feasting favorites

I hope you are getting excited about your Thanksgiving feast and sharing that special time with family and friends. Here are a few of my favorite recipes if you need something to make that meal “perfect”!

CRANBERRY SALAD
2 Cups ground, raw cranberries
1 orange, ground (peel included)
2 Cups sugar
2 small packages lemon Jell-O
1 C water, 3 Cups water
1 Cup diced celery
1 Cup chopped walnuts
Cut the orange in pieces and grind along with the cranberries in the blender with 1 cup of water. Combine with sugar in a bowl and let sit while making Jell-O according to package directions (using 2 cups of boiling water to dissolve, then one cup of cold water). Refrigerate until Jell-O has thickened, but is not set. Stir in orange/cranberry mixture, the celery and nuts. Refrigerate until completely set. Serve on individual salad plates on a lettuce leaf.



CANDIED SWEET POTATOES WITH PECAN TOPPING
SWEET POTATOES:
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 beaten eggs
1/4 C butter
1/4 C milk
1 tsp vanilla
*Mix all ingredients together and pour into baking dish.
TOPPING:
1 C brown sugar
1 C chopped pecans
1/2 C butter, melted
1/2 C flour
*Mix and spread over sweet potatoes.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving. Cover leftovers when re-heating.

CORNBREAD
1 1/4 Cup flour
1 Cup milk
3/4 Cup cornmeal
1/4 Cup oil
1/3 Cup sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
*Mix the dry ingredients together. Mix the liquid ingredients together then add to the dry ingredients mixing until just blended. Bake in greased 9x9 pan or 12 muffin tins at 400 degrees until golden. Serve hot.


POTATO ROLLS
Put in a mixing bowl:
1 Cup warm milk
5 tsp. yeast
*Let stand 5 minutes, then add:
½ Cup melted butter
½ Cup sugar
1 Cup warm mashed potatoes
1 ½ tsp. salt
½ Cup flour
2 eggs
*Beat thoroughly, then cover and let rise until light. Add about 4 more cups of flour, mixing well. Knead a minute or two. Put into an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled. Form into rolls, let rise, then bake at 425 until golden. *NOTE: this dough makes great cinnamon rolls and fabulous donuts. It keeps (covered in plastic) in the refrigerator well, so you can use part of the dough for dinner rolls and have some leftover for yummy donuts in the morning! (hint: it is easier to cut out donuts if the dough has been chilled).