Roasted Turkey

Category: Meats
Thanksgiving turkey, 2012.
Thanksgiving turkey, 2012.
  • Whole turkey (not brined)
  • Fresh herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme, etc.)
  • 1/2 of an onion
  • 1 red apple
  • 1 cinnamon stick
Brine:
  • 1 gallon vegetable broth (not low- or no-sodium)
  • 1 c kosher salt
  • 1/2 c brown sugar
  • 1 T whole black peppercorns
  • 1/2 T whole allspice berries
  • 1/2 T crystallized/candied ginger

Combine all brine ingredients in large pot, bring to boil. Stir to dissolve contents, then remove from heat. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate, covered, until completely chilled.

Early in the morning of the day of serving, pour the brine into a large, clean bucket. Add a gallon of heavily iced water.

Remove giblets and neck, if present. Compost that shit. Gross. Place bird breast end first into bucket and soak for 6-8 hours. Flip bird over once, half way through soaking.

Heat oven to 500°.

Remove bird from brine, rinse thoroughly, inside and outside. Soak in a sink or bucket of clean water for 15 minutes, then pat dry. This is to help reduce the amount of salt near the outside of the turkey, to cut down on the saltiness of the gravy made from the drippings.

Microwave onion and apple in some water on high for five minutes. Add cinnamon stick, allow it to steep for a few minutes.

Place bird on a rack in a roasting pan; tuck the wings under themselves.

Place apple, onion, cinnamon stick (not the water) and herbs in the cavity. Coat the bird with canola oil to Read more...

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Published Nov 20, 2012 and last updated Nov 25, 2014.

Turkey Gravy

Category: Entrées, Frosting, Sauces & Toppings, Meats
  • Pan with drippings from roasted turkey
  • 24 oz low- or reduced-sodium chicken stock
  • 8 oz red wine
  • 1/3 c all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp fresh herbs, chopped (thyme, rosemary or oregano)

Place roasting pan on range over medium heat, using two burners if necessary. Once hot, deglaze the bottom with chicken stock. As the liquid boils and reduces, scrape the bottom with a wire whisk to loosen and dissolve any flavorful bits that may be stuck there.

Pour the liquid into a fat separator; pour the non-fatty liquid into another container. Pour the fat back into the roasting pan, stir in flour. Whisk quickly to coat the flour granules with fat, which will keep the gravy from lumping. The heat will cook out the raw cereal flavor. Keep mixing until the mixture starts to smooth out and thicken just a little bit.

Pour the reserved liquid back into the pan and continue whisking. As it comes to a boil, the flour granules will gelatinize, thus thickening the liquid.

Whisk in the herbs.

Remove from heat while gravy is still a little too runny, because it will thicken more as it cools.

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Published Nov 20, 2012 and last updated Nov 25, 2014.

Roasted Chicken

Category: Entrées, Meats
  • 1 roasting chicken (5-6 lbs)
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large bunch of fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
  • 2 T butter (1/4 stick)
  • 1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
  • 4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 blub of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges
  • Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.

Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

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Published Jul 24, 2012

Chicken Casserole

Category: Casseroles, Entrées
  • 2 c cooked whole grain rice
  • 2 c cooked, diced chicken
  • 2 c chopped broccoli
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 c shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 1/4 c milk
  • 1 t salt
  • 1/2 t pepper

Mix together in a large bowl. Pour in a 8×11 or 9×13 pan. Bake at 350° for 20-30 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.

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Published May 14, 2012

Chicken Noodle Casserole

Category: Casseroles, Entrées
  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 6 oz egg noodles
  • 3/4 c milk
  • 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
  • 1 c sour cream
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1/2 small onion, diced
  • 1/2 t thyme
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • mixed vegetables
  • bread crumbs

Poach chicken in large pot (approx 12 min, no pink inside). Remove chicken from water; cut into small pieces.

Cook pasta in the chicken water, then drain.

In a large bowl, combine soups,  sour cream and seasonings, then stir in vegetables, noodles and chicken.

Place in 2 quart baking dish and top with bread crumbs.

Bake at 350° approx. 30 min. or until heated through and browned on top.

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Published Feb 13, 2012

Mom’s Pizza Dough

Category: Breads, Entrées
  • 1 cup hot water (110°)
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1/4 oz active dry yeast (1 packet)
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  1. Mix.
  2. Raise 45 min.
  3. Pat in pan; raise 15 min.
  4. Bake 15 min at 400°.
  5. Add toppings; bake 10 min.

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Published Apr 03, 2011 and last updated Dec 02, 2022.

Fried Chicken

Category: Entrées, Meats
  • 1 egg , beaten
  • 1 c buttermilk
  • One 3 pound chicken, cut into 6 pieces
  • 1 c all-purpose flour
  • 1 t ground oregano
  • 1 t chili powder
  • 1 t dried sage
  • 1 t dried basil
  • 1 t dried marjoram
  • 2 1/4 t pepper, divided
  • 2 t salt
  • 2 T paprika
  • 1 t onion salt
  • 1 t garlic powder
  • Crisco or cooking oil

Place buttermilk, 1/4 tsp. pepper, salt and cayenne pepper in large bowl. Submerge chicken. Cover bowl and chill 30 min – 2 hours.

Heat oven to 250° for holding cooked chicken.

Combine flour and remaining herbs and spices in large bowl. Coat chicken.

Heat Crisco/oil to 350° in skillet. Fry chicken 10 min covered. Flip chicken and fry 10 min uncovered, or until juice runs clear when pierced with knife.

Drain chicken on paper towels or rack. Hold in oven until ready to serve.

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Published Mar 18, 2011

Grilled Pork Chops

Category: Entrées, Meats

Remove chops from fridge 1 hour before cooking.

Pat dry with paper towel. Lightly oil then salt each side.

Cook with grill closed:

  1. Sear on high, one min each side.
  2. Flip and cook 3 min on med heat.
  3. Flip and cook 4 min.

Check internal temp – 165°. Reduce heat if additional cooking is needed.

Rest on plate covered with foil 5-10 min before serving.

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Published Mar 17, 2011

Turkey Meatloaf

Category: Entrées, Meats
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  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 50 g bread crumbs
  • 1 green or red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
  • 35 g ketchup
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Heat oven to 350°.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and pat into small greased loaf pan. Bake 40 -50 minutes.

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Published Mar 17, 2011 and last updated Nov 07, 2018.