Fresh Cranberry Relish for Thanksgiving

I generally make this at least two weeks before Thanksgiving and keep it in the fridge.
Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. I have a friend who eats it straight out of the jar, she gets her own jar every year!

Ingredients

2 12 oz packages fresh cranberries
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 12oz frozen orange juice
2 cups raisins
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
2 cups chopped celery stalks
2 cups chopped pineapple
2 cups chopped  peeled apple
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

Wash cranberries first, discard any berries that are not firm.
Then in a saucepan put 2 cups sugar, 2 cups water and the drained cranberries. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
Let cranberries cool while you are chopping the other ingredients.
In a large bowl, place the frozen orange juice and add the cranberry mixture to the frozen orange juice. This speeds up the thawing process.
Add remaining ingredients, mix well and then refrigerate for at least one week. This can be stored for up to 3 weeks.

Cheese Cake make ahead and freeze for Thanksgiving

This is from Vincent Price’s Cookbook, now out of print, but a fabulous recipe book. This cheese cake is unusually light, not dense or heavy. I make this every Thanksgiving, it freezes well so I make this ahead of time. This can be made up to a month ahead and kept in the freezer.

I doubled Vincent Price’s recipe so I used a 12 inch spring form cake pan instead of an 8 inch pan. Using a 12 inch spring form cake pan, grease the inside of the pan with 2 tablespoons butter and then coat the butter with graham cracker crumbs. Coat the sides first by turning the pan on its side, and shake the pan so the crumbs can stick, keep turning the pan and adding more crumbs as needed. When the sides are well coated, shake a light coating of crumbs onto the bottom of the pan. Put spring form cake pan in freezer for at least 30 minutes.
If you want to make this recipe with an 8 inch cake pan, cut the ingredient amounts in half.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
24 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
8 egg yolks
4 tablespoons flour
3 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit
Put 24 oz cream cheese in a large bowl and let it come to room temperature.

Pour 4 cups heavy cream in a saucepan and heat over low heat, not allowing the cream to boil.

In a separate bowl, separate 8 egg yolks and the egg white.
To the cream cheese and egg yolks, add 1 1/2 cups sugar, 4 tablespoon flour, 3 teaspoons vanilla and 1 teaspoon salt. Beat thoroughly until with an electric mixer until mixture is smooth and creamy.

Turn speed to lowest and gradually pour in 4 cups scalded cream

Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry.
Add to cream cheese mixture and fold the egg whites in lightly.

Pour mixture into prepared spring form cake pan, then set pan in a shallow pan containing 1 inch of hot water.
Bake in the oven for 1 1/2 hours.
Refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving.
Also freezes well.

Apple Pie - make ahead and freeze for Thanksgiving

Apple Pie

In the beginning of October, the apples are perfect. I especially like Northern Spy apples  and mix them with a few other sweet apples. I make several and freeze them. I used to bake them and then put them in the freezer but now I’ve learned that in fact they taste better if frozen uncooked. It’s texture and consistency will be more like a fresh pie.
Wrap the pie in foil and then place in a large freezer bag, when ready to bake, do not thaw, just remove from freezer and put in the oven while still frozen. Bake in oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 mins, then lower the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 40 minutes.
If you decide to freeze the pie baked, remove from freezer at least 3 hours before baking, then bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes.

Ingredients

For the Filling
8 Northern Spy Apples
2 tablespoons sugar
1 lemon squeezed
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter

For the Dough
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup of crisco
1/4 cup cold water

Directions

To make the dough, place 1 cup flour in a bowl, add 1 teaspoon salt and mix together.
Take a cup of crisco and add to flour, rub together until the flour and crisco are like breadcrumbs
Add 1/4 cup of cold water and stir the dough around until it is bound together.
You can put in fridge for half an hour

Take a pyrex round pie dish, spray with pam.
In a bowl, peel and slice 8 apples, add 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 lemon squeezed, 2 tablespoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Mix altogether.
Place apple mixture in pie dish, add 1 tablespoon butter.

Roll out dough and completely cover the dish. Have a bit of the dough overlapping
Pinch around the edges in a crimping way.
With a knife make a slash in the center and then 4 more circling the center slash, this allows the steam to escape while cooking.
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 - 40 minutes.

Thanksgiving Coming!

I'm going to keep a kind of diary about preparing for Thanksgiving and what I do, one day I may forget so this will help me too. There are going to be between 37 and 40 people, I think.
I've posted a picture of Chris steaming the turkey last year, it's a great relief to report that he will be doing it again this year! His turkeys are so moist, we use 13lb turkeys and he has space for two.
I do one in the oven. I have ordered 3 turkeys from Nichols, 13 lbs each, they looked a bit surprised and told me I was the first to order. .

