Roasted Turkey with Mushroom Herb SauceAmy Halford – Editor in Cheif

Ingredients for turkey:
1 1?2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika
1?2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
1?4 teaspoon salt
1?4 teaspoon ground black pepper
16-pound turkey, thawed, if frozen
No-stick cooking spray

Sauce:
2 tablespoons Fleischmann’s Original-stick
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1?2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1?4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1?2 cups chicken broth
1?2 cup half and half

Directions:
TURKEY
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a small dish, stir together poultry seasoning, paprika, thyme, salt and pepper to make the seasoning mixture.
3. Remove the neck and giblets from the body and neck cavities of the turkey. Drain juices and dry the turkey with paper towels. Turn wings back to hold the neck skin in place. Place turkey breast side up on a flat rack in a shallow roasting pan.
4. Coat turkey with cooking spray and sprinkle with seasoning mixture. Roast turkey for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until the thigh is 180 degrees on a meat thermometer. After two hours, cover the breast and the top of the drumsticks with foil to prevent overcooking the breast. Let turkey stand 15 minutes before carving.

SAUCE
1. Melt Fleischmann’s in a small saucepan over low heat. Add mushrooms; cook and stir for one minute. Stir in flour, poultry seasoning, salt, thyme and pepper.
2. Gradually stir in broth and half and half. Cook and stir constantly over medium heat – until thick and bubbly. Cook and stir for one more minute. Serve over sliced turkey.

Broccoli Cheese Rice

Adrienne Lang – Managing Editor

Ingredients:
1 box frozen chopped broccoli (thawed)
2 teaspoons chopped onion
1 cup instant rice (prepared)
1 can cream of celery soup
1 small jar Cheez Whiz

Directions:
Combine ingredients and bake in casserole dish for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Perfect Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes

Jennifer Bickerstaff – Photo Editor

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon milk
Salt and pepper
A couple of tablespoons of ranch dressing

Directions:
1. Put potatoes into a saucepan. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt.
2. Add water until potatoes are covered. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15-20 minutes, or until done – a fork can easily be poked through them.
3. Warm cream and melt butter, together, either in microwave or in a pan on the stove. Drain excess water from potatoes. Put hot potatoes into a bowl and Add cream and melted butter.
5. Use potato masher to mash potatoes until well mashed. Use a strong spoon to beat further, adding milk to achieve the consistency you desire. (Do not overbeat, or your potatoes will get gluey.) Stir in ranch dressing and salt and pepper to taste.

Chocolate-Chip Pumpkin Cheese Cake

Jeff Eskew – Features Editor

Ingredients:
CHOCOLATE CRUST
1 1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
CHEESECAKE
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2 cups low fat cottage cheese
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
2 cups light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1/3 cup flour
1 15 oz. can pumpkin filling
1 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
MAKE CHOCOLATE CRUST:
1. Coat 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
2. In medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press into springform pan. Bake 10 minutes.
MAKE CHEESECAKE FILLING:
1. Place chocolate in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium power, stirring every 30 seconds to heat evenly. Set aside.
2. In food processor, blend cottage cheese until smooth (about three minutes). Add cream cheese, brown sugar, eggs, and flour. Process until smooth. Add pumpkin filling, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg. Process one minute or until smooth.
3. Whisk one cup of the cheese batter into the melted chocolate. Pour remaining batter into crust. Spoon dollops of chocolate mixture onto batter and swirl with a knife.
4. Bake the cheesecake for 1 1/2 hours, or until the top is firm and the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.
5. Cool completely on a wire rack. Chill well before unmolding and serving.

Cranberry Sauce

John-Laurent Tronche – News Editor

Ingredients:
1 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup port wine
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup diced orange sections

Directions:
1. Wash berries and discard any that are discolored or soft.
2. Combine berries, sugar and wine in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir and bring it to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and allow berries to simmer for about five minutes. While berries simmer, peel an orange. Cut off peel. Section the orange and cut into bite-size pieces. Remove pan from heat and stir in cinnamon and orange sections.
4. Refrigerate overnight and serve at room temperature or slightly heated.

Holiday Yams

Leslie Honey – Associate Editor

Ingredients:
6 cups cooked mashed yams
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup milk
2/3 cup margarine
4 eggs beaten
2 tablespoons vanilla

Topping:
2 cups coconut
2/3 cup flower
2/3 cup melted margarine
2 cups brown sugar

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients and place in a buttered 9 x 13 casserole.
2. Sprinkle topping over mixture.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Stuffing

Kathleen Thurber – News Editor

Ingredients:
1 pound hamburger
1?2 pound Italian sausage
1 1?2 loaves of dried white bread torn or crumbled
1 red onion (diced)
4 stalks celery (cut into small pieces)
1 can beef broth
1?2 cup water
1?2 cup milk
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon sage

Directions:
1. Mix the basil and onion into the hamburger while cooking on medium heat. 2. Mix the beef broth, milk, water and hamburger in a bowl. Add celery, Italian sausage, bread and basil. 3. You can put some into the turkey and bake while turkey is cooking.
4. Lace the rest in a pan and bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Monkey Bread

Mike Dodd – Sports Editor

Ingredients:
3 cans Pillsbury biscuits
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 bowl of sugar
1 stick of butter
1 cup brown sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make a cinnamon and sugar mixture to taste. Open and cut each biscuit into fours.
2. Roll biscuit pieces in cinnamon/sugar mixture until evenly coated. Place evenly around greased Bundt pan.
3. In a sauce pan, melt butter, brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon until smooth and creamy.
4. Pour over biscuits.
5. Place in oven for about 30 minutes or until cake is slightly crunchy on top.
6. Remove from oven. Place a plate on top of Bundt pan (upside down) and flip so that cake falls out onto plate.

Green Bean Casserole

Ryan Claunch – Opinion Editor

Ingredients:
1 large bag of frozen green beans, cut or french style thawed
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup white Cheddar cheese
1 can fried onion rings

Directions:
1. In a skillet, melt butter and cook onions for two minutes.
2. Add mushrooms and cook until golden.
3. Stir in soup and cream. Bring to a simmer and stir in the cheddar cheese.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Stir in green beans and toss to coat.
6. Transfer to a buttered casserole and top with fried onions.
7. bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.