The best one dish breakfast, perfect for the holidays or just a regular morning. It has even made it to the dinner table several times. This dish is a great way to use leftovers. I always make certain I have eggs on hand, because when the pantry is empty I can always find something in the freezer or crisper drawer to throw in and make a quick meal.
I love to throw in leftover roasted potatoes. One time, I was fishing around in the fridge trying to find something to throw in and there two hot dog wieners in the meat drawer just staring at me. Yes, I chopped them up and sauteed them with onion and garlic, and no one was the wiser. This is the perfect time to throw in wilted broccoli or sad produce- not bad, just sad, there is a difference. Experiment with different cheeses. Today I mixed sharp cheddar and mozzarella, it was just what I had on hand, and it was wonderful.
You can also upscale this frittata- add in the freshest of ingredients such as peas, basil, ham and swiss or bacon, roasted potatoes and gouda and serve with a nice salad on the side. A favorite combo is fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarella with balsamic reduction drizzled on the top.
The skillet- I have tried numerous combinations and this works best with a 10 inch skillet. If I need a larger one, I make two. I have added eggs and gone with a larger skillet, but the outer edges get too done and the middle doesn’t get done enough. Six eggs and a 10 inch skillet is the magic combo. I prefer my Memaw’s cast iron skillet however I also have a couple of Lodge skillets that I use when I am making multiple frittatas.
When I pull out my iron skillets, I always use a silicone handle cover. The cast iron can get so hot, the heat can penetrate your oven mitts or pot holders. The handle cover eliminates this issue. I have a friend that is a wonderful leather worker, Jamey Taylor. I have asked him to make me a leather handle cover for my skillets. I will get it this week and I can’t wait to see it! The great thing about using cast iron for this recipe-the pan will keep the frittata warm for much longer than a regular skillet.
This recipe is gluten free and can easily be vegetarian depending on what you choose to add in. Top with hot sauce, salsa or just some freshly ground black pepper.
For breakfast, this would be great with a Spicy Bloody Mary. For brunch or lunch, it would be great with a crisp white, such as Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc. My Vivino app rates this wine 4.0, which is an excellent score. It is dry and slightly acidic with citrus notes and runs around $20. The Vivino app is a free app I have used for years and is a great tool for finding great wines. Emmolo is crafted by winemaker, Jenny Wagner. It is my absolute favorite summertime, sitting on the patio wine. And it is also wonderful at the holidays because of its citrusy goodness.
One dish meal perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner.
Ingredients
6 eggs
1/4 cup cream, half and half or milk
1 cup shredded cheese
*add any protein and/or vegetable, approximately 2 cups
Today I added: cajun sausage, onion, garlic, red and yellow peppers and tomatoes
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs, cheese and dairy together. Saute your chosen protein and/or vegetables in a 10 inch iron skillet with 1 tbsp olive oil for several minutes on medium heat. Turn off the heat, pour in the egg mixture on top of the sauteed mixture and bake for 15-20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Remove from the oven when the eggs are set. Make certain not to overcook.
Make this recipe your own. Add chorizo, breakfast sausage, bacon, ham. Add any vegetable you can think of and try different combinations of herbs and spices.
This is a bright, refreshing sangria and the addition of green apples, cranberries and rosemary make it perfect for the holidays.
In today’s world, it is all the rage to have a theme cocktail or punch at a party, wedding, or event. This is where sangria comes to the rescue. There are no rules to sangrias. You can mix and add whatever you choice. Usually a sangria has wine and some addition of a fruit and or fruit juice and a sparkling element. Red or white is always the questions, however when making sangria for a crowd, more people will go for the white sangria, that’s just how it works out. Even those that do not like wine will like white sangria. Generally, sangrias will have less alcohol content than a traditional cocktail, unless you add vodka or brandy to the sangria, and yes, that is a thing. I like the clean wine taste of sangria and can appreciate the lower alcohol content, so I opt out of the high powered kick of liquor in my sangria.
The wine- I opt for something I would drink, an inexpensive brand, even the big bottles (1.5L) will work. Obviously this recipe is for a white sangria so I would use a chardonnay or pinot grigio. If you like things a little more sweeter, you could use a riesling or even a moscato. Again, there are no rules!
