Thanksgiving 2016

MENU:

Appetizers:
Deviled Eggs
Balsamic Poached Pear Crustini

Dinner:
Roasted Turkey
Mashed Potatoes
Candied Yams
Sage Sausage Dressing
Baked Beans
Butternut Squash and Kale Salad
Roasted Corn on the Cob
Cranberry Mousse
Rolls (see bread recipe page)

Dessert:
Pumpkin Pie
Dutch Apple Pie

TUESDAY:

Prep:

1. Chop herbs, onions, celery, and carrots for stuffing/dressing.
2. Make Rolls (see bread recipes)
3. Make Strawberry Jello for cranberry mousse - use directions on  box, but subsititute cranberry juice for cold water.
4. Make Pie Crust

 Flaky Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

8 tbsp butter

6 tbsp Crisco shortening

1 tbsp white vinegar

2 tbsp - 1/4 cup water

Using a fork or a pastry blender, mix butter, shortening, salt, and flour together until it looks like small beads. Add vinegar and 2 tbsp water and mix until dough forms. If it is too dry to mix add water, a tbsp at a time until it comes together. Roll into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest 20 minutes (can be refrigerated for up to 3 days). After resting, roll out into 2 circles for your pie.

WED - DAY BEFORE

Make Deviled Eggs, see recipe link above

Roast Squash

Poach Pears

Roast Yams/Sweet Potatoes and Squash 2 pounds sweet potatoes. peel and cube. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake on a sheet pan at 350F for 20 minutes (they will finish baking day of). Refrigerate for thanksgiving.

Baked Beans: 2 (11 oz) pork and beans. 1/4 cup ketchup. 1 tbsp deli style brown mustard, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp maple syrup. Mix together. Cook on stove top day of for 15-30 minutes, or until desired thickness is reached. Put into oven (or microwave) safe casserole dish.

Pumpkin Pie: 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (NOT pie mix/filling), 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk, 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice mix. Pour into uncooked pie crust. Bake 350F until set, about 40 minutes. Cool, cover and refrigerate until day of.

Dutch Apple Pie

DAY OF (in order):

Roast Turkey
1 bone-in turkey (or bone-in turkey breast)
1 yellow onion, quartered
1 carrot, cut into 3 chunks
1 celery stlak with leaves, cut into chunks
3 bay leaves
5 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp Seasoning Salt (such as Johnny's)
1 tsp dried ground sage
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp butter or oil
for gravy: 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp AP flour, salt and pepper to taste.
Mix Seasoning salt, sage, paprika and pepper together, set aside. Rinse and pat dry turkey. Gently seperate skin from breast meat, so you can rub 1 tbsp butter and half the seasoning on the meat. Rub the skin with the other 1 tbsp butter and remainder of seasoning. Place the onion, carrot, celery, 1 bay leave, garlic in the cavity. In a large roasting pan with a bottom tray, pour in the water. But the 2 bay leaves in the water. Place the turkey breast up on the rack in the pan. Cover (if the pan does not have a lid, use a foil "tent"). Bake at 325F for 20 minutes per pound. For the last 30 minutes, heat the oven to 425F and take of the cover to brown the skin, basting once. Thickest part of the turkey should reach 170F when done. Remove and discard veggies.
For gravy: in a bowl, mix butter and flour. Use drippings from pan, pour into sauce pot. Whisk in butter mixture. Boil on high heat until it's desired thickness is reached.

Assemble appetizer: crustini on bottom, smear of goat cheese or brie, slice of poached pear on top. 

Sage, Sausage, and Apple Dressing

1 stick butter, unsalted

1 medium onion, finely diced

3 large stocks celery

2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped

1 pound Italian bulk sausage

2 garlic cloves, pressed

3 tsp poultry seasoning

4 tsp dried sage

2 tsp dried parsley flakes

2 tsp dried thyme

24 oz toasted/dry bread cubes

1 1/2 - 2 cups (1 pint) vegetable stock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Melt the butter in a large skillet and sauté the onions, celery, garlic, apples, and sausage, breaking up the sausage as you cook. When sausage is done add the seasonings and walnuts. Add the bread and moisten with the vegetable stock, add a little at a time stirring continuously, until all bread is moistened. Season stuffing with salt and pepper, to taste.

