Tortillas and Oranges » Thanksgiving

Cooking School: Stuffing

admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 12:50:16 +0000

Cooking School/ Basic Stuffing

This is the best stuffing you will ever taste. No frills, nothing ridiculous. Just straight up comfort stuffing.
Ingredients:
8 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (from a 1-lb white loaf with crust removed)
4 cups coarsely crumbled corn bread (recipe below)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)
1 cup finely chopped celery
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup turkey or chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Spread all bread crumbs in 2 shallow baking pans and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven until dry, about 15 minutes total. Cool crumbs in pans on racks, then transfer to a large bowl and stir in parsley, sage, salt, and pepper.
Melt butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add celery and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with crumbs and toss well. Add eggs, stock, and cream and toss well.
Transfer stuffing to a buttered 2 1/2- to 3-quart shallow baking dish. Bake, covered, in middle of oven 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until browned, about 30 minutes more.
Cornbread:
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
½ cup vegetable oil
Mix eggs, sugar, and buttermilk together. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Bake in a 9X13 at 400 for 15-25 minutes.

Side Vegetable: Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Onions

admin — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 11:29:44 +0000

Halloween has passed and Thanksgiving approaches, but who says we have to save sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving? Not I. These are so refreshing as a side to a Sunday roast. Give your regular mashed potatoes a rest and try this dish. You’ll impress everyone and you won’t have any left in the bowl. They are yummy.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Onions (Jennette Fennimore)
½ cup unsalted butter
2 lbs. yellow onions, thinly sliced
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground pepper
4 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes (about 10 cups)
1/3 cup dairy sour cream
Salt and ground black pepper

Caramelize the onions in a skillet with ¼ cup of butter. Stir frequently for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Season with the ½ tsp. pepper. Remove from heat and set aside. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a large pot, covered, in lightly salted boiling water for 12 minutes or until tender; drain. Add the remaining ¼ cup butter to the pot the potatoes were cooked in and let melt. Return potatoes to the pot and mash with a potato masher until smooth. Stir in the milk, sour cream, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in carmelized onions, reserving a few for garnish. Cook and stir over medium heat until heated through. Transfer to a serving dish. Top with reserved onions. Makes 8-10 servings.

Thanksgiving Working Menu

admin — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 14:56:39 +0000

Friends,

This is my 17th Thanksgiving where I do some of the cooking and some of the hosting. I’m starting to see a trend in my recipes. I’m reposting last year’s working menu. Happy Thanksgiving!

I need all of this week’s recipes to be in one place. Here. You’ll see the post grow and change. I have linked what I can but the same information is posted below. After I’ve figured out what I’m doing when, I’ll print this entire post out, staple it and get to work. We have a little over 30 people coming this year, so I’ve decided to keep the menu and preparation as simple as possible (hence the addition of turkey roasting bag and lack of diversity in dish). Have fun prepping, cleaning, cooking, and eating. I know I will (except for the cleaning part…bleh).

Caramel Apple Cider
Great Basics Article (use for gravy)
How to Cook a Turkey in a Bag
Roast Turkey
Sage Stuffing Recipe
Fruit & Sausage Stuffing Recipe
Corn Bread for Stuffing
Sweet Potato Casserole
Corn with Fresh Herbs
Cannon Family Rolls

Caramel Apple Cider
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 Gallon apple cider
2 1/2 cups water

Caramel Whipped Cream
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
5 tablespoons brown sugar
Caramel Whipped Cream: In a small chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream with the brown sugar until soft peaks form.
First, bring the cream and brown sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the cider and the water and raise the heat to medium high, heating just until the cider begins to steam, about 4 minutes. Allow people to serve themselves out of crockpot or warm pot on stove. Top each one with 2 tablespoons of caramel whipped cream (recipe follows) and serve immediately.

Sage Stuffing
8 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (from a 1-lb white loaf with crust removed)
4 cups coarsely crumbled buttermilk corn bread
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)
1 turkey liver or 3 chicken livers (2 to 3 oz total), trimmed and finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped celery
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup turkey giblet stock or low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Spread all bread crumbs in 2 shallow baking pans and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven until dry, about 15 minutes total. Cool crumbs in pans on racks, then transfer to a large bowl and stir in parsley, sage, salt, and pepper.

Melt butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then add onions and liver and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add celery and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with crumbs and toss well. Add eggs, stock, and cream and toss well.

Transfer stuffing to a buttered 2 1/2- to 3-quart shallow baking dish. Bake, covered, in middle of oven 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until browned, about 30 minutes more.

The Best Cornbread
Because I’m using this for a stuffing, I’ll reduce the oil to 1/2 cup. I want it to be dry.
2 eggs
1 cup sugar*
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup vegetable oil**

Mix eggs, sugar, and buttermilk together. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bake in a 9X13 at 400 for 15-25 minutes.

