Gearing up for Turkey Day

[Alix]

Well, Thanksgiving is this weekend for us and I am prepping for the feast. So far, I have planned a brined turkey, roast potatoes, stuffing, broccoli wild rice casserole, and I think rhubarb pie for dessert. Oh ya, Dad's famous coleslaw too.

I am thinking of adding herbs to my brine, and need some suggestions. I don't want it TOO herby, just a hint. Thanks in advance all!

 

[mudbug]

don't use rosemary unless it's a teensy bit. sage is pretty traditional here.
Dried herbs might be better than fresh so it's not to "herby"

 

[marmalady]

sage, marjoram, celery seed, a little garlic and onion powder, fresh parsley.

You gotta lotta 'starch' in that menu, Alix! How about just a simple green veg? Sometimes I do just blanched, then sauteed green beans with halved grape tomatoes; looks pretty and is easy!

 

[cafeandy]

gotta have homemade cranberry sauce

 

[middie]

sage and poultry seasonings

 

[buckytom]

i always looked forward to, besides all of the aforementioned stuff, the pearl onions in cream sauce, creamed spinach, and the big tray of various pickles, olives, and gardinere salad.

 

[Audeo]

Alix, Happy Thanksgiving first of all!

I used three sprigs (about 4" long) each of fresh rosemary and thyme in my brine and the resulting taste was subtle, but it permeated the muscle to its very core with the brine. It was great in my book...but I only soaked for 4 hours. Longer bring would likely (I assume) result in stronger flavors, which is exactly what I'll be going for on my next turkey brining before our big day next month.

 

[marmalady]

Oooooh - creamed pearl onions - here's a good recipe -

Recipe: Creamed Red and White Pearl Onions With Bacon
Time: 25 minutes

2 10-ounce bags red pearl onions
1 10-ounce bag white pearl onions
2 1/2 ounces (2 strips) thick-cut bacon, diced ( 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons butter
2 shallots, minced

1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 pints heavy cream
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped parsley.

1. If red and white onions are about the same size, bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add onions and blanch until skins loosen slightly, about 5 minutes. Drain. (If white onions are considerably larger, blanch onions separately, increasing time on white onions by a couple of minutes.) Peel onions and set aside. (Onions can be blanched and peeled ahead of time. Place in 2-quart zipper-lock bag and refrigerate until ready to use.)
2. Sauté bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper-towel-lined plate and set aside. Pour off bacon fat. Melt butter in Dutch oven over low heat until foaming, add shallots and garlic and cook until translucent but not browned, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Add heavy cream and simmer until cream is thick and golden and has reduced by half, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir onions into cream to heat through.
3. Heat broiler. Turn onions and cream into a shallow 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Top with bacon, bread crumbs and parsley. Place under broiler and cook until crumbs are browned and dish is bubbling, about 10 minutes.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

 

[buckytom]

thanks so much marmalady. my creamed onions usually come from a frozen block, but not this year, thanks to you.

 

[Alix]

Yummy! Sorry, forgot to mention that there will also be fresh green beans from the garden, and beets too. The coleslaw is not your traditional type either, strictly cabbage, onions and lemon juice...and SALT! LOL!

Those pearl onions sound fabulous, I will definitely do those too. I think I will do some sage in the brine, and maybe a sniff of rosemary too. I just don't want to overdo since the dressing will have poultry seasoning in it.

Now, since I am brining overnight...do I toss the herbs in as soon as the turkey goes in? Or should I put them in for a shorter time?

Thanks for the fab ideas you guys, any thoughts on dessert? I am feeding a crowd so one pie is not going to cut it.

 

[Audeo]

Alex, expert that I am NOT, I'd say throw the sage in when the turkey enters the brine. I think you're wise to err on the side of caution, too. You can always add, but can never take away....

Now, we'll let the experts get in a word....:

 

[mudbug]

You should make that chocolate pecan bourbon pie again. Make 3 or 4 of them.

 

[Alix]

Hmmmm...OK I will make one of them, one rhubarb...and need one more idea please.

 

[mudbug]

Forgot to ask earlier, Alix - what do Canadians celebrate on Canadian T-giving Day? You didn't have the Pilgrim thing.

 

[marmalady]

This one's nice - served with a dollop of amaretti spiked whipped cream -

Almond Pear Clafouti
4 firm-ripe pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup sliced blanched almonds
3/4 cup milk
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 large eggs, beaten lightly
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (preferably pure)
3/4 cup self-rising cake flour
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 10 by 2-inch round (1-quart capacity) baking dish. In the dish, toss the pears gently with the lemon juice and spread them out evenly.
In a blender finely grind 1/2 cup of the almonds, add the milk, 6 tablespoons of the butter, the eggs, the vanilla, and the almond extract, and blend the mixture until it is smooth.
In a bowl whisk together the flour, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and a pinch of salt and stir in the milk mixture, stirring until the batter is combined well. Pour the batter over the pears, drizzle it with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and sprinkle it with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and remaining 1/4 cup almonds. Bake the clafouti in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Let it cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Serve the clafouti warm.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

