Monthly Cooking Thread - November 2022

[Jamestown1630]

I think I’ve posted the Russ Parsons/Judy Bird dry brining technique for turkey every year since I found it. It makes the best turkey we’ve had, and is a lot easier than the wet brine. A recent change I’ve noticed is that they now advise that you can even begin this while your turkey is still frozen and thawing:

https://food52.com/recipes/15069-russ-parsons-dry-brined-turkey-a-k-a-the-judy-bird

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My favorite recipe for cranberry sauce comes from Tasha Tudor. It’s very simple but makes quite a lot if there aren’t many in your crew who like it. I usually halve the recipe and do it in a smaller mold:

Tasha Tudor’s Cranberry Sauce (from ‘The Tasha Tudor Cookbook’)

2 lbs. fresh cranberries, washed and picked overnight

2 cups cold water (more or less)

2 lbs. Sugar

Place cranberries in a large saucepan with enough cold water to cover when they are pressed down. Add the sugar. Bring to a simmer, and skim off the foam occasionally. Cook the cranberries until their juice jells when it is dropped on a cold plate. Pour into a mold and chill overnight.

To remove the sauce from the mold, gently run a paring knife around the edge, dip the mold in hot water for a moment, and invert it onto a platter to serve.

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I’ve often made this sweet potato ‘souffle’, but when I took it to a large potluck I learned that some people really dislike raisins. I personally think the raisins make this recipe, but you can certainly leave them out, and you can leave off the marshmallow topping, too.

I usually don’t bother making this as a genuine souffle, but mix everything together in a ‘sturdy’ souffle.

Sweet Potato Souffle

Prepare 2 cups of mashed sweet potatoes: Boil potatoes in their skins until done; remove skins and mash.

Preheat oven to 350.

Scald: 1 C. milk

Add: ½ C. sugar, 1 tsp. salt, 3 T. butter, 1 tsp. nutmeg, and the potatoes. Beat until fluffy.

Separate 2 eggs. Beat yolks and add to the potato mixture. Add: ½ C. raisins, and stir in well.

Beat the 2 egg whites until stiff, and fold into 1st. mixture. Pour into greased baking dish.

Bake at 350 for 50 to 60 minutes, or until knife comes out clean. When done, top with marshmallows and brown briefly under broiler.

(Usually I make the potatoes the night before.)

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I like the now traditional string bean casserole, but lots of people don’t. I found a more elegant recipe at the Kevin Lee Jacobs website that some might prefer; this one uses a Swiss cheese (Mornay) sauce:

https://www.agardenforthehouse.com/green-bean-gratin/

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My Grandmother made a great navy bean soup – I think she used a ham bone, and the dregs from a baked ham. My husband also makes a good one using ham hocks. I was craving something like this, and decided to try the famous Senate Bean Soup, which has been served continuously in the U.S. Senate cafeteria for over a century.

There are a couple of stories and recipes attached to this tradition, and you can read about them here:

https://www.senate.gov/about/traditions-symbols/senate-bean-soup.htm

I chose the recipe without mashed potatoes, which is the one that is served now and has been for many years. I soaked my beans overnight, and used chicken broth instead of water; and I did add, at the end, some instant mashed potato flakes mixed into the broth, to thicken. (I think I learned that trick from Jacques Pepin, and I appreciated it because I don’t like chunks of potato, which are often added in recipes for soups and chowders.)

This is a very ‘plain’ recipe, and you can play with it any way that you like. It would benefit from some bay and other herbs; and the recipe is easily halved:

The Famous Senate Restaurant Bean Soup Recipe

2 pounds [0.91 kg] dried navy beans

four US quarts hot water

1 and ½ pounds smoked ham hocks

1 onion, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

salt and pepper to taste

Wash the navy beans and run hot water through them until they are slightly whitened. Place beans into pot with hot water. Add ham hocks and simmer approximately three hours in a covered pot, stirring occasionally. Remove ham hocks and set aside to cool. 

Dice meat and return to soup. Lightly brown the onion in butter. Add to soup. Before serving, bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper. Serves 8.

-JT

[Liz]

Sorry ‘bout that.

[Liz]

Martha Stewart.com

Chestnut Stuffing / repost

Studded with meaty chestnuts and fragrant with parsley and sage, this stuffing is equally good cooked inside or outside the turkey. Dry the bread cubes overnight; transfer them to resealable plastic bags until you’re ready to make the stuffing, up to 1 day more......(or toast in oven).

Ingredients

2 loaves good-quality white bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 20 cups)

1 1/2 pounds fresh chestnuts (4 cups), scored with an X

3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)

4 small onions, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 3 cups)

1 bunch celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 4 cups)

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage

5 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock

1 tablespoon kosher salt

3 cups coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Freshly ground pepper

Directions
Step 1
Spread bread cubes in single layers on baking sheets. Let dry at room temperature, uncovered, overnight.

Step 2
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add chestnuts; cook until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain; let cool slightly. Peel and quarter chestnuts; set aside. Peeled chestnuts can be refrigerated in an airtight container 2 to 3 days.

