Thanksgiving Recipes?

[Mara]

I''ve got some time today, so I am thinking about what is going to be on the Thanksgiving menu...this year the family is gathering at our house.

My Mom always gets an organic Turkey from Whole Foods so that is taken care of. I am permanently charged with making mashed potatoes, but this year I am thinking of shaking it up a bit and adding some new ingredients...I will still make the ''original'' in a smaller batch for my sister who adores it and waits for it every year. Our pies are coming from a new bakery this year, actually a very old bakery that is near our house that is raved about by locals. That reminds me, guess I should put the order in for pies today too.

But I need some assistance on SIDE DISHES. We try to do a few new things every year so that people don''t get bored....so I''m on the look out for some interesting side dishes.

Anyone have some good recipes? Nothing TOO elaborate as I''m not the world''s best chef....

 

[diamondlil]

We love Turkey at Thanksgiving. My husband got a smoker a couple years back, he''s now in charge of the bird. He has to start the process a day ahead with brining (saltwater mixture) for a day. Then on Thanksgiving morning, he''ll get up before dawn to get the bird smokin''. I cooked our turkey in the oven for years, but smoking is sooooooo good . . . . and it gives Mr. DiamondLil a job.

We do the usual sides -- stuffing, potatoes (either mashed or roasted), greenbean casserole, cranberry sauce, salad, home-made rolls, etc. The one thing my mother and I love is candied sweet potatoes!!!!!

My husband thinks they are too sweet for dinner, but I could sit and eat them all night. I''ve got a serious sweet tooth though. This is so easy to prepare . . .

Nana''s Candied Sweet Potatoes

Peel sweet potatoes and slice about 3/4 inch thick.
Melt butter (lots of it) in large electric frying pan.
Cook potatoes, turning often, until they are tender and beginning to brown on both sides.
Unplug pan and drizzle lots of dark Karo syrup to cover potatoes.
Serve immediately.

Clean-up tip: After potatoes are in serving dish, soak frying pan in water. Otherwise, the Karo will harden to a rock!

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh I love a smoked turkey diamondlil. I wish hubby would get a smoker.

 

[Mara]

Thanks Lil...Greg would probably love that recipe...I''m not a sweet potato fan at all but we usually have a dish for him and my Mom who both love them.

I ADORE mashed potatoes, I would eat them all year round if I could but they are SOOO bad ... hehee especially since I use massive amounts of butter and cream which is why they are so darn good.

My Mom does the regular turkey from WF but this year for our friend group gathering in December, one of our guy friends wants to smoke the turkey...he''s going to borrow his friend''s smoker and the boys are going to try it. We''ll see!! This guy was in charge of the turkey last year for our friend gathering and he bought a FROZEN one and thought it was thawed so we were cooking at ''thawed'' oven level for 3 hours, so we didn''t eat any turkey that night because we kept discovering it was not cooked then EPIPHANY it''s frozen...hee hee. So we may have to ensure we send a girl for the purchase of the potential smoked turkey first.

 

[diamondlil]

That is hysterical, Mara. We prefer a fresh turkey. I put my order in a week or so ago for just the right size.

The only thing I don't particularly like about doing a smoked turkey is that the gravy made from some drippings is too smokey. The meat is great, just not making gravy. When I make gravy with my oven-baked turkey, it's always fantastic. My secret is using the water from boiling the potatoes.

Since the smokey gravy was too overpowering, I found a recipe for gravy that I might try this year. It sounds like it may be sweet (okay for me with my sweet tooth) since it has molasses in it, but maybe the combination between the smokey turkey and the sweet gravy could be good. What do you all think . . .

Molasses-Spice Gravy

2 - 14 oz. cans chicken broth
1/2 of a large sweet potato, peeled, and coarsely chopped (8 oz.)
2/3 cup peeled, sliced fresh carrot (about 1 large)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 to 2 Tbsp. full-flavored molasses
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1. In a medium saucepan combine chicken broth, sweet potato, carrots, and onion. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat, simmer covered for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender. Remove form heat and cool slightly.

