Favorite Holidays Recipes

[Miss Retro]

Ok so since the holidays are here I thought it would be fun to open up a brand new thread for everyone to share their favorite holiday Thanksgiving/Christmas recipes. Please be sure to include photos as I usually tend not to pay any attention or bother with recipes that have no photos

[Miss Retro]

I'll start...

Homestyle Turkey, the Michigander Way




Ingredients

1 (12 pound) whole turkey
6 tablespoons butter, divided
4 cups warm water
3 tablespoons chicken bouillon
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
2 tablespoons seasoning salt
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rinse and wash turkey. Discard the giblets, or add to pan if they are anyone's favorites.
Place turkey in a Dutch oven or roasting pan. Separate the skin over the breast to make little pockets. Put 3 tablespoons of the butter on both sides between the skin and breast meat. This makes for very juicy breast meat.
In a medium bowl, combine the water with the bouillon. Sprinkle in the parsley and minced onion. Pour over the top of the turkey. Sprinkle seasoning salt over the turkey.
Cover with foil, and bake in the preheated oven 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C). For the last 45 minutes or so, remove the foil so the turkey will brown nicely.

[Miss Retro]

Perfect Turkey



Ingredients

1 (18 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
2 cups kosher salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 large onions, peeled and chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine
Directions

Rub the turkey inside and out with the kosher salt. Place the bird in a large stock pot, and cover with cold water. Place in the refrigerator, and allow the turkey to soak in the salt and water mixture 12 hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Thoroughly rinse the turkey, and discard the brine mixture.
Brush the turkey with 1/2 the melted butter. Place breast side down on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Stuff the turkey cavity with 1 onion, 1/2 the carrots, 1/2 the celery, 1 sprig of thyme, and the bay leaf. Scatter the remaining vegetables and thyme around the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover with the white wine.
Roast uncovered 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Carefully turn the turkey breast side up about 2/3 through the roasting time, and brush with the remaining butter. Allow the bird to stand about 30 minutes before carving.

[Miss Retro]

Rosemary Roasted Turkey



Ingredients

3/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
salt to taste
1 (12 pound) whole turkey
Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, basil, Italian seasoning, black pepper and salt. Set aside.
Wash the turkey inside and out; pat dry. Remove any large fat deposits. Loosen the skin from the breast. This is done by slowly working your fingers between the breast and the skin. Work it loose to the end of the drumstick, being careful not to tear the skin.
Using your hand, spread a generous amount of the rosemary mixture under the breast skin and down the thigh and leg. Rub the remainder of the rosemary mixture over the outside of the breast. Use toothpicks to seal skin over any exposed breast meat.
Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan. Add about 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the pan. Roast in the preheated oven 3 to 4 hours, or until the internal temperature of the bird reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C).

[Miss Retro]

Rachel Ray's Pumpkin Pie with Almond Spiced Whipped Cream



Ingredients
1 pumpkin pie
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 shot almond liqueur or 1 teaspoon almond extract
Grated nutmeg, to taste
2 pinches ground cinnamon
Directions
Heat the pie in hot oven to crisp shell.

Whisk cream until soft peaks form, a couple of minutes. Whisk in almond liqueur or extract and season with nutmeg and cinnamon, to taste.

Serve pie with flavored cream.

[*~Mrs. Cooper ~*]

Awwww man, it all looks sooo good!
Love your idea about these holiday recipes, Mon. I think this thread will be utilized quite often during the holiday season

[*~Mrs. Cooper ~*]

I made these last year for Christmas and kinda cheated by pulling the recipe out a little early this year
They are incredible, and probably the simplest recipe in the world to make: only 3 ingredients!


Oreo Truffles:



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 (8 ounce) packages BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

Directions
Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.
Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
Sometimes, to make it a little more Christmassy, I like to add a few sprinkles of ground-up peppermint candies above the melting chocolate.
Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

[*~Mrs. Cooper ~*]

My boyfriend's mom made these one year for Christmas. Holy crap. Seriously. These muffins are in.cred.ible.



