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If you don't want turkey for thanksgiving
dinner, how
about substituting for one of the following:
Prime Rib Dinner I
(7-course dinner)
Prime Rib
Dinner II
(Christmas or Thanksgiving Dinner)
Learn how to cook the
Perfect Prime Rib.
 Honey-Glazed Ham Dinner Menu
(with recipes)
Ham 101
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Learn all about the different types of ham and
how to cook them.
 Roasted Crown of
Pork Loin
Truly one of the most magnificent of all holiday entrees!
Impress your guest with this attractive Roasted Crown Loin of Pork. It is a real
show stopper!
How about substituting your oven-roasted
turkey for:
 Barbecued or Grilled Whole Turkey
This is a very easy and efficient way to cook your Thanksgiving turkey.
No mess in your oven or the kitchen. A whole turkey may be prepared on either a
gas grill or a charcoal grill. This method requires a covered barbecue grill and
heavy duty aluminum foil. Your turkey will be crisp outside and juicy inside.
 Cajun Fried Turkey
This is the best way of cooking a turkey
I've ever tasted.
The turkey is anything but greasy as
the deep-frying process seals the outside and the turkey remains
incredibly juicy, while the skin gets wonderfully crispy.
 Smoked Turkey
Learn how to smoke a whole turkey.
 Turducken
This regional delight has become one of the latest food
fads. From the outside it looks like a turkey, but when you cut through it, you
see a series of rings making up the three birds and three stuffing.
Vegetarian
Thanksgiving:
For your vegetarian family
and friends.
 Tofurky/Tofurkey
Recipe
with Vegan Gravy
Southwest/Mexican
Thanksgiving:
Mexican Americans and others
have put their own gastronomical twist on Thanksgiving meals. These are not “tradition,” nor are they
found at all Thanksgiving celebrations, which include Latin American foods, but
they are the foods many consider a Thanksgiving meal in the Southwest:
 Turkey in
Mole Sauce
(Mole Poblano de Guajolote)
- A Southwest and Mexican Thanksgiving favorite.
Tamales
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Learn how easy it is to make homemade tamales
to serve for your Thanksgiving dinner.
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Turkey Hints & Tips:
Turkey Basics - How to purchase, stuff, and
roast a turkey - Choosing a fresh or frozen turkey - How to thaw a frozen turkey
- How to prepare turkey for stuffing.
Thanksgiving Planning - Stress-Free Thanksgiving
- How to plan and prepare your Thanksgiving dinner in advance without stress.
Turkey Terminology - Types of Turkeys
- Learn the differences between the
different types of turkeys in the marketplace.
Guidelines for Brining Poultry
-
The secret to juicy chicken breast is simple - brine them before grilling or
baking! It's very easy and economical, and requires no special cookware.
Guidelines For
Roasting a Whole Turkey
- Learn how to safely and easily prepare
and roast your turkey.
Advice on
Stuffing a Turkey Safely
-
As the
Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday draws near, learn how to safely
stuff your turkey.
Using a Cooking or
Meat Thermometer
-
Have you ever cut into a
turkey to see if it has finished cooking? Cooking thermometers take the
guesswork out of cooking, as they measures the internal temperature of
your cooked meat and poultry to assure that a safe
temperature has been reached, harmful bacteria have been destroyed, and
your turkey is cook perfectly.
Making Perfect
Turkey Gravy
- Hints and tips for making that perfect
turkey gravy.
Handling
Leftovers Safely
-
Leftover" foods are cooked foods that you or your family do
not eat within 2 hours after they are cooked. Improper handling or
storing cooked food is one of the most common causes of food poisoning in the home.
Let's Make Turkey
Stock
-
My favorite thing to do the morning
after Thanksgiving is to make homemade
turkey stock from the turkey carcass. It
is so easy to do and so delicious! The
turkey stock can be used for a delicious
soup or frozen for future use.
Food Safety Pages:
Buffet and Party Safety
Also includes what to do if your guests have been
delayed at least an hour
Golden Rules of
Food Safety
IF IN DOUBT, THROW IT OUT! If you have any
question in your mind about the freshness or safety of eating a food product,
throw it out. It is better to be safe than sorry!
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Thanksgiving
Menu
Ideas and Recipes
How To Plan Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner
Before planning
this year's Thanksgiving Dinner, read
Thanksgiving Planning - Stress-Free Thanksgiving
(How to plan and prepare your Thanksgiving dinner in advance without stress).
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Thanksgiving Appetizers:
More delicious and easy-to-make
Appetizer Recipes.
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An easy-to-make appetizer to serve in the late
morning and early afternoon for your guests
watching the Thanksgiving Football Games on television.
Football Nachos
This easy-to-make nacho dish is a family favorite.
My family liked to eat this nacho dish while watching the football games.
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Appetizers to serve your guests while waiting for Thanksgiving dinner to
be served. Serve light appetizers before your dinner, as you
don't want to fill up your guests. Also serve appetizers that can be made ahead of
time and kept in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
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Cranberry Salsa with Cream Cheese
or
Cranberry
Holiday Spread
or |
Goat Cheese Torta or
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Platter of assorted cut-up fresh vegetables,
chesses, and meats
plus
Dill Dip for Vegetables
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Thanksgiving
Main Dish and Side Dishes:
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Oven Roasted Turkey
America's traditional Christmas turkey dinner meat.
Learn how to safely and easily prepare and
roast your turkey.
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Turkey Stuffing
Advice on
Stuffing a Turkey Safely
Whether you call it "stuffing" or "dressing,"
what's not to love about turkey stuffing? It's often one
of the best parts of a turkey dinner. It is so easy to
prepare. Also be creative and add your family's favorite
ingredients.
