My Favorite Recipes

These are my tried and true favorites...the recipes I turn to when company is coming and I need a "sure thing" on the table.  These are the recipes that have been made over and over...some I've made for over 20 years. Try a few...and let me know what you think!

Chicken:  Barbecued Herb-Mustard Chicken


In the late 1980s my mother in law introduced me to this recipe from Sunset magazine.  She made it frequently for family get-togethers and Brian and I continue to make it on a regular basis. In fact, when I make it, I quadruple the recipe and fill up the freezer for easy-to-make meals at a later date.

Something else I should mention, is that it's worth trying even if you don't like mustard.  I HATE mustard.  Hate it. I don't even scrape it off of things...I simply won't eat mustard-y foods.   Yet I LOVE this recipe.  And speaking of mustard, the type/brand of mustard you use does matter. I've mentioned two easy-to-find national brands that work well with this.  But I've had it with other mustards and it's just not the same. 

Beef:  Marinated Flank Steak

This recipe really needs a better name because "marinated" doesn't describe the soy-ginger-garlicy goodness that leaves you drooling.  There are many similar marinades out there with different names, and I'm sure they're all good.  But I have no need to even try them because this one is so damn good.   And while the title says "flank" steak, it also works well with sirloins.  The flank is best, but for the budget dinners, it does wonders to a cheap sirloin.

Make sure to use fresh ingredients...onions, ginger, garlic.  None of that dried stuff, please.   

Pie:  Old-Fashioned Apple Pie


This recipe came from the McCalls cookbook we got for a wedding gift 21 years ago.  I've been making it ever since.  You can pretty much count on it for Thanksgiving and Christmas at my house.  Even if I make another pie, I still make the apple.  It's not a holiday meal without my apple pie.  When we have benefit pie auctions, my apple pie brings in a solid bid each time.  What can be better than that?  Pies for charity!!

When I first began making this I used the Pilsbury refrigerated pie crusts.  Now I make my own crust, but if you're looking for a short-cut, get the Pilsbury crusts.

Cake:  Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting


Incredibly moist carrot cake and the creamiest cream cheese frosting ever.  Make sure you thaw out the cream cheese before mixing so it's not lumpy.  Since the shredded carrots are the most time-consuming part of this recipe, I've found a short-cut:  I buy a bag of carrots and shred all of them in the food processor (using the fine shredding blade).  Then I bag them up in 4 cup servings, and freeze them!  I usually have a few bags of shredded carrots in my freezer.  When I need (or want!) to make this cake it's super easy to grab a bag of carrots...you don't even need to defrost them...just dump them in the mixing bowl.

Stir-Fry: Kung Pao Chicken

This is another recipe we've been making for 20 some years.  The only downside is that I haven't found a way to freeze parts of it for a make ahead meal....something to work on this summer!  Anyway, I just love the flavors in this sauce...so much better than any jarred/premade sauces you can pick up at the grocery store.  And, you can add just about any veggie to make it to your liking.  Shrimp or tofu is easily added or substituted for the chicken too.


Cookies:  Van's Chocolate Chip Cookies


The first thing you may notice is that these aren't so chocolate-y.  Don't let that stop you.  I'm not a fan of a lot of chocolate, and prefer to use about half the recommend chocolate chips in my cookies.  The linked recipe will give you a generous amount of chocolate!

This recipe comes from a woman named Van, whom I met when we lived in Indiana. These were the first home-made chocolate chip cookies that I fell in love with.  They just always turn out perfectly.    Van said the key was the Fleishmann's margarine and the Gold Medal brand flour.  I don't mess with perfection, so I always make them as she did.

Pudding:  Rice Pudding


The ultimate comfort food.   This version is baked in a water bath, leaving a creamy rice mixture on the bottom with custard on top.  Soooooooooo good!!

Pasta:  Baked Macaroni and Cheese


This is one of my newer favorites, as I've only been making it for 5 years.  I love the creaminess. Cook's Illustrated insists it's because of the colby cheese...which I've had difficulty finding at times.  It seems it used to be more readily available, but now I just find colby-jack, which is not what you want.   So go on a colby hunt. It's worth it!

Another plus....it's just as easy to quadruple the recipe and make up a bunch of pans to freeze.  I LOVE having this on hand in the freezer for some quick comfort food. When someone's in need and meals are being arranged, I can always volunteer immediately because this is stocked in my freezer.  It's kid-family friendly, vegetarian, and not spicy...all great pluses when you're cooking for someone recovering from an illness.