The Johnson's Pumpkin Muffins

4 Cup Pumpkin
4 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Oil
4 1/2 to 5 Cups Flour
4 tsp. Baking soda
2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Cloves
2 cups Nuts (optional)
Raisins (optional)

Bake at 350. She never said how long they bake for. She said she just usually eyeballs it. I'd say about 20 minutes, checking them with a toothpick periodically to make sure they're still moist inside, but not too underdone. There aren't any eggs in the batter so I usually take mine out when they're still just a tiny bit raw inside.

Cream Cheese frosting:

4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

[*~Mrs. Cooper ~*]

THE *Best* cranberry sauce EVER.
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y-images/534/cranberrysaucebought.jpg/][/URL]

12 ounces cranberries
1 cup white sugar
1 cup orange juice

Directions
1.In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice. Stir in the cranberries and cook until the cranberries start to pop (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and place sauce in a bowl. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

[kathryn1a]

I'm hungry just looking at the pictures!!!!!!!! I've got to get my Swedish Meatballs recipe, and post. Absolutely great! A Christmas Tradition!

[*~Mrs. Cooper ~*]

Mmmm, sounds great! I've been looking for a good Swedish Meatball recipe lately! My boyfriend is Swedish so I told him I'd make him some Swedish meatballs but I can never find a good recipe.

[*~Mrs. Cooper ~*]

Chocolate Cheesecake Candy Cane Bars



Ingredients
Crust:
20 chocolate wafer cookies
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground coffee beans
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Filling:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, room temperature
Glaze:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon light or dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature
1/2 cup crushed candy canes (see Cooks Note)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with foil.

For the crust: Process the chocolate wafers in a food processor with the butter, sugar, coffee, and salt until fine. Evenly press the crust into the prepared dish covering the bottom completely. Bake until the crust sets, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl; heat at 75 percent power until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir, and continue to microwave until completely melted, up to 2 minutes more. (Alternatively put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.)

Blend the cream cheese, sugar, and sour cream together in the food processor until smooth. Scrape down the sides, as needed. Add the eggs and pulse until just incorporated. With the food processor running, pour the chocolate into the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.

Pour the filling evenly over the crust. Bake until filling puffs slightly around the edges, but is still a bit wobbly in the center, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack.

For the Glaze: Put the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in microwave safe bowl. Heat glaze in the microwave at 75 percent power until melted, about 2 minutes. Stir the ingredients together until smooth; add the sour cream. Spread glaze evenly over the warm cake and scatter the crushed candy canes over top. Cool completely, then refrigerate overnight.

Cut into small bars or squares. Serve chilled or room temperature.

Store cookies covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Cook's Note: To crush the candy canes, remove wrappers and place in a resealable plastic bag. Use a rolling pin to roll and break the candy up into small pieces, about 1/4 inch or so.

[kathryn1a]

Swedish Meatballs

1/2 lb. Ground beef
1/2 " " pork
1/2" " veal
2 cups white wheat bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 onion chopped
10 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 eggs beaten
1/4 cup flour
1tablespoon tomato paste
1 can (10 1/2 oz.) boullion beef
1 cup sour cream
Have butcher grind meat twice. Soak bread crumbs in milk, squeeze dry & add to meat.
Saute onions and add to meat
Add salt, paprika ( I guest just sprinkle some she didn't say, & I can't ask), poultry seasoning, mustard, pepper and eggs. Mix well- form 100 meatballs. Brown meatballs in 2 sticks margarine (butter)-as they are browned, transfer to bowl. When all meat is browned, stir four in to pan drippings- Blend in tomato paste and boullion with enough to make 2 1/4 cups. Stir over low heat until sauce is thick- put meatballs back in pan. Heat on low about 10 minutes. Just before serving, stir in sour cream. Blend well.

My Mom's always came out a very light brown when done, but my sisters are darker. I don't know why. Maybe it had to do with the sour cream.

Sorry I was so long putting it up here. Let me know how your boyfriend likes them, and anyone else who makes them!!

[kathryn1a]

Sometimes you can find the meat in one package together. I've never had a butcher grind the meat for me, when my husband made them( I've never made them!), but my mom always did. She knew the butcher in the store.

[*~Mrs. Cooper ~*]

Two years later and I still haven't tried your Swedish Meatballs, Kathryn! I'm gonna print this recipe and try it very soon because my boyfriend still asks for a good Swedish Meatball recipe!