Don't get between a girl and her turkey...
Top 5 favorites - seasonal flavors
Trying to be loose with "seasonal" because for starters, pumpkin pie can be year-round in my house (well, in my oven). The sugar cookie recipe is an actual 'event' recipe. But most of these are simply Fall Favorites.
Thanksgiving weekend in GA, 2006.
5. Cranberry Sauce w/Apricot Brandy [FANTASTIC]
1 bag fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup Apricot Brandy
Little bit of lemon juice (optional)
Wash the cranberries and pick out the bad ones. In an oven proof pan (9x13 is a good size, even if you double the recipe) mix the cranberries, sugar, and brandy. Cook for 2 hours at 350. Can be served warm or chilled. (I like room temperature best).
4. Pumpkin Pie [better than average pumpkin pie]
This is our pie for this year. I did a trial run a few weeks ago and OMG is it perfect. There were a lot of complainers on the website, commenting on what didn't work. They must not be able to follow directions. My pumpkin gets made from scratch as well (I'm off to steam some right now)...one of these years I'm going to grow my own.
3. Mom's stuffing.
I can't even share a recipe because I don't have one! Well, I might. It might have been in the cookbook of her own recipes, the one she made for me when I went off to college. But I KNOW that I've tried to make it - and like so many of her recipes - it just doesn't work because she isn't a recipe person, she's a real cook. So I'm leaving #3 open to fill with a stuffing recipe (because I LOVE stuffing) that is out there waiting for me.
2. Sugar Cookies [specifically, Oscar Cookies]
This is a Betty Crocker (circa 1969)recipe
I was going to do my xmas Pinwheel Cookies, but not only could I not immediately find these, but they haven't really been made enough to count for this list.
1.5 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almost extract
1 egg
2.5 cups all purpose flour (sifted with following ingredients)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
granulated sugar
Mix powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract, and egg (I use my kitchen aid, beat the stuff well). Stir (or mix) in remaining ingredients except the granulated sugar. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.
Heat oven to 375. Divide dough into halves. Roll each half 3/16" think (i like thicker cookies myself) on lightly floured cutting board. Cut into desired shapes. Optional - sprinkle with the granulated sugar. (i don't, as i'm frosting them). Place on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake until edges are LIGHT BROWN. (7-8 minutes)
1. Pumpkin Pie with Ginger Struesel [over the top fabulous]
Bon Appétit | November 1994
A crunchy topping is the twist to this quintessential Thanksgiving pie.
Serves 8.
Ingredients:
Crust
2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons (or more) ice water
Filling
1 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoons ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup finely chipped crystallized ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, room temperature
preparation
For crust:
Place ginger in processor and process ;until minced.
Add flour, sugar, cloves and salt; process to combine. Using on/off turns, cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix yolk and 2 tablespoons water in small bowl. Add yolk mixture to flour and butter mixture; process just until mixture forms moist clumps. If dough is too dry, blend in more water by teaspoonfuls. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Soften dough slightly at room temperature before rolling.)
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Roll out dough on floured surface to 12-inch-diameter round. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Fold edges under crust. Crimp decoratively, forming high-standing rim (about 1/2 inch above rim of dish). Freeze crust for 15 minutes. Line crust with foil and then fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crust 10 minutes. Remove foil and beans and bake until crust is set and pale golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer crust to rack; cool completely.
For filling:
Whisk all ingredients in large bowl until combined.
Pour into pie crust. Bake until skin begins to form on filling and filling begins to set, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven. Let pie stand 10 minutes to set slightly. Maintain oven temperature.
Meanwhile, prepare topping:
Mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl.
Rub in butter with fingertips until mixture begins to form small clumps. Sprinkle topping over pie. Bake until pie is set and streusel is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.
Add flour, sugar, cloves and salt; process to combine. Using on/off turns, cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix yolk and 2 tablespoons water in small bowl. Add yolk mixture to flour and butter mixture; process just until mixture forms moist clumps. If dough is too dry, blend in more water by teaspoonfuls. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Soften dough slightly at room temperature before rolling.)
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Roll out dough on floured surface to 12-inch-diameter round. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Fold edges under crust. Crimp decoratively, forming high-standing rim (about 1/2 inch above rim of dish). Freeze crust for 15 minutes. Line crust with foil and then fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crust 10 minutes. Remove foil and beans and bake until crust is set and pale golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer crust to rack; cool completely.
For filling:
Whisk all ingredients in large bowl until combined.
Pour into pie crust. Bake until skin begins to form on filling and filling begins to set, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven. Let pie stand 10 minutes to set slightly. Maintain oven temperature.
Meanwhile, prepare topping:
Mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl.
Rub in butter with fingertips until mixture begins to form small clumps. Sprinkle topping over pie. Bake until pie is set and streusel is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.
