Wednesday, November 26, 2008

The Thanksgiving feast-Dessert

The Dessert, the best part of the Thanksgiving Feast except for the dressing. For dessert I am baking 3 pies, Pecan (Jeremy's Favorite), Pumpkin(my dads favorite), Sour cream apple pie from the lovely Rachel over at The Land of Monkeys and Princesses and I am also baking brownies for my Josh because he doesn't like pie. I know I am going overboard, but I absolutely love to bake and this is the only time of year I really do it. I am baking cookies breads for friends for Christmas, so hopefully you will be on my Christmas cookie delivery list.

My Pecan Pie recipes is the on the Karo Syrup bottle with a few tweaks. I add a splash of dark rum and a dash of Cinnamon. The Pumpkin Pie I am making is the one on the can of pure pumpkin puree, this is the first time I am actually making the pumpkin pie so we will see how it comes out.

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and you all eat until you pass out from the Triptophan coma.

Thanksgiving Pictures, Images and Photos
To one and all.

Oh by the way don't forget to watch the Longhorns annihilate the Aggies.




texas longhorns Pictures, Images and Photos

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

The Thanksgiving feast-side dishes

I don't know about you but my favorite foods in a Thanksgiving meal are the side dishes. You can really get creative with them. This year my creations are Twice Baked Potato Casserole, Fresh Green Beans, Baked Sweet Potatoes with a brown sugar glaze and of course Cornbread Dressing with Caramelizes Onions.

Twice Baked Potato Casserole


Serves:
12 servings
10 large russet baking potatoes (about 7 pounds total)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
1/2 pound sharp white Cheddar, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 pound mild Cheddar, grated (3 cups)
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Scrub the potatoes well and rinse under cool running water. Pat dry with paper towels and prick the potatoes in several places with a fork. Place the potatoes in the oven and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside on a wire rack until cool enough to handle.

When the potatoes have cooled, cut each potato in half and, using a spoon or a melon baller, scoop the flesh out of the skins, leaving as little flesh as possible. Place the potato flesh in a large bowl and add 1 stick of the butter, the sour cream, heavy cream, salt, and pepper and mash until chunky-smooth. Add the bacon, cubed white Cheddar, half of the grated Cheddar, the green onions, and eggs and mix thoroughly.

Butter a 9 by 13-inch casserole with the remaining tablespoon of butter and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Place the seasoned potato mixture in the prepared casserole and top with the remaining grated Cheddar. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges and heated through and the cheese on top is melted and lightly golden. Serve hot.


Green Beans


3 pounds fresh green beans
1/4 pound salt pork, sliced
1/4 cup bacon grease
2 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed
2 to 3 teaspoons House Seasoning, recipe follows
1 onion, cut into slivers
1/2 stick unsalted butter, sliced
Ground black pepper

Remove the ends from the beans. Snap the beans in 2 pieces, place into a colander, wash, and set aside to drain.

Meanwhile, in a large cast iron Dutch oven, lightly brown the salt pork in the bacon grease over medium heat, turning often, for approximately 10 minutes. Toss the green beans into the pot, stirring them with a wooden spoon to coat well with the pork fat. Add the broth and House Seasoning. Cook over medium-low heat, covered tightly, for approximately 30 minutes, or until the beans are half done.

After 30 minutes add the onions to the beans; add 1/4 cup more broth, if needed. Cook, covered tightly, approximately 25 to 30 minutes, periodically checking the pot to make sure a small amount of liquid remains. Tilt the lid slightly, off to the side of the pot, and continue to cook until the green beans are wilted, approximately 15 minutes. While cooking, add the butter and season with pepper.

House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.


Caramelized Onion and Cornbread Dressing

Serves:
6 to 8 servings

2 tablespoons butter
2 onions, chopped
6 large cornmeal muffins, cubed
A handful fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 egg
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes, or until soft and caramelized. Scrape into a large mixing bowl, add the cornbread pieces and the sage, season well with salt and pepper, and give it a good toss until it's well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, cream, and stock, and pour that over the cornbread. Stir the stuffing together, spoon it into a buttered baking dish and put it in the oven along with the turkey. Bake until hot and crusty on top, about 30 minutes.

Don't worry there is also a salad course although Thanksgiving is all about the carbs don't you think. Well I am off to go cook cornbread and start on Pies and one cake which is tomorrow's post. I also think I will add in a breakfast casserole for good measure. See you tomorrow.





Monday, November 24, 2008

The Thanksgiving feast-main course(s)

Starting today I am going to start putting recipes on my blog that I love. I will probably do it all this week since Thanksgiving is like Christmas for any Foodie. I am concentrating on recipes more in my blog so if you have a great recipe pass it along to me, I always love getting new ones to try.

