TANGERINE MASHED SWEET POTATOES
4 pounds sweet potatoes
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup orange liqueur
Grated zest of 2 oranges
1/2 cup tangerine juice or orange juice
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger root
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Scrub potatoes and place in a large saucepan. Cover with water. Bring to boil over medium heat; lower heat. Simmer 30 minutes or until just tender, drain. Peel when cooled.
Butter a 6-cup baking casserole dish. Place potatoes in large bowl, mash with potato masher. Add remaining ingredients. Beat until smooth with an electric beater. Spoon into dish.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes until top is golden. Garnish with zest.
Serves 8.
Source: Ted Miller

Turkey Stuffing
This is the stuffing I make for Thanksgiving, and it's absolutely divine. The holiday just isn't the same without the taste of this dish. The day after it's cooked, it's wonderful cold, too! This recipe makes enough for a 12-pound turkey, about three quarts of stuffing.

12 cups bread, cubes
1 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup minced onions
1 1/2 cups chopped celery, stalks and leaves
1 cup chopped mushrooms (optional)
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon ground sage
no-salt-added chicken broth (optional)

1. In a large, heavy skillet over medium heat melt the butter, then sauté the onion and celery (and mushroom, if using) until the onion is soft, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in the salt, pepper, and sage and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
3. Place the bread cubes into a large, deep bowl.
4. Pour 1/4 cup of the butter/celery mixture over the cubes and toss well, then repeat steps until all of the butter mixture is used.
5. Toss the cubes thoroughly to coat.
6. (Regarding the optional chicken broth: for dry stuffing, add little or no liquid; for moist stuffing mix in lightly with fork just enough chicken broth to moisten dry crumbs.) Let cool and use as stuffing for the turkey.
7. We've made this stuffing in the crockpot, as well, adding the chicken broth for moistness.
8. Note: regardling the amount of salt - yes, the amount listed above is correct to my taste. When the butter mixture is first added to the bread, if you taste it at this point it might seem salty (because it is sitting right on the surface of the bread) but remember that the liquid and butter soaks into the bread and redistributes evenly.
9. Note #2: again, regarding the salt. You're going to have to decide for yourself about the salt. Having eaten this recipe for every year of my life I know it tastes wonderful as it's written. But that's just me.

Cioppino with Lobster

My cousin Don Belew and his lovely wife Barbara, who lives in Kamiah, Idaho, are not having the traditional turkey or ham for their Thanksgiving dinner this year. Don's cooking Cioppino with Lobster. They have had it many times before and says it finger-licking good.

*****

Cioppino with Lobster recipe
Ingredients
1 pound haddock or halibut fillets, cut into bite sizes
1 pound small scallops
1 pound shrimp
1/2 cup chopped,seeded green or red bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 can (28-oz.) canned tomatoes, chopped
1 can (28-oz.) tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried basil
1/8 teaspoon black ground pepper
1 cup dry red wine
24 clams in shell, (or 2- 7 1/2oz. can)
1 pound frozen lobster tail, partially thawed

Directions
In Dutch oven, cook peppers, onion and garlic in olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes but not brown. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, parsley, salt, oregano, basil and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes; add wine and simmer an additional 10 minutes.

Add lobster tail (cut shell into serving size). cover and simmer for 5 minutes.Add fish, scallops and shrimp.; cut fish into bite-size pieces. ( Cut scallops in half if large)cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Add clams in shell--continue simmering until the shells open --approximately 5 minutes. (discard any that do not open)Serve in soup bowls.
Serving Size: 8

The weather is cold enough for a bowl of HOT Chili
Chili is the official state dish of Texas. Texans claim that chili originated in their state. Other rivalries between states involve recipes (of course), but even semantics - New Mexicans use "chili" to describe the plant, the pod, and various dishes made with chili peppers (see New Mexico State Vegetables - chili and frijole), while to Texans, the word "chili" is a very specific culinary dish. In 1977 Texas legislature proclaimed chili the official state dish of Texas "in recognition of the fact that the only real 'bowl of red' is that prepared by Texans."

Chili is of Tex-Mex origin (Tex-Mex food, originating in the American southwest, is a combination of American Indian and Spanish cuisines. Although some chili recipes are bean-less, most people consider them a main ingredient of chili. Two other foods that are key ingredients in chili are also official state symbols of Texas : onions and peppers.

Barry Goldwaters Chili recipe
1 pound coarsely ground beef

1 pound dried pinto beans

1 can (6oz) tomato paste

2 cups chopped onions

3 tablespoons hot unspiced chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

salt

water

Soak beans in water, covered overnight. In a large Dutch oven, cook beef until browned, stirring to keep crumbly, Drain off drippings, if needed.

Add tomato paste, onions and drained beans.

Mix chili powder, cumin and season to taste with salt. Stir into mixture.

Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until beans are tender, about 5 hours.

Serves 6