I must say - this was probably the most organized Thanksgiving turkey dinner I've cooked. Thank goodness. My oven behaved - probably because I took care to tuck in the wings this time - so that the dripping grease wouldn't drop down onto the burners causing a bit of a "flare-up" which My oven is prone to do if something boils over. Anyway, I cooked the bird as I usually do - upside down on the "X" shaped rack that has been a stand-by for such an event each turkey day. The bird is then slow cooked at 250 degrees - not basting until the skin hardens a bit. This seals in the juices, making the bird more moist. About half way through after the underside is nicely browned, I turn the bird over, to brown and cook the breast. When the breast reaches 180 degrees internally, we grab the carvers and that beautiful creation soon becomes a mess. Everything turned out quite well - expect perhaps for the marshmallows that were put on the sweet potato/pineapple dish - they refused to melt and perhaps the toasting oven was a bit too toasty. Ahem. So - now for making the pies. I liked my scheme last year - freezing the turkey, dressing and gravy in a pie pan shaped container. Then it is ready for use - either put in a pie shell - adding frozen peas, and top crust and baking. Or - just heating it up for another plain meal. Either way, lots of good left-over eating in store. As luck would have it - I had lots of volunteer help with clean up - and yours truly was ready for early retirement. Hope you had a nice holiday. Soooo - on to the next big bash - right. What are you planning on eating for X-mas - another turkey perhaps/or? Oh yes - about the dressing - it was a bit moist - will add less moisture next time, but tasty nevertheless. Some sage would have been nice tho. Just my 2 c's. Bejay

We call it dressing and it's never put in the bird. This recipe is from my great grandmother (Mawmaw) and her sister (Boopie) who came to Texas on a covered wagon from Tennessee. The notes are how my mom makes it. Mawmaw & Boopie's East Texas Cornbread dressing 1 pan cornbread (she uses two packages of Corn Kits and makes it in a cast iron skillet, according to package directions) 1 can biscuits, baked (or one sleeve of crackers, crushed, if you don't feel like making biscuits) 2 cups onions chopped 1 cup celery chopped 1 stick of butter 4 boiled eggs (chopped) 2 large boxes of chicken broth (or broth made from turkey parts) salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon sage 2 eggs, beaten 4 to 5 bacon slices Crumble cornbread and biscuits in a large bowl. Lightly sautee (don't brown) onion and celery together in the stick of butter (she does this in the microwave in a large glass measure). Add the veggies to the crumbs. Add seasoning and boiled eggs. Mix well. Add the broth until it's a very moist mixture, almost soupy. Then add two beaten eggs and mix well. Put in a 9x13 pan. Lay 4 or 5 bacon slices acrosss the top. Bake at 350 for one hour or until brown on top. That makes about 10 to 12 servings. She suggests you make this the night before, refrigerate, and bake the next day. Some notes from her: She says this is optional, but she also adds chopped green onion sauteed with the other veggies, parsley (dried or fresh), and fresh sage.

I haven't tried either of these. They were in our newspaper today and looked interesting. MINTED WILD RICE PILAF WITH TURKEY, FETA, AND OLIVES Prep and cook time: About 1-1/2 hours Makes: 2 servings 1 tbsp. salted sweet cream butter 1/2 cup brown rice 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 1/2 cup wild rice, rinsed and drained 1-1/2 cups vegetable broth 2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary 1 cup bite-size pieces cooked turkey 3 oz. feta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1/4 cup pitted, chopped kalamata or other Greek olives 3 tbsp. chopped fresh mint Mint sprigs Melt butter in a 3- to 4-quart pan over medium-high heat. Add brown rice and onion. Cook, stirring often, until rice is lightly toasted and opaque, about 6 minutes. Add wild rice, broth, parsley, and rosemary. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until wild rice is tender to bite and liquid is mostly absorbed, 45 to 55 minutes. Uncover pan and stir in turkey, feta, and olives. Stir often until meat is heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in chopped mint then transfer pilaf to a serving dish or individual plates. Garnish with mint sprigs. Per serving: 658 calories, 38 percent (252 cal.) from fat; 35 g protein; 28 g fat (13.5 g sat.); 66 g carbohydrates (5.2 g fiber); 1082 mg sodium; 115 mg cholesterol TURKEY-COUSCOUS SALAD WITH GINGER-PEACH DRESSING Prep and cook time: 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes cooling time Notes: While you wait for the water to boil, slice the vegetables. To save more time, use jarred pureed or chopped garlic instead of peeling and chopping fresh garlic. The dressing can be made and kept refrigerated up to one week in advance. Just before serving, combine salad, dressing, and turkey. Makes: 6 to 8 side servings Salad 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 box (10 oz.) plain couscous 3/4 lb. diced cooked turkey 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper 1/2 cup half-moon sliced cucumber 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion 1/2 cup shredded carrots 1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, well drained Peach Dressing 1 tbsp. lemon or lime juice 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1/4 tsp. grated fresh ginger 1/4 tsp. finely chopped fresh garlic or garlic puree 1 can (8.5 oz.) sliced peaches, drained Salt and hot sauce Pour 2 cups boiling water into a 4- to 5-quart casserole, bowl, or other non-plastic container with a lid. Stir in oil and couscous. Cover tightly for 5 minutes. When grains are hydrated, fluff them with a fork, re-cover, and place in the refrigerator to cool for 30 minutes. When cooled, fluff and separate couscous grains again with a fork. (If making ahead, refrigerate, covered, for up to two days). Meanwhile, make dressing. In a blender or food processor, puree lemon juice, vinegar, oil, ginger, garlic, and peaches. Add salt and hot sauce to taste. Gently mix turkey, red bell pepper, cucumber, celery, green onion, carrot, and pineapple into cooled couscous. Add peach dressing. Stir mixture gently but thoroughly to ensure dressing is evenly distributed. Serve immediately. Per serving: 308 calories, 16 percent (145 cal.) from fat; 16 g protein; 5.4 g fat (0.8 g sat.); 49 g carbohydrates (2.5 g fiber); 264 mg sodium; 95 mg cholesterol

