Drunken Turkey and Gravy

Drunken Turkey

• Ingredients:

• 1 (12 pound) turkey, neck and giblets removed
• 4 tablespoons butter, cubed
• 1.5 - 2 apples cored and halved 
• 1/8 cup white onion, sliced in large rings
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder with parsley
• 1 tablespoon salt 
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 1 bottle champagne 
• 1/3 cup Wondra flour + more for gravy (Gravy recipe below)

Equipment:

• Turkey roasting bags
• Roasting pan

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Rinse turkey (not with soap) and pat dry.  Gently loosen turkey breast skin and insert butter under skin.  Place apples and onion in turkey cavity.  

Sprinkle turkey with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  If needed use turkey pins to close cavity and attach wings to bird.

Add 1/3 cup Wondra flour to turkey bag.  Place bird in turkey bag and pour champagne in the turkey cavity and over the bird.  Seal the turkey bag and place on rack in baking dish.  

Cook for 3 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature is 180 degrees.  

Once cooked, remove turkey from bag and let stand 20 minutes before serving.  

Make sure to rreserve turkey drippings in bag for gravy.

Drunken Gravy

Ingredients: 

• Dripping from turkey
• Wondra flour 

Recipe: Pour turkey drippings in a deep pan over medium-high heat.  Note: An easy way to extract liquid from turkey is to poke holes in the bottom of the turkey bag. Allow liquid to drain over deep pan. Turkey can continue to rest until ready to serve.   

Lightly sprinkle 2 tablespoons Wondra flour into pan.  Mix thoroughly until the flour dissolves making sure to break up any clumps that form.  

Continue cooking and stirring mixture gradually sprinkling small amounts of Wondra until the mixture thickens.  Once desired consistency add salt and pepper to taste.

Immediately serve gravy.

These two recipes complete my 2011 Thanksgiving Meal.  

Candied Pistachio and Bourbon Cream Topping for Pumpkin Pie

I'm not a whiskey girl, but I love how a little vanilla, spice, and cream can make Bourbon so classy and indulgent.  This topping with give you a pleasant warmness without growing an hair on your chest.

Ingredients:

• 1 Pumpkin Pie 
• 3/4 cup pistachios, shelled
• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 Tablespoons water
• 1 cup (8 ounces) Mascarpone cheese
• 1 Tablespoon bourbon
• 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar 
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Dissolve sugar, maple syrup, and water in small saucepan over medium heat mixing often.  Once sugar is dissolved, remove pan from heat, and mix in pistachios.  Using a slotted spoon drain excess syrup from pistachios and spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake pistachios for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.  Let pistachios cool.  

Meanwhile thourougly mix Mascarpone cheese, bourbon, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl.  Serve pumpkin pie slices with a dollop of the bourbon cream and a sprinkle of candied pistachios.  

Thanksgiving 2011 - A sneak peak

Featuring:

Drunken Turkey and Gravy
Easy Cornbread Stuffing
Healthier Mashed Potatoes
Mom's Delicious Cranberry Sauce
Harvest Fruit Salad
Steamed green beans
Wine of your choosing
Easy Pumpkin Pie with Candied Pistachios and Bourbon Cream

Easy Cornbread Stuffing

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
• 4 stocks celery, finely chopped
• 1 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 apple, finely chopped, core removed
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
• 1 2/3 chicken stock, lower sodium
• 1 box cornbread stuffing mix

Directions: Melt butter and olive oil in large saute pan.  Saute onions, celery, parsley, and apple over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until onions are golden brown.  

Mix in salt and pepper.  Add 1 2/3 cup chicken stock and bring to boil.  Once boiling add cornbread stuffing mix.  Stir thoroughly, remove from heat, and cover allowing stuffing to sit for 5 minutes.  

Fluff stuffing with fork and transfer to a greased baking dish.  

Cover with foil and place in 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes if needed to keep stuffing warm. 

Healthier Mashed Potatoes

I leave the skin on my mashed potatoes since it adds fiber and a nice earthy taste.  These potatoes have far less fat and calories than most recipes so feel free to have seconds.  Top these taters with drunken gravy.

Ingredients:

• 8 large Yukon Gold potatoes, with skin, cut in similar size cubes 
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup fat free half-n-half
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper

Directions: Over high heat bring a salted pot of water to a boil.  Carefully add in potatoes.  Once potatoes come to a boil cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.  Drain potatoes in a large colander and return to pot.

Smash potatoes with a fork, masher, hand, etc.  Add butter, half-n-half, and chicken stock to pan.

