M Cooking Blog

Leftover Turkey Recipes: Turkey and Roasted Poblano Enchiladas Verdes

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:00:00 +0000

Have tons of left-over turkey meat from a big holiday meal? After cooking a 14 pound turkey for just two people, we sure do! (Seriously, what was I thinking buying a 14 pound bird?) This post will begin a quick series of leftover turkey recipes that will hopefully not leave you sick of sandwiches. For our first post we are eating shredded turkey and roasted poblano enchiladas verdes. The enchiladas were rich yet bright in flavor from the mixture of the creamy turkey poblano filling paired with the tangy tomatillo salsa. Out of all the leftover turkey recipes I’ve made so far, this one has been my favorite. I believe T’s comment on the subject was “these enchiladas are the bomb”. ‘Nuff said.

A Leftover Turkey Recipe, by Amanda

Turkey and Roasted Poblano Enchiladas Verdes

1 tsp canola oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 cups shredded cooked turkey
about 5 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced
8-10 fresh corn tortillas
kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1-2 recipes of salsa verde, (I suggest 2 if you like your enchiladas saucy!)
8 oz shredded monterey jack or pepper jack

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a rectangular glass or ceramic baking dish.

Add canola oil to a saute pan and place over medium heat. Once the pan and oil are hot add the diced onions. Saute the onions, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until translucent. Add minced garlic to onions, stir and continue to saute for another minute. Add roasted and chopped poblano peppers and the cream to the pan. Stir. Allow the liquid from the cream to nearly cook completely away, about 3-5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.

While the veggies are sauteing, add the softened cream cheese and turkey to a mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatual, thoroughly mix together the shredded turkey and cream cheese. If the the cream cheese is at room temperature this should be relatively easy but if it’s still cold you’ll have to use a little elbow grease.

Once the cream in the veggies has nearly cooked away add them to the turkey and cream cheese mixture. Mix thoroughly. Add the cilantro and green onions and stir to combine. Taste the mixture and season as necessary with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Place a clean, dry saute pan or griddle over medium heat. Once hot, heat 1 corn tortilla, about 30 seconds - 1 minute per side, until pliable but not fully cooked. Working carefully as the tortillas will be hot, place about 1/3 - 1/2 cup of the turkey poblano mixture into the tortilla in a line going down the middle. Roll the tortilla up into a tight, tube shape encompassing the filling but open on both ends. Place the enchilada seam-side down in the greased baking dish. Repeat this process until all of the filling has been used.

Pour lots of salsa verde over the enchiladas and cover with shredded cheese. (The corn tortillas will absorb a lot of the salsa while baking so it’s advised to use a hefty amount!)

Bake enchiladas in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot. Enjoy!

*Note: You can prepare the enchiladas several hours in advance and keep refrigerated until ready to bake. Just increase the baking time by 10-15 minutes to account for the chilled ingredients.

A Salsa Recipe, by Amanda

Simple Tomatillo Salsa

10 tomatillos, husked
1/3 of a yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 - 1 1/2 fresh jalapenos, roughly chopped (vary depending on how spicy you like it)
juice from 1 1/2 limes
2 tbsp water
kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add tomatillos and cook for about 1-2 minutes until blanched. Remove from water. Roughly chop the tomatillos and add them to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add all ingredients except salt and pepper to the food processor. Process until fully pureed. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Will keep refrigerated for several days. Enjoy!

Recipe from whatwereeating.com

Southern cornbread dressing recipe for the holidays.

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 21:48:00 +0000

by Melissa Martinelli, Atlanta Food Lifestyle Examiner

Cornbread dressing recipes in the south are generally passed down from generation to generation. I learned as a small girl growing up in the south that ever piece of left over biscuit, bread or cornbread two weeks prior to Thanksgiving was saved for “dressing”. One day I asked my momma for the cornbread dressing recipe and she gave me a list of ingredients – no measurements, no instructions, no cook times. This is what my Granny had passed down to her. What makes this a great recipe is that this can be made in advanced and kept in the refrigerator and not baked until the next day.

*The main key to dressing is the cornbread and the key to perfect cornbread is using a cast iron skillet.

Southern Cornbread Dressing

2 pans of cornbread, 8” or 9” (make from scratch or use 2 cornbread mixes). Note that the Jiffy mix tends to make the cornbread dressing a little sweeter than with homemade cornbread.

