Mashed Potatoes and Homemade Turkey Gravy

I really love mashed potatoes. The way I make them on Thanksgiving should be illegal. I always use whole milk from a dairy in Claremore OK that does not pasteurize. Don't be alarmed. Unpasteurized milk is completely safe. It is in fact better for you. The milk from this dairy is soo good. I will be using their cream and milk this Thanksgiving. Here is their website in case you want to check it out. Now back to the potatoes. When you make them with cream and butter they are so delicious you will be hard pressed to make them any other way. Here is how to make them.

5 lbs. of Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut in chunks
1 stick of butter
Enough cream added to make the potatoes whip up nice. This can be from 1 cup to 2 cups
Salt and Pepper to taste
Dutch oven
Water

Place potatoes in dutch oven and cover with water. I pour a small amount of canola oil in with the potatoes. This keeps them from boiling over so easy. Boil the potatoes until they are fork tender. Drain water off. Mash with potato masher. Put butter in and let it melt while you stir in the cream. Whip with a mixer until you like the consistency. It is entirely up to you. Some people like them lumpy, my father, or fluffy, my husband. Salt and pepper to taste and you are done. Now on to the gravy.

Homemade Turkey Gravy

Drippings from roasted turkey
Turkey broth from turkey parts that come with your turkey in a bag or in the cavity. Use everything but the liver.
All Purpose flour
Sat and Pepper to taste

Take drippings and heat them up in either the roasting pan or a large saucepan. When heated up add flour. Cook the flour until it is golden brown. Stir constantly or it will BURN!!! Add broth. I start with a quart. Cook until gravy is the thickness you like. Add salt and pepper. Serve piping hot. If more broth is needed add at 1/2 cup increments. If you need to thicken it up a little mix 2 T cornstarch in with 1 cup of cooled broth. Mix cornstarch and broth very well. Pour slowly into gravy. It should thicken quickly.

Hope you try this recipe and please don't buy canned gravy. You will like this MUCH better...

Grandma Minnie's Sweet Potato Casserole

Grandma Minnie's recipe needs a post of it's own for this casserole. When I first had it I could not believe what a pleasure for the mouth it was. I have made it every year since. Grandma Minnie passed away in 2002 but her recipes live on through her family's cooking each year. Cooking for me would not be the same without the first memories of the recipe, who made it and where it was first eaten. It is like taking a trip through time. I hope this will become one of your favorites too.

Grandma Minnie's Sweet Potato Casserole

5 lbs. sweet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
2 sticks of butter
1 can of crushed pineapple
1 cup of sugar
2 cups of brown sugar
1 cup of pecans chopped
1 bag of large marshmallows
1- 13x9 baking pan
1- parchment lined baking sheet

First boil your sweet potatoes as you would potatoes for mashed potatoes. Once they are fork tender,then mash sweet potatoes with one stick of butter and 1 cup of brown sugar. I know this is a sweet dish but it is worth it. Pour mashed sweet potatoes into your baking dish. Next place pineapple and 1 cup of sugar in a saucepan. Boil until liquid disappears. This happens in about 12 minutes. Pour pineapple on top of mashed sweet potatoes. Next take one stick of butter and brown sugar and place into a saucepan. Once the sugar and butter are melted add the pecans. Coat evenly. Then place pecans on a parchment lined baking sheet put in the oven at 250' for one hour. Turning EVERY 15 MINUTES. If you don't they will BURN!! Once they have cooled, crunch them up and place on top of pineapple. You are almost done now... Place marshmallows in a even line and cover top completely. Put into 325' oven until heated through. Marshmallows should be golden. This will happen in 30 minutes but keep a careful watch on them.

This is so good! I cannot wait until Turkey day. I will post mashed potatoes and gravy in a little bit.