Alcoholic Beverage:  Minty Mojitos


Refreshing and light...perfect for a warm summer evening.  Kids seem to like the virgin versions of these too...just leave out the rum for theirs!  When you make this recipe, leave some room at the top.  That way you can adjust the taste....adding a bit more simple sugar, rum, or lime.  I tend to like a bit more lime!

Potato Dish:  Smoky Scalloped Potatoes




Another more recent favorite from Cook's Illustrated.  This is just soooooo darn good.  Creamy and cheesy.  It's a little time consuming and not anywhere near calorie-conscious so it gets made once a year for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  It fits in nicely with my holiday meal schedule, as it needs a 425 degree oven which is exactly the same as my cornbread and apple pie...so the three of them can cook up right after the turkey comes out of the oven.  Oh, and it can be assembled the day before, which helps with holiday stresses!

Appetizer:  Herbed Puffs

Hot little mouth-watering morsels of cheesy-herby goodness.  Can be made ahead and frozen. Enough said!

Dip:  Cilantro Dip



The best party dip.  Pour over a block of cream cheese and serve with water crackers. This one's been making the rounds within my circle of friends for several years.  You can make it as hot or mild as you like (just add the jalapenos a little at a time until it's just right for you). 

Holiday Meal Plan



When it comes to Thanksgiving and Christmas, I pretty much make the same dishes each year.  While that might seem boring, most of these dishes are only made for the holidays, so we look forward to them each year.

My holiday meals usually include the following dishes, which are all freshly home-made:

• Apple Streusel Coffeecake (morning)
• Turkey
• Tofurky
• Gravy
• Mashed Potatoes (or Scalloped Potatoes)
• Cornbread
• Broccoli with Garlic Butter and Cashews
• Green Beens with Pecans
• Sausage Stuffing
• Vegetarian Stuffing
• Apple Pie
• Turkey Pot Pie (for the day after)

The prep work and timing for these dishes could be overwhelming if I didn't do a lot of work the week before.  In this meal plan you'll find the shopping list, recipes, and a schedule for all the prep work.

The beauty behind this plan is the prep bowl chart.  I line up all my bowls, number them, and get out the ingredients. Then I fill the bowls assembly-line style.

Smoky Scalloped Potatoes

Tomorrow I'm straying slightly off course from my annual Holdiay Meal Plan.  Shhhh...don't tell anyone!  Rather than the usual mashed potatoes, I decided to kick it up a notch and make scalloped potatoes.  I love scalloped potatoes, but when I've tried making them they usually fall flat...far from the creamy cheesy goodness that is floating around in my brain.  So, where to turn?  To Cook's Illustrated of course!

I'm pretty sure I made this recipe a few years ago, and loved it.  But I haven't made it since....not because it wasn't memorable, but because when in a hurry, those mashed potatoes are so darn easy.

I hate to alter my meal plan, because it just works so beautifully. After the turkey comes out, the cornbread and apple pie pop right into the oven at 425 degrees.  So, unless a dish can go in the oven with those two things, there's really no way to pull it off.   Well, golly gee, guess what?  The scalloped potatoes also take a 425 degree oven!  Yippee!!   And, it can be fully assembled the night before....another whooping shout of glee there!

For Thanksgiving I doubled the recipe.  I fully believe these will be gobbled up by the dinner guests tomorrow and there will be none for leftovers.  That's my little secret....the second pan will be in the fridge to heat up with all the other leftovers.  Another, "woohooo!" if you will....

If you do double the recipe, I recommend making it in two pots.  I tried one large (12 qt) one, but it was taking too long to get to a simmer, and I feared the bottom would burn.  Once I put have the contents into a smaller pot, things went smoothly.  You'll still want to pay attention to the bottom, scraping it gently (yeah, that's an oxymoron!)  so you don't mush the potatoes in the process.

As you can see, I cooked up a small little dish of them (used that handy dandy toaster oven) so I could "make sure they're good enough for company."  (That's what my mom used to say when we got Halloween candy...she wanted to sample some so she could make sure it was good enough for us.  Uh, huh....)  Oh, my... what a nice little treat to taste after cooking all day long.  I declare them good enough for company.

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

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.

**I used the Cuisinart food processor to slice them up.  Easy and quick.  3 mm. was a good thickness....not too thick for tenderizing,  and not so thin that they got mushy when the cheese was mixed.
 ***Knowing this was going to be a big hit, I made two pans of it.  On Thanksgiving we had more food than we knew what to do with, so I didn't cook the second pan.  We invited some friends over Saturday night, and cooked it then....3 days after it was prepared.  Tasted just as good!!

