Silicone Suction Lids

I'm not sure when I first heard about this product, but it was on my mind for some time.

A couple months ago, I was walking past our local kitchen store and decided to walk in and see if they carried them. The shopkeeper definitely knew what I was talking about, and she showed me a sample that was out on the counter. She lifted up the lid by the little top handle, and it stuck to the heavy stockpot, lifting it up into the air! COOL!! I went home with two in different sizes.

Lifting stockpots or bowls in the air, while cool, wasn't really what I had in mind. It's not a kitchen conundrum that had me searching for a solution. But I had a feeling these silicone discs had potential. Mainly I was hoping they would be able to act as a secure lid for my stainless steel bowls (or any bowls missing lids for that matter).

I also found they were good splatter covers for the microwave (yeah...but I like a dome shaped microwave lid that's not touching/smooshing my food). Another use is as a drain cover for the sink.

They are a good all purpose, fit any pot or bowl (w/out a spout) type of lid. I've even heard of cooks who tossed out ALL their various stock pot lids and JUST used these silicone lids. (They can also go in the oven up to 500 degrees.) I can see potential with that. It's kind of like putting all your CDs into a zippered flip album, tossing the plastic cases, and freeing up the bookcase. Or even better...putting all your CDs onto an MP3 player and getting rid of the actual CDs. Of course I still can't get rid of my plastic cases, much less the actual CDs, so that might not actually happen....

Back to my original purpose: to cover metal bowls. They do cover well, but in the fridge, the lid is simply resting on top of the bowl. Any movement in the fridge (shoving things aside to reach something in the way, way back...) can push the lid aside, leaving your bowl uncovered. Also, if you are trying to skimp by just getting the large silicone disc as a one-size-fits-all cover, you'll find the overhang on smaller bowls is a bit much.

So, yeah...I go back and forth on this one. Right now I'd rate them a 7 out of 10. But they do have potential for a higher score...especially if I can free up an entire pot lid drawer!! Oooo...casserole lids too.

Googlers

I'm always interested to see what keywords lead search engines (like Google & Yahoo) to my little blog. For awhile there, my one little post on a garden spider was getting me lots of traffic. Who knew???

Here's what people are presently interested in finding: Potato Cheese Soup, Freezer Meals, Batch Cooking, that silly little spider, Baked Macaroni and Cheese, and Curry Cajun Chicken. I wonder if they ever make any of the recipes??

Apple Streusel Coffeecake

This coffeecake is our traditional breakfast for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I found the recipe years ago (10+) in a magazine (Better Homes and Garden, Family Circle, or McCalls are likely sources). It is soooooo delicious. A moist coffeecake (not dried out and crumbly like some get), tart apples, sweet and crunchy streusel combine to make a heavenly coffeecake.

The recipe calls for a bundt pan, and I've always stayed true to the recipe. When it turns out (meaning it comes out without falling apart) it looks FABULOUS. You make nice little slices, and you see all the layers. When part of it sticks to the pan though, it tumbles out of the bundt and splits at the middle apple level. So greasing the bundt pan well is essential.

Why then, if I know the secret to success, did my coffeecake split in half, and out of the pan this year? I blame it on the much beloved and talked about Pampered Chef stoneware. After owning the stoneware bundt pan for 3-4 years, I am still trying to get it properly seasoned. When the stoneware is seasoned, it doesn't look like the clean beige you see above. It darkens to a nice brown like you see in the pizza stone to the right. Once seasoned, food releases easily. Though I've had the bundt pan for a few years, it just doesn't get used enough. I really need to use it whenever possible (breads, meatloaf) so I can get it seasoned! If you are using a new-ish PC stoneware pan...be warned.

Like my lumpy pie crust, what matters most is taste. And this tastes damn good!

Apple Streusel Coffeecake

Streusel
1 3/4 C packed light brown sugar
3/4 C all purpose flour
1 stick (1/2 C) cold butter, cut in small pieces
2 tsp cinnamon
1 C walnuts, coarsely chopped

In a medium size bowl, stir everything for the streusel (except the walnuts) together with fingertips until crumbly and butter is completely incorporated. Stir in walnuts.

Cake
3 1/4 C all purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda

1 ½ sticks (3/4 C) butter or margarine (not spread), at room temperature
1 1/4 C sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1- 16 oz container plain low-fat yogurt
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced into ½” pieces

Mix flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a small bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla and yogurt. With mixer on low speed, beat in flour mixture.

Spoon 3 cups batter into pan, spread evenly.
Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the streusel, the apples, and then ½ cup of the streusel.

