Wishing all a Happy Thanksgiving and a holiday filled with joyous food memories!
Monthly Archives: November 2014
Leftover Cranberry Sauce ? Try these Cranberry Cheese Crostini
Bring new life to your leftovers, try this tasty bit – by toasting your left over bread, add some cheese and a dap of cranberry sauce. You’ll want to make this easy appetizer through out the holidays!
Cranberry Cheese Crostini
Make 4
Ingredients
- 4 round slices – 1/2 inch thick of a baguette
- 2 ounces soft or semi soft cheese such as brie or gruyere
- 2 teaspoons cranberry sauce
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Place bread on baking sheet and toast in oven until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven – divide cheese on top of each toast and then place a 1/2 teaspoon of cranberry sauce in the center. Place under the broiler until melted and remove and serve.
Sausage, Collard Greens and Brioche Dressing
You’ll love this southern inspired dressing for your Thanksgiving table! Buttery brioche is the base of this dressing mixed with italian sausage, leeks, collard greens and lots of fresh herbs. It’s super easy to toast your own bread for this dressing and layer your flavors. I love using leeks in place of the onions for a more subtle onion taste. Just be sure to clean them well before using them, they can have some dirt. I suggest soaking them a little in water before cutting. When cooking with leeks use the white parts only and discard the green tops.
From by the bay, wishing you collard green food memories!
Maryann
Sausage, Collard Greens and Brioche Dressing
Serves 12
16 cups brioche bread, cut into ½ inch cubes with crust
2 ½ pounds Italian sausage meat
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bunch leeks, sliced in rings approximately 2 cups chopped
1 bunch collard greens
3 stalks celery, minced ( include the leaves)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
2 teaspoons rubbed sage
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 to 5 cups low sodium chicken stock
½ cup parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Place bread cubes in a single layer on two rimmed large baking sheets. Bake until toasted about 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool. In a large skillet cook sausage meat, crumbling the meat with a fork until fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Remove meat with a slotted spoon and place into a large mixing bowl. Add butter to the same skillet, melt butter and then add leeks, celery, thyme and sage. Saute together until softened about 10 minutes, separating the leek rings. Remove from heat and add to the bowl with the cooked sausage meat. Use the same skillet to add the collard greens and wilt about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups chicken stock and let simmer for another 10 minutes. Add collard greens and stock to the bowl.. Add the toasted bread cube, rubbed sage and parsley to the bowl. Add 2 cups of chicken stock. Mix the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper. If dressing is not moist add the additional cup of stock. Mix well. The dressing can be made up to this point one day in advance and refrigerate until ready to bake. To bake the dressing, remove from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes, until dressing is heated through the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and serve warm.
Apple Bourbon Cranberry Sauce
Making cranberry sauce couldn’t be easier….this version combines some of my favorite flavors- of course cranberries, sweeten with juicy apples , apple cider and finished off with a little bourbon! You’ll love this recipe and it’s great to use through out the holiday season!!
From by the bay wishing you, red cranberry food memories
Maryann
Apple Bourbon Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
½ cup apple cider
1 cup fine sugar
1 12oz, package whole fresh cranberries
3/4 cup apples, peeled, seeded and chopped
¼ cup bourbon
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
Combine apple cider, bourbon and sugar in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cranberries, apples and cinnamon. Return to a boil, reduce heat and simmer approximately 10 minutes until the cranberries start to burst. Remove from heat. Cool completely and then chill in refrigerator. Cranberry sauce will thicken. Serve chilled.
