Dairy Free Thanksgiving 2009

Turkey
10 lb Butterball
roasted at 325F for 3 hours
basted with Earth Balance every 30 minutes

Giblet Gravy
giblets from 10 lb turkey
3/4 of a giant onion, peeled and wedged
2 lg carrots, peeled and cut in to 1" chunks
3/4 cup sliced celery
chicken broth
fresh ground pepper
turkey drippings
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup soy creamer

Rinse giblets and neck. Combine giblets, onions, carrots, celery and 1 cup of water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce to simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover and stir often over high heat until liquid has evaporated and giblets and vegetables are browned and begin to stick to pan, 15-20 minutes longer.
Add 1 quart broth and fresh ground pepper (about 1/3 teaspoon) to pan and scrape brown bits free. Cover, reduce heat and cook 1 hour.
Pour broth through fine strainer in to a measuring cup - if necessary add water to make 1 quart of stock. Remove meat from neck and chop all giblets fine. Feed vegetables to the dog.
When turkey is finished cooking add pan juices to broth. Add hot water to the roasting pan and scrape off bits, pour in to broth.
Bring broth to boil and whisk in cornstarch mixed with equal amount water. If you want it thicker whisk together flour and soy creamer and whisk in to gravy. Season to taste.

Pecanified Sweet Potatoes
These are very loose estimates.
4 large sweet potatoes, baked
mixed with Earth Balance and some brown sugar

Top with a mix of:
1/3 cup Earth Balance, melted
2/3 cup flour
1 cup pecans
1 cup loose packed brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/2-1 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
big pinch ground cloves

Bake at in a 2 quart dish at 350 for 40 minutes. Place a piece foil or a baking sheet under the dish in case it drips.

Trader Joe's Cornbread Stuffing
Followed box directions using Earth Balance and adding 1/4 of a giant onion, chopped and an equal amount fine chopped celery that has been sauteed in Earth Balance until translucent. Baked at 350F for 40 minutes

Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes
5 lb bag of red potatoes
Earth Balance
TJ's soy creamer

Boil whole potatoes (cut large ones in half) in water to cover until they break apart when pricked with a fork. Warm soy creamer and Earth Balance in microwave. Mash potatoes, add EB and creamer as needed. Season with salt and pepper.

Other players:
good old canned Ocean Spray jellied cranberry sauce
steamed cauliflower
dairy-full holiday sauce (Hollandaise Sauce)

And the start of the show. The very best dairy-free rolls I have ever had/made. I followed Angie's Perfect Dinner Rolls on Allrecipies.com with dairy-free subs.

Divine Dairy Free Dinner Rolls

2 1/2 cups warm plain Silk soymilk
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup Earth Balance, softened
2 teaspoons salt
7 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
1/2 cup Earth Balance, melted

Directions:
1. Pour milk into a large mixing bowl, and sprinkle yeast over the surface. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Beat in the sugar, eggs, 1/2 cup butter, and salt; blend thoroughly. Gradually stir in the flour to make a soft dough. Cover bowl, and set in a warm place until dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.
2. Punch down the dough, cover the bowl, and allow to rise again. Repeat this step two more times.
3. Break off 2 to 3 inch size pieces of dough, roll lightly into round shape, and place in prepared baking dish, edges touching. Repeat to make 36 dough balls. Cover and let rise until doubled in size.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
5. Bake rolls in preheated oven until tops turn golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. When rolls are finished baking, drizzle melted butter over the top, and serve warm.


Notes: This makes TONS of rolls. I filled my 10x15 baking dish to the brim. We will have lots of leftovers for mini Thanksgiving leftovers sandwiches. My 4 year old loved helping me make the dough balls but it is a very, very stick dough so we kept spraying our hands with cooking spray to keep from sticking to the dough. Remove the rolls from the oven when they are golden - they will continue to cook for a bit after you remove them from the oven. Carefully pull rolls apart with metal tongs. You do not need the full 1/2 cup of melted butter for the tops - maybe 1/4 at the most. These rolls were really fabulous!