Thanksgiving Leftover Eggrolls with Spicy Cranberry Sweet and Sour Sauce

Wondering what to do with leftovers from your Thanksgiving leftovers? Christmas maybe? Try making it into eggrolls for something different. It may sound weird, but holy toledo, it is so delicious. Especially the dip. The dip is to die for!


Thanksgiving Eggrolls
*1 cup Leftover turkey, chopped up
*1 cup Leftover stuffing, chopped up
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp oyster sauce (optional)
12 Eggroll Wrappers

Spicy Cranberry Sweet and Sour Sauce
1 cup Cranberry Sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Sriracha Sauce (optional, but this is where the spice comes in)

1. Saute the leftover turkey and stuffing, and garlic in sesame oil over medium high heat. Add in soy sauce, ginger, and oyster sauce. Saute for just a couple minutes until the garlic releases its flavor.

2. Put the filling into the eggroll wrappers and roll.

3. Place eggrolls on a greased pan. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, until the eggrolls get a nice crispy brown.

4. Make the dipping sauce by combining cranberry sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sriracha. Mix it all together.



*Alternately, this recipe could be made using chicken, shredded carrot, chopped mushrooms, chopped celery instead of using leftovers.

Chocolate Caramel Pie

1 graham cracker pie crust
***7 oz caramels, unwrapped
***1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup milk
20 large marshmallows
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 T butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 8 oz cool whip, thawed


***1. Over medium heat melt the caramels in the evaporated milk. Stir until smooth. Cool 10 minutes. Stir thoroughly, pour over the crust and refrigerate.

2. Over low heat melt the milk, marshmallows, chocolate chips, and butter until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally to keep smooth. When it is completely cooled fold in the cool whip. Spread over the caramel and refrigerate overnight.


***Instead of melting caramels in evaporated milk you can use a very thick caramel ice cream topping (like Mrs. Richardson's).

Thanksgiving 2010 Menu

It's that time of year again and Rachel is putting on a Thanksgiving feast for 12. Here's what we have on the menu:

Breakfast
Pumpkin Scones with Cream Cheese Butter

Appetizers
Artichoke and Cheese Triangles
Deviled Eggs with Horseradish
Stuffed Mushrooms
Caprese Skewers

Main Course
Organic Free-Range Turkey with Cajun Injection
Jalapeno Cranberry Sauce
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Stuffing
Sweet Potatoes
Green Beans and Caramelized Shallots
Rolls
Jello with Fresh Raspberries

Dessert
Pumpkin Pie
New York Cheesecake
Chocolate Cream Pie
Apple Pie
Chocolate and Caramel Pie
Oreo Pie
(Can you tell we are chocolate lovers and not fruit pie lovers?)


This menu takes two days worth of cooking to pull off. It is going to be a delicious Thanksgiving.

Cajun Turkey Injection

I have finally decided what I am going to do with my Turkey. I'm aiming for a really flavorful, moist bird so I've decided to do a cajun injection. You can buy an injector at most major stores (Walmart, Kmart, Target).

Check out the recipe at http://stay-at-home-chef.blogspot.com/2012/11/cajun-turkey-injection-for-your.html

Thanksgiving Shopping List

Here is your shopping list for a Rachel's Kitchen Thanksgiving meal.

7 Apples
1 ¾ cup Brown sugar
3 ½ cups Butter
2 Carrots
2 stalks Celery
2 tsp, 3 cubes Chicken bouillon
¼ cup Cider Vinegar
3 tsp Cinnamon
1 pinch Cloves
12 oz Cranberries
6 packages Cream Cheese
3 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
28 Eggs
12 ½ cups Flour
30 oz Frozen Corn
½ tsp Garlic Powder
1 T Fresh Garlic (to mince)
½ tsp Ginger
15 Graham Crackers
3 pounds Green Beans
½ cup Green Onions
2 cup Heavy Cream
2 ½ tsp Hot Pepper Sauce
3 T Maple Syrup
½ cup Mayonnaise
5 cups Milk
3 packages Mushrooms
1/3 cup Nonfat dry milk
1 tsp Nutmeg
1 T Olive Oil
2 onion
½ cup Orange Juice
paprika (garnish)
1 T Parsley
½ cup Chopped Pecans
5 Pie Shells
½ tsp Poultry Seasoning
1 cup Powdered sugar
2 tsp Prepared Horseradish
2 tsp Prepared Mustard
3, 15 oz cans Pumpkin
1 Red Bell Pepper
5 lbs Red Potatoes
½ tsp Sage
2 Bags Salad
2 tsp Salt
2 rolls Jimmy Dean Sausage
½ tsp Seasoned Salt
2 cups Shallots
15 slices Slices Bread
1 cup, 8 oz Sour Cream
4 ½ cups Sugar
6 T Sweet Pickle Relish
4 cups Sweet Potatoes
1 can 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
3 cups Turkey Stock
2 tsp Turmeric
4 oz Unsweetened Chocolate
1 T, 3 ½ tsp Vanilla
3 1/3 cups Vegetable Oil
2 T Yeast

*This shopping list does not include the Turkey! I'm still undecided as to how I will be preparing my Turkey this year. Just don't forget to brine it the day before!