4 slices white bread (torn into small pieces) or (substitute 2 leftover biscuits)

1 cup celery finely chopped

1 cup green onion finely chopped

¼ cup butter

2 boiled eggs (grated or chopped fine)

6 cups chicken broth

2 teaspoons rubbed sage

Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Sauté chopped green onions and chopped celery in butter over medium heat in skillet about 8-10 minutes until tender.

2. Crumble cornbread into large bowl. Add bread pieces or crumbled biscuit.

3. Stir sautéed green onions and celery into cornbread mixture.

4. Add grated eggs.

5. Pour in chicken broth. Stir in sage and add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

6. Pour into a greased baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until it is baked through.

Cornbread

2 cups cornmeal

1 cup flour

2 eggs

1 tablespoon heaping baking powder

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour batter into a greased shallow baking dish (prefer cast iron skillet). Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Makes 2 8”-9” rounds.

Recipe: Baked Macaroni and Cheese

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 22:17:00 +0000

Serves 6

2 teaspoons salt

1 pound elbow macaroni

¼ cup butter

4 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

2 cups grated sharp cheese

½ cup bread crumbs

¼ cup butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pan and add the 2 teaspoons of salt and macaroni. Cook pasta for 10 minutes, or until just tender. Do not overcook.

2. Make the sauce by melting the butter in a 1-quart saucepan. Using a wire whisk, stir in the flour and 1 teaspoon of salt, stirring and cooking over medium heat until it bubbles and the flour turns pale brown, about 3 minutes.

3. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly whisk in 1 cup of the milk. Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining cup of milk. Continue to cook and stir until the sauce thickens. Add the cheese and stir until it melts.

4. Add the drained macaroni and cheese sauce and mix thoroughly. In a small bowl, stir bread crumbs together with the melted butter.

5. Transfer the macaroni mixture to the prepared pan. Top with butter crumbs and bake for 15 minutes or until the dish bubbles around the edges.

— Recipe from Trisha Yearwood's "Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen."

Recipe: Almond Apple Pie recipe

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 21:24:00 +0000

From The Oxford Times

By Helen Peacocke »

The difference between this apple pie and the traditional one is the use of ground and sliced almonds to flavour and decorate the dish. Almonds and apples go particularly well together and slice almonds certainly give the pie an attractive finish You will need: 3lb (1 ½ Kgs) cooking apples One red skinned apple 6oz (175g) plain flour 2 tbspns caster sugar 2oz (50g) ground almonds 4oz (125g) butter Two egg yolks – beaten Pinch salt Sugar to sweeten apples while cooking.

One beaten egg for eggwash 1oz (25g) sliced almonds to decorate Sugar to decorate Method: Turn the oven to 190C/375F or gas mark 5.

Peel and slice the cooking apples and cook with a little water and sugar to taste until tender but not cooked to a pulp.

Remove apples from heat, drain off surplus juice and set to one side to cool a little.

Place flour, ground almonds, caster sugar, salt and butter into large mixing bowl and rub together until the mix resembles breadcrumbs, then add egg yolks and bind together to a smooth dough.

Wrap the pastry in cling film and place in refrigerator to rest for 20 minutes.

Roll out the pastry into a circle that’s big enough to line a deep 9 inch (23cm)deep pie dish with at least an inch over, which you will need to wrap over the top.

Line the pie dish, allowing the extra pastry to hang over the sides while you fill the dish with the cooked apples.

Cut the red skinned apple into quarters, remove core but to not peel, then slice into chunks, and place these on top of cooked apples.

Pull the extra pastry on top of the apples, to make a top, allowing gaps so the apples show through.

Brush pastry with beaten egg, scatter sliced almonds over the pastry, sprinkle sugar over the entire pie and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry has turned a delicious golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling.

apples.

Recipe: Candied Yams

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 21:19:00 +0000

A Must Have for Thanksgiving!!

Candied Yams Ingredients

2 cans of yams	1 cinnamon to taste
1/4 c. butter	1 vanilla extract to taste
1/3 c. brown sugar	1 syrup from can of yams

Instructions for Candied Yams

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Drain yams (reserve a little syrup) and place in a baking dish.
Cut butter into small pieces and place throughout dish.
Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over yams.
Mix vanilla extract with reserved liquid and drizzle over yams. Add to desired consistency.
Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Recipe from Bigoven.com

Deep Fried Turkey: Delicious & Dangerous

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 21:06:00 +0000

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) ― A consumer safety group and the Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue are urging everyone to pass on the 'do it yourself' approach to a Thanksgiving treat which has grown popular in the last few years.

Of course, they are talking about deep fried turkey.