Turkey and Ham

I have ordered fresh turkeys for years and love them. I think the taste is the best for the money too. Here is what I do and it is nothing too fancy. I know a lot of you brine your turkeys for taste and moistness but to tell the truth, I have never had a bad tasting turkey. That is since I took over the cooking role of my mother when I was 12. Sorry mom. :)

Rinse thawed or fresh turkey and pat dry
Rub oil all over bird. This means inside and out. The oil really makes the skin taste good. You will want to place your salt and pepper in small dishes. I do this so I will not cross contaminate the salt and pepper mills. Salt and pepper the turkey INSIDE and OUT generously. Don't worry if it looks like a lot. It will soak into the meat on the inside and remember you only get a small piece of skin with each slice of turkey. Place in a large roasting pan and bake in your oven according to your turkey's cooking instructions. I use my Nesco, so there is no need to baste but when I use the oven I baste every hour that the turkey is in the oven. I also cover my turkey in the oven with foil when it reaches the brown color I like.

Now on to the ham. We really like Cure 81 hams. My husband is really quite picky on what ham he likes. I guess not picky but he likes what he likes. I guess that is where the children get that from. We don't use glazes either. I just put the ham in the oven in a covered roasting pan and warm it through at 325'. Depending on the size this can take anywhere from 30--1 1/2 hours.

That is it for now. Raven opened her play yesterday with the lead role! We will go celebrate today.

Thanksgiving 2008

Every year I write up a menu with the date in the heading, like the one above. Not sure why?? Maybe it is my type A personality coming out. Who knows? All I know is that it makes me happy to see the menu with what is needed handwritten next the menu choice. I use recipes my family loves and always have. Not too many new things, maybe one or two but the comfort food is what they want. Me too... I have a tablecloth I made many years ago with every feather known to man on it. We have used it every year since. I made embroidered napkins this year on my new machine, love them. I cannot believe I have not done it before. Well enough chit chat. Here is the menu. I will post recipes in a day or so and the pictures will come on Turkey Day.

Turkey-- of course, I am cooking a 22 pounder this year in my Nesco with the convection feature. I truly love my Nesco! If you don't have one you must get one. It frees up your oven for many other things on Turkey Day.

Ham-- we always have ham too

Grandma Minnie's Sweet Potatoes-- These are to die for!!

Mashed Potatoes and Turkey Gravy--enough said

Cranberry Sauce--I make homemade. I like the store bought when in the hospital but you should at least try making a homemade version this year.

Broccoli Casserole-- This is my favorite.. My recipe is a little different.

Granny West's Corn Casserole--- This is my father's favorite. Sweet and savory at the same time. Granny knew what she was doing when it came to cooking.

Green Beam Casserole--Love it but I do tweak it a bit.

Homemade Hot Rolls--These are the BEST and EASIEST you will ever eat or make. Stay tuned..

Dressing--Yes, we call it dressing on Beaty's Creek. My husband helps with this. I love it raw out of the bowl. I am hungry for it right now. Must wait..Must wait..

5 Cup Salad--Everyone really likes this. Cool and fruity

7 Layer Salad-- I use baby greens in this because Raven HATES iceberg. Me too.

Deviled Eggs---Would not be a holiday without these.

Pecan Pie---I use organic pecans. We grow pecan trees at my mom and dad's farm. They make such a difference!

Pumpkin Pie-- Basic but so good

2 Layer Pumpkin Pie-- Like a cheesecake but even better to me.

Chocolate Chip Pie-- I could eat the whole thing but of course I don't....

Pumpkin Roll--Looks so impressive but is really pretty easy to make. Just takes some practice.

Ice Tea and Coffee

I make my pie crust. It is just easier for me. I like to know what goes into our food. Ever read a store bought crust's ingredients?? Scary!!

There it is. You never know what fresh produce will make me think of something to add to the menu. I will shop in the following week. Get your menu going. You might be like me and have one every year now. It is something to see year after year. Gets me in the mood. Oh wait, I am always in the mood for good food.

Apple Strudel

I know I promised this recipe quite a few days ago so better late than never. I love apple strudel soo much!! I love the crispy layers of crust and the sweet but not too sweet apple filling. This recipe is VERY EASY so you must try it! No excuses!