The fruit- This recipe calls for diced green apples and cranberries. The red and green combo is perfect for the Christmas season. You could add limes, oranges, grapes, etc.
The sparkling- You could do sparkling white grape juice or sparkling apple cider. In a pinch, I have dumped in ginger ale.
Here is the great think about sangria, if you have some leftover wines from a dinner or a party, dump them all in and add fruit and a sparkling element. It is a great way to stretch the wine and use leftovers.
This wine features fresh rosemary and I encourage you not to skip this step. It does make a difference and gives just a hint of the rosemary essence. If you have fresh rosemary in your yard, consider “frosting” some to use as a garnish. Simple dip the rosemary into water and dip into sugar. Sit on a paper towel to dry.
I like to mix and store the sangria in a 2 quart container with a lid. I found several this week at the Dollar Tree and they are absolutely perfect. I whipped up 8 quarts for a party Wednesday night and ran out mid way through the party. I ended up pouring some white wine and ginger ale over the cranberries, apples and rosemary that were left in the containers and I am not sure anyone was the wiser. Improvising is easy with sangria.
I know we all have those large glass or plastic containers with a spout and that is perfect for tea and lemonade. Sangria needs to be in a glass pitcher or even a punch bowl. You want to get some apple, cranberry and rosemary in your glass and it is best accomplished in a pitcher or bowl.
For a downhome vibe, or outdoor gathering, I have put these in individual glass pint jars, mason jars, screwed on the lid and place on ice in a galvanized tub or cooler. For a fancier gathering, I would serve in a wine glass, stemmed or stemless would work.
If you feel like your sangria needs more sweetness, add sugar, splenda, agave, etc.
1 bottle white wine
I cup sparkling apple cider or sparkling white grape juice
1 cup cranberries (take a few and cut in half)
1 green apple, diced
3-4 springs of fresh rosemary
Directions
Mix and chill. Can be prepared 1-2 days before. Serve over ice.
Make this recipe your own. Sub cranberry juice cocktail and club soda for the sparkling. Add oranges, grapes or limes. The possibilities are endless.
There is so much comfort and love from a red sauce that has simmered all day. I love the thick, rich darkness of this sauce combined with the tender pork and vegetables. The hardest part of this recipe was deciding what to name it. Is it a ragu? Probably not, because of the amount of tomatoes I added. I am not Italian and not trying to replace any Nonna’s cherished recipe. However, I can tell you, just cooking tomatoes all day makes for a great sauce on its own.
Today I did not have any fresh herbs so I decided to skip the Italian trinity: oregano, basil, bay leaf. So I used good quality canned tomatoes and let the meat, vegetables and garlic stand on their own. I also add different things every time I make this, it just depends on my mood and what I have on hand. I usually throw in Italian sausage, but today I had kielbasa on hand. I found a 5lb half pork shoulder at the grocery store earlier in the week and it looked perfect for Sunday Gravy. I have used beef, chicken and pork, the possibilities are endless. You could spoon this on top of pasta or polenta. My choice would be freshly made pappardelle pasta but I did not have any on hand. It’s a rainy, cold morning, and I am certain this will be just fine over spaghetti noodles tonight.
I have a large, enameled cast dutch oven that works perfectly for this and so many other things I whip up in the kitchen. If you are looking for a gift for someone that cooks for you, think about enameled cast iron. There are some pricey, fancy French brands that many of us covet from afar and some very reasonably priced ones, as well.
One of the great things about this dish is it freezes beautifully. And that is an added bonus and it will be a wonderful, easy dinner in a few weeks after a full day of work.
The wine is important and there is a good amount in this recipe. The alcohol cooks out and what is left the deep flavor of the wine. Do not use an expensive bottle and do not use cooking wine. You always need to use a wine you would drink. I always have some Kirkland brand wines around, they are inexpensive and very good quality for the price. They are perfect for cooking and also great for a weeknight glass of vino.
The only topping you will need is freshly grated parmesan cheese. Please don’t use the stuff already grated or shredded. Grate your own cheese, always. It’s a game changer. I have a mini chopper I use for this, it was a Christmas gift many years ago and I put it to good use often.