Tried a new recipe for hot dinner rolls; they were not good - recipe will go in the trash. Following are three recipes that were the stars: Canal House's Cranberry-Port Gelée Adapted very slightly from Canal House Cooks Every Day (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2012) Genius Recipes 1 cup port (or red wine or Madeira) 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon juniper berries 10 black peppercorns 1 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries (about 4 cups -- frozen can be substituted) Put the port, sugar, juniper berries, and peppercorns into a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the cranberries and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the cranberries burst and are very soft, about 10 minutes more. Strain the sauce into a bowl through a fine-mesh sieve, pushing the solids through the screen with a rubber spatula. Stir the thin and thick portions of the strained gelée together. Transfer to a pretty serving bowl. (A funnel or liquid measuring cup with a spout can be useful for transferring without splashing the sides.) Cover and refrigerate. It will firm up within a few hours, or can be made several days ahead. Creamed Onion Gratin 2 medium yellow onions, cored and quartered lengthwise 1/4 cup olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 2 tbsp. unsalted butter 2 tbsp. flour 1 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup dry white wine (I used a Riesling) Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan 3 oz. Gorgonzola, crumbled 1/4 tsp. paprika Heat oven to 350°. Toss onions with oil in a 9″ × 11″ baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Bake, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly browned, about 1 hour; set aside. Heat oven to broil. Heat butter in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat; add flour, and cook, stirring, until smooth, about 1 minute. Add cream and wine, and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Pour sauce evenly over onions. Sprinkle with parmesan, dot with Gorgonzola, and sprinkle with paprika; broil until cheese is melted and golden brown on top, about 2 minutes. Serves 6 - 8 Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Capers and Lemony Browned Butter adapted from All About Roasting: A New Approach to a Classic Art by Molly Stevens 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, yellow or brown 2 tablespoons capers, drained 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 425 degrees (400 degrees convection). If desired, line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Depending on their size, cut the Brussels sprouts in halves or quarters; you want them to be small enough to be bite-sized. Place in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the sprouts in a single layer on the baking sheet. Don’t worry if some of the leaves fall off. Include these when roasting; they will crisp up, adding a nice crunch to the dish. Slide the Brussels sprouts into the oven and roast, turning once or twice with a metal spatula to promote even cooking, until the sprouts are tender throughout and smaller bits or leaves that have fallen off are browned and crunchy, 20 to 25 minutes. Test for doneness by piercing a sprout with the tip of a paring knife, but to be sure, nab one off the baking sheet, let it cool slightly, and taste; it should be tender and sweet. As the sprouts roast, melt the butter in a small skillet or heavy saucepan (it should be no more than 6 inches across or the butter will burn). Cook over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the mustard seeds, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, watching the pan carefully and swirling frequently, until the butter begins to foam and turns golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the capers and lemon juice "the butter will sizzle" and immediately remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste and keep warm until the Brussels sprouts are ready. Transfer the Brussels sprouts to a serving dish and add the browned butter. Toss to coat. Taste for salt, pepper, and lemon and serve immediately. Makes four servings