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Parties That Cook’s Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

0 comments By The Kitchen Whisperer Filed in Menus & Recipes Tagged with brined, holiday recipe, roasted turkey, thanksgiving recipe November 1st, 2012 @ 11:11 am

This Thanksgiving, make a feast fit for a king (or queen!). This classic roasted turkey recipe will have your guests thankful to be seated around your delicious Thanksgiving centerpiece. Note: Brining is optional, if you don’t have the time, but trust us, it’s well worth the effort.

Thanksgiving Recipe: Brined and Roasted Turkey Recipe
This dish can also be found in our Holiday Recipes Library

Ingredients
Brine (Optional):
1 1/4 gallons (20 cups) cold water
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 bay leaves, torn into pieces
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
½ teaspoon black peppercorns smashed

Turkey:
1 12-14 pound fresh turkey, giblets removed and set aside for another use
1 Tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika (for color)
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Methods/Steps
Note: You may halve or double the recipe. The important thing is to prepare enough brine to cover the turkey completely.

Brine (Optional): Place the water in a large non-reactive pot (like a stainless steel stockpot) that can easily hold the liquid and the turkey. Add all the brine ingredients and stir for a minute or two until the sugar and salt dissolve. Put the turkey into the brine and refrigerate for 24 hours. If the turkey floats to the top, cover it with plastic wrap and weight it down with a plate and cans to keep it completely submerged in the brine.

Roast: Preheat oven to 450ºF. Remove the bird from the brine and drain well. Pat dry. Stuff the turkey. Mix the paprika into the butter. Brush the turkey skin with the butter mixture.

Roast, Continued: Place the bird on its back (breast side up) on an oiled roasting rack in a roasting pan. Add enough water so that it is ½-inch deep. Roast in a preheated oven for 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 350ºF and turn the bird on its side and roast 45 minute – 60 minutes, basting before you return to the oven. Turn the bird on its other side, baste and cook about 45 minute – 60 minutes. The turkey is done when the legs and thighs move up and down freely, the juices are clear in the pan and the temperature of a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 160ºF. Reserve the pan juices for the gravy.

Serve: Allow the turkey to stand, tented with foil, for 30 minutes before carving and serving.

Serves/Makes
Serves 12-14 people (1 pound per person)

Parties That Cook’s Top Pumpkin Recipes

0 comments By The Kitchen Whisperer Filed in Menus & Recipes Tagged with dessert recipes, holiday recipes, pumpkin cider, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin dessert, pumpkin pie, pumpkin recipes October 18th, 2012 @ 11:14 am

We are always SO excited this time of year. The candy, costumes, turkey-fueled parades, and holiday parties are all wonderful.. But what really pushes us over the edge are all the pumpkin recipes! Sweet, savory, baked, pureed, cakes, lattes – Bring. It. On. We’ve compiled quite the pumpkin recipe library over the years, and it’s about time we shared the wealth. Now presenting, our Top Pumpkin Recipes!

Sweet Pumpkin and Apple Cider Soup with Sage
This recipe can be found in our Soups, Salads & Pasta Section

Ingredients
Soup:
1 medium sugar pumpkin or butternut squash
6 Tablespoons butter, divided in half
6 Tablespoons brown sugar, divided in half
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped or 2 teaspoons dried
8 cups fresh chicken or vegetable stock
1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
4 large cloves garlic, peeled
1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1 cup apple cider or apple juice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs sage
1 1/2 Tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Garnish:
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh sage leaves for garnish

Methods/Steps
Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Roast Pumpkin: Cut pumpkin or squash in half and scoop out seeds. Place in roasting pan, flesh side up. Spread half of the butter and brown sugar among the cavities. Sprinkle with rosemary. Pour 2 cups of stock around pumpkin or squash and cover pan with foil. Roast in preheated oven, stirring once or twice, until squash is soft, about 45 minutes – 1 hour.

Sauté Vegetables: In large stockpot, melt remaining butter. Add onions, carrots, garlic, and apple and sauté until soft, about 7 minutes. Once the vegetables are soft, add the remaining 6 cups stock, remaining brown sugar, apple cider, ginger, nutmeg, bay leaf, sage, salt and pepper. Cover pot and then bring to a boil. Remove pumpkin or squash from oven, cool slightly then scoop flesh out of skins and add to stockpot. Cook for about 8-10 more.

Puree Soup: Remove bay leaf and sage from soup pot. Working in batches (filling no more than 1/2 full), puree soup in blender on high speed until very smooth and light, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Helpful hint: you may want to hold the lid on with a towel because the soup can spit! Strain soup through fine strainer into second stock pot over medium heat.

Mix Crème Fraîche: Combine crème fraîche with salt. Set aside.

Serve: When all the soup has been pureed, bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. Add additional seasoning if necessary. Serve soup in bowls, topped with dollop of crème fraîche and sage.

Serves/Makes
Serves 16

Extra credit: You’re sure to ace your pumpkin-lover test if you try either of these delicious recipes!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting Recipe – We hosted an entire Halloween contest around these bad boys last year. Let me just say, the results were DELICIOUS.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Recipe – Ummm, need I say more?? You’ve got to be crazy (or on a diet) to turn down a winner like this.

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