Thanksgiving

Sage & Madeira Turkey Gravy

November 27, 2013

Gravy

Sage & Madeira Turkey Gravy

I know that my Thanksgiving plate is not complete without a generous helping of rich turkey gravy.  Here is an easy, but delicious gravy.  A gravy separator does make fast work of separating the turkey juices from the fat. 

INGREDIENTS

Roasted Turkey Pan Drippings

1 Cup Madeira

5 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

1 Pound Peeled & Halved Shallots

6 Tablespoons Unbleached Flour

4 Cups Chicken or Turkey Stock

2 Bay Leaves

4 Large Fresh Sage Sprigs

1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper

Place the roasting pan with the pan drippings on the stovetop over a medium-high heat and bring to a simmer.  Pour in the Madeira and deglaze the pan.  Stir with a whisk to scrape up the browned bits for 1 minute until the liquid is slightly reduced.  Carefully strain the contents of the pan into a gravy separator and set aside.  In a large sauté pan over a medium heat warm the oil.  Add the shallots and cook for 15 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Add the flour and cook for 1 minute.  Stir constantly.  Slowly whisk in the stock and add the bay leaves and sage sprigs.  Increase the heat to a medium-high and bring to a simmer.  Then reduce the heat to a medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Pour in the strained pan drippings, leaving the fat behind.  Season the gravy with the kosher salt and pepper.  Remove and throw away the sage sprigs, shallots and bay leaves.  Keep the gravy warm until ready to serve.  Serves 8

Yum Yum Candied Yams

November 27, 2013

Yum Yum Candied Yams

Yum Yum Candied Yams

I have to admit that I’ve never really been a big fan of the traditional Candied Yam dish, but I know that a lot of Thanksgivings just aren’t complete without out it.  Look no further is you need a Candied Yam recipe. 

INGREDIENTS

9 Peeled & Cubed Yams (Not Canned)

1/4 Cup Butter (Sliced Into Pieces)

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1 1/2 Cups Miniature Marshmallows

1/3 Cup Maple Syrup

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Place sweet potato cubes into a greased baking dish.  Distribute butter pieces evenly over sweet potatoes.  Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar.  Pour maple syrup over all of yams.  Layer with marshmallows.  Place into oven for 25 minutes or until yams are tender, but not mushy, and marshmallows have melted.  Remove from oven and serve warm.  Serves 6.

Green Beans With Toasted Bread Crumbs

November 25, 2013

Green Beans 2

Green Beans With Toasted Bread Crumbs

If you’re looking for more Thanksgiving side dishes to make here is a good one.  Forget that mushroom soup green bean casserole thing.   This green bean dish is much better.  If you want this dish to be gluten free then use gluten free bread crumbs.

INGREDIENTS

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil (Divided)

1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs

1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper

1 1/2 Pounds Trimmed Fresh Green Beans

2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

1/2 Cup Slivered Almonds

In a medium-size sauté pan heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over a medium heat.  Add bread crumbs and toast until golden brown. Stir constantly.  Remove bread crumbs from heat and add kosher salt and pepper.  Set aside.  In a large-size pot add water and a vegetable steamer over a high heat.  Bring to boil and add trimmed green beans. Place lid onto pot. Steam green beans until crisp-tender.  In a large-size sauté pan heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over a medium-high heat.  Add steamed green beans and sauté for 3 minutes until heated through.  Add lemon juice and slivered almonds and sauté for 1 minute.  Transfer green beans and almonds to serving platter.  Top with bread crumbs and serve immediately.  Serves 6

 

 

Sage & Butter Roasted Turkey

November 23, 2013

turkey platter

Sage & Butter Roasted Turkey

Who doesn’t love Thanksgiving Traditions?  I swear my husband lives for Thanksgiving!  Here is a delicious Thanksgiving turkey recipe that I’m sure that you will love. 

