Cranberry Orange Sauce with Agave Nectar (Thanksgiving Healthy)

Fresh Cranberry Orange Sauce with Agave

If you are like me, sometime into your Thanksgiving Cooking you realize the shocking amount of sugar that you are putting into your food. So, when I started making my cranberry relish, I realized that I could easily "lose" that four cups of sugar right there. The sauce was decidedly less sweet than the one we are used to, and in the end, I stirred in a swig of Pomegranate Molasses, but it is totally optional. I think this is really good, if you are looking for a healthier bite of Thanksgiving.

4 cups fresh Cranberries
1 orange (preferably organic) washed well, seeded, and chopped in a food processor
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup Agave Nectar
1-2 cinnamon sticks

optional: a Tablespoon or 2 of Pomegranate Molasses, a Tablespoon or 2 of Grand Marnier,  Cognac, Brandy, Orange Liqueur.

Put all ingredients except brandy into a heavy saucepan and cook about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until berries pop. Remove from heat, stir in liquor if using. Chill.

Thanksgiving Do Ahead Tips (also for Latkes)

I've gotten quite a few calls today about what you can do ahead of time if you are cooking Thanksgiving, and how to optimally store the do-aheads.

Here are some tips that work well for me:

FIRST THE MOST IMPORTANT THING:

4 Days Before Thanksgiving - Start Thawing The Turkey Now:

Thawing the Turkey: If you're bought a frozen turkey, you'll need to start thawing it.

Every 5 pounds of turkey will require 24 hours of thaw time in the refrigerator (i.e., a 15-pound bird will take 3 full days). Start defrosting the frozen turkey in the coldest part of the refrigerator, in the back. A slow thaw equals a juicy and moist turkey.

NEVER DEFROST TURKEY AT ROOM TEMPERATURE - bacteria multiplies at room temperature. Another REASON TO BUY AN ORGANIC BIRD

Following information on thawing turkeys from the National Turkey Federation:

Refrigerator Turkey Thawing Time (40 degrees F)
Turkey Weight	Days to Allow for Thawing Turkey
8 to 12 pounds	2 to 2.5 days
12 to 16 pounds	2.5 to 4 days
16 to 20 pounds	4 to 5 days
20 to 24 pounds	5 to 6 days

Emergency Thawing Only: If you need to thaw the turkey more quickly, you may thaw the bird in COLD water, in the original wrapping. The cold water must be changed every 30 minutes. Allow approximately 30 minutes per pound using this method. This is not my favorite method as it is a last-minute hassle and does dry out the turkey.

COLD Water Turkey Thawing Time
Turkey Weight	Hours to Allow for Thawing Turkey
8 to 12 pounds	4 to 6 hours
12 to 16 pounds	6 to 8 hours
16 to 20 pounds	8 to 10 hours
20 to 24 pounds	10 to 12 hours

What can you do before Thanksgiving? A few days before Thanksgiving, iron table linens, designate serving platters, and clean and polish your glassware and silver. Set the table if you can. Order, buy, and arrange flowers or other centerpiece and decorations. Save a few blooms to decorate platters and serving bowls. Make cranberry sauce and refrigerate. You can also make cranberry chutney and applesauce several days ahead and store tightly closed in the refrigerator. Prepare other sauces, jellies, and dressings; store in the refrigerator. Purchase, wash and cut up vegetables that you will use for your stuffing and side dishes. Chop onions, celery,carrots, parsley etc. and store in zip-lock plastic bags. Chop bunches of herbs and wrap in a damp paper towel inside a plastic zip lock bag in the freezer.

PIES:

• You can make pies up to a month in advance, and freeze. After assembling, put the entire unbaked pie — greased tin and all — into a loose-fitting plastic bag and seal tightly. Transfer it to the refrigerator the night before baking to thaw, and the next day you’ll have a fresh baked pie on your table in the hour it takes to bake it up fresh.
• Make pie crust pastry up to 5 days ahead and store, well wrapped in the refrigerator. Make the dough, and roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper. Fold up the parchment paper around the pastry and double wrap in plastic wrap. Let it warm up a bit before you start to assemble your pie.
• Cookies can be made up to a month ahead. You can make the dough and freeze, Or portion your cookies right on baking sheets, and freeze until hard, then place the individual cookies on parchment lined baking sheets and bake whenever you want. Rolled and cut cookies like sugar cookies can be baked ahead and frozen in airtight tupperware containers, and iced and decorated before serving.

