Salty and Sweet Cranberry Citrus Brine (Link)

Salty and Sweet Cranberry Citrus Brine

Shared by: VunderBob

From: allrecipes.com

This is the turkey brine the Vunders will use this year. It is Teh Num...

SENATOR RUSSELL'S SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE

SENATOR RUSSELL'S SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE
From: swampbear

(Why Senator Russell? I don't know. He was a Senator from Jawja and liked it I guess.)

3 large well-smashed up, (might wanna use your electric mixer. it's probably under the counter somewhere) sweet potatoes (but N.O.T.) (boiled or baked, your call)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk, cream, or evaporated milk (cream or evaporated milk is best. this is for a holiday people splurge!)
1/2 cup butter (real butter please!)
1 teaspoon salt (this can be left out or reduced but it does taste better with the salt. in the interest of culinary science I have tried it with and without.)

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup butter (see above)
1 cup pecans, chopped (walnuts work too. your call. I don't judge. ok, I do but not to your face. I got some couth.)



Combine first 7 ingredients and pour into greased casserole.

Mix brown sugar, flour, butter and pecans until crumbly and sprinkle on top.

Bake 30 - 40 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Ok, so this is actually more like a casserole but I grew up callin' it a souffle. So There!

Corn Pudding (Link)

Corn Pudding
From: Ivory Tower Denizen

4 cups frozen corn kernels (about 19 ounces), thawed
4 large eggs
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt


Whirr in a blender, pour into buttered 8x8x2 dish. Bake 45 min at 350 until puffed and brown. To die for. From here.

A Happy Thanksgiving MMP

This week's MMP, by IvoryTowerDenizen, was dedicated to both giving thanks and the food we gave thanks with.  Lots of yummy recipes and food references.  I'll get the recipes posted and linked eventually.  For now, here's the MMP.

Recipes mentioned in the MMP:

ITD's own Herb and Leek Dressing

Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry Sauce
From: gardentraveler

I posted this in the cranberry sauce thread in Cafe Society. My sauce turned out extra-good this year.

I've been making variations on the same cranberry sauce for about 20 years. This year's version:

1 12-oz bag cranberries
1/2 apple, chopped (I used a Honeycrisp apple that was getting a bit wrinkly)
1 clementine, cut into wedges (unpeeled) and seeded
1/4 lemon (also unpeeled) and seeded
1/2 cup dried Zante currants
1/4 c white wine (maybe less, I didn't measure)
1/4 teaspoon Penzey's Baking Spice (or a combination of cinnamon, cloves and other spices you like)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Chop clementine and 1/4 lemon finely in a food processer (I have a chopper attachment on my immersion blender that is perfect for this)

Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil for a few minutes (I'm pretty sure it was less than 10) until the berries start to burst. It came out much less jelled than usual, more like a compote, which I prefer. I think it's because I didn't get distracted and let it overcook. My friends who came to dinner each had two helpings and took some with leftovers, so I'm pretty sure they liked it.

Herbed bread, cracker and Leek stuffing

Herbed bread, cracker and Leek stuffing: Gourmet magazine, with modifications
From: IvoryTowerDenizen

I make this dressing almost every year for Thanksgiving since 1996 and I do a quicky version (I buy Pepperridge Farm plain stuffing mix rather than the bread and crackers) for regular meals. There is only one other stuffing recipe I ever use- (one I made up for the Jewish holidays, or when my parents come for Thanksgiving that is kosher and is based on challah). I love this recipe.

1 16-ounce loaf firm white bread (do not trim crusts), cut into 3/4-inch pieces

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3 leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise, rinsed, thinly sliced

2 medium onions, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 cups coarsely crumbled saltine crackers
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 1 tablespoon dried
3 tablespoons chopped fresh savory or 1 tablespoon dried

3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup milk
1/2 cup canned chicken broth

Preparation
Preheat oven to 300°F. Spread bread on 2 large baking sheets. Bake until just dry but not brown, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes. Transfer to very large bowl.

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks, onions and celery and sauté until tender but not brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to bowl with bread. Mix in cracker crumbs, herbs, salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Butter 2-quart baking dish. Mix milk into dressing. Reserve about 6 cups dressing for turkey. Mix 1/2 cup broth into remaining dressing and transfer to prepared baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake dressing in covered dish alongside turkey for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden brown on top, about 20 minutes longer.

(I don't stuff my turkey, so I bake all of it in baking dishes. I usually use 1 really big casserole or two 2 qt ones. When I don't stuff I add additional broth to the stuffing and baste the stuffing with pan drippings as the turkey roasts to get that same taste.)

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Chicken and Dressing

Chicken and Dressing
From: swampbear

Cornbread:

2 cups of self rising corn meal 2 tablespoons of cooking oil
2 eggs Three-fourths to a cup of buttermilk

Combine all ingredients. Use enough buttermilk to make it soft. Pour into a hot greased iron skillet or baking pan and bake at 475 degrees for about 20 minutes, until brown. Turn out onto a plate and let cool.

Chicken:

One large baking hen
One quart of water (cover chicken)
salt to taste

Wash the chicken and place into a large boiler, then add the water and salt. Boil for about one hour until tender. Baking hens usually come with giblets (the neck, liver, gizzard, and heart). You can boil those with the hen or separately, but you'll need the giblets. Drain the chicken, but save the broth, and allow the chicken to cool. Pull or chop the chicken when cooled.

Dressing:

Cooled cornbread
Sage to taste (never too much IMO)
Chicken broth 4 eggs, beaten
1 finely chopped onion Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of chopped celery Pulled or chopped chicken

Crumble the cornbread into a large mixing bowl; add enough chicken broth to make it real soupy. If you don't think you have enough, use some canned broth. Let it stand to soak up the broth. Add onion, celery, sage, eggs, salt and pepper and chicken. Use more broth if the mixture looks too dry. Bake in a long casserole dish or pan at 400 degrees for one hour or until brown on top.

Giblet Gravy:

Giblets Salt and pepper to taste
2 boiled eggs 2 cups of chicken broth
One-half stick of butter or (if you must) margarine One-third cup of flour

Chop the giblets. Chop the boiled eggs. Melt butter in a small boiler; add the flour, salt and pepper. Stir well and add the broth. Add the chopped giblets and boil until thickened over a medium heat. Turn on low heat after it's thickened and add the chopped eggs. More broth can be added if it is too thick. Serve warm over dressing.

NOTE: Although this is the traditional dressing served with turkey at Thanksgiving in the south, there's enough chicken for it to be a main course also. I sometimes do this. Also, if you desire not to use the chicken, that's ok too. Make you some chicken salad!