Christmas Cappuccino
1 1/2 cups espresso beans
3 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, split
4 cups milk
4-ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Lightly sweetened whipped cream (optional)
In a coffee mill, finely grind the beans. In a coffee maker, brew the espresso with the boiling water.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
Using a small knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into a medium saucepan. Pour in the milk and scald over medium heat, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, add chocolate and stir until melted. Cover and keep warm over very low heat.
Divide the hot espresso into 4 cups. In a blender, begin whipping half of the warm chocolate milk at low speed. Gradually increase the speed to high and blend until frothy, about 1 minute.
Pour the chocolate milk into the cups of coffee, stir briefly and top each serving with some of the milk froth. Sprinkle the reserved cinnamon sugar on top. Serve immediately with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, if desired.
Makes 4 servings.
Christmas Cappuccino
Basic Roast Turkey
Basic Roast Turkey
12 pounds whole turkey
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Preheat oven to 450°F
Wash and dry turkey inside and out. Rub turkey lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper .
Cut a long length of aluminum foil, enough to wrap loosely around the turkey. Lay it across the bottom of your roasting pan with edges overlapping the sides of the pan. Place a rack on top of the foil and set the turkey breast-side up on the rack. Bring ends of foil up around turkey and crimp together along top of turkey. Foil should be loosely wrapped around turkey and crimped together at ends. Put turkey in oven and roast for 15 minutes. Turn heat down to 375°F and cook until done.
Use following chart to gauge time: 8-10 pounds: 2-2/12 hours; 10-14 pounds: 2 1/2-3 hours; 14-20 pounds: 3 1/2-4 hour.
During roasting, the bird should be basted occasionally and turned 3 times, that is, rolled onto all of its sides. Open foil to do this and turn turkey first on one side, then on another, then upside down. Finally, turn it right side up and remove foil for final browning.
The turkey is done when you stick a fork, knife, or skewer in and clear juice (as opposed to pink) runs out. A meat thermometer inserted into the part of the bird without touching the bone will read 180°F. Do not overcook. Remove turkey from oven and let sit 15-30 minutes before serving so that juices will be reabsorbed by the flesh.
Carve the turkey and transfer to a serving tray.
Makes 16 servings.
Apricot Glazed Turkey with Herb Butter
Apricot Glazed Turkey with Herb Butter
Apricot Glaze:
1 cup apricot nectar
1 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons fresh gingerroot, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon honey
Combine apricot nectar, preserves, ginger and honey in a small heavy saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 15 minutes.
Herb Butter:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Blend 3/4 cup butter, 3 tablespoons sage, salt and pepper in small bowl. Set aside.
Roasted Turkey
1 (21-pound) whole turkey, fresh or frozen (thawed)
32 ounces turkey broth, divided use
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
As needed salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400º F.
Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Season turkey cavity with salt and pepper.
Place turkey on rack, and set in large shallow roasting pan. Slide fingers under skin of turkey breast to loosen skin.
Spread half of herb butter over breast under skin. Place remaining herb butter in small saucepan. Stir over low heat until melted. Brush herb butter over outside of turkey. Tie legs together loosely to hold shape of turkey.
Roast turkey for ½ hour. Reduce oven temperature to 325ºF and continue to roast turkey another 1-½ hours, basting occasionally with pan drippings. (Add broth to pan if pan drippings evaporate).
Bring apricot glaze to simmer. Brush turkey with ½-cup glaze; tent turkey with heavy-duty foil. Roast turkey 1 hour.
Remove foil; roast another ½ hour, brushing remaining glaze over turkey. Turkey is done when button head of timer "pops" up and the internal temperature measures 170 degrees F in the breast.
Place turkey on platter, loosely tent with foil. Let stand ½ hour before carving.
Makes 30 servings.
Smoked Gouda Mashed Potatoes - Emeril Lagasse
Smoked Gouda Mashed Potatoes - Emeril Lagasse
Ingredients:
3 lbs idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup heavy cream, plus more if needed
3/4 lb shredded smoked gouda cheese
salt
fresh ground white pepper
Preparation:
Place potatoes and 1 teaspoon of salt in a saucepan and cover with cold water.
Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat until fork tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Drain.
Return the potatoes to the saucepan and add the butter, cream, and cheese.
Mash the potatoes, stirring to incorporate the seasonings.
Season with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Serve warm.
Leftover Turkey Recipes: Thanksgiving Turkey Soup
Thanksgiving Turkey Soup
Broth:
1 Honeysuckle White Whole Turkey, leftover, cut in pieces (carcass)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 to 4 ribs celery, coarsely chopped (leaves included)
1 large onion, quartered
3 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
Water as needed (to barely cover carcass)
1 tablespoon peppercorns, black
3 cloves, whole
2 bay leaves
1 lemon
Soup:
6 to 8 cups vegetables, fresh (carrots, broccoli, corn, etc.)