I would pair this with a good Chianti , Pinot Noir or a Red Blend. We had an Arabilis Pinot Noir on hand that was perfect.
5lb pork shoulder or butt, fat trimmed, cut into large chunks
1 package of Italian sausage or a kielbasa
7 garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 onions, chopped
1 can tomato paste
2 cups red wine
2 28 ounce cans of good quality crushed tomatoes
Directions
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Brown the chunks of pork on all sides. Remove from pot. On medium heat, saute the onions, celery, carrots for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cooks for 1 additional minute. Add tomato paste and cook for an addition 1-2 minutes. This removes any “tin” flavor from the paste. Add wine and stir, scrapping any bits of meat from the bottom of the pot. Add the crushed tomatoes. Return the pork to the pot and add the sausage. Cover the pot and place in the oven for 4-6 hours. When you lift the lid, there may be fat on the top. You can easily spoon some of that off and then stir and serve over pasta or polenta.
Make this recipe your own. Add oregano, bay leaf, basil, thyme. Spice it up with crushed red pepper. This can easily be gluten free by serving it over gluten free pasta.
This is my healthy twist on nachos- one of Jay’s favorite meals and snack. I am trying to incorporate healthier meals and more vegetables into our life. I have replaced the ground beef with ground turkey, miniature peppers for chips and added some black beans.
Yes, it still has wonderful, gooey, sharp cheddar cheese and I may or may not add some sour cream. It’s baby steps around here right now. I have noticed my healthy twists go over a little better when I spice them up, so I piled jalapenos on, too.
Here is something I learned later in life that I wish I learned sooner: grate your own cheese. I ALWAYS grate my own cheese. Cheese that is already grated has a flour/wax like coating to prevent it from sticking together. It affects the taste greatly- I promise. Your cheese dishes will be elevated immediately just by grating your own cheese.
You can easily make this vegetarian by leaving out the ground turkey. If you choose this route, I would could cook the taco seasoning with the beans for a few minutes.
The cook time is important, only 10 minutes at 400 degrees. If you cook it longer, the peppers will get mushy and the crunch is the one of the best things about this dish.
And of course I would pair this with a couple of skinny margaritas (tequila, fresh lime juice, fresh orange juice and agave nectar). If you happen to be allergic to tequila like me (it’s a real thing, google it), then swap it out for rum.
1 lb ground turkey
1 package taco seasoning, or make your own (cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder)
1 package miniature peppers
6 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1 can black beans, drained
jalapeno slices, chopped
tomato, chopped
onion, chopped
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brown the ground turkey and add in taco seasoning and 3/4 cup of water. Let simmer for a few minutes. Slice the peppers in half and place on a sheet. Layer the peppers with the ground turkey, beans, cheese and the rest of the ingredients. Cook for 10 minutes.
Make this recipe your own. Add salsa, guacamole, sour cream or cilantro.
You need two things: a menu and a plan. It doesn’t have to be stressful or perfect and your house doesn’t have to be big or spotless. And keep your expectations low. Thanksgiving is an event, and once an event starts, you lose all control and it takes on a life of its own. And that is okay. We have a crowd on Thanksgiving and I live in a regular ranch style home and on Thanksgiving day it will be filled with people I love and that makes me happy. This year they will be eating out of paper plates, the good ones of course, and finding a seat wherever they can. The important part is you are spending it with those you love and care about whether that be family or friends or both. I do have some fancy dinner parties with china and name places, but Thanksgiving isn’t one of those events.
Guests: Know who is coming. And know if anyone has any issues such as a shellfish allergy, gluten sensitivity or special dietary needs. You don’t have to make an entire gluten free meal but just make sure you have one or two things they can enjoy safely. Also, guests may ask “What can I bring?”. Don’t be a martyr, you don’t get an award for making everything yourself. Tell them to bring something you know they do well. From experience- don’t ask them to bring something important, like the turkey or dressing. Because if they forget, or if they get sick at the last minute, that would be an issue.