INGREDIENTS

2 Sliced Lemons

2 Cups Water

2 Gallons Ice Water

Juice of 1 Lemon

1 1/2 Cups Kosher Salt

1/2 Cup Sugar

1 Tablespoon Whole Peppercorns

1 Organic Fresh Turkey (12 to 15 Pounds)

1/2 Cup Butter Cut Into Slices

10 Fresh Sage Leaves

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

3 Roughly Chopped Carrots

3 Roughly Chopped Celery Stalks

2 Quartered Onions

Freshly Ground Pepper

In a large-size stockpot (large enough to hold the turkey) bring 2 cups water, lemon slices, kosher salt, sugar, and peppercorns to a boil.  Remove pot from heat and add ice water and lemon juice.  Get that turkey submerged into the water.  Cover the pot and place in fridge for at least 8 hours or preferably overnight. This is the brining process.  Remove brined turkey and rinse under cold water.  Place turkey onto wire rack to drain. You may want to put paper towels underneath to soak up water.  Dry turkey with paper towels.  Run your fingers under turkey’s breast and thighs to get the skin loose.  Work slices of butter and sage leaves under the skin. Dry skin again with paper towels.  Rub skin with olive oil.  Put carrots, celery, and onions in shallow roasting pan.  Put turkey in the center.  Sprinkle with ground pepper.  Put into the fridge for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.  Remove from fridge 2 hours before cooking.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  If there is any liquid that has collected in roasting pan remove with a baster.  Tuck turkey wings underneath and tie legs together with kitchen twine.  Put turkey in oven. Turn oven temperature down to 350 degrees.  Roast for 1 hour and then baste with pan juices.  If the breast is browning too quickly then cover with foil.  Rotate roasting pan and continue to roast. Baste turkey every half hour for 2 1/2 to 3 more hours.  You will want the meat thermometer to read 160 to 165 degrees.  Remember that your turkey will continue to cook after leaving the oven.  Remove turkey from oven and transfer turkey to cutting board.  Let rest for 30 minutes before carving.  Reserve any drippings for gravy.  Serves 10

Rum Pecan Pie

November 21, 2013

 

Pecan Pie

Rum Pecan Pie

While Pecan Pie is not my favorite I certainly appreciate a good one.  I added dark rum, which I believe, improves the basic traditional Pecan Pie. Growing up in the Midwest we always had three traditional pies for Thanksgiving and Christmas: Pumpkin, Apple, and Pecan.  Try my Pecan Pie for your holiday dinner.  It just may become everyone’s favorite pie.

INGREDIENTS

1 Single Pie Crust

1 Cup Pecan Halves

2 Tablespoons Melted Butter

1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Dark Corn Syrup

2 Tablespoons Dark Rum

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

3 Lightly Beaten Large Eggs

Whipped Cream For Garnish (Optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  You can use premade pie crust or make your own (see below for pie crust recipe). Transfer pie crust to a 9 inch pie plate.  Crimp the edges of the dough with your fingers and use the fork to prick the bottom of the dough in several spots. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes.  Remove from fridge and cover prepared pie shell with parchment paper.  Make sure to leave a bit of an overhang and add enough pie weights or dried beans to cover the bottom of pie crust.  Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and remove parchment paper and weights. Place back in oven and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Set aside. Turn oven down to 350 degrees.  In a medium-size bowl combine pecans with 1 tablespoon butter and kosher salt.  Spread pecan mixture onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Toast for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool.  Meanwhile, in a medium-size bowl combine sugar, corn syrup, rum and vanilla extract and remaining butter.  Stir in eggs.  Add toasted pecans.  Pour filling into cooled piecrust.  Place in oven on bottom rack and bake for 50 to 60 minutes until center of pie feels gelatin-like when pressed with back of a spoon.  Remove from oven and transfer pan to wire rack to cool.  Serve with whipped cream if you lie.  Makes 1 pie. 

Pie Crust

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 Cups Unbleached Flour

1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 1/2 Sticks Cold Butter (Cut Into Small Pieces)

5 To 7 Tablespoons Ice Water

In a large-size bowl, combine flour and kosher salt.  Add cold butter, cut into small pieces; using your fingers, cut into butter until mixture resembles grated Parmesan.  Add 5 to 7 tablespoons ice water, a tablespoon at a time, while mixing with you’re your fingers, until dough holds together in a ball.  Turn dough out onto floured piece of wax paper.  Sprinkle more flour onto dough, cover with a second piece of wax paper, and place on baking sheet. Place in fridge for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.  When ready to use, remove dough from fridge and let sit, covered, at room temperature for 30 minutes.  

