Thanksgiving Recipe Round Up

Thanksgiving is almost here, no matter what you cook the most important part, in my opinion is being with the people you love. That said here is a menu I would serve, if I weren't in Mexico!

To start an

Apple Pie Baked Brie with a tray of cheeses and olives. You don't need too much since dinner will be big! I would serve Chestnut and Pancetta Stuffing with Maple Roasted Turkey with Sage. For side dishes I would go with my Aunt Judy's Mashed Potatoes, Savory Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Broccoli with Peacans and Matt's Thanksgiving favorite, Pumpkin Cheesecake. Have fun cooking! Don't forget my Thanksgiving Tips.

Sweet Potatoes for Desert

I know I said that the cranberries were my favorite part of Thanksgiving but my other favorite is the sweet potatoes. Most people make them so sweet with the marshmallows and pineapple that you might as well do them as a desert. I love sweet potato pie. Here is a recipe for a great one.
Crust:
1 1/2 cups Anna's ginger cookies (crushed in the Cuisinart)
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix cookie crumbs and sugars in medium bowl. Add half of the melted butter, stir until crumbs feel moist when pressed together with fingertips, keep adding a little melted butter if crumb mixture is dry. (I use all most a whole stick) Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish, building up sides 1/4 inch above rim of dish. Bake crust until set and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Cool on rack.

This is the perfect time to use a pretty pie dish if you have one, I have always wanted an Emile Henry one.

Filling:
3 pounds medium red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams)
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (if you don't have it, this is a combination of cinnamon, all spice, ginger and nutmeg)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350°F. Pierce sweet potatoes all over with fork; place potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool . Cut potatoes open and scoop out pulp. Transfer pulp to processor and puree until smooth. Set aside 2 cups sweet potato puree for filling; cool completely.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine 2 cups sweet potato puree, sweetened condensed milk, and all remaining ingredients in large bowl; mix with Cuisinart until well blended and smooth. Pour filling into crust. Bake pie until puffed around edges and set in center, about 50 minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool. Refrigerate pie covered overnight.

Meringue:

1 7-ounce jar Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme (try not to eat it out of the jar, you need it all, if you will be tempted buy 2 jars)

3 large egg whites

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

I'm not going to lie, I think the Meringue is the hardest part but the presentation is awesome. Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Using rubber spatula, scrape marshmallow creme into large bowl. Using Cuisinart, beat egg whites and salt in separate large bowl until foamy. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until stiff and glossy peaks form. Add about a 1/2 cup beaten egg whites to marshmallow creme and stir with rubber spatula or spoon just until mixed in to lighten (This is the hard part the marshmallow creme is very sticky and will be difficult to mix at first, but it gets easier as the egg whites are folded in). Fold in remaining whites in 2 additions just mixed. Spread meringue over top of cold pie, mounding slightly in center and swirling with knife to create peaks. Bake pie just until peaks and ridges of marshmallow meringue are lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Let stand at room temperature until meringue is cool. Gloat when everyone swoons at the beautiful Meringue.

Thanksgiving Tip: How to keep your Turkey moist

Last year I shared a recipe for a Maple Glazed Turkey, I have another great turkey recipe up my sleeve but first a turkey tip. As the holiday gets closer, I always get the question of how to keep the bird moist, there really isn't anything worse than dry turkey. We all remember the scene from Christmas Vacation! A friend of mine taught me this trick years ago and it works like a charm.

What ever the recipe you are using, start your turkey breast side down. The last hour flip the bird over to brown the breast. The juices will all flow down into the breast keeping it perfectly moist. If you don't have a pan with a roasting rack you can layer slices of carrots, onion and celery between the breast meat and the bottom of the pan. If you are in the market for a roasting pan this Thanksgiving, I personally have the Calphalon Classic Non-Stick Roaster from Bed Bath and Beyond, a bargain at $59.

Spiced Cranberries

Thanksgiving is getting close, one of my favorite parts is the cranberries. My house was a can house growing up, but I like the real stuff. I have experimented with cranberries quite a bit. Last year I shared a spicy southwest cranberry sauce, this year I am sharing a spiced cranberry sauce. Spiced cranberries have a similar flavor to ginger cookies. The pomegranate juice is a nice touch, if you don't have any pomegranate you can use another juice.
1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries (readily available during the holidays)
1/2 cup pomegranate, apple, or cranberry juice
¾ cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons grated citrus rind (lemon, tangerine or orange)
also juice the citrus fruit you use and add that to the fruit juice you decide to use
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg

Mix the cranberries and juices together in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until cranberries start to pop and juice is boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the berries are soft and juices thicken, about 25 minutes. (Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools). Stir in citrus rind and spices.