Drinks: Being from the south, and in the heart of the Bible belt, I grew up on sweet tea and alcohol was not a part of any family dinner and especially Thanksgiving. And it is your decision to have alcohol or not at your dinners. I always like to have a bottle of red wine and a bottle of white wine open on the bar for guests to help themselves. Some years the bottles are barely touched and some years we open lots of bottles. We just play it by ear and make sure we are well stocked. There are good expensive brands and there are good inexpensive brands, what you serve is up to you.
Appetizers: I always set something out, even if it is small. Just cheese and crackers (Brie with Fig Jam would be great) and/or raw veggies. I promise you, some of your people have not eaten all day. And if dinner is delayed, for whatever reason, you won’t have hungry, grumpy people on your hands.
Your oven: It is important to know your oven. If you have a newer oven or a gas oven, it may have a cooling fan incorporated. This is important to know if you are doing a recipe that calls for “Bird at 500 degrees, then turn the oven off and let it continue to cook for 5 hours”. I tried this a few years ago, found out my oven had a cooling fan- on Thanksgiving Day, so that method did not work and by the time I figured out what had happened- thanks to Google- our dinner was delayed and I was in an absolute panic. You also need to plan your menu and cooking time based on the availability of space and time in your oven. Think of side dishes to prepare that do not require use of the oven.
The turkey- fresh or frozen: Of course fresh is better and saves you thawing time, but fresh is not always available and there are some fabulous deals on frozen turkeys. If you are going the frozen route, incorporate your thawing time into your plan. And if you have a frozen turkey in the bottom of freezer from 2019, for goodness sakes, throw it away.
The turkey- brine, no brine, dry brine: I have done all these methods and there is no right answer, it is just about what you like. The dry brine creates an extra crispy skin. The brine creates an extra juicy turkey, no brine is just fine as long as you salt it really well. And no brine is the default method if you have no plan and are flying by the seat of your pants and short on time.
The turkey- whole or spatchcock: Whole is traditional and makes for a wonderful instagramable (is that a word?) picture. Usually, a 10-12lb whole bird will cook at 350 degrees for 2-2 ½ hours. Spatchcocking is removing the backbone from the bird, cracking the breast bone and cooking the turkey flat. This method is best done with a 12lb or less turkey. It is the quickest cooking method and works well if time is an issue. I do this method often with chicken. No matter which method you use, you have to let the bird rest after cooking. This lets all the juices redistribute and makes for the best turkey. Loosely cover the bird with foil and let it rest for 15 minutes and up to 2 hours. The longer it rests, the better it will be. No, it will not be cold. Yes, it will be juicy!
Stuffing or Dressing: Stuffing is “stuffed” and cooked in and around the bird. Dressing is in a pan, totally separate from the bird. I prefer dressing just because cook times can vary and I have a wonderful dressing recipe that works well. You can also make dressing in a crock pot, and Savannah Classics has a pretty darn good frozen dressing in a pinch. I also prefer cornbread dressing, just because that is what my grandmothers made and to me, cornbread dressing is more important than the turkey. You can also make your dressing days or weeks ahead and freeze in preparation for the big day. Just build it into your plan. Dressing needs sage. Too much sage can be overpowering. Careful with the sage. You can make your own chicken stock or purchase it at the store. Just make sure you have extra on hand for gravy and he dressing.
Make Ahead: There are so many things that can be made ahead of the big day- dressing, gravy (Ina Garten has a great make ahead gravy recipe), side dishes, bread, cakes, pies, etc. Make ahead dishes will make your day more enjoyable. And it is perfectly okay to purchase some items, not everything has to be homemade.
The MENU: The first three items are the must haves for our dinner. The rest is fluff and can be adjusted or changed.
The Plan: I have referred to THE PLAN many times in this blog and it is really is the one thing that will help you keep your sanity in check and make for a wonderful Thanksgiving Day for you and your family. I have a Thanksgiving Day plan and a weekly plan. Here is a look at my weekly plan:
MONDAY: Make the cornbread for the dressing. Make the brine.
TUESDAY: Brine the bird. Make the cranberry sauce.
WEDNESDAY: Let the bird set uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry out the skin. Make the cheesy mashed potatoes. Make the desserts. Cut the butternut squash. Run and empty the dishwasher.
THURSDAY: I have an entire daily plan by the hour for this day. It is where the magic happens!
