Garlic Smashed Potatoes.

Peel and cut potatoes... place in WELL SALTED water. Potatoes are nothing without salt. Always season your water.

Peel a couple of cloves of garlic, about one clove per potato. Place the cloves in the water with the taters.

Boil everything. If you have a pressure cooker, even better. A pressure cooker is not only faster, but it infuses the flavors. The new pressure cookers are not like the old fashioned kind the blew up, they are very cool and don't explode.

After the potatoes are tender, drain, leaving just a little water, I am talking like 1/4 cup here.

Start smashing everything while adding butter, and I mean BUTTER, not margerine, half and half ( use milk if you want ) and cream cheese. Yes, you heard me, Cream Cheese.

The garlic will be really soft and just mash in with everything. This is not a wicked garlic taste, it's very mellow yet so delicious.

Serve to a loving family and friends who will rave about your Smashed Potatoes.

Don't forget the salt and pepper, and make sure your salt is Kosher.

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Hillary's Lovely Leg's Dressing

Two loaves of bread. One a honey wheat, one other of your choosing
Onions chopped
Celery
dried cherries or cranberries
Walnuts or Pecans
Lots of butter. Several sticks
Chicken broth
Paul Prudhomme's Poultry Seasoning
Kosher Salt, Fresh Ground Pepper.

TOAST the bread. rip or cut into crouton sized pieces. Stick in a really huge bowl.

Cut up an onion, maybe two, into little pieces.
Saute onions in a STICK of butter. Salt and pepper
Cut celery

Add Onions, celery, dried cranberries and nuts into the big bowl with the toasted bread. Melt some more better, you will need it. Toss it all with a lots of Paul Prodhomme's Poultery seasoning. Add broth and butter to moisten. You can also add some white wine for extra zip.

Now how easy was that? Shove it in the bird, or just heat it in the oven. Folks will rave. RAVE, I TELL YOU!!!!

Believe it or not, stuffing tastes better when it is not made in the turkey. The other day someone said they shove apples and seasoning in their turkey when they bake it. That would be great, and then just cook the stuffing in the oven.

Please share your recipes today. We have had so many fabulous recipes this week, now is the time to post and repost your family favorites.

Not a recipe. Just a suggestion for your appetizer tray..

I look forward to seeing all the great recipes from all and I will be trying many of them. But not on Thanksgiving as Mr. Daisy is a "Thanksgiving traditionalist" and does not appreciate any changes to the menu or the recipes on this day.

Here is our menu, albeit rather ho-hum but definitely traditional, at least at our house: turkey and giblet dressing, gravy (Mr. Daisy prepares this), mashed potatoes (son makes these), sweet potatoes (this is the exception to the rule as we are still searching for the perfect recipe for this dish), petite peas, corn casserole, fruit salad (sometimes), tossed salad (sometimes), jellied cranberry sauce, brown and serve rolls, pumpkin pie with Kool Whip.

Here are a couple for Thanksgiving:

Autumn Butternut Squash serves 8

1 lg. butternut squash
1/4 c. butter
salt and white pepper, to taste
1 T. brown sugar
1 1/2 qts. sliced, unpeeled Jon. apples
1 1/2 T. shortening
1/4 c. granulated sugar
Topping: 3 c. crushed cornflakes, 1/2 c. chopped pecans, 2 T. melted butter, 1/2 c. brown sugar

Cut squash in half lengthwise. Scrape out seed and membranes. Steam or bake until tender. Scrape out pulp and mash. Season with butter, brown sugar, s&p. Set aside.
Heat shortening in small skillet. Add apples, sprinkle with gran. sugar, cover and simmer over low heat till barely tender. Spread in a 9" round or 8" square casserole.
Spoon squash evenly over the apples. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over squash.
Bake 12-15 min. at 235-350 degrees or until browned.

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Wolfgang Puck's Cranberry Sauce, more or less (I didn't write down the quantities, so this is where you get the chance to be creative)

Cranberries
grated orange peel
port wine
butter
salt and pepper
Optional: Diced apples and/or pears

Saute cranberries in butter until they pop. Add orange peel. Add port wine and more butter - stir until it thickens. Separately, saute apples and/or pears; add to cranberry mixture. S&P to taste.