LOAF CAKES LIKE PUMPKIN BREAD AND CRANBERRY BREAD

Bake up to five days ahead. Cool well, and wrap well in plastic. Keep at room temperature (think fruitcake) they actually improve.

SOUPS:

Vegetable soups can be easily frozen if they don't have cream or eggs, Making them an excellent trick. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat the soup before serving, and thin as necessary before serving if it has thickened too much. Be sure to leave enough space in the container you freeze in. Soup can be frozen in heavy duty ziplock freezer bags.

GRAVY:

Turkey Gravy can be made up to five days ahead. When you heat it up, correct the seasoning, and add any pan drippings you have accumulated.

SALADS:

If you are using kale or cabbage or sturdy greens you can clean and cut them up in advance. Otherwise, I don't really recommend making salads ahead, because-- well, because they are supposed to be FRESH!

DIPS:

You can make hummus, eggplant dip and the like a day or two ahead. Marinate a bunch of olives with good olive oil and some herbs de provence, and a shake of red pepper.

POTATO DISHES:

Potato Dishes that cook in casserole pans- like our FAVORITE PRALINE SWEET POTATOES can be assembled a day ahead and put in to cook before the meal. Watch carefully when you are juggling a lot of dishes in the half hour before the meal, because the pecan topping can burn easily. Have some parchment handy to lay over the top if its browning too fast.

LATKES

Because of, well, you know what, you might have to be dealing with latkes too. Make Latkes (or the given sweet potato variety) ahead. Cool, and freeze individually on cookie sheets until hard. For reheating: Put frozen latkes on cookie sheets into a 375 degree oven, turning frequently until crisp and hot. Keep warm on paper towels in a warming drawer if you have one or a 225 oven.

Mashed potatos can be made ahead by boiling them 2 or more hours before the meal, and leaving them in the warm water. then mash at the last minute with olive oil, pepper and sea salt. I love a handful of whatever fresh herbs you have leftover- parsley, a bit of sage, chives, celery tops, scallions.

FOR QUESTIONS OF SAVING, STORING AND NOT WASTING GOOD FOOD BE SURE TO CHECK THIS LINK

Thanksgiving. New Traditions: Second Dessert

Blueberry Crumb, Apple Lattice, Perfect Pecan

Henry's Famous Smoked Turkey

Of course its your favorite holiday!
Browse the links below to some of our favorite recipes, or check the column of "tags" on the right edge of the blog for more ideas.
One of our favorite "New Traditions" (is that an oxymoron?) is "Second Dessert". Second Dessert solves two problems at once.
First, keeping kosher means that your Thanksgiving pie crusts will not be made with butter, and will not be served with whipped cream or ice cream. (And might contain nasty margarine/transfat/stuff).
Second, you know how after you finish all the yummy dinner, you kind of feel too full for dessert, but then you kind of start scrounging around for a snack a couple hours later.
So, our tradition has become: Dinner (at 5-ish), a light dessert for those who want it (apple cake, a brownie, some fruit). We continue on to a lively game of Charades, Trivial Pursuit, or Guitar Hero.
Then some time later (consult your Rabbi or the most "Jewy" in your crowd for the specific time frame), Dig into a rich, non-pareve, whipped cream garnished dessert.

Hey, all traditions had to start somewhere.

• Zia Salad from Casa Sena Restaurant, Santa Fe
• Smoked Turkey
• Brining Turkey-- We are HUGE fans
• Arlene's mushroom stuffing
• Cranberry Orange Sauce
• Turkey Gravy for when you are smoking or grilling Turkey
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Glazed Chestnuts
• Praline Sweet Potatoes
• Lemon Haricots Verts
• Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic
• Cranberry Nut Bread
• Pumpkin Bread
• Perfect Pecan Pie
  
• Indian Pudding

Indian Pudding
4 cups milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup cornmeal
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
grated fresh nutmeg to taste
1 tsp. salt
1 cup molasses
1 tsp. grated orange peel
Vanilla ice cream
Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a saucepan over low heat, scald milk and sugar. Gradually stir in the cornmeal. Cook and stir constantly until smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in eggs, cinnamon, ginger, molasses, nutmeg, and orange peel. Mix thoroughly. Pour into greased 2-quart casserole. Bake 1 1/2 hours. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Makes 6 servings.