BEFORE GUESTS ARRIVE: I set all the serving dishes on the buffet/island and have a note in each one as to what goes where. This way when guests arrive, they can help place things where they go, if needed. I also make certain the dishwasher is empty.
There is one rule- have fun and enjoy yourself. No one likes an uptight, stressed out hostess. Have a glass or two of wine, you deserve it.
For years I loved and served canned cranberry sauce. Someone would always bring a cranberry salad to my Nannie Logan’s house on Thanksgiving, and if I knew which of my six aunts had brought it, I would apologize to them now for what I am about to say: cranberry salad is not a substitute for cranberry sauce. Cranberry salad usually has crisp apples, maybe jello…heck, I have no idea what is in it, but it is not cranberry sauce, that I know for sure. I do know that Nannie always had a magical can of the good stuff hidden away and would pull it out, look at me like I didn’t know what was good, and she would shake it out of the can and plop it on a plate, cut it into slices and hand it over to me. And that was Thanksgiving. Nannie was thankful to have me out from under her feet and I was thankful for the canned stuff.
Nannie and Papaw Logan had seven daughters: Maggie, Hazel, Bobbi, Deanie, Tinnie, Gladys and Evelyn. They lived most their life in a small, two bedroom house on South Ocoee Street in Cleveland, Tennessee. Some of my best memories of the holidays were at their home. I still don’t know how we all fit into that house at Thanksgiving and Christmas. There was food everywhere and aunts, uncles and cousins were everywhere. We scattered out onto the porches and into the yard. Cars were parked in the back alley as far as you could see. Nannie did not allow any smoking or drinking at her house, so IF those sorts of things went on, it happened out behind the barn where she couldn’t see them. All the food was served buffet style, food was set out on the stove, the counters, tables, anywhere there was space, and the men got their plates first and sat in the dining room. Then the women and kids got their plates and we sat in the kitchen or where ever we could find a seat. I had a hard time understanding this particular part of our family Thanksgiving ritual and being the difficult child I was (I mean the strong, independent child), I did buck the system one particular Thanksgiving. I got my plate with the men, sat in the dining room and no one spoke to me. It wasn’t much fun, so the next year I stuck with tradition. I don’t think the separation of the men and women was a sexist thing, I just think they didn’t want to talk to each other. But whatever the reason, the women and kids table was much more fun- and closer to the food.
The Logan Family Thanksgiving traditions I remember the most: Aunt Hazel made the best pecan pies. Aunt Tinnie made amazing dressing. Nannie Logan had the best dumplings, Aunt Maggie was always at least an hour late and she usually brought a banana pudding that my Papaw Logan loved, Aunt Bobbi was queen of the casseroles and Uncle Claude always washed all the dishes. I have many more memories, but I need to circle back to the cranberry sauce!
So about eight years ago, I started looking at cranberry sauce recipes. Many had cinnamon, so that was out (I don’t like cinnamon), some had apples, so that was out….and then I ran across something that peaked my interest: Bourbon Cranberry Sauce. I have no idea where I got the recipe from, I wish I knew because I love to give credit where credit is due. I just know I have been making this for many years now and I try to dream up ways to use it, it is that good.
The recipe is so easy, 7 ingredients, throw in a pot on medium high heat for 15 minutes. If you like bourbon, put more. If you like more orange, add more zest. There are stages to the pot of cranberries, first is the wet shiny stage, then the foamy bubbles stage, then the “it might be done, but I am not sure” stage, then the thick, jammy, done stage.
Because it has a jammy consistency, it is wonderful on brie, spread on right-out-of-the-oven biscuits, over a good quality vanilla ice cream, topping for pound cake or incorporated into a charcuterie board. It is also pretty darn good on a turkey sandwich the day after Thanksgiving. Most recently, I reheated it, added a little more water and served it as a sauce to a great pork tenderloin.
If I make this ahead, I usually pull it out of the fridge and let it set on the counter to bring it to room temperature or throw it in a pot to warm. It can be served cold, room temp or warm. And it is just fine to make a day or two ahead.
My daughter, Logan, is also very fond of the canned stuff, so I always have both on the table for Thanksgiving Dinner. But I have noticed her dipping into the Bourbon Cranberry Sauce, too.
