Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Turkey Brine (marinate)

1 gallon vegetable broth
1 cup sea salt
1 Tbsp. crushed dried rosemary
1 Tbsp. dried sage
1 Tbsp. dried thyme
1 Tbsp. dried savory ( or poultry seasoning)
1 gallon ice water

In extra large stockpot combine vegetable broth, salt, rosemary, sage, thyme and savory.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently so salt dissolves.  Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.  When broth is cool pour into clean 5 gallon bucket.   Stir in ice water.

Wash and dry turkey.  Place turkey breast side down into brine.  Make sure cavity is filled.  Refrigerate overnight.  In the morning remove turkey from brine and rinse completly.  Bake as usually.

recipe from Kamala Pulsipher

Double Chocolate Almond Cookies

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 1/4 cup room temperature butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
chopped almonds to taste
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Mix together butter and sugars.  Add egg and vanilla.  Lightly mix.  Add dry ingredients and pulse mixer.  Add almonds and chocolate chips.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 - 15 minutes.

Ina Garten's recipe  (Barefoot Contessa)

Foolproof Pie Crust

3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. sugar

Put in food processer with a steal blade and pulse together to mix.

Add in
12 Tbsp. very cold diced butter
1/3 cup very cold vegetable shorting

Pulse until butter is the size of peas.

Add
!/2 cup iced water  (down the feed tube.)

Pulse until it forms a ball.  Take out of food processor and wrap in saran wrap. 
Chill for 30 minutes in refrigerater before using.

recipe of Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa)

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme Turkey

1 ( 12- to 14- lb.) fresh turkey, preferably kosher
1 cup apple juice
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1/2 cup packed fresh flat- leaf parsley leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage leaves, plus 2 sprigs
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves, plus 2 sprigs
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, plus 2 sprigs
1/2 c. unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
Kosher salt and pepper
1 med. onion, cut into eighths
1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise


1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2.  Drain juices from turkey, discard neck and giblets, and pat turkey dry with paper towels.  Place turkey breast side up, on wire rack in large roasting pan (17" by 11 1/2"). Into pan, pour juice and chicken stock.
3.  In food processor with knife blade attached, pulse parsley leaves, sage leaves, rosemary leaves, and thyme leaves until very finely chopped.  Add butter and pulse until well blended.
4.  Working from large cavity end of turkey, gently run fingers between skin and meat to loosen skin from flesh.  Using rubber spatula, place three-quarters butter mixture under skin on both sides of breast bone.  Gently massage skin to evenly distribute butter.  Spread remaining herb butter all over outside of turkey.  Sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper all over outside or turkey and inside cavity.
5.  Place onion, garlic, sage sprigs, rosemary sprigs, and thyme sprigs in cavity.  With kitchen string, tie wings against body and tie drumsticks together.
6.  Roast turkey 1 1/2 hours.  If turkey breast is getting too brown, cover loosely with foil.  Roast 1 hour longer or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh next to body (not touching bone) reaches 170 degrees and breast temperature reaches 160 degrees. (Internal temperature of turkey will rise 5 to 10 degrees upon standing.)
7.  Carefully lift turkey from roasting pan and tilt slightly to allow juices to run into pan.  Place turkey on large platter; cover loosely with foil and let stand 15 to 20 minutes.
8.  Remove rack from roasting pan.  Strain pan drippings into 4-cup liquid measuring cup or medium bowl.  If desired, let drippings stand 1 minute to allow fat to separate from meat juices and discard fat.  Carve turkey and serve with pan juices.

recipe from Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa)

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

30 minute Rolls

1 C plus 2 Tbsp warm water
1/3 C oil
2 Tbsp yeast
1/4 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
3 1/2 C flour
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
In your mixer bowl combine the water, oil, yeast and sugar and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.  Using your dough hook, mix in the salt, egg and flour.  Knead with hook until will incorporated and dough is soft and smooth. (Just a few minutes)
Form dough into 12 balls and then place in a greased 9 x 13 pan and allow to rest for 10 minutes.  Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees or until golden brown.

