Happy Thanksgiving

Yes, of course I made a traditional turkey. I'd be so so sad if I didn't. That said, we have a rotisserie. We love our rotisserie. We have 5 turkeys, why not try something a bit different?

Garlic and Rosemary Turkey with Mushroom Pecan Stuffing

12 lb turkey, thawed

2 Tbl minced garlic in oil or 2 Tbl minced fresh garlic and 2 Tbl olive oil
2 Tbl dried rosemary
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp chicken seasoning
several grinds of black pepper
1 tsp salt

Loosen the skin of the turkey and rub the herb mixture in and around under the skin. Stuff the bird's belly and head flap loosely with Mushroom Pecan Stuffing. Season the skin with salt and pepper. Truss up neatly and rotisserie that baby for about 3 hours.

Mushroom Pecan Stuffing

8 oz loaf of nice bread. French is good just don't use wonder bread.
1 Tbl butter divided
1 medium onion chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
1 lb button mushrooms chunky chopped
1 cup pecan halves
1 tsp (ish use your judgement. Sometimes sage is waaaaaaay overpowering and leaves a soapy taste other times it's blah. You want a lovely sage scent to waft off the toasted bread so use what you need to get that)
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 cup broth or water plus more for the pan stuffing
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cube the bread and toast it in a 250 oven for 20-30 minutes stirring every ten minutes or so. Turn up the heat to 350 to and let toast to golden . (About ten minutes.) Set aside in a large bowl to cool.
Cook the onions and celery in half the butter until crisp tender. Add to the cooled bread. Saute the mushrooms in the remaining butter until golden. Add to the bowl. Add the pecans and season to taste with the herbs and salt and pepper. Moisten with broth and stuff the above bird.

What don't fit, place in an appropriately sized baking dish soften with broth and bake for 20-30 minutes at 350 until toasty, yummy goodness.


Cranberry Relish

I used this recipe and added 1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans at the end

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/cranberry_relish/

Cranberry Relish Recipe
Print Options
Print (no photos)
Print (with photos)
Preparation time: 15 minutes.

Ingredients
2 cups washed raw cranberries
2 skinned and cored tart apples
1 large, whole (peel ON) seedless orange, cut into sections
1 to 2 cups granulated sugar (depending on how sweet you would like your relish to be), [I used 1 1/3 cup]
Method
1 Set up the grinder with a medium-sized blade on the edge of a table with a large roasting pan or bowl to catch the mix as it grinds. These old fashioned grinders tend to leak some of the juice down the grinder base, so you may want to set up an additional pan on the floor under the grinder to catch the drips. If you don't have an old-fashioned grinder you can use a grinder attachment on a KitchenAid mixer, you can chop by hand (though that will take a lot of work), or you can chop in a food processor (be very careful not to over-pulse, or you'll end up with mush).



2 Run fruit through a grinder. Use the entire (seedless) orange, peels, pith and all.

3 Mix in the sugar. Let sit at room temperature until sugar dissolves, about 45 minutes. Store in the refrigerator.

Makes about 3 cups.


To my darling husband. Today isn't really that day but Happy Anniversary anyway. I love you.

Killer Bee Sting

We grew a ridiculous amount of habanero peppers this year. I've cooked some, dried some even frozen some and our habanero just keeps cranking them out. So tonight I decided I wanted to make a preserve, if you will, of them.

Wear gloves.

Don't be scared...

Killer Bee Sting

8 habanero peppers washed
5 cloves of garlic roughly chopped
zest of one lemon
8 packets of True Lemon or the juice of one lemon
1 tsp salt
16 oz honey (nothing too strong clover or wildflower is just fine)

Lightly char the habaneros on your cooktop, bbq grill or griddle (In the same manner as roasting peppers) When the peppers have nice char marks and have softened a bit toss them in a blender or food processor with the remaining igredients. Buzz up until nicely pureed then pour into a deep saucepan. Simmer the sauce over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.


Sure this is gonna burn like crazy straight up, but say you give a couple a few pork chops a good hard sear then spoon a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of this over. Turn down the heat and simmer the chops (or chicken breast or salmon) until the meat is done to your liking and the juices and sauce reduce to an incredible glaze. Mmmmmmm.

Pie for Father's Day

8" Pie Crust

2 eggs
1 cup half and half (I used fat free)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp orange zest (feed the orange to Chloe or your equivalant of Chloe)
1 tsp vanilla
pinch salt
1/2 cup coconut (I used frozen unsweetened)
1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350.
Blind bake empty pie shell for 10 minutes.

Beat together eggs, half and half, sugar, orange zest, vanilla and salt until well combined. Stir in the coconut pour into pie crust and sprinkle with blueberries. Bake for 30-35 minutes until custard is set but still soft.

Delicious slightly warm with whipped cream on top but let it get cold and whoo baby, that's some kick ass pie. Mmmmmmmmmm!

Recipes

Main Dish
Also Lemon Chicken
Campfire Cuisine-Lemon Chicken
Chicken and Dumplings.
Chicken Florentine Cassrole
Chicken and Mushroom Sausages
Chicken and Noodles
Chicken Paprikash
Chicken Stew in Mustard Cream
Curried Beef Stew
Fig Pizza
In yer face, roasted vegetable bouillabaise
Karl's Killer Cod (no K on the Cod)
Ketchup, the best part of the meatloaf
Little Fingers and Little Toes
Mushu Burgers
Mushu Pork, not in the least bit authentic
Noodle Stir Fry with Pea Greens
Roasted Pork with Vegetables
Second Best Curry Ever
Steak Sandwiches
Thai Beef Skewers
Wicked Chicken

Breakfast
Bacon
Corn Cakes

Side Dishes
Cranberry Walnut Salad
Fried Green Tomatoes
Fruit Salad
Honey, Lime and Cilantro Slaw
New Fry Batter
Sea Potatoes

Sauces etc.
Killer Bee Sting (Habanero Honey)
Maitre D' Butter
Peanut Sauce
Thai Injectbale Marinade


Dessert
Blueberry Coconut Custard Pie for Father's Day


Let's put Chloe through college one frog at a time! Buy a book here.

Chloe's Cake

 

Chloe

 

 

 

 

Chloe the Early Year - God

 

Little Miss Sunshine - Roger Hargreaves

 

All the Frogs in the Pond - Kristi White

 

The Going to Bed Book - Sandra Boynton

 

Now We are Six A. A. Milne

 

The stories...

 

Fox in Socks

 

Harold

 

One Fish

 

Two Fish

 

Max

 

Mr. Topsy Turvy

 

Mr. Bump

 

Laura Ingalls & Charlotte

 

Little Critter

 

Mr. Noisy

Chloe's party was story book themed. We sent invitations that looked like books, asked everyone to bring their favorite childhood story book as a gift and made bookmarks as a craft. I only wish I could have tied the cake in with the theme somehow.