Thanksgiving Menu and Zia Salad

Thanksgiving Menu

• Zia Salad from Casa Sena Restaurant, Santa Fe
• Smoked Turkey
• Arlene's mushroom stuffing
• Cranberry Grand Marnier Sauce
• Caroline's Lingonberries
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Glazed Chestnuts
• Praline Sweet Potatoes
• Lemon Haricots Verts
• Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic
• Cranberry Nut Bread
• Pumpkin Bread
• Perfect Pecan Pie
• Indian Pudding

The first time we went to Santa Fe we enjoyed a meal at Casa Sena restaurant, and I bought the cookbook on the way out. I lost the cookbook recently, and was at a loss to remember the dressing recipe. I called Santa Fe and got the chef on the phone one morning, and I asked for the recipe, he said the book was long out of print, but he'd ask one of the older staff if they had one. He sent me the recipe by fax!
Anyway-- its great.

ZIA SALAD

toast the following in a dry frying pan:
1/4 cup pinenuts
1/4 cup coconut (I use the unsweetened from healthy store)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, or pepitas
1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds

assorted mixed greens
peeled julienne jicama, or asian pear, or regular pear
pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries or both.

Mix the nuts/seeds with 3/4 cup of the dressing. Arrange salad on plates, top with jicama (in the zia pattern, if you want the whole
Santa Fe experience)

CRANBERRY WALNUT VINAIGRETTE

1/4 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup walnut oil
1/4 cup mayonnaise
juice of 2 oranges
juice of 2 limes
1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh sage
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup cream (soy creamer)
2 Tbs. pure red chile powder
1 Tbs. chopped garlic

Simmer or microwave the cranberries and water. drain, and puree in a blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend. Let sit overnight.




Indian

The Perfect Pecan Pie. Its FALL!

PERFECT BUTTER PASTRY
2 1/2 cups  King Arthur Mellow Pastry Blend, or All Purpose flour
2 tablespoons buttermilk powder, optional
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 Tbs. sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter or vegetable shortening or a combination
6 to 7 Tbs. ice water

• Combine the flour, buttermilk powder, and salt. 
• Work in the butter in two batches, leaving some pieces as large as your thumbnail. 
• Sprinkle in ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork and adding water till the dough is completely cohesive. 
• Divide it in half, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes before rolling. 
• Roll the crust about 1/8" thick and about 2" wider than the diameter of your 9" deep-dish (at least 1 ½" deep) pie pan. 
• Place in the pan. Crimp edges

To pre bake the pie shell "blind" or empty, as for this recipe,:

heat oven to 425 degrees F

Prick the shell several times with a fork, put a circle of baking parchment into the pie shell, and fill with dried beans or pie weights, or this pie chain, my personal favorite

Bake for 5 minutes and check that shell is not puffing up too much (in which case gently prick) or browning too much. 

Quickly remove from oven. Carefully remove the parchment and weights, and return the shell to the oven for another 3-5 minutes until golden brown over all.

PERFECT PECAN PIE

Perfect Pecan Pie
Recipe By : Cooks Illustrated Nov/Dec 1995 p8

1 baked pie shell -- 9 inch
6 tablespoons unsalted butter -- 1" pieces
1 cup dark brown sugar -- packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 each eggs -- large
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups pecans -- 8 ounces

Toast the pecans in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes, cool,  and chop into small pieces. A pizza pan works well for this, as does a toaster oven.

• 1. Adjust oven rack to center position, and heat oven to 275F. Place pie shell in oven if not already warm.
• 2. Melt butter in a double boiler if you have one, or in a medium heatproof bowl set in skillet of water maintained at just below simmer. 
• 3. Remove bowl from skillet; mix in sugar and salt with wooden spoon until butter is absorbed. 
• 4. Beat in eggs, then corn syrup and vanilla. 
• 5. Return bowl to hot water; stir until mixture is shiny and warm to the touch, about 130F. Remove from heat; 
• 6. Stir in pecans.
• 7.Pour mixture into warm shell; 
• 8. Bake until center feels set yet soft, like gelatin, when gently pressed, 50 to 60 minutes.