Ingredients 
2  Turkeys 13 lbs each (I use Plainville turkeys which are all natural, no hormones and antibiotic free)
1 whole orange
3 onions with skins
4 apples unpeeled
large jug red wine
1 whole celery

Directions

 2 x 13 lb Plainville turkeys,  stuff a whole orange in each turkey.
On the third rack put a silver foil pan, filled with onions with the skins on and quartered, apples sliced in half, celery and a large dollop of red wine.  Pour more red wine around the turkeys and check during smoking time to make sure that none of the liquids dry out.  Add more wine during  cooking time.


Smoke the turkey for 4 hours, check to make sure the turkey is tender.

Cabbage and Carrot Slaw with Walnut-Za'atar Pesto

A great salad found in Bon Appetit, not so great the next day but delicious made and eaten the same day! The pesto can be made a day ahead and chilled covered in the fridge.

Ingredients
Pesto
3/4 cup walnuts
1 garlic clove, finely grated
2 oz. Gouda cheese finely grated
1 teaspoon za’atar
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt

Directions for Pesto
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Toast walnuts on a baking sheet, tossing once until golden brown, approx. 8-10 mins.
Leave aside to cool.
Process 3/4 cup walnuts, 1 garlic clove finely grated, 2 oz. Gouda cheese finely grated, and 1 teaspoon za’atar in a food processor until nuts are coarsely chopped. With motor running, stream in 1/4 cup olive oil until coarsely ground. (actually I put the whole lot in and it came out fine, I skipped the streaming oil bit) Season with Kosher salt.

Pesto can be made one day ahead and chilled covered.

Ingredients
Cabbage and Carrot Slaw
1/4 cup dried currants
1/2 cup whole-milk plain Greek yoghurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1/2 small green cabbage
1/2 lb carrots shaved lengthwise
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Za’atar to sprinkle on top

Directions for Slaw
Place currants in a bowl and cover with very hot water. Let sit until soft and plump, about 8 mins.
Next, whisk 1/2 cup plain Greek yoghurt, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Thin with water until the dressing is a consistency of heavy cream.
Drain currants, add to dressing, along with 1/2 small green cabbage, outer leaves removed, very thinly sliced, 1/2 lb carrots shaved lengthwise and 1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley. Toss to coat. Season with salt.

To serve........

Swipe platter with walnut pesto and arrange slaw over.
Sprinkle with za’atar.

Tomato Peach Salad with Tofu Cream

Found in Bon Appetit, served last night, pronounced the most delicious dish I had ever made!!

Ingredients

8 oz. silken tofu
sherry vinegar
olive oil
soy sauce
kosher salt
black pepper
3 tomatoes
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 medium peaches
1/2 red onion
2 ears of cooked corn on cob
fresh tarragon
fresh chervil (which I couldn’t find)

Directions

To Make the Blended Tofu Cream(can be made a day ahead and chilled in fridge)
In a food processor or blender put
8 oz silken tofu
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce and blend until light and creamy
Season tofu cream with salt
Cover and keep in fridge.

For the Salad
Whisk 3 tablespoons olive oil,
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce in a large bowl.
Season with salt and pepper
Add
3 tomatoes cut into 1 inch wedges
2 peaches skin cut into wedges
1/2 a red onion thinly sliced
fresh corn kernels from two corn ears
1 pint cherry tomatoes sliced lengthwise in half
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon chopped
2 tablespoons fresh chervil chopped
Mix together.

Swipe tofu cream on a platter and arrange tomato salad over top.
Serve with warm bread (Garlic Tuscon bread was good)

Pesto with Tuscan Kale and Collard Greens

Inspired to be more adventurous by Dean and Jason, the most creative cooks, who made our week together like being on a luxurious cruise with unbelievable dishes served to us, this was not actually made by them but was in Bon Appetit. I’ve been flipping over the pages, kind of skipping this recipe, but returning back from our time together, I thought I’d be brave and try it. The chefs Joe Sparatta and Lee Gregory at Southbound in Richmond, Virginia make a pesto with collard greens and peanuts. This recipe adds Tuscan Kale and I used pinenuts instead, not having any peanuts. However you could use almonds or walnuts. Served with linguine and a salad makes a nice meal. The pesto can be made a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge. Can also be frozen.

Ingredients
                                                                               

1 bunch of collard greens
1 bunch of Tuscan kale
Kosher salt
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
     cheese (or pecorino)
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pinenuts (or unsalted
roasted peanuts/almonds/walnuts)
1 tablespoon finely grated
     lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
ground black pepper                                 


Directions

Remove the stems from the collard greens and Tuscan kale by ripping the leaves away.
Chop the leaves coarsely and wash in water.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add salt, and cook the greens and kale for 30 seconds. Pour through a colander and place the greens and kale in iced water to stop the cooking - this preserves the bright green color. Drain and squeeze out any excess water avoiding a watery pesto.
Place the greens in a food processor, add 3 cloves garlic finely chopped, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup pinenuts (or unsalted roasted peanuts/almonds or walnuts), 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, ground black pepper and salt to taste.
Process on low speed until a coarse but well blended mixture forms.