*This amount of sugar is a bit steep for me. Ever since I read Good Calories, Bad Calories, I cringe at really sweet things that are meant to be savory. I belong to the camp that believes cornbread is a savory, not a sweet. So, I usually about about 1/2 cup sugar or even less if I’m feeling really tough. Sorry I’m not that much fun anymore.

**I’ve made this with 1 cup of butter instead of oil, and boy oh boy is it divine. A bit more fattening and expensive, but divine nonetheless.

Sweet Potato Casserole (Heather Sundahl/Emily Curtis)
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup milk

Topping:
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts

Bake sweet potatoes (scrub, pierce with fork and bake in 400 degree oven for 45 minutes). Once they’re baked, they peel easily. Place peeled potatoes in large mixing bowl (I use stand mixer). Mash them. Mix together first six ingredients and put into a 9X13 inch baking dish. Mix together topping and spread on top of potatoes. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Serves 10-12.

Corn with Fresh Herbs
Combine desired amount of frozen corn, 3 tablespoons of butter, salt and pepper in pot. Stir over low heat till warmed through. Sprinkle with assorted fresh herbs (chives, parsley, tarragon, sage, basil).

Dinner: Thanksgiving Working Menu

admin — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 14:56:26 +0000

Caramel Apple Cider
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 Gallon apple cider
2 1/2 cups water

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Transfer stuffing to a buttered 2 1/2- to 3-quart shallow baking dish. Bake, covered, in middle of oven 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until browned, about 30 minutes more.

Mix eggs, sugar, and buttermilk together. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bake in a 9X13 at 400 for 15-25 minutes.

**I’ve made this with 1 cup of butter instead of oil, and boy oh boy is it divine. A bit more fattening and expensive, but divine nonetheless.

Sweet Potato Casserole (Heather Sundahl/Emily Curtis)
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup milk

Topping:
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts

Dessert: Costco Delight–The Pumpkin Pie

admin — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:50:57 +0000

Oh Costco. I don’t know what to do with you. You take such good care of me. But just when I think we were meant to be, you rip my heart apart with your impulse purchases (or are they mine?). Sweet Costco. Last week I read a fascinating article about your pumpkin pies. You know I buy one every weekend starting in September and ending in January. In fact, my Saturday long runs are not to brag or increase my speed, but to work off the pumpkin pie I eat on Friday afternoons. Damn you Costco. Oh well, on to my loyal readers.

Readers, I am in love with Costco pumpkin pies. My friend Heather turned me on to them years ago. I mocked her at first. She knows this. But with many things about Heather–she was right and she was smart about it. And if you mock the Costco pie, let me educate you with a few facts:

1. All Costco pumpkin pies are made from scratch on location. Right there in the bakery of your own Costco. From s-c-r-a-t-c-h.
2. Costco Bakeries receive their canned pumpkin (key ingredient) from Costco’s own pumpkin patch, located in Peoria, IL (a 700 acre pumpkin patch mind you).
3. These heavenly delights are seasonal; only available from September 1st through December 31st.
4. A 12″ inch pumpkin pie costs $5.99 and feeds about 12 people. A homemade pumpkin pie costs about $3.50 (not including labor and mess) and feeds 6 people. You do the math. And add in your labor time. Just sayin’.

Happy Thanksgiving Prep Week. Actually, I’m not doing any prepping this week…just thinking and debating about the best stuffing. Suggestions?

And FYI, Costco is doing my no favors with the publication of this post. I’m just a huge fan.

Salad: Snow-Capped Cranberry Jello

admin — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:37:25 +0000

Everyone has their dish. You know what I mean. When your fancy pants gourmet friend Sally confounds you by bringing melted velveeta cheese mixed with ham to your appetizer party, you look at her with pity. What you don’t know is that her Grammy used to make it on Christmas Eve. As a small child she’d run to her Grammy’s table (again, we’re talking Christmas eve), dip a celery stick in the ham/cheese mixture and munch to her heart’s content. Like I said, everyone has their dish; their “I don’t care how gross it sounds I grew up with it and it makes me happy” dish. I have a warehouse full of these kinds of dishes. But this one is probably my favorite inexplicable-must-have-Thanksgiving dish. I suppose I could explain it after all. My mom made this when I was a child. Today, I have to have it. I love the orange cinnamon cranberry combination. And if I’m being really honest, I use this salad as my cranberry sauce. Oh heaven. Make fun of me all you want, but I bet there’s a dish you can’t live without, a dish that others would judge. You know you do.

Snow Capped Cranberry Mold

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 cup water
2 (1 lb.) cans whole cranberry sauce
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup diced walnuts
Orange-Cinnamon Topping (see below)
twist of orange peel

Orange Cinnamon Topping:
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup water
2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
dash salt

Soften gelatin for salad in 1/2 cup water. In a small saucepan, blend remaining 1/2 cup water with cranberry sauce and bring to a boil. Add softened gelatin, orange peel and salt, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Chill to consistency of unbeaten egg white. Fold in walnuts and pour into a 9-inch square baking dish (I pour it into a pretty square serving dish because this is what ultimately go on your table…so choose pretty). Refrigerate until almost set. Prepare topping below. Pour topping over almost-set cranberry gelatin. Refrigerate until set. Serve garnished with twist of orange peel.

