Pumpkin Streusel Bread

(marks on top are from turning out onto rack)

I saw a recipe for Vegan Pumpkin Walnut Bread floating around facebook the other day.  Since I've learned the hard way not to trust "recipes" on facebook, I tracked down an original version from 2009 by Joy the Baker.  I was fully prepared to follow the vegan recipe, but then I decided I just didn't want to.  There is no reason at all for me to forgo eggs and butter and dairy products, especially when the tradeoff is a cup or two of vegetable oil.  I asked in a comment what the substitutions would be...to get the recipe back from vegan.  Well, that was four days ago and I'm still waiting for an answer.  (I know the post is four years old, but still!  Don't I try to answer all your comments here, no matter how old the post?)  Anyway, I do hope I get an answer some day but I just couldn't wait any longer! 

So I did some more searching.  Shell has a recipe on here for Pumpkin Bread.  I found several other recipes around the internet too, each calling for different ingredients (sour cream, milk, oil, butter, etc.) and different spices in different proportions.  I decided to pick and choose the ingredients I wanted and equalize the proportions to make two loaves of pumpkin bread.  I also naturally wanted to use my own roasted pumpkin puree that I had in the freezer.  (directions for roasting pumpkin are within my Fresh Pumpkin Pie post--which the boys requested when they saw the pumpkin thawing!)  Unfortunately I didn't have walnuts, so I went with a streusel topping instead.  Next time I will definitely add walnuts along with the streusel topping, so they are listed below. 

This recipe worked perfectly for me!  I have two beautiful loaves of Pumpkin Streusel Bread cooling right now, although the boys have tasted it and proclaimed it delicious.  The bread is tender and the texture is just right.  I'll definitely be making this one again, and I'm so glad I have two whole loaves!  Okay, a loaf and a half...

 

Pumpkin Streusel Bread

makes 2 loaves

4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground ginger (I am out of ginger at the moment, but I fully intend to add it next time)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar

4 large eggs

4 cups fresh roasted pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 tablespoon lemon juice + milk to equal 1 cup)

2 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Streusel topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F.

Butter two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans.

 Stir dry ingredients together in a medium bowl, set aside. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light, about 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually beat in brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in pumpkin and vanilla.

Whisk sour cream and buttermilk in small bowl. Beat flour and sour cream mixtures alternately into batter in 2 additions each. Fold in 2 1/2 cups of nuts. Spoon batter equally into pans; smooth tops.

For streusel topping, stir together flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon.  Cut in butter, stir in walnuts.  Sprinkle tops of loaves with streusel topping. Bake bread until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Loosen edges with a butter knife, turn out onto rack and cool.

Taste & Create: Buckeye Bars

*Taste & Create is an amazing monthly food blog event, created by my friend Nicole of For the Love of Food. Participants are paired up randomly, and each create a recipe from their partner's blog! It is so fun! Please join us. The deadline to sign up is the 8th day of each month, email me at cowgirlmin07[at]gmail[dot]com if you're interested! For the months of December and January, the Taste & Create will be combined into a single event, with the signup deadline on December 8th and submissions due by January 24th, to give us all extra time to create something fabulous!

My partner this month was Stephanie of Fun Foods on a Budget. So many recipes to choose from, but for me time was of the essence! I just got back from a fabulous family vacation in sunny Mexico, so I needed something quick. I was all set to make Stephanie's recipe for Universal Muffins, originally from The Tightwad Gazette. But then. I decided to cruise through her Cookies & Bars category one more time, in the spirit of the holiday season or something. And that's when I ran across these babies.

Buckeye Bars. I love Buckeye Balls, so the idea of having the same great taste without making individual candies? Wonderful.

In the end I decided to use almond butter, because we are out of our regular natural peanut butter and I didn't want extra sugar. These went together so quickly and nicely in the food processor that I really don't think making the balls would be that much trouble, so I will probably do that again before Christmas.

Also, I must say that I had the same trouble with my chocolate that Stephanie did, but I did leave my bars in the refrigerator overnight before attempting to cut them, so who knows the appropriate timeframe in which to cut them.

And really, I am going to stick with the peanut butter from now on. The almond butter is too gooey, so the bars didn't set up very well. They are sort of a sticky (although yummy) treat that can only be served cold (and are still sticky then). So, my experimentation is a bust, but that won't stop me from eating these AND making them with peanut butter again this season!


