Holiday Mains
From Mom and Nana
Thanksgiving Dinner
Mom's Turkey
Turkey (half to 3/4 lbs per person)
Stick of Butter cut in pieces
Seasonall
350 F
Rinse the turkey in the sink and make sure there are no feathers left. Remove everything from inside.
Stuff with stuffing.
Sprinkle pats of butter all over turkey. Sprinkle on seasonall.
Cook in oven at temperature provided on package. Baste every 30 mins. Add butter if it needs more butter.
Mom's Turkey Gravy
Turkey Drippings at the bottom of the pan
Cold Water
Cornstarch
Stove Top
Pour Turkey Drippings into sauce pan.
Whip cornstarch into cold water and whip until there are no lumps.
Add water and cornstarch mixture until it looks right.
Turkey Casserole (Thanksgiving Leftovers)
Turkey stuffing, prepared
Turkey, cut into bite size pieces
Turkey gravy
350 F
Layer stuffing, turkey, and gravy in baking dish. Bake until hot, about a half hour for the 10 x 13 pan, less time if making less.
Thanksgiving Menu Suggestion
Turkey
Turkey Gravy
Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes (see side dishes)
Green Bean Casserole (see side dishes)
Cranberry Sauce (don't get the daggone can, see side dishes)
Crescent Rolls
Pumpkin Pie (see pies)
Pecan Pie (see pies)
Christmas Dinner
Nana's Ham
Ham - make sure you find a nice, pink, bone in ham with some but over all little marbling. I try to get about a 12 pound ham, bone in. Pre-sliced hams will dry out faster, and the leftovers are not nearly as good for other dishes.
Honey
Cloves, whole and powder
Nutmeg
Ginger
Sunny D
Brown Sugar
Large Roaster or Oven, variable temperature
Rinse and score ham. Rub honey into ham. Place whole cloves where scores intersect.
Sprinkle with powder cloves, nutmeg and ginger.
In a separate bowl, mix Sunny Delight and Brown sugar until golden tan color. Pour over ham.
Roast at 200 for 4 hours, then 250 until thermometer is at 150 F to 160 F, then 300 until done. It is done when meat begins falling from bone, or it reaches 170 F.
This is best and easiest in a large roaster. If in the oven, make sure it is covered and tented well with tin foil.
Nana's Ham Gravy
Ham Drippings
Cold Water
Cornstarch
Stove Top
Pour Ham Drippings into sauce pan.
Whip cornstarch into cold water and whip until there are no lumps.
Add water and cornstarch mixture until it looks right.
Nana's Ham Leftovers
Cut ham into thin slices and fry in cast iron pan.
Cut in thin slices for sandwiches.
Scalloped Potatoes
Bean and Ham soup
Omelets
Christmas Menu Suggestion
Ham
Ham Gravy
Mashed Potatoes (see side dishes)
Green Bean Casserole (see side dishes)
Candied Yams (see side dishes)
Crescent Rolls
New Year's Eve
Bean and Ham Soup
Ham bone
Italian spices
Garlic Powder
Diced Onion
Water
1 pound navy beans
Diced potatoes
Thinly sliced carrots
Celery salt or thinly cut celery
Sour cream
A good glug of Vinegar
Large Crock Pot
Cook ham bone, italian spices, garlic powder, diced onion, and water in crock pot on high until meat is falling off bone. Refrigerate overnight. In the morning, peel the fat that is on top off, remove bone, and cut meat into bite size pieces.
Tum crock pot on medium, add navy beans, potatoes, carrots and celery salt or thinly cut celery. Cook until creamy, (5 or 6 hours, depending on how much ham you started with). You may need to add water at intervals.
Once it is creamy, add sour cream and vinegar.
Cook additional half hour to 45 minutes, stirring frequently. Add spices as needed.
You can also make this in a stock pot over medium and low heat on the stove top.
Interested in contributing? Contact me for more information.