Mix until ingredients are absorbed and potatoes are fluffy.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with drunken gravy.  

Harvest Fruit Salad

This salad was inspired by the best salad in the world, Cosi's Signature Salad.


Ingredients:
2 cups mixed greens
1/2 cup red seedless grapes, sliced in half
1 Bosc pair, cut in small chunks
3 Tablespoons blue cheese
1/4 cranberry walnut salad topping (found near croutons)
Sherry salad vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Sherry salad dressing:

• 1/3 cup Sherry
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

To make dressing mix first 5 ingredients in a glass jar.  Add olive oil.  Shake vigorously before dressing salad.

Directions for Harvest Fruit Salad: Use enough dressing to lightly coat lettuce leaves.  Add grapes, pears, blue cheese, and cranberry walnut mix.

Gently toss.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Refrigerate left over sherry vinaigrette.  

Recipe serves 4-6 people.  

Easy Pumpkin Pie

This recipe makes two pies.  One pie for me, and another to share with the family.  

Feel free to use homemade pie crust or prepared frozen shells in this recipe.  If you can find French Picnic pastry circles, however, I highly recommend that product.  The dough is decadent, rich, and tastes homemade, without the hassle of making your own dough.  French Picnic pastry circles, if available, can be found in the frozen foods section.  

Ingredients (for 2 pies):

• 1 (30 ounce) can pure pumpkin (not canned pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 (14 ounce) cans fat free sweetened condensed milk
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 pre-made pie crusts

Directions:  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Prep pie crusts accordingly. 

Note: I thaw the frozen French Picnic pastry circles for 10 minutes and then mold the dough into pie pans.  This step does not have to be perfect people.  

Mix pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, and spices in a large bowl.  Pour pumpkin mixture evenly into each prepared pie crust.  

Bake the pies at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.  Then reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook an additional 40 minutes.  When the pie is done a knife inserted 1 inch from crust should come out clean.  Allow pies to cool before garnishing.  

I make these pies the night before serving allowing adequate time for pies to set.  I love sweetened and condensed milk alone, but it really adds to this recipe.  The pie is subtly sweet with a nice hint of spice and not too dense.  Combined with the French Circle pastry and you have a perfect buttery, light crust.  It's a winner all around.  

Whip cream makes an easy topping, but for something a little more special stay tuned for my easy glazed pistachio and bourbon cream topping.  

Mom's Delicious Cranberry Sauce

I apparently took a temporary hiatus from blogging, but I'm back in time for Thanksgiving.  To save time and frustration make some dishes ahead, like my mom's amazing and delicious cranberry sauce.  


Ingredients:

• 12-ounces fresh cranberries
• 1/2 cup organic raw cane sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (squeezed from about 2 oranges) 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 cup water

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Once boiling, reduce heat, and simmer for 12 minutes stirring occasionally.  Mixture will become thickened.  Cool completely and remove cinnamon stick.  Serve or refrigerate up to two days.  

Verdict: This cranberry sauce is a perfect mix of sweet and tart, with nice warm undertones.  For cranberry sauce phobics a bite of this fragrant sauce and they will become cranberry loving converts.  Don't thank me for bringing people to the cranberry bandwagon, thank my mom.  

Homemade Stuff Crust Pizza

This pizza is easy to make and will definitely impress others.  Feel free to top your pie with your choice of ingredients.

Ingredients:
7-8 low moisture, part skim mozzarella cheese sticks
Pre made pizza dough
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1.5 cups Quattro farmagio cheese
1/4 teaspoon Oregano
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Garlic powder

Toppings:
Pre cooked Canadian bacon
Canned pineapple pieces

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray 12-inch pizza pan with cooking spray. Unroll dough onto pan. Starting at the center of the pan, press dough towards edges of pizza pan extending dough 1 inch beyond pan edge.

Place string cheese around inside edge of crust.  Fold edge of dough over cheese and pinch to seal.

Note: You should only fold about 2 inches of dough over cheese to keep the pizza light.  Any excess dough can be saved for a separate recipe.  The pizza will get crispier if you go liberal on the dough.  

Bake the plain pizza for 5 minutes.  Top with pizza sauce and oregano.  

Top pizza with one half of the cheese.  Top with the toppings of your choice.  I used Canadian bacon and pineapple chunks.  Cover toppings with remaining cheese.  Lightly coat pizza crust with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder and salt to taste.

 Bake pizza 12-16 minutes.

Crust should be a deep, golden brown when pie is done.

Now that is an impressive pie.

