The Cheap Gourmet

Thanksgiving Menu Ideas, Recipes, Cooking Tips and How-To Video Resources

Tired of the same ole' Thanksgiving menu? Ready to venture out and try new and exciting recipes? In need of cooking tips or searching for how-to videos that provide step-by-step cooking instructions? If so, you'll love the following Thanksgiving menu ideas and cooking resources!

For years, our family Thanksgiving menu consisted of roasted turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, noodles, the infamous green bean casserole, freshly baked rolls along with at least one pumpkin pie and one pecan pie.

This year we are joining friends for a Thanksgiving feast and I have been searching for unique dessert and side dish recipes. The following holiday cooking resources have helped me locate a variety of delicious, nutritious and healthy recipes. My biggest problem now is deciding which ones to prepare! I hope these resources help you locate recipes to complement and enhance your Thanksgiving meal!

Thanksgiving Menu Ideas, Recipes, Cooking Tips and How-To Video Resources

Every Day with Rachel Ray – Rachel Ray is infamous for creating recipes suited for home cooks who don't have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen. Her website is packed with recipes for all occasions and includes a special section devoted to Thanksgiving.

At Every Day with Rachel Ray you'll find recipes for starters, sides, turkey, stuffing, soups, desserts and drinks. How-to videos are available and include: How to prep a turkey for roasting; how to carve a turkey; how to make stuffing; how to make gravy; how to make easy mashed potatoes; how to make an easy lattice pie; and much more!

Cooking.com – Here you will discover a vast database of recipes for every occasion. From breakfast, lunch and dinner to party planning and holiday fare, Cooking.com is a one-stop resource for recipes, cooking tips, kitchen gadgets and more!

Click on the Holidays and Parties link to locate complete menu planners or individual recipes. Wow your guests with unique pumpkin recipes such as Pumpkin Maple Crème Brulée, Pumpkin Walnut Cake or Pumpkin Gingersnap Cheesecake. Go beyond traditional Thanksgiving casserole dishes by whipping up Pear and Red Onion Gratin, Whipped Sweet Potato Bake, or Canadian Bacon, Potato and Swiss Chard Gratin.

Campbell's Kitchen – Manufacturer of America's favorite soups, Campbell's Kitchen provides 115 holiday recipes certain to please even the pickiest eaters. From Skinny Mashed Potatoes to Sausage Walnut Stuffing and Herb Roasted Turkey to Brie en Croute, Cambell's Kitchen offers affordable and easy-to-prepare recipes practically guaranteed to make your Thanksgiving feast memorable.

Be certain to download Campbell's Kitchen Free Holiday Planner which includes all the recipes you'll need for the holidays and the leftovers to follow!

Eat Better America – Locating healthy holiday recipes can be challenging, but Eat Better America provides a vast assortment of great tasting, nutritious recipes that are low in calories while bursting with flavor.

Indulge in French classics such as Turkey Ratatouille or Italian favorites such as Turkey and Spinach Manicotti. Savor the intoxicating flavors of Thyme-Roasted Turkey Breast or save time by preparing the Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Stuffed with Rice.

Eat Better America recipe selections include: breakfast and brunch, appetizers and snacks, dinner, sides, breads, desserts and drinks. Take a moment to subscribe to their newsletter and receive diet, nutrition and fitness tips; discover simple ways to eat healthy; and obtain a variety of money saving coupons.

Cooking Club of America – Discover dozens of Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner recipes perfect for sharing with family and friends. Recipe categories include: Appetizers, Breads and Rolls, Cranberry Sauces and Relish, Salads, Stuffing and Dressing, Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes and Vegetarian Side Dishes.

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The Ultimate Beef Crockpot Recipe

'Tis the season for breaking out the Crock-Pot Slow Cooker! There's nothing better than the aromas that fill your house as your fork-tender meal is cooking. Today I'd like to share the Ultimate Beef Crockpot Recipe which I created for my family last weekend.

Before I share the Ultimate Beef Crockpot Recipe, allow me to explain how it came about. On October 22, I underwent oral surgery for complete dental restoration. I had been living off nutrition shakes and soup. My dentist, Dr. Joseph Valenzi, told me I would need to stay on a liquid and soft food diet for several weeks while my gums healed.

After a week, I could barely stand the thought of downing one more drink or bowl of soup or plate of mashed potatoes. Then it hit me... Bring out the Crock-Pot!! I had been craving beef, which is odd since I don't eat much red meat. I'm assuming my body needed the protein to help me through the healing process.