Hashbrown Potatoes (aka Funeral Potatoes)

When we lived in Myrtle Beach, my good friend, Tanya, would bring these to our MOMS Club potlucks. She always doubled the recipe, as she said one pan was never enough for a crowd. She was surprised I'd never had them or heard of them, as they were considered a southern potluck staple. They were considered a knock-off recipe of a dish served at Cracker Barrel, a popular chain of restaurants found at every interstate turn off in the south.

Not being from the south, it really didn't surprise me that I didn't know about them. We were being introduced to all sorts of new foods (Chicken bog, gravy, boiled peanuts, gravy, chitlins, gravy, grits, oh...and did I mention gravy??).

Anyway, ever since SC, we've been making them for potlucks and BBQs. While I didn't know about them growing up in Arizona, I learned that they are known in the western states. My friend, Dave (who grew up in Utah in the LDS church), calls them Funeral Potatoes because all the Mormon ladies make them for potlucks at funerals. I've learned that this is a pretty common name/practice. So maybe they were around in Arizona. I just had to travel across the country to discover them.

If you search for "hasbrown potatoes" on Google, you're sure to find hundreds of entries. That's just how popular they are. Who knew?? There are just as many variations. Even Emeril has his own version! Of course his doesn't call for frozen hashbrowns...he actually uses real potatoes. His recipe looks darn good, and someday I'll try it.

For now though, I'll stick with the recipe my friend, Tanya, gave me. I call it a "dump and bake" because all you do is dump ingredients into a pan, and bake them. Couldn't be any easier, could it? If you buy pre-shredded cheese it really is a true dump and bake, but I always buy it in blocks and shred it myself (take just a minute in the food processor).

Hashbrown Potatoes

Get out a 9" x 13" baking dish and dump in the following, and mix well:
3 C shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 can (reglular size) cream of chicken soup (I use Healthy Request)
8 oz sour cream (I use fat free)
salt & pepper to taste

Add & mix well:
2 pounds frozen hasbrowns (can be cubed or shredded)

Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes. If the middle is still frozen, stir it a bit, and put it back in until heated through.

When there are about 15 minutes left of baking, sprinkle the dish with:
2 C crushed cornflakes

Tanya's original recipe called for additional melted butter that you pour on before adding the cornflakes. I found that wasn't necessary at all, so I skip that step.

This is a great recipe to make if you have a bunch of leftover ham (like from Easter!) around. Just cube it up, and toss it in.

Lumpy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Have I ever mentioned how much I love garlic? I (and those in my immediate family, thank goodness!!) LOVE garlic. So much that my mom and sister constantly kid me about it, asking if it's possible for me to make anything without garlic. After thinking about this, there's not much. I don't do garlic for breakfast (though my husband recently revealed he does like it with his eggs) or for dessert. Other than that...if you're a guest for dinner...be prepared for garlic.

I also happen to love mashed potatoes. I will eat them any way you prepare them (no instant flakes, thank you very much!), but my favorite way is lumpy with garlic. I also keep the skin on. That's one thing I got from my mom. So, if you want pure white smooth potatoes, you better bring your own. Mine are lumpy!

Here's my recipe:

Lumpy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Wash up a bunch of baking (Idaho) potatoes. Cut them into quarters (or sixths if they're large), discarding any bruised spots. Fill a large pot about 3/4 full with potato chunks and then add water so it barely covers the potatoes. Add a few (4-6) cloves of peeled garlic. Put the cloves in whole; no need to press or chop them. Boil until a fork can easily pierce the potatoes.

Drain the potatoes and place back in the pot. Add 1-2 sticks of butter, and put a lid on the pan. Let the pan sit for a few minutes until the butter has melted. Add some milk, to make them a little creamy. I would guess that I put in about a half a cup for a 6 qt. pot of potatoes.

Start mashing with a potato masher. Add salt and pepper to taste (this is the best part...tasting as you go...with a clean spoon each time, of course!!).

Keep mashing until it's all mixed and then serve hot. Enjoy!!

Vegetables with Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil

When I am making veggies for a group, this is a recipe I often turn to. It's easy and tasty, and people tend to gobble them up. I especially like to bring it camping. The recipe is versatile, as you can make as much or as little as you like. You can also grill, sauté, or bake the veggies.

Though I cook a lot, and have a general idea of what ingredients work well with others, I still hesitate to cook without a recipe. I'm kind of anal in that aspect. There are very few things I'm comfortable just throwing together. This, recipe, however, is one of them that I can put together with ease.

Vegetables with Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil

Slice a variety of fresh veggies. Some that we've used and work well:
onions
red, yellow, orange peppers (green too, if you must)
zucchini
squash
tomatoes (small ones like cherry or pear, leave whole or slice in half)
beans
asparagus
mushrooms
carrots
green onions
snap/snow peas
broccoli

Place in a bowl, and pour equal amounts of balsamic vinegar and olive oil over the veggies. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the mixture (to taste). Cover, and shake it up, covering all veggies. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes (though I have done it overnight).

