Turkey Gravy (4 Star)

This post is a little late for Thanksgiving, but I think turkey is great now, too. What's better than a little turkey dinner to warm and cheer up January?

I had some left-over cranberry sauce from the cranberry spread that I made for New Year's and since I had an extra turkey in the freezer that I had bought when they were on sale, I decided it was a great time to make a turkey dinner this week.



This is the recipe I have been using for turkey gravy lately and I adapted it from Prudence Pennywise's recipe. Consider it a simplified version. We love this gravy. It has a hint of apple-y sweetness that is so delicious with the savory herbs and drippings.

Turkey Gravy
adapted from Prudence Pennywise's Apple Cider Gravy

drippings of one 12-16 pound turkey
2/3 cup frozen apple juice concentrate
2 1/2 cups water
4-6 teaspoons chicken base (I use Better than Bouillon Organic Chicken Base from Costco)
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
additional 1/2 cup water
1/3 cup flour
1-2 teaspoons sea salt (to taste)

Pour turkey drippings into a medium to large saucepan. Add the apple juice concentrate, water, chicken base, and herbs and whisk together. Turn heat up to medium-high. While gravy heats up, put 1/2 cup water and flour into a jar or container with a lid that seals tightly and shake until smooth. When gravy is boiling, pour flour and water mixture in and whisk until thickened. Add salt to taste.

Click here for Prudy's original recipe.

Candied Sweet Potatoes

There are two types of people in this world--those who like sweet potatoes, and those who don't. I feel sorry for the little lives of those who don't. I have assisted some to see the light. Maybe this post will help others.

To begin with, I must make sure that there is no confusion regarding yams and sweet potatoes. Yams are not sweet potatoes. If anyone tries to tell you otherwise, run the other direction. Yams = yuck. Sweet potatoes = fabulousness. In the store, if the sign says "yams" they are not sweet potatoes, they are yams. Do not touch them. If the sign says sweet potatoes, they are sweet potatoes. Buy them. Got it?

Candied sweet potatoes are my signature Thanksgiving dish. Mainly because everybody else thinks they don't like them and no one wants to eat them, let alone make them. But I love them and I must have them so I always make them for Thanksgiving. However, I have found that usually people think they don't like them because what they have had in the past and didn't like were actually yams. And if they were mashed up yams, the dislike will probably be even more intense. But in my family, while initially my sweet potatoes were eyed with mistrust and possibly revulsion, they are now a very popular dish. In fact, my sweet potatoes reached another milestone this year. My Dad, who is notorious for his picky eating, accidentally ate my sweet potatoes, not knowing what they were. His verdict was, "They weren't horrible." Coming from my Dad, that is a huge compliment.

Candied sweet potatoes are one of those dishes that is very similar to dessert but is served with dinner. I really like that kind of dish. This is why, as you may notice, there is a sea of toasted marshmallows on top. Toasted marshmallows are an excellent compliment to sweet potatoes. As are brown sugar, butter, and nuts. Give them a try--you may find out that they aren't horrible.







I never measure, so these are guesstimates. It's all to taste, anyway.

Candied Sweet Potatoes

about 3 lbs sweet potatoes (not yams!)
2-4 Tablespoons cold butter
1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2-1 cup mini marshmallows

Boil the sweet potatoes whole and unpeeled in a saucepan for about 15-20 minutes or until tender all the way through. Test with a fork. When done, rinse potatoes in cold water until cool enough to handle.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 1 1/2 quart baking dish.

Peel the sweet potatoes and slice into 1/4-1/2 inch thick discs. Spread a layer of about 1/3 of the potatoes in the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle 1/3 of the nuts over the potatoes. Cut little slices of the butter and dot the potatoes and nuts. Sprinkle a Tablespoon or two of brown sugar on top. Repeat the layers so that you have three layers of sweet potatoes, nuts, butter, and sugar.

Cover the baking dish with a lid or foil and bake for 20-30 minutes, until sugar is caramelized. Remove dish from the oven, remove the lid or foil, and sprinkle the top with the marshmallows. Increase the oven heat to 450 degrees and brown the marshmallows for 2 minutes or until puffed up and golden. Check frequently to avoid burning. Serve immediately.

Cranberry Sauce (0 Star)

Homemade cranberry sauce is very easy to make and so flavorful. And beautiful. The gorgeous red color and the sweet-tart taste to complement the turkey is a Thanksgiving delight.



This recipe is also versatile. You can experiment with different flavors of juice, citrus zest, and different sweeteners. You can make it as sweet or as tart as you'd like. I used Pioneer Woman's recipe as a starting point but I didn't have maple syrup (though I'd like to try it that way). Here is what I did:

Cranberry Sauce

12 oz cranberries (one package)
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup brown sugar

Wash the cranberries under cold water and put into a medium saucepan. Add the rest of the ingredients and then stir. Turn heat to high and cook until it boils. Then turn the heat down to medium or medium low and simmer for about 10 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and cool completely before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

Click here for Pioneer Woman's recipe.

Deluxe Pumpkin Pie (4 Star)

It is time to say goodbye to the Thanksgiving pies, until next year. (Sniff.) This is the last pie I that I made. I made it on a whim because I had all my other pies made, but I had one more pie pan and some left-over crust--just enough for one more pie, and I decided I couldn't let it go to waste. I had seen this recipe and I had all the ingredients for it except for the gingersnaps for the gingersnap streusel topping, so I made a different topping. When I make this again, I will be sure to get the gingersnaps, because I think that would be even better than the streusel that I improvised.



This pie turned out really good, though not as popular as the regular pumpkin pies. (Of course not! Nothing can take the place of regular pumpkin pie--unless it's butternut squash pie:) It was much more rich and the pumpkin was less conspicuous with the other flavors, but the flavors were delicious together.