Spoon on remaining batter and spread evenly.

Sprinkle with remaining streusel, pressing down lightly so it sticks to the batter.

Heat oven to 350̊. Grease and flour a 14 C nonstick bundt pan. Bake 70-90 minutes or until a pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 15 minutes. Place cookie sheet over pan and carefully invert both. Remove pan and cool completely.

The most “undone” part of the cake is in the middle around the cone.

Serves 16. Per serving: 462 calories, 7 g pro, 63 g car, 21 g fat, 80 mg chol with butter, 41 mg chol with margarine, 291 mg sod. Exchanges: 2 1/4 starch/bread, 2 fruit, 4 fat.

Edited on 12/30/07: These pics are from our Christmas 2007 coffeecake. I made sure the pan was WELL-greased before baking. I also let it cook longer than the Thanksgiving one. It was amazing to see the difference in the cake the last 10, 20, and 30 minutes. I set the timer for 60 minutes, and then checked it every 10 minutes, with a final cook time of 90 minutes.The extra time allowed the center to rise up well above the top of the center cone.

Broccoli with Garlic Butter & Cashews

We like garlic. Lots of garlic. Add a little soy sauce, brown sugar, and well....soon you'll have amazing flavors. To dress up the broccoli a bit, I add this simple sauce to it...and then the nuts for a little crunch. It's VERY easy to make. Enjoy!!

Broccoli with Garlic Butter & Cashews

1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1/3 cup butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup chopped salted cashews

Place the broccoli into a large pot with about 1 inch of water in the bottom. Bring to a boil, and cook for 7 minutes, or until tender but still crisp. Drain, and arrange broccoli on a serving platter.
While the broccoli is cooking, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Mix in the brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper and garlic. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Mix in the cashews, and pour the sauce over the broccoli. Serve immediately.*

*It really does taste best when served immediately. When it's re-heated, the broccoli gets a little too mushy. So, I recommend only cooking the amount of broccoli your family will be eating at one sitting. You can reserve some of the marinade/cashews for another day when you quickly steam some fresh broccoli.

(Sorry for the poor picture image...I'll change it out next time I make the dish!!)

What do vegetarians eat on Thanksgiving?

This year it was the infamous Tofurky!

Yes, Tofurky had a spot in our line up of yummy holiday foods. So what is Tofurky? It's a tofu roll stuffed with vegan stuffing. Apparently it tastes just like and has the same texture as real turkey. Some vegetarians might not go for that....they simply don't want to taste something that tastes like meat. My daughter, however, is one of those vegetarians who likes some meat (especially sausage!), but wants an alternative as she's a quiet animal rights activist who chooses not to eat them. And so, in this meat eating family, we make sure there are lots of protein
alternatives...like Tofurky for Thanksgiving dinner!

Old Fashioned Apple Pie

When Brian and I got married, we were given a general cookbook put out by McCalls (The New Revised and Updated McCalls Cookbook). It's rather unpretentious, and really doesn't get talked about much. But it has some really great basic recipes. Since it was probably the only cookbook I had when I started making holiday dinners (in my early 20s), most of my standard holiday recipes come from this book. Over the years I've changed it up a bit, but it really is my main source for Thanksgiving & Christmas dinners!

One of these great basics is for apple pie. I've never made an apple pie with any other recipe. This one is just sooooo good! I've tasted many apple pies, and I am forever comparing them to this recipe:

Old Fashioned Apple Pie

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Slice:
6 C tart apples (Granny Smith/about 4 apples or 2 lbs)

Combine:
1 C sugar
1 tsp apple pie spice (made from equal parts of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground allspice)
1/4 C flour
dash salt

Add sliced apples, lightly toss.

2 pie crust shells*

Fill one pie crust and add the other on top. Seal edges and slit the top shell.

Bake 45-50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.












To quickly peel, core, and slice the apples I use this handy gadget from Pampered Chef. I also swear by their stoneware for giving me nice bottom crusts (not soggy!). The pan shown here is the Deep Dish Baker (no longer sold as plain stoneware, but you can get it in cranberry or vanilla).

*Until this year I have relied on Pilsbury's refrigerated pie crust. It's pretty darn good, and most people think it tastes/looks homemade. In a pinch, it's better than any other store-bought crust. But, you really can't beat a homemade pie crust.

This year, I attempted my first homemade pie crust with the apple pie. The recipe came from a new favorite: Cook's Illustrated.

The Best Pie Dough
Double Crust 10-inch Regular or 9-inch Deep-Dish

When rolling out the dough, roll to a thickness of about 1/8-inch thick (about the thickness of two quarters).

