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
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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.