Ingredients:

1/2 cup orange flavored liqueur
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick, halved
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries (or defrosted if frozen)
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla

Procedure:

In a saucepan, combine the orange liqueur, sugar, water, cloves, and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the cranberries. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the berries burst, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the berries cool in the liquid. Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves and discard.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 1/4 by 5 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan.

In a mixer bowl, using the mixer on high speed (or using a hand mixer), cream the sugar and butter. Add the eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Into a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and orange juice. Alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk mixture to the creamed butter, beating after the addition of each. Fold in the reserved cranberry mixture, pecans, orange zest and vanilla. Pour into the prepared loaf pan. Bake until a tester comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes.

Turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Can be made ahead. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature 1 day or freeze for up to 2 weeks.)

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2002

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Cake:
1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Variations: For a Pineapple Gooey Cake: Instead of the pumpkin, add a drained 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.

For a Banana Gooey Cake: Prepare cream cheese filling as directed, beating in 2 ripe bananas instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

For a Peanut Butter Gooey Cake: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese filling instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients:

16-ounce bag stuffing cubes
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan and topping
1 pound fresh sage sausage, casing removed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cooking apples, such as Gravenstein, Rome, or Golden Delicious, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 to 2 ribs celery with leaves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted (See Note)

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Put the stuffing cubes in a large bowl and set aside. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and break up with a wooden spoon. Cook until it loses most of its pink color, but not so much that it’s dry, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and pan drippings to the stuffing cubes. Melt the remaining butter in the pan. Add the onion, apple, celery, and salt. Cook until the vegetables get soft, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and parsley and bring to a boil.

Pour the vegetable mixture over the stuffing cubes and toss until evenly moistened. Mix in the walnuts. Loosely pack the dressing in the prepared pan and cook uncovered until the top forms a crust, about 40 minutes. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of turkey pan drippings or melted butter over the top. Cook until the top is crisp and golden, about 20 minutes more. Set immediately or warm.

Tips: Put the dressing in the oven during the last hour of cooking the turkey
Note: To toast nuts, spread them out on a baking sheet and toast in a 350 degree F oven until golden, about 7 minutes.

Recipe courtesy Food Network Kitchens

Thanksgiving preparations can always be stressful. That’s why it’s important to plan as far ahead in advance as possible. With these helpful countdown tips, you’re sure to have a stress-free celebration.

Three weeks ahead:

· Prepare your guest list: Firm up how many people will be there.

· Find out if there are any special dietary needs for your guests.

· Place a rental order, if necessary, for tables, chairs, glasses, plates, flatware

Two weeks ahead:

· Decide on your final menu and collect the recipes you’ll need.

· Assign cooking projects to family members who offer to help.

· Order your fresh turkey, or buy your frozen turkey and put it in the freezer.

· Order or pick up alcohol and other beverages.

· Shop for non-perishable goods now, before the rush. You can buy items such as flour, sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, canned pumpkin, packaged stuffing and cornbread mixes, rice, and fresh or frozen cranberries.

One week ahead:

· Shop for non-perishable vegetables, such as butternut squash, carrots, potatoes, parsnips and turnips.

· Buy heavy cream now. In the days before Thanksgiving, it can be hard to find.

· If necessary, wash and iron linen or polish silver. Dig out your turkey roaster and platter and any serving dishes hidden away in closets or high shelves.

Three days ahead:

· Defrost. If you have a frozen turkey, clear a space in your fridge and put the bird in now.

· Clean the house–enlist household members who aren’t cooking.

· If you’re having a lot of guests, you may want to set up the table(s) and ensure you have enough space and chairs.

Two days ahead:

· Make pumpkin pies or pumpkin cheesecake, rolls, breads, and cornbread for stuffing. Refrigerate pies; you can always warm things up again before serving. Don’t make apple or pecan pie however. The crust won’t stay flaky and crisp.

· Make things that can sit for two days in the fridge such as soups and cranberry sauce.

· Prepare items such as sweet potato or green bean casserole, which can be stored uncooked in the refrigerator, to bake on the day.

One day ahead:

· Set the table. It’s easiest to do it now.

· Set up a coat rack with extra hangers.

· Do any remaining baking, including that apple or pecan pie.

· Buy your salad greens and perishable vegetables. Wash lettuce leaves now, dry well, and store by packing them in paper towels in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

· If you ordered a fresh turkey, pick it up from the butcher.

· Calculate your cooking time for tomorrow and your cooking sequence

· Figure out what can’t be cooked along with the turkey in the oven, either in terms of temperature or space. Plan to prepare those things before or after the turkey is done, or on the stovetop while it’s cooking–or, better, make them today.

Thanksgiving Day:

First off:

· Prepare stuffing for the turkey, plus extra to cook on the side.

· Prepare your vegetables for cooking–clean, peel, and chop. Cover the ready-to-go vegetables and put them in the refrigerator. Boil potatoes and mash them, they can be reheated just before serving.

Cooking time:

· Stuff the turkey and get it in the oven according to the schedule you calculated yesterday with our Turkey Calculator.

· Relaxation Time: after the turkey is in the oven - if you have completed the rest of the tasks to this point you have time to sit down away from the kitchen.

· Just before the turkey’s done, begin cooking fresh vegetables, get anything else that needs to go into the oven ready (stuffing, store bought rolls, etc.).

While the cooked turkey is resting:

· Put a foil tent over the turkey. You now have about an hour to do the remaining cooking.

· If you have a pan of stuffing on the side to bake, put it in now.

· Warm whatever needs to be warmed, including mashed potatoes, rolls, soups, and casseroles.

· Cook frozen vegetables.

· Make the gravy.

· Put all the food on the table or buffet. Don’t hesitate to press guests into service to put food in bowls, open wine bottles, fill glasses, and dish up the cranberry sauce.

· Get a plate and eat! Don’t spend the meal running back and forth to the kitchen and end up missing out on the Thanksgiving feast you’ve created.

This great advice is courtesy of the Food Network

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 1 minute
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

1 (10-pound) turkey
2 tablespoons House seasoning, recipe follows
2 tablespoons of your favorite dry rub
3 to 5 gallons peanut oil

Cooks Note: To measure the amount of oil needed to fry the turkey, place turkey in fryer, add water to top of turkey, remove the turkey and the water line will indicate how much oil will be needed to fry your turkey. Having too much oil can cause a fire. The pot should not be more than 3/4 full or the oil could overflow when the turkey is added.

Wash bird inside and out, and allow to drain. Rub turkey all over with House Seasoning. Coat turkey with dry rub. Allow the bird to sit until it reaches room temperature.
Heat peanut oil in a turkey fryer or a very, very large stockpot to 350 degrees F. Lower turkey into hot oil, making sure it is fully submerged. Fry turkey for 3 minutes per pound plus 5 minutes per bird. Remove turkey from oil and drain on paper towels.
Serve with favorite Thanksgiving sides and salads.

House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.