For a double-crust 10-inch regular pie
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
13 tablespoons unsalted butter , cold, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
7 tablespoons vegetable shortening , chilled
4 - 5 tablespoons ice water

1. Mix flour, salt and sugar in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture, tossing to coat butter with some flour. cut butter into flour with five 1-second pulses. Add shortening and continue cutting in until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal with butter bits no larger than small peas, about four more 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of ice water over mixture. With blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon more ice water if dough will not come together. Shape dough into two balls with your hands, one slightly larger than the other. Flatten into 4-inch-wide disks. Dust lightly with flour, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling.

Time and temperature: I started the pie out at 425 degrees. Once the crust was nicely browned, I turned down the oven to 350 degrees. The result was delicious! I didn't have to use the pesky torn foil pieces around the edge of my pie (you know...to keep the edges from burning). Next time I might brush a little water or egg over the raw upper crust and sprinkle on a dusting of cinnamon and sugar.

A handy trick: I had trouble lifting the bottom crust up and placing it in the pie pan. It kept breaking apart. So, I rolled it out on a Tupperware pastry sheet I own, set the pie pan (upside down) centered on the crust, and with the help of my husband, carefully flipped the pan/crust/pastry sheet. The crust landed nice and neat right in the pie pan!

My crust might not look like anything fancy (it was only my second home-made crust!), but it sure tasted good!! And when it comes right down to it, taste is what matters most!

The Cost of Thanksgiving Dinner

So, how much does a made from scratch Thanksgiving dinner cost? I was surprised to see how much the price of Thanksgiving dinner varied ($115/8, $148/5, $200/5, $200/20, $120/5 $70/11, etc.) when I saw the responses on a message board I frequent. I added my 2¢....estimating our dinner (which should serve 8, with ample leftovers in turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes) cost me about $60, which is what I spent on groceries today. Considering I bought some extra food (like cereal, salad, etc.), and I have some staples at home that I'm using for Thanksgiving, I am pretty certain this is a good estimate. That's pretty darn good, I think....$7.50/person + leftovers.

Now...to break it down and see how close my estimate was:

• shelled walnuts (1 C) .88
  
• plain low fat yogurt (16 oz) 1.58
  
• Granny Smith apples (6) 2.23
  
• broccoli (1 1/2 pounds) 2.33
  
• salted cashews (1/3 C) 1.02
  
• 2 pie crust shells (As a shortcut I use Pilsbury refrigerated pie crust, but you can make your own) Homemade this year: 1.50/flour, 1.00/butter, 1.00/shortening, .50 (other)
  
• chicken broth (2 cans) 1.82
  
• ground sausage (1 lb) 2.99
  
• celery (1 C) 1.58
  
• onion .50
  
• fresh parsley (1/4 C) .48
  
• herb seasoned stuffing mix (8 oz) 1.48
  
• turkey 13 lbs/2.42
  
• potatoes (for baking) 1.98
  
• 1/4-1/2 pound ground soy “sausage” 2.99

On hand:

• dried sage .25
  
• dried thyme .25
• olive oil 1.00
  
• dried rosemary .25
• bay leaves .25
• ground marjoram .25
• salt .25
• black pepper .50
  
• cinnamon .75
  
• apple pie spice .50
  
• butter, salted 3.00
  
• sugar 1.00
  
• flour 1.50
  
• cornmeal 1.00
  
• light brown sugar .75
  
• baking powder .50
  
• baking soda .25
  
• canola oil .75
  
• milk .75
  
• soy sauce .75
  
• white wine vinegar .50
  
• garlic .25

Grand total: $43.53! Wow. That comes to $5.44/person, with generous leftovers.

Keeping the cost down, I did get the cheapo frozen turkey that was only 19¢/pound, with a $50 purchase. Had I chosen a fresh turkey, my cost would have been .99/pound, adding about $10 to my total...still very inexpensive.

Now....if I'd bought one of the turkeys my friends raise, that would've added another $50 to the bill.

So, my low is about $44, and my high (with the fresh free-range turkey) would've been $90.

(The only things not included in my cost are wine and cranberry sauce (my mother in law's making that). So add $4, for the sauce, and $30 for the wine.)

Day After Thanksgiving Turkey Pot Pie

When Brian and I were married, my cousin gave me a handwritten set of her favorite recipes. They were included with other useful kitchen items, but to this day, I recognize her recipes because of her handwriting and the hearts that she stenciled on the cards.

One of the recipes was for an after-Thanksgiving Pot Pie. The beauty of this pie is that it's made with leftovers from a traditional Thanksgiving dinner: turkey, stuffing, gravy, vegetables. The only additional item I get is a pie crust.