The National Fire Protection Associations is discouraging the use of turkey fryers except by trained professionals using professional quality equipment. Most turkey fryers available in stores use a substantial amount of cooking oil at high temperatures. The NFPA says these fryers pose a significant danger because hot oil will be released at some point during the cooking process. There is also a chance of a flashover of the superheated oil which could start a fire and cause serious burns.

"Oil is not like water when it hits you," said Mike Coombs with Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue, "it does not run off. It stays there and it burns because it gets into the pores of the skin." READ MORE

Sweet Potato Pie

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:09:00 +0000

SUBMITTED BY: COUGAAR PHOTO BY: JANELIM

"This recipe was shared with me by a special friend in Atlanta, Ga. It has long been a favorite, and everyone who tastes it says it is the best they have ever had."

INGREDIENTS

1 (1 pound) sweet potato
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

DIRECTIONS

Boil sweet potato whole in skin for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin.

Break apart sweet potato in a bowl. Add butter, and mix well with mixer. Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a souffle, and then will sink down as it cools.

Recipe from Allrecipes.com

Flavorful Gravy From Scratch

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:09:00 +0000

So I admit, not many people know how to make gravy from scratch. What color should the roux be? How long should the roux cook? Should I use water or broth? What is roux? Lets Start:

What is Roux?

The Wikipedia definition of a Roux is the mixture of flour and fat(usually butter). It is the thickening agent of three of the mother sauces of classical French cooking: sauce béchamel, sauce velouté, and sauce espagnole. Butter, vegetable oils, or lard are common fats used. It is used as a thickener for gravy, other sauces, soups and stews.

How do I cook the Roux?

In a large skillet, preferably a iron skillet, heat the fat (my case butter) . Once melted added the flour. The mixture is stirred until the flour is cooked to the point where a raw flour is no longer apparent. And until the the desired color is reached, hence white gravy or brown gravy. The color of the roux depends on the length of time it is over the heat.

Should I use water or broth to make my gravy?

This is quite a dilemma. I think this is a personal choice. I personally use water, because that is how my grandmother taught me. But you can use broth also to get the desired affect. When combining the liquid to the roux, its preferable to add at room temperature or warm liquid into a moderately hot or warm roux. It should be added in in small amounts to roux while stirring, to ensure proper mixing. Or the mixture will be lumpy and not thickened properly.

Once liquid is added, season and stir until gravy is thickened to your desire. Very easy and quick.

CHEESEY MAKE-AHEAD MASHED POTATOES

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:03:00 +0000

This is super easy, using frozen or refrigerated prepared mashed potatoes.
.
CHEESEY MAKE-AHEAD MASHED POTATOES
.
1 (32-ounce) package prepared mashed potatoes, about 4-5 cups
1/2 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 cup snipped chives or sliced scallion tops
.
Preheat oven to 325 F. Pour off and discard any liquid that has accumulated on top of the potatoes. Briskly stir through the potatoes and add melted butter and parmesan cheese.
.
Whip the cream to stiff peaks. Fold about 1 heaping tablespoon into the potatoes. Transfer potatoes to a lightly buttered casserole dish or 8-inch-square glass baking dish. Top with grated cheese and chives or scallions. Bake about 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are hot.
.
Makes 6 servings.
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Tip: If preparing mashed potatoes in advance, they often will accumulate liquid when refrigerated. Pour this liquid off before preparing the potatoes for reheating.

Posted by Pattie Kaykes from meemoskitchen.blogspot.com

Recipe: Chocolate Pecan Pie

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 17:06:00 +0000

1/2 cup butter
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups chopped pecans, divided use
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In heavy saucepan, melt butter, then stir in corn syrup, sugar and cocoa. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and salt. Beat eggs in bowl, then add a few tablespoons butter mixture to eggs and blend well (this tempers the eggs and keeps them from coagulating). Add tempered egg mixture to mixture in pan, stirring well. Stir in 1/2 cup pecans. Mix well.

Pour filling into unbaked pastry shell and top with remaining 3/4 cup pecans. Bake until done and filling is set, about 55 minutes. Let cool and serve.

Makes 8 servings. Approximate nutritional values per serving: 540 calories (50.8 percent calories from fat), 6 g protein, 64 g carbohydrate, 31 g sugar, 2 g dietary fiber, 33 g fat, 140 mg cholesterol, 320 mg sodium.

Source: allrecipes.com

Cornbread dressing offers a taste of the South

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:08:00 +0000

To get the 4 tablespoons of bacon fat called for in this Southern-style dressing, cut five slices of bacon into 1/2-inch pieces and cook until crisp. Reserve the bacon for another use.