2. Pour the vegetable mixture into blender. Blend until smooth. Return to saucepan and bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, sitring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in molasses, all-spice, salt, and pepper.

 

[begin ing]

my favorite place to find ''cool'' recipes online is www.epicurious.com, hope you find it as useful as I do

I will be making spiced pumpkin cheesecake with carmel-bourbon sauce this year...

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/233179

 

[diamondlil]

Oh, I just remember another great recipe if anyone is interested. It''s a delicious pumpkin soup recipe. I''m on my way out the door, but I''ll try to post it later. Yummmmmmmmy . . . . . .

 

[begin ing]

oh... is it the one with the pastery sheet on top liike the french onion soup... yummmmm

 

[FireGoddess]

Mara, I adore mashed potatoes as well, maybe more than anything else!

Have you tried making 'marbled mashed potatoes'?? An old friend of mine taught me this and it's a great way to incorporate sweet potatoes, since I'm not a big fan of them. You basically make two sets of mashed potatoes - one using regular potatoes and one using sweet potatoes (make them in the same manner, with butter, cream, whatever you normally do) - and then you swirl them together. It's AWESOME!!! (and it looks pretty too!) The trick is not to overmix, or they'll just end up looking a light orange color.

 

[Mara]

That sounds yummy FG if you like sweet mashed like my mom and Greg do...!!

Okay MORE RECIPES required. Kaleigh ? You cook!

AGBF...I''m surprised you haven''t chimed in yet with 10 different side dishes. Are you losing your touch?!!??!

 

[Mara]

Okay I guess I should make a contribution to my own thread.

I love Williams Sonoma recipes...they have a bunch of them for Thanksgiving.

Here is the Side Dishes one:

http://tinyurl.com/79f3nhttp://content2.williams-sonoma.com...A2200511161626%26src%3Dhme&cache=yes&flash=on

 

[Mara]

Oh and here is the homepage for all the WS Thanksgiving recipes...

http://tinyurl.com/bov5z

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh I am cooking challenged. I cook yes, but not like you all. Sadly this Thanksgiving it will just be Ashley, Nanny and I. Hubby and son are going to Miami to a 24 million dollar penthouse condo, it's been on VH1, and MTV. A good friend of our's is selling it and gave it to hubby for the weekend. I am a stubborn mule and won't go as I refuse to leave my grandmother in the nursing home on Thanksgiving. Can you say pissed?? Yup making a turkey for 3 is just sad. My son is sooo excited as it has it's own butler, and P Diddy just rented it a few weeks ago. Yuck!!!

ETA: It's known as the Setai penthouse.

 

[belle]

one of my most favorites and great for a thanksgiving appetizer:



brie with cranberry chutney

1c. fresh cranberries (can use dried)
2/3c. sugar
1/3c. apple cider vinegar
2tblsp. water
2tsp. finely chopped gingerroot
1/4tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8tsp. ground cloves

vegetable oil
1 round(8oz) brie cheese

mix cranberries, sugar, vinegar, water, gingerroot, cinnamon and cloves in saucepan. heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. cook about 20 min. stirring frequently till thickened. cool slightly. (can refrigerate up to 2 weeks)

when ready to serve, heat oven to 350. lightly brush plate with vegetable oil. place unpeeled cheese on plate and bake for 8-10 min. or till cheese is soft and partially melted.

spoon chutney over cheese and serve with crackers. ( i like to use the thin water crackers with sesame seeds)

enjoy!!

 

[Mara]

thanks bellisima!! that sounds yummy. my girlfriend makes a similar one with raspberry jam from the store. she just basically inserts the jam into the middle of the brie and bakes it..she serves it with very thinly sliced sourdough french fread, its sooo good. i am so going to try a brie this season!

kaleigh, i'm so sad that it will be just you three this season! i have to have family around me on thanksgiving and holidays. i'm sure you guys will have a great time, just you girls! let the boys go be silly in miami!

last year i saw some great recipes on ABC's early show so i copied them from their website and saved them. figured i'd post them here in case anyone wanted to be creative. we always try to do a few new things a year. the Diane Sawyer Turkey Hash looked SO GOOD and she said she made it for breakfast the next day after thanksgiving and that it was great for lefotvers the morning after!! YUM.