Buckeye Bars
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup finely ground graham cracker crumbs
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup chocolate chips

Combine peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and confectioners' sugar in a bowl or a food processor until smooth.

Line an 8-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides.

Press peanut butter mixture into pan evenly. Microwave chocolate chips on high for 1 minute; stir. Microwave 15 to 30 seconds or until chocolate is melted; stir until smooth. Spread over peanut butter layer.

Refrigerate 2 hours. Use foil handles to lift bars from pan before cutting to serve.

Martha's Marshmallows

slowly pouring hot syrup into gelatin mixture

Some people we know spend an arm and a leg on "homemade" marshmallows from a mega-kitchen store that cost almost $1 each. We are not some people.

For the holidays this year, Number One decided to make our own marshmallows. This recipe comes from The Martha Stewart Cookbook, and believe it or not, marshmallows are actually quite easy to make. You do need a stand mixer, and a candy thermometer, and you need to be careful with the molten sugar mixture.

He did follow Martha's recommendation of foil and oil, and removing the foil from the marshmallow slab takes some finesse. I did some other research, and Ina Garten has a similar recipe, but simply coats the pans with powdered sugar. It sounds like that would work too. We'll try her recipe next.

The marshmallows are fluffy and fabulous, and they melt like heaven in a mug of hot chocolate. They also toast quite nicely over a campfire, not bursting into flames like their preservative-laden counterparts. We stored them in a plastic container, layers separated by waxed paper. Although Martha says "two days," ours are just fine for hot chocolate and campfire roasting about two weeks later. (and still fresher than anything you'd buy in the store!!)


Happy Holidays! Enjoy.


Martha's Marshmallows
Makes about 40 marshmallows

Marshmallows must be kept in an airtight container and are best eaten within two days of their making.

4 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups water, divided
3 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, plus additional for rolling

Oil an 11x17-inch Pyrex baking dish with vegetable oil. Line the dish with lightweight aluminum foil, and lightly coat the foil with more oil.

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, soften the gelatin with 3/4 cup of the water. (pour water in bowl, then sprinkle gelatin on top and let stand).

Place the sugar, corn syrup, the remaining 3/4 cup water and the salt in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat until the syrup reaches 234 to 240 degrees F, or the soft-ball stage, on a candy thermometer.

With the whisk attachment of the mixer at full speed, beat the hot syrup slowly into the gelatin until mixture is very stiff, about 15 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Pour the mixture into the foil-lined dish and smooth the top with an oiled spatula. Allow the mixture to rest, uncovered, at room temperature 10 to 12 hours.

Using a fine sieve, sprinkle the confectioners' sugar onto a cutting board. Turn the stiffened marshmallow out onto the sugar, and using a small, lightly oiled cookie cutter, cut into shapes. Be sure to dip the cut edges of the marshmallows into confectioners' sugar to prevent sticking.

Beef Wellington

I pulled the recipe for this from allrecipes.com.

I'll be back with the recipe and helpful hints I found surfing the internet which went into making this an incredible, aromatic, delectable and impressive dish.

Maple Scotch

There is something so seasonal about sipping maple scotch on cold nights. I plan to have some in stock all winter. Here's how I made it...

In a non-reactive sauce pan, bring the following to a boil:

• 1 cup pure (bottled, filtered) water
• 1/3 cup maple sugar (you can buy some at Savory Spice Shop)
• 1/4-1/3 cup evaporated cane juice (use a little less if you want it less sweet)
• 2/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 6 or 7 whole allspice berries
• 1/4 tsp caraway seeds

I boiled the allspice berries and caraway seeds in a reusable herb sack to keep them all together.

Boil this mixture until the sugar dissolves. Then let it cool completely before combining a 750ml bottle of scotch with the maple mixture. I used Ballantine's and poured it into two different Ball jars, adding 2 cinnamon sticks to the smaller jar just to experiment. In the larger jar, I kept the seed sack to allow the flavors to blend.

This will be ready to drink in a couple weeks, but the longer it sits, the better. You also might want to remove the cinnamon sticks after a couple weeks to avoid making it too cinnaminy.

Enjoy!