CORNBREAD-PECAN DRESSING

Start to finish: 2 1/2 hours (45 minutes active)

Makes 14 servings

For the cornbread:

2 cups white cornmeal

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups buttermilk

3 eggs, lightly beaten

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

For the dressing:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided

4 tablespoons bacon fat

3 medium yellow onions, chopped (about 2 cups)

4 to 5 stalks celery with fine leaves, chopped (about 2 cups)

2 large shallots, finely chopped

2 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon rubbed sage

3 cups pecan halves, toasted

1 cup chicken stock, or more as needed

4 eggs, slightly beaten

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

To make the cornbread, heat the oven to 450 F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, salt and baking soda. Whisk in the buttermilk and eggs. Set aside.

Place the butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9-by-9-inch baking pan. Place the skillet or pan in the oven until the butter melts and bubbles. Remove the pan from oven, and swirl the butter to coat, then pour it into the batter.

Mix the melted butter into the batter, then transfer the batter to the pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden brown and crusty. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Tear the cooled cornbread into large (1 1/2-inch) pieces, and allow to sit, uncovered, overnight to dry out. Alternately, you can put the cornbread pieces on a baking sheet in a warm oven for 30 minutes to dry out.

To make the dressing, heat the oven to 325 F. Lightly oil or butter a 9-by-13-by-2-inch casserole dish.

In a heavy skillet over medium, heat 4 tablespoons of the butter and the bacon fat. Add the onions, celery and shallots and saute for 5 minutes. Add the thyme and sage, then cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender but not browned, about 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, toss the cornbread pieces with the toasted pecans halves and the cooked vegetables.

Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, then whisk it together with the broth and eggs. Pour this mixture over the dressing and toss well to blend. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the dressing to the prepared casserole dish, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until golden brown, about another 15 to 20 minutes.

(Recipe from Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock’s “The Gift of Southern Cooking,” Knopf, 2003)

Recipe: Make-Ahead Green Bean Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 17:38:00 +0000

Serves: 12 / Preparation time: 15 minutes / Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes (not all active time)

Freezing the topping is optional. You can make the topping the day you plan to bake the casserole.

TOPPING

2 slices hearty sandwich bread, torn into pieces

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups canned fried onions

CASSEROLE

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

10 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, washed, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white wine, optional

1 1/2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth

1 1/4 cups half-and-half

2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup cornstarch

To make the topping: In a food processor, pulse the bread pieces with butter and salt until coarsely ground. Transfer to a freezer bag, add the fried onions and freeze.

To make the casserole: In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the wine (or substitute broth), broth and half-and-half and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened. Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, toss the green beans with the cornstarch and transfer to a 13-by-9-inch baking dish or 3-quart casserole dish. Pour the mushroom mixture evenly over the beans. Let cool completely, wrap with plastic wrap and cover with foil. Freeze.

To bake and serve: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the foil and plastic. Put the foil back on the dish. Bake until sauce is bubbling and beans are tender, about 50 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the topping mixture over the beans. Bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes.

Adapted from Cook's Country magazine, November 2008 issue. Tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen. 193 calories (54% from fat), 12 grams fat (6 grams sat. fat), 18 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams protein, 369 mg sodium, 19 mg cholesterol, 62 mg calcium, 3 grams fiber.

Cheap Thanksgiving: Savory Sausage Stuffing

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 17:32:00 +0000

This recipe uses your favorite breakfast or spicy sausage and apple juice to zip up a stuffing side dish. Orange juice, broth, water or white wine would also work if apple juice isn’t your thing.

Ingredients: (Serves 6 to 8)

1/2 pound Farmer Johns sausage
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
¼ cup chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups apple juice OR orange juice, chicken broth or water
2-6 ounce packages Mrs. Cubbison’s Seasoned Dressing or Cornbread Stuffin
Pinch cayenne pepper, optional
1/4 to 1/2 cup grated cheddar or Parmesan cheese, optional

Instructions:

In a skillet, brown sausage until no longer pink. Remove from pan, drain any fat from pan.

Add olive oil to skillet along with onion, celery, parsley and garlic. Stir and cook until the vegetables begin to soften.

Add apple juice, stir and add stuffing mix. Stir and mix until the liquid is absorbed. Cover and let rest a few minutes.

Put the stuffing mix in a greased 2-1/2 to 3 quart baking pan and top with grated cheese if using. Bake 375 for about 15 minutes or until top browns.

