The Thanksgiving Recipes File
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From kathyk:
I'm becoming a staunch believer in the simple and the tried and true for Thanksgiving. I think keeping to that theme was a big reason I didn't completely stress out this year. Two examples are the roasted brussel sprouts and roasted sweet potatos. For each, after cleaning them I coated them in olive oil and put them in the oven until they were soft, and in the case of the brussels, a little charred at the fringes. When the taters were done, I sliced them into large chunks and melted butter over them. Both were huge hits and so ridiculously simple.
I always do a sausage stuffing mix, with celery, onions and pork sausage. This year I threw in some portabella mushrooms and pine nuts for a little variety.
And I do my gravy like my mother did - from the drippings and the cooking broth from the giblets.
SILs both brought some lovely side dishes. One was pureed cauliflower with sour cream. And, then the JF family tradition - corn pudding.
Cindy's cranberries were a big hit, and I did a lighter variety cooked with orange juice instead of water with a bit of honey - very tart and almost guilt-free.
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From Cindysphinx:
I gotta find a way to dial things down next year. We had 19 people. Nineteen. It was insanely loud and chaotic and stressful. Not my idea of a good time. Mr. Sphinx kept inviting people and inviting people and inviting people.
I'm putting him on a choke chain next year.
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From Nina:
kathyk--
Try roasting your pine nuts. They're really delicious. I buy a ton each year, roast them and stick them in the freezer.
Stick them in a single layer on a cookie sheet, bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them and take them out when they get golden brown.
They get a great roasted flavor that is wonderful in a lot of things... even tossed into a green salad.
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From Cindysphinx:
Here's a recipe for Drunken Turkey. It comes out beautifully, and the sauce it generates is to die for.
"Zarela Martinez's Drunken Turkey"
1 12-pound turkey
2 pounds dried mixed fruit
1 cup white raisins
4 granny smith apples (cored, cut into 1-inch wedges)
5 ounce can of chipotle chiles with juice
Juice of one orange
3 cups dark tequila
3 cups Grand Marnier
2 sticks sweet (salted) butterPreheat oven to 325. Rinse turkey, pat dry inside and outside. Salt cavity and set aside.
Combine dried fruit, raisins and apple in medium bowl. Put orange juice and chiles with juice into blender and blend for 1 minute. Add one cup each of tequila and Grand Marnier, blend. Pour this misture over the fruit and let rest for 15 minutes. Drain fruit, reserving liquid. Cut 1 stick of butter into slices and combine with fruit.
Stuff cavity of turkey with most of fruit. Place turkey in roasting pan; arrange remaining fruit on top of turkey. Then pour reserved orange/chile/liquor mixture over it. Fill basting syringe with remaining liquor and inject into turkey all over. Melt remaining stick of butter and pour over turkey. Roast 2.5 hours or until cooked.
Notes:
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I used 2 cups tequila and 2 cups Grand Marnier. Had I used more the liquid would have overflowed.
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I would cut back on the apples. That was a lot of fruit.
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The smaller dried fruit (raisins, cranberries) turned to an unrecognizable mush. Better results were with the apricots and dried plums, which came out delicious.
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I could not find chipotle chiles in their juice. The closest thing I found was chipotle chiles in adobo (tomato) sauce. This worked fine, and it gave the turkey an interesting red tinge that looked nice when it was brown.
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I used a separator to separate the oil from the broth. The broth was this thick, spicy sauce that you could serve instead of traditional gravy.
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I wouldn't arrange the fruit on top of the turkey. That's kinda weird. Placing it in the pan was fine. For serving, we sliced the turkey and then arranged the fruit all around on the platter.
That's it!
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From Ninia:
quote:
Originally posted by Cindysphinx:
Jodi's stuffing with hot italian sausage, sourdough bread, spinach, parmesan cheese was a stone-cold winner. That's it. I will make it every year for life.Recipe??? Pleez??
[I had the same thought as I was copying this thread over!!!]
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From Nina:
Those of you who brine your turkeys.... what in heaven's name do you use to contain the little bugger?
I generally end up with a 16-lb. bird, more or less. I figure the bird, plus two gallons+ of the liquid and I'd need a crane to get it into my non-existent big-enough refrigerator.
But I'm curious to try it. Are you guys cheating because you can just leave it outside, in a garbage can or something since you leave in cold-weather climes?
(I remember the first time I went to Thanksgiving at my SIL's in Massachusetts--the beer and soda were chilling on the back deck! What a cool (pardon the pun) idea! Free cold!
