Enjoy this Thanksgiving with these Delightful Recipes and Tips Included in this November Holiday Newsletter : COOKING TIPS for the Perfect Juicy and Tender Turkey RECIPES : (Click on the recipe or just scroll down) • Turkey Herb and Garlic Butter Rub • Mild and Spicy Sausage Stuffing • Roasted Brussels Sprouts • Sweet Potato Creme Brulee • Spiced Apple Cider
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Cooking Tips for your Turkey Turkeys are not a naturally moist bird to begin with but there are ways of getting around this. Turkeys have both white and dark meat, both of which should be a different temperature when fully cooked. White meat is fully cooked at an internal temperature of 165° and dark meat is fully cooked at an internal temperature of 180°. This explains why the white meat of the turkey is always overcooked and dryer than the dark meat. A few easy steps can compensate for this problem. First, the turkey should be cooked at two temperatures, the first temperature being higher at 500° for 30 minutes (for an 18 lb turkey) to melt the fat just under the skin so it can sauté from below. Then the temperature is then turned down to 350° and a breastplate of tin foil is placed over the breast for the remainder of the baking, about 2 - 2 1/2 hours. This slows the baking of the white meat and allows the dark meat to catch up, so when the white meat has an internal temperature of 161°-165° the dark meat should be about 180°. Remember, the turkey will continue to cook after you remove it from the oven while it is 'resting' so make sure you have your thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast to monitor the temperature. Don't rely on the turkeys that come with their own pop-up thermometer. They will always pop up too late and you will have a dry turkey. The magical temperature to kill salmonella is 165° so make sure, after the turkey has rested, that this is the temperature the breast meat reads. Don't stuff the turkey. If you enjoy stuffing, and who doesn't, place it in a separate baking pan and bake it along with the turkey. A stuffed turkey takes longer to cook and the longer cooking time helps to dry out the bird. Adding a chicken or vegetable stock to the stuffing right before you bake it in a separate dish takes the place of the turkey juices it gets in a stuffed bird. Don't bother with basting the turkey. The skin of the turkey is a natural barrier and the long standing tradition of basting is just a waste of time since the juices simply run off the skin and back into the pan. The only thing basting does is cool the oven and bird and extend the baking time, again adding to the dryness of the turkey. Before placing the turkey into the baking pan, slide hand between the skin and breast meat to loosen. Rub your butter mixture between the skin and breast meat and then massage butter mixture onto the entire turkey. You are like a masseuse on a mission. I personally don't like to brine my turkey, but it does do wonders with the moistness and texture of the turkey. My complaint is the added sodium and the added risk of bacteria that you get during the process. Also, I like to use the drippings of the turkey to make my gravy and if you brine the turkey, the drippings are usually too salty to use unless you dilute it considerably. However, if you want to try the brine, this is what you want to do : Make sure you have a cooler large enough to hold your turkey but no so large that it will not be totally submerged in the brine. In your cooler you will pour 1/2 gallon HOT tap water, 2/3 cup sugar and a pound of regular salt. Stir until dissolved and then add 8 lbs ice (equal to one gallon of cold water) and 16 cups (1 gallon) chicken or vegetable broth. Remove the gibbets from the cavities of the turkey (save for gravy later if desired) and place the turkey, breast side up into the cooler. The brine should totally cover the turkey. If the turkey floats, fill a one gallon zip lock baggie with water and place this on top of the turkey. Set the cooler, lid on, for 8-12 hours (overnight) in a cool place. For safety reasons, the brine should keep a temperature of no more than 40° or harmful bacteria can form. If necessary, add a few freezer packs to the cooler to keep the temperature down. This is more hassle than what I personally think is worth, but I have met a few people who swear by the process. Most of this advise is a veer from tradition but it works. You want to end up with a turkey that is moist and tender and does not have to rely on the assistance of gravy to keep it from being dry. These few tips should help your turkey come out moist and flavorful for your holiday dinner.