RECIPE FROM KFMB-TV

Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Torte With Butterscotch Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:42:00 +0000

Union-Tribune

6 to 8 servings

½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup golden brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla (divided use)
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
½ cup chopped toasted pecans
¼ cup cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons heavy whipping cream
Sweetened whipped cream

BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE
¾ cup light brown sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pinch salt
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper; butter the paper. Using mixer, beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add brown sugar and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla, and beat to blend.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices and salt. Add to the batter and combine well. Beat in pumpkin and stir in pecans. Spread batter in prepared pan. Batter will be thick.

Whisk softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, egg yolk, cream and remaining ½ teaspoon vanilla in a small bowl to blend. Drop cream cheese mixture by heaping tablespoons onto batter. Using a small knife, gently swirl cream cheese mixture into batter, creating a marbled pattern.

Bake until a tester inserted in center comes out clean and top if firm, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on a rack 5 minutes before turning out of pan. Invert onto a serving platter.

For the Butterscotch Sauce: Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute; remove from heat and stir in cream and vanilla.

Cut torte into wedges and serve drizzled with warm Butterscotch Sauce and topped with sweetened whipped cream.

(From Phillis Carey)

Recipe For Brining A Turkey

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:35:00 +0000

1) A basic brine recipe is 1 cup of salt (I use kosher), 1 cup of brown sugar, and a tablespoon of black peppercorns simmered in a gallon of water until the salt and sugar dissolve, let cool, and refrigerated.Since I like an apple/sage motif, I make the following changes: I substitute 1 cup apple cider vinegar and 1 cup apple juice for 2 cups of the water, add chopped fresh sage, 1 tsp rosemary, 1 tsp thyme, several smashed garlic cloves, some bay leaves, and some orange zest to 3 qts of liquid, simmer for 1 hr, and then cool by adding 1 qt of ice (to make a gallon) before refrigerating.

2) The best way I have found to brine the bird is to use a 5 gal water cooler with a spigot in the bottom. Put 2 qts of ice in the bottom, then the bird, add the refrigerated and filtered brine solution, add 2 qts of ice, and cover, keeping it in a cool place for 12-18 hrs.

3) Roasting the bird is the final trick. DO NOT stuff or baste it, and don't use the pop-up thermometer which comes with many birds. Preheat the oven to 500F (yes, 500F), remove the bird from the bine, rinse, pat dry with paper towels, oil the outside with canola or other oil, and place in the roasting pan on a rack.

I like to add some aromatics to the cavity -- some apple slices, some sage leaves, and some sprigs of rosemary and thyme. Form a double layer heavy duty aluminum foil triangle which covers the breasts but leaves the thighs and drumsticks uncovered and then remove.

Roast on the lowest oven rack for 30 min at 500F, then remove and lower temperature to 350F. Place foil cover over breasts and insert meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and roast until the breast reaches a temperature of 161F. Remove and cover with aluminum foil to rest for at least 20 mins before carving.

The reason for this is that the light and dark meat should be cooked to different temperatures -- about 165F for the light meat and 185F for the dark meat.

The pop-up thermometers are set for 185F, so their use makes the white meat overcooked and dry. I use an electronic probe thermometer so I don't have to open the oven door once the bird starts roasting, shortening the cooking time.

Recipe: Stuffed Turkey Breast with Cranberry Chutney

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:01:00 +0000

Serves: 10 / Preparation time: 30 minutes / Total time: 3 hours

It's best to have your meat cutter debone the turkey breast for you.

1 turkey breast with bone (about 7 pounds) and skin on

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Morton's Nature Seasons Seasoning Blend or favorite all-purpose seasoning

4 cups favorite stuffing (see recipe below)

3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened, divided

1 cup water or chicken broth, plus more if needed

Cranberry-Golden Raisin Chutney (see recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Rinse turkey breast and pat dry. Carefully debone it, keeping the entire breast intact. Trim any excess fat and form to an even shape. Place it on a flat surface, skin side up. Gently separate and remove the skin from breast meat, being careful not to tear the skin.

Flip turkey over, and lay flat. If the turkey breast is not an even thickness, cover with plastic wrap and gently pound with a mallet or a rolling pin to make it even. Season all over with salt and pepper and seasoning blend. Spread stuffing evenly on turkey almost to the edges.

Starting on 1 short side, tightly roll up turkey. Season again with salt and pepper and seasoning blend. Place reserved skin back on and all around the turkey roll. Secure with kitchen string in 4 places along with one piece lengthwise. Rub the skin with 3 tablespoons of butter. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a saucepan and set aside.