Transfer pie to rack; let cool completely, at least 4 hours.
Serve pie at room temperature or warm, with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
If you want warm up the cooled pie, warm it in a 250F oven for about twenty minutes.

Today is good day to make Curried Apple and Butternut Squash Soup

I had a bunch of apples and squash still not spoken for on the Thanksgiving Menu,  so we decided to turn this into another Thanksgiving Side Dish, knowing that the leftovers would be easily turned into a delicious soup. In fact, lots was, and it is. So add this to the arsenal.

As a plus, it is very healthy and low in fat.

SQUASH
• 1 butternut squash, about 1-1/2 pounds, washed well
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• salt and pepper

APPLES
• 2 apples, cored, chopped into half-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Set oven to 375F.
Peel and seed the squash, reserving seeds.
Cut into dice-sized dice (hmmm)

Believe it or not, if you put the whole squash into the microwave for three minutes, it is amazingly easier to peel and slice
Mix the squash with  with oil (butter) and spices.
Transfer to baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Combine apples, maple syrup and balsamic vinegar.
Arrange apples over the squash. Re-cover with foil, bake for another 10 minutes.
Uncover the dish, stir and bake for about another 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the squash is fully cooked and the liquid is absorbed. Check seasoning to taste.

Clean the reserved squash seeds, removing anything icky. Arrange on baking sheet in one layer, and sprinkle with more curry powder, pepper and sea salt. Bake until crisp along side the squash, making sure not to burn them.
Sprinkle over finished dish.

SOUP OPTION
Put leftovers into food processor or blender, or mash well with potato masher.
Put in saucepan and add vegetable or chicken stock till it is the thickness you want.
You can finish the soup with a swirl of cream or butter, or creme fraiche, or coconut milk
If you are very skinny or have an evil metabolism you can forget about the stock entirely and use half and half.

French Apple Cake

Simple Delicious French Apple Cake: The Aroma of Fall

When we were in France, there was a simple little apple cake at our local Patisserie, this is a good rendition of it.
It is a wonderful addition to ANY fall table, and of course, Thanksgiving is the Iconic fall table, isn't it?
I wasn't really thinking of this cake, but we have a birthday at the table this year, and Henry and I both bought apples on our daily errands, so I think you will join me in appreciating this easy, but delicious bit of France.

The batter in the springform, foil bottom.

3/4 cup  flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
4 large assorted apples, peeled and cubed
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons Calvados (can sub. dark rum)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 tablespoons  butter,  melted and cooled to room temperature (or Earth Balance)
(Turbinado Sugar for Sprinking if desired)


1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven.
2. Heavily butter a springform pan and place it on a baking sheet.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
4. Peel and core the apples, then dice them into 1/2 inch pieces.
5. Beat the eggs until foamy then whisk in the sugar, then rum and vanilla. Whisk in half of the flour mixture, then gently stir in half of the melted butter
6. Stir in the remaining flour mixture, then the rest of the butter.
7. Fold in the apple cubes until they’re well-coated with the batter and scrape them into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top a little with a spatula.
8. About 10 minutes before the cake is finished, sprinkle top with some Turbinado Sugar, or other coarse sugar if desired.
9. Bake about 55 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake from the pan and carefully remove the sides of the cake pan, making sure no apples are stuck to it.
Enjoy with ice cream or whipped cream.
The cake keeps well loosely covered for three or more days.

Spicy Smoky Spiced Pecans

Today is a Great Day to make Spicy Smoky Spiced Pecans

If you can resist eating them all before your holiday dinner, Spicy Smokey Spiced Pecans keep amazingly well in a sealed tin or tupperware container for at least a week.
If you don't want spicy or smoky you can just make it with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and leave out the chipotle powder. If you want sweeter, use the vanilla option, use crunchy sugar or soft.

OK, QUICK, COME TAKE THESE AWAY FROM ME. NO, I AM SERIOUS, NOW. TAKE. THEM. NOW.