Cranberries are relatively cheap this time of year, consider making a batch or two and fill some jelly jars and share with your friends.
(2) 12 ounce packages of fresh cranberries
1 1/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup water
3 tbsp bourbon
zest of an orange
Directions
Toss everything in a pot on medium high heat for 15-20 minutes. You do not need to cover the pot to cook, but you my want to cover to keep the splatter down towards the end of the cooking time.
Make this recipe your own. Add a finely chopped jalapeno for heat, pump up the orange flavor by adding additional zest, add more bourbon. For extra rich and thickness, omit the water. For a thinner consistency, add more water.
This post contains everything I have learned over the years about turkey. I think it is important to note, I did not grow up in a “turkey” family. Yes, we had turkey at least one time a year, but no more than two times a year- Thanksgiving and maybe Christmas. I have definitely learned some lessons over the years:
Lesson #1: Big turkeys are hard to manage and cook. I find the turkeys between 9-16 lbs are the perfect size. Anything larger is too much in many ways. Turkeys over 16 lbs are hard to manage, don’t often fit in the oven and are more difficult to cook through without some spots being overcooked.
Lesson #2: You can usually count on 1lb a person when trying to decide what size, this takes into consideration the bone weight and will leave you with some leftovers. If you have 24 people coming for dinner then I would suggest purchasing two turkeys. That means double the drumbsticks and thighs and that normally makes everyone even happier. This round I made a 9lb turkey for 7 people. I had 30% of the bird not eaten to use for left overs.
Lesson #3: You can’t purchased a frozen turkey the day before Thanksgiving. Chances are it will not thaw in time, especially if you purchased a large bird.
Lesson #4: Bring your turkey up to room temp before you cook it. I like to set it on the counter in the pan and let the skin dry out for an hour or so. This holds true for any type of meat you cook.
Lesson #5: You need a meat thermometer. The last thing you want to do is give all your guests salmonella poisoning. Birds need to be cooked through, specifically, 165 degrees in the thickest part. Depending on your turkey, the thickest part will either be the thigh or the breast. If you are roasting a spatchcock turkey, I usually take the temp in the thickest part of the breast.
Lesson #6: Your turkey needs to rest after it is cooked. Tent it with foil, set is aside and forget about it- AT LEAST 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. No, it will not get cold. The longer it rests, the juicier it will be.
SPATCHCOCK: I love to spatchcock a turkey, this is basically just butterflying the bird. Cut down each side of the backbone, cut into the breast bone just a bit and flatten the breast down onto the pan. A spatchcock turkey will cook in almost half the time of a full turkey and 100 percent of the skin gets crispy. I also do this method with roasting whole chickens. I would not try to spatchcock a turkey over 16lbs. Today, I did the spatchcock method on a 9lb turkey and it cooked at 450 degrees for 50 minutes.
FRESH vs. FROZEN: Of course, I would opt for fresh if possible, but I have not always been able to find a fresh bird. If you have a frozen bird in the back of your freezer that has been there for a year to two, do everyone a favor and throw it out! Recently frozen works just fine.
BRINING: If I have time, I do like to brine my bird. Brining is not absolutely necessary, but it does make for a much juicier bird. I have purchased some wonderful brine mixes over the years, but lately I have found I like to make my own, so I can incorporate and try different things. A quick method to brining: don’t heat up all two gallons of brine. Just heat up 1.5 cups of kosher salt into 2 cups of water until it is dissolved. Let it cool and then add it to the brine mixture. You can brine for 12-36 hours. I usually do 12-24. For this turkey, the brine mixture included: apple cider, oranges, lemons, head of garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, allspice cloves, rosemary, sage, thyme, kosher salt and water.
INJECTIONS: I find some of the injections to be have a strange after taste. I would not be opposed to pure butter injections.
THAWING: Please go by the instructions on the bird. There is a quick method which consists of a water bath in the sink and a regular method of thawing in the fridge. The quick method takes hours. The regular method takes days.
COOKING METHOD: I have smoked turkeys, deep fried turkeys and roasted turkeys. It all depends on what kind of mood you are in and in some cases, the weather. I prefer to roast, using the spatchcock method. We have a Big Green Egg, and I have to admit, it is nice to have the oven free for other things. However, not everyone likes smoked turkey. I think a good, roasted turkey can’t be beat. If we are having a crowd, we may spatchcock two turkeys and smoke one and roast the other.
