I think the saying goes….”Better late than never!” One thing after another, after another… keeps popping up around this house. I debated on getting all my Christmas Decorations up a tad earlier than usual, or posting promised recipes to my crazy time wasting blog! I’m slow, it takes me two long days to decorate trees, wrap the stairs with white lights and garland and grace the tops of cupboards and armoires with pine boughs.
You see, my oldest daughter is due to have a bundle from heaven any day now, (her third) and I wanted to be prepared. Babysitting duties are calling my name soon, and so I wanted to check that necessary item off my list of things to do. I also needed to make these wonderfully delicious, fattening Crescent rolls for our Thanksgiving Day Dinner. Since Thanksgiving day is normally on a Thurday, my routine is to make rolls on Tuesday and Freeze them, and make all the pies on Wednesday as well as prep all other items on our menu. The pies take the better portion of a day, since I make Pumpkin, Pecan, Apple, Coconut Cream and Banana Cream.
Tuesday has thrown me a bit of a curve ball, so I ended up making my rolls a week earlier. Don’t worry….these rolls freeze perfectly! I simply let them cool right on the cookie sheets, wrap them with saran wrap…twice, and then cover with heavy duty foil…twice. Place them right in the freezer until you are ready to eat them. Once you take them from the freezer, remove the saran wrap, replace the foil and let them thaw. Just place the cookie sheets in a preheated 250-300 degree oven with the foil still on top, and reheat. They are delicious tender, flaky melt in your mouth rolls!
A close up….the smell is divine!
To make Crescent shaped rolls,
simply roll out a large circle of dough.
My circle is about 12 to 14 inches across.
Brush the top of the dough with melted butter.
The more the better…..you can hop on the treadmill later.
Using a pizza cutter,
Cut through the center from top to bottom.
Now cut across from left to right….or vice versa
Now depending on how large your circle is,
and
how large you would like your rolls.
Cut again in pie shaped slices.
Now start your rolling from the wide end.
Roll down to the narrow end.
See…..
Now look at that little tail in the center.
You want that little tail tucked Underneath the roll,
before
You place it on your GREASED Cookie Sheet.
See….
Can you tell that my TAILS are tucked under now???
(If you don’t do this, they open up and lose their pretty shape.)
That’s O.K. though they still taste yummy.
All the ugly ones can go straight into your mouth!
I won’t TAIL! (tell)
Brush the tops with more melted butter….oh baby!
Place your cookie sheets in a warm area.
I doubled this recipe, and made 5 large trays.
3 across…..4 down
That way….you have plenty for leftovers.
Cover with clean towels and let rise until double.
Don’t let them rise more than this!
They continue to rise in the warm oven,
and will be much prettier if they don’t get too fat.
When they come out of the oven,
brush the tops with melted butter.
Yes….more butter.
Eat one or two or three or four…….
don’t tell anyone!
(This is why you must double the recipe)
Here is the recipe for:
Just in case you might be interested, here is our Thanksgiving Day Dinner Menu:
Turkey and Brown Sugar Glazed spiral cut ham
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Crescent Rolls
Stuffing
Green Beans with Crispy Bacon
Spinach Salad with swiss cheese, bacon, mandarin oranges and carmelized almonds
served with Poppy Seed Dressing.
Toasted Marshmallow yams and apples in Caramel Sauce
Pomegranate Apple Almond Crunch Salad
Raspberry Pretzel Salad
Pie and Ice Cream
Now…..after we eat, the women do dishes for hours,
and
the men…..watch football!
~Go figure~
Additional recipes and notes that might be of help to you:
1. Turkey: We are slightly strange… this family of mine. Nobody likes the dark meat of a turkey, so this is what I do.
I buy two very large Turkey Breasts (bone in)….it’s the real thing, just the breasts. Don’t buy rolled turkey breasts they are yuck! Make sure it’s bone in all White Turkey Breasts only. I really like the Jennio Brand or Butterball.
I thaw them both, remove all the skin, season the top with salt, pepper, Canadian Seasoning and place the breasts…meat side up in slow cookers. I then fill the cookers up with water….don’t cover the breasts entirely…leave about 2 to 3 inches showing. Place 2 Chicken Boullion cubes in the water. I really like the Knorr brand the very best. Place the lid on the slow cookers, and cook on medium heat until the turkey literally falls right off the bones. Since the turkey is very moist and tender, it is very simple to remove any bones. I leave the turkey in large pieces, and before putting back into all the juice that is in the slow cookers, I strain the juice, then put it back in the slow cooker. Now put all your turkey back in the juice. By straining the juice, it removes any extra bones you might have missed, and is all ready to make the gravy on Thanksgiving day! I do this all the day before, and place the slow cookers (mine have a removable pot) in the fridge.
*This might seem odd to you, but the turkey is so delicious….never dry….it’s tender and moist. Even my Son-in Laws ask for it to be prepared this way!
4. Turkey Gravy is so simple to make: This is what I do. Taste and Season your turkey juices. It might just need salt and pepper. Bring your turkey juice to a rolling boil. I like to use cornstarch as a thickener. Take a couple of Tablespoons of cornstarch and place in a bowl. Now, use about 1/2 cup of COLD Water and stir this water into your cornstarch until well blended. Take a wire Whip, and slowly add the cornstarch mixture to your juice that is boiling. Don’t quit whisking, and make sure you slowly adding the cornstarch mixture. Keep in mind that you might not need to add all of the cornstarch mixture. You might need more, if you are making a lot of gravy! When the gravy seems to be the right thickness for you, don’t add anymore. If you happen to get it too thick, just add a bit of Chicken Broth….not water to your pan.
My husbands favorite!
Mom’s Stuffing Recipe:
My mom makes great stuffing! It is Old Fashioned Traditional stuffing that I tend to make for
Thanksgiving day.
1 1/2 cups diced celery
1 cup finely chopped sweet onion like vadalia
1 cup butter
16 cups of dry bread cubes…we like Pepperidge Farm or Home Pride
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon pepper….I use more
Enough Chicken Broth or Stock to moisten as desired.
*We like our stuffing crispy not soggy, so add enough broth for the tastes of your family.
Directions:
Saute celery and onion in butter in a large skillet. Combine with bread cubes and seasonings; toss lightly. Add enough broth to moisten as desired. *Note: I don’t stuff my turkey, since I always do the crockpot Turkey Breasts. I put the stuffing into a buttered/greased glass baking dish, and place it in the oven lower rack until it is golden brown on the bottom. Then I toss it around a bit, and place back into the oven to brown it some more. I use a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until it is has nice crispy pieces throughout the stuffing.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone.
I hope you will try some of these recipes to share with your loved ones. If you need a recipe that I haven’t previously posted, just email me at:
jwarn@q.com or leave me a comment on this blog and I will answer you as fast as I can.
by Get Off Your Butt and BAKE
Opulently I to but I about the post should acquire more info then it has.
What is the glaze you use on you’re ham? By the way you might know my mom Jeanne Packer Thueson.
So your turkey sounds so good.. I am going to try it, for my first turkey, I’ve ever made! I am a little nervous, but yours seemed simple and delicious. And my mom only has one oven working, so we are trying to be creative ;). Question about the turkey, how long did it take to cook would you say… I’m just trying to time this whold thing out. 😉 Thanks so much, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I love your website!