Thanksgiving is..

Well.. It's gonna be a strange one for me again this year. THANKFULLY I have people who I adore to share it with but it is going to be odd to NOT be with family since we FINALLY were again last year. Hopefully someday soon Eric's family will BE our family so for now I will just get warm fuzzies from that like every time I'm with them. They are TRULY wonderful people. Every single one of them. :)

Today I had a friend ask me for a few of my Thanksgiving recipes so I thought I would share a little about what I do. :)

My goal THIS year is to make the turkey. I have made 2 turkeys in my life time. The best way, I discovered, was in the oven inside of a paper bag. The first time I tried that I thought the bag went around the whole PAN instead of just around the turkey.. and we won't talk about what happened and how we almost had to call the fire department. Nope.. gonna stick to the GOOD turkey story and tell you that I simply chopped a ton of garlic, peeled the skin back from the breast and schmeared the garlic mixed with olive oil all over the meat, shoved a whole peeled onion inside of the turkey to keep it moist, shoved THAT inside of a paper bag, stapled it shut and baked it according to package directions per pound. That is EXACTLY what I plan to do this year as well. :)

As for sides.. my kids are insisting on my mashed potatoes.. and I am also going to make candied  yams, simply by going the really cheap and cheating way and buy a few cans of yams and cover them in brown sugar and butter, and bake.. adding marshmallows at the end to brown on top. :)

Now.. This is something I thought I would NEVER do.. because I have had people BEG for this recipe.. and even though I got it from my sister Maureens ex Mother in law, I tell people it's MY recipe for mashed potatoes.. Wait until you try these.. You will never go back to traditional. :)

Worlds Best Mashed Potatoes (according to the Kuecken Clan)


1 whole 3lb bag of potatoes, peeled and chopped into about 8 pieces (for medium sized potatoes)
1 stick of butter
1 package of cream cheese (yes. the whole package)
1/3 cup of milk
Seasoned Salt


You will need enough water in the pan to cover the potatoes by an inch.
Boil the potatoes until you can put a fork in them and they split, (about 20-30 minutes usually)


I then add the cream cheese, milk and butter and blend in my stand mixer, or you can use a hand mixer like I did before I had my stand mixer. I add season salt as it's mixing. At this time you need to start tasting the potatoes (oh darn.. real bummer there) to make sure you have enough of the seasoned salt.. do not go crazy on this as I have in the past thinking it had to be a certain shade of orange.. it doesn't.. it's only to your liking. :) They are simply the best, smoothest potatoes on earth, and my kids eat ONLY potatoes when I make them. You can add gravy but I think that kinda ruins how good they are just plain. :)

Enjoy!!