The GUILD 11-21-2002 THANKSGIVING DAY RECIPE EXCHANGE!!!!

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Roasted Free-Range Turkey with Pear Chestnut Stuffing

Serves 8 to 10 The stuffing may also be baked separately in a buttered casserole at 375° until heated throughout, thirty to forty-five minutes.

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
6 stalks celery, strings removed, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 large onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 pound roasted chestnuts, shelled and chopped
27 slices stale white bread (1 1/2 pounds), crusts removed and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 8 cups), lightly toasted
1 1/4 cups Homemade Turkey Stock, or low-sodium canned chicken broth, skimmed of fat
4 unripe Anjou pears, cored, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 tablespoon salt
1 twelve- to fourteen-pound free-range turkey

1. Heat oven to 375°. Make stuffing: In a large skillet, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add celery and onions; cook, stirring, until translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons thyme, and sage, parsley, chestnuts, and bread. Add stock, 1/2 cup at a time, until bread becomes moist. Stir in pears; remove from heat.

2. Place remaining 1 stick butter, remaining 2 tablespoons thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt in food processor. Pulse until well combined; set aside.

3. Wash turkey, and pat dry. Place, breast side up, on a roasting rack set in a large roasting pan. Season turkey cavity with remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Fill cavity loosely with stuffing. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Fold neck flap over; secure with skewers. Rub thyme-butter mixture all over turkey.

4. Roast for 2 1/2 hours, basting often. Continue baking 30 to 45 minutes more, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 180°. If turkey becomes too brown, tent it with aluminum foil. Let cool for 20 to 30 minutes before removing the stuffing and carving.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

This is what we do best. Let's share our recipes. Thanksgiving is one week away. Let's make this one our best ever!!!

Last year's recipe thread

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Hooray for Recipe Day!!!!

[Iowa Granny]

Free Range Turkey? You MUST be kidding. Do you have any idea what Free Range Turkeys eat?

Commercially raised turkeys eat a well balanced meal, far more highly regulated than yours and mine. Their food is kept clean, as they are kept in buildings, protected from the harsh midwest elements.

On the other hand, Free Range Turkeys are left to wander around outside, pecking at whatever they might find, to supplement the food provided to them. As they peck around, they undoubtedly will come across a "turkey pile", which is like a Cow Pile only it comes from turkeys.

I could not, in good conscienious, serve a turkey that had probably pecked thru another animals poop, and digested same.

*climbing down from soapbox*

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Hey, I am cooking a turkey breast, Butterball, non-free range.

I do appreciate your insight to free range. I learned something today.

[habs4ever]

Summer savoury is the magic ingredient that makes any stuffing zing! Get it, and you won't regret it.

You'd love my fennel mashed potatoes, too.

[Timeout]

I bet there a lots of us who didn't know that about free range...yuk!

I just tried out a new recipe tonight and loved it, so I'll put that up.

BRUSSELS SPROUT CASSEROLE
Clean sprouts well, cut them in half.
Parboil for 8 minutes.
Move drained sprouts to a shallow casserole.
Salt & pepper
Dot with butter
Pour in cream to reach just the top of the veggies
Cover with freshly grated parmesan cheese (LOTS of cheese)
Bake at 350 for 1/2 hour.

It was yummy!

[mlmr]

mlmr's Cranberry Sauce

2 bags of cranberries washed, picked over and drained.

1 cup maple syrup

Place wet but drained cranberries in a saucepan. Pour on the maple syrup. Bring to slow boil on medium flame, stirring with wood spoon, almost constantly. Simmer 7 to 10 minutes, smashing berries with spoon.

Leave about a quarter of the berries or less whole, taste as you go, this is a tart sauce with a clear, cranberry taste. Pour into serving bowls to cool. Looks very pretty in clear glass bowls and jars. After cooling refrigerate covered until ready to serve. Makes about about a two pints...

[Timeout]

I love cranberry sauce...all kinds.

Everyone...I'm looking for a dressing recipe with apples & walnuts. Could be with rice or bread. I've found a lot of recipes with sausage, but I'm not sure about using sausage in my dressing.

Anyone have a tried and true recipe like that?

[mlmr]

I have used apples and almonds but I just winged it, I uses rice and wild rice with it and apples with peels on. onion too if I remember correctly., and raisins, and dried cranberries. I tend to be a wing it cook.

