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Archive for the Thanksgiving category.
BE PREPARED!!!
THIS POST IS LIFE CHANGING!
Do you make the Thanksgiving Turkey? How is your gravy? Do you struggle with making it smooth, not lumpy? Is your gravy shiny and takes a while to thicken? This trick will change your life and make your gravy better than ever before! Wait for it…wait for it…… SCHMALTZ BALLS!
Schmaltz Balls
I bet schmaltz balls is not something you hear every day. You will do yourself a big favor if these become a staple in your home! So, here’s the story, if you have ever made a turkey or chicken and tried to make gravy, you know it can be difficult to create a perfect consistency. Schmaltz balls change that forever.
First thing you need to do: Before we get any closer to your Thanksgiving turkey, BAKE A CHICKEN!
Schmaltz balls are a combination of flour and chicken fat. So, bake a chicken now so you can make schmaltz balls for Thanksgiving day. Sounds crazy, I know, but seriously, it will change the way you make gravy forever. I am fortunate that I roast a whole chicken every week as a general practice, but for those of you who do not, it is a great practice a few weeks before Thanksgiving. You can do a dry run on a much smaller bird, while also producing the chicken fat you will need for your schmaltz balls. Schmaltz balls are an equal combination of chicken fat and flour.
After you remove your chicken from the pan, set aside the drippings. Once cool, the fat will solidify. Measure the solid chicken fat and add the same amount of flour. Mix together well. Roll the combination into 1 1/2 inch balls. They can be frozen for later use. As a matter of fact, I keep schmaltz balls in my freezer year round.
The theory? When you make gravy by adding in flour directly to the pan, it gets lumpy. If you use cornstarch, gravy appears shiny and unappetizing. Instead, the schmaltz balls, when added to your turkey’s drippings, will gradually “melt” into the drippings and gradually thicken into a perfectly even and smooth gravy.
Molasses Turkey Gravy
I baste my turkey with molasses, giving the bird a dark beautiful skin and adding tons of flavor to drippings
Strain pan drippings, eliminating as much fat as possible (I use a fat separator)
Return drippings to pan over low heat
Add a little milk
Stir well
Add 1st schmaltz ball and stir until completely dissolved
Continue to add milk and schmaltz balls until desired consistency is achieved
Season as needed (Molasses usually creates a saltiness as it caramelizes in pan)
Other Great Thanksgiving posts:
My Turkey and Chestnut Stuffing Recipes
Thanksgiving Caviar Display
My most prized culinary possession is my caviar staircase! I was searching through my photos from previous Thanksgivings to post some additional recipes from my Thanksgiving repertoire, but when I found this picture, I just had to share!
Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday, and it is the only day each year, unless we have a spectacular cocktail party, which we have not done in years, when the staircase appears. This glass staircase is from TRU in Chicago, my favorite restaurant, second only to Picasso in Las Vegas. I fell in love with the staircase the 1st time I dined there, but after multiple experiences, I had to have it. They shipped me one from Chicago and now it is the premier appetizer at my Thanksgiving Day feast.
Most would claim Beluga Caviar is the best, but my preference is Osetra. It is priced between Beluga and Sevruga. I find it to be little more briny than the Beluga and slightly sweeter. Sevruga is my least favorite of the premium caviars. It seems to have a smokey taste, in my opinion. Unfortunately, with the restrictions on Russian Caviar imports over the last few years, the costs have risen dramatically. American sturgeon is a joke and anyone who says otherwise is fooling themselves. I have tried to serve it, and I’d rather eat the flying fish roe from the grocery store than American Osetra. But, I digress…..
The staircase has 8 “steps” and the way it is used at TRU is to serve all three caviars, along with creme fraiche, capers, egg yolk, egg whites, diced red onion and sour cream. *mouth waters* Since I only serve one type of caviar, I double up on the caviar and sour cream. I made my own blinis once, but given how extensive my menu is (as you will see in upcoming posts), I now purchase them instead at Di Bruno Brothers when I buy my caviar.
Every year when I pull the staircase from the cabinet, it puts a smile on my face!
Do you like caviar?
Pumpkin Margarita Test Run Photo!
I apologize for the photo, but I wasn’t planning on doing a blog post! Every year I have a “signature cocktail” at my Thanksgiving Feast, this year it will be a pumpkin margarita. I posted the above photo from my cell phone on twitter and facebook and I had requests for the recipe, so this is the easiest way to circulate that!