Place into a buttered casserole dish and bake (at same temp as turkey) for 35-45 minutes, or until top is browned.

Roast Corn

Mashed Potatoes
4 baking potatoes, peeled and diced
4 tbsp butter
1/2 cup cream
1 tsp salt and pepper
Boil potatoes in a large stock pan until tender, do not over cook. Mash with potato masher or a ricer keep in pan. Add butter cream and salt and pepper. Mix over low heat until butter is melted and everything is incorporated. Serve in a serving bowl immediately. 

Candied Sweet Potatoes

sweet potatoes (roasted previously)

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced, plus more for greasing the baking dish

1 (10 1/2-ounce) bag mini marshmallows

Directions

Coat the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish with 2 tablespoons butter. 

Spread sweet potatoes out in the 13X9 dish. Sprinkle with salt, butter and sugar. Then top with marshmallows. Bake until the marshmallows are golden, about 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.

Heat baked beans in microwave ( 5 minutes) or oven (20 minutes)

Make Whipped Cream refrigerate until dessert time.

Warm rolls in oven, until warm, about 10 minutes.

Week of Nov 20, 2016

Sun - Ham Dinner
Mon - Ham Pie
Tue -Homemade Pizza
Wed - Stouffer's Frozen Dinner
Thur - Thanksgiving 2016!
Fri - Turkey Soup

Ham Dinner

1 large ham (7+ lbs, this ham will be used in 4 recipes through out this and next week) cook according to directions on packaging - usually 20-30 minutes per pound in a 350F oven. I cover with foil except for the last 30 minutes, which is when I put on the glaze. Contact me for my glaze recipe.Serve with garlic mashed potatoes, green beans (or other veggie), and rolls.

Ham Pie

Crust:

NOTE: this is for 1 top and 1 bottom crust. I will be doubling to make 2, for thanksgiving pies.
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
8 tbsp butter
8 tbsp Crisco shortening
1 tsp white vinegar
2 tbsp - 1/4 cup water

Filling
2 cup diced ham
1 can condensed cream mushroom soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 pats of butter
1 can whole corn

To make crust: using a fork or a pastry blender, mix butter, shortening, salt, and flour together until it looks like small beads. Add vinegar and 2 tbsp water and mix until dough forms. If it is too dry to mix add water, a tbsp at a time until it comes together. Roll into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest 20 minutes (can be refrigerated for up to 3 days). After resting, roll out into 2 circles for your pie.
To make pie: Put 1 circle of crust in the bottom of the pan. Add 1/2 the ham to the bottom, then 1/2 the cheese and 1/2 of the corn. Spread 1/2 the soup on top. Repeat 1 more time. Put the butter on, then the top crust on. Make sure to slit a few hole on top for venting. Brush with egg wash. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until crust is golden brown.

Homemade Pepperoni Pizza
dough (for 2 pizzas):
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp salt2 tbsp olive oil plus 2 tsp to bush on crust
3/4 warm (about 100-110F) water
1 tsp (about 1/4 oz or 1 packet) dry active yeast
2 cups AP flour (or 1 cup AP and 1 cup Whole Wheat)
corn meal for dusting pantoppings (for 2 pizzas):
2 cups pizza or pasta sauce
2 cup pepperoni slices
3-4 cups shredded mozzerella cheese
2-4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Place yeast, sugar and warm water in a small bowl. Stir. Allow the yeast to work, let stand 5 minutes or until a foam forms on top. (NOTE: If this does not happen after 10 min, the yeast may have been bad, or the water may have been to hot so the yeast may be dead, or if water is too cold it doesn't activate.) 
.Place flour and salt in a bowl of a mixer. Stir together Using the paddle attachment. Add the oil to the yeast mixture., Start the mixer on low and mix until the dough just comes together, forming a ball. Lube the hook attachment with cooking spray. Attach the hook to the mixer and knead for 15 minutes on medium speed. Take out of  bowl. Roll into a ball. Grease a large, clean, mixing bow. Place the dough in the greased bowl, cover, and allow to rest and rise for an hour.