Recipe from Leigh Ann at your homebased mom

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Herb & Apple Stuffing Bread pudding

8 c. cubed bread (3/4-in.) such as country boule, crusts removed
1/4 c. unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
3 oz. pancetta, cut into 1/2-in. cubes
2 c. chopped onion (about 1 lg.)
11/2 c. chopped celery (about 3 lg. stalks)
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
1/2 c. apple juice
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
Kosher salt and pepper
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley leaves
5 extra-large eggs
2 c. heavy cream
1 c. chicken stock or broth
2 c. freshly grated Gruyere cheese (8oz.)

1.  Preheat oven to 350. Arrange bread in single layer on 18" by 12" jelly-roll pan.  Bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned; set aside.
2.  While bread toasts, in 12-in. skillet, heat butter on medium-low.  Add pancetta; increase heat to medium and cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.  Add onion, celery, and apple; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.  Stir in juice, rosemary, 4 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper.  Cook 5 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.  Remove from heat; stir in parsley.
3.  Meanwhile, in a very large bowl, beat eggs, cream, chicken stock, and 11/2 cups Gruyere.  Add bread, then vegetable mixture, stirring until well combined.  Let stand 30 minutes to allow bread to soak. 
4.  Stir mixture well; transfer to 21/2- to 3-quart (13" by 9" by 2") gratin dish.  Sprinkle with remaining Gruyere.  (To make ahead, assemble bread pudding, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate up to 1 day before baking.)
5.  Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until top is browned and custard is set (when knife inserted in center comes out clean).  Serve hot or warm.  Makes 16 side-dish servings

Ina Garten's recipe  (Barefoot Contessa)

Apple-Walnut Bundt Cake

3 c. all-purpose flour
1 3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. apple juice
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
1 c. chopped walnuts
1 c. golden raisins
confectioners' sugar for garnish

1.  Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 10-inch bundt pan.
2.  Into large bowl, measure all ingredients except apples, walnuts, raisins, and confectioners' sugar; with mixer at low speed, beat until well mixed, constantly scraping bowl with rubber spatula.  Increase speed to medium; beat 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl.  Stir in apples, walnuts, and raisins.
3.  Spoon batter into pan, spreading evenly.  Bake 1 hour 15 minutes or until cake pulls away from side of pan and toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.  Cool cake in pan on wire rack 10 minutes.
4.  Invert cake onto wire rack; remove pan and cool completely.  Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar to serve.

Raspberry Cheesecake

Crust
11/2 c. graham cracker crumbs (from 12 crackers)
1 Tbsp. sugar
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter (1/4 stick), melted

Filling
21/2 lbs. cream cheese, at room temperature
11/2 c. sugar
5 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 c. sour cream
1 Tbsp. freshly grated lemon peel (from 2 lemons)
11/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Topping
1 c. red jelly (not jam), such as currant, raspberry, or strawberry
3 half-pts. fresh raspberries

1.  Prepare crust:  Preheat oven to 350.  In large bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and  butter un til moistened.  Transfer to 9-in. springform pan. With hands, press crumbs into bottom of pan and about 1 inch up side.  Bake 8 minutes.  Let cool on wire rack to room temperature.
2.  Reset oven to 450.  Place springform pan on large jelly-roll pan.
3.  Prepare filling.  In large bowl, with mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese and sugar 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.  Reduce speed to medium and add eggs and egg yolks, two at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping side and bottom of bowl occasionally.  Reduce speed to low and add sour cream, lemon peel, and vanilla.  Mix thoroughly and pour into cooled crust.
4.  Bake 15 minutes.  Reset oven to 225.  Bake 1 hour 15 minutes longer.  Turn oven off and open oven door wide.  Cake will not be completely set in center.  Allow cake to remain in oven with door open 30 minutes.
5.  Transfer cake to wire rack to cool completely, 2 to 3 hours.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
6.  Remove cake from side of pan by carefully running hot knife around outside of cake.  Leave cake on bottom of pan for serving.
7.  Prepare topping:  In 11/2- quart saucepan, melt jelly on medium-low, stirring occasionally. ((Be sure to toss the raspberries with the jelly as soon as it's melted or it won't coat them properly.  If you prefer a less sweet topping, reduce jelly to 1/2 cup.)  Transfer to large bowl, add raspberries and gently toss until well mixed.  Arrange berries on top of cake.  Refrigerate up to 1 hour.  Makes 16 servings.

Ina Garten's recipe (Barefoot Contessa)