Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes

Complete Recipes Listing

COUNTRY COOK HAZEL SMITH'S THANKSGIVING DINNER RECIPES

TURKEY
(It's important to carefully prepare and cook turkey because raw and undercooked turkey can have germs such as salmonella.  Thoroughly wash and clean everything the raw turkey and its juices touch including counter tops, utensils and cutting board.  Wash your hands with soap and warm water.  Use paper towels
so germs from the turkey won't get on any food or surface.)
12 lb. turkey
oil
salt
Wash and clean turkey thoroughly the night before.  Place salted and oiled turkey in a 325 oven.  Place thermometer into thickest part of turkey.  Cover loosely with foil for 2 1/2 hours.  Remove foil the last 30 minutes of cooking.  Cook until 165F on the thermometer to be sure all bacteria are killed.  Save broth from turkey for giblet gravy and dressing.

DRESSING
1 large onion chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
1 stick butter
crumbled cornbread
8 slices white bread toasted and crumbled (use kitchen shears)
3 boiled eggs chopped
2 whole eggs
3 Tbs fresh dried sage
1 Tbs vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 cups (or more) broth
Make cornbread ahead of time using 1 1/4 cups Martha White self-rising cornmeal, 1 cup buttermilk 2 Tbs. melted Crisco.  Stir quickly.  Cook in a greased and heated cast iron skillet at 425 in a preheated oven.  Cool and crumble.
Sauté chopped onions and celery in butter until tender.  Mix chopped boiled eggs with crumbled breads. Add all remaining ingredients adding extra broth if needed.  Mix well with hands.  Pour into a 9 x 13 greased and floured dish.  Cook dressing at 375 in a pre-heated oven for 40 - 45 minutes.

HAZEL'S GIBLET GRAVY
liver, gizzard and heart from turkey (I use extra)
1/4 tsp. salt
Cook giblets in a saucepan with salt until tender.  Cool and chop in small pieces.  Set aside
3 or 4 eggs covered with water; boiled, cooled, peeled and sliced across to make round o's.  Set aside
3 tbs. shortening
3 tbs flour
2 cups broth (or more)
1 tsp salt (or more)
1/2 tsp pepper
Melt shortening in a fry pan over medium heat, add flour and stir.  Make a roux the color of peanut butter.  Continue stirring
while adding broth, salt and pepper (I season to taste).  Add giblets and boiled eggs.  Serve warm.  We spoon gravy over dressing and turkey in our plates.

GREEN BEANS
2 - 2 1/2 pounds fresh green beans
water to cover
non-smoked seasoning pork with lean streaks the size of a deck of cards
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tbs. butter
Wash, remove ends and strings from beans.  Break into 1 1/2-inch pieces.  Place beans and pork in a pan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil, cut down to medium low.  Allow to cook an hour checking often to be sure they aren't sticking.  Add a little hot water only if beans are dry. After an hour stir beans, if they start to fall apart, add butter, salt and sugar.  Allow 15 minutes more cooking time.  Cook them dry but don't allow them to stick or burn.  Yummy.

HAZEL'S CHUTNEY
1 can (16 oz.) whole cranberry sauce
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple
1 cup pecans
1/4 cup chopped celery
Mix well and keep refrigerated until mealtime

CRANBERRY SALAD
2 small boxes cherry Jell-O
2 cups boiling hot water
1 cup cold water
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple
1 cup finely chopped pecans
Stir to dissolve Jell-O thoroughly in hot water.  Add cold water and stir.  Continue stirring while adding whole cranberry sauce
until well blended.  Add pineapple and pecans and mix well.

MASHED POTATOES
4 or 5 'fist-sized' potatoes
water
stick butter
3/4 cup canned milk such as Pet
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Peel potatoes.  Wash, slice and cover with water.  Cook on medium until fork tender.  Remove from heat.  Add butter, beat with mixer until well blended.  Add milk, salt and pepper and continue beating.  Add additional seasoning if your taste requires.  Tasting is important.

SWEET POTATOES
4 medium (fist-sized) sweet potatoes
3/4 stick melted butter
3/4 cup canned milk such as Pet
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
miniature marshmallows
Boil potatoes in jackets until fork tender.  Peel when cool enough to handle.  Add melted butter.  Beat with mixer until creamy.  Add milk, sugar and vanilla.  Scrape sides of both and beat 'em again.  Pour into 1 1/2 quart dish.  Cover with miniature marshmallows.  Brown marshmallows in a 350 preheated oven about 15 minutes.

7-LAYER SALAD
(Make night before and allow to set 24-hours)
1/2 head lettuce torn in small pieces
1/2 cup grated carrots
6 boiled eggs boiled, peeled and sliced
1 - 10 oz. package frozen peas uncooked
 1/2 cup celery
1 red onion sliced
6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
Layer each item as listed.  Spread dressing over the top.

DRESSING:
1 cup Miracle Whip
1 cup sour cream
1 tbs. sugar
Mix Miracle Whip, sour cream and sugar until well blended.  Spread over top.  
Add 1 cup grated cheese over dressing.  Cover salad tightly with Saran Wrap and keep refrigerated until serving.

PUMPKIN PIE
(Pillsbury makes my crusts)
1 - 15-ounce can pumpkin
1 - 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (such as Eagle Brand)
2 eggs well beaten
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl.  Add remaining ingredients.  Blend well with mixer.  Turn into crust.  Bake in a 425 preheated oven 15 minutes.  Lower heat to 350 and continue baking 20 - 25 minutes.