The recipes I am cooking for Thanksgiving! ENJOY!

Here are some of the recipes I am cooking for Thanksgiving....I do have more things I am making like gravy, a baked Brie with cranberries, pecans, and caramel...and green bean casserole. Just let me know if you want those recipes as well.

PUMPKIN DIP

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Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon frozen orange juice concentrate

Directions
In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Gradually mix in the pumpkin. Stir in the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and orange juice until smooth and well blended. Chill until serving. For a fun display, you can serve in a mini carved out pumpkin

PERFECT TURKEY

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Ingredients
1 (18 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
2 cups kosher salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 large onions, peeled and chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine

Directions
Rub the turkey inside and out with the kosher salt. Place the bird in a large stock pot, and cover with cold water. Place in the refrigerator, and allow the turkey to soak in the salt and water mixture 12 hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Thoroughly rinse the turkey, and discard the brine mixture.
Brush the turkey with 1/2 the melted butter. Place breast side down on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Stuff the turkey cavity with 1 onion, 1/2 the carrots, 1/2 the celery, 1 sprig of thyme, and the bay leaf. Scatter the remaining vegetables and thyme around the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover with the white wine.
Roast uncovered 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Carefully turn the turkey breast side up about 2/3 through the roasting time, and brush with the remaining butter. Allow the bird to stand about 30 minutes before carving.

TWICE BAKED SWEET POTATOES

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Ingredients
4 medium sweet potatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup miniature marshmallows

Directions
Adjust oven rack to low position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Place potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Bake until fork tender, about 45 to 60 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Handling the potatoes with a potholder, slice each in half lengthwise and scoop potato flesh into a blender or food processor - for an especially silky texture, use the blender - leaving a 14-inch border of flesh to support the potato skin. Puree scooped-out flesh, along with salt and pepper, until smooth. With machine motor running, gradually add both milks through feeder tube. Stop machine, add butter, then process until potatoes are silky smooth. (Puree and potato shells can be cooled, then refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 2 days.
Return to room temperature before proceeding.) Spoon puree back into each shell. Just before baking, press marshmallows into potatoes.
Bake at 400 degrees until potatoes are hot and marshmallows are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

ASIAN ASPARAGUS SALAD WITH PECANS

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Ingredients
2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon chopped green onions

Directions
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, and cook the asparagus until tender but crisp. Drain, and briefly immerse in cold water.
In a large, resealable plastic bag, mix the rice vinegar, soy sauce, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Seal the asparagus in the bag. Marinate 24 hours in the refrigerator. Sprinkle the marinated asparagus with pecans and green onion to serve.

MOIST AND SAVORY STUFFING

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Ingredients
1 3/4 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth (regular, Natural Goodness™ or Certified Organic)
Generous dash ground black pepper
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
4 cups Pepperidge Farm® Herb Seasoned

Directions
Heat broth, black pepper, celery and onion in 2-quart saucepan over high heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Add stuffing and stir lightly to coat.

BACON CHEDDAR DEVILED EGGS

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Ingredients
12 eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 slices bacon
2 tablespoons finely shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon mustard

Directions
Place eggs in a saucepan, and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, and cool. To cool more quickly, rinse eggs under cold running water.
Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Alternatively, wrap bacon in paper towels and cook in the microwave for about 1 minute per slice. Crumble and set aside.
Peel the hard-cooked eggs, and cut in half lengthwise. Remove yolks to a small bowl. Mash egg yolks with mayonnaise, crumbled bacon and cheese. Stir in mustard. Fill egg white halves with the yolk mixture and refrigerate until serving.

BEST EVER CORN MUFFINS

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Ingredients
1/4 cup butter, softened
9 tablespoons white sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups biscuit baking mix
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, stir together baking mix and cornmeal. Blend this mixture into the butter/egg mixture, alternately with the milk; stir just until combined. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden.

RED GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

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Ingredients
8 medium red potatoes, cubed
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup half-and-half cream
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 teaspoon steak seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions
Place the potatoes into a large pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Add 1 teaspoon of the crushed garlic to the water for flavor. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork.
Drain the potatoes, and add the butter. Mash until the butter is melted. Mix in the half-and-half, sugar, steak seasoning, garlic powder and remaining garlic. Mix potatoes with an electric mixer until smooth.