Place turkey roll on a rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to oven, and pour water or broth in baking sheet. Roast about 1 hour and brush with melted butter. Continue roasting and basting with butter and pan juices until cooked through and the stuffing registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 hours and 20 minutes. Add more water or broth if the pan juices evaporate.

When done, remove from the oven and let turkey roll rest on baking sheet for 30 minutes.

To carve the turkey roll: Transfer turkey roll to a cutting board. Carefully cut roll into slices at least 1/2 inch thick, keeping stuffing intact. Transfer slices to a serving platter, and serve immediately with chutney on the side.

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living Magazine, November 2008 issue. Tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen. 399 calories (26% from fat), 12 grams fat (6 grams sat. fat), 7 grams carbohydrates, 63 grams protein, 295 mg sodium, 203 mg cholesterol, 47 mg calcium, 1 gram fiber

Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Topping

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:55:00 +0000

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE WITH PRALINE TOPPING

Serves 12

5 pounds sweet potatoes or yams, cooked and peeled

3 eggs

2/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup melted butter

1/3 cup cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Praline Topping:

1 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup butter, cut into small pieces

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a shallow 2-quart casserole. Mash the cooked sweet potatoes. You should have about 6 cups.

2. Beat in the eggs, brown sugar, melted butter, cream, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. Pour into a shallow 2-quart casserole.

3. To make the praline topping, combine the brown sugar, flour and chopped pecans in a bowl. Work in the butter until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of the sweet potatoes. Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until browned and bubbly.

— Recipe from Nellie Beatty, Antioch

Per serving: 490 calories, 5 g protein, 62 g carbohydrates, 26 g total fat, 12 g saturated fat, 105 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 42 g sugar. Calories from fat: 240.

Courtesy of insidebayarea.com

Thanksgiving Recipes Made Easy

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:07:00 +0000

by Amber Robinson, Nashville Arts & Entertainment Examiner

What? Thanksgiving made easy? What is that? There are a few reasons as to why someone would want to make Thanksgiving made easy. Maybe you're too busy doing something else that you don't have the time to cook. Or, you just don't feel like cooking a whole turkey. There's more, but they're not important right now. What is important is what are you going to eat if you're not having turkey? Sure, you can go and buy a TV dinner from the store or go to the diner, but maybe you still want a home cooked meal. If that's what you're looking for, you've come to the right place.

Let's say that you don't have the time to cook a whole turkey. But you still want good food and something everyone will enjoy. How about a bunch of side dishes? Guy Fieri from Food Network specializes in that area with a woman who plans on feeding a whole basketball team for Thanksgiving! How do spicy turkey tenders, balsamic grilled vegetables, and garlic rosemary mashed potatoes sound? To watch the video of Guy at work, click here!

Or maybe you want to be able to cook your dishes on the stove top? How about turkey with cranberry stuffing and fresh roasted corn? Sure you're cooking the turkey in the oven, but it's not that hard of a task. If you don't want to cook it, you can just cut that part out of the menu. If that interests you, find out what Robert Irvine and another young woman can cook up for a volunteer fire department by clicking here to watch the video.

Maybe you'd like to make just a few dishes and as we all know, Thanksgiving isn't just about the food. You need drinks in order to swallow down all that food, don't you!? How about a pomegranate sangria? I think it sounds pretty tasty, but that's just me. You could also make roasted shrimp with toasted garlic chips in chili oil. What's Thanksgiving without a little seafood? You can also make pork, potato and goat cheese skewers with smoked paprika! These recipes sure interest me and if they interest you, watch Bobby Flay help a woman who wants to impress her soul mate and his mother for Thanksgiving by clicking here.

And what's a Thanksgiving without a Paula Deen recipe? She doesn't care about fattening items which adds a great taste to all of her dishes. This means she'll be making dessert, which is her great specialty, and it will be helping a woman to make an apple pie. Sure this sounds basic, but I'm telling you, this pie will taste awesome. She even includes her secret ingredient! Who doesn't want secret ingredients from Paula Deen? Click here to get my favorite meal for Thanksgiving!

And last but not least, maybe you do want to cook a whole turkey the classic way, but you'd also like to dress it up a little. Click here to watch Tyler Florence and a mother and daughter cook a turkey, glazed with dried figs, stuffing made form cornbread, caramelized onions, sage, and figs and even a gravy made out of smoked turkey wings.