Pecans 2

Stress-Free Thanksgiving Do-Ahead Tips

November 20, 2013

Holiday Table

Stress-Free Thanksgiving Do-Ahead Tips

Holidays are supposed to be about family and friends; love and being grateful; welcoming and peaceful.  Often times we miss the mark because we are totally overwhelmed with putting on the perfect Thanksgiving dinner.  For years I put on huge holiday dinners with at least 50 guests (one year I counted 80 guests).  It is a lot of work for the host, but looking back I realize how important it was for me to give this annual gift to my family. Here are some of my tried and true tips that worked for me over the years. 

1.    Purchase a good roasting pan and rack.  Both items are important in helping your turkey cook evenly and to catch the wonderful pan juices.  You will need to spend a bit of money, but in the end it’s worth it because you will have it for years.

2.    Start with a plan. Make a list of how many guests you will have for dinner.  Make a note of any food allergies, food preferences (like gluten free/vegetarian/vegan), etc.  Make a list of what you would like to make for the dinner. 

3.    Shopping lists. After you’ve decided on the dishes you are going to make print out all of the recipes (if you need recipes for specific dishes).  Make a shopping list of all ingredients.  Making sure to have your shopping list fine-tuned in advance is key.  You may even want to make two shopping lists: one for non-perishables for at least a week ahead and the second for perishables for one or two days before Thanksgiving.  A last minute trip to the store can shave off an hour or two of precious prep time. 

4.    Seating is essential. Beg, borrow or steal as many folding type chairs as humanly possible.  Trust me you will need them.  Over the years I would pick up extra folding chairs and store them away for just such occasions.  I can’t tell you how many times my fleet of folding chairs came in handy.  I never cared if the chairs all matched.  It was more important that people had something to sit on.  Pick them up when they go on sale in January.

5.    Mix and match place settings.  Don’t be afraid to mix and match place settings.  Not everyone has full sets of Grandmother’s fine china.  I often times pick up interesting dishes (whole sets or one plate) at flea markets.  Thank goodness for “shabby chic” because I don’t know what I would do if eclectic wasn’t in style.  Besides the holidays are about making people feel homey.  This goes for tablecloths, serving dishes and flatware as well.  It’s ok…mix and match!

6.    Buffet Style. If you’re having a lot of guests then set your table buffet style.  I had so many guests each year that it was impossible to have a sit-down dinner.  Set up your table or you can do this on a separate buffet table one or two days ahead of time.  Make certain that you have enough dishes, glassware and utensils.  Include clean serving platters and bowls so that they are ready for transferring sides from the oven.  Doing this will also save you time in those last minutes before dinner is served.  If you are having a sit-down dinner then set your table a day in advance. It will make it much easier for you if you do.

7.    Snacks. Set out little bowls of nuts and nibbles around your entertaining areas so people aren’t starving.  Be careful not to overdo it because you do want them hungry.  After all you want people to eat your delicious dinner.  I find that it’s important to be moderate in your pre-feast nibbles.

8.    Clean is everything!  When entertaining it is important to make sure the dishwasher is emptied and you’ve cleaned while you’ve been cooking.  It makes such a big difference if you’re kitchen is as clean as possible and your dishwasher is ready for after dinner dishes.  If you can afford it then hire someone to come over the next day to help get your house back in order.  Hire a teenage kid who may need to make some holiday money. 

9.    Plan for extra bird time. Build in an extra hour more than the recipe calls for when cooking your turkey.  You will need to give your bird a half hour to rest after removing it from the oven.  If your turkey is done ahead of time then no big deal because you can keep it warm with aluminum foil. 

10.Practice.  If this is your first time hosting Thanksgiving or if you’ve never made a particular dish before then you may want to give that particular dish a test run.  This way you’re able to work out any problems and you’ll be more confident when Thanksgiving arrives.  Trust me your family will let you know if that dish works or doesn’t.

11. Shortcuts. Not everything must be made from scratch.  If you decide to pick up rolls or pies from your local bakery then go for it.  Ditch the evidence, no one needs to know. 

12. Let people help.  If people offer to bring a side dish or dessert then let them. This will allow you to focus on the turkey, gravy and stuffing.  If you need help then ask for it.  Most people want to help and will be happy that you asked. 

13. Have fun! Enjoy yourself.  If you’re organized then you will be able to enjoy yourself and have a great time with family and friends.  No one will remember if the cranberry sauce was a little too sweet or if the dog got into the pumpkin pie. 