Trying to be loose with "seasonal" because for starters, pumpkin pie can be year-round in my house (well, in my oven). The sugar cookie recipe is an actual 'event' recipe. But most of these are simply Fall Favorites.
Thanksgiving weekend in GA, 2006.
5. Cranberry Sauce w/Apricot Brandy [FANTASTIC]
1 bag fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup Apricot Brandy
Little bit of lemon juice (optional)
Wash the cranberries and pick out the bad ones. In an oven proof pan (9x13 is a good size, even if you double the recipe) mix the cranberries, sugar, and brandy. Cook for 2 hours at 350. Can be served warm or chilled. (I like room temperature best).
4. Pumpkin Pie [better than average pumpkin pie]
This is our pie for this year. I did a trial run a few weeks ago and OMG is it perfect. There were a lot of complainers on the website, commenting on what didn't work. They must not be able to follow directions. My pumpkin gets made from scratch as well (I'm off to steam some right now)...one of these years I'm going to grow my own.
3. Mom's stuffing.
I can't even share a recipe because I don't have one! Well, I might. It might have been in the cookbook of her own recipes, the one she made for me when I went off to college. But I KNOW that I've tried to make it - and like so many of her recipes - it just doesn't work because she isn't a recipe person, she's a real cook. So I'm leaving #3 open to fill with a stuffing recipe (because I LOVE stuffing) that is out there waiting for me.
2. Sugar Cookies [specifically, Oscar Cookies]
This is a Betty Crocker (circa 1969)recipe
I was going to do my xmas Pinwheel Cookies, but not only could I not immediately find these, but they haven't really been made enough to count for this list.
1.5 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almost extract
1 egg
2.5 cups all purpose flour (sifted with following ingredients)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
granulated sugar
Mix powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract, and egg (I use my kitchen aid, beat the stuff well). Stir (or mix) in remaining ingredients except the granulated sugar. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.
Heat oven to 375. Divide dough into halves. Roll each half 3/16" think (i like thicker cookies myself) on lightly floured cutting board. Cut into desired shapes. Optional - sprinkle with the granulated sugar. (i don't, as i'm frosting them). Place on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake until edges are LIGHT BROWN. (7-8 minutes)
1. Pumpkin Pie with Ginger Struesel [over the top fabulous]
Bon Appétit | November 1994
A crunchy topping is the twist to this quintessential Thanksgiving pie.
Serves 8.
Ingredients:
Crust
2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons (or more) ice water
Filling
1 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoons ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup finely chipped crystallized ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, room temperature
preparation
For crust:
Place ginger in processor and process ;until minced.
Add flour, sugar, cloves and salt; process to combine. Using on/off turns, cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix yolk and 2 tablespoons water in small bowl. Add yolk mixture to flour and butter mixture; process just until mixture forms moist clumps. If dough is too dry, blend in more water by teaspoonfuls. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Soften dough slightly at room temperature before rolling.)
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Roll out dough on floured surface to 12-inch-diameter round. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Fold edges under crust. Crimp decoratively, forming high-standing rim (about 1/2 inch above rim of dish). Freeze crust for 15 minutes. Line crust with foil and then fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crust 10 minutes. Remove foil and beans and bake until crust is set and pale golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer crust to rack; cool completely.
For filling:
Whisk all ingredients in large bowl until combined.
Pour into pie crust. Bake until skin begins to form on filling and filling begins to set, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven. Let pie stand 10 minutes to set slightly. Maintain oven temperature.
Meanwhile, prepare topping:
Mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl.
Rub in butter with fingertips until mixture begins to form small clumps. Sprinkle topping over pie. Bake until pie is set and streusel is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.
Add flour, sugar, cloves and salt; process to combine. Using on/off turns, cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix yolk and 2 tablespoons water in small bowl. Add yolk mixture to flour and butter mixture; process just until mixture forms moist clumps. If dough is too dry, blend in more water by teaspoonfuls. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Soften dough slightly at room temperature before rolling.)
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Roll out dough on floured surface to 12-inch-diameter round. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Fold edges under crust. Crimp decoratively, forming high-standing rim (about 1/2 inch above rim of dish). Freeze crust for 15 minutes. Line crust with foil and then fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake crust 10 minutes. Remove foil and beans and bake until crust is set and pale golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer crust to rack; cool completely.
For filling:
Whisk all ingredients in large bowl until combined.
Pour into pie crust. Bake until skin begins to form on filling and filling begins to set, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven. Let pie stand 10 minutes to set slightly. Maintain oven temperature.
Meanwhile, prepare topping:
Mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl.
Rub in butter with fingertips until mixture begins to form small clumps. Sprinkle topping over pie. Bake until pie is set and streusel is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.