Boneless Buffalo Chicken Bites Made Easy

I love chicken wings, but seeing the cartilage as I rip the meat of the bone leaves me a little uneasy.  This recipe packs the same punch as traditional buffalo chicken bites, but has far less fat since they are baked.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless, chicken tenders
• 1 package of chicken seasoning and coating mix (Shake 'N Bake is a good choice)
• 1 cup Franks Red Hot Buffalo Wings Sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Low fat blue cheese dressing, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Wash the chicken and pat dry.  Cut the chicken into bite size pieces.

In a large plastic bag (most boxes of coating mix come with a plastic bag or two) add the chicken and coating mix.  Shake until the chicken pieces are evenly coated.

Spread out chicken pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Note: Chicken will get crispier if pieces are not touching one another.

Bake chicken for 20 minutes.

A few minutes before the chicken is done combine Frank's Red Hot with the honey in a microwave safe bowl.  Heat on high for 2 minutes.  Add cooked chicken bites to sauce, mixing until each piece is coated.  Serve with a side of blue cheese for dipping.

Hot Cookies

I wish I had made these cookies, but I cannot take credit for them.

The picture was forwarded to me in an email that read, "The church threw my cookies out of the bake sale again!"

So brilliant.  I have to make these for a future event since the look very easy.  My guess is to roll out dough for a sugar cookie.  Cut out heart shaped pieces and chop off the bottom of the heart near the tip.  Cook as directed, cool, and decorate to your hearts content.

Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers

My inspiration for this dish is my mother's stuffed bell peppers.  The cinnamon in them fills the kitchen and the complex sweet (raisins) and savory (feta cheese) flavors leaves you wanting more.  I took her basic idea and made my own version.

My Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups bell pepper, chopped into bite size pieces
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1.5 cups Israel Couscous
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 3/4 cups low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup chopped spinach
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• Fat free Feta cheese
• Parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Lightly coat bell peppers with oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Bake for 30 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add onions and saute until golden.  Add couscous, cinnamon, and bay leaf to the pot.  Stir often until couscous lightly browns.  Add chicken broth, raisins, spinach and bring to boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed.  Remove from heat and stir in roasted peppers and cumin.

Season with pepper and salt to taste.  If desired add feta cheese and parsley.

Now that dish is good, and my coworkers can confirm that it smells amazing, but eating the same dish for multiple meals becomes old.  I added some additions to the above dish and it is out of this world good.

If using leftover couscous mixture (sans feta cheese) add the following ingredients:
1/3 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
Olive oil
Salt
Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper coat carrots and cherry tomatoes with olive oil.  Season with salt.  Roast for about 30 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Heat up leftover couscous mixture.  Mix in the roasted tomatoes and carrots and top with mozzarella cheese.

Trust, this is a healthy veggie dish that is sure to impress.

White Chocolate Wonderful

Last year I dabbled in the gluten free world.  What that really means is that I thought I might have had a gluten intolerance, panicked, and went on a shopping rampage buying as many gluten free items as I could find.  Most of these items were non memorable (save yourself the disappointment and do not even try gluten free pasta).  However I did develop a powerful addiction.  

It all started with Peanut Butter & Co's Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Peanut Butter.  The website describes the mix perfectly: It's like spreading your peanut butter on cinnamon raisin bread—without the bread.  Some can resist bread, but carbs make me happy.  Thus I started eating peanut butter and banana sandwiches with the zeal of a first grader.  Curiosity, however, got the best of me and I decide to try Peanut Butter & Co's White Chocolate Wonderful.  

Holy beep!  White Chocolate Wonderful is the most delicious peanut butter concoction on the planet.  Apples taste sweeter, carrots go down smoother, and a PB and J has never been this fancy.  If you are tired of your normal peanut butter, want a sweet treat, or are curious to try something new, then splurge on this fancy variation.  However I do warn that you may have an uncontrollable urge to eat this peanut butter scoop after scoop from the jar.  

Let the adventure begin

Every week I receive a box of organic vegetables from Honey Brook Organic Farms. My goal over the last few months has been to eat all the vegetables in my box share. Generally the box has tons of veggies, some I'm familiar with, and other types that are new to me. Less often I receive fruit. Experimenting in the kitchen has allowed me to healthfully enhance the dishes I know and love and create new recipes.

This weeks feast:

• Bell Peppers
• Bok Choy
• Carrots
• Cilantro
• Lettuce
• Hot peppers
• Parsley
• Spicy Mix
• Tomatoes
• Turnips

Spicy Mix? This should be interesting.