 

Asian Turkey Brine

November 16, 2013

Thanksgiving Turkey 2

Asian Turkey Brine

To brine or not to brine that is the question.  I go both ways on the issues.  Some years I brine the turkey and some years I don’t.  If you’re looking for a unique brine try my Asian Turkey Brine this year for either your holiday bird.  You can also use this brine for chicken. 

INGREDIENTS

2 Cups Soy Sauce

2 Gallons Water

1 1/2 Cups Kosher Salt

10 Cloves Minced Garlic

3 Tablespoon Whole Black Peppercorns

4 Dried Bay Leaves

1/4 Cup Worcestershire Sauce

3/4 Cup Brown Sugar

In large food safe container combine all of the ingredients. Whisk until salt and sugar are totally dissolved.  Place turkey into brine.  Leave in brine for 1 hour per pound of meat. Once done brining, remove from brine and pat meat dry before booking. Roast turkey and baste with extra soy sauce.  

Super Easy Cranberry Sauce

November 13, 2013

Cranberry Sauce

Super Easy Cranberry Sauce

Please, please, please don’t buy canned cranberry sauce!  I cringe every time I see it sitting out on a holiday table.  It’s so easy to make your own and here is your Super Easy recipe to get you through the holidays. 

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Water

2 Cups (8 Ounces) Fresh Cranberries

In a medium-size saucepan stir together sugar and water.  Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Make sure to stir to dissolve the sugar.  Add cranberries.  Bring back to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-high.  Cook for 5 minutes (uncovered).  You will want cranberries to pop.  Stir occasionally.  Remove from heat.  Serve either warm or chilled.  Makes 2 cups.  

Cranberries

Traditional Pumpkin Pie

November 11, 2013

pumpkin pie

Traditional Pumpkin Pie

According to a recent survey Pumpkin Pie wins out when it comes to the Thanksgiving pie favorite.  2nd place goes to Apple Pie and the 3rd place goes to Pecan Pie.  I have to admit that I like Pumpkin Pie over apple and pecan although I’ve never turned any of them down.  Here is a nice Traditional Pumpkin Pie recipe to get you started on the upcoming Thanksgiving cooking fun. 

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 Cups Pumpkin Puree

2 Large Eggs

1 Cup Whole Milk

1/2 Cups Pure Maple Syrup

1 Tablespoon Unbleached Flour

1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 (9 Inch) Piecrust

Sweetened Whipped Cream Spiked With Bourbon (Optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Place piecrust into pie pan.  In a medium-size bowl whisk together pumpkin and eggs.  Blend Well.  Add milk, maple syrup, flour, cinnamon, ginger, and kosher salt.  Whisk to blend well.  Pour filling into piecrust.  Bake pie for 55 to 60 minutes until center is just set.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Serve with shipped cream spiked with bourbon if you want.  Serves 8

 

Creamy Corn Pudding

August 21, 2013

cornCreamy Corn Pudding

Growing up in Nebraska I ate the best corn ever.  Corn was a late summer staple that went with every night of barbequing.  This summer I’m getting ready to put up corn to enjoy the rest of the year.  Try using fresh corn for this savory pudding that goes exceptionally well with baked ham.  Perfect for a late summer feast.

INGREDIENTS

4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

1 Medium Chopped Onion

1/4 Cup Unbleached Flour

2 Cups Warmed Half & Half

1 Cup Warmed Milk

2 Cups Fresh Cooked Corn (About 4 Ears Cut From the Cob)

1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper

4 Large Eggs

Boiling Water

Preheat your oven to 325° F.  In a medium-size saucepan, melt the butter over a medium heat.  Add the chopped onions and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.  Add the flour and cook for one minute while continuing to stir.  With a wire whisk, gradually whisk in the warm half & half and warm milk.  Bring to a boil making sure to whisk constantly.  Reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.  You will want the sauce to be thick.  Remove from the heat; stir in the corn, kosher salt and pepper.  In a medium-size casserole (2-quart), with a wire whisk, beat the eggs lightly.  Slowly add the corn mixture, beating constantly.  Set the casserole in a 13”x9” baking pan.  Put the pan on the middle oven rack and pour enough boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the casserole.  Bake for 80 to 90 minutes until an inserted knife comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and remove from the baking pan.  Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.  Serves 8 as a side dish.

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