I took cooking to a whole other level this Thanksgiving, and I thought I'd share a couple of recipes that were certified winners. (How do I know? Because they were devoured quickly.)
First, I made four pies this year. Pretty traditional - pumpkin, pecan, apple, and sweet potato. The first one to be finished off was the pumpkin. I've got to admit that over the past few years I've stuck to the recipe on the back of the Libby's can. Blah. I glanced through some of the recipes on the Food T.V. site, and decided to make Paula Deen's pie (Sidenote: I just LOVE her. How can you not adore someone like that??). FYI - I used light cream cheese (NOT fat free), and half-and-half in this recipe.
Pumpkin Pie
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed 1 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1 cup milk or half-and-half 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional 2 pieces pre-made pie dough Whipped cream, for topping
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs, milk or half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated. Set aside.
Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. From the second piece of pre-made pie dough, cut out the largest tire shape possible that is 2 inches in width. Position the tire around the edge of the pan, and then pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern.
Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.
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Another recipe that was a standout was a classic breakfast creation - waffles. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and I love good breakfast recipes. These waffles deserve the name they've been given, and they'll be on the menu at this house on Christmas morning. (FYI - I used buttermilk in this recipe, and would highly recommend it.)
Waffle of Insane Greatness
3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup whole milk or buttermilk 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 egg 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract Butter and syrup, for serving
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Add the milk, vegetable oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and mix well. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes. Preheat a waffle iron. Do not use non-stick spray on the waffle iron; the oil in the batter will allow the waffle to release easily. Follow the directions on your waffle iron to cook the waffles. Serve immediately with butter and syrup.
This is THE week for those of us who love to cook, or perhaps for those who don't necessarily love cooking, but might feel motivated to give it a go.
Here's what I've gotten done so far:
1. Polished silver. 2. Ironed linens. 3. Shopped for the majority of the dishes I'll be preparing. (Sidenote: Of course there are always those last minute things, and I've got my last shopping list to tackle this afternoon.) 4. Printed out all of my recipes. (For me, this is the Year Of The Pie. I've snagged most of my recipes from the Food TV site. I'll post a recap when I've got a little more time.) 5. Put the bird in the fridge to thaw. I did this last night.
I know this might sound stressful to some, but I get into this zenlike state of euphoria that nothing can shake. I used to fret, but my frame of mind has gotten a million times better since moving back home. You see, I'll still do the mad dash around the house before all of the family arrives (and this year there'll be LOADS of them), but I don't give a flip if things aren't perfect any more.
It's all about the love, and the faces, and the more chaotic the better. I've got the world's greatest bed to nap in later.
This is only a slightly food-related post, but I wanted to report that I was levitating while grocery shopping.
Why?
Because Harry Connick Jr.'s version of "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" was playing on the grocery store's music stereo system thingy. What's the official name? Is it still Muzak? Isn't Muzak the fake version of originals? Whatever. I was smiling.
I loves me some holidays.
p.s. I'm doing Thanksgiving this year, and I've heard Thanksgiving is really looking forward to it.
I've always loved reading cookbooks because of the recipes. This morning while "Good Morning America" was in the background I overheard Carnie Wilson talking about her Fall To Your Knees Mac and Cheese. I love good Mac and Cheese, but rarely make it. I know this recipe requires some work, but it's the first recipe I've seen that's made me feel like I've got to make this in a long time.
Fall to Your Knees Mac and Cheese
3-1/2 cups large elbow macaroni 10 oz. Velveeta cheese, cut into 1" squares 10 oz. white Vermont cheddar cheese, cut into 1" squares 15 oz. Gruyère cheese, shredded 1-2 cups of jack and cheddar cheese (combined), shredded 4 oz. cream cheese (at room temp.) 2/3 cup sour cream 1-1/3 cups heavy cream 1-1/3 cups half-and-half 1 egg 2-2/3 Tbsp. flour 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. onion powder 1 tsp. dry mustard powder 1/8?1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper 1/8 tsp. nutmeg (fresh if you have it) 1 tsp. kosher salt A pinch of paprika 1 Tbsp. fresh chives (for garnish)
1. Grease a 13" x 9" nonstick metal baking pan with 1 Tbsp butter. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare macaroni according to the package directions, but make sure it's al dente. (Huh? It should still be a little firm.) Be sure to add a pinch of salt and a dash of olive oil to the boiling water while cooking. Drain pasta well and pour into the baking pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add the heavy cream, half-and-half, and sour cream; break the cream cheese into little bits with your (clean!) fingers as you add it to the bowl. Add the egg, flour, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and onion powders, dry mustard, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg; combine very well with a wire whisk to break up that cream cheese. It will look lumpy, but that's okay.
3. Starting at the corners of the pasta dish, place and push down the Velveeta and white Vermont cheddar cubes. Work your way around and toward the middle (they won't push down completely, but just smoosh them down a bit). Now sprinkle the fabulous Gruyère cheese evenly over the top — gently and evenly pour that artery-clogging mixture on it, covering all areas. Gently shake the pan afterwards for a sec to make sure the liquid is even. I know it sounds gross, but push down and make little holes into areas of the mixture with your fingers. (You're just getting some of that Gruyère down deeper below the surface.) Wash your hands!