Though I cook a lot, and am not one to take many short cuts, I've never been one to make my own pie crust. For some reason the dizzying array of tried and true pie crust recipes has intimidated me. You see, like when I tried to make salsa, I will sit and study 10 different recipes before settling on one to try.

However, this summer, my daughter and I made a homemade strawberry rhubarb pie complete with a homemade crust. It was spectacular (recipe from Cook's Illustrated...will share later). So, I think THIS year, I will be making my own pie crust for Thanksgiving dessert and for the turkey pot pie.

The anal person in me always follows a recipe precisely. There are very few things I will just "throw together". I'm just not that natural of a cook. This dish, however, I am comfortable with.

Day After Thanksgiving Turkey Pot Pie

In a bowl, combine:

1-2 C shredded/chopped turkey meat
1 C chopped celery*
1 C chopped onion*
1-2 C stuffing
1 C gravy

*You can saute these in a little butter if you like. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't!

Line a pie pan (I swear by the Pampered Chef stoneware ones...they do not produce soggy bottomed crusts!!) with one pie crust. Fill with the above contents. Place a second pie crust over the top, sealing the edges. Decorate as desired. (I used a turkey shaped cookie cutter to cut out all those little turkeys around the edges. Just wet the bottom of the dough piece with a little water so it will stick to the crust.) Put a few slits in the top crust so steam can escape.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes (until the crust is golden).

Let the pot pie cool and set for about 15 minutes before cutting into it.

The Cook's Illustrated crust recipe I'll be using:

The Best Pie Dough
Double Crust 10-inch Regular or 9-inch Deep-Dish

The following pie dough is one in a series for different size pies. When rolling out the dough, roll to a thickness of about 1/8-inch thick (about the thickness of two quarters).

For a double-crust 10-inch regular pie
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
13 tablespoons unsalted butter , cold, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
7 tablespoons vegetable shortening , chilled
4 - 5 tablespoons ice water

1. Mix flour, salt and sugar in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture, tossing to coat butter with some flour. cut butter into flour with five 1-second pulses. Add shortening and continue cutting in until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal with butter bits no larger than small peas, about four more 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of ice water over mixture. With blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon more ice water if dough will not come together. Shape dough into two balls with your hands, one slightly larger than the other. Flatten into 4-inch-wide disks. Dust lightly with flour, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling.

Denti d' Elefante with Bell Peppers and Swiss Chard

Sounds fancy, doesn't it?

I just finished sorting through all my digital pictures, getting them all into organized, labeled files on the computer (backed them up too!). In doing so, I found some food pics I had forgotten about.

The first is for Denti d' Elefante with Bell Peppers and Swiss Chard, more commonly known in our household as Pasta with Red Bell Peppers and Swiss Chard. It comes from my favorite pasta cookbook, The Classic Pasta Cookbook by Giuliano Hazan (son of famed Italian chef Marcella Hazan). The book is now out of print, but if you can find it, I highly recommend buying it. The recipes are wonderful, and in true Dorling Kindersley style, full of pictures, and step by step instructions.

Denti d' Elefante with Bell Peppers and Swiss Chard

In a large pot, bring water & 1 TB of salt to a boil. Cook al dente (soft, but still firm...not mushy)
1 lb. denti d'elefante (tube pasta)

Heat in large skillet over medium high heat:
3 TB extra virgin olive oil

Add, and cook until lightly browned:
4 cloves garlic, crushed

Remove the garlic and add until lightly browned:
2 red bell peppers, chopped into 3/4" squares

Reduce the heat to medium, and add:
1/2 lb Swiss chard leaves, roughly chopped
2 TB water

Season lightly with:
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Cook until the vegetables are tender.

Add:
2 TB butter

When the pasta is ready, drain it, and add it to the skillet.
Add and toss to mix:
2 TB balsamic vinegar
1/3 C freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Serve immediately.

Blooming in November

A storm is passing through right now. The wind gusts are about 40 mph, and I'm just *waiting* for my rose bushes to be uprooted once again.... Though windy for Oregon, it's nothing like the hurricane winds from South Carolina.

^^^ Passion flower

Despite the cold, rainy, windy weather, there are still some blossoms throughout the yard.

<------?? (from a mixed seed pack)



------------> Orange Wallflower


Penstemon ^

Thanksgiving/Holiday Meal Plan

This is an update (updated 11/7/11) to my plan that I created several years ago.  It's one I'll probably post each November. 