It was delicious, but a little thicker than I had hoped so I would recommend adding a little club soda before shaking.
Pumpkin Margaritas
2 oz. Tequila (I use Patron or Cabo Wabo)
1 can Pumpkin puree
½ cup Brown sugar
¼ cup Sugar
1 Tbsp. Cinnamon
1 pinch Nutmeg
2 cups Water
½ oz. Triple Sec
½ Lime juice
Club soda
Make pumpkin simple syrup by combining pumpkin puree with brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and water in a saucepan over low heat. Stir for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, cool, and strain. Combine the juice of half a lime, tequila, triple sec and 2 oz. pumpkin simple syrup. Add a little club soda to thin. Shake well and serve on the rocks.
Please add a comment later on how yours turned out and if you changed anything!
Enjoy!
Nov
23rd
My 2009 Thanksgiving table
I LOVE THANKSGIVING!!!! Truly, I love it! Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday. If you knew how many pictures of food, table settings and, well, food, I just went through from last year, you would realize just how much I love this holiday! Each year I try to change up the menu a bit to make it different, but some things remain the same. I prepare a big gourmet mac and cheese for the 1:00 football game. There are appetizers beginning at 4:00 and dinner at 6:00, followed by my home baked pies, truffles, candies and pumpkin cheesecake.
My table setting sets the tone for the day, so I stress over my flowers each year. Also, I have favors at each person’s seat. For years I just had chocolate turkeys, but they were $5 a piece and I always had more than half left behind. Last year I found cute turkey decorated tissue packs. In 2008, I found great leaf shaped book marks. This year I will be doing…oh…. I can’t tell you! You’ll have to wait until Friday to find out!
Thanksgiving Table
My table also has place cards to eliminate the chaos of seating, since we have a different group each year, and there are children involved. As you can see above, last year I threw out the traditional paper cards and made cookies with everyone’s names. They were a big hit!
Turkey Cookies for place cards
Writing in icing…not as easy as I thought!
It was well worth it. The children loved them and the adults appreciated the effort. I am sad to say that this year, I return to paper! My schedule is packed and I will be lucky to get done what I can!
I am trying some new things this year for appetizers. I’ve added a smoked trout pate and sausage pinwheel appetizers to my mix. I also always have home made roasted peppers, antipasto platter with 3-4 cheeses, fig jam, and Italian cured meats and olives; caviar served on one of my favorite serving pieces, a caviar staircase from Tru, Chicago; stuffed mushrooms; colossal shrimp cocktail; crab dip and homemade candied nuts.
For dinner I serve Molasses Glazed Turkey. I purchase my turkey fresh, and always plan to blog about buying fresh, local birds, and like this year, I run out of time! My stuffing is chestnut and sage, and I am actually nervous because I usually order my chestnuts weeks ahead, and don’t have them yet! This year’s side dishes also include Jackson Family corn pudding, mashed potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, the best creamed spinach, caramelized brussel sprouts with shitake mushrooms, green bean casserole (yes that one), homemade cranberry sauce and turkey shaped cranberry sauce.
Jellied Cranberry Sauce cut into Turkeys
I bake all of my own breads and like the bread basket to be an array of different colors. I have ordered a large turkey shaped sourdough in the past, but this year I have enlisted Conshohocken Bakery to create one for me so it doesn’t cost me $50! It is really just the “back splash” for my bread basket. I them bake corn bread, sweet potato and zucchini bread and the favorite…..sweet potato biscuits.
Dessert is ridiculous, but I have to do it. (Because I am out of control and cannot stop myself, not because we need it!) I make a pumpkin pie, pecan pie, coconut custard pie, apple pie and pumpkin cheesecake. I try to make each pie different in appearance and special. This year my 9 year old daughter begged for a key lime pie too, so guess what……
Cookie cutters cut leaves for crust
Desserts
Dessert is served
Thanksgiving is the perfect day to bring family together. The families that eat together, stay together ~ somebody profound said that!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Dec
17th
Pumpkin Cheese Cake
A perfect dessert~fall or winter
Crust
1 1/2 cups ground graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 cups toasted pecans (about 6 oz)
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted
Filling
4 8 oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
4 TBSP whipping cream
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
4 large eggs
Topping
1 TBSP purchased caramel sauce
1 cup sour cream
Preheat over to 350 degrees.
