Thanksgiving Dinner

Our families Thanksgiving feast! (From top center - below Katherine - clockwise, Rolls, Green Bean Casserole, Turkey, Sweet Potato Casserole, Gravy, Mashed Potatoes)

We do similar for Christmas so probably wont be posting as much about food then, but will focus more on some of the treats we make around that time.

Not detailing all the recipes I used for Thanksgiving. If you want/need more info on something just ask!

The Turkey before it was cut. This was a wonderful turkey breast from the Fran's Fryer buying group I participate in. Robert, the kids, nor I care that much for the dark meat so I do not figure there is a reason to buy it! We put the turkey in a brine over night - Recipe really easy. Water (about 2 quarts) to boil, add course salt (about 1 pound) - I use Frontier, stir until dissolved, add about 1 pound of brown sugar (again I use light brown sugar), stir until dissolved. We put the turkey in one of the big drink type coolers, pour brine over it, cover in ice, add water to completely cover turkey and let it sit the garage overnight. In morning rinse turkey and put in oven - and it comes out like this!

Rolls - they have already been into. LOL Think I posted on these already, but if not just tell me and I will add the recipe. (Not going through all old posts right now as I am getting these up.)

Quick, easy, time needed to rise. Biggest thing is that your hands HAVE to be drowned in cool water to handle the dough easily. Other than that super easy.



Katherine helping put apples, prepared by daddy with mommy advise on substitute for flours and such (just used my sorghum flour mix). Robert prefers McIntosh Apples and I was able to find some in decent condition so that is what these are.






Apple Pie ready to go in oven. I have not tried the crust yet, that was the only new part. I was very hopeful on this one, but Robert said - not that good. So back to drawing board on that one! Still looking for a good gluten free pie crust that is EASY to work with. This one was fairly easy to work with, but taste is important to us... I will keep trying and post when we FINALLY get something successful!




My first cheesecake ever! It was actually easier then I thought. Will me making it more often for sure. Still going to be working on some details, but it was good, although it did split at the top while in the fridge cooling.

Green Bean Casserole

This has been one of those family traditions that I have greatly missed, especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas! I was determined this year to figure this one out for me and the kids...

I got a new cookbook and it gave me ideas on how to do it, although - like with most recipes - I have already started making modifications.

The biggest problem with the green bean casserole, and the big hold up, had been the fried onions (French's Fried Onions are NOT Gluten Free) and the condensed cream of mushroom soup. Of courses I modified the regular recipe when I used to make it for family dinners anyway, but these and of course the green beans were essential ingredients!

I took ideas from several recipes from "Gluten-Free Deliciously" by Jennifer Cinquepalmi and of course modified them.

First the Fried Onions -

Thinly slice onions (I used medium yellow onions and they were WONDERFUL) and separate into individual rings. I ended up using about 3 medium onions.








For breading - I put approximately equal amounts of GF Pretzels (I use the Ener-G Circular Pretzels; cant remember the name right now) and Rice Chex in my food processor and combine until a fine powder is formed.










In a medium skillet put about 4 TBSP olive oil and warm. Place onions in skillet and sprinkle about 2 TBSP Brown Sugar (I always use Light Brown Sugar) over onions.

Stirring frequently cook until very tender.

Put the breading into a bowl and in small batches take tender onions and put in breading and mix well to cover. This is where my recipe really differs. In the book it says put them aside and they are ready to use. They were WAY too soft for my liking! I put the breaded onions into the oven at 350 for 15-20 minutes and they were crispy and tasted absolutely wonderful and very similar to the French's! They are definately not the same, but you get the idea - and they are probably actually healthier (like most things that I end up changing!).









Cream of Mushroom Soup - (I doubled this recipe for the casserole.)

1 cup cold milk
2 TBSP cornstarch
1 1/2 TBSP butter
1 tsp chicken bouillon (I use Frontier Chicken Flavor Broth Powder as I cannot find GF bouillon)
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper (we use less so I just sprinkled a little in)

I also added 1/2 tsp garlic powder as the first batch did not tast right to me.