Are you looking for some new Thanksgiving recipes? With Thanksgiving approaching I thought I'd share my Holiday Meal Plan with all of my (tens of???) readers. My hope is that it will help your stress levels if you are preparing Thanksgiving dinner and all the trimmings for family or friends. These holiday recipes are our family's traditional dishes. Sometimes there's a different vegetable or bread, but we pretty much serve the save thing for Thanksgiving or Christmas. It might sound boring, but considering we only have this once or twice a year, it is a meal we look forward to!

The Menu:

Thanksgiving morning: Apple Streusel Coffeecake

Thanksgiving Dinner: Turkey, Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Cornbread, Broccoli with Garlic Butter and Cashews, Green Beans with Pecans, Smoky Scalloped Potatoes, Sausage Stuffing

Dessert: Apple Pie

Day After Thanksgiving: Day After Thanksgiving Turkey Pot Pie

(I can never decide between mashed potatoes (easy!) and the scalloped potatoes (scrumptious!), so they're both listed.  I don't usually make both, unless it's a really large crowd.  

 The following plan will easily feed 10-12 people with some leftovers. For additional people, add another vegetable dish.

Make sure to have on hand:

• dried sage
• dried thyme
• olive oil
• dried rosemary
• bay leaves
• ground marjoram
• cayenne pepper
• dry mustard
• salt
• black pepper
• cinnamon
• apple pie spice
• fresh thyme (1 TB)
• butter, salted
• butter, unsalted
• vegetable shortening
• sugar
• flour
• cornmeal
• light brown sugar
• baking powder
• baking soda
• canola oil
• milk
• soy sauce
• white wine vinegar
• garlic
• vanilla
• eggs (4)

 Shopping List:

• salted cashews (1/3 C)
• shelled walnuts (1 C)
• pecan halves (1 C)
• plain low fat yogurt (16 oz)
• Granny Smith apples (6)
• broccoli (1 1/2 pounds)
• celery (1 C)
• onion (2 large)
• fresh parsley (1/2 C)
• 5-10 lbs. baking potatoes (5 pounds if making just one of the potato dishes; 10 pounds if making both)
• 2 pie crust shells (As a shortcut you can use Pilsbury refrigerated pie crust, or you can make your own)
• chicken broth (2 cans)
• ground sausage (1 lb)
• herb seasoned stuffing mix (8 oz) (or a loaf of bread to make your own)
• turkey
• 1/4-1/2 pound ground soy “sausage”
• 2 C smoked Gouda cheese
• heavy cream (1 1/2 C)
• buttermilk (1 1/2 C)

UP TO A WEEK BEFORE

CHOP

1 cup celery

1 cup onion

1/4 cup parsley

Place all 3 in a baggie for Stuffing.

1 large onion

Place in a baggie for Scalloped Potatoes

1 cup celery

1 cup onion

Place both in a baggie for Turkey Potpie.

1 ½ pounds broccoli, in bite sized pieces

Put in baggie for Broccoli dish.

3-4 cloves garlic (whole...don’t chop)

Place in a tiny prep container for Mashed Potatoes.

1 cup walnuts

Put in prep bowl for Coffee Cake.

1/3 cup salted cashews

Put in baggie for Broccoli Dish

2 pounds fresh green beans, wash and  trim ends

Put in baggie for Green Bean Dish.

4 TB shallots

Put in small prep bowl for Green Bean Dish

3 TB fresh parsley

Put in small prep bowl for Green Bean Dish

SHRED

2 C smoked Gouda cheese

Place in baggie for Scalloped Potatoes 

DAY BEFORE

COOK

1 pound ground Italian sausage

1/4-1/2 pound ground soy “sausage” (My daughter is vegetarian...so I make some of the stuffing with her "sausage".)

Put in separate baggies for Stuffing 

CHOP

6 cups Granny Smith apples (pie) 

2 Granny Smith apples (coffee cake)

Keep apples in a bowl of lemon juice and water, covered in the refrigerator until needed.

 PREPARE

12 prep bowls shown in the chart below (click on it to enlarge)

Apple Streusel Coffeecake:  Make the batter and keep it covered and refrigerated in the Kitchen Aid mixing bowl. (Quickly beat it in the morning.)

Pie crusts (can be placed on waxed paper and rolled up in the fridge until needed)

Smoky Scalloped Potatoes:  Prepare, cover with foil, refrigerate.