Tony Perkin's Cranberry Sauce
• 1 navel orange
• 1 lemon
• 24 ounces of fresh cranberries (two 12-ounce bags)
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 tbsp. Grand Marnier (optional)
Zest the orange and the lemon. Juice the orange and the lemon you will have 1/2 cup of juice from the orange and 1/4 cup of juice from the lemon. Place these ingredients in a 4-quart saucepan.
Pick through and wash the cranberries in a colander and then add them to the pan. Add the sugar and water to the pan and stir. Over medium high heat bring quickly to a boil, lower heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Cranberries will pop and sauce will be quite thick. Remove sauce to a bowl and let cool to room temperature. If you want to add the Grand Marnier now would be the time. Add just one tablespoon per cup of sauce. Cover and place in the refrigerator. This sauce will keep at least three days covered in the refrigerator. This sauce is better when made at least one day ahead. Makes 4 cups.


Robin Roberts' Mashed Potatoes

• 5 pounds of Idaho potatoes
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• Five 10-ounce cans of Campbells chicken broth
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
Peel and cut potatoes into quarters. Place them into a 4-quart pot with the garlic clove. Pour the broth over the potatoes and garlic. It should cover the potatoes. Cover pot and bring to a boil.
Cook potatoes until they are tender when you pierce them with a knife. This will take 15-20 minutes. While potatoes are cooking, heat the half and half and butter, just until melted, in one pot. When potatoes are tender drain them, saving a half cup of the broth.
Begin mashing potatoes along with the garlic clove, adding the half and half mixture as you are mashing. Add 1/2 cup of broth if you wish. Season with salt and pepper.


Charlie's Apple Cheese Crumb Pie

For the Crust:
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoons of salt
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 tablespoons of ice water
For the Filling:
• 2 (4-ounce) cans sliced apples or 3 Granny Smith and 3 Golden Delicious apples
• 1 tablespoon of flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon.ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
•1/2 cup shredded cheddar (for last steps)
For the Crumb Topping:
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• Confectioners sugar for sprinkling over the top of the pie
For the crust: In a large bowl combine one cup of the flour and the 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir with a wire whisk. Cut the shortening into small cubes and add to the flour along with the 1/2 cup of cheese. Toss together and break up lumps by gently running the mixture between your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the ice water and stir until it is a dough like consistency . Press into a ball, then pat into a disk. Cover with plastic wrap and refridgerate for one hour.
For the filling: Peel and core the apples. Slice the apples thinly. Place in a large bowl. Add the one tablespoon of flour, 2/3 cup sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg to the bowl. Toss to combine.
For the crumb topping: Cut the 1/2 cup of butter or margarine into small cubes and place into a medium sized bowl. Add all the brown sugar and the 1 1/4 cups of flour to the bowl. Combine, by breaking up the lumps slightly by running the mixture gently through your fingers.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Roll out pie crust and place into a 9-inch pie pan. Flute the edges. Place prepared filling into the shell. Top with the cheese then press crumb topping, on top. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes until crust and topping are golden brown and apples are tender. Place aluminum foil on top if crumbs are browning too quickly. When the pie is cool sprinkle with confectioners sugar.


