Happy Thanksgiving!

From the Archives - Chocolate Pecan Pie

I'm bringing back a favorite for Thanksgiving. I make this every year and it's my absolute fave pie! It's hard to even imagine Thanksgiving without it.


Chocolate Pecan Pie

3 eggs
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup pecan halves, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

In a medium bowl, combine eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla with a whisk. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle chocolate chunks over the bottom of the pie shell. Pour pecan mixture over the chocolate chunks in the pie shell.

Bake at 350* for 50-55 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours; refrigerate until serving time.

Recipe of the Week -- How To Roast a Stuffed Turkey

Does the thought of roasting a turkey make you feel like hyperventilating? It shouldn't. It's not as difficult as you may think. It's like baking a large chicken. Really.


You will need:
1 turkey
Prepared stuffing
Roasting pan with rack
meat thermometer
Aluminum foil (optional)


By now I hope you've already purchased your Thanksgiving turkey and have it thawing in the fridge. It takes 1 day for every 4 pounds of turkey to thaw. That means that if your turkey weighs in at 20 pounds it'll take 5 days to thaw.

Now don't panic if your super large turkey isn't thawing out yet. You can thaw it faster. It just requires a lot of work and attention.

To speed thaw your turkey you are going to have to take over your sink. Leaving your turkey in it's original packaging (with no rips or tears), place the turkey in the sink and fill it with cold water. Please do not fill your sink and then put the turkey in. You'll be mopping your floor if you do.

It'll take about 30 minutes for every pound of turkey and you will have to change the water often to keep it cold. And if your turkey can not be completely submerged in the water, flip it over often so no part of the turkey warms beyond the temp of the water.

Now that your turkey is thawed you can cook it on the big day.

1. Remove the gibblets from the neck cavity and discard. Rinse the turkey in and out with cold water and pat dry.
   
2. Stuff the turkey just before roasting not ahead of time. Fill the neck with stuffing first. Fasten the neck skin to the back of the turkey with a skewer. Fold the wings across the back so the tips are touching. Fill the body cavity lightly with stuffing. Stuffing expands during cooking so do not over stuff! Tuck the drumsticks under the band of skin at the tail.
3. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Do not add water or cover the turkey. You can loosely tent aluminum foil over the turkey later if you feel it's browning too quickly (I never have).
4. Roast the turkey at 325* according to the following time table.
   

• 8 to 12 pounds - 3 to 3 1/2 hours
  
• 12 to 14 pounds - 3 1/2 to 4 hours
• 14 to 18 pounds - 4 to 4 1/4 hours
• 18 to 20 pounds - 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours
• 20 to 24 pounds - 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours
  

Begin checking the turkey about 1 hour before the end of the recommended cooking time. Roast the turkey until a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the thigh reads 180* and the juice is no longer pink when you cut into the center of the thigh.

When the turkey is done, remove it from the oven and let it stand 15 minutes before carving it.

Now go ahead and dazzle everyone with your amazing Thanksgiving turkey!

T Minus 3 Days and Counting

Are you ready for Thanksgiving? Are you ready to prepare that lavish feast for all your family to enjoy?

I am, but please don't hate me. I do this every year and I've got a routine going now that works for me. Maybe it'll help you too.

I went grocery shopping last week. I made an extensive list based on each dish I was to prepare and then kind of smooshed it together. For example, I need so much cream cheese for this dish and so much cream cheese for that dish so on my list I've combined them for a grand total of cream cheese needed.

I thought I'd made it through the store without forgetting anything, but it turned out that I had forgotten the potatoes. How?? I have no idea, but I ended up needing to go back to town for something else anyway so I got the potatoes.

Over the weekend I got the turkeys thawing (yes that really is plural) and plugged in my cooler/fridge. It's one of those coolers that plug into a car, but I have an adapter that allows it to plug into the house. Makes a great back up fridge when the holidays come around. All the non-holiday items go into it.

The schedule for the rest of the week looks like this. I've found that if I just spread the work out over a few days it's not bad.

Today (Monday) I will spend catching up on laundry and dishes.

Tuesday I will clean house. It is so much easier to get the house clean now and just have the kids do a quick pickup and run the vaccuum Thursday morning before people show up.

Wednesday will be baking day. All the desserts can be made ahead of time and then placed in the now mostly empty fridge for the big day.

Wednesday night I get the turkey roasters, utensils, stuffing ingredients and any else I need for that early morning turkey cooking and place them on the counter (or fridge). That way I am not searching for things at the last minute.

Thursday morning comes way too early, but I get up and with the help of the hubby, we get the turkey in the oven and get on with the day. I am sooo not a morning person.

I spend the next bit of time rearranging furniture, getting out the tables and finding all the silverware.

At some point in the morning I also make the mashed potatoes. Did you know that mashed potatoes keep really well in a slow cooker until it's time to eat? They'll keep up to about 4 hours or so.

With the mashed potatoes already made, the tables set and the turkey cooking, I'm left with only heating the veggies and making the gravy at dinner time. These are both simple things and means that I'm not spending the entire time in the kitchen while guest are arriving.

So how to your prep for Thanksgiving?

A Thanksgiving Craft and Giveaway

Thanks to Scotch(R) Double Sided Tape for sponsoring my writing about crafts. Add your comment below to be entered for a chance to win free sample rolls to help with your upcoming holiday needs.

I can't believe it's November already! Where has 2010 gone? It's all good though because that means Thanksgiving is almost here!!

I love Thanksgiving. It has to be my absolute most favorite holiday. I think maybe because it centers around food and we all know I love food! I also have a great time decorating the table with lots of crafty things.

Making Thanksgiving crafts to decorate the table is a great way to get the kids involved. Normally I have them making hand turkeys and fall leaves out of construction paper, but this year I came across something a little different.

How about a cute napkin ring that doubles as a great conversation starter and a trip down memory lane. You could actually make these for any holiday or family get together, but they seem especially appropriate for Thanksgiving celebrations.

Do you have old family pictures around your house? Do you maybe have a box of them tucked away where no one has seen them in years? Have your kids ever seen what grandma looked like back in the day?

How about making Photo Napkin Rings!


Instructions:

Gather up some digital images of old photos or scan the old photos into the computer. Print each photo in the desired size (2 inches works great) and trim it into a square, then use double-sided tape or glue it to scrapbook paper and trim the paper to leave a 1/4-inch border on all sides.

Cut a paper strip (1 3/4 by 8 inches) and tape the ends together making a ring shape. Use tape to attach the mounted photo to the ring. Insert a napkin into the ring and viola! You now have a great conversation starter for you meal.


Now the really fun part!! How would you like to win your own Scotch brand double sided tape? Two (2) lucky winners will each receive 5 rolls of Scotch Double Sided tape provided by 3M.

Here's the rules:

GIVEAWAY~ Two lucky readers will each win five (5) rolls of Scotch brand Double Sided tape provided by 3M.

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Leave a comment on this blog post telling us what fun and great uses you have for Scotch tape.
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Giveaway will end November 7, 2010 at 11:59p.m. EST. Open to US residents, 18 years or older. Winner will be chosen using Random.org, notified by email, and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Please learn more about Scotch(R) Double Sided Tape and other Scotch(R) Products, and join the conversation on the Scotch(R) Brand Facebook Page and via Twitter. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.