This is a really yummy bar cookie, great for those Christmas cookie assortments:

Chocolate Covered Oatmeal Cookies

1 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 c. sifted flour
1 c. rolled oats
6 oz. Hersheys chocolate (Hershey bars)
2 T. butter
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Cream 1 c. butter and sugars. Beat in eggs. Add flour and oats; mix well. Spread in greased and floured 13"x9" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Melt chococate bars and butter in a double boiler and spread over the cookies. Sprinkle with nuts.

This one is for Friday and Saturday (not for cowards):

48 HOUR MIRACLE DIET

1 CUP PAPAYA JUICE
1 BANANA
1/2 CUP GREEN TEA / STRONGLY BREWED
1 SCOOP SOY PROTEIN POWDER With SPIRULINA
1/4 CUP CARROT JUICE
1/4 CUP APRICOT JUICE

Blend all the ingredients together. Serve over ice. Recipe yeilds 2 servings. Drink every 3 hours or less (up to 6 times per day). Try to use juices with no added sugar or corn syrups, this is the key to losing fast.

You are to eat no solid foods, this is the key to losing weight. If you feel like you can't make it, eat things that are mostly water, such as lettuce and celery or baby carrots.

Do this diet for 2 days only. Although it is very healthy, it is not meant to be continued after 2 days. It is meant to jump start your weightloss, or to get off those pesky 5-10 pounds quickly. Drink lots of water, too.

Monday morning, everything still zips!

Coffee Cake

1/4 lb. butter or margarine
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 c. sour cream
1 t. vanilla
Topping: 2 t. cinnamon, 1/2 c. sugar, 1/2 c. ground nuts and/or chopped maraschino cherries

Cream margarine and sugar; beat in eggs. Sift flour, baking powder and soda. Add alternatively to egg mixture with sour cream. Add vanilla. Put half of batter in greased and floured Bundt or tube pan.
Sprinkle half of topping mixture over batter and cut through lightly with knife. Add remaining batter. Sprinkle remaining topping mixture and again cut through lightly with knife.
Bake 45 min. at 350 degrees.

Sour Cream Raisin Pie

1 egg
1 C. sugar
1 C. sour cream
1 T. vinegar
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 to 2 C. dark raisins (soak in water & check for stems)

Add vinegar to sour cream. Stir in sugar and beaten egg. Add the spices and raisins. Put in pie shell and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour(until it sets up). (you can lattice the top.) To brown top put under broiler a few minutes.

This is a quick and easy cake - very moist and flavorful.

Gingerbeer Cake

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 1/3 c. beer
3 eggs
1 T. vegetable oil
2 T. instant coffee granules
2 t. cinnamon
2 t. ginger
1/2 t. nutmeg

Mix ingredients together. Pour in well-greased Bundt or tube pan. Bake 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Glaze with confectioners sugar glaze.

It looks like you have the perfect menu for Thanksgiving. Someone here posted a good recipe for a sweet potato casserole the other day that you may be interested in.

Here is a good fruit dish recipe.

SPICED FRUIT DISH

2 sliced bananas
1 can unsweetend sliced peaches
1 can pears
1 can chunk pineapple
1 jar maraschino cherries
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tlbs. cinnamon
1 cup pecans
3 tlbs. of butter

Drain (half) of fruit juice, mix fruit together and add brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon. Stir well. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Dot with butter.

Here is a repost of that good looking cake recipe you posted. I understand you have made it and it is tried and true?

CHOCOLATE PRALINE LAYER CAKE

Cake:

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 package devil's food with pudding cake mix (Pillsbury)
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup of oil
3 eggs

Topping:

1 3/4 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
whole pecans if desired and chocolate curls if desired

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. In small saucepan combine butter, 1/4 cup whipping cream and brown sugar. Cook over low heat until butter is just melted, stirring occasionally. Pour into two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans. Sprinkle evenly with chopped pecans.

In large bowl, combine cake mix, water, oil and eggs at low speed until moistened: beat 2 minutes at highest speed. Carefully spoon batter over pecan mixture.

Bake at 325 degrees F. for 35 to 45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched in center. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely.

In small bowl, beat 1 3/4 cups of whipping cream until soft peaks form. Blend in powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until stiff peaks form.