[Timeout]

Here are some delicious muffins. They're great to have around the house when lots of family is visiting. I make them for the neighbors' Christmas gifts.

MORNING GLORY MUFFINS
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups grated carrots (4 medium-large)
1 apple, cored and shredded
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts ( I use more, of course )
8-oz can crushed pineapple, drained

3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In large bowl, sift together
flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda & salt.
Stir in carrots, apple, coconut, raisins, nuts & pineapple.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, oil and vanilla.
Pour into bowl with dry ingredients; blend well.

Spoon batter into greased muffin tins. Fill almost to the top. (mine made 24 large muffins)

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven about 35 minutes. Cool muffins in pan about 10 minutes then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.

Store in airtight container. Best when allowed to "ripen" for 24 hours.

[SuziQ]

I stuff my turkey with apples, onions, celery and some poultry seasoning. I toss it when the turkey is done. I make Corn Bread Dressing in my slow cooker to serve with the turkey. Mmm Mmm. Good eatin!

I got a great Cranberry Crumbcake recipe from King Arthur flour today. I'll find the recipe and see if I can paste it in! I have spent SO much money at that site this year! But they have some great stuff. Their pebbled aluminum cookie sheets are the best I've ever used! I bought their Butter Bell, and it is wonderful. The butter stays fresh and always so easily spreadable!

[SuziQ]

I just checked and that recipe for the Cranberry Crumbcake is two pages long! I'm just gonna post the link to it. Y'all can check it out from the King Arthur website.

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/cgibin/start/offer-z2.html?cust=805769-C

[Utah Girl]

That turkey and pear-chesnut dressing sounds divine. I have a cranberry chutney recipe I will post next week when I get home from Las Vegas. I do not like cranberries, but I had this chutney last week, and it was to die for.

[tubebender]

True Story...Yesterday my First Wife and I went to Costco and in the process bought a "Fresh Turkey" and a 3 Rib Roast.. We put most everything in the bed of the Pickup except the turkey and roast. When we got home I backed up to the garage and unloaded the goodies and went about my chores.This morning about 10 I was in the yard drinking my 3rd cup of coffee when First Wife comes out yelling something incoherent about, "Where is the Turkey and Roast?". Right, they spent the night in the back seat of the Pickup. We checked the temperature and every thing was fine.

BTW...We will brine our turkey as we have for 3 years and several birds.

[hoosiermama]

My mother always added a shot of apricot brandy to her pumpkin pie recipe. Gives it a "nutty" taste. I just use the recipe on the back of the can, add the brandy and use Marion-Kay Pumpkin Pie Spice* instead of all the other spice ingrediants listed.

BTW Utah Girl, are you going on the cruise?

* Local company.....They make the best pepper and vanilla ever!

[Moonmad27]

Bump for that delicious-sounding brussels sprout recipe! Thanks!

[Utah Girl]

Yes, I am going on the cruise. My deposit is in. Are you going? I'd love to meet you. I signed up for an 8a cabin with the veranda. I'm way excited for a cruise, I've never been on a real cruise before.

[pubmom]

I served these at a party last week, and they received rave reviews! This is so incredibly easy too!

Bacon Quiche Tarts

10 slices bacon
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1/4cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onion
2 (10 ounce) cans refigerated flaky biscuit dough (I used Pillsbury)

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease 20 muffin cups.

Cook the bacon over medium high heat until crisp and evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.

Place the cream cheese, milk, and eggs in a medium bowl, and beat until smooth with an electric mixer set on low. Stir in swiss cheese and green onion, set aside.

Separate dough into 20 biscuits. Press the bottom and sides of each muffin cup, forming 1/4 inch rims. (I just pressed it to the top of the muffin cup, and mine were fine.)Sprinkle half of the bacon into the bottoms of the dough-lined muffin cups. Spoon about 2 Tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture into each cup.

Bake 20-25 minutes in the preheated oven, until filling is set and the rims of the tarts are golden brown. Sprinkle with the remaining bacon, and lightly press into the filling. Remove from pan and serve warm.

Makes 20 servings

[Utah Girl]

Yum, these sound great. I think I just found a recipe for what I'm supposed to take for Christmas Eve dinner with my family. Thanks!

[Iowa Granny]

Nice to see you here. Could you tell us more about the brine? What's in it, how long, etc.