RECIPE #31: Creamy PHILLY Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients
1 (1 pound) beef flank steak
1 tablespoon non-hydrogenated margarine
1 small onion, chopped
1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 (284 mL) can 25%-less-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese Spread
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
340 grams hot cooked egg noodles

Directions
Cook steak in large skillet on high heat 2 min. on each side or until browned on both sides. Remove from skillet; cover to keep warm.
Add margarine and onions to skillet; cook on medium heat 5 min. or until onions are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in mushrooms, bay leaves and thyme; cook 10 min., stirring occasionally. Add broth; bring to boil. Simmer on low heat 3 min. or until slightly thickened. Add cream cheese spread; cook until melted, stirring frequently. Remove and discard bay leaves.
Cut steak across the grain into thin slices. Add to skillet; cook 3 to 5 min. or until meat is done. Stir in parsley. Serve over noodles.

RECIPE #30: STICKY SESAME CHICKEN

Ingredients
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sesame seeds
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, stir together the honey, soy sauce, lemon juice and sesame seeds. Dip the pieces of chicken into the sauce to coat, then place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
Bake for about 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until chicken is cooked through and sauce is caramelized.

Nutritional Information
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 256
Total Fat: 8.9g
Cholesterol: 94mg
Sodium: 557mg
Total Carbs: 20.4g
Dietary Fiber: 1.2g
Protein: 24.4g

RECIPE #29: ACORN SQUASH GNOCCHI WITH PARMESAN SAGE BEURRE BLANC

Ingredients
1 acorn squash, halved and seeded
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
7 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
1 cube chicken bouillon
1 cup beer
1/3 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Use a knife to perforate the acorn squash with several slits. Cook in microwave for 10 minutes. Scrape the flesh into a bowl. Stir in the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, egg, and whole wheat flour. Add the white flour in small amounts and mix until you get a sticky dough with a manageable texture. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll into thin ropes. Slice the dough into quarter-sized gnocchi.
Bring the water with 1 tablespoon salt to a boil in a large pot; add the gnocchi to the boiling water one at a time, until they are all floating at the top; remove with a slotted spoon to a large bowl; set aside.
Discard all but 1 1/2 cups of the water from the pot and return to heat; add the bouillon cube, beer, sage, and pepper and bring to a boil; continue to boil until the mixture reduces to about half its original volume, about 15 minutes; reduce heat to medium. Whisk the butter cubes into the mixture, one at a time, until they are all melted into the liquid; immediately return the gnocchi to the mixture, turn off the heat, and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Cover the pot and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 226
Total Fat: 8.3g
Cholesterol: 46mg
Sodium: 1298mg
Dietary Fiber: 3.9g
Protein: 7.1g

Recipe #28: OYAKO DONBURI

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into strips
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 cup chicken broth
6 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked until soft, then sliced into strips
1 carrot, julienned
2 tablespoons white sugar
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped green onions
5 eggs, beaten

Directions
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute chicken strips and onion until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain off as much liquid as possible.
Stir in the chicken broth, and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and carrot, and let simmer for a few minutes before stirring in the sugar, soy sauce and salt. Simmer for 3 more minutes. Sprinkle in half of the green onions, stirring gently. Pour beaten eggs over the chicken mixture, and simmer until the eggs are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Serve over Japanese sticky rice.

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving

Calories: 282 Total Fat: 11g Cholesterol: 315mg

RECIPE #27: SPANAKOPITA (GREEK SPINACH PIE)

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds spinach, rinsed and chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
8 sheets phyllo dough
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9x9 inch square baking pan.
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to saute until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.

RECIPE #26: Creamy Butternut Squash With Cinnamon Soup

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds peeled and seeded butternut squash , cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large onion, cut into large dice
1 tablespoon butter
1 pinch sugar
3 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups chicken broth, homemade or from a carton or can
1 1/2 cups half-and-half (or whole milk)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Garnish: store-bought apple chips

Directions
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep saute pan until shimmering.
Add butternut squash, then onion; saute, stirring very little at first, then more frequently, until squash start to turn golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and add butter, sugar and garlic; continue cooking until all vegetables are a rich spotty caramel color, about 10 minutes longer.
Add cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and cayenne pepper; continue to saute until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute longer.
Add broth; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until squash is tender, about 10 minutes.
Using an immersion blender or traditional blender, puree until very smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. (If using a traditional blender, vent it either by removing the lid's pop-out center or by lifting one edge of the lid. Drape the blender canister with a kitchen towel. To 'clean' the canister, pour in a little half-and-half, blend briefly, then add to the soup.)
Return to pan (or a soup pot); add enough half-and-half so the mixture is souplike, yet thick enough to float garnish. Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed. Heat through, ladle into bowls, garnish and serve.