For Crust: Grind the graham cracker crumbs, pecans and sugar in processor. Add melted butter and blend until combined. Press crust mixture onto bottoms and sides of 9 inch spring form pan with 2 3/4 inch edges.
Cheese Cake Crust
For Filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until light. Transfer 3/4 cup mixture to a small bowl and cover and refrigerate to use for topping later. Add pumpkin, 4 TBSP whipping cream, cinnamon, and allspice to mixer bowl. Beat until well combined. Add eggs 1 at a time until just combined. Pour filling into pan.
Batter poured into pan prior to baking
Bake until cheesecake puffs, top browns and center moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 1 hour 15 mins. Transfer cheese cake to rack and cool 10 minutes. Run small knife around cake pan sides to loosen cake. Cool. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
Baked Cheese Cake Cooling avec Fall Decor
Bring remaining cream cheese mixture to room temperature. Combine with sour cream. Press down edges of cheese cake to smooth. Pour mixture over cake and spread evenly. Spoon caramel in straight, thin lines across mixture. Using tip of knife, without using pressure, gently draw a line across the cake, perpendicular to caramel sauce. Drag the knife toward you then a line away from you and repeat until caramel design has been created.
Delish!
Absinthe at Alison Two
They know how to party at Alison Two!!
Come out tonight and meet up with old friends!
Enjoy 50% off Bar Menu items from 5PM – 6:30PM
Special Pre-Thanksgiving Drink Special will be available
This is a Turkey-Free Zone!!!
Voted Best Bar Menu by The Best of Food.com
It’s Going to be a Good Time Tonight at MaGerk’s!
Happy Hour 5PM- 7PM $1.50 Yuengling, Coors & Bud Light drafts, $5 Martinis, $4 house wines, $5 Crushes
8PM – 10PM $2 Bud and Bud Light Specials
10PM The Bare Knuckle Boxers take the Stage
MaGerk’s Voted Best Cheese Steaks in the area by The Best of Food.com
OK, so this is not one of the most beautiful pictures of my Molasses Glazed Turkey, but damn it, it is person. The skin turns burgundy and is not as dark as it appears here. I just can’t seem to find the wonderful pictures I seek! Things are never where they they need to be, when I need them….story of my life!
Bottom line: This Turkey is so easy to make, yet absolutely delicious and beautiful!
Turkey with Molasses Glaze
Fresh Turkey – plan 1-2 pounds per person if you want leftovers
Molasses
Butter
Fresh Thyme
Fresh Sage
Salt and Pepper to season
(Make sure you check out the earlier post on brining.)
It depends on your oven, but plan your cooking time on 15 minutes per pound at 325 degrees. In order to determine what time to put your turkey in the oven, plan what time you want to sit down to eat. A turkey should stand without being carved at least 15- 30 minutes but no longer than 2 hours maximum. If you use a convection oven the turkey will cook 10-12 minutes per pound.
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Remove turkey from brining solution and place in the sink. Rinse well for several minutes under cold water, turning turkey to ensure water is drained from every cavity. Have clean towels on counter next to sink and dry turkey well. Transfer to roasting pan. At the top opening of the breast pull the skin slightly away from the meat. Slice two pats of butter from a stick. With your fingers take one pat of butter and slide it down under the skin over the breast meat. Massage it into the meat until it is dispersed across the breast. Repeat on the other side. On both sides also slide under a few springs of fresh thyme and sage. Stuff turkey, (stuffing recipe to follow) first the rear cavity, by pulling the skin flap up to expose opening. When full use a toothpick to hold secure. Repeat for front cavity.
Brush the entire Turkey with molasses. Coat well and there will be no need to baste during roasting. An hour to an hour and a half into roasting, skin will be a deep copper tone. Cover turkey entirely with foil so skin does not over brown and continue to roast until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Let stand at least 15 minutes before carving.
Classic French Chestnut Stuffing
8 cups torn pieces of rustic style bread, such as Italian or French, torn away from crust and left to sit out in a bowl for a day covered loosely with a towel so it can harden (On a busy year I have purchased bag bread cubes and the world did not come to an end!)