Here is what you will need;
7 or 8 peeled and sliced apples- I used organic jonagold
2 sticks of butter
1 T cinnamon
1-cup sugar
½ package of phyllo dough- thawed in the fridge overnight

Melt 1 stick of butter in a sauté pan. Add apples, sugar and cinnamon. Cook for 10 minutes or just until apples begin to soften. Take 2nd stick of butter and melt in microwave. Use a brush and brush EACH LAYER OF PHYLLO DOUGH!! Don’t skip this step or your strudel will taste like shoe soles. Don’t ask how I know this. Place the buttered layers on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Spoon cooled apples into middle of phyllo. Bring the phyllo around and close off. Make sure you sealed well. Should seal easily with the phyllo being buttered. Take a fork and poke several holes on top of your strudel. Sprinkle top with sugar. Bake @ 325’ until golden brown. This should take any where from 20-25 minutes. Cut and enjoy…


It is very cool and rainy on Beaty’s Creek today. I am making my Thanksgiving Menu tonight and will post it soon. Can’t wait until Turkey Day!! Til then keep cooking….

Potato Soup and Rubber Bread

What is better and easier than a pot of potato soup?? There are many versions, some call for milk or cream to be added at the end and some are just a water base soup. I love either one. My husband likes fresh onions chopped and put on top of his bowl of soup. Raven and Ransome like a little bit of crisp bacon crumbled over the top of theirs. Potato soup is comfort food for me no matter how you fix it. I am also including a recipe for Rubber Bread. The recipe comes from my husband’s Grandmother Minnie. Hope you will give these two recipes a try. It is going to be a cool week around Beaty’s Creek, a good time for soup.

Potato Soup
5 pounds of potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, cut into ¼ chunks
2 carrots, peeled and cut into ¼ thick disks
1 stick of butter
Just enough water to cover potatoes, carrots, celery and onions
Milk to color broth once everything is done
Salt and Pepper to taste

Melt butter into a large soup pot. Place onions, celery, and carrots into butter. Cook until slightly softened, 5-8 minutes. Add potatoes, salt, pepper and cover with water. Cook on medium heat until veggies are fork tender, 20 minutes. Add your milk. Make slurry of 1 cup of broth from soup and 2 T cornstarch. Pour into soup and stir very well. This will make a more creamy soup. If you want a thin broth don’t add the slurry.

Serve with chopped onions and crisp bacon.


Rubber Bread

5 cups of all-purpose flour
3 cups of water
Oil to coat skillet

Pour flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the middle of the flour. Pour water in the well. Mix with hands until it has the feel of biscuit dough. You may need a little more water or flour. Depends on your location. Humidity is a big factor here. Form into flat rounds about 3 inches big. Brown on each side in a cast iron skillet. Serve hot with potato soup or pinto beans.

Apple Butter

Oh how I love apple butter. I love it on toast or some good homemade biscuits. I love it in a spoon too. I have made apple butter for many of my 38 years. My grandmother started me on the path. She always made it for me when I was little. I can still smell the cinnamon in the air. Oh, wait...there is cinnamon in the air because I am making apple butter in my crock pot!! You will be shocked at just how easy it really is. Some people put vinegar in their apple butter. How gross is that?? Sorry but the truth hurts sometimes. I can always taste the vinegar. I think people do it so the the acid level will be high enough so that the butter will not ruin. I have never had that problem in my life. You just need to make sure that you watch the time when canning in a hot water bath. You can even store this in the fridge for 2 weeks with no problem. This year I am making the apple butter with organic jonagold apples from Iowa. They are so good. I have used all kinds of apples so just use what you have on hand and adjust the sugar to the particular apple you are using.

Apple Butter
25 apples peeled, quartered, and cored
1/4 cup of water
Sugar to taste
2 T cinnamon (I use more but we really like cinnamon)
Time...

Place apples into crockpot with water. Cook on high all day. That is at least 8 hours. Add sugar and cinnamon. Continue to cook overnight. Stir in the morning and see if it is thickness of warm pudding. If not continue to cook on high until this is reached. This is usually done when butter cooks overnight.
Ladle into hot canning jars. Seal with canning lids. Place jars into a deep enough pan that you can place water 1 inch over jars. Process for 12 minutes. remove from pan and cool. Jars will be sealed when cooled. If not place into fridge and use within 2 weeks.