I gathered my favorite ingredients and began adding items to the Crock-Pot I inherited from my mom, the Cooking Queen. She cooked up some seriously good food and I was in need of something with substance. I'm certain she would have loved this recipe and it has offically been added to my family's list of all-time favorites. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

THE ULTIMATE BEEF CROCKPOT RECIPE
Serves 6 Cook Time: 4 to 6 hours

INGREDIENTS:

1-1/2 pounds Sirloin Tip Side Steak, cut in strips
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Black Pepper, coarsely ground
1 Onion (yellow or white), sliced into rings
2 medium Carrots, sliced diagonally
4 medium Potatoes
1 green Bell Pepper
4 cloves Garlic, chopped
2 Jalapeno Peppers, minced
2 Tablespoons Dale's Seasoning (or Worcestershire Sauce)
1 Tablespoon Stubb's Moppin' Sauce (or BBQ Sauce)
1 14.5-ounce can Diced Tomatoes
1 10-1/2-ounce can Campbell's French Onion Soup, plus 2 soup cans Water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Slice sirloin tip side steak into 2-inch strips
2. Add olive oil to 10-inch skillet and heat to medium.
3. Sprinkle both sides of meat with coarsely ground black pepper and press pepper into meat with the palm of your hand.
4. Carefully add meat to skillet and lightly brown on both sides. Remove from skillet and place on plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess oil.
5. Slice onion into 1-inch thick rings. Separate rings and place on bottom of Crock-Pot.
6. Slice carrots diagonally into 1-inch chunks and add to Crock-Pot.
7. Cut potatoes into large chunks. I prefer to leave the skin on, but you can remove it if desired.
8. Cut green bell peppers into rings or large chunks.
9. Chop garlic and toss in with the rest of the veggies.
10. Slice jalapeno peppers in half and remove seeds. Mince and add to the Crockpot.
11. Mix the Dale's Seasoning (or Worcestershire Sauce) and Stubb's Moppin' Sauce (or BBQ) together in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush the sirloin steak with the sauce.
12. Place seasoned meat on top of veggies.
13. Drain diced tomatoes and place on top of the meat.
14. Pour French Onion Soup and 2 soup cans of water over the meat and vegetables.
15. Turn the Crock-Pot on high for 30 minutes, then lower setting to medium or medium-low.
16. Cook for 4 to 6 hours.
17. Ladle into soup bowls and serve with a French Baguette or warm bread with butter or dipping oil.

 

MORE CROCKPOT RECIPES FROM THE CHEAP GOURMET:

Sweet and Sassy Crockpot Chicken

Crockpot Caramel Apples

Crockpot Beef Roast with Burgundy Wine Gravy

Sweet and Sassy Crockpot Chicken Recipe

The following Sweet and Sassy Crockpot Chicken recipe is the most amazing dish I have ever tasted. The flavors are a cross between Bourbon Chicken and Sweet and Sour Chicken. This recipe is super easy to adapt. While it calls for a whole cut-up chicken, you can also use either bone-in or boneless chicken breasts, but will need to adjust the cooking time.

Before you start cooking Sweet and Sassy Crockpot Chicken, allow me to share a few tips with you.

• If you use chicken breasts, reduce the amount of brown sugar to between 1/2 and 3/4 cup.
• Reduce the cooking time by 75 percent by using breast meat cut into chunks. This method only requires a 2 hour cooking time over low heat.
• Last, but not least, you can also cook this recipe on the stovetop by using boneless chicken breasts cut into strips or chunks.

SWEET AND SASSY CROCKPOT CHICKEN RECIPE
Serves 8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6-8 hours crockpot; 45 minutes stovetop

INGREDIENTS:

1 whole Chicken, cut-up
1 cup Brown Sugar, packed
2/3 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup Lemon-Lime soda
4 Garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon Black Pepper, freshly ground
2-3 Green Onions, sliced, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. Wash and pat dry chicken. Place in Crockpot.
2. In small bowl, mix together remaining ingredients and pour over chicken.
3. Turn heat to low and cook chicken for 6 to 8 hours.
4. Carefully remove from Crockpot using large tongs.
5. Transfer pieces to serving bowl. Top with fresh green onions if desired and serve immediately.