1 teaspoon thyme, dried
1 teaspoon oregano
1 cup long grain rice, uncooked (or more for desired thickness)
bouillon as needed
1 Honeysuckle White Whole Turkey, leftover meat
Dumplings: (optional)
1 cup Bisquick baking mix
1/3 cup milk
1 large egg
Chives, dried or fresh as needed
Broth: Sauté celery, carrots, and onions in hot oil on medium heat until softened (8-10 minutes) Add carcass, peppercorns, cloves, bay leaves and juice of 1 lemon. Cover with water; bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer gently for 2 to 3 hours. Strain broth through fine mesh colander lined with cheese cloth. Pick meat off of bones when cool enough to handle and set aside. Discard carcass and vegetables. Return broth to pot and skim off any fat.
Soup: Add fresh vegetables with seasonings, rice, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer gently for 30 minutes. Add leftover turkey meat. Adjust seasonings by adding more salt, pepper, lemon juice or bouillon, if needed.
Chive Dumplings (optional): Mix Bisquick, milk, egg and chives. Drop by spoonfuls into simmering
Makes 8 servings.
Maker's Mark Eggnog
Maker's Mark Eggnog
Ingredients:
1 liter Maker's Mark
1 quart milk
1 quart heavy cream
2 dozen eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
nutmeg for garnish
Separate eggs and beat yolks until creamy. Whip sugar into yolks. Beat whites until they stand in peaks, adding 1/2 cup additional sugar, if desired. Beat yolks and Maker's Mark together, add whites. Beat cream. Add cream and milk to mixture. Add nutmeg to taste and garnish each cup with nutmeg. Makes 2 1/2 gallons.
Roast Turkey Upside Down Recipe
Roast Turkey Upside Down
Ingredients:
1 18 lb. turkey
1 14 oz. can Chicken Broth
Butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. rosemary
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. marjoram
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 cup dry white wine
Preparation:
Rinse turkey under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Pre heat your oven to 325 degrees.
Pour the chicken stock into your roasting pan and place a roasting rack in the bottom of the pan. If you intend to stuff your bird, do it now.
Rub the rack with plenty of butter to avoid the skin sticking. Combine the garlic and spices in a bowl. Rub plenty of butter onto the surface of your bird and sprinkle the seasonings evenly over the entire surface. Place the bird on the rack, upside down. Cook for about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile melt the stick of butter and add the wine. Baste the bird with this mixture after the 40 minute period. Then baste the bird about every 30 minutes with the butter/wine mixture and the pan juices.
About 1 hour before estimated time of doneness, remove the roasting pan from the oven and carefully turn the bird Breast side up and return to the oven. Check for doneness by inserting an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Look for an internal temperature of 170 degrees. Allow the bird to rest for 20 minutes before carving.
Early's (tm) Country Ham
Early's (tm) Country Ham
Ingredients:
2 16 oz. bottles cola
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. Early's Honey or Sorghum
1 c. wine
1 apple, cut in half
1 orange, cut in half
3 or 4 bay leaves
Preparation:
Wash and scrub ham, then soak for 24 hours in water with 1 cup vinegar. Rinse and place ham in large roaster. Add as much water as possible. Combine above ingredients and pour over ham in roaster. Cook at 190°-200° - for 10 to 12 hours.
About Early's:
Over 80 Years of Quality Food and Friendly Service
In 1925, Early's was just a simple roadside honey stand under a big shade tree on U.S. Highway 31 in serene Spring Hill, Tennessee. Nestled in the beautiful rolling hills, we sold our rich golden honey during the summer and slow-smoked country meats during the winter. Lots of people traveling from the north to sunny Florida, and then back home, stopped to buy our delicious products. That's how folks all over the country got to know Early's.Eventually, a new interstate highway was built and routed most of our over-the-counter customers away from us. Because our product was the best they'd ever tasted, most of them called and asked us to ship baskets of goodies to them. This was Early's introduction into the mail order business, and today we're the oldest mail order house in the South! We've since shipped our products to presidents, heads of state, Supreme Court judges, NFL owners, stars, CEOs, and thousands of folks just like you. As we grew, we added jams, mixes, cheeses, nuts, and other sausages and country fixins. While we're always looking for new product ideas and better ways to serve our customers, we won't change the promise Mr. Early made to his customers when he first opened his doors...
"At Early's you'll always get the best quality product at a reasonable price, from the friendliest people in the world."
(My mother shopped here when she was a young girl) - JF
http://www.earlysgifts.com/index.php
Apple Pie Recipe
Apple Pie Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.
Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work of crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F . Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.
A Holiday Ham with Mustard and Apricot Glaze
A Holiday Ham with Mustard and Apricot Glaze
Ingredients:
1 bone-in smoked ham (10 pounds)
1/4 cup whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup apricot preserves
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Wrap ham completely with parchment paper-lined aluminum foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan. Transfer ham to oven and bake for 1 hour.