STUFFING vs. DRESSING: Since I prefer the spatchcock method, stuffing isn’t really an option. However, I still prefer a great pan of dressing. It is easier to control the moisture and that’s just how I remember Thanksgiving- a huge pan of dressing on the table.
SLICING: I do like to slice the entire turkey and place on a platter. I cut each breast into several pieces. If the thighs are large, I will slice them in half.
GRAVY: You can make a gravy from a spatchcock turkey. Just make sure to add some chicken stock and aromatics under the turkey. This weekend I watched an old episode of The Kitchen on Food Network. Alex Guarnaschelli made a gravy thickened with onions and garlic that was roasted separately from the turkey that looked fabulous. I am definitely going to try her recipe this year. It required no flour or thickener which is wonderful for gluten sensitive folks like myself.
AROMATICS: You can add aromatics below the rack, or if you don’t have a rack just place the bird on top of the aromatics. Good aromatics to consider- celery, carrots, onions. If I add aromatics, I usually cook the bird a little lower at 425 degrees.
HERBS: Use fresh if you have them. You can replace the fresh herbs with dried herbs, just adjust the amount. Dried herbs are much more condensed than fresh, so opt for about 1 tbsp of dried instead of 3 tbsp of fresh.
PAIRING: A Thanksgiving favorite at our house is Rombauer Chardonnay. This one is very oaky with hints of fruit and vanilla. The balance is perfection and goes very well with a holiday menu. At around $38 a bottle, and is perfect for special dinners. The Vivinno App scores it a 4.4, which is an excellent score for any wine, especially a Chard. It is also a wonderful selection to bring as a hostess gift if you are invited to a special dinner at someone’s home.
Don’t let a turkey get the best of you. It really is just a large chicken. If you feel overwhelmed, do a trial run with a whole chicken. And once you get the hang of it, fix a few turkeys throughout the year. The price is easy on the pocketbook and a very healthy protein. Tonight, turkey was on the menu and it was just a normal Saturday night in October.
BRINE MIXTURE:
4 cups apple cider
1 head garlic, cut in half
2 oranges, quartered
2 lemons, quartered
1.5 cups kosher salt
1 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp black peppercorns
3 tbsp allspice cloves
water
Directions
Thaw the bird properly.
Prepare the brine: In a pan, heat up the kosher salt with 2 cups of water until the salt is dissolved. Let it cool and add it to all the other ingredients in a large pot or container. Add the spatchcock bird, add enough water to cover the bird and place in the fridge for 12-36 hours.
Prepare to roast: Place on a pan and let it sit so it comes to room temp before roasting. Preheat the oven. I like to cook at 450 degrees. You can cook it anywhere from 400-450. I like the higher temp because it produces a crispier skin. Remove the bird from the brine, rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Mix the butter, rosemary, thyme, sage, garlic powder with the butter and spread on both sides of the bird , then sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper on both sides. I like to elevate the bird by placing it on a flat roasting rack or what some would call a cooling rack on a pan. Add a cup or two of chicken stock or water to the pan.
Cook until the thickest part of the turkey reaches 165 degrees. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes – 2 hours.
Make this recipe your own. Add ground cayenne pepper for a little heat. Play with the brine ingredients and add what you love.
This soup is comfort in a bowl. I love to soak the beans on a Friday night and make this on Saturday afternoon. It is perfect for game day or any day. This is a huge batch, I believe it made 6+ quarts, so be sure to grab your biggest soup pot- or you could easily cut the recipe in half.
Dry beans are very economical. This 2lb bag was $2.49 and most of the ingredients are pantry staples. There is a lot of chicken stock in the soup and I had no homemade stock in my freezer, but I hit the jackpot at the grocery store today-it was BOGO! Don’t ask how many I bought….Thanksgiving is coming up. Total, I am sure I have less than $20 in this pot of soup that will feed a small army.
The trick to dried beans is the overnight soak. I use this method and not only does it result in a soft, buttery bean, it also takes some of the “bean after effects” out of the beans. I always keep several types of dried beans in my pantry- pintos, great northern, navy, etc.