Diane Sawyer's Turkey Hash
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 cup of diced red pepper
• 1 cup of diced yellow onion
• 1/2 pound of Italian sausage (sweet or hot) our of the casing
• 1 pound of turkey and shredded turkey
• 2 cups of stuffing
• 1 cup gravy
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of butter
In a medium-sized skillet over medium high heat sauté the red pepper and onion in one tablespoon of oil until it begins to turn golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Place into a large bowl. In another skillet sauté the sausage over medium high heat until it browns and is no longer pink. This should take 5-7 minutes. Add this to the large bowl with the peppers and onions.
Add the shredded turkey, the stuffing and enough gravy to moisten the mixture to the sausage. In a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat add half of the remaining butter and olive oil. Add half of the turkey mixture and press down with a metal spatula a bit.
When the mixture turns brown on the bottom, start turning the hash until there are lots of crispy bits. This takes 3-5 minutes on each side. The mixture will be loose. Place on a serving platter. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve with cranberry sauce on the side and a sunny side up egg on top. Serves 4-6.

 

[aljdewey]

Gulliver''s Corn Recipe

2 bags (16 oz.) frozen kernel corn (defrosted)
1 1/2 C. whipping cream
2 t. salt
1 t. sugar
3 T. flour mixed with 3 T. melted butter or margarine
2 to 3 T. plus 1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
Butter an ovenproof baking dish. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons Parmesan over the butter, tilting the pan to distribute the cheese. Bring the whipping cream to a boil. Reduce the heat and add corn. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in salt and sugar. Make a paste out of the butter and flour, and stir into the corn and cook until thickened. Turn corn into oven-proof dish, sprinkle with cheese and dot with butter. Refrigerate up to 4 days. Do not freeze this dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown.

 

[aljdewey]

Victoria''s Eggnog French Toast presented by The Inn on Ocean

10 thick slices of country bread, about 1" thick (day-old bread is best)
6 eggs
2 tsps of vanilla
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of nutmeg
4 cups of eggnog

Beat eggnog, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Arrange bread slices in a large casserole dish and pour the batter over the bread, making sure all the bread is covered with the batter. Turn the bread over, to make sure both sides are absorbing the batter. Let sit overnight in refrigerator.

Bake in oven at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with warm syrup and fresh strawberries.

 

[crafftygrrl]

For those of you who like to save carbs. I was inspired to re-create a recipe from Sweetwater Tavern in Sterling, VA,

Even my hubby who HATES vegetables ate this. He said it was the best cauliflower he ever ate.

Mashed Cauliflower

Slice one head of cauliflower into florets.

Steam until just cooked, but not mushy.

Process in a food processor with butter or margarine, parmesan cheese, chicken broth concentrate (such as Better Than Bouillion) and pepper.

It''s really good.

 

[diamondlil]

Claudia,
We love mashed cauliflower! We had it at a restaurant once, and it was so good (I don''t normally like cooked cauliflower either), I got a few recipes from the internet, and tried them. Can''t quite pass it off at mashed potatoes, but it is an EXCELLENT low-carb alterantive.

 

[diamondlil]

Date: 11/16/2005 4:06:32 PM
Author: begin ing
oh... is it the one with the pastery sheet on top liike the french onion soup... yummmmm

No pastry sheet, but that sounds really good too. It started out as a recipe I got from Southern Living a few years back, but I''ve altered it a bit over time to get is juuuuuuuust right.

Here''s the recipe -

DiamondLil''s Heart-warming Curry Pumpkin Soup

3 Tbsp. butter
1/4 pound fresh mushrooms sliced thin
1/2 cup onion chopped
1 Tbsp. flour
1 1/4 tsp. curry
2 cans (14.5 oz. each) chicken broth
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
1 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (just a little zing but can be left out if you don''t like spicy foods)
12 oz. can evaporated milk

Saute mushrooms and onion in butter. Stir in flour and curry. Gradually add chicken broth and simmer until slightly thickened. Gradually stir in pumpkin. Add honey, salt, nutmeg, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Very gradually add evaporated milk (or it will curdle) stirring untile heated through. Enjoy!

Recipe can be made ahead and reheated as needed.

I''ve taken this to several fall/winter cover-dish gatherings, and it''s always a hit.

 

[diamondlil]

Date: 11/16/2005 3:41:05 PM
Author: begin ing
my favorite place to find ''cool'' recipes online is www.epicurious.com, hope you find it as useful as I do

I will be making spiced pumpkin cheesecake with carmel-bourbon sauce this year...

