Candied Yams

Ingredients:

2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 stick butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. all spice
1/4 tsp.nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:                     

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel the sweet potatoes and rinse them well. Cut the potatoes into desired shape (I prefer chunks). In a pot over medium low heat, melt the butter. Add in the sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the cinnamon, all spice, and nutmeg. Add in the vanilla extract. Let the mixture bubble, the remove it from the heat and stir in the sweet potatoes, making sure they are fully coated with the syrup. Pour the mixture into a lightly greased baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour, (or until desired texture is reached) stirring halfway through.

Simple Roasted Turkey

For the brine:

-          2 gallons of water (more if needed)

-          ¾ cups kosher salt

-          1 tbsp. peppercorns

-          1 large onion, chopped into quarters

-          6 garlic cloves, smashed

-          Fresh Rosemary and Thyme (about 4 sprigs of each)

For the turkey:

-          1 (10 pound) turkey, fully thawed

-          5 tbsp. butter, softened

-          1 tsp. poultry seasoning

-          1 tsp. seasoned salt

-          ½ tsp. black pepper

-          3 stalks of celery, chopped into large pieces

-          1 large onion, chopped into large pieces

-          2 larger carrots, chopped into large pieces

-          2 cups chicken broth

Directions

Brine:

Mix all the ingredients together until the salt is fully dissolved in a large container that will hold the liquid and the turkey. If you choose, you can boil the mixture so that all the flavors can infuse into the water quicker, but make sure you cool it before adding in the turkey.

Turkey:

Rinse the turkey thoroughly and remove the neck and giblets pack from inside the cavity. Place the turkey into the brine and make sure that it is fully submerged in the water. Add more water if needed. Cover the container with the turkey in it and place in the refrigerator for 15 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse thoroughly. Let the turkey sit out for one hour to come to room temperature after removing it from the brine. Pat the turkey completely dry with paper towels. Mix the poultry seasoning, seasoned salt, and black pepper together. Season the inside of the cavity with some of the seasonings. Smear the butter over the entire surface of the turkey. Sprinkle the remaining seasoning mixture all over the turkey. If you choose, you can stuff the cavity with stuffing or any type of aromatics you prefer. You may also put the turkey in an oven roasting bag.

Line the bottom of a roasting pan with the celery, onion, and carrots. Pour the chicken broth over the vegetables. Place the turkey on top of the vegetables, tucking the wing tips underneath it and tying the legs together with kitchen twine or even use some aluminum foil (Doing this helps make sure they cook evenly). Place the turkey into the oven and bake according to the chart below, basting every 30 minutes with the juices in the bottom of the roasting pan.

The turkey is done when the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees.

When the turkey is done, let it set for a minimum of 30 minutes before cutting into it.

Notes:

• You may put the turkey in an oven roasting bag if you choose.
• You will have to adjust the recipe, if you use a larger turkey.

Sausage Stuffing Recipe

Ingredients:

-          12 cups white bread (about 15 slices) [Or stuffing cubes]

-          1 onion, diced

-          3 stalks celery, chopped

-          2 tbsp. vegetable oil

-          1 pound ground sausage (Italian or Breakfast)

-          2 cups chicken broth (add more if needed for desired texture)

-          2 eggs, beaten

-          ½ tsp ground sage

-          1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

-          ½ tsp. fresh thyme

-          1 tsp. dried parsley

-          Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice bread in to half inch cubes. Spread bread cubes on a baking sheet(s) in a single layer. Place the cubes into the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until completely dried out (keep an eye on them). In a skillet over medium heat, brown the sausage and drain of any fat. Set the sausage aside. In the same skillet, sauté the onions and celery with the oil about 5 minutes or until soft. In a large bowl, add the dried bread cubes, sausage, onions and celery, rosemary, thyme, parsley, and sage. Mix well. Mix in the beaten eggs and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes to cool and set.

Loaded Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients:

- 1 (1 pound 14 oz) bag frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
- 6 tbsp. butter, melted
- 16 ounces (2 cups) sour cream
- 2 (10.5 ounce) cans cream of mushroom or chicken
- 2 cups shredded cheese
- 1/2 cup diced ham
- 6 to 8 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
- salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix the hash brown, butter, sour cream, cream of mushroom, and cheese. Add the bacon and ham and mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.