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From JackFrost:
Here is a strong vote and reminder for Cindy's bourbon cranberry! I have made it for the last two years and it is a winner.
The Drunken Turkey sounds great. We are not cooking this year but may try it next when we are cooking, although forgoing the traditional stuffing may be tough.
jf
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From Cindysphinx:
This might be it, Nina. I found it saved as a Word doc on my computer. Jodi?
Bread Stuffing with Chard and Sausage
5 T butter
1 pound hot or mild Italian Sausage crumbled, casings removed
1 1/4 C chopped celery
1 lg. onion, chopped
1/4 pund mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 pounds Swiss Chard or spinach (ends trimmed) rinsed well and finely chopped
1/2 C raisins
1 1/4 C grated parmesan cheese
1 1/4 t. each dry rosemary leaves, and dry oregono leaves
1/2 pund sweed French or Sourdough bread cut into 1/4 ince cubes (8 cups)
1 C dry white wineIn a 5 - 6 quart pan, melt butter on medium heat. Add sausage; cook and stir often until browned, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove sausage to a large bowl.
To the pan, add celery and onion. Cook until vegetable are limp, about 5 minutes; stir often. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to sausage. Add mushrooms to pan; stir often until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to sausage. Add chard to pan; stir until it is wilted and juices are evaporated. Stir chard into sausage mixture with raisins, parmesan, rosmary, and oregano.Soak bread in wine, then work with your hands until is is mashed. Combine bread and sausage mixture, mixing well . Fill turkey with stuffing, place excess stuffing about 1 inch deep in a buttered baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven, uncovered, until top is lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Makes 8 cups, 8 - 10 servings.
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From QuirtEvans:
quote:
Originally posted by Nina:
Those of you who brine your turkeys.... what in heaven's name do you use to contain the little bugger?I generally end up with a 16-lb. bird, more or less. I figure the bird, plus two gallons+ of the liquid and I'd need a crane to get it into my non-existent big-enough refrigerator.
But I'm curious to try it. Are you guys cheating because you can just leave it outside, in a garbage can or something since you leave in cold-weather climes?
(I remember the first time I went to Thanksgiving at my SIL's in Massachusetts--the beer and soda were chilling on the back deck! What a cool (pardon the pun) idea! Free cold!
Yeah, I keep the brining turkey in my garage. But to make sure that the temp is low enough, I add a couple of bags of ice.
Last year, I used a not-yet-used paint bucket from Home Depot.
This year, I'm using a big plastic storage container.
One suggestion I saw on the interweb is to use a big cooler ... put the turkey and the brining solution in there, and then add ice to keep the temp down. They suggest lining the cooler somehow so it doesn't wind up smelling like turkey. (I did put ice in my plastic container, to keep the turkey nice and cold.)
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From LL:
Aha...here's the Food Thread! Pasting this over where it should be!
Happily going to my niece's this year. Most years in the past, my dear sister has hosted, and I have always done everything I can to help her out, starting the day before. Yes, it is a lot of work, but fun to celebrate and work together.
But this year, her 40 yr old (and kids 13, 16, 18 and new SO and extended families) are getting together. I designated myself for two desserts
Most everyone that I know does the usual apple pie, but I like to do an old NEW ENGLAND APPLE PAN DOWDY. And will do a huge APRICOT CREAM PIE.
Apple Pan Dowdy is similar to an apple pie but with no bottom crust. Just loads of sliced apples in a deep dish, with the usual cinn, nutmeg, some sugar (or not), lotsa butter, and THEN molasses dribbled over the apples. Some water (needed to loosen it for later) and I also do a few tablespoons of flour to keep the juices thick. The top crust has been rolled, buttered, rerolled, buttered, rerolled and tucked in on the top.
Once cooked (400 for 10 mn and then 300 for 40) it is then DOWDY'D (for us this is the next day after reheating). Cut in the crust in thick layers (dowdying) into the juicy appled mixture, which then sucks up the juices.
Serve with icecream or whipped cream. YUM!
Apricot Cream Pie is easy.
Bake a bottom crust.
I do a huge one which calls for 1.5 lbs of dried apricots. Adjust for your needs.
2 cups of water or so, with 1 lb of dried apricots in a 2 qt saucepan will be good for normal size crust. Takes about 3/4 hr to absorb. More water or take off the cover if too much water. I do 2.5 cups water and 1.5 lbs of dried apricots and keep it going until they are mushy and stewed.
Then add some sugar and vanilla. When cooled, pour the stewed apricots into the pie shell.
Put in fridge. When cold, top with BIG layer of REAL WHIPPED HEAVY CREAM!