Clean and prep turkey. Put the spice rub under the skin. Cover with foil and place in the refrigerator.  (For a detailed look at seasoning the turkey under the skin, check out this post:  TURKEY SEASONING UNDER THE SKIN)

The following chart is the beauty and brains behind the simplicity of this meal. I set out 11 prep bowls (sizes are listed on the chart), and fill them assembly-line style with different ingredients. Each bowl is numbered with masking tape so I know when to use it. Once these bowls are filled, most of the work is done!

Ingredients to get out for the assembly bowl line:

• dried sage
• dried thyme
• olive oil
• dried rosemary
• bay leaves
• ground marjoram
• salt
• black pepper
• cinnamon
• apple pie spices
• butter, salted
• butter, unsalted (2 sticks)
• vegetable shortening
• sugar
• flour
• cornmeal
• light brown sugar
• baking powder
• baking soda
• canola oil
• milk
• soy sauce
• white wine vinegar
• garlic
• fresh thyme
• cayenne pepper
• dry mustard

And now, for the chart.  If you click the photo below, the whole chart will be large enough to view the details.

MORNING OF

BAKE

Coffee Cake

350 degrees, 70-80 minutes (make sure center by cone is done)

PREPARE

Stuffing (can keep warm in crock pot)

Use wok (small or large burner)

Put turkey in oven (see time chart).

JUST BEFORE TURKEY IS DONE

COOK

Peel and boil a few pounds of the potatoes w/garlic for mashed potatoes (You can skip this step if the Scalloped Potatoes will be enough for your group.)

ASSEMBLE AND PREPARE

Apple Pie

Cornbread

Take Scalloped Potatoes out of the refrigerator.

ONCE TURKEY IS OUT OF OVEN

PLACE IN OVEN 

425 degrees

Cornbread

Apple Pie

Scalloped Potatoes 

COOK STOVETOP

Broccoli w/Garlic Butter and Cashews (use large stock pot, then skillet on large burner)

Green Beans with Pecans (use 3 qt. stock pot and steamer)

PREPARE

Gravy

Use medium pot and small burner

Mash the potatoes. Use KA mixer or potato masher. Mash with butter, milk, salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Carve turkey after 20-30 minutes of cooling.

And now, the recipes:

Broccoli with Garlic Butter Cashews

1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces

1/3 cup butter

1 tablespoon brown sugar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons white vinegar

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup chopped salted cashews

Place the broccoli into a large pot with about 1 inch of water in the bottom. Bring to a boil, and cook for 7 minutes, or until tender but still crisp. Drain, and arrange broccoli on a serving platter.

While the broccoli is cooking, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Mix in the brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper and garlic. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Mix in the cashews, and pour the sauce over the broccoli. Serve immediately.*

*It really does taste best when served immediately. When it's re-heated, the broccoli gets a little too mushy. So, I recommend only cooking the amount of broccoli your family will be eating at one sitting. You can reserve some of the marinade/cashews for another day when youcan quickly steam some fresh broccoli.

Green Beans with Pecans (San Francisco Encore)

Prep ahead of time:

-wash and trim 2 pounds of fresh green beans

-mince 4 TB of shallots

-mince 3 TB of fresh parsley

Steam until just tender, but still firm:

2 pounds of fresh green beans

In a skillet, saute until softened:

3 TB butter

4 TB minced shallots

Add, and brown lightly:

1 C pecan halves

Stir in:

beans

3 TB minced fresh parsley

Toss to coat and heat thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cornbread

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease 8 x 8 x 2" baking dish.

Mix together:

1 C sifted flour

2 TB sugar

3 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 C cornmeal

Make a depression in the center of the dry ingredients and lightly beat:

1 egg

Add to the center mixture:

1/4 C canola oil

1 C milk

Stir dry and wet ingredients together until the flour mixture is moistened.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Turkey Gravy

Pour off drippings from roasting pan.                                                          

 Add to a pot:

3 TB drippings

 

Add, and stir to make a paste:

3 TB flour

Gradually stir in:

1 ½ C condensed chicken broth, undiluted

½ tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 tsp coarsely chopped fresh marjoram leaves OR

½ tsp dried marjoram leaves

Bring to a boil, stirring. Mixture will be thickened and smooth. Simmer, stirring, 1 minute

Makes 1 ½ cups.  

Sausage Stuffing

In large skillet, saute:

1 lb sausage

Drain any fat and add:

1 C chopped celery

1 C chopped onion

1/4 C chopped parsley

Saute for 8-10 minutes.

In large stove top pot, combine

1 pkg (8 oz) herb-seasoned stuffing mix (or dried bread chunks from a good artisan bread)

½ tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Toss to mix well.  

Add:

1 C chicken broth

sausage mixture

Toss lightly.

