Thanksgiving Dinner 2012

Apple Brined Roast Turkey

Apple and Sausage Dressing

Cranberry-Walnut Relish Salad

Squash Casserole

Maple Candied Sweet Potatoes

Cranberry Baked Pears 

Gravy

Multigrain Yeast Rolls 

Hot Mulled Cider

Pumpkin Gingerbread Cake

Began by Brining the Turkey

1 gallon Apple Cider

4 cups Water 

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Salt

1 tbsp Mulling Spice

1 bottle Woodchuck Granny Smith Hard Cider 

Bring all ingredients except the Woodchuck to a boil in a large stockpot. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Add Woodchuck and allow to cool completely. Place turkey in a large plastic container and cover with brining liquid. Refrigerate for 24 hours before roasting.

The next day, remove the bird from the brine.  Drain and pat dry.

Place Turkey in oven preheated oven at 375 for 15 minutes, then lower temp to 300 and continue roasting for another 3 1/2 hours.

 While the turkey is cooking, it is time to start preparing all of the side dishes.

Cranberry Baked Pears
I peeled and cored some Bartlett Pears and covered with a mixture of canned whole berry Cranberry sauce, chopped Mandarin Oranges and 1 tsp. vanilla extract.

Maple Candied Sweet Potatoes
Next I peeled and cubed several sweet potatoes and boiled for 20 minutes in water with 1 cup light Brown Sugar and 1 cup pure Maple Syrup.  Added a handful of dried Cranberries.  Stirred in 2 tsp Cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground Cloves, and 1 tsp Allspice.  Added to casserole dish and topped with marshmallows.

Apple and Sausage Dressing
Browned 1 pound of pork sausage.  Added 1 stick unsalted Butter and one chopped Onion as well as 3 stalkes of sliced Celery (including leaves).  Placed cubed store bought Stuffing in casserole dish.  Mixed in 1/2 cup turkey stock, 1/2 cup Apple Cider, 2 tsp dried sage, 1 tsp ground rosemary and sausage mixture.  Baked at 375F for 30 minutes.

Squash Casserole
Diced 4 medium Straight Neck Yellow Squash and two stalks Celery.  Added to 1 cup boiling water and 1 tsp salt.  Boiled for 10 minutes.  Drained and added to casserole dish Mixed in 2 cans Cream of Onion Soup and 1 can Cream of Celery Soup.  Topped with Durkee Onions and baked at 375F for 30 minutes.


Cranberry-Walnut Relish
In a food Processor, pulsed 1 pound fresh Cranberries, 1/2 cup Walnuts and 1/4 cup Mandarin Orange slices.  

Pumpkin Gingerbread Cake

1                       Small pie pumpkin
2 cups                Sugar
1 cup                  Vegetable Oil
1 3/4 cups          Cake Flour
4                        Fresh Eggs
1 tsp                  Madagascar Vanilla Extract
2 tsp                  Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp                  Ginger Powder
1/2 tsp               Freshly Grated Nutmeg
1/2 tsp               Ground Allspice
1/4 tsp               Ground Cloves
1/2 tsp               Salt
2 tbsp                 Powdered Sugar

Slice pumkin into two halves and remove seeds.  Place  hole side down in a roasting dish or non-stick pan and add enough water to bring level to 1/2 inch.  Place in oven and roast in oven at 375F for 40 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.  Remove skin and discard  In a blender, puree the pumpkin pulp until smooth.
In a separate bowl, combine sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs and mix well. Sift dry ingredients into a separate bowl; stir into egg mixture. Fold in squash puree and mix until fully combined. 
Pour batter into two greased and floured 9-inch cake pans (my pans are shaped like a pumpkin). Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes. Turn out onto racks to cool.  Sprinkle Powdered Sugar over cakes. and serve with sliced bananas and whipped cream.