Min's Thanksgiving Menu, 2010

Thanksgiving 2010

~~~~~

Hors d'Oeuvres:

Homemade Boursin

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Artisan Bread Crostini

Celery


Main/Sides:

Orange Rosemary Roasted Turkey

Classic Dressing

Mashed Potatoes

Gravy

Green Bean Casserole

Rolls & Butter

Cranberry Sauce


Desserts:

Maple Pecan Pie

Fresh Pumpkin Pie

~~~~~

Johnny Iuzzini's Apple Cranberry Pie

A possible first: I stumbled upon a recipe in the morning, made it in the afternoon, and it was gone by the evening. The source of the recipe was the Live! With Regis and Kelly TV show, where twists on favorite Thanksgiving recipes were being featured. I watched the pie being made in the morning and had a potluck to attend that evening. Why not? I like twisted.

I refer you to the website for the recipe with just a few comments about my pie-baking experience.

Let me first say, that I generally prefer making pies to eating them, but the reverse was true in this case. Also, please note that the pie-crust recipe given is for a single crust but two crusts are needed. Double the recipe, and use a full-size food processor.

I used Gala apples with much success. Additional varieties are suggested. Don't use Granny Smiths as noted.

Might as well use fresh-squeezed orange juice, since the recipe calls for the zest from an orange. I actually used two medium-sized oranges to get slightly more than 1/4 cup of juice. I used the extra juice to replace part of the water in the cranberry sauce used to make the Cranberry Whipped Cream, which is to die for. I put the zest of the second orange in the sauce after I had cooked it.

I substituted about a half-teaspoon of orange extract for the orange liqueur, which I didn't have on hand. The last change was not to fold all of the cranberry sauce into the whipped cream. Perhaps this wasn't necessary, but the Cranberry Whipped Cream was already such a lovely color, and I feared that too much folding in of too much sauce would take the air out of the whipped cream.

Do let the pie sit for a while after baking so that it won't be runny when served.

Roast Duck

It has been years since I've roasted a duck. In fact, Number One says I've never roasted a duck for him, and we've been married now for over seven years. The time is long overdue.

The other day, I had to make some room in the freezer, so I pulled out a duck. I decided it would make a nice Easter dinner, if not exactly a traditional one.

I rinsed the duck, inside and out, and removed the giblets from the cavity. I believe when I used to roast ducks, I stuffed the cavity with a whole orange and a whole apple, because that is the way my friend's grandmother roasted ducks. This time, I cut the orange and the apple in half before stuffing all four pieces in the cavity. I also rubbed the outside of the duck all over with kosher salt. I put the giblets (minus the neck) in the bottom of a roasting pan, with about an inch of water. The duck, salt-covered and stuffed with fruit is sitting on a rack in the roasting pan.

I preheated the oven to 375 degrees F (as directed on the duck package). This baby is almost 7 pounds, so it will roast for approximately 2 1/2 hours, or until a thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 180 degrees F, the legs move freely and the juices run clear.


This is a very easy and very delicious dinner. We served it with a salad and lightly sauteed asparagus and mushrooms.


Roast Duck

1 whole duck, giblets removed and rinsed
1 whole orange (cut in half if desired)
1 whole apple (cut in half if desired)
Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place duck on rack in roasting pan. Place orange and apple in cavity. Place giblets in the bottom of the pan, along with about 1 inch of water. Rub entire duck with Kosher salt (a few tablespoons total).

Roast duck according to weight (see list below), or until a thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 180 degrees F, the legs move freely and the juices run clear. Keep an eye on the duck, add water if needed, and if the duck is getting too brown, loosely drape a piece of foil over the top for the last 1/2 hour or so.

4 pounds, 1 hour 25 minutes
4 1/2 pounds, 1 hour 40 minutes
5 pounds, 1 hour 50 minutes
5 1/2 pounds, 2 hours
6 pounds, 2 hours 15 minutes
6 1/2 pounds, 2 hours 25 minutes

Black Forest Upside-Down Cakes

I love Black Forest Cake, actually anything that combines chocolate and cherries! I'm excited to try this new recipe, from the pages of Everyday Food magazine, for the dessert accompanying our At-Home Valentine's Day Dinner.

I will be doubling the recipe to serve 4. I can't wait!

So I discovered my ramekins are only 7 ounces, instead of 8...I didn't use all the cherries, but I packed them in, maybe about 1/2 cup per ramekin. Also, I broke out the Kitchenaid. Sorry, but really, mixing brown sugar and butter "with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy??" Riiiiight. I tried, but it just didn't happen. Kitchenaid was a necessity here. Or at least use an electric mixer. Just take my word for it. I had to bake the cakes an extra 10 minutes, but if you don't live at altitude you probably won't have to adjust it that much.