Apple Streusel Coffeecake

Streusel (In bowl #3)

1 3/4 C packed light brown sugar

3/4 C all purpose flour

1 stick (1/2 C) cold butter, cut in small pieces

2 tsp cinnamon

1 C walnuts, coarsely chopped

In a medium size bowl, stir everything (except the walnuts) together with fingertips until crumbly and butter is completely incorporated. Stir in walnuts.

Cake (Dry ingredients in bowl #4)

3 1/4 C all purpose flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 ½ sticks (3/4 C) butter or margarine (not spread), at room temperature

1 1/4 C sugar

3 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1- 16 oz container plain low-fat yogurt

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced into ½” pieces (apples are in the refrigerator, diced)

Mix flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a small bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla and yogurt. With mixer on low speed, beat in flour mixture.

Grease (and flour) the Pampered Chef bundt pan EXTREMELY well with butter (not Pam) or margarine.

Spoon 3 cups batter into pan, spread evenly.

Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the streusel, the apples, and then ½ cup of the streusel.

Spoon on remaining batter and spread evenly, then add the nuts.    

Sprinkle with remaining streusel, pressing down lightly so it sticks to the batter. 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 60-70 minutes or until a pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 15 minutes. Place cookie sheet over pan and carefully invert both. Remove pan and cool completely. 

The most “undone” part of the cake is in the middle around the cone. 

Serves 16. Per serving: 462 calories, 7 g pro, 63 g car, 21 g fat, 80 mg chol with butter, 41 mg chol with margarine, 291 mg sod. Exchanges: 2 1/4 starch/bread, 2 fruit, 4 fat. 

Old Fashioned Apple Pie

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Slice:

6 C tart apples (Granny Smith/about 4 apples or 2 lbs)

Combine:

1 C sugar

1 tsp apple pie spice*

1/4 C flour

dash salt

Add sliced apples, lightly toss.

2 pie crust shells (or make homemade crust listed below) 

Fill one pie crust and add the other on top. Seal edges and slit the top shell.

Bake 45-50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

The Best Pie Dough (Cook's Illustrated)

Double Crust 10-inch Regular or 9-inch Deep-Dish 

When rolling out the dough, roll to a thickness of about 1/8-inch thick (about the thickness of two quarters). 

For a double-crust 10-inch regular pie

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

13 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

7 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled

4 - 5 tablespoons ice water

1. Mix flour, salt and sugar in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture, tossing to coat butter with some flour. cut butter into flour with five 1-second pulses. Add shortening and continue cutting in until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal with butter bits no larger than small peas, about four more 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl. 

2. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of ice water over mixture. With blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon more ice water if dough will not come together. Shape dough into two balls with your hands, one slightly larger than the other. Flatten into 4-inch-wide disks. Dust lightly with flour, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling. 

Time and temperature: I started the pie out at 425 degrees. Once the crust was nicely browned, I  turned down the oven to 350 degrees. The result was delicious! I didn't have to use the pesky torn foil pieces around the edge of my pie (you know...to keep the edges from burning). Next time I might brush a little water or egg over the raw upper crust and sprinkle on a dusting of cinnamon and sugar. 

A handy trick: I had trouble lifting the bottom crust up and placing it in the pie pan. It kept breaking apart. So, I rolled it out on a Tupperware pastry sheet I own, set the pie pan (upside down) centered on the crust, and with the help of my husband, carefully flipped the pan/crust/pastry sheet. The crust landed nice and neat right in the pie pan!

Lumpy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

 

Wash and scrub 15-20 potatoes.

You can peel them, or leave the skins on. (I often peel about a third of them, as I like the skins.

Cut potatoes into fourths. )

Place into large stockpots, filling with water (but not too much...or it will boil over).

Add a clove of garlic into each pot of potatoes.

Boil until you can pierce the largest potato chunk with a fork.

Drain the potatoes.

Put the potatoes back in the pot, or in a large bowl.

Add, to taste, milk, salt, pepper, and butter.

Mash with a potato masher.

Serve hot!

Turkey

* The USDA does not recommend cooking turkey in an oven set lower than 325 degrees F.

* Place your turkey or turkey breast on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.

* For optimum safety, stuffing a turkey is not recommended. For more even cooking, it is recommended you cook your stuffing outside the bird in a casserole. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the stuffing. The stuffing must reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

* If you choose to stuff your turkey, the ingredients can be prepared ahead of time; however, keep wet and dry ingredients separate. Chill all of the wet ingredients (butter/margarine, cooked celery and onions, broth, etc.). Mix wet and dry ingredients just before filling the turkey cavities. Fill the cavities loosely. Cook the turkey immediately. Use a food thermometer to make sure the center of the stuffing reaches a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

* A whole turkey is safe when cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F as measured with a food thermometer. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook turkey to higher temperatures.

