn't go home for Thanksgiving, our Parents went on vacation.
• Question:-Thanksgiving is very soon. What is your tradition and what will you be having for dinner on Thanksgiving day?
  We have dwindled down to a very small group. My brother is paranoid schizophrenic and he doesn't like to have anyone else but our family over, so we can't invite friends or "strays" (people who have no where to go) anymore because he gets really freaked out. Anyway, it'll just be 4 of us.
  
  For dinner we have the turkey with stuffing which my mom makes. She makes the gravy too. I make the sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and butternut squash. We have rolls and olives, gherkin pickles, homemade cranberry sauce (which my mom makes), carrots and celery. These are all the relishes. I will make a deep dish apple pie and pumpkin pie; my mom will make her delicious pecan pies.
  
  We say a prayer before we eat and then we dive in! I LOVE Thanksgiving. It's my favorite holiday. Christmas is my second favorite. I just love the warmth of the holiday. I wish that my brother didn't have such a hard time, but I'm glad he is with us and we can only pray for him. We've tried everything else.
  
  I hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving...
  
  Peace!
  
  Answer:-I wish your brother felt better about people coming over too because all that food sounds so good i think id show up!! Well, over the years ive realized that traditions change and thats just part of life. Its nice if you can keep them going, but sometimes just having the wonderful memories of past traditions and the fun of new ones can be just as great if you let it!
  
  My dad used to be in charge of preparing our holiday meals and it was always so nice every year. I think he did it because his mom did it and he was trying to keep that going for us. Now that my dad is no longer with us and i have a new family we have our new little traditions.
  
  For the past few years my husband and i have been on turkey duty and fry at least 3-4 turkeys for Thanksgiving. One is just for us, one is for the rest of the family on Thanksgiving, and the others are for friends who beg us to fry them one! We have a special seasoning/injection process and recipie that we use and the turkeys are always moist and juicy and FULL of cajun flavor! This has become our little family tradition and we always enjoy it and look forward to it.
  
  The bottom line is that when it comes to traditions i think its all about being with the ones you care for the most. We make these traditions becasue they give us a chance to be with people we love and care about and give us an opportunity to make wonderful memories together.
  
• Question:-How long does a Thanksgiving drive from San Francisco to Phoenix take?
  I am trying to decide if it is a bad idea to try and drive from San Francisco to Phoenix on the day before Thanksgiving. Google Maps says it will take 12 hours, which I am ok with. However, I have heard the traffic in LA is really bad. Will it be horrible and take much longer than the 12 hours if I try to make this drive on the day before Thanksgiving? Is there a route that won't go straight through LA? Please share your tips!
  
  Answer:-I usually drive from San Diego to Santa Barbara for Thanksgiving, but we usually drive on Thanksgiving day and the traffic isn't too bad, but the day before it will probably be hell. Even though "rush hour" is 5 everywhere else, in LA it's from like 10AM- 6PM...
• Question:-Has Thanksgiving become nothing more than a corporate celebration of the start of the shopping season?
  From all of the ads and corporate ties in to Thanksgiving promoting sales today and tomorrow, it sure seems that way.
  
  Answer:-lol...
  seems like it
• Question:-How can I make thanksgiving more special for the kids?
  Thanksgiving is my favorite time of year and I'd love to get some new ideas to make it special for my kids. We stay home w/the kids by ourselves and they'd rather be w/family. How can I make thanksgiving better at home for them since this is our only one at home?
  
  Answer:-Look up fun Thanksgiving games and activities/crafts for kids online. Depending on the ages you should be able to find some really cool stuff.
  
  Make cookies with Thanksgiving cookie cutters and decorate them as a family.
  
  Get a Thanksgiving joke book and take turns reading jokes.
  
  Play the kid's favorite games.
  
  Overall, just let your kids be kids. If they see mommy and daddy having fun, they will too.
  
  = ]
• Question:-What Thanksgiving dish do you serve that makes your Thanksgiving dinner memorable?
  I like to make collard greens with onion and bacon at Thanksgiving. It's something I've added to my Thanksgiving table when I moved to NC.
  
  Answer:-I LOVE the real mashed potatoes and gravy from the drippings. Mmmmmm.... Thanksgiving would not be the same without them.
• Question:-Has anyone had Thanksgiving Dinner at Craft Atlanta or Ruth Chris Atlanta steakhouse in the Buckhead area?
  My family is planning on spending Thanksgiving in Atlanta. We're down to Ruth Chris or Craft Atlanta for Thanksgiving dinner. I have not been able to find their Thanksgiving menus online. I would appreciate opinions as to which restaurant is better (food & service wise), also would like to hear opinions from anyone who has had Thanksgiving dinner at either restaurant.
  
  Answer:-Although I've never been to Atlanta I dinned at many Ruth Chris and they all are superb.