Turkey
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2) Remove turkey from its wrapping and remove neck and giblets from inside the cavity. Set aside to make gravy later (see Related eHows).
3) Rinse turkey inside and out with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.
4) Put oven rack on lowest level of oven.
5) Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a roasting pan.
6) Rub the outside of the turkey with olive oil
7) Salt and pepper the turkey's body and cavity
8) Roast turkey about 3 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 175 to 180 degrees F

Tips
1) In general, a turkey should be roasted 10 to 12 minutes per pound if it is not stuffed and 12 to 15 minutes per pound if it is stuffed.
2) In general, you shouldn't cover a roasting turkey (or any roasting meat); you want the skin to get a nice, deep brown all over, and you don't want it to steam in its own juices. However, if the turkey begins to brown too quickly, well before it's likely to be done, you can cover the brown parts loosely with aluminum foil. (This is likely to happen with larger birds.) Try to cover as little of the turkey as possible so you don't create steam.

 Stuffing
1/2 pound dried bread
1 peeled onion
3 celery stalks
1 cup fresh, packed parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
2/3 cup chicken stock
pepper 

In food processor fitted with steel blade, break 3 or 4 slices bread into bowl at a  time and process to coarse crumbs. As processed, remove to a large bowl. Cut onion into  eighths. Wash celery and cut into 1" pieces. Process vegetables until finely chopped.  Heat butter in skillet and add vegetables and seasonings; cook over low heat, about 10  minutes. Add to bread crumbs and mix well. With plastic blade, combine egg and stock. Mix  into bread crumbs.

Gravy
1/4 Cup cornstarch 
1/4 Cup water 
4 Cups TURKEY BROTH and defatted pan juices recipe below 
Salt and pepper 

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, bring turkey broth and pan juices to a boil. Meanwhile, blend until smooth the cornstarch and water. Whisking constantly, slowly add the cornstarch mixture and continue stirring until the gravy is thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Provides 16 servings at 1/4 cup per portion.
Note: To defat pan juices, pour poultry drippings into a glass measuring cup and refrigerate until the fat solidifies. Remove the fat layer and discard.

Green Beans

1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded fresh lemon peel

Rinse and trim green beans. Add beans to boiling salted water. Cook, uncovered, on medium-high heat 7 minutes. Drain. Return beans to saucepan. Stir in remaining ingredients. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.  Season to taste.

Mashed Potatoes

4 to 5 large potatoes, peeled
1/2 to 1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Cover the potatoes with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes, or until tender. (Watch the pot--potatoes have a tendency to boil over.) While the spuds are cooking, slowly heat the milk and butter. When the potatoes are done, drain them and add half the hot milk mixture. Mash the potatoes with a handheld potato masher or an electric mixer. Keep adding the hot milk until you reach the proper consistency (which, of course, varies from family to family). Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, if desired. Serves 4 to 6

2 cups stewed pumpkin (slightly drier consistency than applesauce)
2 eggs
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cups of whole milk or half-and-half
pinch salt
pinch pepper
2 Tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

9 inch pie pan filled with your favorite crust 

Cut pumpkin into slices 2 inches thick and pare off the skin.  Dice the
skinned pumpkin into 2 inch cubes, add to a skillet, and add enough
water to steam.  For a 10 pound pumpkin in a 12 inch skillet, we used 1
cup of water.  Cover the skillet and steam on a medium heat for several
hours.  Keep an eye on the amount of water remaining and when it
becomes soft mash it down.  Remove the cover from skillet and then when
it reaches the texture of applesauce, let it dry out another 10 minutes
on a low heat.  Measure out 2 cups and put into a bowl.  Add 2 T butter
to warm pumpkin puree and let it melt.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F).

In another bowl, beat the eggs well and beat in brown sugar, milk,
salt, pepper, maple syrup, spices and finally the pumpkin mixture.
Pour this into the pie shell and place in center oven rack at 425
degrees for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue to
bake until the custard is firm.  This should take a total of forty
minutes in all.  Cool and serve.

Holiday Punch

3 cups white grape juice
2 cups cranberry juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons sugar
1 quart lemon-lime soda
1 quart frozen seedless grape clusters (see note)

Mix juices in a small punch bowl; dissolve sugar in mixture. Refrigerate at least two hours or overnight. When ready to serve, add soda and frozen grapes. Makes 2 1/4 quarts. Note: To freeze grapes, rinse and drain. Cut into small clusters of three to six grapes and place on dish towel or several layers of paper towels to absorb as much water as possible. Place on baking tray. Freeze six hours or longer until completely frozen.

Thank You

Joe & Katrina Thompson

www.stallionstore.com
stallionstore@charter.net