Separate the dough into 2 halves. If not baking the remaining pizza immediately, spray the inside of a ziptop bag with cooking spray and place the dough ball into the bag. Refrigerate for up to 6 days. Knead the dough for 5-15 minutes, or until it is stretchy and does not break easy.

Preheat oven to 475F. Roll out the dough, either by stretching it with your hands, or if your not that brave, use a rolling pin. Roll/stretch the dough until it is thin as you like. Lay on parchment paper. Dress and bake the pizza immediately for a crisp crust or rest the dough for 30 minutes if you want a chewy, bread-like texture.

Brush the rim of the pizza with olive oil. Spread the pizza sauce evenly onto the pizza. Put on toppings. Slide the pizza onto the pizza stone or pan, bake for 7 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. 

PAN PIZZA (pic above)- push the dough into a greased 9 inch pie plate. Sauce, top, and bake as above, except bake for 20 minutes or until crust on sides are golden 

Week of Nov 13th, 2016

Mac n' Cheese

Sun - French Toast
Mon - Marsala Braised Beef
Tue - Roast Chicken Chili and Corn Bread
Wed - Mac and Cheese
Thurs - Orange Chicken
Fri - Patty Melts

Marsala Baised Beef
1 Jar Safeway Simmer Sauce - Mushroom Wine Sauce
1 1/2 lb Beef Roast, cubed, OR stew meat
8 zo sliced baby portabella mushrooms

Brown outside beef in a skillet over high heat on all sides. Transfer to CrockPot, add sauce and mushrooms. Cook 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. 
Serve with mashed potatoes or fettachine noodles.

Roast Chicken Chili
3 cups shredded Roast Chicken meat
2 boxes Chicken Broth
1 (4.5 oz) can chopped green chilis (mild)
2 (15 oz) cans (white) Cannellini beans
1 (15 oz) can sweet corn whole kernels
2 tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder (more or less, depending on how spicy you want it)

Drain beans. Mix all ingredents in a large stock pot. Heat to boiling. Simmer 10 minutes, to allow flavors to mix. Serve. Top with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and/or chopped yellow onion.

3 Cheese Mac n' Cheese

2 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

3 cups milk

1 cup EACH sharp cheddar, provolone, and gouda, shredded 

4 oz cream cheese

1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

Salt and Pepper to taste

Fresh black pepper

Topping (optional): 3 tbsp butter,1 cup bread crumbs. if you desire a crispy topping. Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Boil the pasta to al dente, according to package. The water, like all pasta water, should be salted before hand until it tastes like salt water.

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter on a med-high heat. Whisk in the flour, turn down the heat to low, and keep it moving for about 2-5 minutes, until it smells nutty. Make sure it's free of lumps. Turn the heat back up to high and stir in the milk, simmer, stirring constantly, until it starts to bubble. Turn down heat to medium. Stir in cream cheese, until incorporated  Stir in 1/3 of the cheese at a time, waiting for each patch to melt. Season with salt and pepper and nutmeg. Fold the macaroni into the mix. Taste, add more salt and pepper if needed. May serve now

OR  if desired, bake to get a crispy crust: pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. top with extra cheese and/or topping. Bake for 10-30 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving. (baked option showed above).

Orange Chicken

vegetable oil to cover bottom of large skillet OR deep frier

2 boneless chicken breasts, sliced into 1 inch cubes

Salt and pepper

Breading:

1/2 cup flour

1 (8 oz) box panko bread crumbs

2 cups corn starch

1 egg and ½ cup milk beat together.

