Thanksgiving

Favorites

    Time tested and true, these are favorites for good reason.

Cooking that first turkey for your new in-laws?  Want a dish that is sure to impress?  Or maybe your kids have let you know (in not so subtle ways) that last year’s bird was a little on the dry side.  Whatever the reason, our recipes will make your season easy and memorable.  

Tid Bits for those with Bird on the Brain -When selecting a turkey, look for words on the package such as “natural” or “free of preserves” or “free of preserves”.  These guys haven’t been pumped full of artificial garbage that trashes all the work you will put into the bird later. -Remember to remove the neck and giblets, usually a small packet inside the cavity of the bird.  Seems silly, but my mother forgets to do this every year, and bakes them inside. -The USDA does not allow for the use of hormones in turkeys produced for consumption in the U.S. -Grade “A” is the highest grade the USDA gives and is typically the only grade you can get in supermarkets. -Make sure you cook your turkey all the way trough to at least 160 degrees F or higher. Check in the deepest part of the breast with a meat thermometer.  This insures that Salmonella and other organisms will not be present in the food. -One lb of turkey per person will have you covered on the guest list. -Fresh turkey is a bird that has never been below 26 degrees F, and should not be hard to the touch. -Organic turkeys tend to have the best flavor, but can be expensive and hard to find, especially at the holidays. -Don’t try to slow cook a turkey the way you would a beef brisket, all you will get is soggy, sickly turkey skin. -Make sure the thigh, not the drumstick, reaches it’s required temperature of 170 degrees F, it is common for the drumstick to get there before the thigh does and it is really embarrassing to serve a bloody thigh on accident. -Brushing the turkey skin with butter the last 15 minutes of cooking will give it that crispy, Norman Rockwell look that makes everyone’s mouth water when you bring it to the table.  

15 Minute Masterpiece

Green Bean Casserole  

Cooking time: 10 minutes prep time, and about 25 minutes baking time.  My favorite of the casserole recipes. Servings: 3-4

Ingredients

2 10 3/4 oz cans Campbell’s condensed Cream of mushroom soup

1 cup of milk

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

8 cups canned green beans

2 2/3 cups French’s French fried onions  

Directions  Mix all ingredients, save 1 1/2 cup of onions in a large bowl and transfer to a casserole pan.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.  Pour remaining onions over the top of the casserole and back for 5 more minutes.    

 Fancy enough for Company 

French Bread Sausage Stuffing  

1 1/2 loaf(s) ( 16 ounces each) French bread, torn into 3/4-inch pieces (about 12 cups)

2 package(s) (10 to 12 ounces each) pork sausage meat, fresh or frozen (thawed)

6 medium celery stalks, sliced

3 medium onions, chopped

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1/8 teaspoon sesame oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Divide bread between two 15 1/2″ by 10 1/2″ jelly-roll pans or large cookie sheets. Place pans on 2 oven racks and toast bread 20 to 25 minutes or until golden, stirring bread and rotating pans between upper and lower racks halfway through toasting. Cool bread in pans on wire racks. (If not making stuffing right away, store bread in large self-sealing plastic bags at room temperature up to 1 week.) Meanwhile, in nonstick 12-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until browned, breaking up sausage with side of spoon. Remove skillet from heat. With slotted spoon, transfer sausage to very large bowl. To fat remaining in skillet, add celery and onion. Cook vegetables 20 minutes over medium heat or until lightly browned and tender, stirring frequently. To bowl with sausage, add vegetable mixture, bread, broth, parsley, thyme, poultry seasoning, and pepper; toss to mix well. Use to stuff 12- to 16-pound turkey. Or, spoon stuffing into greased 13″ by 9″ glass baking dish. Bake stuffing, uncovered, in preheated 325º F oven 40 to 45 minutes or until heated through and lightly browned on top. Baking in a casserole pan is a better idea than in the bird.  It is safer, both items ultimately cook faster, and the stuffing will be fluffy and crispy, not soggy and wet like happens sometimes in a moist bird.

 Five Star Dish

Sour Cream Pumpkin Pie

9 inch unbaked pastry shell

1 1/2 cups flour                                                                                                                                                         

3/4 cup shorting                                                                                                                                                                             

2 tablespoons cold water                                                                                                                                           

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix all dry ingredients well, the cut in shortening and cold water.  The trick with pie crust is to not over work it, or it will get rubbery.  The shortening makes for a lovely flakey crust.

Pumpkin Pie

16 oz can of pumpkin

14 oz can of condensed milk

2 large eggs

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

Sour Cream Topping

1 1/2 cup sour cream

2 Tb sugar

1 Tb Vanilla Extract

Mix sour cream topping ingredients and then refrigerate.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  In a large bowl mix thoroughly all pie filling ingredients.   Pour into uncooked shell and bake for 15 minutes.  Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F. bake another 15 minutes.  Add sour cream topping, covering with tinfoil to prevent discoloration of topping.  Bake a further 10-15 minutes, or until a knife comes out of the pie clean 1 inch from the crust.  Garnish with pecans or as desired when pie has cooled.  No low carb recipes here! 