To assemble cake: place one layer on serving plate, praline side up. Spread with half of whipping cream. Top with second layer, praline side up; spread with remaining whipped cream. Garnish with whole pecans and chocolate curls, if desired. Store in refrigerator. Makes 12 servings.

Whew!...this cake is easier to bake than it is to type! It freezes well if you have any left-over.

Enjoy!

My Thanksgiving isn't a super wild menu either. Turkey Breast on the rotisserie, garlic mashed potatoes, dressing, jellied cranberry sauce, grean beens with dried green onions, pecan pie.

This year I am going to try Utah Girl's yams, but that's a big variation. I don't cook a whole lot because I just cook for one and I end up eating turkey for days.

You don't have to cook buckets of food, you just have to cook whatever you have in the most delicious way possible.

Wow, that is perfect. We should produce our own cooking show. Martha Stewart eat your heart out!!!

Yes, I've baked that cake several times and it is wonderful! I have a funny story to tell about baking it one time a few years ago, back when I was younger and more spirited. I had baked it in a hurry and put it together before the layers had time to cool. As I was putting it into the refrigerator I let it tilt a little and the top layer slid off and hit the floor. SPLAT!!
My husband was standing there talking on the cell phone, when he saw what happened his eyes got big and he started backing out of the room real quick. I think he was afraid that I was going to start cussin! I was actually relieved because I had been worrying about eating too much of that cake, and the accident took half of the temptation away! LOL!

Lemons and limes are the richest source of vitamins and minerals known to man.They might help in your superdrink if it will not ruin the taste. I drink a whole lemon blended almost every day instead of coffee. And I make sure I do it when I am fasting.

As a reducing diet it is superior in every way to any other system because it dissolves and eliminates all types of fatty tissue. Fat melts away at the rate of about two pounds a day for most persons.

All mucus disorders such as colds,flu, asthma,hay fever,sinus and bronchial troubles are rapidly dissolved and eliminated from the body.It cleanses the kidneys and the digestive system. It purifys the glands and cells throughout the entire body.It eliminates all unusable waste and hardened material in the joints and muscles.It relieves pressure and irritation in the nerves, arteries,and blood vessels.

Maple syrup(grade c third run)has a large variety of vitamins and minerals as well. It is a balanced form of positive and negative sugars. It should be used with lemons for long term fasting.(ten days)I also take cayenne pepper for its many benefits.

I am not a doctor and diabetics need to consulte one before they try this fast or diet.I like to write my prayers down as I fast to be reminded when they are answered.

And knowing you, I will bet you set a beautiful table, even if it is just for one, and I bet your doggies keep you company.

And I know Riley appreciates your table setting, as he seems so comfortable in that picture you posted of him with the lacey curtains etc. I just love that picture, that big macho dog in a Victorian setting, looking so content.

I bet we could come up with an entire thread on cooking mishaps, like the sliding cake layers. When I was a kid, my brother and I decided we were going to make peanut butter cookies. All went well until they came out of the oven, and were spread all over the cookie sheet. Seems we failed to recognize that the part of the recipe that said to add the dry ingredients included the flour.

MARBLED PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. melted butter
2 8 oz. pkgs. Neufchatel cheese or cream cheese
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice or Chinese five-spice powder
1 1 lb. can pumpkin

Crush the gingersnaps cookie - either by placing them in a ziploc bag and mashing them with a rolling pin, or use a food processor. In a 9-inch cheesecake pan with removeable bottom, mix crumbs, gran. sugar and melted butter. Press crumb mixture over bottom and about 1 inch up sides of pan. Bake at 325 until lightly browned, about 15 min.

With an elec. mixer, beat cheese and brown sugar until blended. Add eggs one at a time, beat well after each addition. Save 1/2 of this mixture, set aside. Stir in the spice and pumpking, blend well.

Pour this mixture into crust lined pan. Drop tablespoonsful of reserved mixture randomly over pumpking mixture. With a knife, draw blade through the blobs to swirl mixtures and marbelize.

Bake in a 325 oven until center barely jiggles when cake is shaken, about 50 minutes. Cool on a rack at least 2 1/2 hours, or up to a day. Run knive around edge of cake and remove pan sides.

This is sooooo yummy!

Want to make both of your top recipes as well as the butternut squash-feeling wild! :^)

Question: Do I really put in one clove per potatoe-and smash um all once cooked on the potatoe thingie?

