Ready for Holidays

Cherry Kelly · Post by **Cherry Kelly** » 11-09-2007 12:10 PM

November is running by very quickly. For those in US - Thanksgiving will be here in less than two weeks. Then comes the Christmas season and New Years close on its heels.

What are you doing to get ready?

Around here - its getting the menu for our turkey dinner, house cleaning and a movie for grandkids for AFTER eating!

Whats on your menu?

Psychicwolf · Post by **Psychicwolf** » 11-09-2007 02:21 PM

I am painting the kitchen next week (I have masochistic tendencies) and then it will be Thanksgiving.

I don't eat meat, usually, but I make an exception at Thanksgiving. I have ordered my Diestel turkey (organic diet, no hormones, humanely raised and slaughtered) from the organic meat shop. Got the headcount for dinner and just getting stuff ready. No kiddies at my gathering. Probably the younger folks will go for a hike and the oldsters will have conversation and coffee.

I know we will have turkey, smoked salmon, dressing, pumpkin and dutch apple pie. There will be salads and vegies added but I need to get "inspired" on those. I am praying that we don't have a major wind storm (it's happened:( ) mid-cooking, I really hate to fire up the wood stove for turkey.

Cherry Kelly · Post by **Cherry Kelly** » 11-10-2007 01:10 PM

Ahh yes that could be a problem -- (firing up wood stove for the turkey).

We have yet to decide on the complete menu - turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, basics. We might have corn pudding, green bean dish or other veggies depending on # of people. Salads of course, and one home made mac and cheese dish for kidlets. (grandkids)

Pies yes and jello for those who have room for dessert.

Decorations are optional around here for Thanksgiving, but a "shock" made from prairie grass and a pumpkin will do nicely.

SETIsLady · Post by **SETIsLady** » 11-10-2007 01:37 PM

CK, do you have a good recipe for homemade mac and cheese ?

Cherry Kelly · Post by **Cherry Kelly** » 11-11-2007 01:20 PM

Seti -- will get back to you with the recipe we use soon as I can get kitchen back in order.

We have been busy residing house this past summer, as well as putting in new windows - things got a bit "re-arranged" while doing some of it - especially windows which did require moving shelves in kitchen ... cookbooks got boxed. So I do want to check to get our exact recipe rather than do it off the top of the head. Hopefully should have things back where they belong later this week.

IvyQ · Post by **IvyQ** » 11-11-2007 06:35 PM

my mouth is already watering with visions of homemade mac n' cheese in my head...

i'm anxiously waiting too SETIsLady...

i've cooked Thanksgiving dinner going on 7 years now, did it all myself. this year my son wants to host the dinner, his first. and of course, he asked me to be there to supervise... lol. and i would love to bring some of Cherry's mac n' cheese...

thanks Cherry! i always look forward to your articles. you remind of a down-home girl who doesn't mind getting her feet wet.

feetsie · Post by **feetsie** » 11-11-2007 06:43 PM

Have you tried http://www.allrecipes.com ? Be sure to check the reviews as there are often extremely helpful hints and suggestions on how to tweak the recipes to make them even better. Can't speak for mac'n'cheese in particular, but I've gotten all kinds of great recipes from there.

PS just recommending - not spamming

IvyQ · Post by **IvyQ** » 11-11-2007 06:51 PM

thanks feetsie!!!

SETIsLady · Post by **SETIsLady** » 11-11-2007 08:02 PM

Thanks CK, I am patient, mac and cheese is a crowd pleaser and good recipes are hard to come by. My grandmother had a wonderful recipe, but it was in her head and of course she is not with us anymore.

Feetsie, great site thanks !!!

Cherry Kelly · Post by **Cherry Kelly** » 11-13-2007 11:42 AM

feetsie - another site to add to my cooking information... Also find recipes on Taste of Home site and so many others.

---

Cherry Kelly · Post by **Cherry Kelly** » 11-13-2007 12:04 PM

Located! YES... well kinda yes yes....Gotta love all the scratched out notes on the MAC & Cheese recipe...

Depending on whether you are serving it for small children or older people - the recipe varies...

NOTE: this is usually cooked in oven at 350º when you have all ingredients together. 20-25 minutes. (We usually put it in a large cake pan)

To boil the macaroni, this recipe calls for 1-2 tsp sea-salt in water and cooking the macaroni to about half done (do not fully cook). Drain, put in your cake pan to 3/4 full.

For youngest children, make a rue with flour, butter, milk and half tsp of white pepper with velveeta cheese, melted together to cover the macaroni. (Rue recipes on Food network site or use your favorite rue creation.) It is suggested that you use velveeta block and cut to chunks to melt easier.

FOR older groups, make your rue and use a mix of velveeta and white cheddar cheese (shredded or you can shred yourself) - half and half. Or you can use only shredded white cheddar.

2-3 minutes before removing from the oven, top your mac/cheese with sliced cheese (of your preferred type) and allow to melt. After removing from the oven lightly sprinkle the top with papricka.

NOTE: the recipe did not give a lot of specifics as it assumed its being made by someone who knows how much macaroni is required to fill the cake pan used.

Will keep digging for the first recipe that might have some totals listed.

Shimmering Auro · Post by **Shimmering Auro** » 11-13-2007 01:58 PM

Cherry Kelly wrote:

Whats on your menu?

Turkey! I gently lift the skin and stuff the underside with fresh herbs and minced garlic.

Large crudité: snow peas, grape tomatoes, celery, cucumbers, radishes, carrots, and other fresh vegetables that catch my fancy.

A fruit, homemade smoked salmon, hard and soft cheese, and various cracker assortment.

Homemade stuffing (loaded with fruit and vegetables), baked sweet potatoes, steamed asparagus, homemade cranberry and mandarin orange sauce, butternut squash, mashed rutabaga (turnip, the orange colored variety), rosemary dinner rolls, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, giblet gravy.

Homemade blueberry pie made with blueberries I hand picked a few months ago. Can't wait, can't wait!

SETIsLady · Post by **SETIsLady** » 11-14-2007 11:54 AM

Cherry Kelly wrote: Located! YES... well kinda yes yes....Gotta love all the scratched out notes on the MAC & Cheese recipe...

Depending on whether you are serving it for small children or older people - the recipe varies...

NOTE: this is usually cooked in oven at 350º when you have all ingredients together. 20-25 minutes. (We usually put it in a large cake pan)

To boil the macaroni, this recipe calls for 1-2 tsp sea-salt in water and cooking the macaroni to about half done (do not fully cook). Drain, put in your cake pan to 3/4 full.

For youngest children, make a rue with flour, butter, milk and half tsp of white pepper with velveeta cheese, melted together to cover the macaroni. (Rue recipes on Food network site or use your favorite rue creation.) It is suggested that you use velveeta block and cut to chunks to melt easier.

FOR older groups, make your rue and use a mix of velveeta and white cheddar cheese (shredded or you can shred yourself) - half and half. Or you can use only shredded white cheddar.

2-3 minutes before removing from the oven, top your mac/cheese with sliced cheese (of your preferred type) and allow to melt. After removing from the oven lightly sprinkle the top with papricka.

NOTE: the recipe did not give a lot of specifics as it assumed its being made by someone who knows how much macaroni is required to fill the cake pan used.

Will keep digging for the first recipe that might have some totals listed.

Thanks Cherry !!! Going to give it a try

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