Place apricot preserves in a 1-quart saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Transfer preserves to a blender and puree until smooth, about 2 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve set over a small bowl; discard solids. You should have slightly less than 1/2 cup remaining. Add mustard and vinegar to bowl of preserves; stir to combine.
Unwrap ham; discard parchment and foil. Transfer ham to a cutting board. Using a large sharp knife, score fat in a diamond pattern, making the lines about 3/4 inch apart. Return ham to roasting pan.
Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees. Brush ham evenly with 3/4 of the preserve mixture and return to oven. Bake ham for 30 minutes. Brush ham with remaining glaze and continue cooking 10 minutes more. Transfer to a cutting board until ready to carve.
Boiled Custard
Boiled Custard
Ingredients:
1 quart whole milk
1 cup sugar
1 pint bourbon
4 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup whipped cream
Preparation:
Scald milk in saucepan. Beat eggs and add 1 cup sugar. Add flour and mix well. Add this mixture to the scalded milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until it coats the spoon. Add bourbon to taste and fold in whipped cream. Store in refrigerator.
Recipe source: Home Cooking with the Kevils, assembled by Tom Kevil, 2002, published by G&R Publishing Co. , 507 Industrial St., Waverly, IA 50677
Easy Holiday Dressing
Easy Dressing
Ingredients:
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 cups plain cornmeal
1/4 cup butter
1&1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup buttermilk 4 eggs, well-beaten
Preparation:
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Over medium heat, cook onions and celery in chicken broth until tender--about 10 minutes. Reduce heat and gradually add cornmeal, stirring constantly to avoid lumping. Add butter and salt; stir. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add baking soda and baking powder to buttermilk; stir until mixture is very foamy. Gradually add milk mixture to cornmeal mixture, stirring constantly. Mix thoroughly. Gradually add the well-beaten eggs. Pour mixture into a greased baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Serve as a side dish with or without giblet gravy.
Vermont Maple Cookies
Vermont Maple Cookies
3 dozen
Dough Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup pure maple sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons maple extract, to taste
2 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Coating Ingredients:
2 tablespoons pure maple sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
Glaze Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon maple extract
Preparation:
Make the dough: in a big bowl, beat together the butter, sugars, cream of tartar, salt, eggs, baking soda, and maple extract until fluffy.
Add the flour; beat until blended; refrigerate dough for about 30 minutes, to stiffen it and make it easier to shape.
Make the coating: combine the sugars in a shallow bowl or pie plate, or in a large plastic bag.
Drop the dough by the rounded tablespoonful into the coating, gently shake the pan to coat the balls, then roll them in your hands until they are smooth and round.
Place the balls on baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray, about 1 ½ inches apart.
Bake in a 400° oven for 10-12 minutes, until they are very light golden brown; remove them from the oven and after 5 minutes, transfer them to a rack to cool.
Make the glaze: in a bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, cream, and extract to make a spreadable frosting.
Spread a thin layer over the cookies; let the glaze dry for several hours before packaging the cookies for storage.
Butter Cookies with Dulce de Leche
Butter Cookies with Dulce de Leche
In some Latin American countries, these cookies, called alfajores, are made with Pisco — brandy distilled from white Muscat grapes grown in Peru, Chile, and Bolivia — but regular brandy works fine.
Ingredients:
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup cornstarch
3/4 to 1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon Pisco or regular brandy
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
About 1/4 cup dulce de leche (caramilized sweet milk)
Confectioners sugar for dusting
Special equipment: a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter
Preparation:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a large baking sheet.
Whisk together cornstarch, 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, then beat in egg yolks, Pisco, and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until combined, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons flour if dough is sticky. (Dough should be soft.)
Form dough into a disk and roll out into an 11-inch round (1/8 inch thick) on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. Cut out 32 rounds with cutter (reroll scraps if necessary) and transfer to sheet, arranging rounds 1/2 inch apart.
Bake until firm and pale golden around edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool 10 minutes.
Sandwich cookies with about 1/2 teaspoon dulce de leche. Dust with confectioners sugar.
Cooks' note:Cookies can be made, but not filled, 3 days ahead and cooled completely, then kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
Baked Ham with Marmalade-Horseradish Glaze
Baked Ham with Marmalade-Horseradish Glaze
from Epicurious
Ingredients:
1 18-pound fully cooked bone-in smoked ham, room temperature
48 (about) whole cloves
4 cups water
1 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup prepared cream style horseradish
1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 cups fresh orange juice
Preparation:
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325°F. Place ham on rack set in large roasting pan. Using sharp knife, score ham in diamond pattern. Press 1 clove into center of each diamond. Pour 4 cups water into roasting pan. Roast ham 1 hour 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, blend marmalade, horseradish, and sugar in medium bowl.
