Cozy Cottage Thanksgiving Recipes


We would like to say hello and thanks so much for dropping in to browse through some of our great Thanksgiving Day recipes.  Take your time and enjoy!

 

Acorn Squash

  • 1 1/2 pounds acorn squash (1 1/2 to 2 pounds)
  • 1 tablespoon margarine

Preparing for Cooking: Wash squash. Cut lengthwise in half. You will need to do this on a cutting board and using your biggest knife because the shell is quite tough. Scrape out the seeds and fibers with a soup spoon.

Baking: Heat the oven to 400º. Place squash, cut sides up, in a baking dish. Sprinkle cut sides with salt and pepper. Place small dabs of margarine or butter over cut surface and in cavity, using about 1 tablespoon margarine for each squash. Pour water into baking dish until it is about 1/4 inch deep. Cover with aluminum foil. The squash will probably be taller than the baking dish, so the foil may touch the squash.

Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. When removing the foil to test for doneness, open a side of the foil away from you to allow steam to escape. Lift the squash from the baking dish with a large spoon or spatula. Scrape the cooked squash out of the shell and into a serving dish.

Tips:  Use a glass baking dish if possible. If you use a metal pan, the water may leave a dark mark on it.

For more flavor, mash the cooked squash with a fork, then stir in about 1 tablespoon margarine or butter and 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar.

 

Autumn Fruit Salad
  • 2 Red Delicious apples
  • 1 sliced banana
  • 1 Granny Smith apple
  • 2 Bartlett pears
  • 1/2 pound red grapes
  • 1/2 cup almond slivers -- toasted
  • 1 cup vanilla yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider

Wash and core apples and pears, peeling if desired. Cut into one-inch chunks. Slice banana 1/2" thick. Wash grapes and cut in half. Combine fruits and almonds in salad bowl. Mix yogurt with spices and cider. Pour over fruit salad and stir to coat fruits evenly. Chill.

 

Brown Sugar-Glazed Carrots
  • 2 pounds carrots (6 to 7 medium)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, if desired
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup margarine or butter
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Peel the carrots, and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Heat 1 inch water to boiling in the saucepan over high heat. Add the 1/4 teaspoon salt if desired. Add the carrot slices. Cover and heat to boiling again. Reduce heat just enough so water bubbles gently. Cook covered 12 to 15 minutes or until carrots are tender when pierced with a fork.

While carrots are cooking, heat the brown sugar, margarine, orange peel and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is bubbly. Be careful not to overcook or the mixture will taste scorched. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Drain carrots in a strainer, then stir them into the brown sugar mixture. Cook over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and gently, until carrots are glazed and hot.

 

Cranberry Waldorf Salad
  • 1 12-ounce package fresh cranberries
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 medium apples -- unpeeled, cored and diced
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup seedless red grapes -- halved
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnut pieces
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise

In food processor, coarsely chop cranberries, stir in sugar. Cover and chill 4 hours. Drain cranberries for about 2 hours, reserving liquid for another use. In large bowl, stir together remaining ingredients and gently stir in drained cranberries.

 

Glazed Baked Ham

BROWN-SUGAR GLAZE

  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons orange or pineapple juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard (dry)

Allow about 1/3 pound ham per person, slightly less for a boneless ham and slightly more for ham with a bone.

Place the ham, fat side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. The rack keeps the ham out of the drippings and prevents scorching. It is not necessary to brush the ham with pan drippings while it bakes.

Insert a meat thermometer so the tip is in the thickest part of the ham and does not touch bone or rest in fat.

Bake uncovered in 325° oven for the time listed in the chart. It is not necessary to preheat the oven. While the ham is baking, prepare Brown Sugar Glaze (below).

Remove the ham from the oven 30 minutes before it is done. Remove any skin from the ham. Make cuts about 1/2 inch apart in a diamond pattern in the fat surface of the ham, not into the meat. Insert a whole clove in the corner of each diamond if desired. Pat or spoon glaze over the ham.

Bake uncovered about 30 minutes longer or until thermometer reads 135°. Cover the ham with a tent of aluminum foil and let stand 15 to 20 minutes or until thermometer reads 140°. (Temperature will continue to rise about 5° and roast will be easier to carve as juices set up.)

Brown-Sugar Glaze Mix all ingredients. Makes enough for a 4- to 8-pound ham.

 

Pumpkin Cheesecake
  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup margarine or butter -- melted
  • 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese -- softened
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin
  • 3 eggs
  • Caramelized Sugar -- (recipe follows)

CARAMELIZED SUGAR

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons water

Mix graham cracker crumbs, pecans, 1/3 cup brown sugar and the margarine. Press evenly on bottom and side of ungreased springform pan, 9 × 3 inches. Refrigerate 20 minutes.

Heat oven to 300º. Beat cream cheese, sour cream, 1 cup brown sugar and the spices in large bowl on medium speed until smooth. Add pumpkin. Beat in eggs on low speed. Pour over crumb mixture.

Bake about 1 hour 15 minutes or until center is firm. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours but no longer than 48 hours.

Prepare Caramelized Sugar; drizzle with fork over top of chilled cheesecake. Loosen cheesecake from side of pan; remove side of pan. Place cheesecake on plate. Refrigerate any remaining cheesecake immediately.

CARAMELIZED SUGAR:

Combine sugar and water in small saucepan. Boil mixture over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring, until golden brown. Remove from heat and gently swirl until syrup stops cooking. Let caramel cool about 1 minute or until thick enough to drizzle from fork.

Savory Stuffing

  • 4 cups soft bread crumbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon savory
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/3 cup melted butter
  • 1/3 cup onion -- chopped
  • 1/3 cup celery

Combine bread crumbs and seasonings. In small skillet, melt butter. Add onion and celery. Sauté until onion is transparent. Toss with bread crumb mixture.

Holiday Fruitcake

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup salad oil
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 bananas -- chunked
  • 1 cup chopped dates
  • 1 pound mixed fruit 
  • 2 cups chopped pecans

Mix all ingredients except dried fruit, pecans, candied fruit and dates. Beat 3 minutes with mixer on high speed. After mixing well, stir in the remaining ingredients.

Line 2 loaf pans (9 × 5 × 3) with waxed paper and grease well. Pour in mixture and bake at 275 degrees for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Cover with foil last hour to keep from over-browning. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Freeze this if you wish; thaw slowly. Yield: 2 loaves of fragrant, delicious Christmas cakes.

 

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