Top Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes
Enjoy from by the bay my top Roast Turkey recipes to plan your Thanksgiving Feast………
Spiced Pomegranate Molasses Glazed Turkey
1 16-18 lb. turkey, preferably organic
Brine
16 cups cold water, or more to cover turkey
1 cup fine sea salt
1 cup light brown sugar
4 cloves garlic
3 oranges
2 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 onions , peeled and quartered
3 sprigs rosemary
To roast turkey
2 oranges, cut in half
1 pomegranate cut in half
1 bunch rosemary
2 tablespoons fine grey sea salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
To baste
8 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temperature
¼ cup pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Directions
Prepare brine by combining water, sea salt, sugar and peppercorns. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Then add to the brine the garlic, oranges, onions and rosemary. Clean turkey with cold water removing any giblets and or neck. Keep giblets and neck in the refrigerator to use later for gravy base. Place turkey and brine into a resealable plastic bag or into a large non reactive bowl covered with plastic wrap. The turkey should be covered with the brine, if not add more water. Refrigerate over night. The next day remove the turkey 40 minutes before planning to place into the oven. Preheat oven to 425F. Remove turkey from brine and pat dry with paper towels inside and out. Season the turkey cavity with salt and pepper. Fill the cavity of the turkey with the oranges, pomegranate and rosemary. Tie turkey legs together and place into roasting pan. In a small sauce pan melt butter, mustard and pomegranate molasses together on a low heat. Use this to baste turkey once before placing into the oven. Roast the turkey at 425F for 30 minutes then lower the oven to 350F. For an 18lb turkey cooking time will be approximately 3 hours. Use a meat thermometer to check that the meat registers 175F at its thickest part of the thigh. Baste the turkey about every 30 minutes with the butter and syrup mixture. If the turkey browns too quickly tent that part with aluminum foil. When ready remove from the oven. Take turkey from the roasting pan and place on a cutting board to rest before carving, at least 20 minutes. If you are serving later then 20 minutes from removing from oven tent turkey with aluminum foil until ready to serve.
Apple Sage Roasted Turkey
1 16-18 lb. turkey, preferably organic
Brine
16 cups cold water , or more to cover turkey
8 cups chicken stock
1 cup fine sea salt
1 cup fine sugar
2 apples , quartered
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 springs fresh sage
2 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 bouquet garni
2 onions , peeled and quartered
To roast turkey
1 bunch fresh sage leaves
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 apple quartered
2 tablespoons fine grey sea salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
To baste
8 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temperature
¼ cup honey
Directions
Prepare brine by combining water, sea salt, sugar, bay leaves, 3 garlic cloves, thyme and peppercorns. Cut 2 apples into wedges, add to the brine and stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Clean turkey with cold water removing any giblets and or neck. Keep giblets and neck in the refrigerator to use later for gravy base. Place turkey and brine into a resealable plastic bag or into a large non reactive bowl covered with plastic wrap. The turkey should be covered with the brine, if not add more water. Refrigerate over night. The next day remove turkey 40 minutes before planning to place into the oven. Preheat oven to 425F. Remove turkey from brine and pat dry with paper towels inside and out. . Season the turkey cavity with salt and pepper. Add an apple in quarters into the cavity along with thyme and sage. Tie turkey legs together and place into roasting pan. In a small sauce pan melt butter and honey together on a low heat. Use this to baste turkey once before placing into the oven. Roast the turkey at 425F for 30 minutes then lower the oven to 350F. For an 18lb turkey cooking time will be approximately 3 hours. Use a meat thermometer to check that the meat registers 175F at its thickest part of the thigh. Baste the turkey about every 30 minutes with the butter and honey mixture. If the turkey browns too quickly tent that part with aluminum foil. When ready remove from the oven. Take turkey from the roasting pan and place on a cutting board to rest before carving, at least 20 minutes. If you are serving later then 20 minutes from removing from oven tent turkey with aluminum foil until ready to serve.