**A Rachel's Kitchen Thanksgiving dinner (with Turkey) will cost you about $100.

Cheesecake

15 graham crackers, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted

4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch springform pan.

2. In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.

3. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

Apple Pie

3/4 cup brown sugar
2 T flour
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
6 cups prepared baking apples
2 T butter
2-3 T milk
sugar
Prepared bottom and top crusts.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel, core and thinly slice apples.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, four, nutmeg and salt. Add apples and toss to coat.

3. Pour filling into the prepared bottom crust. Dot with butter.

4. Place top crust over filling. Traditionally a 12" pastry circle is cut into 1/2" strips. Weave the strips over the filling to make a lattice. Press the ends of the strips into the rim of the bottom crust. Fold the bottom crust over the strips and flute the edge to seal. Brush the crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

5. Fold a 12" square of aluminum foil into quarters. Curt out the center section making a 7 1/2" circle. Unfold the foil and place the square section over the pie. Loosely mold the foil over the edges to protect them from burning.

6. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake for 20-25 minutes more until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly.

Turkey Gravy

3 cups turkey stock with pan drippings
1/2 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons flour


1. Bring the turkey stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in soup, and season with poultry seasoning, pepper, seasoned salt, and garlic powder. Reduce heat to low, and let simmer.

2. Warm the milk in the microwave, and whisk in the flour with a fork until there are no lumps. Return the gravy to a boil, and gradually stir in the milk mixture. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Be careful not to let the bottom scorch.

Green Beans and Caramelized Shallots

3 pounds fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed
4 shallots, thinly sliced
2 T olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste




1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and boil 3 to 4 minutes until just tender. Drain beans and immediately plunge into ice water. Allow to sit in ice water until cold, then drain well, and set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in shallots and cook gently until the shallots have turned dark golden brown, about 10 minutes. Place green beans in skillet; toss and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

Stuffed Mushrooms

This recipe may not seem like much, but it makes the best stuffed mushrooms I've ever had. No frills at all. It is so easy that I can use it as a Holiday appetizer without sacrificing my other dishes.

2 packages whole mushrooms
1 roll of Jimmy Dean Sausage (must be Jimmy Dean, no substitutions. It wouldn't be the same without)


1. Remove stems from mushrooms.
2. Stuff sausage into mushrooms.
3. Broil until sausage is cooked.


It really is that easy and they really are delicious. I got this "recipe" from my Mom. People are always asking her for the recipe which as you can see there really isn't one.

Mashed Potatoes - Slow Cooker

What is Thanksgiving dinner without mashed potatoes?

5 pounds red potatoes, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon minced garlic, or to taste
3 cubes chicken bouillon
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste



1. In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the potatoes, garlic, and bouillon until potatoes are tender but firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving water. In a bowl, mash potatoes with sour cream and cream cheese, adding reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.
2. Transfer the potato mixture to a slow cooker, cover, and cook on Low for 2 to 3 hours. Just before serving, stir in butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pumpkin Scones with Cream Cheese Butter

Pumpkin Scones are a favorite in my house. They have to be made at least once between Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Start to Finish Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes
Hands on Time: 1 hour
Oven Time: none



1 T instant dry yeast
1/3 C sugar
1 C milk, warmed to 110 degrees
7-8 c flour
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch cloves
1 tsp salt
1/2 C cold butter, cut in pieces
1 large egg, slightly beaten
2 C pumpkin puree (16 oz)
oil for frying

1. In a large bowl, combine yeast, sugar, and warm milk. Let stand a few minutes, until foamy.

2. In a second bowl, combine 5 C flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.

3. Add cold butter, and cut in until mixture resembles cornmeal.

4. Put dry ingredients in large bowl with the yeast. Mix slightly.

5. Add egg and pumpkin. Beat on low until well mixed.

6. Continue to mix on low (knead), adding small amounts of the remaining flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

7. Beat another 3-4 minutes, and then transfer to a well greased bowl. Cover and let rise until double (about 1 hour).

8. Punch the dough down and transfer to a floured counter. Break off golf ball size pieces. Roll the balls out into flat pieces, 1/2" thick.

9. Fry in hot oil (375 degrees) on both sides. Cool on a paper towel covered rack. Serve with cream cheese butter.




Cream Cheese Butter
1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 C butter, softened
1 C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Beat ingredients with an electric hand mixer until smooth.
2. Serve with warm pumpkin scones.
3. Refrigerate leftover mixture.