The original recipe was for mini pies, so I altered it to make one big pie. And the name was too long, so I shortened it. When people asked what kind of pie it was, I didn't want to have to say, "Cream Cheese and Butterscotch Pumpkin Pie with Ginger Streusel Topping." So here it is:

Deluxe Pumpkin Pie
(makes one pie)

1 unbaked 9-9.5 inch pie shell

Cream Cheese Layer
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

Pumpkin Filling
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2+ teaspoon cinnamon
1/2+ teaspoon nutmeg
pinch cloves
pinch ginger
pinch salt
1/2+ teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup half and half or cream
1 cup canned or fresh pumpkin

Streusel Topping
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 Cup chopped pecans
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup softened butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Spread on the bottom of the pie shell. Sprinkle the butterscotch chips in an even layer on top of the cream cheese.

Clean out the mixing bowl and beat the sugars, eggs, spices, salt, and vanilla on high speed until fluffy and stiff. Add the half and half or cream and the pumpkin and mix until well combined. Pour on top of the cream cheese and butterscotch chips.

Put the pie in preheated oven and set timer for 50 minutes. While baking, clean out the mixing bowl and combine all of the streusel ingredients except the butter. Mix until combined. Cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. After the pie has baked for about 50 minutes or until the filling is beginning to set, remove the pie from the oven and allow the filling to set for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the streusel on top and return to the oven and bake for another 25 minutes, until the pie is completely set and the streusel is golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before serving.



Thanks to Picky Palate and Prudence Pennywise for the original recipes. Click here and here to view.

Pecan Pie (0 Star)

This year I tried Pioneer Woman's pecan pie recipe. It was excellent. I love the gooey, caramel-y (I used that made-up word in the last post, too, didn't I?) middle with the crisp, nutty top.







Click here for the recipe.

Chocolate Chip Pie (4 Star)

Have you ever had chocolate chip pie before? If not, I highly recommend it. I tried making it for the first time two years ago and it has since become an important part of my pie repertoire. If you like fresh, homemade chocolate chip cookies, this pie is even better, I dare say. Serve it warm with a scoop of ice cream melting on top and it's caramel-y, chocolaty, nutty decadence will captivate your taste buds.







Click here for the recipe.

Bananan Cream Pie (0 Star)

Aaaahhh, banana cream pie--what a lovely thing! It is so hard to see these pictures and write about this when it is gone. I have banana cream pie hunger pangs.



This banana cream pie is the real deal. No boxed puddings here. If you had to eat banana cream pie made from boxed pudding with cool whip on top for Thanksgiving, I feel really sorry for you. (Yes, I am a banana cream pie snob.)



This recipe is from my paternal grandmother's file. I'm going to title it after her because that's what it has always been called to me.

Virginia's Banana Cream Pie
(makes one 9-9.5 inch pie)

1 pre-cooked 9-9.5 inch pie shell

2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
3 egg yolks (well beaten)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-3 bananas
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar (or to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium saucepan, place the first four ingredients and whisk them together with a wire whisk. Add 1 cup of the milk and whisk until smooth. Add the remaining milk and the egg yolks and whisk again. Place the pan on a hot plate and turn the heat up to medium. (Being impatient, I usually start the heat on high until I begin to see a little steam coming from the milk and then I turn down the heat to medium. But you have to be careful not to scorch the milk.) Heat the pudding, whisking constantly, until it is very thick. You can heat it to boiling but it isn't necessary, as long as it has thickened sufficiently. It should be thick enough that it is not so easy to whisk. Remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla. Stir it in until smooth.

Peel the bananas and slice them into the pie shell. Pour the pudding on top and allow to cool. Cover with plastic and place in the refrigerator until completely cold.

When the pudding is cold, whip the cream, powdered sugar (to taste), and vanilla until fluffy. I don't like it too stiff, but just barely getting stiff. Then spread it over the top of the pudding and chill until ready to serve.

If you are wondering, none of the boys care much for this except for eating the whipped cream off the top. Where did they come from?

Pumpkin Pie (3 Star)

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Gathering with family and eating a fantastic meal is enough to make me happy. Thanksgiving food is so comforting and tasty, and I especially look forward to the pie. This year I made several pies and will post all of the recipes I used. The humble pumpkin pie is one of the most popular at our gatherings and is one of my first picks.

I am a big fan of using fresh pumpkin, not canned in my pumpkin pies. I realize that takes a little more effort but to me it is very much worth it. The flavor is so much more fresh. And I have a little secret about my pies this year. I actually used pureed butternut squash. So I guess if you want to get technical, it wasn't really pumpkin pie. But I don't think anyone could tell the difference. At least if they could, nobody said so. I, personally, couldn't tell. If anything, it was better. I've actually been using butternut squash puree in the place of pumpkin in other recipes, too, just because I have a lot of it in my freezer.



This is from my mom's recipe file and I believe hails from her mother. I altered it a little by using half white sugar and half brown.

Grandma's Pumpkin Pie
(makes two pies)

2 unbaked 9-9.5 inch pie crusts

4 eggs
3/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 large can of pumpkin or 3 cups fresh
1 1/2 cups of evaporated milk (one 12 oz can) You could use half and half or cream in place of the evaporated milk.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the first eight ingredients and beat until fluffy and stiff. Add the pumpkin and milk and mix very well. Pour the filling into the two pie crusts, dividing evenly. Bake for fifteen minutes at 425 degrees, then lower the temperature to 350 and bake for fifteen minutes more, until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely before serving (I actually like it better the second day) and serve with ice cream or whipped cream.