This chicken tastes heavenly when served over rice or noodles. Add a fresh salad and hot dinner rolls for a satisfying meal on a cold winter night.

470 Crockpot Recipes

Since we've been sharing Crockpot recipes this past week, I wanted to let you know about a place where you can get all the Crockpot recipes you could ever want. Over at Crock Recipe Pot, you'll find a phenomenal bargain -- 470 Crockpot recipes in digital format for less than $20. You can download them instantly and start cooking today!

470 Crockpot Recipes provides a solution for those who have a hectic lifestyle. And, who doesn't these days? All you have to do is prep your ingredients the night before. The next morning, get up 10 minutes early and pop everything into your Crockpot. When you come home from work, your house will smell divine and dinner will be ready. Now, that's almost as good as having a private chef isn't it?

Crockpots can be used to cook soups, stews, casseroles, meats, poultry, fish, seafood and even desserts. With 470 Crockpot Recipes you'll never be bored with the same ole' weekly meal routine. You could try something new for more than a year and never eat the same thing twice.

But wait, that's not all... (sorry, I couldn't resist!)

The founder of Crock Recipe Pot is a generous soul. When you order 470 Crockpot Recipes ebook, you'll also receive numerous bonus cookbooks including: Chicken Recipes, Fish Recipes, Chocolate Recipes, Desserts, Soups, Stews and much more. In fact, you'll receive a collection of ebook cookbooks which provide more than 8000 recipes. Now that's what I call a great deal!

If you love Crockpot cooking, you'll want to invest in this amazing collection of Crockpot Recipes. Just click on this link to order your copy of 470 Crockpot Recipes TODAY!

Unusual Crockpot Recipe: Caramel Apples

My friend, Jo, shared an interesting Crockpot recipe with me the other day. It's really quite ingenious and I wish I would have thought of it a few months ago. You see, it's a Crockpot recipe for Caramel apples! I made four dozen caramel apples for Halloween. This technique could have saved me a LOT of time.

If you've ever made caramel apples, you know they can be kind of a pain. You have to be somewhat careful while melting the caramel. It's easy to burn and it's easy to keep too cool, which in turns make it setup, then it's hard to get it to adhere to the apple. I usually break out the double-boiler, but even still it's hard to control the proper temperature to sustain the smooth consistency required for coating apples. That's where the Crockpot comes in! It keeps it at the same temperature for a long period of time.

The following caramel apple recipe is so simple, you're going to love it! And, clean-up is a snap too. As you probably already know, the Crockpot is one of the easiest things to clean. Baked on food just slides right off. I love it!

Anyhoo, I digress. Let's get down to business. Here is the Crockpot Caramel Apples recipe...

Crockpot Beef Pot Roast with Burgundy Wine Gravy Recipe

During the holidays, I went home to visit my family in Indiana. Pretty much everything I know about cooking was taught to me by my mom. She is the Queen of putting together a scrumptious, melt-in-your-mouth meal with her ever-present Crockpot.

When I arrived, the aromatics of mom's Beef Pot Roast filled the air. I could smell it the instant I opened my car door. The moment I crossed the threshold, my salivary glands went into overdrive and I was instantly drawn to the Crockpot sitting on the counter.

As I approached the Crockpot, it took every ounce of energy to not stick a fork in and grab a morsel. Mom informed me I would have to wait one more hour before diving into her famous concoction of beef, onion soup, burgundy wine and mushrooms. The wait was excruciating!

It wasn't easy prying this recipe from mom. But, she's a passionate foodie and with a little persuasion from her favorite daughter (sorry Sis!) she agreed to share her divine recipe with The Cheap Gourmet readers. I am honored to pass along this tried-and-true Crockpot recipe to you and hope that you and your family enjoy it for years to come!

Red, White and Blue Recipes for the 4th of July!

It's not too late to plan a bodacious red, white and blue menu for your 4th of July celebration. The Recipe Zaar offers an abundance of deliciously delightful concoctions that are certain to please your family and guests. You'll find everything from 4th of July Margaritas to Red, White and Blue Burgers and plenty of tastebud exploding desserts!

If you've never been to Recipe Zaar, you are missing out! Not only will you find thousands of mouth-watering recipes, you'll also be able to interact with other home cooks and chefs in the Recipe Zaar community, share your own recipes, and save recipes in a personal cookbook. Go check them out at www.RecipeZaar.com and sign-up for your free account today!

Photo by RecipeLink.com