Thanksgiving 2008

BAKED APPLES

12 Delicious or baking apples
1/2 C. firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 C. margarine or butter
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 375°. Peel upper half of each apple. Core to within 1/2 inch of bottom. Place apples in ungreased baking dish. Add 1 scant tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon margarine, pinch freshly grated nutmeg and pinch cinnamon to center of each apple. Sprinkle remaining spices over apples. Pour 1/4 inch water into baking dish. Bake 30-40 minutes, basting occasionally. To test for doneness, pierce with fork; they should be tender.

CHEESY POTATOES

1 (16 oz) package frozen hash brown potatoes
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (8 oz) package processed cheese
16 oz sour cream
1 T. butter

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine the hashbrowns, soup and sour cream. Mix well and pour into a 4-quart casserole dish.

Top with cubed cheese and butter; bake for 30 minutes or until all cheese is melted and hot.

CRAISIN BROCCOLI SALAD

2 bunches broccoli, washed & cut in bite-size pieces
1 lb. bacon cut into small pieces & fried crisp
1 c. craisins (dried cranberries)
1 c. red onion, chopped
1 c. sunflower kernels

Dressing:

1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. granulated sugar
3 to 4 T. vinegar

Mix all together and serve. Recipe can be doubled.

NANTUCKET CORN PUDDING

2 large eggs
1 c. half-and-half
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground white pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
4-1/2-5 c. frozen corn kernels, divided
3/4 c. crushed oyster crackers
3 T. unsalted butter, melted, divided
1/3 c. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
Paprika

Preheat oven to 350°. and grease a medium baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Mix in corn, 1/2 cup of crackers and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Spoon pudding into prepared baking dish and scatter cheese over it. Mix together remaining crackers and butter and sprinkle over the cheese. Dust with paprika.

Bake the pudding for 45 to 50 minutes, until puffed and golden brown, with crusty edges, but a soft center. Serve hot. Yield: 6 servings

HOLIDAY DINNER ROLLS

2-1/2 cups warm milk
4 tsp. active dry yeast
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 tsp. salt
7 c. all-purpose flour, or as needed
1/2 c. butter, melted

Pour milk into a large mixing bowl, and sprinkle yeast over the surface. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Beat in the sugar, eggs, 1/2 cup butter, and salt; blend thoroughly. Gradually stir in the flour to make a soft dough. Cover bowl, and set in a warm place until dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Punch down the dough, cover the bowl, and allow to rise again. Repeat this step two more times.

Break off 2 to 3 inch size pieces of dough, roll lightly into round shape, and place in prepared baking dish, edges touching. Repeat to make 36 dough balls. Cover and let rise until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Bake rolls in preheated oven until tops turn golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. When rolls are finished baking, drizzle melted butter over the top, and serve warm.

FRENCH SILK PIE

1 c. butter
1-1/2 c. white sugar
4 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 (9-inch) pie crust, baked

Cream butter and sugar. Blend in cocoa and vanilla. Beating at high speed, add one egg and beat until thoroughly incorporated. Repeat with each remaining egg. Keep whipping until fluffy. Spread in cooked pie shell of choice and keep refrigerated

BUTTERSCOTCH PIE

9-inch baked pie shell
1 c. brown sugar (light or dark or a mixture)
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/2 t. salt
1 c. water
1-2/3 c. milk
5-1/3 T. butter
3 beaten egg yolks (save the whites for meringue if you want)
1-1/2 t. vanilla

Mix the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium large saucepan with a heavy bottom. Gradually stir in water and milk, stirring to mix well. Add the butter.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly till thick and boiling. Boil for one minute.

Remove from heat. Gradually stir at least half of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks. (Doing this slowly prevents the eggs from scrambling.) Return this egg mixture back into the cooking pan with the rest of the sugar mixture. Boil one minute more, stirring constantly to prevent the custard from burning. Remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla.

Immediately pour into the cooked and cooled pie shell. Finish with meringue if desired (we never do) and let sit until the custard filling cools a bit before storing in the refrigerator with a circle of waxed paper directly on top of the custard. This prevents an unattractive skin from forming on the custard.

TRIPLE NUT PIE Dough for single 9" crust
3/4 c. packed dark brown sugar
3 eggs
2/3 c. dark corn syrup
6 T. unsalted butter, melted
1 T. molasses
1-1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. halved pecans
1/2 c. broken or halved walnuts
1/2 c. macadamia nuts

On floured surface,roll out dough to 1/8' thickness,line 9" pie pan. Trim dough overhang to 3/4"; fold dough under,even with rim of pie pan. Flute or crimp edge. Refrigerate 30 mins or till dough is firm.

Meanwhile,heat oven to 350. Beat brown sugar and eggs in a large bowl at med. speed until well combined. Add all remaining filling ingredients except nuts; beat until combined. Pour into pie crust; sprinkle with nuts.

Bake 40-45 mins or till crust and filling are light golden brown. (Filling will set as pie cools). Check pie after first 20 min of baking. If crust appears to be browning too quickly, cover edges with foil. Cool on wire rack. Serve at room temp. Refrigerate leftovers.