Monday, November 21, 2011

Thanksgiving Edition: Everything You Need for the Holidays!

Good afternoon bloggers! I come to you all today with apologies and an ENTIRE Thanksgiving meal planned out for you all. I can honestly blame my disappearance on having no life and no time between sick husbands, Thanksgiving shopping and my 2nd anniversary. But not to worry! As I stated before, we have a feast for the entire family to enjoy. It's going to be a long blog, so let's cut the chatter and meet in the kitchen. See you there!





Turkey Roulades





You will need:






  • 1 cup diced and peeled tart apple
  • 1 cup diced fresh mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 5 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
  • Pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 4 turkey breast tenderloins
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs







  1. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute the apple, mushrooms and onion in oil until tender. 
  2. Remove from the heat, then stir in the spinach, lemon juice, lemon peel, 1/4 teaspoon salt and nutmeg. 
  3. Make a lengthwise slit down the center of each tenderloin to within 1/2 inch of the bottom. 
  4. Open the tenderloins so they lie flat and cover with plastic wrap. 
  5. Flatten to 1/4 inch thickness. 
  6. Remove the plastic, then sprinkle the turkey with pepper and remaining salt. 
  7. Spread the spinach mixture over the tenderloins to within 1 inch of the edges. 
  8. Roll the tenderloins jelly-roll style, starting with a short side and tie with kitchen string. 
  9. Place the egg and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. 
  10. Dip the roulades in egg, then roll in crumbs. 
  11. Place the roulades in an 11 inch x 7 inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. 
  12. Bake uncovered, at 375 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees. 
  13. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.
  14. Enjoy!






Ready for more recipes? Great! 





Sweet Potato Casserole





You will need:






  • 6 medium sweet potatoes
  • 1/2 cup butter, cubed
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 can crushed pineapple, drained
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 15 large marshmallows







  1. Place sweet potatoes in a large kettle and cover with water, then bring to a boil. 
  2. Boil gently until the potatoes can easily be pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 30 to 45 minutes. 
  3. Drain and cool slightly. 
  4. Peel the potatoes and place in a large bowl, then mash. 
  5. Stir in butter and sugar until the butter is melted. 
  6. Add pineapple, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg and salt. 
  7. Spoon the sweet potatoes into a greased 2 quart baking dish. 
  8. Top with marshmallows. 
  9. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
  10. Enjoy!






Here's another recipe...





Green Bean Casserole





You will need:






  • 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2  packages frozen cut green beans, thawed
  • 1.33 (One and One Third) cups French Fried Onions







  1. Mix the soup, milk and pepper in a 1.5 quart baking dish. 
  2. Stir in the green beans and 2/3 cup French Fried Onions. 
  3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot. 
  4. Stir well and top with the remaining 2/3 cup onions. 
  5. Bake for 5 more minutes until the onions are golden. 
  6. Enjoy!






Sausage, Apple, and Cranberry Stuffing





You will need:






  • 1.5 cups cubed whole wheat bread
  • 3.75 cups cubed white bread
  • 1 pound ground turkey sausage
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 3/4 cup chopped celery
  • 2.5 teaspoons dried sage
  • 1.5 teaspoons dried rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped
  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
  • 1 cooked turkey liver, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup turkey stock
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted







  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
  2. Spread the white and whole wheat bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. 
  3. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until evenly toasted. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl. 
  4. In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned. 
  5. Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme, then cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to blend the flavors. 
  6. Pour the sausage mixture over the bread in the bowl. 
  7. Mix in the chopped apples, dried cranberries, parsley, and liver. 
  8. Drizzle with turkey stock and melted butter, and mix lightly. 
  9. Place in a bowl and cover to keep warm.
  10. Enjoy!






Cranberry Sauce





You will need:






  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1 package fresh cranberries







  1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice. 
  2. Stir in the cranberries, and cook until they start to pop, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and transfer to a bowl. 
  3. The Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.
  4. Enjoy!






I hope you all had a blast cooking with me tonight. I will catch you on the flip side. If I'm not around before the holidays, may you all have a Happy Thanksgiving and be prepared for Christmas treats coming soon! Happy blogging to all! <3