Milk

Sauce:

4 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 4 teaspoons water

2 oranges, juice of both and zest of 1

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup chicken stock

Directions

Mix flour and panko. Set up breading station for chicken. Soak chicken in milk. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Cover each piece in corn starch, then egg mix, then panko mix. 

In the large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add coated chicken to pan. Fry chicken until golden brown.

In a sauce pan, stir together juice, zest, sugar, vinegar and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in cornstarch mixture and bring liquid to a simmer. Simmer until reduced. Serve over chicken and cooked jasmine rice.

Week of Nov 6, 2016

Sun - Swiss Steak

Piroshky - broke open

Mon - Beef Stew 

Tue - Piroshky - Onion/Beef, Side Salad

Wed - Pollo a al Crema

Thur - Ramen Soup

Fri - Chicken Cattitore 

Easy "Swiss Steak"

4 steaks (cheap ones are fine, high quality steak - is NOT necessary for this recipe)1 can cream of mushroom soup1 pkt onion soup mix (OR mushroom gravy powdered mix)1 1/2 can water
1 (8 oz) sliced, button or baby portobella mushroomsThickener (if needed) 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp flour mixed together.Mix soups and water together in a 9x13 pan, put in steaks. Make sure to cover the steaks with the liquid. Add in mushrooms.Cover pan with foil, bake 350F for 3 hours. Checking liquid level (make sure all the water didn't evaporate) every hour.If the baking liquid is lumpy stir to combine. Stir in thickener if needed. Taste gravy, add salt and pepper as necessary. Serve liquid as gravy over steaks and mashed potatoes. We like seasoned green beans as a side.

Piroshky
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
salt and pepper
2 cups swiss or provolone cheese
Make roll dough (see bread recipes page)
In a large skillet, cook meat and onion over medium heat. Chop meat to keep in small peices. Cook until beef is browned.
At the end of the roll recipe, make the rolls and fill them with the beef mixture and a sprinkle of cheese before baking. 
bake at 350F for 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Pollo a la Creman (Chicken in Cream Sauce)

Pollo a al Crema

2 boneless chicken breast, cubed

1/2 a medium onion, sliced

1 cup bell pepper, sliced (I use the multi-colored mix you can get in the frozen foods isle)

1 cup sliced button mushrooms

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp salt and pepper, each

1 tbsp taco mix (recipe below)

1/2 cup cream or half and half

1 cup sour cream (or mexican crema)

heat oil in large skillet, medium heat, add chicken, bell pepper, onion, mushrooms, salt pepper and taco mix. cook until chicken is cooked through. stir in cream and sour cream, heat thru. Serve with tortillas.

Angela's Taco Seasoning:

1 1/2 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp garlic salt

1 tbsp onion powder

2 tbsp ground cumin

1/2 - 2 tsp cayenne pepper - depending on how spicy you want it

Oven Baked Beef Stew

2 lbs beef stew meat

2 cups red wine

water

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 bay leaves

8 oz bag of baby carrots

1 cup of pearl onions

3 celery, chopped

4 medium potatoes, cubed

2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp butter

Brown stew meat in a saute pan on high heat, just until brown, 2-3 minutes. Add ingredients, except potatoes, into a 9x13 pan. Add water until the liquid is barely covering the meat and veggies. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 2 hours. Add potatoes, and more water if needed, and cook another 45 minutes, or until potatoes are done. If the sauce is not thick enough, mix the flour and butter together and mix into the sauce.

Ramen Soup

http://www.kikkomanusa.com/homecooks/recipes/recipedetail.php?rd=13308#.WB5rNPkrJPY
I will be making my own stock for this.

Chicken Cattitore
1 whole chicken, in pieces (breast piece, leg, etc)
1 box Chicken Broth 
2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes
1/2 medium onion 
3. Transfer to crock pot. Add in chicken. 
4. Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours.
5. serve with cooked pasta, chopped parsley, and shredded Parmesan cheese.