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Recipes

Turkey Herb and Garlic Butter Rub Rather than rubbing the turkey with plain butter, try this herbed variation for a new flavor. This butter mixture is rubbed all over the entire turkey and in-between skin and meat of the breast prior to placing in the baking pan. 1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature 9 garlic cloves, finely chopped 4 tsp grated lemon peel 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme 1 Tbsp Chopped fresh rosemary 1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage 2 tsp salt 1 tsp dried crushed red pepper Blend ingredients in small bowl for seasoned butter. Slide hand between skin and breast, thigh and drumstick meat to loosen skin. Spread seasoned butter under skin and over breast, thigh and drumstick meat.

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Mild and Spicy Sausage Stuffing 6 Tbsp butter 1 1/4 LB chopped onions 6 celery stalks, chopped 12 oz mild pork bulk sausage 12 oz spicy bulk pork sausage 2 tsp dried sage 2 tsp dried marjoram 2 tsp dried thyme ----------------------------- 16 cups or about 1 1/4 lbs plain bread croutons or plain bread stuffing 2 large eggs 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/4 tsp ground ginger 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley 3/4 cup chicken broth Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, celery and sauté until soft about 15 minutes. Add all sausage and sauté until cooked through, breaking into small pieces, about 15 minutes. Mix in sage, marjoram and thyme. Butter a 13x9x2 glass baking dish. Place bread in a large mixing bowl and add sausage mixture. Beat eggs, salt, pepper and ginger in a separate mixing bowl. Add egg mixture to the bread and toss. Mix in parsley. Slowly add broth by 1/4 cup portions just to moisten. Transfer to a baking dish and cover with butter lined foil, buttered side down. Bake for 30 minutes, uncover and continue to bake until golden and crisp on top, about 20 minutes longer. About 10 servings

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Roasted Brussel Sprouts 2 Tbsp high quality Olive Oil 2 lbs brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved 6 oz thinly sliced pancetta or bacon, chopped 2 garlic gloves finely chopped -------------------------- 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme Preheat oven to 450° F. Brush heavy large rimmed baking sheet with 1 Tbsp oil. Place 1 Tbsp oil in large bowl and mix in brussels sprouts, pancetta or bacon, and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread mixture in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake until brussles sprouts are tender and brown, stirring often about 20 minutes. Drizzle Brussels sprouts with vinegar and sprinkle with thyme, stirring to coat. Return to 450° oven and roast until heated through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to serving bowl and serve. About 10 servings

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Sweet Potato Creme Brulee 3 large sweet potatoes or yams (about 3 lbs) pierced. (May substitute canned yams) 3/4 cup whipping cream 2 large egg yolks 1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg 4 Tbsp sugar for the topping (if you want to use fine sugar, just place regular sugar into your coffee bean grinder for a few seconds) Preheat oven to 375° Scrub and pierce the sweet potatoes and place them on the oven rack. Bake until tender about 1 hour. Cool 30 minutes and peel. Place in a food processor (preferred) or blender and puree until smooth. Whisk cream, egg yolks, brown sugar, salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl. Whisk 2 1/2 cups potato puree into cream mixture. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter eight 3/4 cup custard cups or ramekins. Divide sweet potato custard among cps. Place in 13x9x2 inch baking pan adding water to the pan to come halfway up the sides of the cups. Tent the pan with foil. Bake 1 hour, uncover pan and bake an additional 15 minutes or until custard is firm in the center. Remove from the water and chill uncovered until cold, at least 2 hours. (can be made the day before and kept covered in the refrigerator) Just before you are ready to serve the Brulee, preheat the oven to 350° and place the custards on a baking sheet in oven for 15 minutes to warm. Remove from oven and turn on the broiler. Sprinkle 1/2 Tbsp sugar over each custard and place under the broiler until the sugar melts and browns lightly. If necessary, rotate the baking sheet to cook evenly. Serve while warm.

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Spiced Apple Cider This holiday cider can be served hot or cold. Poured over ice or warm and serve in mugs with cinnamon sticks as a garnish. 1 quart apple cider 2 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp whole cloves 1 cinnamon stick 1/3 vanilla bean, seeds scraped pinch salt 4 cups apple brandy Combine first 6 ingredients in a large saucepan, bringing to a simmer. Stir mixture until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat, cover and let cool. Strain mixture into a large pitcher and add the apple brandy. Pour over ice for a chilled cider with an apple slice for garnish or serve warm on cold nights with a cinnamon stick for garnish.

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