4. Sprinkle the jack-and-cheddar combo over the mixture and sprinkle the paprika on top. Put this baby in the oven (make sure your oven rack is right in the middle) and bake until brown and bubbly — we're talking approximately 30 minutes. It will be creamy in the center and more crusty on the top and edges. Chop some fresh chives and get those taste buds ready. When it's done, garnish with the chives (but try not to eat part of the crusty top before you serve it. I'm watching you!).
Oh. My. God.
Doesn't this sound too good to be true?
Yeah. I'm putting this on my holiday list because, honestly, this isn't an everyday sort of dish. I WILL make this as a Thanksgiving side this year.
Only two days until Thanksgiving, and I'm in completely-going-nuts mode. I'm home today prepping the house (cleaning every nook-and-cranny because Inspector Mom arrives tomorrow. Yes, at my age these things should be like water off of a duck's back, alas...) I'm a perfectionist, and I've still got to do things like iron linens, polish silver, chop every variety of vegetable ever grown, bake pies, quietly go insane, etcetera. I really don't know how to operate any other way, and as wigged-out as I may become on the exterior, there's a happy woman grooving out inside. (I'm such a freakin' homebody.)
I'm attempting several new dishes this year, including a new take on pecan pie (my Dad's favorite), banana pudding (my Mom's favorite), and stuffing (one of my favorites. Really, I love it all.)
Growing up I didn't know there was something called "stuffing". We always had cornbread dressing with giblet gravy. (My Dad still makes the giblet gravy.) I had my first stuffing with a boyfriend's family. I was amazed, and when I started cooking Thanksgiving dinner on my own I started a new tradition. I typically made it the Midwestern-way. White bread, celery, carrots, onions, bell pepper, poulty seasonsing, chicken stock, and loads of butter. This year I'm going to jazz it up and make New England Stuffing (recipe via Epicurious). The beauty of stuffing is the ability to make substitutions/additions, like using whole-wheat bread, or turkey sausage.
I'll let you know how it turns out, and will probably amuse my family by taking digital pictures along the way. Yes, I know how boring this could be. :-)
HAPPY THANKSGIVING, Y'ALL.
NEW ENGLAND SAUSAGE, APPLE AND DRIED CRANBERRY STUFFING
14 ounces white bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 12 cups) 1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter 6 cups sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 3 large leeks) 1 pound tart green apples, peeled, cored, chopped 2 cups chopped celery with leaves 4 teaspoons poultry seasoning 1 cup dried cranberries (about 4 ounces) 4 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary 2/3 cup chopped fresh parsley 3 eggs, beaten to blend
1 1/3 cups (about) canned low-salt chicken broth
Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide bread cubes between 2 large baking sheets. Bake until slightly dry, about 15 minutes. Cool completely.
Sauté sausages in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, crumbling coarsely with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to large bowl. Pour off any drippings from skillet. Melt butter in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks, apples, celery and poultry seasoning to skillet; sauté until leeks soften, about 8 minutes. Mix in dried cranberries and rosemary. Add mixture to sausage, then mix in bread and parsley. Season stuffing to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Mix eggs into stuffing.
To bake stuffing in turkey: Fill main turkey cavity with stuffing. Mix enough chicken broth into remaining stuffing to moisten (about 3/4 to 1 cup chicken broth, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Spoon remaining stuffing into buttered baking dish. Cover with buttered aluminum foil. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 45 minutes. Uncover stuffing and bake until top is golden brown, about 15 minutes.
To bake all stuffing in pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 15x10x2-inch baking dish. Mix 1 1/3 cups broth into stuffing. Transfer to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil and bake until heated through, about 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is golden brown, about 15 minutes.
14 Servings (About 18 cups).
Bon Appétit
November 1994
Are you ready for Turkey Day? (Please don't procrastinate like I usually do. I know six days may sound like a long time, but it's not.) Here's a recipe that's become a "tradition" (I've posted it on the other blog, and have had blog-friends try it with happy results.) ~
When I was growing up I never knew that cranberries were small deep red orbs of tangy delight. I thought that cranberry sauce came in round, jellied slices. Now, I have a little something I whip up every year. It's a great replacement for cranberry sauce, excellent served warm over brie/cream cheese, with crackers. It's just yummy.
Cranberry Chutney
2 cups fresh cranberries
2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 apple, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
*Cook first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat 5 minutes.
*Add apple and remaining ingredients; cook, stirring often, 35 minutes. Remove from heat; chill, if desired. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks.
I've had a bad case of the "why does every single man in my life disappoint me? (with the exception of my Father)" angst-ridden blues. I've also had a pinched nerve in my neck (a damn good excuse to make an appointment with a massage therapist, if you ask me.) Yes, yes - when the wine quits working, I find myself in the kitchen, longing to whip up something comforting. I'd just received my new issue of "Southern Living" in the mail, and had to try the following recipe. I'm a huge fan of anything citrusy, and this turned out great. (Note: I still use the organic unbleached flour instead of all-purpose.)
Lemon Tea Bread From Southern Living
Prep: 15 min., Bake: 1 hr.
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons lemon rind, divided
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Beat softened butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add 1 cup granulated sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beating at low speed just until blended, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon rind. Spoon batter into greased and floured 8- x 4-inch loafpan.
Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center of bread comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.
Stir together powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth; spoon evenly over top of bread, letting excess drip down sides. Stir together remaining 1 tablespoon lemon rind and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; sprinkle on top of bread.
Lemon-Almond Tea Bread: Stir 1/2 teaspoon almond extract into batter. Proceed as directed.
