Like for many people, the holidays are really a special time for me. The holidays are all about things that I love the most - family, friends, and food.
This year, we traveled home to enjoy Thanksgiving at my sister's house. My sister is one of my favorite people period, but she is also definitely my favorite person with whom to enjoy two of my favorite activities - cooking and eating.
This year, she moved into a new house, complete with a beautiful, newly remodeled kitchen. I was looking forward to seeing it and cooking with her in it. We had a fantastic time, and the food was great.
Our Thanksgiving menu:
Roasted Turkey
Italian Sausage and Bread Stuffing
Spinach Casserole
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Sweet Potato Gratin
Brandied Cranberries
Cranberry-Almond Tart
Texas State Fair Pecan Pie, Mom's way
Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake
Recipes or links follow:
Roasted Turkey: - my sister did the 12-14 hour brine, added veggies to the roasting pan and veggies and lemon to the cavity of the bird. From Cooks Illustrated.
Roasted Brined Turkey
We offer two brine formulas: one for a 4- to 6-hour brine and another for a 12- to 14-hour brine. The amount of salt used in each brine does not change with turkey size. If you’re roasting a kosher or self-basting turkey, do not brine it; it already contains a good amount of sodium. Rotating the bird from a breast-side down position to a breast-side up position midway through cooking helps to produce evenly cooked dark and white meat. If you’re roasting a large (18- to 22-pound) bird and are reluctant to rotate it, skip the step of lining the V-rack with foil and roast the bird breast-side up for the full time. If making gravy, scatter 1 cup each of coarsely chopped onion, celery, and carrot as well as several fresh thyme sprigs in the roasting pan at the outset; add 1 cup water to keep the vegetables from burning.
Serves 10 to 22, depending on turkey size
Table salt
1 turkey (12 to 22 pounds gross weight), rinsed thoroughly, giblets and neck reserved for gravy, if making
4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
1. Dissolve 1 cup salt per gallon cold water for 4- to 6-hour brine or 1/2 cup salt per gallon cold water for 12- to 14-hour brine in large stockpot or clean bucket. Two gallons of water will be sufficient for most birds; larger birds may require three gallons. Add turkey and refrigerate for predetermined amount of time.
2. Before removing turkey from brine, adjust oven rack to lowest position; heat oven to 400 degrees for 12- to 18-pound bird or 425 degrees for 18- to 22-pound bird. Line large V-rack with heavy-duty foil and use paring knife or skewer to poke 20 to 30 holes in foil; set V-rack in large roasting pan.
3. Remove turkey from brine and rinse well under cool running water. Pat dry inside and out with paper towels. Tuck tips of drumsticks into skin at tail to secure, and tuck wing tips behind back. Brush turkey breast with 2 tablespoons butter. Set turkey breast-side down on prepared V-rack; brush back with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Roast 45 minutes for 12- to 18-pound bird or 1 hour for 18- to 22-pound bird.
4. Remove roasting pan with turkey from oven (close oven door to retain oven heat); reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees if roasting 18- to 22-pound bird. Using clean potholders or kitchen towels, rotate turkey breast-side up; continue to roast until thickest part of breast registers 165 degrees and thickest part of thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 50 to 60 minutes longer for 12- to 15-pound bird, about 1 1/4 hours for 15- to 18-pound bird, or about 2 hours longer for 18- to 22-pound bird. Transfer turkey to carving board; let rest 30 minutes (or up to 40 minutes for 18- to 22-pound bird). Carve and serve.
Italian Sausage and Bread Stuffing - the hands-down favorite dish this year. Depending how dry the bread is, a little more liquid than the recipe calls for may be needed - I added another cup or so of chicken broth.
Spinach Casserole - a very easy, back-of-the-box type of recipe, but a family favorite for Thanksgiving nevertheless. People who don't even like spinach like this casserole. We've had it every year for as long as I can remember.
3 packages frozen chopped spinach
1 cup sour cream
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
bread crumbs
butter
parmesan cheese
Cook spinach according to package instructions. Drain well, pressing the liquid out from the colander. Mix soup mix into sour cream, then mix into spinach. Spread mixture into 8x8 glass baking dish. Melt a few tablespoons of butter and mix with some breadcrumbs, about 1 cup. Mix in parmesan to taste, about 1/2 cup. Spread topping over spinach. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or until warmed through and topping is brown.
Mashed Potatoes - Too simple for a recipe, but here we go. Definitely a Thanksgiving favorite, because it's only once a year that we add quite this much butter and cream. We also did not use the potato ricer this year but instead used (gasp!) our Kitchen Aid mixer to mash the potatoes. Sacrilegious, I know, but so much faster.
Cut Yukon Gold potatoes into chunks and boil until tender. Drain. Add to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, adding salt and pepper, at least one stick of butter, and a very generous pour of heavy cream (or half-and-half, if you're feeling like being healthy). Adjust to taste.
Gravy - no recipe for this either. Use pan drippings from turkey; add flour and cook down in the roasting pan. Add turkey stock and white wine, scraping up pan drippings. Cook until thick; season to taste.
