Grandmother's Roast Turkey

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons ground dried rosemary
2 tablespoons rubbed dried sage
2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
1 tablespoon McCormick lemon pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 (15 pound) whole turkey (remove neck and giblets)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 orange, cut into wedges
1 onion, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 bottle champagne


Directions:

Do not wash the turkey; it will spread germs for up to 3 feet and contaminate your kitchen counters.

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a turkey roaster with long sheets of aluminum foil that will be long enough to wrap over the turkey.

Stir together the parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon pepper, and salt in a small bowl. Rub the herb mixture into the cavity of the turkey, then stuff with the celery, orange, onion, and carrot. Truss if desired, and place the turkey into the roasting pan. Pour the chicken broth and champagne over the turkey, making sure to get some champagne in the cavity. Bring the aluminum foil over the top of the turkey, and seal. Try to keep the foil from touching the skin of the turkey breast or legs.

Bake the turkey in the preheated oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear. Uncover the turkey, and continue baking until the skin turns golden brown, 30 minutes to 1 hour longer. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Au Gratin Potatoes

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups 2% milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
5 cups thinly sliced peeled potatoes (about 6 medium)
1/2 cup chopped onion
Additional pepper, optional


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in cheese until melted. Add potatoes and onion.

Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake 1 hour. Uncover; bake 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. If desired, top with additional pepper.

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
3/4 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Pepper Black
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) any style Del Monte® Green Beans, drained Substitutions available
1 1/3 cups French's® Original Crispy Fried Onions, divided


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix cream of mushroom soup, milk and pepper in a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Stir in green beans and 2/3 cup Crispy Fried Onions.

Bake 30 minutes or until hot. Stir.

Top with remaining 2/3 cup onions. Bake 5 minutes until onions are golden brown.

Old Fashioned Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

1 recipe unbaked pie crust
1 c. maple syrup
1 c. light brown sugar
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp. molasses
4 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
6 large egg yolks
2 c. pecan halves


Directions:

Roll out half the dough (one disk) on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper to 1/4-inch thickness (about a 12-inch circle). Fit into a 9-inch pie plate, crimping edges as desired. Refrig­erate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Combine maple syrup and next 3 ingredients in a 3 1/2-quart sauce-pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool 5 minutes. Whisk in butter and salt. Whisk in egg yolks.

Spread pecans evenly in prepared crust. Carefully pour syrup mixture over pecans.

Place in preheated oven and reduce heat to 325 degrees F. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or just until filling is set and center jiggles slightly when gently shaken.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

A Thanksgiving Poem
By Paul Laurence Dunbar - 1872-1906

The sun hath shed its kindly light,
Our harvesting is gladly o’er
Our fields have felt no killing blight,
Our bins are filled with goodly store.

From pestilence, fire, flood, and sword
We have been spared by thy decree,
And now with humble hearts, O Lord,
We come to pay our thanks to thee.

We feel that had our merits been
The measure of thy gifts to us,
We erring children, born of sin,
Might not now be rejoicing thus.

No deed of our hath brought us grace;
When thou were nigh our sight was dull,
We hid in trembling from thy face,
But thou, O God, wert merciful.

Thy mighty hand o’er all the land
Hath still been open to bestow
Those blessings which our wants demand
From heaven, whence all blessings flow.

Thou hast, with ever watchful eye,
Looked down on us with holy care,
And from thy storehouse in the sky
Hast scattered plenty everywhere.

Then lift we up our songs of praise
To thee, O Father, good and kind;
To thee we consecrate our days;
Be thine the temple of each mind.

With incense sweet our thanks ascend;
Before thy works our powers pall;
Though we should strive years without end,
We could not thank thee for them all.

The Bible is full of stories of thanksgiving. Here is a favorite:

Praises by the Israelites when they were freed from Egypt

After Moses and the Israelites fled Egypt, they were followed by the Egyptian army who chased them into the Red Sea with no way of escape as they were behind them and the sea in front of them. But it was almighty God who made a way for them when He parted the sea for them to pass through on dry ground. The army of Egypt followed them and God released the waters and drowned Pharaoh’s army. Exodus 15 speaks about the miraculous deliverance of the children of Israel from the enemy and Moses and the people’s praises for God as a thanks for His protection.

Corn Bread & Sausage Dressing

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 teaspoons McCormick® Poultry Seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Thyme Leaves
1 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Powder
10 cups coarsely crumbled corn bread
1/2 pound sausage, cooked and crumbled
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add celery, onion and bell pepper; cook and stir 5 minutes. Stir in poultry seasoning, thyme and garlic powder.

Mix corn bread, vegetable mixture and sausage in large bowl. Add broth; toss gently until well mixed. Spoon into lightly greased 13x9-inch baking dish.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through and lightly browned.