Apple Cider Brined and Maple Roasted Turkey
1 16-18 lb. turkey, preferably organic
Brine
16 cups cold water, or more to cover turkey
8 cups apple cider
1 cup fine sea salt
1 cup light brown sugar
2 macintosh apples , quartered
3 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
2 tablespoons allspice berries
2 tablespoon black peppercorns
½ cup maple syrup
2 onions , peeled and quartered
3 sprigs sage leaves
To roast turkey
2 whole macintosh apples
1 onion, peeled and quartered
2 cinnamon sticks
1 bunch fresh sage leaves
2 tablespoons fine grey sea salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
To baste
8 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temperature
¼ cup maple syrup
Directions
Prepare brine by combining apple cider, water, sea salt, maple syrup, brown sugar, onions, sage, apples , cloves, cinnamon sticks, allspice, star anise and peppercorns. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Clean turkey with cold water removing any giblets and or neck. Keep giblets and neck in the refrigerator to use later for gravy base. Place turkey and brine into a resealable plastic bag or into a large non reactive bowl covered with plastic wrap. The turkey should be covered with the brine, if not add more water. Refrigerate over night. The next day remove turkey 40 minutes before planning to place into the oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Remove turkey from brine and pat dry with paper towels inside and out. Season the turkey cavity with salt and pepper. Fill the cavity with the apples, onions, sage and cinnamon sticks. Tie turkey legs together and place into roasting pan. In a small sauce pan melt butter and maple syrup together on a low heat. Use this to baste turkey once before placing into the oven. Roast the turkey at 425 degrees F for 30 minutes then lower the oven to 350 degrees F. For an 18 lb. turkey cooking time will be approximately 3 hours. Use a meat thermometer to check that the meat registers 175 degrees F at its thickest part of the thigh. Baste the turkey about every 30 minutes with the butter and maple syrup mixture. If the turkey browns too quickly tent that part with aluminum foil. When ready, remove from the oven. Take turkey from the roasting pan and place on a cutting board to rest before carving, at least 20 minutes. If you are serving later then 20 minutes from removing from oven tent turkey with aluminum foil until ready to serve.
Honey Herb Roasted Turkey
1 16-18 lb. turkey, preferably organic
Brine
16 cups cold water , or more to cover turkey
8 cups chicken stock
1 cup fine sea salt
1 cup fine granulated sugar
3 lemons , quartered
3 sprigs fresh thyme
6 springs fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 bouquet garni
1 cup honey
2 onions , peeled and quartered
3 sprigs sage leaves
To roast turkey
1 lemon, quartered
1 bunch fresh sage leaves
1 bunch fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons fine grey sea salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
To baste
8 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temperature
¼ cup honey
Directions
Prepare brine by combining water, sea salt, honey, sugar, onions, rosemary, thyme, bouquet garni and peppercorns. Cut 2 lemons into wedges, squeezing juice of lemons into the brine along with the wedges and stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Clean turkey with cold water removing any giblets and or neck. Keep giblets and neck in the refrigerator to use later for gravy base. Place turkey and brine into a resealable plastic bag or into a large non reactive bowl covered with plastic wrap. The turkey should be covered with the brine, if not add more water. Refrigerate over night. The next day remove turkey 40 minutes before planning to place into the oven. Preheat oven to 425 degress F. Remove turkey from brine and pat dry with paper towels inside and out. Season the turkey cavity with salt and pepper. Squeeze lemon juice into the cavity and add the quarters along with rosemary and sage. Tie turkey legs together and place into roasting pan. In a small sauce pan melt butter and honey together on a low heat. Use this to baste turkey once before placing into the oven. Roast the turkey at 425 degrees F for 30 minutes then lower the oven to 350 degrees F. For an 18 lb. turkey cooking time will be approximately 3 hours. Use a meat thermometer to check that the meat registers 175 degrees F at its thickest part of the thigh. Baste the turkey about every 30 minutes with the butter and honey mixture. If the turkey browns too quickly tent that part with aluminum foil. When ready, remove from the oven. Take turkey from the roasting pan and place on a cutting board to rest before carving, at least 20 minutes. If you are serving later then 20 minutes from removing from oven tent turkey with aluminum foil until ready to serve.
Sage Gravy
There is nothing like homemade gravy for your Thanksgiving Turkey and you’ll love this sage gravy. You can make most of this gravy in advance by making a flavorful stock as your base and then flavoring the gravy with the turkey drippings at the end. This gravy is perfect used with my Apple Sage Roast Turkey.