Step 3
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and celery; cook, stirring, until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add sage; cook 3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup stock; cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Step 4
Transfer onion mixture to a large bowl. Add remaining 4 1/2 cups stock, the chestnuts, bread, salt, and parsley; season with pepper. Toss to combine. If not stuffing turkey, transfer to a buttered 17-by-12-inch baking dish. Cover; bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake until hot and golden brown, 30 minutes more.

[Liz]

[Liz]

This is the latest entry in the Brownie Bake-a-thon.
Brownie Bark (or brittle) that everyone is crazy about.

BROWNIE BARK

INGREDIENTS
1 pkg Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix for 9x13 pan
½ cup butter, melted
⅓/ cup water
1 egg
½ cup mini chocolate chips
½ cup English toffee bits or slivered almonds,
or chp caramels

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 325. Line 2 11x 15 inch baking pans with parchment paper, the spray paper with cooking spray. In large bowl, beat brownie mix, melted butter, water and egg until smooth. Stir in mini chocolate chips.

Drop ¼ cupfuls of batter onto baking sheets, leaving 4-5 inches in between each. Spread dough to make even layer across the pan. Sprinkle toffee bits evenly over batter in each pan. Bake 25 – 28 minutes or until centers are set. Cooul completely on wire rack before removing from parchment paper.

VARY ADD CARAMELS, UNWRAPPED, EACH CUT IN TEN PIECES.

[Liz]

[lizma2]

I've been a fan of FR cooking threads since Chef Carlos.

Thank you for your service!

Your effort here has been very appreciated.

[Jamestown1630]

Yes, I started it because, when I arrived, nobody seemed to be doing it.

I hope that someone else will take it on.

[lizma2]

Talk to Liz!!!

[Liz]

Sparkling Cranberry Punch
Chilled sweetened cranberry juice, ginger ale
and vodka serves up nicely in a chimney pitcher.
Add fresh cranberries and greenery garnish.

[Liz]

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
Who knew there was a recipe chock-full of my fave ingredients: condensed milk, almond paste, chocolate, and maraschino cherries. Inspired by the classic candy, these are rich and decadent. Stemless maraschinos can be used, then you could glaze the entire cherry for a hidden cherry surprise. Cherry liqueur can be replaced with cherry extract.

Cookies
1 cup flour
1/2 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
4.5 oz. almond paste about 6 tablespoons
1/2 cup sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 large egg
1 teaspoon cherry liqueur or kirsch
24 drained maraschinos xpatted dry

Glaze and décor
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice from the jar of cherries
2 tablespoons white nonpareils optional

INSTRUCTIONS

Cookies
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, dark cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Place the almond paste in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Turn on low speed and gradually add the sugar and mix until crumbly. Beat butter in one cube at a time, beating well until the mixture becomes lightened and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and mix again to make sure no lumps or almond paste are hiding in the bottom of the bowl. Add the almond extract, the egg, and the cherry liqueur, if using. Beat until smooth. Stop the mixer and add the dry ingredients. Mix on low until just combined. If the dough feels sticky, refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Using a cookie scoop (4 teaspoon capacity) portion 24 level scoops of dough on the parchment sheets. Alternatively use a slightly heaped tablespoon to scoop. Roll the dough into balls between your palms and return them to the baking sheets. Press a maraschino cherry in the center of each ball. Refrigerate the cookies on the sheets for 30 minutes. Bake on parchmented pan 350 deg 13-15 minutes, or til puffed and fragrant. Cool on baking sheets completely.

Glaze
Place choco/chips and sweetened condensed milk on med-low heat. Cook, stir til melted and smooth. Offheat stir in the maraschino cherry juice. Pipe or spoon on cookie and immediately sprinkle with nonpareils. This frosting sets quickly, so work fast. Store refrigerated. Bring to room temp before serving.

[Liz]

[V K Lee]

ENGLISH TOFFEE

At one time you asked about what to cook in your Ninja Foodie.

This recipe just found at The Salted Pepper.
https://thesaltedpepper.com/homemade-toffee/

You might find their library of videos to be of help with
additional Ninja recipes
https://www.youtube.com/@TheSaltedPepper/videos

[Jamestown1630]

Thanks. Our Ninja isn’t a ‘Foodie’, but I’ll check out your links.

[V K Lee]

Air fryer recipes:
Healthy Air Fryer Recipes | Family Friendly WW Recipes | WW Personal Points 2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouZnZtoY5lY

From Amy Lynn Cooks
https://www.youtube.com/@amylynncooks/videos

[MomwithHope]

Even though I can’t really have sugar, I live the pics of all these sweets. I say let’s just keep this thread going through December.

[Jamestown1630]

For the cooking thread folks, a Christmas song from one of my favorite choral groups.

I’ve always especially loved the phrase, ‘Let us bring Him silver and gold’. To me, it has meant that we should do our best to live by what He taught us, and honor Him by living up to Him:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vVxXfA4BxE

Merry Christmas to All,

JT

[mairdie]

Never heard of them, but they’re great. Love that so many are older. Wonderful voices.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

[pugmama]

I am a huge fan of Marcus Samuelsson’s recipes.
This looks like an easy menu for Christmas.

Thank you Jamestown for managing this site for so long.

https://www.today.com/food/savannah-guthrie-masters-perfect-holiday-ham-marcus-samuelsson-t273667

[V K Lee]

Merry Christmas!