I will start with the main course today and since my family (mainly Jeremy) doesn't like turkey that much we have two

The first is

Roast Prime Rib with Thyme Au Jus

6 to 8 servings


1 bone-in prime rib (6 to 7 pounds)
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
2 cups red wine
4 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

Thirty minutes before roasting the prime rib, remove from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Make small slits all over the prime rib and fill each slit with a slice of the garlic. Season liberally with the salt and coarse pepper, place on a rack set inside a roasting pan and roast for about 2 hours until medium-rare, or until a thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 135 degrees F. Remove the meat to a platter, and tent with foil to keep warm.

Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over 2 burners set on high heat. Add the wine to the pan drippings in the pan and cook over high heat until reduced, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the stock and cook until reduced by half. Whisk in the thyme and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Slice meat as desired and serve with thyme au jus.


Now of course the star of the show in my book

Roast Turkey Breast with Zesty Dry Rub

6 to 8 servings


1 whole turkey breast on the bone (6 to 7 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Dry Rub:
2 teaspoons onion salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Gravy:
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth

Mashed potatoes, for serving, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat large roasting pan with nonstick vegetable-oil cooking spray. Rub turkey on all sides with olive oil and lime juice.

Dry Rub: Mix onion salt, chili powder, dried oregano, cumin, garlic powder, allspice and cayenne in small bowl. Rub 1 1/2 tablespoons mixture over turkey.

Roast turkey in the oven for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on instant-read thermometer. Remove turkey to a warm place; let stand 10 minutes.

Gravy: Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from roasting pan. Sprinkle flour and 1/2 teaspoon of remaining dry rub over bottom of roasting pan; cook over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan, for about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth until smooth; cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Strain gravy through sieve into gravy boat; keep warm.

Cut off each 1/2 of the turkey breast from the bone. Wrap one 1/2 and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 4 months, for later use. Slice other 1/2 of turkey breast and serve with the gravy, and mashed potatoes, if desired.

Tomorrow will be side dishes so get your napkin on your lap and your fork and knife ready.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Things that go bump in the night

Jeremy has been gone all week this week to North Carolina and I haven't got very much sleep. Have you ever noticed how many sounds your house makes? Who knew that my house was so creepy. From the air conditioner (yes I know it is November but we are still having muggy 80 degree days here), dripping faucets, sleep talking kiddos and creaking. The creaking is the worse, sometimes it is like someone is walking around and then I need to go investigate the sound because, one, it freaks me out and two, my kids, well at least one, sleep walks and sometimes, if he could, he would walk out the front door paying no attention to the alarm going off, my kids sleep through smoke detectors going off after all. Josh will even carry on a conversation with you in his sleep and not remember anything about it the next day. We have tripped over, I mean, found him asleep on the playroom floor before sound asleep. I wonder if he will grow out of that.

Oh well Jeremy comes back tonight, but not until about midnight. Hopefully there will be peaceful nights ahead.

Now on to planning two Thanksgiving dinners, any suggestions. Also

GO HORNS Beat KANSAS!!!!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

I have updated my look

I think it looks much better, don't you.

I will be glad when Jeremy gets back from his trip, this week has been so long and it is only Wednesday. My kids are driving me crazy, if I hear the word Mom one more time... (I will leave that up to the imagination) and the whining, does it ever stop. I will have much needed girl time this weekend though. Me and some of my g-friends are going to do some window shopping in Fredericksburg on Sunday. Yea, I love Fredericksburg and it is trades day which means there will be more stuff to look at and buy. There is nothing better than sitting in the Beirgarten and listening to music. We have room for one more if you want to come too.

I really need to read over what I type before I publish, I had to fix a few things

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Top Chef is back!!!

Top Chef Pictures, Images and Photos

My favorite show is coming back on tomorrow at 9/8 central. YeAh!!!!

Rain and other things

We are finally getting some much needed rain, my lawn needs it especially since I stopped watering it in October.

Rain Pictures, Images and Photos

Well November is here and my to do list is getting longer. I have 2 research papers due, 2 Thanksgiving dinners to plan and also finals coming up along with a Christmas party to plan also. Don't get me wrong I love the holidays and all the excitement that comes with them it is just the added stress with school also. I have also started selling Avon to make a little extra cash, check out my Website so far I have spent more than I have sold, I hope that will change in the next couple of campaigns when I get more customers. Well I hope you all enjoy the rain and the cooler temperatures to come.

Honor a member or former member of the Armed Fores today, it is Veterans Day. Thank you all for your loyalty to our great nation and your protection of our freedom.

Veterans Day Pictures, Images and Photos

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

I am first and foremost and American and I pray that better times are ahead and God's will will be done.

I pledge to support the Office of the President of the United States no matter the man or woman chosen to hold the office.

I pledge to support my fellow American with the same love and compassion I would receive in return.

I pledge not to belittle, call names, or gloat on the internet and elsewhere.
Snoopy w/ American Flag Pictures, Images and Photos

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