If, perchance, you are either a huge Alton Brown fan, or you don't have an oven, and prefer to use a stove, a barbecue, or a campfire to make these, you can follow the recipe here:
Alton Brown Spiced Pecans, Skillet method

  INGREDIENTS

• 1 egg white,  beaten with a fork until white and frothy
• 1 tablespoon water (can use vanilla extract for a vanilla-y taste)
• 3 cups pecan halves (or preferred nut)
• 1/2 cup sugar, white or brown or mixed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder, or other chile

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. In a small bowl beat the egg white with the water until white and frothy. Stir in the pecans, mixing till well moistened.
3. Mix together sugar, salt, cinnamon, chile, cloves and nutmeg. Sprinkle over the moistened nuts. Spread out on pan.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or more, stirring once or twice, until they are crisp and candy-coated. These can burn easily, so do keep an eye on them.
5. Be careful not to overcook and burn the nuts. 
6.  can be doubled easily.

Pumpkin Bread

Today is a great day to start Thanksgiving Prep, by baking Pumpkin Bread, or Cranberry Bread, or both!
Snack on one today, then wrap it well in foil, and freeze it for Thanksgiving, or bring it to work, or send it off to someone you love.

A couple of years ago, Amanda and I had a great time making this with Stella and Juliette. It is easy and fun to make, and totally yummy. And non-dairy, making it very versatile. The recipe makes three loaf pans if you use the disposable foil or paper ones, or two if you use full size (mine are pyrex) ones. They also work very well in muffin or mini muffin tins.
disposable paper bake pans

Ingredients:
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 16 oz can solid pack pumpkin
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour 2 or 3 loaf pans depending on size.
Beat sugar and oil in a large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin.
Sift flour, spices, baking soda and baking powder together in a large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in two additions. Mix in walnuts if using.
Divide batter equally between pans. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, and bread start to pull away from the side of pan, about 1 hour and 10 minutes for two breads in the large pans.
Allow to cool on racks. Can be frozen directly in disposable pans.

UPDATE:
A couple of footnotes to the above post.
First, and most important: It is often a problem getting the middle of a large pumpkin bread to cook sufficiently without the edges being overcooked. This problem is easily solved by baking it in a ring pan, such as the paper one here:

These paper baking rings are available from baking supply sources like King Arthur Baking Company.

Two: Lisa Friedland suggested adding chocolate chips, and was happy with the result, I wanted to make some of the breads without nuts for Emily, so I divided the batter. One loaf plain, one with walnuts, and one with dried cranberries and walnuts.

Arlene's Mushroom Stuffing

Mushroom Stuffing
(enough stuffing for chicken-- double for a turkey)

1 large onion diced
4 TBS. chicken fat or olive oil
3 stalks celery, diced
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 large green pepper diced
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (or more, or an assortment)
3 cups challah bread crumbs (dry)
2 eggs
1 cup parsley chopped
other fresh or dried herbs as you like (I use some fresh sage and thyme)
salt, pepper, garlic to taste.
up to 1/2 cup chicken broth if needed

Saute onion in fat then add celery, green pepper and carrot. Stir while cooking till soft. Add mushrooms and saute quickly, then add bread crumbs. Raise heat and cook for a minute or so. Beat the eggs in a bowl, add the cooked mixture in frying pan, and stir. Add parsley and herbs. Add seasoning when cool. If the mixture seems too dry, add broth.

If you don't want to stuff the turkey, you can put the stuffing into a baking dish lightly greased. (Don't pack it down too much) Dot with butter or margarine, cover loosely and bake about 45 minutes.

Do I have to tell you all the stuff about keeping the stuffing out of the bird until you are just about to roast it?

Let Obama tell you:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/Lets_Talk_Turkey/index.asp

Thanksgiving 2009

Its Turkey Time again!
What is going to be new?

CLASSIC CRANBERRY NUT BREAD


2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 tablespoons shortening
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/2 cups Fresh Cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped nuts

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in orange juice, orange peel, shortening and egg. Mix until well blended. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Spread evenly in loaf pan.

Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely. Wrap and store overnight. Makes 1 loaf (16 slices).