 

[cafeandy]

this is from bon appetit mag...2003 winner for nut pie...ab fab
FRUITS OF THE FOREST PIE-2003 FIRST PLACE NUT
CRUST:
1/3 cup solid shortening (recommended: Crisco)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons ice water
1 cup all-purpose flour

FILLING:
4 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup light corn syrup
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons melted butter
2 cups lightly toasted mixed nuts
½ cup pecan halves
1/3 cup coarsely chopped macadamias
1/3 cup slivered almonds
½ cup cashew halves–split
1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts

TO PREPARE CRUST BY HAND:
In a narrow bowl, combine flour, salt and shortening. Using 2 knives scissors-style, cut fat into flour until only small pea-size bits of shortening remain. Sprinkle water over flour mixture as you toss with a fork. Don't keep stirring. Turn only about 8 to 10 times. Continue with Step 3 below.

OR PREPARE CRUST USING A FOOD PROCESSOR:
Chill flour, shortening, butter, water.
Measure flour into work bowl. Add salt and pulse 3 times.
Add shortening. Pulse 6 times. Add butter that has been cup up into chunks. Pulse 4 times. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time. Pulse after each addition. Pour out of bowl onto plastic wrap. Create a 5-inch disk and flatten. Refrigerate.

After about 15 minutes in the refrigerator, remove your disc. Place a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper on the counter. Flour it. Cover the disk with another piece of wrap or parchment. Roll out from the center, until disk is about 11 inches in diameter. Remove top wrap, flour the surface lightly and drape crust over rolling pin. Center over pie plate and put it in. Smooth into 9½ inch pie pan. Remove wrap. Trim edge to about ½ inch around outside of pan. Fold edge under and flute using thumb and forefingers to make a stand up edge. Refrigerate until ready to fill.

TO PREPARE FILLING AND TOPPING:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Coarsely chop macadamias and almonds, put all nuts (separate large nuts from chopped) on cookie sheet and toast 5 to 6 minutes. Cool. Put hazelnuts into a kitchen towel and rub together to remove skins. Chop hazelnuts.
Combine filling ingredients. Mix well. Sprinkle chopped nuts on bottom of crust. Arrange pecan halves, slivered almonds and cashews in attractive pattern on bottom of unfilled crust. Pour filling into pan deflecting on back of a spoon. Larger nuts will rise up to top. Cover edge of crust with foil.
Bake for 45 minutes to 50 minutes. Test with a stainless steel knife in center. When it comes out clean, it's done. Cool completely on wire rack. Serve after cooling or wrap in heavy foil and refrigerate until next day to serve.

 

[masteraznchefjr]

Imma make my mashed potatoes! lol gonna take awhile with a large spoon since my masher got "destroyed". This turns out to become really creamy and has a nice smooth texture.

Ingredients:
5 big red potatoes
2 cloves of garlic smashed
1 large pan of water
1 or 1 ½ cups of half and half
1 or 1 ½ cup of regular milk (2% is fine)
1 ½ inches or 2 inches of butter
1 or ¾ tablespoon of salt
Ground White Pepper
Pinches of fresh parsley
Pinches of fresh oregano

Directions:

1.Chop the potatoes into small square like 1 inch square pieces
2.Boil water and drop the potatoes
3.Let it boil for awhile until the potatoes get soft
4.Use a Potato masher or a large soup spoon to smash the soft potatoes until there are no more chunks. Instead there is a grainy mashed potato soup.
5.Let the water evaporate by cooking it on low heat for awhile
6.Once the water evaporates, add the butter and mix around on medium heat
7.Stir around and add the milk
8.Wait until that evaporates then add the Half and Half
9.Allow the Half and Half to evaporate until mashed potato texture appears
10. Add salt and garlic stir around
11. Add some white pepper
12. Add the parsley and oregano
13. Serve and Enjoy

 

[Alix]

mudbug, we didn't? LOL! We celebrate harvest time. We give thanks for the bounty of the harvest. From KidsWorld...

Canadian Thanksgiving

The origins of Canadian Thanksgiving are more closely connected to the traditions of Europe than of the United States. Long before Europeans settled in North America, festivals of thanks and celebrations of harvest took place in Europe in the month of October. The very first Thanksgiving celebration in North America took place in Canada when Martin Frobisher, an explorer from England, arrived in Newfoundland in 1578. He wanted to give thanks for his safe arrival to the New World. That means the first Thanksgiving in Canada was celebrated 43 years before the pilgrims landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts!

 

[tancowgirl2000]

you go girl!!! Thats great ALix!!!! Nothing like a shot....anyways, ,how many of you have deep fried your turkey for Thanksgiving??? We do this on occasion and it is just delicious!!! Well Happy Thanksgiving Guys.....the harvests in this end of the world look awesome....it's a rush but they look good! Nothing better to celebrate!!!!

 

[Raine]

WE normally do a fried turkey at New Year's.