Good luck to all of you with your Thanksgiving recipes and of course, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving and Christmas Menu Ideas for Small Families

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 15:49:00 +0000

Every Holiday season, families count down the days until they can sit down to a feast of Baked Ham or Roast Turkey with all of the trimmings. But what about households where there are no children or visiting relatives to feed? Is there really a need to prepare a large meal in order to enjoy the tastes and smells of a traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas? Of course not. The following are some small scale menu ideas that are sure to please.

Instead of preparing an entire turkey with stuffing, buy just a breast.

De-bone and remove skin from a large turkey breast
Butterfly the breast
Cover with plastic wrap and pound lightly to ensure that meat is an even thickness
Remove plastic wrap and cover butterflied breast with your favorite stuffing (leaving aprox. 1 inch around the edges uncovered)
Roll breast up and tie securely with butchers twine
Cook covered in a 375* oven on low rack for aprox. 1 hour per pound , basting frequently with melted butter
Uncover and cook an additional 10-15 min
Let stand 10 minutes before removing twine and slicing

The roast turkey breast will not leave adequate drippings for making gravy, but Sage Scalloped Potatoes are a delicious alternative to mashed potatoes and gravy.

Sage Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients

4 cups potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3/4 cup finely minced onion
2 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 ½ tbsp chopped fresh sage
2 tbsp. butter
1 ½ cups hot milk/cream

Method

Grease a 2 quart casserole dish
Layer ½ potatoes and ½ onions
Sprinkle salt and pepper and ½ the Sage and ½ flour mixture on onion and potato layer and dot with ½ the butter
Repeat layers and pour the cream/milk over top
Sprinkle with salt and pepper
Cover and bake at 375° for 40-50 minute
Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes

Cornish Hens

Cornish Hens with Cranberry Stuffing are a great alternative to turkey .

Ingredients

1 cup Chopped Fresh Cranberries
1/4 cup minced Onions
1/8 cup Sugar
1/4 cup chopped Celery
2 Tbsp. Parsley
1/4 tsp chopped Fresh Rosemary
1/4 cup melted Butter
4 cups dried Bread cut into cubes
Salt and Pepper

Method

Combine berries and sugar and let set for half an hour
Saute onions, celery and parsley
Add crumbs and seasonings
Add cranberry and sugar mixture and stuff into hens
Cook Hens according to package directions

Mashed Parsnip and Potato Bake

Peel and chop equal amounts of potatoes and parsnip and 3 cloves of garlic and boil in salted water until fork tender
Drain and mash as you would making mashed potatoes adding butter and salt and pepper to taste
Place mixture into a buttered casserole dish and dot with butter
Bake in very hot oven until top is golden brown

Pineapple Baked Loin of Pork

When cooking for only a few people, a boneless Pork Loin with Pineapple is a simple alternative.

Ingredients

Boneless loin of Pork
1 can crushed Pineapple undrained
1/4 cup light Soy sauce
1 tbsp crushed garlic
2 tbsp liquid Honey
Salt and pepper

Method

Combine all ingredients and pour over pork in a roasting pan
Cook pork uncovered according to package directions, basting frequently
Cover with as many pineapple chunks as possible and broil for the last 5 minutes of cook time

French Fried Sweet Potatoes

Be sure to use sweet potatoes and not yams as they are much firmer and will not break as easily while cooking. These fries can be made sweet or savoury.

Cut sweet potatoes as you would cut regular potatoes for french fries
Soak in cold water for aprox 10 min
Rinse and pat dry
Deep fry in light oil until crispy and browned
Season hot fries with garlic salt and pepper, or cinnamon sugar
Serve hot

Courtesy of Notecook.com

Barbecue Pork Sandwiches

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 15:38:00 +0000

Ingredients:
4 boneless pork chops, cut 1 1/2" thick
4 jalapeños
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
4 sandwich rolls
Directions:
- Combine 1/4 cup sauce and lemon juice in a small dish with 4 chops, allow to marinate covered in refrigerator for one hour.
- Over medium heat grill, cook chops and peppers 10 minutes on each side or until done, 160 degrees. Set aside and allow to cool 10 minutes before slicing into thin strips.
- Divide pork and peppers evenly between rolls and serve with your favorite hot sauce.

If you're serving these to the kids, you may want to take it easy on the jalapeños. But, hey, you can never start eating fire too young, I like to say!

You can grill up these sandwiches for an easy afternoon cookout, just serve with some chips and beverages and you're ready to go. For a more grownup barbecue pork recipe, try the Jerk Pork Tenderloin.

Courtesy of Chile-Pepper-Sauces.com

Just make sure you check the temperature regularly, and you can't go wrong.