This will keep in the refrigerator for a month. Serve at dinner as a side dish or my favorite on a turkey sandwich.
If you like the spiced cranberries try spiced caramel fondue.

Thanksgiving: Cranberry Relish Arizona Style

I love cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving, I am even pretty okay with the jelly stuff from a can. I also love a leftover turkey sandwich with cranberries. This recipe gives it a little kick. Jalapenos with Cranberries seems to be a strange combo but the tart cranberries are fabulous with the spice of the jalapenos.

12 oz pkg fresh cranberries
1 whole lime
3/4 cup sugar
2+ Jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Place cranberries in food processor; process until coarsely chopped and transfer to bowl.
Cut lime with peel into small chunks. Process until finely diced. add to cranberries along with sugar and minced jalapeno. Mix in cilantro.
Refrigerate relish for several hours to allow flavors to mellow and blend.
Serve chilled
Because jalapeno peppers vary widely in "heat", I usually start with 2 peppers and then taste it to see if more should be added.

Thanksgiving: Stuffing with Pancetta & Chestnuts

Stuffing is tricky, it can be one of the best parts of the meal or it can be mediocore. This recipe is sure to please!

6 tablespoons butter
8 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 (7.4-ounce) jars roasted peeled whole chestnuts, coarsely broken
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 pound day-old ciabatta bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup (add a little more if it seems dry) canned low-salt chicken broth
Sea salt
black pepper
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter a 15 by 10 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a large bowl. Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, and garlic. Saute until the onions are very tender, about 12 minutes. Gently stir in the chestnuts and parsley. Transfer the onion mixture to the large bowl with the pancetta. Add the bread and Parmesan and toss to coat. Add enough broth to the stuffing mixture to moisten. Season the stuffing, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mix in the eggs.
Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down, and bake until the stuffing is heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the top is crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.

Thanksgiving: Maple Roasted Turkey with Sage

The most important part of your Thanksgiving meal is your turkey, you need to be sure that the flavors of your turkey complement your other dishes. This turkey is savory with a bit of sweet & has delicious gravy.

1 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1/4 bunch fresh sage

sea salt

ground black pepper

1 (12 to 14-pound) fresh turkey, giblets, neck, and liver discarded

8 strips bacon

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons hot water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and remove the top rack of the oven.
Put the butter and sage in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork or spoon until the sage is well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.
Rinse the bird thoroughly inside and out with cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the cavity and skin liberally with salt and pepper. Using your fingers, gently lift the skin from the turkey breast and slip the remaining seasoned butter under, massaging the breast meat as you go. Truss the bird by crossing the legs over one another and tying with a piece of kitchen twine. Shingle the bacon strips over the breast so it's totally covered. Put the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan, cover the turkey with aluminium foil, and place in the oven.
In a small bowl, stir the maple syrup with 2 tablespoons of hot water to thin. Roast the turkey for 2 hours, basting with the maple glaze every 30 minutes. Continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meaty part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F. The thigh juices will run clear when pricked with a knife, about 3 hours total (15 minutes per pound). About 1/2 hour before you think the turkey is done, remove the foil so that it can brown. When done take the turkey out of the oven and put the roasting pan on the stove top. Transfer the turkey to a serving tray to rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

Gravy

1 shallot, minced

4 cloves garlic, smashed

1 tablespoon chopped rosemary

1 teaspoon chopped thyme

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon sea salt

black pepper

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Pour any pan drippings into a degreasing cup or small bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the fat discarding the rest and add the separated juices to the stock. Add the reserved fat to the roasting pan and place on a burner over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf, season with salt and pepper. Cook until shallot is tender, about 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, make a paste with the butter and flour in a small bowl, set aside. Add the broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil and whisk in the flour mixture. Boil until sauce thickens to make a gravy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning, to taste. Remove and discard the garlic and bay leaf. Serve.