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/233179

Have you made the spiced pumpkin cheesecake before? This sounds perfect as a pumpkin-pie alterantive. I think I''ll try it!

 

[Lorelei]

You must try these - English Roast Potatoes. These are so easy and good!

Peel potatoes according to amount to serve, cut into chunks or quarters. Meanwhile have a dish with vegetable oil or Crisco in a very hot oven about gas mark 8 or 9.

Par boil the potatoes for 5 minutes. Drain, then sprinkle with seasoned flour while in pan, put lid on then give them a jolly good shake to coat. This will rough up the potatoes a little so they will crisp up.

Add the potatoes to the hot fat carefully, turn them so they are evenly coated with the fat. You will need enough fat or oil in the dish to cover the bottom thinly. Cook for about half an hour or more, turn every 10 mins or so. They are ready when they are golden brown and crispy on the outside, they will be soft and fluffy inside.

 

[eks6426]

Oh, Thanksgiving cooking. Yum. My family will not let me mess with the basics: Turkey (which my husband cooks on his Weber grill--fabulous, easy & quick), mashed potatos, stuffing (must be Stove Top or my kids won''t eat it). Then my mom makes 2 family specialities: homemade whole wheat rolls--she actualy grinds the wheat and pickled peaches. Anything else is up for grabs. So, here are some I have done in the past:

Roasted Sweet-Potato Casserole with Praline Streusel
Casserole:
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
5 pounds sweet potatoes
½ cup fresh orange juice
½ teaspoon fresh-grated orange zest
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons butter
Praline Streusel
4 cups chopped pecans
2 cups firmly backed brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt

1. Prepare casserole: Lightly coat a 9X13 pan with cooking spray and set it aside. Preheat oven to 350F. With a fork, prick sweet potatoes skins all over and roast on a baking sheet until soft—about 1 hour. Allow sweet potatoes to cool and peel them. Place in a large bowl and mash until smooth with a potato masher or mixer. Add orange juice and zest. Fold in eggs, granulated sugar, baking powder, vanilla, and butter. Pour the sweet-potato mixture into the prepared pan. (At this point the casserole can be tightly covered and refrigerated until ready to server.)

2. Make Praline Streusel: In a saucepan, place pecans, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt and bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes, then pour over sweet-potato mixture.

3. Bake until bubbly and brown—40-45 minutes. Serve Warm. 8 servings.

Glazed Carrots with Pistachios
Start to Finish: 25 minutes

Ingredients
3 pounds small carrots with tops
3 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios
1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons snipped fresh thyme
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Trim carrots, leaving about 1/2-inch tops. Combine water and salt in a 12-inch skillet; bring to boiling. Add carrots; return to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until carrots are just tender. Drain carrots in a large colander; set aside.
3. Meanwhile, place pistachios in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring once. Set aside.
4. Melt butter in the heavy skillet. Add brown sugar and thyme, stirring over medium heat until sugar is melted. Add drained carrots. Bring just to boiling. Reduce heat and cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally just until well-glazed, about 10 minutes.
5. Transfer carrots to a serving bowl or platter. Sprinkle with toasted pistachios. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Make-Ahead Tip: Cook the carrots and toast the pistachios the day before. Glaze and reheat carrots before serving.
Nutritional Information
Nutritional facts per servingcalories: 194, total fat: 13g, saturated fat: 6g, cholesterol: 26mg, sodium: 196mg, carbohydrate: 19g, fiber: 4g, protein: 3g, vitamin C: 12%

Dilled Peas & Walnuts (or almonds)
10 oz pk frozen peas
1/4 c chopped onion
1 T low fat butter
1 1/2 t fresh dill or 1/2 t dried dill
1/4 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
3 T broken walnuts or slivered almonds, toasted
1. Cook frozen peas and onion according to package directions.
Drain and return to saucepan. Stir in butter, dill, salt and pepper; heat through. Sprinkle with walnuts or almonds.