Sit back overstuffed and relish what you just ate!
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From LL:
And here is an offering from Bill H (from the Eric Himy thread)
Sweet Potato Casserole
8 - 10 servings
2 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
3 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans (mom uses about 1/2 cup) Preheat oven to 350°F Cook sweet potatoes in boiling salted water 15 to 20 minutes or until tender; drain Add butter and let stand until melted Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat egg whites and 1/4 cup sugar, and egg yolks until smooth; blend in half-and-half and vanilla. Gently fold beaten egg whites into potatoes. Spoon into greased 2 quart casserole or souffle? dish.
Sprinkle with pecans.
Bake 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. -
From rustyfingers:
quote:
Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
quote:
Originally posted by Nina:
Those of you who brine your turkeys.... what in heaven's name do you use to contain the little bugger?I generally end up with a 16-lb. bird, more or less. I figure the bird, plus two gallons+ of the liquid and I'd need a crane to get it into my non-existent big-enough refrigerator.
But I'm curious to try it. Are you guys cheating because you can just leave it outside, in a garbage can or something since you leave in cold-weather climes?
(I remember the first time I went to Thanksgiving at my SIL's in Massachusetts--the beer and soda were chilling on the back deck! What a cool (pardon the pun) idea! Free cold!
Yeah, I keep the brining turkey in my garage. But to make sure that the temp is low enough, I add a couple of bags of ice.
Last year, I used a not-yet-used paint bucket from Home Depot.
This year, I'm using a big plastic storage container.
One suggestion I saw on the interweb is to use a big cooler ... put the turkey and the brining solution in there, and then add ice to keep the temp down. They suggest lining the cooler somehow so it doesn't wind up smelling like turkey. (I did put ice in my plastic container, to keep the turkey nice and cold.)
Rustyfingers response:
The temp isn't cold enough to do it outside this year. We actually lined a 5 gallon bucket with a tall kitchen garbage bag, and, believe it or not, found room in the fridge for it. For some bizarre reason I bought a 20 lb turkey this year, and it seems to fit.
The bird plus 4 gallons of water weighs under 50 lbs. We put one gallon of brine in, then lifted it into the fridge, then poured the rest of the brine into the bucket already in the fridge.
I'll let you know if the shelf cracks. omg
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From Josh:
I made up a really yummy dressing with sourdough and whole grain bread (cubed and toasted), caramelized onions and apples (green and red), celery and carrots, cranberries, pecans, fresh sage, thyme, rosemary, and lemon zest. (Held together with chicken stock.)
So good.
And we had extra herbs, so I doctored up the corn pudding with thyme and sage; also delish.
LL: I think I'll make your apricot cream pie for a leftovers party I'm going to tomorrow. Came very close to picking up the apricots today, and I'll regret it tomorrow if I have to brave traffic to pick them up.
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From Cindysphinx:
quote:
Originally posted by Nina:
quote:
1/2 pund sweed French or Sourdough bread cut into 1/4 ince cubes (8 cups)Far be it for me to make fun of someone's typing skills, but in this case I'm not actually sure where you were headed with this.
Sweet? Seeded? Swedish? suave
Sweet.
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From JackFrost:
quote:
Originally posted by Cindysphinx:
Here's my submission. Ask JF how good it is.
Bourbon Cranberry Sauce
1 pound fresh cranberries
2 cups sugar [I prefer 1.5]
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup bourbonMix cranberries, sugar and cinnamon in bowl. Transfer to 9x13 baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Stir, bake another 30 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer to bowl and stir in bourbon immediately. Refrigerate.JackFrost response:
Cindy, we miss you.
quote:
Originally posted by Cindysphinx:
Here's my submission. Ask JF how good it is.
Bourbon Cranberry Sauce
1 pound fresh cranberries
2 cups sugar [I prefer 1.5]
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup bourbonMix cranberries, sugar and cinnamon in bowl. Transfer to 9x13 baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Stir, bake another 30 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer to bowl and stir in bourbon immediately. Refrigerate.JackFrost's response:
Made it every year since 2006 and it is cooking now.
jf, enjoying a glass of Jack, not an every day treat
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From Amanda responding to pique:
Pique that sounds delectable! My only change would be eliminating raisins - just a personal preference (against raisins). I too love chopped fresh oranges including the peel. (Wondering what the cardamon adds. I have some, far from fresh. Wonder what a difference that would make.) I'd think you'd need to strain it, though to avoid choking on the cloves and other solid ingredients (cinnamon sticks and pods).