The original recipe calls for 4-oz can mushroom pieces and I prefer to use fresh mushrooms, which I had already so it worked great. Learned from first batch that I needed to add them sooner in the process though.

Directions -

In a small saucepan, whisk milk and cornstarch until WELL blended. If you dont you will end up with clumps of cornstarch. Stir in butter, bouillon, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling, stirring frequently. I added the fresh mushrooms as soon as the butter started melting. Once boiling, simmer on low for about 1 minute or until thickened to desired consistancy.

(You can substitute 1/2 c chicken pieces for cream of chicken or 1/2 cup chopped celery for cream of celery.)

Green Bean Casserole -
Finally to the actually casserole. The other steps are actually really quick and easy and this is not much different.

Mix the Cream of Mushroom, some of the fried onions, and green beans (this is one time I just used canned green beans, rare thing now!). I used about 32 oz, drained. Mix these well.




Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.









Top with remaining fried onions and bake additional 10-15 minutes.



Robert did not care for the onions on top, but of course he has never been fond of onions. Katherine does not like it because it has onions in it and Daddy does not like the onions. LOL

I thought it was wonderful! Next time I will just make me onions to put on the top of mine. :)

So Thankful for my Dehydrator

The kids have been going through dried fruit so fast! It makes a great snack for church. I have decided that I really do not like paying the prices of the stuff you can buy at the store when I can get a case of fruit for less than $20! I spent a couple hours and cut 5 pounds of strawberries.

Put them in the dehydrator overnight and have half a gallon of dried strawberries!








Next will be Kiwi, then more apples and more bananas! The kids seem hungrier these days... Got to keep up with them and try to save some money at the same time.

Lots of new posts tomorrow

Sorry I have not put more up lately... Been busy and crazy and I am figuring out a lot of new recipes.

Going to be posting my adventures in Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup, Fried Onions, GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE (modified version of MY old recipe, which I modified from the French's Fried Onion Recipe) as well as other things we are making for Thanksgiving.

Having fun, but need to head to bed for now. Have been taking pics as I go tonight so will have a lot and will add some of Katherine helping me tomorrow.

Still working on doughnuts and several other things are in the works as well.

Lots more to come tomorrow or Friday!

Apple Fritters

Plan for dinner last night was Stew (check), Dinner Rolls (check), and Apple Fritters (not so check, got started). Plans changed right in the middle of making dinner and had to cut it short. So I covered my bowl and finished the fritters this morning! First picture is of them in the fryer.

Second is them done. I am not going to post a recipe for this right now because I think it needs some "tweaking" They say to roll them in cinnamon sugar mixture, but I dont usually have the extra time for that so I will probably just add it to the mixture instead. I also dont think it had enough apple for my liking. Not bad, just going to do some modifications.

Did learn one other thing! Either my fryer is a lot hotter than a standard one or the author likes things VERY well fried! The ones last night Robert did with me reading the instructions to him and then leaving to go grab a quick shower before heading out to church. They were MUCH browner than the ones pictured above and tasted to me a little over done. I like them just about golden brown. Light crunch on outside and soft (but fully cooked) inside.

Dinner and Family Activities

We had a wonderful dinner tonight! Had the roasted chicken I started yesterday, fresh green beans, mashed potatoes, gravy, and dinner rolls.

Think I need to finish up the roll mixes I made earlier in the year as they were not seeming as "fresh" as normal, but I also think that may have been partly the honey. I usually use local honey and this was not this time as I could only find an older store brand version today. Guess it is time to go through cabinets again. (This is NOT a chore I look forward to, especially pregnant and starting to loose my balance easier!) Katherine LOVED them though! She had at least two large ones. Of course I had about half the mashed potatoes that I put on the table myself - love mashed potatoes even when not pregnant and it is even better when they are fresh with good homemade gravy!

I love that I am able to provide those things that are familiar to family gatherings in a gluten-free way!

We went on a walk after dinner and everyone walked all the way around the neighborhood - about a mile around main circle. We collected leaves and are going to try and press them in wax paper and send some to Grandma Schaefer.

Off to make more file folder games for kids for when ice storms hit and when baby is born and to clean up kids art stuff.