This is my favorite barbecue pork recipe. The pork comes out very tender and juicy, and the jerk marinade is delicious.

Review: "Real and Healthy Chinese Cooking"

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 01:10:00 +0000

by Nicholas Zhou

If you've been searching for information about how to improve your health and eat healthy and balanced food on a daily basis, then you've probably come across Nicholas Zhou's name at least a few times. And, if you're like me, you've probably wondered what the story is behind his best-selling cookbook on healthy eating on the Internet.

Well, here's the truth: This cookbook is the real deal.

Listen, I'll be the first to admit that I was hesitant when I first decided to buy "Real and Healthy Chinese Cooking." But when I got in on my computer (only 3 minutes later!), I was literally blown away by what I had received.

The first thing I noticed about the cookbook was all the beautiful pictures taken by Nicholas. He spent 2 whole years to prepare and cook all the dishes in his book and take pictures for those dishes that deserve one for clarity or beauty. This really helps a lot since the pictures give you a clear idea how the dishes will look like, what ingredients you need, and even how long they should be cooked.

For example, I have been looking for the right recipe for "Stewed Beef Strips" for years but I could never get it right. In Nicholas Zhou's book, I saw the picture and figured out (he also pointed out in the cooking directions) that the sauce should be poured over the beef on the plate instead of being stirred with the beef in the hot wok. So that's the secret why the Stewed Beef Strips always tastes so good at Hunan House (my favorite Chinese restaurant in town).

You will also be delighted to see that Nicholas Zhou's cookbook is not packed with thousands of free recipes that you can find anywhere on the Internet, which is the case for most cookbooks you can find out there. Instead, his book only contains low carb, low fat recipes that have been personally cooked and tested by him. He only included recipes that he considered authentic and healthy according to his 4 years of continuous reading, writing, cooking and research. But don't worry! The cookbook stills contains over 500+ recipes, which will be far more than enough for you and your family for a lifetime.

And the best part is that you'll get lifetime update for the cookbook. Nicholas promised that he will keep adding new recipes and cooking tips to his book on a daily basis and he will offer free download for the updated version whenever it's available.

The cookbook contains the most famous Chinese recipes as well as all the secret recipes that couldn't be found anywhere else. Most recipes are quick-and-easy style and perfect for people who have a fast-pace lifestyle -- which have saved me TONS of time and money already.

But what impresses me most about the cookbook is just how authentic it is. I've a huge collection of over 30 Chinese cookbooks, and they all seem to focus on just ONE thing - Americanized Chinese recipes. For example, they usually ask you to add sugar to a spicy dish, or cheese to an appetizer dish, which is rarely the case for real Chinese cooking.

The "Real and Healthy Chinese Cooking" cookbook is almost like a bible of authentic and healthy Chinese cooking like its name indicates. I give this product my absolute highest recommendation.

Click here to find out more.

RESTAURANTS SECRET RECIPES

noreply@blogger.com (mnl_1977) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 21:18:00 +0000

Ok, I LOVE to eat. I was brought up on loving food. Not only that, but cooking as well. I was raised by my grandmother, who was from Louisiana. The Heart of the South. And no matter what occasion it was, Birthday, Christmas, Just Because, my grandmother was always in the kitchen. But even though I have a ablity to cook, there are days that I could cook like all the restaurants, especially seafood.

Wouldn't it be nice to just stay at home and cook a lovely dinner, something like Applebee's Bacon Scallion Mashed Potatoes or Boston Market Meatloaf. Well you can, after 5 years of research discover the secret recipes from all of your favorite restaurants. Just imagine staying at home to make Hooter's Buffalo wings and watching a movie, without the long wait in line and using up precious fuel. America's Most Wanted Recipes Volume 1 and 2 by Ron Douglas, shares all the secrets from The Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Bennigan's and many others ( too many to list).

Truth be told, you may not see yourself as a good cook at this point in time. You may not even see yourself cooking for your friends or family apart from the usual dinner or lunch.

But if I tell you now that this is a golden opportunity for you to learn some solid, surefire and failsafe cooking, will you believe me? Thousands have, and they now benefit from being known as top notch cooks by their friends and family members! All of this without YEARS of hard training, or learning how to cook from scratch.

At the price we're going, each recipe is instantly available for your own use at only a mere few cents per recipe. Which restaurant on EARTH can you possibly find a deal like this?

If you can fry an egg, you can get started with "America's Most Wanted Recipes" immediately. You won't be disappointed.

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