These cakes are delicious! We added just a touch of rum to the cream and Number One whipped it up. I had doubled the recipe to make four cakes, he quadrupled the cream to make a decent amount of whipped cream. I don't think it was too much, and we used it all on our four cakes. You should make more whipped cream as well. Really, isn't that the perfect amount?


The magazine's quick tip: Bake the cakes after you prep the salad, then make the steak and shrimp.


Black Forest Upside-Down Cakes
Serves 2
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes + cooling

If you can't find jarred sour cherries, substitute frozen sweet cherries, thawed and drained, and use 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice instead of the cherry juice in step 1.

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
1 1/2 cups drained jarred sour cherries (1 teaspoon juice reserved)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 large egg yolk
3 tablespoons whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons rum

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cherry juice in the bottom of each of two 8-ounce ramekins. Microwave ramekins until butter and brown sugar are melted and bubbling, about 1 minute. Arrange cherries in a tightly packed layer in the bottom of each ramekin.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. In another small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stir in egg yolk, then flour mixture and milk. Divide batter between ramekins.

3. Place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake comes out with only a few crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack, 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat cream, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and rum until soft peaks form. Run a paring knife around edge of each cake and invert onto a plate. Serve cakes with rum whipped cream.

Valentine's Day Dinner

It's not often that Number One and I really celebrate Valentine's Day. Our first wedding anniversary (we had two weddings) is the week before, and we barely remember that. This year, it happens we'll be at a luxury resort in Tucson for our anniversary, so we lucked out there.

When the latest Everyday Food magazine came out the other day, they featured this "Valentine's Day" dinner: Eat Out (At Home). That is about our speed these days, and there is plenty of time to plan ahead. The menu sounds just perfect:

Steak and Shrimp with Parsley Potatoes
Caesar Salad
Black Forest Upside-Down Cakes

Of course we'll be doubling all the recipes for four people.

In the meantime, let us know what your plans are!

image from microsoft office clip art

Caesar Salad for Two

This will be the first course for our Valentine's dinner, from the pages of Everyday Food magazine. Caesar salad is one of our favorites, but we really don't have an amazing dressing recipe. Yet.

I'm excited to try out the dressing, because it seems similar to a Caesar dressing I made when I was briefly the "salad girl" at an amazing Italian restaurant in my hometown. I can't remember exactly what was in it, and one of the proprietor's sons was no help when I asked him for the recipe last year. Here's hoping it will measure up!

I couldn't wait for Valentine's day to try this out...so I made it tonight, and doubled it for our family of four. I used a bit too much garlic, and just used a whole tin (2 ounces) of anchovies. I made croutons out of a couple slices of Artisan Bread (how did you guess?)

It was delicious! I think if I ease up on the garlic next time, it will be great. I still have one other Caesar recipe to try out one of these days.

For now, this is the dressing we'll be making. (I used a vegetable peeler to shave the Parm, in case you're wondering)

Note: the original recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of SALT to be added to the anchovies. I'm sure they were kidding...anchovies are plenty salty. I have left if out of the recipe below.



Caesar Salad for Two
Serves 2
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

If doubling this recipe, you can use a blender to make the dressing.

2 thick slices rustic white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 anchovy fillets, minced
1 large egg yolk or 1 tablespoon pasteurized egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 small head romaine lettuce, cored, outer leaves discarded, and heart cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan (there's no way I'm measuring the cheese!)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss bread with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Let croutons cool completely.

On a cutting board, combine garlic, and anchovies. Using a large knife, drag the blade at an angle across the mixture until a paste forms. Transfer to a large bowl and whisk in egg yolk, mustard and lemon juice. Gradually whisk in 3 tablespoons oil. Season with pepper. Just before serving, add croutons and lettuce to dressing and toss; top with Parmesan.

Maggie's Favorite Cranberry Cookies

This recipe comes from a beloved children's book, Cranberry Christmas by Wende and Harry Devlin. When we were growing up, we had both Cranberry Thanksgiving (with a delightful Cranberry Bread recipe) and Cranberry Christmas, both books bright and artful. Lovely pictures, good stories, and...recipes in the back! I loved these books, and I love these cookies!

I really need to track down our old copies of these books, I know my boys will love them. And I can just see H-Bomb wanting to decorate a Christmas tree with seashells, the way I always wanted to...

