Today is Thanksgiving (also fondly known as Turkey Day!) and Christmas is creeping up too. The following is a recipe for turkey with chestnut stuffing that would be a great centerpiece for either of these occasions:

---Ingredient List---

12 lb whole turkey, with neck and giblets removed.
2 lb chestnuts.
10 cups of dried bread crumbs.
1 teaspoon of dried thyme.
1 teaspoon of dried marjoram.
1 teaspoon of dried savory.
1 teaspoon of dried rosemary.
2 cups of butter.
2 cups of minced onion.
2 cups of minced celery.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

---Instructions---

With a sharp knife cut a cross on the flat side of each chestnut. Simmer, covered with water, in a saucepan for about five minutes. Drain. While hot, remove the shells and inner brown skins. Cover with fresh water. Boil for about thiry minutes until tender. Drain, then chop coarsely.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onions and celery, and cook until tender. Thoroughly mix in bread crumbs and chestnuts. Season with thyme, marjoram, savory, and rosemary.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Wash turkey with cold water, and pat dry. Rub salt and pepper into body cavities. Loosely spoon stuffing into body cavities. Close skin with skewers or kitchen twine, and tie drumsticks together. Place turkey on a rack in a medium roasting pan.

Roast turkey for about four hours. A foil tent may be placed over the turkey during the last half of roasting time to avoid over browning. Remove from the oven, place on platter, and allow the turkey to stand for about twenty minutes before carving.

Apple Cheesecake

--- Ingredient List ---

16 ounces of softened cream cheese.
4 cups of apple slices, peeled and sliced thinly (2-3 apples).
1 cup of graham cracker (or other biscuit) crumbs.
Three amounts of sugar: 3 tablespoons, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup.
1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
3 tablespoons of melted margarine.
2 medium eggs.
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
1/2 cup of chopped pecans.

--- Cooking Method ---

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and melted margarine, and mix well.

Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate to form the crust. Bake for about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and 1/2 cup of sugar until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat after each is added. Blend in the vanilla, and pour the mixture into prepared crust.

In a large bowl, combine 1/3 cup of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Add the apples and toss to coat. Spoon the apples over top of the cheesecake filling. Sprinkle the pecans over the apples. Put back into the oven and bake for an hour.

Chill, then serve.

Sweet Potato Casserole

--- Ingredients ---

4 medium sweet potatoes.
1/4 cup of packed brown sugar
1/4 cup of butter.
1/2 teaspoon of salt.
8 oz of crushed pineapple.
1 tablespoon of packed brown sugar.
1 tablespoon of butter.
1 teaspoon of water.
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
1 1/2 cups of mini marshmallows
1/4 cup of chopped pecans.

--- Instructions ---

Wash the sweet potatoes. Prick each 2 or 3 times with fork to allow steam to escape. Arrange in oven at least an inch apart. Microwave at on full power until fork-tender (about ten minutes). Cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Peel and slice potatoes. Place in 2-quart casserole. Add 1/4 cup butter and the salt. Mash until no lumps remain. Mix in pineapple. Microwave on full power 2 minutes. Stir and set aside.

Place one tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, the water, cinnamon and nutmeg in medium bowl. Microwave on full power until the butter is melted (about 90 seconds), stirring after half way through.

Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Top sweet potato mixture with marshmallows.

Microwave on full power until the marshmallows are melted and potatoes are
heated through (about three minutes).

Sprinkle with pecans.

Chicken Spaghetti

I'm not a tomato fan myself, but I found this pasta recipe for chicken spaghetti:

Ingredients

1 lb of chicken breast.
1 lb of spaghetti pasta.
1 lb of Velveeta cheese.
1 can of cream of chicken soup.
1 can of tomatoes.
Pinch of salt.

Preparation

Boil the pound of chicken breast in a large pan, adding a pinch of salt to water. When cooked, remove the chicken.

Cook the pasta in the water, draining after it is done.

Cut the chicken into bite-size chunks.

Cut the cheese into small pieces and melt it in a saucepan with the cream of chicken soup.

Combine everything in a large pan.

Heat for about 3 minutes.

Serve.

Hazelnut Honey Cake

--- Ingredients ---

3 large eggs.
2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour.
1 cup of honey.
1 cup of chopped hazelnuts.
¾ cup of vegetable oil.
¾ cup of dark brown sugar.
½ cup of un-sweetened applesauce.
2 ½ teaspoons of baking powder.
2 teaspoons of grated lemon rind.
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
¾ teaspoon of baking soda.
½ teaspoon of ground cloves.
½ teaspoon of ground ginger.

--- Instructions ---

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Lightly a grease a nine-inch square pan, line it with parchment paper or wax paper, and grease the paper.

Sift together the flour with the cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, cloves and ginger.

Lightly beat the eggs; then add the honey and sugar and beat until the mixture is smooth. Gradually add the vegetable oil and beat until blended. Beat in the grated lemon rind.

On low speed, beat in the flour mixture alternately in two batches with the applesauce. Stir in the hazelnuts.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for one hour.

Let cool for 15 minutes.

Turn the cake out onto rack and carefully peel off the paper. Cover tightly when completely cool.

Serve.

--- Source ---

I found this on the cake recipes website.

Strawberry Muffins

--- Ingredients ---

4 medium eggs, beaten.
3 cups of all-purpose flour.
2 ½ cups of fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced.
2 cups of sugar.
1 ½ cups of chopped walnuts.
1 cup of vegetable oil.
1 tablespoon of cinnamon.
1 teaspoon of baking soda.
1 teaspoon of salt.

--- Instructions ---

Preheat your oven to 400°F (210°C).

Lightly coat full-size muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray.

In a suitably sized bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

In a another bowl, combine the eggs, strawberries and the vegetable oil.

Mix the contents of the two bowls together.

Gently fold in the chopped walnuts.

Fill the muffin tins about two-thirds full and bake for 15 minutes.

Allow to cool.

--- Source ---

http://www.strawberryrecipes.us/strawberry-muffins.html

Here is a recipe for Applesauce Pancakes. My kids couldn't get enough of these!!

2 eggs, separated.
1 cup of applesauce.
1 cup of flour, sifted.
1 tablespoon of sugar.
1 ½ teaspoons of melted butter.
1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder.
½ teaspoon of salt.
¼ teaspoon of lemon peel, grated.
¼ teaspoon of cinnamon.
¼ teaspoon of vanilla.

-

Sift the flour, salt, and the baking powder into a suitably sized mixing bowl.

Mix in all other ingredients except the eggs and butter.

Beat the egg yolks and add with the butter.

Beat egg whites until they are stiff, then fold in.

Heat a skillet and pour about ¼ cup of batter onto it for each pancake.

Turn once while cooking.