Now you're ready to cook!

To sauté: This is my preferred method. Heat up a large pan. I recommend medium-high heat. Once the pan is heated, pour a little of the marinade into the pan. You'll know it's ready for the veggies if it sizzles a bit. Place the veggies on the pan in a single layer. If you have too many veggies, you may have to cook in batches. Stir up the veggies frequently on the pan. Sautée until almost tender.

You can also place a single layer of the veggies in the oven, stirring occasionally, or use a wire/basket on the grill.

The recipe above can be used alone, or used as a base for a complete meal. Try adding some thyme, basil, or garlic. Add in some pasta, shrimp, or chicken.

Twice Baked Potatoes

Brian and I had a gathering last night, so I decided to do something with the sack of potatoes that was sitting in the pantry. I shredded a bunch of cheddar cheese, cooked up some bacon, and got out a stick (or two) of butter, some salt and pepper. Sometimes I add fresh chives to them as well, but it was rainy, and I wasn't up to checking the garden to see if any were sprouting. (Often I have chives year-round.)

I rely so much on recipes. I've said before, I am not a "throw in a little of this, a little of that, to taste...." type of cook. I like a little more guidance, if not precision in what to do. But with this recipe, I'm loosening up, and relying completely on taste. The only way you can do wrong is to add too much salt and pepper. And, if you do that, just get a few more potatoes, and balance it all out.

The end result is pure heaven. Cheesy potato-ey goodness.

Here's what I do:

Twice Baked Potatoes

1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.

2. Scrub a bunch of potatoes. (I do a whole bag, freezing a bunch of them for later.) Use a fork to pierce each potato. For the really large potatoes, I pierce twice. I'm not sure if this is necessary or total over-kill, but I've never had a potato explosion in the oven, so I'll keep on pokin'.

3. Place the potatoes directly on the oven racks. I put the larger ones in back, as I'll be taking the smaller ones out first. Set the timer for 45 minutes (to check on them).

4. While they're baking, cook up a pound or so of bacon, and a pound or so of cheddar cheese.

5. Take them out of the oven. How to tell if they're done? A fork will be able to easily pierce right into the middle. Obviously, the smaller ones will be done sooner, so keep checking and poking them as needed. The "done" ones will also have a little bit of potato guck bubbling outside the skin where you first pierced them.

6. Place a sliced up stick of butter and some cheese in a large bowl.

7. Once they're done, place them on a baking rack to cool slightly. Slice the potatoes in half, and scoop out the insides. Make sure you don't scoop too much, or you'll tear the potato skin. It's better to leave a little more potato as a lining, than to cut too close to the skin. Though hotter to handle, I find it's easier to cut them in half, and scoop out the insides when they are pretty warm. Cold potato insides take a bit more "umph" to scoop out. So I grab a pot holder (love these little silicone ones by KitchenAid), and scoop away, putting the potato on top of the butter and cheese. The hot potatoes will soften the butter. To aid in scooping I use a grapefruit spoon with serrated edges.

8. Add some crumbled up bacon, some salt and pepper. Mash up until thoroughly mixed. I don't make mine smooth and creamy, though you can if you like. I have little potato lumps in mine...more rustic I guess.

9. Taste. Add more cheese, bacon, salt, pepper...whatever you think it needs. When you're happy with the taste, the fun begins!

10. Get out a pan. If you're making these for a gathering within 48 hours, put them in a 9 x 13" baking pan (or whatever size you like...it doesn't really matter). If you're going to be freezing them, I'd suggest a jelly-roll pan for flash-freezing/vacuum packing.

11. Put the filling back into the potato skins. Make little raised mounds on top. Fill up your pan.

12. To cook: These can be kept in the fridge for a day or so. When cooking, place in an oven pre-heated to 450 degrees. Bake uncovered until the filling is heated all the way through and the potato skins are once again crisp. It takes about 20-30 minutes. As long as you don't burn them, they'll be great!

If frozen, defrost them, and bake as described above. When I freeze them, I will usually make just a few at at time from the bag. I defrost in the microwave, and then put them in the oven to finish them. The hot oven crisps up the skin.

They take a little bit of time. But it's one of those things where you can make a bag full of potatoes nearly as quickly as a few potatoes. So why not make them in a larger quantity and freeze some for later?!

Green Beans with Pecans

Here's another simple vegetable dish that is easy to throw together at the last minute for any dinner, including a holiday dinner.

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

*I didn't have shallots on hand, but substituted green onions instead. Worked out well!

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!!)

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.