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Grandma's Oyster Dressing
This oyster dressing must be served
as a side dish and not as a turkey stuffing in the turkey.
or
Scalloped Oysters
Scalloped oysters are fantastic served as a special
side dish, first course, or appetizer with crackers. For many families, this
dish is a Thanksgiving and Christmas tradition.
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Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Save your
valuable kitchen time on Thanksgiving day by
using this easy-to-make mashed potato dish
for your next Thanksgiving dinner. This
recipe is especially great when serving a
crowd as it eliminates the mess and
last-minute hassle of whipping potatoes.
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Perfect Mashed Potatoes
This mashed potato recipe is perfect for
Thanksgiving. This recipe is classic, simple, and perfectly fits the season.
What could go better with Turkey than cranberry sauce and some mashed
potatoes? |
Browned Butter Smashed Potatoes with Butternut Squash
Try something new and impress your family and
guests with this delicious combination of potatoes and butternut squash. |
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Turkey Gravy
I can't imagine a turkey dinner without
having homemade turkey gravy.
Turkey gravy is so easy-to-make and absolutely
necessary with mashed potatoes. Learn how to make perfect turkey gravy.
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Cranberry Relish
My son-in-law, makes this
wonderful family recipe for Thanksgiving and Christmas
dinner every year.
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Cranberry Sauce with Raspberry Vinaigrette
This traditional sauce is enhanced by raspberry vinegar. Very delicious! |
Tangy Tomato Aspic
This gelatin salad is a favorite family
comfort food that we make and serve for
Thanksgiving Dinner every year. Very easy to
make and so refreshing and delicious!
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Green Beans Supreme -
Green Bean Casserole
This green bean dish is considered the ultimate comfort food
with some America families. Most holiday meals (especially
Thanksgiving and Christmas) wouldn't be complete without
this green bean dish. |
Butternut Squash Gratin
This butternut squash gratin is so good! My husband gave it a 10 rating,
and said that I can make it anytime I want - in other words, he liked it! |
German Creamed Spinach
This dish is absolutely wonderful! It's a family favorite at our house for all holidays and special occasions. Even children like this spinach dish!
I was taught how to make this German recipe by my children's grandmother.
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Relish Plate (pickles, olives, etc.)
A Thanksgiving dinner isn't complete without a relish plate
to nibble on.
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Caesar
Salad
My all-time favorite salad is the Caesar Salad. To many, including myself, this is the
King of salads. If a restaurant offers it on the menu, I usually request it when dining out.
Caesar salads are very easy to make and can be prepared in advance. This salad
will definitely impress your dinner guests.
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Fresh Fruit Salad with
1-2-3 Fruit Dressing
This is very refreshing
and delicious
fruit salad. I use
whatever fresh fruit is in season when making this salad. The combination of
citrus fruits in the dressing gives the salad a wonderful delicious flavor!
Sometimes the older recipes are the best recipes!
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Make Ahead Butter Rolls
This
is my favorite roll recipe to use for holiday dinners, especially Thanksgiving
and Christmas dinner. Very easy to make ahead and bake at the last minutes.
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Mom's Refrigerator Rolls
My mother received this
recipe from my grandmother, who got this recipe from her elderly neighbor in the 1930s. We
figure this recipe is approximately 100 years old. Don't worry - This recipe has been tested in
today's kitchen. In our family, these rolls are always made for the holidays.
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Various Breads
In order not to have to heat rolls in my oven
this year, I made various homemade breads the day before Thanksgiving. Saved
me a lot of time on Thanksgiving day and pleased all my guests. |
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Served with sweet butter and/or my grandson's favorite,
Honey Butter.
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Thanksgiving Desserts (lots of great ideas
and choices):
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Pumpkin Cheesecake
Never again have to make a pumpkin pie for
the holiday. This cheesecake is absolutely
wonderful. Let your family be the judge! I
usually make this cheesecake a week or so
before Thanksgiving
and freeze it. |
Pumpkin Pie
Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie
How
about making this very easy and traditional pumpkin pie for your
Thanksgiving dinner? |
Pumpkin
Chiffon Pie
This very light and delicious pumpkin chiffon pie will be a big hit
at your Thanksgiving dinner. People who are not a big fan of the traditional pumpkin
pie, will live this version.
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Pumpkin Empanadas
Pumpkin empanadas are made both on Thanksgiving and Christmas
for some Mexican-style Thanksgiving Dinners.
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Pecan Pie
The only way this pie
could be better tasting is to serve it warm and top with a big scoop of
vanilla ice cream.
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Fig Pecan Pie
I first tasted this delightful fig pecan pie on a trip in western
Australian. This pie is absolutely wonderful! The figs are a delightful
addition to the traditional pecan pie.
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Chocolate Pecan Pie
This delicious chocolate pecan pie is taken above and beyond the usual pecan pie's
corn-syrupy incarnation. A layer of bittersweet chocolate
adds richness to the dessert while simultaneously balancing
its sweetness.
Pecan Praline Pie
There is plain pecan pie and there is this
souped-up version that the Southern people make for Thanksgiving dinner.
This is a delicious alternate to the classic pecan pie. Give it a try
and you'll see.
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Old-Fashioned
Mincemeat Pie
This has been my favorite holiday pie since I was a
little girl. My grandmother used to make her own
homemade mincemeat.
Devonshire Cream,
Crème fraîche
or
sweetened whipped cream
to top you pies.
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Lighter Dessert Ideas:
Spiced Pumpkin Mousse Trifle
How about a light dessert? Wouldn't this be an excellent dessert
for your Thanksgiving Dinner?
Pumpkin Parfait
This creamy
parfait as a light alternative to pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving dinner.
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Finale:
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 Coffee
How to make a perfect cup
of coffee
How To Use a French Press coffee press, plunger
press and/or press coffee
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