The cookies are tangy and not as sweet as you'd expect them to be. Just right, and an interesting addition to the traditional Christmas cookie spread.

also pictured, Butter Cookies

Maggie's Favorite Cranberry Cookies
From “Cranberry Christmas,” by Wende and Harry Devlin, 1976

3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 Tblsp lemon juice
3 cups fresh (or frozen) cranberries, stemmed and chopped
1 cup chopped walnuts
raw sugar crystals, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375. Measure flour, baking powder, soda and salt into a bowl; stir with a fork to mix.

Cream butter and sugars in a large bowl till fluffy; beat in egg, milk and lemon juice. Stir in flour a little at a time, until well blended; stir in cranberries and walnuts. Drop dough by teaspoons full, about one inch apart onto greased cookie sheets. (or parchment paper) Sprinkle each with some raw sugar.

Bake 15 minutes, or till firm and golden. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Makes about 8 dozen cookies.

Nutty Orange Coffee Cake

I saw Paula Deen make this coffee cake on the Today Show back in October, but haven't made it yet. It looks so good, and it was fun to see Paula shoving a big piece of it in Al Roker's mouth. Cute! And it just looks so darn easy and delicious.

I was thinking about something special to make for our Christmas morning breakfast this year. Initially I considered our family's Christmas Morning Rolls, but honestly I have mixed results. I decided to try these.

I'll report back after Christmas! I wish I knew if I could put this together ahead of time and just throw it in the oven when we wake up...any thoughts? I don't know if I'm brave enough to try it without some kind of backup plan in place.

What will you be having on Christmas morning?

This coffee cake is fabulous! So orangey and delicious. I didn't make it Christmas Eve for several reasons, the number one reason being I just didn't feel like it. It was pretty easy to throw together in the morning, and we ended up finishing with our gifts early enough to go to a brunch, so we took the cake with us. Everyone loved it.


Nutty orange coffee cake

from Paula Deen via The Today Show

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (pretty finely chopped)
• 2 teaspoons orange zest (didn't measure, used zest from about 1/2 an orange)
• Two 12-ounce cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (10 count)
• One 8-ounce pkg cream cheese
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
• 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar (I didn't sift)
• 2 tablespoon fresh orange juice (I used juice from 1/2 an orange)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 12-cup Bundt pan.

In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar, pecans, and zest; set aside.

Separate the biscuits. Place about 3/4 teaspoon cream cheese in the center of each biscuit. Fold each biscuit in half over the cheese, pressing the edges to seal. Dip the biscuits in melted butter, then dredge in the granulated sugar mixture. Place the biscuits curved-side down, in a single layer in the hollows of the Bundt pan, spacing them evenly (do not stack).

Place any remaining biscuits around the tube, filling in any gaps. Drizzle any remaining butter over the biscuits, and sprinkle with any remaining sugar mixture.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Immediately invert the cake onto a serving platter.

Combine the confectioners' sugar and orange juice, stirring well; drizzle the glaze over the warm cake. Serve warm.

Orange Rosemary Roasted Turkey

Can't believe I forgot to post this recipe from our Thanksgiving dinner! This turkey would also make a lovely Christmas dinner extra special.

This was the highlight of our holiday table, moist and delicious and perfect. Everyone loved the turkey. It was so easy to get ready. I had already made Homemade Gravy the day before, so I didn't have to mess with preparing gravy while everyone was waiting for dinner. The next time, I will definitely try the Orange Rosemary Gravy (recipe soon!). I had actually planned on making it after dinner, but I was so tired that I simply forgot, and then I fell asleep and then it was too late. Next time!

I did add a can of broth before I put the turkey in the oven, honestly I think it could have used another half-can or more.


Orange Rosemary Roasted Turkey
Hands-on time: 15 minutes Total time: 3 hours, 40 minutes (includes resting) Serves 8 (with leftovers)

2 onions, cut into wedges
2 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
8 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 small oranges, halved
1 12- to 14-pound turkey, giblets removed (our turkey weighed over 18 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (if needed)~I added 1 can of broth to the pan before roasting
Fresh fruit and herbs for garnish (optional)

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large roasting pan, scatter the onions, carrots and 2 sprigs of rosemary; place 4 orange halves in the corners of the pan, cut side up.

Stuff the turkey with the remaining 6 sprigs of rosemary and 2 orange halves. Tie the legs together with twine and tuck the wings underneath the body. Place the turkey on top of the vegetables, brush with the oil, and season with 1 teaspoon salt.