Thanksgiving: Pumpkin Cheesecake with Ginger Cookie Crust

My pumpkin cheesecake recipe is a story of Matt's & my courtship, it really tells how much I adored him. Thanksgiving of 2005, Matt & I had been dating for a few months & he invited me to Thanksgiving with his family, who I had never met before. Wanting to impress, I asked Matt to check with his Dad what I could bring to help with dinner. I was given the assignment of sweet potatoes (I made the Wild Turkey recipe) & desert. I asked Matt what his favorite desert was, he said pumpkin pie or cheesecake. I really wanted Matt to know how excited I was to meet his family & a basic pumpkin pie didn't seem special enough, thus the tradition of Matt's Pumpkin Cheesecake was born. Now making a cheesecake might not seem like a great gesture but I am allergic to pumpkins.

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups Anna's Ginger cookies crumbled

1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

3/4 pound cream cheese softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

5 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 cups heavy cream

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Crust

Preheat oven to 325°F. In a small bowl, combine the butter, the cookie crumbs and the pecans and then press into the bottom of a buttered 10-inch springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Filling

In a large bowl, on the low speed of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until very smooth. Gradually add the sugars. Add the eggs, one at a time. Add the pumpkin puree and mix until just blended. To ensure that the batter has no lumps and that no ingredients are stuck to the bottom of the bowl, stop the mixer several times and scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula Stir in the heavy cream and cinnamon. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and set the pan on a baking sheet. Bake until the edges are set and the center moves only slightly when the pan is shaken about 1 hour. At the end of the baking time, turn off the heat and, using a wooden spoon to keep the oven door slightly ajar, cool the cake in the oven for 1 hour before removing. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or overnight.

Whipped Cream

Place all the ingredients in a medium-size bowl and whip with an eggbeater or a whisk until soft peaks form. Serve immediately or cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Remove the cake from the refrigerator 15-30 minutes before cutting and serving. Garnish with the sweetened whipped cream and toasted pecan halves.

Thanksgiving: Butternutsquash & Leek Soup

Soup is my favorite course in a meal, yet it is often neglected on Thanksgiving. You could also serve the soup for dinner later in the evening since everyone is stuffed from the big afternoon meal. This soup is delicious & savory. The secret ingredient is the can of pumpkin puree.

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 leeks (white & green parts) slice into small pieces
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 clove of chopped garlic
1 1/2 pounds of butternut squash, peeled & cut into small pieces
1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
6 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary (remember if you live in AZ you can cut it off a rosemary shrub)

Heat the oil in a sauce pan & saute the leeks, celery, garlic until they are soft. It should take 6 minutes. Add the squash, pumpkin & broth. Simmer 25 minutes, salt & pepper to taste. Puree in the blender in batches until smooth. Poor into bowl & garnish with the rosemary. Be sure to check tomorrow for my famous Pumpkin Cheese Cake.

Thanksgiving: Roasted Broccoli & Pecans

Rather than going with traditional green bean casserole for Thanksgiving, why not try something new like broccoli. This recipe is as simple as you can get.

1 head of broccoli, cut into bite sized florets

1/4 cup olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Heat your oven to 400. In a roasting pan combine all ingredients, stir. Roast for 20-25 minutes, stir once during roasting.

That's it! Easy & delicious. For Matt I would top with Parmesan, my husband will eat anything with cheese :)

Thanksgiving: Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Wild Turkey & Molasses

Since I have already shared my best mashed potatoes and I had a special request from my friend Becki for sweet potatoes that were savory, today I am going to share my Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Wild Turkey and Molasses. (You can substitute another Bourbon but it is Thanksgiving)
I made these for my first Thanksgiving 3 years ago for Matt's family, in my effort to win their hearts through their stomachs :)
While most people call them sweet potatoes, the orange colored potatoes are actually yams, just an FYI for your shopping. Plan on about 1 yam per person, that way you can adjust as needed.

6 small yams (around 3 pounds)
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons Molasses
3 Tablespoons Wild Turkey
Salt & Pepper to taste
pinch of all spice
pinch of nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 400, wash the yams & dry them. Poke holes in like when you bake potatoes, Place them on the oven rack & bake for 45 minutes. Cut the yams in half, be careful they will be hot. Scoop the flesh in to a mixing bowl, add all other ingredients. You can either mash them with a potato masher, I prefer to use my Kitchen Aide. At this point you can set them aside & then just heat them through on the stove top. Transfer to a pretty bowl & top with a little butter. Take a shot of the Wild Turkey if it has been a rough Thanksgiving :)