Gobble Gobble Hey!*

Many families have passed down Thanksgiving traditions, my family's tradition is a recent one. I've started a new tradition, we use the holiday as a chance to try out new recipes on my captive audience...I mean, family. ;) Sometimes they're great, sometimes not so great. Then there are the few recipes great enough to hold on to year after year. Like Rachel-pi. Here's a list of the Thanksgiving 2010 recipes.

Rosa made a lovely Norwegian Mountain Bread. Oatmeal, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds? Yum. I simply had to try the recipe. You can find her recipe for this hearty loaf here. I also made a HUUUUGE pot of maple butternut squash soup with chef/friend John's recipe.


One of my favorite Thanksgiving recipe finds is this whole cranberry sauce (we also always make the Ocean Spray cranberry relish as well). This sauce is spiced, hearty and complex with bold fruit flavors. You can also make this recipe your own by varying the ingredients.

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

12 oz. fresh cranberries
1 c. sugar
1 c. water
1 c. dried fruit chopped
1 c. pecans, chopped
1 cap rum
1 orange, peel - process
1 apple, peel - dice
1 pear, peel - dice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Boil sugar and water til sugar dissolves. Reduce to simmer, add all ingredients. Cover and simmer for approx. 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, let cool to room temp. and serve.


Here's a keeper! Super delicious and super easy. Two of our favorite 'supers'. ;) Everyone loved this recipe, I hope you do too.

Herb Bubble Bread (Taste of Home Mag. - Oct/Nov 2010)

1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
3/4 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp. dill weed
1/8 tsp. each dried thyme, basil, and rosemary - crushed
1/4 c. butter, melted
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 loaf (1 lb.) frozen bread dough, thawed

In a small bowl, combine cheese and seasonings. In another bowl, combine butter and garlic, set aside.

Divide dough into 16 pieces. Roll into balls. Coat balls in butter mixture, then dip in cheese mixture. Place in a greased 9"x 5" loaf pan.

Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour. Bake at 350F for 22-26 min or until golden brown. (cover loosely with foil if top browns too quickly). Cool for 10 min. before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.


Lucky waits for me to take my eye off of the turkey for just a quick minute.


This year we tried something new with the bird...baking it breast down. Juiciest white meat ever!
Read the complete how-to article here.

There was stuffing, two kinds of cranberry sauce, sauteed green beans with carrots, mashed potatoes with chives, cilantro lime rice (recipe to come...one of these days), and turkey (of course!) with gravy. I'm saddened by my gravy attempts. I'd really love to find a great recipe. Any suggestions? Dinner was great....but let's not forget dessert!

We tried this cheesecake recipe a year or two ago and it was one of the ones good enough to hold on to. This holiday is not only about giving thanks but sharing. So, from my kitchen to yours...

Cheesecake Factory Style Cheesecake (this is two blended recipes...I can't recall which at this time)

crust
1 1/2 c. gingersnap cookie crumbs
1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. pecans, processed
1/2 c. packed golden brown sugar
about 4 1/2 Tbsp salted melted butter (or more)

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 9 1/2" springform pan. Bake about 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely.

filling
1 c. sugar
3 (8oz.) pkgs cream cheese, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 can (15oz.) canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice

Combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Mix until smooth with an electric mixer. Add pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Beat until smooth and creamy. Pour filling into pie crust and bake 60 minutes until top darkens but is still slightly jiggly. Remove from oven, allow to cool to room temp., then refrigerate. Serve w/ whipped cream.

*My apologies to the Ramones. ;)