Thanksgiving Recipes & Ideas

Over the couple years of blogging, I've collected a great number of recipes, tips, tricks and more. I've decided to spotlight the recipes and such that as good for the masses! Enjoy this years festivities!

Tender and Juicy Turkey/Chicken

Alternative to a stuffed Turkey: Grilled Stuffed Pork Loin

Sides: Corn Crisp

Corn Casserole (I make this every year!)

Ultimate Mashed Potatoes

Potato Soup

Baked Potato Salad

Camemebert Cheese with Peach Chutney & Toast

Desserts: Apple Dumplings

Apple Streusel

T&T: Tender and Juicy Chicken

Have you ever wondered how restaurants and "professionals" always get their chicken so tender and juicy? I have before. But now I know the secret! And I'm sharing it!

T&T: Let chicken sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

• Yes, you read that right.  Letting the chicken sit for a few minutes lets the meat relax and the juices flow back into the chicken!

At restaurants, chicken is usually one of the first things done after ordering, that way it can sit a few minutes on your plate before the waiter brings it out to you.

Try this! And as long as you don't over-cook the chicken beyond recognition, this will always work. PLUS, if you chicken is "slightly" under-cooked, it gives it a few more minutes to heat up and finish cooking in the center.

• For small chicken breasts and tenders, cover with foil so not all the heat will escape. For larger birds, like turkeys, you don't need to cover it with foil. However, covering it won't take away from this tip.


• MISTAKE: Cutting into the chicken to check if it is done. By cutting the chicken, it breaks the meat strands and prevents the juices to travel into that direction. Follow cooking times to make sure it is done. Wait 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into it, and after that, cook it a bit longer if its under-cooked.


• One more thing, when cooking a whole chicken or turkey, adding lemons, onions and/or garlic that release moisture when cooked, helps keep the bird juicy as well! This way its not drawing moisture from other parts of itself and creating "dry" pieces. Not to mention, its adds another level of incredible taste!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful day filled with great FOOD, fun and family!

I can't wait to see/hear what everyone made for their Turkey Day! I'll be sure to post a picture about that on the next wordless Wednesday.

God Bless!

Carolyn

Flash Back Friday #18

FLASH-BACK FRIDAY

This one isn't THAT old, but its defiantly a goodie!

TURKEY BURGERS

Click on image to see full post from 8/26/11

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My favorite from last week...duh duh DUM...!

LSU CUPCAKES

Click on image to see full post

These look fantastic and I love the swirls on the inside. Ok, and I have to admit that I really like these because my husband's side of the family are HUGE LSU fans. And I mean HUGE. =)
Stop over to Tricia's page NOLA Mommy and let her know how awesome these are!!


Now its time to show me some MORE flash-backs!!
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Follow Cookin' for my Captain and Cookin Mimi  on GFC [Google Friend Connect] and then Link away!

• Please only link up the URL straight to a post--not just the blog site
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Wordless Wednesday

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Cooked a Thanksgiving Dinner in the summer time!

Everyday should be thanksgiving...turkey is soooooo good!!

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Blog Hops....

   

  

Turkey Burgers with Avocado Sauce

This is a very simple recipe and every bite is delicious! I used Kaiser rolls for the buns, and I wish I made the patties a little bigger. So take into mind what size your buns are to the size of the patties. (that sounds really funny!)

TURKEY BURGERS WITH AVOCADO SAUCE

Click HERE for printable recipe

1 cup canned corn, drained
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 small sweet red pepper, chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1 lb ground turkey
Sauce:
1 medium ripe avocado, peeled
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 teaspoon salt
Serving:
4 whole wheat hamburger buns, split
shredded lettuce
sliced tomato and red onion, optional

Directions:
In a large skillet, saute the corn, onion and peppers in oil until crisp-tender. Stir in the lime juice, garlic, salt, cumin, chili powder and oregano; cook 1 minutes longer. Transfer to a large bowl and cool slightly. Crumble turkey over mixture and mix well. Shape into 4 burgers. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For sauce, in a small bowl, mash avocado with the sour cream, cilantro, lime juice, garlic and salt. refrigerate until serving.

Lightly oil grill pan and heat on medium-high heat. Cook on each side 5 to 7 minutes, or when juices run clear and meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees F.

Place on buns; top with 1/4 cup sauce. Serve with lettuce, tomato and onion if desired.

Click HERE for printable recipe

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Flash Back Friday #7 & Pineapple Turkey Sliders

FLASHBACK FRIDAY # 7

TURKEY & PINEAPPLE SLIDERS

Click on image to see full post from 3/29/2011

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From last week, I really enjoyed reading blog by Kay from "Cooking with K", again! Thanks Kay for linking up your posts with us. Really appreciate it!

Pineapple Chess Pie

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Follow Cookin' for my Captain and Cookin Mimi  on GFC [Google Friend Connect] and then Link away!

• Use your permalink which is the link in your browser’s address bar.
• Link back to Cookin’ for My Captain, Cookin’ Mimi or both if you’d like.
• Please only 1 or 2 entries.
• Visit and comment on the other entries. Spread some comment love.
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Spinach and Turkey Pie

So I had this fabulous dish planned to share. The day I made it, terrible storms were passing through, so I had no natural light, so the picture really sucks. I was hopping that this post would be soooooo awesome that everyone would bypass the picture...until I sat down to write it out and I can't find the recipe. And its one I found in a magazine ages ago so no "internet look up" possible. And I did try. Its from a magazine called "Anyone can cook."

So what now? Just post the picture and say "haha look what I made and you can't!"? Ya, your right, I should.

SPINACH & TURKEY PIE

What it has in it: 1 box of angel hair noodles, 2 cups of turkey (chopped) 2 boxes of frozen (thawed and drained) spinach, 3 eggs, so milk, salt, and mozzarella cheese....bake for 50 minutes....

So If you are determined to make this, I'm pretty sure that was all that I used in it. I tripled it and gave some to my neighbor who moving. But the ingredients I listed are for 1 pan. So its easy to multiply.

I'm sorry my friends, that was the best I could do. Hopefully it won't happen again.

GINGER-PINEAPPLE TURKEY SLIDERS

GINGER-PINEAPPLE TURKEY SLIDERS

1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 egg white
1 tablespoon white onion, diced really small
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice
a dash ground pepper
1 can pineapple chunks
Gouda cheese slices
Toasted buns
Fresh spinach

Mix first 7 ingredients together and form into small patties.

Grill over med-high for about 4 minutes on each side.

Place cheese over top and grill for another 2 minutes (gouda cheese doesn't melt that quickly).

Place on toasted bun, put a few leaves of spinach and a few chunks and top with other half of bun.

Eat all 8 sliders. Why not? I almost did--but my family wanted to eat too. =)

~~Fresh bread crumbs~~ This is actually really easy. Take some bread, put it in your food processor and pulse for 30 seconds--and whooola! Magic happens. 

~~Toasted buns~~The ones I used were homemade. Just regular white rolls, with crushed rosemary and sea salt cooked on the tops (like Pioneer Woman's rolls). Then I sliced them down the middle, buttered each side, and put them on a med-high skillet, butter side down, until golden brown and crispy around the edges.

~~Pineapple~~ This would be awesome with fresh pineapple, cut into rings and grilled with the patties. I had non available, otherwise I would have--but next time for sure!

This would be easy to make into "regular" size burgers. This recipe would make 4--so make sure you double or triple it!