Tired of spending hours in the kitchen on Thanksgiving Day with very little time for family and friends? Consider baking a turkey that you don't have to watch and that bastes itself in a brown paper bag. It comes out tender to the bone and golden brown, and will give you more time to enjoy the holiday. The cranberry relish can be made in advance and the other dishes are a snap. Get ready to relax and enjoy this Thanksgiving.


TURKEY IN THE SACK
2 sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch slices
14-16-lb. turkey
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
3 teaspoons paprika
4 teaspoons hot water
1 cup peanut oil
1 large brown paper sack

Preheat oven to 325°. Combine pepper, salt, seasoned salt, paprika, and hot water. Let stand 15 minutes. Add peanut oil and mix thoroughly. Turkey cannot exceed 16 pounds and ideally should be between 14-16 pounds. Wash and dry turkey. Rub oil mixture inside and outside of turkey. Pour remaining oil into large brown paper sack, like a grocery bag. It is very important that you rub the oil inside the sack until every pore in every inch of the sack is sealed. Add additional oil if needed. Place turkey in the sack, breast side up. Fold over end of sack and tie securely with string. Bake at 325° for 10 minutes per pound. The sack is airtight so the turkey will cook by steam. Be careful when opening the bag: steam is very hot. Check that juices in the deepest part of the thigh run clear.


EASY APPLE SALAD
1-1/2 cups chopped red apples
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup raisins
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
4 Tablespoons sugar
Dash salt

Combine first three ingredients. Mix together remaining ingredients and pour over apple mixture. Toss gently and serve on lettuce leaves. Garnish with apple slices. Serves 4.

CRANBERRY RELISH

1 lb. fresh cranberries
1 orange, unpeeled, sliced and seeded
1 apple, unpeeled, cored
1 lemon, unpeeled, sliced and seeded
1 cup sugar

Place cranberries, orange, apple, and lemon in food processor and grind for a few seconds until you have a medium consistency. Don't over-process. Pour into large bowl and add sugar. Mix well and store in airtight container. Will keep in refrigerator for several weeks. Serves 6.

PUREED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

4 Tablespoons butter
1 small onion, peeled and sliced
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
1 white turnip, peeled and sliced
1 large ripe pear, peeled and cored
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large, heavy pan and sauté onion until soft. Add squash, turnip, and pear; simmer, covered, until tender, for 15 to 20 minutes. You may need to add a small amount of water if vegetables become dry. Remove mixture from pot and puree in a food processor until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste. Serves 8.

Celery Bake

2 cups celery, sliced
1 (8-oz.) jar water chestnuts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 stick melted butter, melted
1 tube crackers, like Ritz or Town House, crushed fine

Cook celery in boiling water about 7 minutes and drain. Mix with water chestnuts, soup, and half of melted butter. Top crackers with remaining melted butter and sprinkle on top of mixture. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Serves 4-6.

QUICK AND EASY GARLIC GREEN BEANS
2 cups frozen cut green beans
2 Tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook green beans according to directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until browned. Pour over beans and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss gently and serve. Serves 4.

HARVEST PUNCH FOR A CROWD
1 gallon apple cider
1 quart orange juice
1 cup lemon juice
1 quart pineapple juice
24 whole cloves
4 sticks cinnamon
1 cup sugar

Mix ingredients and simmer about 10 minutes. May be reheated in mugs in the microwave. Goes great with pumpkin pie. Makes 1-1/2 gallons.

BANANAS ROLLED IN PEANUTS

4 or 5 pounds of bananas
1 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons cider vinegar
3 Tablespoons water
1 egg
1 bag crushed salted peanuts

Peel bananas and cut into 2-inch lengths. Simmer all remaining ingredients except peanuts over medium heat until sauce thickens slightly. Roll bananas in sauce and then in nuts. Serve on a lettuce leaf. Makes about 8 servings.