And secondly-could ya give me just a small hint on how much of Prudhomme's seasoning to put in the dressing? And you don't saute the celery, too? Are we talking teaspoons, tablespoons or cups? (Duh!)

I posted a bunch of recipes about 10 days ago (particularly my world famous Succotash), but here are a few more.

MIXED GREENS w/ PEARS & PECANS

One 10 oz. pkg. fancy salad greens - European mix is good

2 medium pears, sliced and patted dry with paper towels

1 c. seedless red grapes, sliced in half & patted dry with paper towels

8 oz. Marzetti Ranch Dressing (in the refrigerator section)

1/2 c. Pecan or Walnut halves (must be toasted)

1/3 - 1/2 c. crumbled best quality Blue Cheese

Mix pears, greens and grapes in large glass dish. Drizzle with dressing, sprinkle with nuts and top with cheese. SERVE IMMEDIATELY.

This is a very forgiving recipe. You can prepare everything in advance, but don't mix until ready to serve. Drying the produce and fruit with paper towels keeps the salad from being watery. I prefer the Walnuts, but my family likes the Pecans. Put them on a cookie sheet in a low oven for a few minutes to toast. This recipe is supposed to make 6 portions. I buy double of everything, then see how many people show up for dinner!

SATURDAY AFTER THANKSGIVING LEFTOVER TURKEY OR CHICKEN SALAD

One pkg. (about 9 oz.) Mozzarella Garlic Tortelloni (I use DiGiorno)

1/2 c. - 1 c. Basil Pesto Sauce

12 oz. sliced or diced chicken or turkey

1 - 2 c. of fresh chopped vegetables - I use mushrooms, zucchini, celery, etc.

One large tomato, sliced

One can large pitted ripe olives, sliced

Prepare pasta as directed on package, then drain and rinse with cold water. Toss pasta with 3/4 of the sauce and all the vegetables. Dip the chicken or turkey into the sauce and place over top of pasta. Cover with tight fitting lid and chill for at least 2 hours - or until chilled. When ready to serve, gently place on plates and arrange olives and sliced tomatoes around the edge.

The Tortelloni AND the pesto sauce can be found in refrigerated cases in the large supermarkets. If you want to make your own, great.

PINEAPPLE CHEESECAKE (no bake)

1 c. finely crushed vanilla wafers

3 T. melted butter

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1 envelope Knox unflavored gelatin

One 8 oz. can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup, drained and liquid saved

Three 8 oz. pkgs. Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

3/4 c. sugar

8 oz. Extra Creamy Cool Whip, thawed

Mix the crums, butter and cinnamon; press onto bottom of 9" springform pan.

Sprinkle gelatin over reserved pineapple liquid in small saucepan. Let stand 1 minute, then cook on low heat about 5 minutes until gelatin dissolves, stirring occasionally.

Beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gradually add gelatin mixture until well blended. Refrigerate until slightly thickened. Gently stir in pineapple and whipped cream; pour over crust. Refrigerate at least 3 hours.

A friend makes this in a deep-dish pie plate instead of the springform pan and it works just fine.

CHERRY CAKE

One 18.5 oz. pkg. white cake mix with pudding

One envelope Dream Whip

1 c. water

4 large eggs

One 21 oz. can cherry fruit filling

One 2 oz. pkg. slivered almonds, chopped & gently toasted

1/2 c. flaked coconut

2 T. brandy (or apple juice)

Beat cake mix, Dream Whip, water and eggs in large mixing bowl at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into three greased and floured 9" cake pans. Bake at 350 for 22 minutes or until toothpick tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire racks.

Put waxed paper sprinkled with sugar on top of wire racks, then turn cakes onto waxed paper to cool completely. (This keeps them from sticking).

Combine fruit filling, almonds, coconut and brandy or juice. Spread 3/4 c. of mixture evenly between layers. Spread remaining 1/4 c. on top of cake. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting on SIDES OF CAKE. Store in refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Two 3 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. butter, softened

One 16 oz. pkg. confectioners sugar

1/2 t. almond extract

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add confectioners sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in almond extract.

This is a very pretty cake and very easy to make. Be sure to have THREE cake pans on hand.

This is very good substituting pineapple pie filling for the cherry, and Amaretto for the brandy.