Orange-Cinnamon Topping: Soften gelatin in water in a heat proof cup. Place cup on a pan of simmering water until gelatin is dissolved. Combine sour cream, marmalade, cinnamon and salt. Gradually blend in dissolved gelatin. Pour topping over almost set cranberry gelatin.

Cookie: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

admin — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 11:57:47 +0000

It is that time of the year. Can you believe it? Time for costumes, cinnamon sticks, orange leaves, and oh so much more. I thought we’d ease in to the beauty of autumnal life with an oldie but goodie. I’m sure many of you already have a pumpkin cookie recipe. But who doesn’t love these little babies? Actually, let me know if you don’t. I’m interested. One more thought: I use a mixture of white and chocolate chips. Enjoy.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 oz chocolate and/or white chocolate chips

Blend ingredients through the nutmeg then add dry ingredients as well as chocolate chips. Mix well. Drop by large tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-11 minutes.

Bread: The Best Cornbread. Period.

admin — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 06:15:57 +0000

Although Fall began officially in September. I can’t really grab a hold until October. And to celebrate my unofficial beginning of my very favorite season, I am posting one of my most frequently asked-for recipes. If I had a dollar for every time someone wants this recipe, I could buy another electric pressure cooker. Oh wait, I bought that last week and I’m insanely excited about it. But more about that later. This cornbread is a keeper. I’ve made it for years, and whether it accompanies chili or raspberry jam, it is the very best. And yet another shout out to JM in San Francisco. She gave this recipe to me in the first place. She’s a genius and I hope she knows it.

The Best Cornbread
2 eggs
1 cup sugar*
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup vegetable oil**

Mix eggs, sugar, and buttermilk together. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bake in a 9X13 at 400 for 15-25 minutes.

**I’ve made this with 1 cup of butter instead of oil, and boy oh boy is it divine. A bit more fattening and expensive, but divine nonetheless.

Appetizer: Pumpkin to beat all Pumpkins

admin — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 17:26:48 +0000

Are you in charge of the appetizer on Thursday? Have I got a gem for you. Ruth Reichl has a tale invovling this recipe. I don’t remember much but I do remember how her friends raved and raved. Years ago in Berkeley, my good friend SB came to a party bearing this gift. We about died. So of course I’ve been making it ever since. The Stuffed Pumpkin fills so many requirements for me. It is fairly easy, calls for reasonable ingredients, looks pretty on the table, really wows your friends, and it tastes better than almost anything else. Sometimes I feel awkward bringing the stuffed beauty to other parties because I’ll just stand by it and eat from it the whole time. People will give me funny looks. Do not lose this recipe. It is a keeper. Once you eat it you’ll see why Dorie Greenspan calls it The Pumpkin Filled with Everything Good. I couldn’t agree more.

Salad: Roasted Butternut Squash, Onions, and Fresh Greens

TandO — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:49:06 +0000

Is a green salad included on your Thanksgiving table? I rarely hear of green salads as part of the holiday must haves. But, I’ve been wrong before. A few years ago, I created a Holiday Salad that I now include in most of my holiday meals. But that beloved salad has some competition. My girlfriend brought over a salad the other evening that knocked my socks off. I’d like to share it with you. But here’s the deal–this salad requires a little more than just throwing a few things together. It involves a lot of olive oil and roasting. So don’t make this unless you are planning on spending a bit of time in the kitchen. If you do, you will be the talk of the town. I copied my uber cool girlfriend and made this salad last week. For a few minutes, I felt very popular.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Onions with Fresh Greens and Apples

Fresh Greens With Roasted Butternut Squash and Onions

Ingredients:
4 cups Butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 apples,diced, peels kept on (You decide the type of apple. I use honeycrisp or gala.)

Romain lettuce (or spring mix or baby spinach), hand torn into bite sized pieces

Additional add ins: (I won’t give you measurements so you can decide how much flavor you want)

homemade croutons
crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola
sliced almonds
crumbled bacon

Toss diced butternut squash and sliced onion with ¼ cup good olive oil. Spread squash and onion on greased jelly roll pan and roast in 450 degree oven until vegetables are tender and slightly browned. While veggies are in oven, make croutons (those directions can be found here). Once bread and veggies are completely cooled, toss with greens, and other add-ins listed above. Dress salad a few minutes before serving.

On my girlfriend’s advice, I use Ina Garten’s dressing for this salad, found here. If you don’t know about this dressing, you should. It is a basic dressing that turns any blah-blah-salad into a can’t-stop-eating-it-salad.