Sweet Potato Gratin - we used this recipe but used only sweet potatoes instead of the two kinds. Ours had a bit too much liquid, so I'd cut back or add more potatoes if I made this again. I'd also add some nutmeg, and maybe a bit of maple syrup for flavoring.
Brandied Cranberries - another long-time family favorite. Mr. M eats embarrassing quantities of this - he loves it! Also quite good with yogurt as dessert or a decadent breakfast. It's important to use good quality brandy - not top shelf necessarily, but something you would actually drink.
1 lb cranberries
2 c sugar
brandy to taste
Spread cranberries in a single layer in a foil-lined baking pan. Sprinkle with sugar. Cover with another layer of foil. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Cool. Mix with brandy to taste. Store refrigerated.
Cranberry-Almond Tart - this recipe sounded great, but we were a little disappointed with it. It looked absolutely gorgeous when it was done, but it just wasn't sweet enough, so you may want to add a bit of sweetness to it somehow. Definitely serve with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.
Texas State Fair Pecan Pie, Mom's way - This is the best pecan pie I've ever had. My mom loves pecan pie, but her frequent complaint is "not enough nuts". My sister ended up adding double or triple the amount of pecans originally called for in this recipe, but it ended up being absolutely fantastic.
Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake - I've never met a pumpkin cheesecake I didn't like. I've always made this recipe, but my sister made a different one this year. Still wonderful, still delicious, and still hanging onto my thighs... From Cooks Illustrated.
Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake
11/2003
Depending on the oven and the temperature of the ingredients, the cheesecake may bake about 15 minutes faster or slower than the instructions indicate; it is therefore best to check the cake 1 1/4 hours into baking. Although the cheesecake can be made up to three days in advance, the crust will begin to lose its crispness after only one day. To make slicing the cheesecake easy and neat, use a knife with a narrow blade, such as a carving knife; between cuts, dip the blade into a pitcher of hot water and wipe it clean with paper towels. The cheesecake is good on its own, but the Brown Sugar and Bourbon Cream (recipe follows) is a grand addition.
Makes one 9-inch cake, serving 12 to 16
Crust
5 ounces graham crackers (9 whole crackers), broken into large pieces
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
6 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
Filling
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar (10 1/3 ounces)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese , cut into 1-inch chunks and left to soften at room temperature, about 30 minutes
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice from 1 lemon
5 large eggs , left at room temperature, about 30 minutes
1 cup heavy cream
1. FOR THE CRUST: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan evenly with nonstick cooking spray. Pulse crackers, sugar, and spices in food processor until evenly and finely ground, about fifteen 2-second pulses. Transfer crumbs to medium bowl, drizzle melted butter over, and mix with rubber spatula until evenly moistened. Turn crumbs into prepared springform pan and, using hand, spread crumbs into even layer. Using flat-bottomed ramekin or drinking glass, press crumbs evenly into pan bottom, then use a soup spoon to press and smooth crumbs into edges of pan. Bake until fragrant and browned about the edges, about 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack while making filling.
2. FOR THE FILLING: Bring about 4 quarts water to simmer in stockpot. Whisk sugar, spices, and salt in small bowl; set aside. To dry pumpkin (see illustrations below): Line baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels. Spread pumpkin on paper towels in roughly even layer. Cover pumpkin with second triple layer of paper towels and press firmly until paper towels are saturated. Peel back top layer of towels and discard. Grasp bottom towels and fold pumpkin in half; peel back towels. Repeat and flip pumpkin onto baking sheet; discard towel.
3. In standing mixer fitted with flat beater, beat cream cheese at medium speed to break up and soften slightly, about 1 minute. Scrape beater and bottom and sides of bowl well with rubber spatula. Add about one third of sugar mixture and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute; scrape bowl and add remaining sugar in two additions, scraping bowl after each addition. Add pumpkin, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat at medium speed until combined, about 45 seconds; scrape bowl. Add 3 eggs and beat at medium-low until incorporated, about 1 minute; scrape bowl. Add remaining 2 eggs and beat at medium-low until incorporated, about 45 seconds; scrape bowl. Add heavy cream and beat at low speed until combined, about 45 seconds. Using rubber spatula, scrape bottom and sides of bowl and give final stir by hand.
4. Set springform pan with cooled crust on 18-inch-square doubled layer heavy-duty foil and wrap bottom and sides with foil; set wrapped springform pan in roasting pan. Pour filling into springform pan and smooth surface; set roasting pan in oven and pour enough boiling water to come about halfway up side of springform pan. Bake until center of cake is slightly wobbly when pan is shaken, and center of cake registers 145 to 150 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 1 1/2 hours (see note). Set roasting pan on wire rack and use paring knife to loosen cake from sides of pan. Cool until water is just warm, about 45 minutes. Remove springform pan from water bath, discard foil, and set on wire rack; continue to cool until barely warm, about 3 hours. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.
5. TO SERVE: Slide thin metal spatula between crust and pan bottom to loosen, then slide cake onto serving platter. Let cheesecake stand at room temperature about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.
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