Not just for breakfast and old ladies any more…

Sick of that same limp, vegetarian disaster?  These are sure fire ways to perk up that old purple plant and wow everyone from the fiercest of carnivores to the pickiest of vegetarians.

About the Humble Eggplant

-It can be steamed, fried, baked, sautéed, boiled, stir fried, grilled, and stuffed.

-The skin is edible, but many people peel the plant because the skin is bitter.

-The flesh is very sponge like and soaks up juices and marinades.

-Once cut the flesh of the plant will brown like an apple.

-Aluminum cookware will discolor the eggplant while it is cooking.

-If you are baking the plant, poke several holes in it so it doesn’t burst.

-Add to soups at the last 10 minutes of cooking so the eggplant is not mushy.

-Prime time for eggplants in the United States is August through September.

-Wrinkles in the skin of an eggplant, or an eggplant that is too soft to the touch is old an likely to be bitter tasting.

-Eggplants that are not ripe are firm to the touch and do not yield to a finger, just ripe ones should leave a small dent when pressed.

15 Minute Masterpiece

Baked Eggplant with Tomato Sauce and Pasta

Cooking time: 15 minutes prep time, and about 25 minutes baking time.
Servings: 3-4

Ingredients

1 plump eggplant (about 7 inches long and four inches in diameter)

olive oil

garlic powder

pepper

good quality bottled tomato sauce (like Newman’s Own)

pasta

freshly grated Parmesan (optional)

Slice the eggplant lengthwise into 3/4 to 1 inch thick pieces. Score the skins with the tip of your knife.

Pre-heat the oven to 350. Coat the bottom of a glass baking dish with a thin film of olive oil. Lay eggplant slices on the bottom of the dish (face down for the end pieces). Rub a little bit of olive oil on the tops (you shouldn’t need more than a tablespoon for all of this). Sprinkle with garlic powder and freshly cracked pepper.

Bake about 10 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and pour tomato sauce over the eggplant (about 8-10 oz). Put the dish back in the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes more, or until the eggplant can be easily pierced with a fork.

Turn on the water for boiling your pasta when you put the dish in the oven the second time. Cook until al dente. Serve a slice of eggplant and sauce over the pasta. Top with cheese if desired.

Fancy enough for Company 

Korean Sauce Grilled Baby Eggplant Dish

Begin by marinating sliced tofu, and cutting baby eggplants in half.  Then barbeque baby eggplants and tofu, turning every minute or so to prevent them from burning. The tofu burns fast so be careful especially of this.  Cook throughout, and do not overcook or the eggplant will be mushy.

 Korean Sauce
You can buy this sauce, but homemade is tastier and not filled with thickeners and preservatives.
Spicy Green Onion Garnish

For best color, make this right before you plan to serve it.

4 green onions, bulb removed
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
1-2 teaspoons minced hot chili pepper (like jalapeño)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon minced chili pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine
2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup apple juice concentrate (the frozen kind is fine)
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Place all ingredients except the sesame seeds into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer until partially reduced, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add sesame seeds. Sauce should thicken as it cools. To use, warm slightly and serve over vegetables and tofu.

Finely chop the green onions. Mix them well with the remaining ingredients. Serve over eggplant that has been stuffed with cooked vegetables and rice.

Five Star Dish

Eggplant Rollatini

1 large eggplant, about 4” diameter
1 tablespoon salt

1 cup Progresso Italian Style bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped

3 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper

1 (15-ounce) carton ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded thin
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 egg
1/8 teaspoon black ground pepper

1/3 cup olive oil for frying, or more as needed
Marinara Sauce recipe found on page 127
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut stem and end from eggplant. Peel the eggplant partially in strips, leaving some of the peel intact. Using a meat cutter or a mandoline, slice the eggplant into thin lengthwise slices, about 1/8″ thick. Let the eggplant slices soak in cool water with 1 tablespoon salt added for about 30 minutes while you prepare the other steps.

Place the bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, and parsley in a shallow plate. Beat the eggs until fluffy.

Prepare the filling by placing the ricotta, mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, parsley, egg, and pepper in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.

Rinse the eggplant in cool water and drain. Dip each slice in the beaten eggs and then the bread crumbs on both sides. Place the olive oil in a large skillet and over medium heat, fry the eggplant about 2 minutes on each side until golden. Salt and pepper lightly as they fry. Drain slices on paper towels. Add olive oil to pan as needed, and if necessary, start a clean pan midway of frying.

Meanwhile, using a 13″ x 9″ baking dish, pour in 1 cup marinara sauce to cover the bottom. When all of the eggplant slices have been fried and drained, place them on a large cookie sheet. Place 2 tablespoons ricotta filling on each slice, and spread gently. Starting from the short end of the slice, roll the eggplant up jelly-roll style. Place each roll, seam-side down, in the baking dish. You should have about 15 rolls. If all the rolls do not fit, use an additional smaller dish.