CRANBERRY ORANGE SAUCE

Cranberry-Orange Sauce
2 c brown sugar (plus more for adjusting)
3 c water
1 c freshly squeezed orange juice (about 3 oranges)
zest of the oranges
3 12 oz bags of cranberries
1 Tbs or so freshly grated ginger, 1 Cinnamon Stick, a couple whole cloves
Wash cranberries and check them for stems and/or mushy berries. Combine brown sugar, water, orange juice, and zest in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. When boiling, add the cranberries and return to a boil; they will start to pop open. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10-15 min., til they start to thicken. Carefully test sauce for sweet/tartness and add more sugar as necessary (depending on how you like it). Let cool completely and then refrigerate.

TURKEY GRAVY FOR WHEN YOU SMOKE OR GRILL YOUR TURKEY

2 pounds turkey wings
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, halved
4 carrots, chopped
1 head garlic, smashed
1/2 bunch fresh sage
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
8 black peppercorns
2 tablespoons unsalted margarine or butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put the turkey wings (or legs) into a small roasting pan and roast them until they are golden brown, about 45 minutes. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, herbs, and peppercorns and cook for 5 minutes. Add the turkey wings. Pour some water into the roasting pan and scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom; add this to the pot. Cover everything in the pot with cold

water by 1-inch and bring to the boil, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Strain out the solids and discard. Wipe out the pot and put it over medium heat. Melt the margarine or butter with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and add the flour. Cook this roux, stirring frequently, until it is golden brown. Slowly whisk in the strained stock being careful to work out any lumps. Cook until the gravy has thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

1/4 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1can crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 c. dried cranberries or maraschino cherries if you want
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk (soy milk)
1 Tsp vanilla extract
1 egg

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In 9-inch square pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter. Arrange pineapple over brown sugar. Decorate if desired with dried cranberries or cherries.
2. In medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries. (you can do this in food processor but the cake will be more pound-cake like)
3. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Serve warm. Store cake loosely covered.

Classic Cranberry Nut Bread

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 tablespoons shortening
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/2 cups Fresh Cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped nuts

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in orange juice, orange peel, shortening and egg. Mix until well blended. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Spread evenly in loaf pan.

Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely. Wrap and store overnight. Makes 1 loaf (16 slices).

Turkey Gravy

TURKEY GRAVY FOR WHEN YOU SMOKE OR GRILL YOUR TURKEY

• 2 pounds turkey wings
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, halved
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 1 head garlic, smashed
• 1/2 bunch fresh sage
• 1/2 bunch fresh thyme
• 8 black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons unsalted margarine or butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put the turkey wings (or legs) into a small roasting pan and roast them until they are golden brown, about 45 minutes. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, herbs, and peppercorns and cook for 5 minutes. Add the turkey wings. Pour some water into the roasting pan and scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom; add this to the pot. Cover everything in the pot with cold

water by 1-inch and bring to the boil, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Strain out the solids and discard. Wipe out the pot and put it over medium heat. Melt the margarine or butter with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and add the flour. Cook this roux, stirring frequently, until it is golden brown. Slowly whisk in the strained stock being careful to work out any lumps. Cook until the gravy has thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Cranberry Orange Sauce

CRANBERRY ORANGE SAUCE

Cranberry-Orange Sauce
2 c brown sugar (plus more for adjusting)
3 c water
1 c freshly squeezed orange juice (about 3 oranges)
zest of the oranges
3 12 oz bags of cranberries
1 Tbs or so freshly grated ginger, 1 Cinnamon Stick, a couple whole cloves
Wash cranberries and check them for stems and/or mushy berries. Combine brown sugar, water, orange juice, and zest in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. When boiling, add the cranberries and return to a boil; they will start to pop open. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10-15 min., til they start to thicken. Carefully test sauce for sweet/tartness and add more sugar as necessary (depending on how you like it). Let cool completely and then refrigerate.

