adrienne's stuffed mushrooms

The perfect appetizer or side dish for any holiday meal!

1 (12 ounce) package ground sweet mild Italian sausage
18 LARGE fresh mushrooms
i small onion chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley , chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup Marsala wine

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Clean the mushrooms. Remove, chop and reserve the stems.Place sausage, onion, garlic and mushroom stems (chopped) in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside. In a medium bowl, gently mix the cream cheese and bread crumbs. Mix in the sausage mixture and 1/4 cup wine. Using a spoon, stuff the mushroom caps with the sausage mixture. Transfer to a large baking dish, and cover with the remaining red wine. Bake in the preheated oven 25 to 30 minutes, or until the mixture is lightly brown.

thanksgiving brussel sprouts

1/2 cup pecan halves, cut crosswise into thirds
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 pounds baby Brussels sprouts, trimmed
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Spread pecan pieces in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan and bake until fragrant and a few shades darker, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt to nuts and toss until butter is melted and nuts are coated. While nuts bake, cook Brussels sprouts in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until just tender, 5 to 6 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Drain sprouts and pat dry. Melt remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Increase heat to moderately high, then add sprouts and sauté, stirring occasionally, until browned in patches, about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, then stir in pecans and serve.

ryan's best stuffing ever

While on bed rest Thanksgiving 2005 my darling husband decided to cook an entire Thanksgiving dinner for our little family. He took my stuffing recipe and added his own touches...omitting the liver and ground beef that I usually add and adding bacon and sausage...it turned out AWESOME and I have been making it ever since. I am sure you will love it too!

1 pound maple or sage pork sausage (I like Jimmy Dean)
1/2 pound maple cured bacon, chopped
1 large onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1/2 pound fresh shitake and cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried Thyme
2 apples, cored and diced
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup chicken broth
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (I like Campbell's)
3/4 cup spiced applesauce
1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound dry bread cubes (homemade or store bought)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a large baking dish.
Place the sausage, and bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Mix in the onion, celery, and mushrooms. Season with parsley, sage, and thyme. Cook and stir until meats are evenly browned. Mix in apples, and continue cooking 5 minutes. Drain grease. Mix butter, broth, soup, and applesauce into skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Gently fold in the bread cubes until evenly moist. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Bake covered 45 minutes. Uncover, and continue baking 15 minutes, until lightly browned.

mom's jello salad

This is a family favorite at any family party and a must have at Thanksgiving and Christmas... and all the kid's (and adults) love it!!

1 1/2 c. Cool Whip, thawed
1 pkg. dry orange Jello
1 pt. small curd cottage cheese
1 can drained mandarin orange sections

Sprinkle dry orange Jello into the Cool Whip and fold it in. Add 1 pint carton of drainedsmall curd cottage cheese, 1 small can drained mandarin oranges. Mix together. Place in refrigerator to set up.....YUMMY!!

pumpkin gingerbread trifle

I made this 2 thanksgivings ago and it was a HUGE hit! It's a fun easy alternative to traditional pumpkin pie!!

2 (14-ounce) packages gingerbread mix
1 (5.1-ounce) box cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
3 cups whipped cream
1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional

Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions (I used a 13x9 glass dish); cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding. Cut gingerbread nto 1 inch squares and layer into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped cream. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped cream. Sprinkle the top with crushed gingersnaps, if you'd like. Refrigerate for 2 hours. ENJOY!!