Pour the remaining sauce, an additional 3 to 4 cups over the rolls. Top with the Parmesan cheese. Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake about 30 minutes, until bubbly on the sides.  Serves 4 to 6.

Have a peek at this exciting new super-food

Need a good way to get a great source of protein minus the meat?  Sick to death of scarfing soy all day?  Or maybe just get some fiber without having to eat your cereal box in the morning.

 What the heck is Quinoa?

-Quinoa is very nutritious and high in protein,  and is great for cooking vegetarian meals and vegans looking for a little extra protein in their diet.

-It is the seed of a leafy plant, which is related to spinach.

-It can be purchased in it’s many forms at supermarkets, organic markets, and even on Amazon.com!

-Quinoa comes in meal form, flour form, and flake form.

-Quinoa is cooked completely when you can bite into it and it has lost it’s chalky inside.

-If you over cook the Quinoa, it will be mushy and not a pleasant consistency.

-Quinoa is pronounced “Keen-Wa”

-When preparing whole Quinoa, rinse the seeds well as they are naturally coated in a bitter substance thought to repel birds and other animals.

15 Minute Masterpiece

Basic Quinoa Recipe: 4 – 6 Servings: 2 quart pot with tight fitting lid

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups cold water

1/2 tsp salt

Cooking Directions:

Soak the quinoa first for 15 min – 1/2 hour in it’s cooking pot. Soaking loosens up the outer coating of saponin, which can give a bitter taste if not removed.

If you don’t have time for long soaking, use hot water and soak for five minutes, then give an extra rinse or two

Stir the quinoa with your hand, and carefully pour off the rinsing water, using a sieve at the last.

Put the quinoa back in the pot, add more water, and rinse again two or three more times, until the rinse water is pretty clear

Drain quinoa well in the sieve.

Place quinoa in the pot, add the water & salt.

Bring to a boil, cover with a tight fitting lid, and turn the heat down to simmer.

Cook for 15-20 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to sit five minutes with lid on.

Fluff gently with a fork and serve. Quinoa is delicious on it’s own, and makes a great breakfast food with a variety of seasons like cinnamon and brown sugar.

Fancy enough for Company

Quinoa Burgers with Hummus and Red Pepper

These are great, even the fussiest kids will tolerate this dose of health food with compliance.

1/2 cup quinoa, well-rinsed under cold water
1 medium carrot, cut in large chunks
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 15-ounce can white beans (e.g. cannellini or great northern beans), drained and rinsed
1/3 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten (or 1/4 cup silken tofu for a vegan burger)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil

4 whole grain or regular hamburger buns
Accompaniments: purchased hummus, salad greens, jarred roasted red bell peppers

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add quinoa, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a food processor, pulse carrot until finely chopped. Add cooked quinoa, green onions, beans, breadcrumbs, egg (or tofu), cumin, salt, and pepper. Pulse until just blended (and still slightly chunky).

Form mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick). If too soft, refrigerate 15 minutes to firm.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium. Cook burgers until browned and cooked through, 8-10 minutes per side.

Toast the buns and spread with some of the hummus. Top with the burgers, greens and red bell peppers. Makes 4 hearty burgers.

Five Star Dish

Quinoa Cakes with Eggplant-Tomato Ragù and Smoked Mozzarella

For quinoa cakes

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup quinoa

1 large egg, lightly beaten

4 to 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

For topping

1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup drained bottled roasted red peppers, rinsed and chopped

3/4 cup water

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/4 pound smoked mozzarella, diced

Make quinoa cakes:
Bring water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan.

Meanwhile, wash quinoa in 3 changes of water in a bowl, then drain well in a fine-mesh sieve.

Stir quinoa into boiling water and return to a boil, then simmer, covered, until quinoa is dry and water is absorbed, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes, then stir in egg.

Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap and lightly brush with oil. Lightly oil a 1-cup dry-ingredient measure. Pack enough quinoa into measure with a rubber spatula to fill it two-thirds full. (If spatula becomes sticky, dip in water.) Unmold onto baking sheet and gently pat quinoa into a 4-inch-wide patty with spatula. Make 3 more quinoa cakes, brushing measure with oil each time. Chill cakes, uncovered, at least 15 minutes.

Make topping while quinoa cooks and chills:
Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt in a colander and drain 30 minutes. Squeeze handfuls of eggplant to extract liquid, then pat dry.

Cook eggplant, onion, garlic, oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, roasted peppers, and water and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is very tender and mixture is thick (if dry, thin with a little water), about 10 minutes.

Cook quinoa cakes:
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Carefully add quinoa cakes and cook, turning once carefully and adding remaining 2 to 3 tablespoons oil, until crisp and golden, 8 to 10 minutes total (pat cakes to reshape with cleaned rubber spatula while cooking if necessary). Transfer to plates.

To serve:
Return eggplant ragù to a simmer and stir in parsley and half of mozzarella, then simmer, stirring, until cheese just begins to soften, about 30 seconds. Spoon over quinoa cakes, then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.  ·Quinoa cakes can be formed 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
·Eggplant-tomato ragù, without parsley and mozzarella, can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.