WEEK OF Oct 30, 2016

Sun - Goulash
Mon (Halloween) - Mummy Hot Dogs

Mummy Dogs (Pillsbury)

Tue - Chicken Taco Salad

Wed - Baked Potato Chowder 

Thur - Penne and Sausages

Fri - Moussaka

American Goulash (or Beefaroni)

1 lb ditalini or macaroni
1 lb ground beef, sprinkled with seasoning salt
15 oz tomato sauce
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Sprinkle ground beef with seasoning salt. Brown over medium heat. Drain. If pan is very greasy, use paper towel to clean out. Return meat to pan. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package. Drain, keep warm. Mix tomato sauce, sugar and seasonings together. Stir sauce with meat in pan over medium heat. Stir in pasta. Mix until all pasta is covered and sauce is warm. Taste, add salt and pepper as needed.

Taco Salad

1 (about 11 oz) sack Doritos or any corn tortilla chips

1-2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (using left over from roast chicken) OR 1 lb Ground Beef, browned, crumbled and drained

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 package taco seasoning

1 cup lettuce or cabbage

3 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 can black beans

Handful cilantro leaves, chopped

Juice of 1 lime

2 cups each shredded Monterey Jack and sharp Cheddar cheese

Salsa and sour cream or salad dressing (optional)

Sprinkle chicken with taco seasoning. Heat chicken and beans, on stove or microwave until hot. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, remaining onions, jalapenos, cilantro, and the juice of the lime in a large bowl. 

Layer salad: chips on bottom, then meat mix, veggie mix, handful of lettuce or cabbage, top with cheese, and salsa and sour cream or salad dressing.

Baked Potato Soup
3 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 box stock (chicken or veggie), heated
4 large baker potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup minced chives
grated Cheddar Cheese
1/2 lb bacon, cooked crispy and broken up to chunks
Directions
In a large saucepot, over high heat melt the butter add the garlic. Cook over medium heat until fragrant. Add the hot stock and whisk to combine. Add potatoes. Add enough hot water to just cover potatoes. Stir in salt and pepper. Boil until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, cook bacon. DO NOT DRAIN potato water.
When potatoes are ready, mash in water with a masher. Leaving some lumps depending on how chunky you like your soup. Stir in the milk, cream, sour cream, and 1/2 the chopped bacon. Heat through, boil until desired thickness is reached. Serve in bowls with chives, cheese, bacon pieces and extra sour cream if desired.

Penne and Sausages

3 cups dry penne pasta

1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce

1 package (4 sausages, 12 oz) Chicken Sausages Smoked Mozzarella w/Artichoke & Garlic (or similar sausages)

Shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook penne and sausages according to packages. Drain. Cut sausages on a diagonal and add to pasta. Heat sauce and stir into pasta and sausages. Serve with shredded cheese.

Mousaka

2 large baking potato

2-3 zucchini squash

2 egg plant OR 3 summer squash

2 tsp each salt and pepper

4 cups shredded cheese (mozzarella, or Italian mix is best)

24 oz or about 2 1/2 cups of marinara/spaghetti sauce

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 lb Italian sausage or ground beef or pork, browned and crumbled (optional, this can be made vegetarian if desired)

1 cup béchamel (white cream sauce) or canned Alfredo sauce

Slice potato, squash and/or egg plant thin. Boil potatoes until almost done - 5 minutes or so.

In a large bowl mix the marinara sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg.

In a 9x13 pan, spread a light layer of marinara on the bottom of the pan. Next, put a layer of potato slices. Sprinkle (each veggie layer) with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with sauce and meat. Then repeat with other veggies until pan is almost full. Last, add the white sauce and the rest of the shredded cheese on top.

Bake at 350, covered with foil, in the oven until warm and veggies are tender.- about 40 minutes. If desired, take foil off for the last 10 minutes to brown cheese.