Roast the turkey until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. (Cover the bird loosely with foil if it browns too quickly and add the broth to the pan if the vegetables begin to scorch.)

Carefully tilt the turkey to empty the juices from the cavity into the pan. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for at least 25 minutes before carving. Garnish with the fruit and herbs, if using. Reserve the pan and its contents for the Orange-Rosemary Gravy.

Classic Green Bean Casserole

This Thanksgiving, both Number One and I were really craving Green Bean Casserole. You know the one, with the canned French fried onions on top, and the creamy mushroom soup? I know you know it. It's sooooo good. We had to have it.

I found this recipe at Campbell's Kitchen, it makes Green Bean Casserole just the way you remember it. One thing to note: the beans need to be cooked before you mix them in. I used frozen green beans, cooked them as directed on the package, then mixed them into the soup and other ingredients. Just perfect.



Classic Green Bean Casserole

Prep: 10 minutes
Bake: 30 minutes

Serves: 6

Campbell's says: "It's the dish everyone's expecting on the holidays, but it's so easy to make, you can serve it any day. What makes our green bean casserole so good? A secret ingredient - cream of mushroom soup."

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Dash ground black pepper
4 cups cooked cut green beans
1 1/3 cups French's® French Fried Onions, divided

Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.

Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the bean mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining 2/3 cup onions.

Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.

Tip: Use 1 bag (16 to 20 ounces) frozen green beans, 2 packages (9 ounces each) frozen green beans, 2 cans (about 16 ounces each) green beans or about 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans for this recipe.

For Broccoli Casserole, substitute 4 cups cooked broccoli flowerets for the green beans.

For cheese lovers, stir in 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese with soup. Omit the soy sauce. Sprinkle with an additional 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese when adding the remaining onions.

To add a festive touch, stir in 1/4 cup chopped red pepper with the soup.

To add crunch, add 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds to the onion topping.

For bacon lovers, add 2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, to the bean mixture.

For Golden Green Bean Casserole, substitute Campbell's® Condensed Golden Mushroom Soup for the Cream of Mushroom Soup. Omit the soy sauce. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped red pepper with the green beans.

Cheddar Chutney Bites

I found this recipe in an ad for Cabot Cheese in the latest Martha Stewart Living magazine. I love the idea of miniature cheese balls, and I thought it would be a perfect appetizer for Thanksgiving.

Of course we couldn't find Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar, so we used an Extra Sharp White Cheddar, possibly from Tillamook, I can't remember. We used cashews for rolling.

These were delicious, as long as you like strong cheddar cheese! We served ours with Artisan Bread Crostini, and actually Number One rolled them a bit bigger than they should have been.

We will be making these again, possibly with some changes for more chutney flavor. I'll keep you posted~


Cabot Cheddar Chutney Bites
Makes about 24

16 ounces Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar, grated (about 4 cups)
6 tablespoons cream cheese
2 tablespoons Major Grey's Chutney (this is a mango chutney)
2/3 cup finely chopped peanuts or cashews

Combine cheddar cheese, cream cheese and chutney in bowl; mash with fork until mixture is well blended and holds together easily.

Shape mixture into 1-inch balls; roll balls in chopped nuts. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

Pumpkin Flan

I found this recipe in the latest Martha Stewart Living magazine. It's an excerpt from a new cookbook from one of Martha's own, Lucinda Scala Quinn's Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys.

The notes say that "canned pumpkin works perfectly well," but I would lean toward a fresh pumpkin puree, if you can. You can find details of roasting fresh pumpkin in this post.

This flan is amazing! Cath and I LOVED it. Number One said he didn't love it, but who cares! This is going to be a new holiday tradition because I said so. It is delicious, a perfect blend of spices, lighter than pumpkin pie, and the caramelized top was wonderful. Simply delicious.


Pumpkin Flan
Serves 8

1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup cooked pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups half-and-half or cream
5 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Put the granulated sugar in a 9-inch cake pan or pie plate, set on the center rack in the oven, and bake until the sugar is caramel colored, 8 to 12 minutes. Swirl to cover the bottom of the pie plate with the caramel.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Stir in pumpkin puree. In a medium bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, eggs and vanilla. Thoroughly blend the egg mixture into the pumpkin puree.

