Happy Thanksgiving !

I've made it! I hope all of you had a very happy and joyous Thanksgiving, and that you got to spend it with the ones you love. I know I did, spending all day in the kitchen never bothers me, especially when I can put a good meal out for the ones I care about, so I enter the kitchen at 7 am and I don't leave until 3:30. It was a long day full of great food and great smells and great people. I have so many recipes to share so I'm starting with a menu layout to make it easier, and a lot of these can be made for any holiday meal!

Thanksgiving Day Menu

(* made before the actual day)

Appetizers:

• Proscuitto Wrapped Shrimp
• Chex Mix*
• Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies
• Parmesan Thyme Mushroom Caps

Main Meal:

• Garlic and Herb Rubbed Turkey
• Crockpot Parmesan Potatoes
• Crockpot Yams
• Potato Rolls
• Seasonal Salad
• Cornbread and Wild Rice Stuffing (half *)

Dessert:

• No bake Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake*

Drinks:

• Red wine
• Pomegranate Martini

Recipes:

1. Proscuitto Wrapped Shrimp: In a small bowl toss together 2 tbsp paprika, 2 tsp ground black pepper, 2 tbsp olive oil and 20 deveined, no tail, shrimp. Cut one small package of proscuitto in half, then wrap each shrimp with one piece of proscuitto, skewer with a tooth pick. Broil for 2-4 minutes.
2.  The Chex Mix we made two nights before Thanksgiving.
3. Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies: This is simple, take one package of little smokies and one package of bacon, cut the bacon into 4ths and wrap it around each smokie. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve!
4. Parmesan Thyme Mushroom Caps: In a skillet fry up 16 mushroom caps, cap down in 3 tbsps of olive oil. Then in a small bowl toss together mushrooms, 2 tbss of thyme, 2 tsps minced garlic, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp lemon juice and 3 tbsp melted butter. Place in a 9x13 pan and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. 
   
5. Garlic and Herb Rubbed Turkey: Take a 14-16 lb turkey and pat it dry. Mix together 2 tsp minced garlic, 3 tbsp of italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp lemon pepper seasoning,  1 tbsp basil, 1 tbsp parsley and 2 tsp garlic powder. Rub it thoroughly over the turkey. Then stuff the cavity with the wedges of 1 orange and 1 lemon. 
6. Crockpot Parmesan Potatoes: Take a 5lb bag of russet potatoes, washed and cut into quarters. Place in a large crock pot with 1 cup of chicken broth, 1/2 cup butter and 2 tbsps minced garlic. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Then add 1 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan, 2 tbsps oregano and 1 tsp salt. Mix well and serve!
   
7. Crockpot Yams: In a crockpot place 30 oz canned yams drained, add 1/2 cup heavy cream over the top. Then sprinkle 1 tbsp cinnamon and 1/2 cup of brown sugar over and then top with 2 sticks of butter. Turn on low for 4 1/2 hours.
8. Potato Rolls: I was not in charge of the rolls, but they were delicious, thanks Hattie!
9. Seasonal Salad: Take a 16 oz of an arugula and spinach mix, add 2 handfuls of dried cranberries and 6 oz of feta (usually we add about a cup of walnuts but we had guests with allergies). Serve with a balsamic vinaigrette!
10. Cornbread and Wild Rice Stuffing: Before the big day, prepare 1 cup of uncooked wild rice as directed and 5 pieces of bacon cut into 4ths. Then the day of prepare one box of cornbread stuffing as directed. Take 1lb of suasage and cook until browned. Combine all ingredients and bake at 350 for 30 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered to brown. Serve!
11. No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake: In a large mixing bowl or kitchen aid, mix together 8 oz of cream cheese, 1 container of whipped cream, 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp pumpkin spice and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Mix until well blended. Take mixture and fill a 9 inch graham cracker crust. Cover and put into the fridge until ready to eat!
    
12. Pomegranate Martini: In a shaker place 1.5 oz gin 1.5 oz pomegranate juice freshly squeezed, and .5 oz of grand marnier with ice, shake well and serve in a standard size martini glass (makes one martinit). 

Happy Holidays Everyone! And remember to eat well! Happy Eatings!