Winter Apple Slaw
Slaw:
1 Granny Smith apple, cored & thinly sliced
1 tart red apple, cored & thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
2 large Belgian endives, halved lengthwise, cored, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 scallions thinly sliced

Dressing:
1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
3 Tablespoons olive oil
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

Slaw: In a bowl toss apples with lemon juice. Add remaining ingredients.
Dressing: In a bowl, whisk ingredients. Add to slaw with ¾ cup cheese. Can be refrigerated up to 2 hours ahead. Top with remaining cheese and serve.

 

[Mara]

YUM. So I was on a mission last nite....scouring the internet for new yummy recipes to add to my list for Thanksgiving.

What timing, I turned on the TV in the early evening and found that Emeril''s Turkey Treasures was on the food network. So of course I had to watch it.

He did a Brined Turkey (YUM) and an Andouille Sausage and Cornbread stuffing that looked divine. I was so hungry after watching that show!! I went online and got the recipes. I will post them here.

I did find this recipe on Williams Sonoma last nite as well...this is very similar to a citrus salad that I have once or twice a week from a local restaurant so figured I''d maybe consider it as one of the Thanksgiving salads this year...I love it, it''s a very ''fresh'' and different take on a typical salad.



Apple-Citrus Salad with Avocado and Bacon

2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 heads Bibb lettuce, rinsed well and torn into 2-inch pieces
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 ruby red grapefruits, peeled and sectioned
2 oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 bunch green onions, green portion only, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 ripe avocados
6 thick-cut bacon slices, fried until crispy and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard and vinegar. Add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream and whisk until smooth and blended.

In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, apples, grapefruits, oranges, green onions, salt, pepper and half of the vinaigrette and toss to mix.

To slice the avocados, using a chef''s knife, cut into an avocado lengthwise until you hit the pit in the center. Carefully cut around the fruit through the skin and the pulp, without cutting through the pit. Holding the avocado in both hands, twist the halves in opposite directions to separate them. Using a large tablespoon, scoop out the pit and then scoop the pulp out of the skin. Slice the avocado as desired. Repeat with the remaining avocados.

Divide the salad among chilled salad plates. Garnish with the avocado slices and bacon. Drizzle a little of the remaining vinaigrette over each salad and serve immediately. Serves 12.

 

[Mara]

Brined and Roasted Turkey

Emeril Live, Prep Time: 1 hour, Cook Time: 4 hours
1 (10 to 12-pound) turkey
Brine, recipe follows
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 large yellow onion, cut into 8ths
1 large orange, cut into 8ths
1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme
1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken or turkey stock, for basting
Turkey Broth:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Reserved turkey neck and giblets
1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 large celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 small bay leaf
3 cups turkey stock, chicken stock, or canned low-salt chicken broth
3 cups water
Gravy:
4 cups turkey broth
1 cup dry white wine
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Remove the neck, giblets, and liver from the cavity of the turkey and reserve for the gravy. Rinse the turkey inside and out under cold running water.
Soak the turkey in the brine, covered and refrigerated, for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels, inside and out. Place breast side down in a large, heavy roasting pan, and rub on all sides with the butter. Season lightly inside and out with salt and pepper. Stuff the turkey with the onion, orange, celery, carrot, bay leaves, and thyme. Loosely tie the drumsticks together with kitchen string.
For the turkey broth: Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add the turkey neck, heart, and gizzard to the pan and saute until just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add the chopped vegetables and bay leaf to the pan and saute until soft, about 2 minutes. Pour the stock and 3 cups of water into the pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the stock is reduced to 4 cups, about 1 hour, adding the chopped liver to the pan during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
Strain the stock into a clean pot or large measuring cup. Pull the meat off the neck, chop the neck meat and giblets, and set aside.
Roast the turkey, uncovered, breast side down for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, turn, and baste with 1/2 cup stock. Continue roasting with the breast side up until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the largest section of thigh (avoiding the bone), about 2 3/4 to 3 hours total cooking time. Baste the turkey once every hour with 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken or turkey stock.
Remove from the oven and place on a platter. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.
For the pan gravy: Pour the reserved turkey pan juices into a glass-measuring cup and skim off the fat. Place the roasting pan on 2 stovetop burners over medium heat add the pan juice and 1 cup turkey broth and the white wine to the pan, and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining 3 cup of broth and bring to a simmer, then transfer to a measuring cup.
In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium high heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, to make a light roux. Add the hot stock, whisking constantly, then simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the reserved neck meat and giblets to the pan and adjust seasoning, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Pour into a gravy boat and serve.