4. Set the pie plate in a large roasting pan, and pour the custard over the caramel. Carefully pour enough hot tap water into the roasting pan to reach halfway up the sides of the pie plate. Bake until the custard is set, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool and chill in the refrigerator. Run a knife around the outside edge of the flan and invert it onto a rimmed plate. Cut into wedges or scoop and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

You know how much we love Bobby Flay. I think you do. Do you? We love Bobby for his flank steak, his Cuban burgers, his grilled pizza, his grilling in general. So when I saw he had paired with Best Foods (Helmann's for those of you East of the Mississippi) for some holiday recipes, I was excited!

I saw the two-page advertisement in this month's Real Simple magazine. It has four great recipes--a Turkey Cuban, Apple-Cranberry Crisp, Loaded Mashed Potatoes, and this one that was calling our names: Disappearing Buffalo Chicken Dip.

This dip was the surprise hit of the appetizer table this Thanksgiving. It's easy to throw together, and perfectly delicious. Number One thought it could use a bit more Frank's Red Hot Sauce, but the rest of us thought it was just right.

We mixed up the dip the night before, and refrigerated it in a casserole dish. We baked it in the oven right before we wanted to eat it. Perfect! Served with Artisan Bread Crostini and celery sticks.


Disappearing Buffalo Chicken Dip
from Best Foods & Bobby Flay

Makes 3 cups
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

2 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken
1/4 cup cayenne pepper sauce (such as Frank's Red Hot Sauce--our favorite)
1 cup Best Foods Mayonnaise
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Toss chicken with cayenne pepper sauce. Stir in remaining ingredients except blue cheese. Turn into 1 1/2-quart shallow casserole, then sprinkle with the blue cheese.

*Cover and refrigerate here if making ahead*

Bake uncovered 20 minutes or until bubbling. Serve, if desired, with celery and/or your favorite dippers.

Three Cranberry Sauces!

Cranberry Sauces--- yes I make three different cranberry sauces for Thanksgiving. My brother Robert called me today and we got to talking about cranberry sauce. He is making a fresh sauce to contribute to his Thanksgiving dinner. I told him about the sauces that I was making and he suggested I share them on Min's blog---so here they are, ENJOY !

The fresh sauce is my mother's recipe----you just have to make this one----easy and very good. The next one my sister Maraley found this recipe on NPR. It has horseradish and sour cream---yummmmmmm! The last but not least is just a good basic cooked cranberry sauce that is super easy.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone !

Cooked Cranberry Sauce
12 oz. fresh cranberries
2 cups sugar
1 cup orange juice
Mix and cook in microwave till cranberries pop their skins.

Fresh Cranberry Sauce
Food Processor:
1 orange & 12 oz. fresh cranberries
Stir in 1 cup sugar, mix well.
Chill 24 hrs. Keeps 2 weeks

Cranberry Relish (NPR)
2 cups chopped cranberries
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
2-3 TBL horseradish
Mix together. Keeps 6 weeks.

Min's Thanksgiving Menu, 2009

Thanksgiving 2009

~~~~~

Hors d'Oeuvres:

Homemade Boursin

Chicken Liver Pâté

Artichoke & Spinach Relish*

Cheddar Chutney Bites*

Buffalo Chicken Dip*

Artisan Bread Crostini

Crackers, Celery Sticks


Main/Sides:

Orange Rosemary Roasted Turkey*

Classic Dressing

Mashed Potatoes

Gravy

Green Bean Casserole

Rolls & Butter

Cranberry Sauce


Desserts:

Maple Pecan Pie

Fresh Pumpkin Pie

Pear Pie

Key Lime Pie

Pumpkin Flan*

~~~~~

As usual, * indicates a brand new recipes we haven't tried before. I do realize I have a "*" on the turkey...but doesn't it sound fabulous?

This Thanksgiving, we will be celebrating with some dear friends of ours, and honestly we feel like it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without them! We are so excited they will be joining us, and it's becoming a tradition that we all get together. I like it.

The other great thing about this year, Cath and I are basically sharing duties and dividing up the menu. It is such a relief, for both of us, to not have to "Do It All." Last year we had some help from Cath and other friends, but we still prepared most of the main dishes. I love cooking for people, but this year it's just nice to have some of the (self-imposed) pressure off, you know?

So here it is, our menu for Thanksgiving 2009. Some traditional dishes, some new, some already here, some will be posted after the holiday.

Let us know what you're having!