* If your turkey has a "pop-up" temperature indicator, it is recommended that you also check the internal temperature of the turkey in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast with a food thermometer. The minimum internal temperature should reach 165 degrees F for safety.

* For quality, let the turkey stand for 20 minutes before carving to allow juices to set. The turkey will carve more easily.

* Remove all stuffing from the turkey cavities.

Timetables for Turkey Roasting

(325 degrees F oven temperature)

These times are approximate and should always be used in conjunction with a properly placed thermometer.

Unstuffed

4 to 8 pounds (breast) 1½ to 3¼ hours

8 to 12 pounds 2 3/4 to 3 hours

12 to 14 pounds 3 to 3 3/4 hours

14 to 18 pounds 3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hours

18 to 20 pounds 4 1/4 to 4 ½ hours

20 to 24 pounds 4 ½ to 5 hours

Stuffed

4 to 6 pounds (breast) Not usually applicable

6 to 8 pounds (breast) 2½ to 3½ hours

8 to 12 pounds 3 to 3 ½ hours

12 to 14 pounds 3 ½ to 4 hours

14 to 18 pounds 4 to 4 1/4 hours

18 to 20 pounds 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours

20 to 24 pounds 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 hours

-Tuck wing tips under the shoulders of the bird for more even cooking. This is referred to as "akimbo."

-Add ½ cup of water to the bottom of the pan.

-If your roasting pan does not have a lid, you may place a tent of heavy-duty aluminum foil over the turkey for the first 1 to 1 ½ hours. This allows for maximum heat circulation, keeps the turkey moist, and reduces oven splatter. To prevent overbrowning, foil may also be placed over the turkey after it reaches the desired color.

-If using an oven-proof food thermometer, place it in the turkey at the start of the cooking cycle. It will allow you to check the internal temperature of the turkey while it is cooking. For turkey breasts, place thermometer in the thickest part. For whole turkeys, place in the thickest part of the inner thigh. Once the thigh has reached 165 degrees F, check the wing and the thickest part of the breast to ensure the turkey has reached a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F throughout the product.

 Day After Thanksgiving Turkey Pot Pie

In a bowl, combine:

1-2 C shredded/chopped turkey meat

1 C chopped celery*1 C chopped onion*

1-2 C stuffing

1 C gravy

*You can saute these in a little butter if you like. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't!

 Line a pie pan (I swear by the Pampered Chef stoneware ones...they do not produce soggy bottomed crusts!!) with one pie crust. Fill with the above contents. Place a second pie crust over the top, sealing the edges. Decorate as desired. (I used a turkey shaped cookie cutter to cut out   all those little turkeys around the edges. Just wet the bottom of the dough piece with a little water so it will stick to the crust.) Put a few slits in the top crust so steam can escape.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes (until the crust is golden).

Let the pot pie cool and set for about 15 minutes before cutting into it.

For the crust...I use the same crust recipe that was used for the apple pie. So, if you're making crusts, just double that recipe.

Smoky Scalloped Potatoes

(Cook's Illustrated)

Move over, mashed potatoes—we love this recipe for an alternative holiday potato side dish. Buttermilk and smoked Gouda give this casserole its rich flavor and creamy consistency, so we don’t recommend substituting these ingredients. Here’s what else we discovered:

* Adding a pinch of baking soda to the potatoes as they cook helps to tenderize them without leaving any residual taste.

* This dish can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

Serves 8 or more

4 tablespoons unsalted butter*

1 large onion, minced

4 garlic cloves, minced (Cook's Illustrated) 

4 teaspoons dry mustard

1 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

5 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin**

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups shredded smoked Gouda cheese

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, mustard, thyme, salt, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in potatoes, cream, buttermilk, and baking soda and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until potatoes are almost tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in cheese and transfer mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking dish.

2. Bake until cream is bubbling around edges and top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Make Ahead: The casserole can be prepared through step 1 and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, cover with foil and bake in 400-degree oven until hot and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Remove foil and continue cooking until top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

* I always have unsalted on hand, but with all my holiday cooking, I ran out.  I made it with salted butter and it came out just fine.  But if you have the unsalted on hand, I'd use that.

Tofurky

We also make a Tofurky roast each year, as we have some vegetarians in the family.    We've found that one  roast can be cut in half (as soon as you buy it at the store).  Cook up half hte loaf for Thanksgiving, and the other half for Christmas.