Brine:
1 cup salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 oranges, quartered
2 lemons, quartered
6 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs rosemary
To make the brining solution, dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons of cold water in a non-reactive container (such as a clean bucket or large stockpot, or a clean, heavy-duty, plastic garbage bag.) Add the oranges, lemons, thyme, and rosemary.

Note: if you have a big turkey and need more brine than this, use 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup brown sugar for every gallon of water.

Interesting Mara Note: He cooked this BREAST SIDE DOWN for a while because he said that was a great way to get all the juices to drop down to the breast and keep it very juicy and flavorful. Then he turned it after cooking it 1/2 way and let it cook the rest of the way the 'normal' side up and used a meat thermo to find out when it was ready at 165 degrees....I think we will try this this year and see.

I have never cooked a turkey before but we decided last nite to make our own small one so we can try a recipe and also so we have more leftovers since my Mom never gets a large enough turkey for lots of leftovers!!

 

[Mara]

Oh and nice additions gals, those all sound so yummy! I may try the pumpkin soup the weekend after Thanksgiving for me and Greg as a treat!

 

[SoonIHope]

My brother and I both became vegetarians when we were in high school, but refused to have gravy-less stuffing and mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving, so my dad has perfected a recipe for vegetarian mushroom gravy. It is SO GOOD that even the non-vegetarians (most of the family) always eat our gravy, so they''ve taken to making a tiny amount of turkey gravy for tradition''s sake, but EVERYONE uses the mushroom gravy instead! My boyfriend (not a vegetarian) loves it so much that he got the recipe from my dad and cooks it a lot even on regular days, so I''ll get the recipe from him later and post it here. It has converted everyone in my family to vegetarian gravy, even though most of them just put it on their turkey.

 

[eks6426]

So, do you have the recipe for the mushroom gravy? It sounds yummy.

 

[SoonIHope]

I don''t have it at the moment, but I''ll ask my boyfriend for it tonight.

Glad you''re interested! I love converting people to it!!

 

[AGBF]

Bourbon Pecan Pie​

1 1/2 cups pecans
3 large or extra large eggs
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 tsp. salt
6 T. unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
2 T. bourbon
1 T. flour
1 nine-inch metal pie tin lined with pastry *

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pecans on baking sheet and roast them for about 7 minutes, until toasted. Remove them from baking sheet, and cool. Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, beat eggs slightly and whisk in the dark brown sugar and corn syrup. Whisk in the salt, butter, vanilla, and bourbon.. Mix flour with pecans and add.

3. Prick the bottom of the pastry all over with the tines of a fork. Pour the filling into the crust, and put pan the pan on a flat baking sheet. Place on the lower level of the oven, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 34-45 minutes; if the crust is browning too quickly, loosely drape a piece of aluminum foil around edges.

4. Remove to a rack, and serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream, creme fraiche, or vanilla ice cream.

Yield: 8 servings


*I use a good frozen crust. In Connecticut I used an Oronoque Orchards crust.


(This recipe was in the November 19, 1997 , "The New York Times" . Although I am a lazy cook, I have made it almost every Thanksgiving since that of 1997 when I first tried it. It is simple, but better than any other pecan pie I have ever tasted. I cannot taste the bourbon, either, which is good since I do not like alcohol.)

Deborah