Remove ham from oven. Transfer ham to baking sheet. Discard pan juices. Return ham to roasting pan. Add orange juice to roasting pan. Brush top of ham with 1/3 of marmalade glaze. Bake ham 10 minutes. Baste with orange juice in pan, then brush with half of remaining glaze. Bake ham 10 minutes. Baste with orange juice in pan and brush with remaining glaze. Roast ham until heated through, basting every 5 minutes, about 20 minutes longer. Let ham rest 15 minutes. Transfer to platter. Serve ham hot, warm, or at room temperature.
Peppermint Bark Recipe
Peppermint Bark Recipe
Another holiday treat from Simply Recipes guest author Garrett McCord.
A traditional and quintessential Christmas treat, peppermint bark is ridiculously easy to prepare and can be done in a few minutes. Sweet white or dark chocolate holds in place broken chunks of peppermint candy. Eat it straight, place it in a bag or tin and make it a gift, or break it up into chocolate cupcakes or chocolate cookies.
Ingredients:
12 oz. of high-quality white chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips
5 regular sized candy canes, crushed up
1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract
Preparation:
Break up peppermint candy into little pieces. Melt the chocolate according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once melted, add the peppermint extract and stir.
Pour the melted chocolate out onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and spread out with a spatula or wooden spoon. Sprinkle the peppermint candy chunks on to the chocolate and gently press them in with yours hands.
Place in the freezer for 5 minutes or until hardened. Break into pieces and serve or store in the fridge in an airtight container.
Fire and Spice Ham
Fire and Spice Ham
Sweet-hot pepper jelly and tangy pineapple preserves create an easy glaze for the ham.
Ingredients:
1 (5 1/2- to 6-pound) 33%-less-sodium smoked, fully cooked ham half
Cooking spray
1/2 cup red pepper jelly
1/2 cup pineapple preserves
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Trim fat and rind from ham half. Score outside of ham in a diamond pattern. Place ham on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Combine jelly and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Brush about one-third of jelly mixture over ham.
Bake at 425° for 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325° (do not remove ham from oven); bake an additional 45 minutes, basting ham with jelly mixture every 15 minutes. Transfer ham to a serving platter; let stand 15 minutes before slicing.
Sourdough–Sage Stuffing
Sourdough–Sage Stuffing
SERVES 12
Fine bread crumbs make a more elegant stuffing than bread cubes do.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. butter
3 medium yellow onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 head celery, trimmed and finely chopped
Leaves from 1 large bunch parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh sage leaves (about 6 large sprigs)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 cups fine fresh sourdough bread crumbs
1/2 cup Chicken Stock
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°. Melt butter in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook without browning, stirring often, until very soft, about 20 minutes. Add celery, parsley, and sage. Generously season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl.
Add bread crumbs to onion–celery mixture and toss until well combined. Add chicken stock and mix until stuffing is just moist but not packed together. Adjust seasonings.
Spoon warm stuffing into turkey, truss, and bake. Or put stuffing into a buttered baking pan and bake until hot and golden on top, 30–45 minutes.
Oyster Stuffing
Oyster Stuffing
SERVES 8
Adjust the ratio of oysters to bread crumbs in this recipe according to taste—and budget.
Ingredients:
2–4 cups shucked oysters with their juice
10 tbsp. butter
4–6 cups fresh fine white bread crumbs
3 ribs celery, trimmed and finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Put oysters into a colander set over a bowl and set aside to drain. Reserve juices and discard any bits of oyster shell left in the oysters.
2. Melt 8 tbsp. of the butter in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add bread crumbs and fry until crisp and golden, stirring constantly, about 15 minutes. Spread bread crumbs on a baking sheet and set aside to let cool.
3. In same skillet, melt remaining butter over medium heat. Add celery and cook until bright green but still crunchy, about 3 minutes.
4. Mix bread crumbs and celery together in a large bowl, then generously season with salt and pepper. Gently fold in oysters, taking care to keep them whole. If stuffing looks too dry, add a little of the oyster juice. Spoon stuffing into turkey, truss, and bake. Or transfer stuffing to a buttered baking pan and bake until hot and golden on top, about 30 minutes. Garnish with celery leaves, if you like.
Red Velvet Cake Recipe
Red Velvet Cake Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 1/2 oz red food coloring
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon soda
1 tablespoons vinegar
PREPARATION:
Cream shortening; beat in sugar gradually. Add eggs, one at a time; beat well after each addition. Make paste of cocoa and food coloring; add to creamed mixture. Add salt, flour and vanilla alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Sprinkle soda over vinegar; pour vinegar over batter. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Bake in 3 8-inch pans or 2 9-inch pans for 30 minutes at 350°.