Perfect Pecan Pie

Perfect Pecan Pie

(Recipe By : Cooks Illustrated)

1 baked pie shell -- 9 inch
6 tablespoons unsalted butter -- 1" pieces
1 cup dark brown sugar -- packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 each eggs -- large
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups pecans -- 8 ounces
If you want warm pie, cool the pie thoroughly, then cut and warm it in a 250F oven for about twenty minutes.
Toast the pecans and chop into small pieces.
1. Adjust oven rack to center position, and heat oven to 275F. Place pie shell in oven if not already warm.
2. Melt butter in medium heatproof bowl set in skillet of water maintained at just below simmer. Remove bowl from skillet; mix in sugar and salt with wooden spoon until butter is absorbed. Beat in eggs, then corn syrup and vanilla. Return bowl to hot water; stir until mixture is shiny and warm to the touch, about 130F. Remove from heat; stir in pecans.
3. Pour Mixture into warm shell; bake until center feels set yet soft, like gelatin, when gently pressed, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer pie to rack; let cool completely, at least 4 hours. Serve pie at room temperature or warm, with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Praline Sweet Potatoes
Bake sweet potatoes, about one per person until soft. When cool enough to handle remove skins. Beat potatoes with a dash of cinnamon, a stick of margarine or butter, and enough orange juice or milk (soymilk) to make a fluffy mixture. Turn out into a baking dish, smooth the top.
Melt together a stick of butter (margarine) with a cup of dark brown sugar, just until the butter melts. Remove from heat, and spread over the top. Decorate with a layer of pecan halves. Can do day ahead to this point.
Bake at 350 for about an hour until top is bubbly an hot.

The Best Pumpkin Bread

YUM.
On Tuesday, Stella, Juliette, and I will be making
Pumpkin bread.
Here is our all time favorite. Its not Thanksgiving without it.
The directions say that it makes two loaves, but it really makes three. Or else my loaf pans are really small.

Ingredients:
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and baking powder into another large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions. Mix in walnuts, if desired.
Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool 10 minutes. Using sharp knife, cut around edge of loaves. Turn loaves out onto racks and cool completely.
This freezes really well, and gets better with age, you can really make it ahead.
pumpkin bread recipe

Talking Turkey with Alton Brown

Talking turkey.

This year we will again get organic free range kosher turkeys.

The turkeys we like come from Wise Organic Farms
http://www.wisekosher.com/info.asp

Wild Oats, now Whole Foods has them. I have not seen any huge ones, but I always cook 2 smaller turkeys, since we all like a lot of wings, drumsticks, and most of all a shorter cooking time.
I am hoping that a lot of us will start to patronize Whole Foods, and encourage them to continue to carry organic kosher meats.

BEST ROAST TURKEY METHOD VIA ALTON BROWN
As with everything, my man Alton has it down to a science. Look here for his recipe. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe/index.html


SMOKING AND GRILLING:


Thanksgiving planning is a lot easier if you don't have to worry about how you are going to fit everything into the ovens. By moving the turkey operation outside (and hopefully into the hands of the menfolk, who, no matter what, seem to enjoy the firepit comraderie.)

We have a bullet-style smoker, vintage mid-1990's, bequeathed to us by Elisabeth when she moved to DC. It might be on its last legs, literally.
Someday I will have the smoker of my dreams....something like this.
Perhaps some of my smoked brisket fans can encourage the acquisition of this sometime in the future.

http://www.komodokamado.com/KomodoKamadoNew/

Maybe it will be sooner rather than later... seems like Henry has to get started today to figure out where some missing smoker parts have gone, including one of the supporting feet.

We will smoke with hickory chips. I think mesquite smoke is too acrid. But first, the turkey will be brined.

BRINING:
I am a huge proponent of brining. There are lots of different brine options, but truthfully, simpler is better. Why brine? Here is the short answer. The bird is wonderfully moist, and richly clean tasting,


Simple Brine:

• 2 gallons water
• 1 1/2 cups kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup brown sugar

Directions:

1. In a large bucket or container large enough to hold your turkey, mix together the water, salt, garlic, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. Store in a refrigerator, or the garage if its cool enough, and soak turkey for 2 days before smoking or roasting.
2. Rinse bird well under cool water and pat dry. Put uncovered bird back in the refrigerator for several hours, or up to a day to dry off the skin.
   

Alton Brown's Turkey

Starting to think about the Turkey.
Here are links to what I believe are recipes that will produce a perfect Turkey.

I hope you like Alton Brown as much as I do. If you have never seen his episode of the turkey derrick to fry a turkey, check it out.

This method works every time for me. Many turkey recipes say that you don't have to brine a kosher bird. We brine anyway.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_8389,00.html