Wild Rice Pilaf

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped celery (optional)
1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts (optional)
1 cup wild rice (raw)
2 1/2 oz package sliced almonds
3 cups chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter in a skillet than add mushroom, onion, rice, and almonds. Saute for a few minutes, then put in a 2 quart casserole dish and add chicken broth. Bake covered for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for another 5-10 minutes.

Turkey Gravy

From my dad, the Thanksgiving turkey, gravy and mashed potato master.

1-2 teaspoons kitchen bouquet
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Chicken broth
Turkey drippings (fat skimmed off) from bottom of roaster pan
Salt
Pepper

Remove turkey from roaster pan. Empty contents of roaster pan into a large measuring cup or bowl. Skim out as much as much fat as you can. Reserve a couple tablespoons of it and discard the rest.

The roaster pan should have a sort of "crust" on it - this is yummy, scrape it up and keep aside!

In a sauce pan put in couple tablespoons of fat, to this add the cornstarch. Combine well, then slowly add the turkey drippings/juices from the measuring cup, whisking as you add. Add chicken broth (per your desired amount of gravy), salt, pepper, and kitchen bouquet. Bring to a boil, constantly whisking. As soon as it boils, turn off the heat and gravy is ready.

Turkey Dressing (Stuffing)

Another Thanksgiving Classic! From my mother.

Dressing

1 c. butter
2 c. chopped onion
2 c. chopped celery
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. sage
12-13 cups torn stale bread (2-3 loaves)*
2 beaten eggs
4-4 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 tsp chicken bouillion powder or 2 chicken bouillion cubes


Melt butter in a large skillet, then add onion and celery. Saute until onion is translucent, then add: poultry seasoning, salt, sage. Beat together in a separate bowl: eggs, chicken broth, chicken bouillion.

Pour the onion mixture over torn stale bread. Then, pour the egg and chicken broth mixture over the bread and mix until well combined.

Cooking methods: Stuff into raw turkey and bake until turkey is done (approximate internal temp of 180). Cook in a crockpot on high for 45 minutes, low for 5 hours. Put in 9x13 pan and bake in oven at 350 until done.

*To prepare stale bread, chop or tear a few days prior - allow it to sit out on the counter for a couple days so that it gets hard and dry.

Cranberry Salad

Thanksgiving Classics! This one's from my maternal grandmother.

1 lb. cranberries
1 c. sugar
1 c. crushed pineapple, well drained
3 c. miniature marshmallows
1 c. whipping cream, whipped (or Cool Whip)

Grind the cranberries in a food processor or blender. Mix with sugar and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Then add pineapple, marshmallows and whipped cream. Mix and chill overnight for best results.

We usually double the recipe.