Ingredients:
1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
12 ounces cranberries
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 pinch ground cloves
1 cup water
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar

Directions:

1 Combine the apricots, cranberries, raisins, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and cloves. Mix together and set aside.

2 In a medium sauce pan combine the water and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Add the dried fruit mixture and vinegar; bring to a boil. Lower temperature and simmer for 10 minutes.

3 Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Serve immediately or refrigerate in a covered container.

Makes 3 cups

Ingredients:

1 14-pound fresh turkey
1 Tb. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
18 sprigs fresh thyme
4 medium onions, peeled and sliced
1 large leek, chopped (white and tender green only)
2 medium carrots, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
3 bay leaves
1 Tb. peppercorns
1 1/2 cups butter (3 sticks), melted
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp. chopped fresh chives

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash turkey and reserve giblets. Carefully rinse and dry bird inside and out. Rub all surfaces with salt and pepper, including cavity. Place 12 sprigs of thyme in cavity.

Put onions, leek, carrots, celery, bay leaves, six thyme sprigs, peppercorns and giblets on bottom of large, heavy roasting pan. Place bird on top of vegetables. Cover opening of cavity with foil. Pour butter over all surfaces of turkey. Sprinkle on sage, thyme and chives. Cover loosely with tent of aluminum foil. Roast 2 1/2 hours, undisturbed.

Remove foil to let skin brown. Baste every 20 minutes for an hour. The bird should cook to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Remove from oven. Transfer to platter and cover with foil. Let rest 20-60 minutes before carving.

Ingredients:

Spice-cookie dough:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon each ground nutmeg and salt
1/4 teaspoon each ground allspice and cloves
1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

In a large bowl mix flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, allspice and cloves until blended. In another large bowl beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add flour mixture, beating until well blended. Divide dough in thirds. Shape each into a ball and flatten to a 1-inch-thick round. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Have cookie sheets ready. On a lightly floured surface roll one third of the dough at a time (keep remainder refrigerated) to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough in desired shapes with floured 3-inch cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart on un-greased cookie sheets. (Chill and re-roll scraps.) Bake about 12 minutes or until cookies are golden on undersides and edges are just starting to brown. Cool completely on sheet on wire rack. Ice and decorate as desired. Let stand until icing hardens, about 2 hours.

Yield: About fifty 3-inch cookies

These are so moist and so fantastic that you won't want to stop eating them! They are a brownie version of a confection called Turtles. These are just as good.

Ingredients:
14 ounces caramels
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (18.5 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 pound whole pecans


Directions

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan. Set aside.

2 Unwrap caramels and place in saucepan with 2 Tablespoons evaporated milk. Melt over medium to low heat, stirring constantly.

3 In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining evaporated milk, dry cake mix, and melted butter. Stir until well blended. Spread half this mixture in prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

4 Remove brownies from oven. Sprinkle chocolate chips and drizzle melted caramels over the top. Drop remaining cake mixture by teaspoonfuls over all. Return to oven for 20 minutes. Garnish with whole pecans if you'd like.

Makes 24 servings

Awesome Sausage, Apple and Dried Cranberry Stuffing

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Ready in: 1 Hour 40 Minutes

This stuffing is fantastic! It is very flavorful and fresh-tasting. This recipe will stuff a 10-pound turkey (which serves six) plus extra. I replaced the pork sausage with much healthier turkey sausage and substituted dried cranberries instead of chopped dried apricots for good flavor and color. For a variation of this recipe, you can always use the pork sausage and dried apricots. (Note: This stuffing may be prepared one day in advance. Keep covered and chilled in refrigerator until ready to use. DO NOT stuff the turkey in advance! This could be hazardous to your health.)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cubed whole wheat bread
3 3/4 cups white bread cubes
16 ounces bulk seasoned turkey sausage
1 cup diced onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 medium Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1 cooked chicken liver, diced
3/4 cup turkey stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter


Directions:
1 Preheat oven to 350 degree F (175 degree C). Bake the whole-wheat and white bread cubes until evenly golden brown. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl and let them cool.

2 In a large skillet, cook the sausage and chopped onions over moderate heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until fully cooked. Add the chopped celery, sage, rosemary and thyme; cook for 2 minutes while stirring.

3 Add the sausage mixture to the bread with the chopped apples, dried cranberries, parsley and reserved liver. Toss mixture well. Drizzle the stock and the melted butter over the mixture; toss stuffing well. Allow stuffing to cool completely.

Makes 8 servings

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