Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday of the year, I love Turkey and Dressing/pumpkin pie, sweet potatoes/7 layer salad. I start on Monday the week of Thanksgiving getting prepared, I cook my cornbread(I add extra eggs to my cornbread instead of using raw eggs while making dressing) and biscuits for the dressing and put in refrigerator, get my pumpkin cooked and processed, Tuesday I make sure I have all the ingredients I need for making all the dishes. Wednesday I make pumpkin pies and other deserts. My favorite pumpkin is the(green striped crushaw or the cow pumpkin) I head over to Diebolds at Benton to buy them. I love the smell of Thanksgiving Dinner cooking. My sister is a very gracious host every year, she has the big house and we always have a great time with family and friends. Thanks sis we love you.

I am going to share some our favorites for Thanksgiving. I hope you enjoy. I have an 18 quart electric roaster that I use for my Turkey and Dressing.

Turkey and Dressing

Turkey

rinse thoroughly, put in pan, sprinkle with salt, cook till done, sometimes during cooking I spoon some broth over it, to make sure it does not get dry.

Dressing

cornbread, 9x13 pan
biscuits, 2 cans regular
3/4 cup onion finely chopped
3/4 cup celery finely chopped
sage, depends on your taste
salt and black pepper, to you liking
turkey broth

crumble cornbread and biscuits, add onion, celery, sage, salt, pepper and enough broth to mix good, I then put small amount in bowl to see if I need more sage and salt. I always keep canned turkey or chicken broth in case I need extra. Put in roaster around turkey and cook 45 min. to an hour. During cooking I rub some butter on turkey so it will brown nicely.

Pumpkin Pie

2eggs(slightly beaten)
2 cups pumpkin
3/4 cp sugar/splenda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 2/3 cp evaporated milk
1 deep pie unbake pie crust

Mix ingredients in order given, pour into pie crust, bake in preheated oven (425) for 15 min, reduce temperature to(350) and continue baking for approx. 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Sweet Potatoes

Potatoes, peel and cut in wedges
1/4 cp brown sugar, I use splenda brown sugar
1/2 cp granulated sugar, I use splenda salt, just enough to sprinkle with
cinnamon, to taste
1/2 to 1 stick butter
marshmallows to cover top with

Put butter in electric skillet, add potatoes, cook on med about 15 to 20 min turning once, sprinkle with surgars, salt and cinnamon, let cook till liguid is carmelized. Then transfer to baking dish or can leave in skillet and put marshmallows on top ,let melt or brown.

7 Layer Salad

1 bag frozen green peas, thawed
1 head lettuce chopped or torn
1 head cauliflower, taken apart in small peices 1 head broccoli, cut apart in small peices
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped colored bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped celery

Layer in large salad bowl.

Dressing

1 to 2 packages dry ranch dressing
1 cup miracle whip- per package of dressing
1 cup sour cream-per package of dressing
mix thoroughly, spread on top of salad

Then top with:

1 package shredded cheese
Bacon Bits

Pumpkin Pie Cookie Cake

1 large can (32oz) pumpkin
1 cup sugar/splenda
1 large can (13oz) evaporated milk
3 eggs
4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix together and put in a large cookie sheet pan that has been greased or parchment paper. Sprinkle with 1 box of yellow cake mix over the top. Melt 1 and 1/2 sticks of butter/margarine and drizzle over the dry cake mix. Sprinkle 1/2 cups of chopped pecans over that.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 min

I hope everyone has a very Blessed Thanksgiving.