From by the bay wishing you turkey gravy food memories!
Maryann
Sage Gravy
Gravy Base
6 cups chicken stock
Giblets and neck from turkey
1 carrot peeled and chopped
1 onion, not peeled and quartered
1 celery stick, chopped
2 bay leaves
6 sage leaves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Gravy
1 cup white wine
6 tablespoons flour
6 cups gravy base
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoons fine grey sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped sage
Directions for gravy base
Combine into a soup pot chicken stock, carrot, onion, celery, bay leaves, sage, peppercorns, giblets and neck from turkey. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 1 hour. Cool and strain broth and keep refrigerated until ready to make gravy. This can be done one day in advance.
Directions for gravy
Place seasoned broth into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Take melted butter in a bowl and then add the flour, whisk until a smooth paste. Take one cup of hot broth and whisk into flour mixture until smooth. Sieve back into the broth and whisk to blend. Add bay leaves, salt and pepper and whisk again. You can have this prepared as the turkey is roasting. Once the turkey is done and removed from the roasting pan pour pan juices into a measuring cup. Spoon off fat and discard. Add remaining juices into broth in the saucepan. Place roasting pan back on heat and deglaze with the wine. Scrap pan to get all brown bits, let reduce to half , about 2 minutes. Add to the gravy. Whisk together and let simmer until reduced to a sauce consistency. Remove bay leaves, mix in sage adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve with turkey.
Apple Sage Roasted Turkey
It’s time to start planning the Thanksgiving menu and of course the turkey is the centerpiece. I like to experiment each year with flavors and this is a perfect combination of autumnal tastes with apple and sage. I like to brine the turkey overnight , resulting in a juicy roast turkey. I like to paste my turkeys with butter and something sweet, in this case honey which makes the turkey skin crispy and lacquered in appearance. Let the Thanksgiving planning begin with this delicious turkey as your star!
From by the bay, wishing you very sage turkey food memories!
Maryann
Apple Sage Roasted Turkey
1 16-18 lb. turkey, preferably organic
Brine
16 cups cold water , or more to cover turkey
8 cups chicken stock
1 cup fine sea salt
1 cup fine sugar
2 apples , quartered
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 springs fresh sage
2 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 bouquet garni
2 onions , peeled and quartered
To roast turkey
1 bunch fresh sage leaves
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 apple quartered
2 tablespoons fine grey sea salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
To baste
8 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temperature
¼ cup honey
Directions
Prepare brine by combining water, sea salt, sugar, bay leaves, 3 garlic cloves, thyme and peppercorns. Cut 2 apples into wedges, add to the brine and stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Clean turkey with cold water removing any giblets and or neck. Keep giblets and neck in the refrigerator to use later for gravy base. Place turkey and brine into a resealable plastic bag or into a large non reactive bowl covered with plastic wrap. The turkey should be covered with the brine, if not add more water. Refrigerate over night. The next day remove turkey 40 minutes before planning to place into the oven. Preheat oven to 425F. Remove turkey from brine and pat dry with paper towels inside and out. . Season the turkey cavity with salt and pepper. Add an apple in quarters into the cavity along with thyme and sage. Tie turkey legs together and place into roasting pan. In a small sauce pan melt butter and honey together on a low heat. Use this to baste turkey once before placing into the oven. Roast the turkey at 425F for 30 minutes then lower the oven to 350F. For an 18lb turkey cooking time will be approximately 3 hours. Use a meat thermometer to check that the meat registers 175F at its thickest part of the thigh. Baste the turkey about every 30 minutes with the butter and honey mixture. If the turkey browns too quickly tent that part with aluminum foil. When ready remove from the oven. Take turkey from the roasting pan and place on a cutting board to rest before carving, at least 20 minutes. If you are serving later then 20 minutes from removing from oven tent turkey with aluminum foil until ready to serve.