2 onions, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
3 TBLS minced fresh sage
2 TBLS minced fresh thyme
1 TBLS minced fresh rosemary
1 TBLS minced fresh savory
1 stick butter
2 jars (1 Lb) French chestnuts (Williams Sonoma catalog or Chestnut Hill Cheese Shop have them in my area)
½ cup finely chopped finely chopped parsley
Stuffs 24-28lb turkey with extra for baking dish for vegetarian guests
** At Thanksgiving the grocery stores carry a fresh “stuffing herb pack” that includes all of the above fresh herbs. It will save you a lot of money,time and waste. **
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place bread pieces on baking sheets or shallow baking pans and toast slightly in oven for 10-15 minutes until just slightly brown. Transfer them to a large bowl. In a large skillet cook the onions, celery, sage, thyme, rosemary, and savory in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring until the vegetables are softened, add the chestnuts, and cook the mixture stirring, for 1 minute. Add the vegetable mixture to the bread, tossing well, stir in the parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Let cool completely.
*I make this first thing in the morning or even a day in advance, cover and refrigerate. Stuffing must be cool prior to stuffing bird. For excess stuffing, or if you wish to bake stuffing only, butter the bottom and sides of casserole dish and I add a little chicken stock (for vegetarian stuffing, use vegetable stock) just to moisten bread mixture slightly. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 325 -350 degrees.
Loving me some stuffing!!!!
Feel free to share your favorite Thanksgiving recipe with us!
Nov
19th
Picture from Squidoo
If you host Thanksgiving, to brine your turkey or not brine your turkey is a topic of discussion every Thanksgiving. If you do not host Thanksgiving on a regular basis you may not be familiar with the technique and if you have never cooked a turkey before, and/or are not that interested in cooking, the idea of another step in the process may seem completely overwhelming.
So, what is brining?
In simplest terms, it is a salt bath for your bird that tenderizes the meat. Herbs and spices may be added to treat the brine as a marinate of sorts as well.
Why brine?
There are so many reasons that brining makes sense, but aside from all of the reasons that you will read in every other food article, I’d like to offer an additional perspective in addition to the obvious. Quickly the technical reasons:
When you brine a turkey it pulls all of the extra blood out of the turkey and tenderizes the meat. At the same time it pulls the skin tightly against the meat, sealing in the juices. Once you taste a brined turkey you will know the difference forever! And, the answer is NO, it is not salty!!
Another perspective:
Call it ego, if you must. I am fine with that. A turkey, whether fresh or frozen, that has been brined is so tender, juicy and delicious that your guests are going to flip out! There is no comparison. Because most people do not brine their birds, sad but true, most people have, therefore, never experienced the deliciousness that can be tender, juicy turkey. In fact, when you mention turkey, a lot of people think dry, or at the very least don’t get very excited. Brining really requires very little extra effort and the praise you will receive is SO worth the effort! If you are cooking a frozen turkey, I recommend brining twice as much!
Second unusual reason to brine your turkey:
Do you have school age children? Include them in the process! Children love to be involved in the kitchen and this is such a great way to include them. Sounds crazy? Trust me! Even parents that cook with their children do not let them handle two things, eggs and raw poultry, right? The Thanksgiving turkey is so exciting to children, but they are usually not allowed anywhere near it. Brining a turkey requires a lot of water and a lot of ice. Children can be involved pouring water, dumping ice and scooping sugar and salt while looking at the big bird and never actually touching it! It is the biggest hit of the season at our house, crazy, but true!
How:
Start this process on Wednesday night. This is a basic brine recipe. There are many ways to add to it, thyme, sage, apples and fruits, etc.
Brine Turkey overnight
1 larger cooler
Large plastic Turkey bag or for 26-30 Lb bird use a 4 gallon Ziplock bag
1 box kosher salt
1 cup sugar
5 lb bag of ice
Water
Unwrap Turkey from packaging. Remove gizzards and wrapped organs from internal cavities and discard or save for other use. Rinse Turkey well in sink with cold water. Place turkey into plastic bag and then into cooler. Begin to fill bag with water until water just covers the turkey. Pour the entire box of kosher salt and sugar into the bag. Continue pouring water into the bag until it overflows the bag and flows into the cooler. Stir mixture in bag with large spoon. Dump in the bag of ice. Fill the rest of the cooler with water leaving a few inches empty at the top. Close the lid and let sit overnight.
Make sure to rinse the turkey thoroughly before cooking. The recipe for my molasses glazed turkey will follow!