Nov 27, 2010

Thanksgiving dinner


Last night we had the second installment of our Thanksgiving dinner and I thought I would share my recipes with you. I didn't take pictures during our actual Thanksgiving dinner because I was completely exhausted after everything was done. So much time goes in planning and making Thanksgiving dinner and it's over in such a short time. Is it really worth all the effort?

Anyway, this past Thanksgiving was my first Thanksgiving at my new home and I'm happy to report that everything went well. The turkey was sooo delicious, it's a Cajun-Injected Spicy Turkey recipe from Emeril Lagasse. It was my first time using a meat injector and it's really a lot of fun!!! A little tip from me, make sure the needle is deep into the meat before you depress the plunger, otherwise, you'll have turkey marinade all over your house....(i hope my landlord is not reading this!!!) The turkey came out really moist and flavorful. The reviews from the recipe said it was really spicy, so I cut down on the cayenne and it was perfect.

My favorite part of the meal was the dinner rolls!!! This recipe comes from Average Betty. They are the best dinner rolls that I have ever made. I made this a few times before and I had success every time. It is a bit time consuming because it requires three rises, but it is soooo worth it!!!

No recipe to post for the stuffing..it's just stove top..yikes!! I had planned to make stuffing from scratch but Mr. G talked me out of it. Thank you!!!

Mr. G's favorite part of the meal was the garlic mashed potatoes!! I love this recipe as well. It comes from Cook's Illustrated, so it is more time consuming than most mashed potatoes recipe, but it's worth it. It's soooo good!! I cut down on the butter, but I don't think the potatoes suffered. I'm thinking of making croquettes with the left overs..but don't know how..any suggestions? Do I just mix veggies in it, top it with panko and fry? hm....HELP!!

The asparagus were just roasted briefly with olive oil, salt and pepper. Easy and tasty!

Overall, Thanksgiving was a success. I will post the dessert the next time. Dessert deserves its own post!! Hope all of you had a Happy Thanksgiving. Here are the recipes.


Cajun-Injected Spicy Turkey
From Emeril Lagasse

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon concentrated liquid crab and shrimp boil (recommended: Zatarian's)
1/4 cup apple cider
3/4 cup honey
1 (12-ounce) bottle beer
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1/2 cup Creole seasoning (recipe to follow)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup finely minced garlic
1 (10 to 12-pound) turkey, rinsed well inside and out, patted dry
4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 cups chicken broth, as needed for bottom of roasting pan


1. Make the marinade by combining the Worcestershire sauce, crab boil, apple cider, honey, beer, salt, allspice, Creole seasoning, cayenne, olive oil, and minced garlic in a blender and process until very smooth, about 5 minutes. Fill a large syringe* and inject turkey in the breast and thigh area, as well as the back, wings, and legs, with at least 2/3 of the marinade. You will have to fill the syringe numerous times.

2. Preheat the oven to 420 degrees F and line a large roasting pan with aluminum foil.

3. Season the injected turkey well both inside and out with the kosher salt and black pepper. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan lined with aluminum foil and pour the remaining marinade all over the turkey. Bake the turkey uncovered for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, add 1 cup of the chicken broth to the roasting pan, and continue to bake the turkey until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the deepest part between the thigh and the leg registers 165 degrees F. (If the turkey begins to brown too much, tent loosely with aluminum foil until it is done. Also, add more broth as necessary to keep the bottom of the roasting pan from burning.)

4. When the turkey is done, remove it from the oven and set aside to rest at least 20 minutes before carving.


Creole Seasoning
adapted from Emeril Lagasse

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (see note)
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme


1. Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Note:
  • *Original recipe uses 1 tbsp of cayenne pepper, I decreased it so that the turkey wouldn't be too spicy.


Mama Betty's Dinner Rolls
from Average Betty
makes 16 dinner rolls

3 cups all purpose unbleached flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 package dry yeast (Betty used Fleischmann’s¨ Rapid Rise Yeast)
1/4 cup dry milk
3/4 cup tap water
2 tbsp butter
1 egg
Extra Virgin Olive Oil


1. In an electric mixer, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, salt, dry yeast and powdered milk.

2. Dissolve butter in warm water (not hot!). Water should be about 120(F). If you have a kitchen thermometer, use it! Betty doesn’t have one, but the water should feel warm and comfortable to the touch. Add egg.

5. With mixer running, slowly add warm water mixture to dry mixture. Begin adding remaining 1 cup flour. You may not need to add ALL the flour - so add gradually. Betty’s Mom says, “For best results, the dough should be sticky.”

6. Knead dough on floured board and form into a ball. Knead about 2-3 minutes if you used a dough hook; knead 6-8 minutes if not.

7. Place dough ball top down in a bowl you’ve drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and flip ball over. Cover first with plastic, then with a towel. Allow to rise until doubled in size. This will take about 1 1/2 hours.

8. Punch down. Knead, reshape into ball, cover and allow to rise again until doubled in size. This will occur more quickly, about 45 minutes. Punch down, knead and reshape into a ball.

9. Oil a pie plate or round cake pan. Form rolls a little smaller than golf balls. Cover with plastic wrap and towel. Allow the rolls to rise another 30-45 minutes and bake in a preheated 375 (F) oven for 15-20 minutes.


Garlic Mashed Potatoes
from Cook's Illustrated's New Best Recipe

2/3 cups garlic cloves (about 22 cloves)
2 lbs russet potatoes, scrubbed
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (see note)
1 cup half and half, warmed
1 1/2 tsp salt
ground black pepper


1. Toast garlic cloves with skins left on in a small covered skillet over the lowest possible heat, shaking the pan frequently until the cloves are dark spotty brown and slightly softened, about 22 minutes.

2. Remove the pan from heat and let stand, covered, until the cloves are fully softened, 15 to 20 minutes. Peel the cloves and, using a paring knife, cut off the woody ends. Set aside

3. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan with cold water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the potatoes are just tender when pricked with a thin-bladed knife, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes.

4. Set a food mill or ricer over the now empty but still warm saucepan. Spear each potato with a dinner fork, then peel back the skin with a paring knife. Working in batches, cut the peeled potatoes into chunks and drop them into the hopper of a food mill. To use a ricer, halve the potatoes and place cut side down in the ricer. Process or rice the potatoes into the sauce pan. Add the toasted garlic in with the potatoes. (see note)

5. Stir in the melted butter with a wooden spoon until incorporated. Gently whisk in the half and half, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Note:
  • *The original recipe uses 8 tbsp of butter, I cut the butter in half.
  • *I didn't have a food mill or a potato ricer, so I grated my potatoes instead. If you're planning to grate the potatoes, don't cut the potatoes in chunks, just grate it whole. It's worth the effort to grate the potatoes because the texture is a lot nicer than potatoes that are mashed!

2 comments:

averagebetty said...

Favorite part of the meal? Woo Hoo! Your Dinner Rolls -- and entire Thanksgiving dinner looks mouth-watering delicious!

kk said...

Thank you sooo much for a great recipe, Betty!

 

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