There is one rule to dried beans- don’t salt them until they are softened. If you salt them too soon, you will have to cook them much longer to get the soft, buttery effect.
I like to serve this with my Memaw Young’s Cornbread. In my family, we have two cornbread recipes: Memaw Young’s Cornbread and Nannie Logan’s Cornbread. They are vastly different…and I already see the title of my next blog.
2 lbs dry white beans, I used Great Northern, Navy would work well too.
10 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups diced ham or smoked sausage
1-2 heads of garlic, chopped
3 celery stacks, diced
4-5 potatoes, diced
3 carrots, diced
1-2 onions, diced
1 tbsp rosemary
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp thyme
2 bay leaves
2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Soak the dry beans in water overnight. Rinse and set aside. In a soup pot, add olive oil and diced ham. Cook on medium heat until the ham begins to brown. Toss in the onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, thyme, celery salt and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Add potatoes, beans, chicken stock and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Cover and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add additional chicken stock if needed. When beans have softened, usually about an hour of cooking, add salt. Add freshly ground pepper right before serving.
Make this recipe your own. Add cayenne pepper or jalapenos for heat. Make a Mediterranean version by adding oregano and fresh lemon juice. Make a vegetarian version by removing the ham and substituting vegetable stock for chicken stock. Top with a hot sauce for a dash of spicy, vinegary goodness.
I didn’t grow up eating pumpkins. The only pumpkins I ever saw were the ones we carved at Halloween. Yes, we had a big garden growing up, but pumpkins never entered the mix. Almost a decade ago, my friends, Ben and Ken, had a fabulous fall dinner party in their backyard and each guest was assigned something to bring. I could write an entire book on the fabulous parties and get togethers at their house, but I am getting off topic. So, I was assigned the soup course. My friends that were coming that night were all fabulous cooks, so I really wanted to do something special and out of my comfort zone. After searching on Pinterest for “fall soups”, these recipes for pumpkin soup kept coming up. I didn’t even know how to roast a pumpkin. But the day of this party, I began roasting away and although I found what looked like several good recipes, I couldn’t find just one that had everything I thought I needed. So of course I took several recipes, melded them together and came up with my own.
Adding apples and carrots creates a sweetness and depth of flavor. Yes, you can leave them out. That is the glory of cooking, everything is optional. If you do leave them out, I might would add maple syrup. It needs a touch of sweetness. An important layer of flavor is the roasted garlic. When roasted, the garlic turns into a buttery, sweet paste that adds that unexplainable goodness.
You have to taste the soup. After you have blended it smooth, taste. Today, my pumpkins were not as sweet as I would have liked so I added some maple syrup. Honey would have worked well too. An immersion blender works well, but make sure to really blend it well. Lumpy pumpkin soup is not very good.
I totally suggest keeping the pumpkin seeds and roasting them. Toss them with olive oil and your favorite spices- I use garlic powder, celery salt, onion powder, paprika, cayenne and salt. Roast them on 350 for 15 minutes, shaking the baking sheet a few times during cooking.
There may be a fancy name for the small orange pumpkins I use, but I have always just called them pie pumpkins. Don’t get a carving pumpkin. The smaller pumpkins are sweeter and best for the soup.
You could pair this soup with a buttery Chardonnay or a Pinot Noir. I paired it with a Meiomi Pinot Noir. It’s one of the best Pinots for the money, around $20 a bottle. Vivino rates it a 4.1. It has great hints of vanilla that pairs very well with the pumpkin.
2 pie pumpkins
1 head of garlic
2 sweet apples
2 carrots
4-6 cups chicken stock
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
nutmeg
Directions
Slice the pumpkins in half (scoop out the seeds and pulp and set aside. Cut the apples in half and spoon out the seed core. Place pumpkins, apples, carrots and the head of garlic on a baking sheets. Drizzle olive oil, add salt and pepper. Roast in a 350 degree oven for an hour or until soft. Set aside to cool.
Remove the pumpkin pulp from the skin, same with the apple. Cut the garlic head top off and squeeze the roasted garlic out. Place the pumpkin pulp, apple pulp, garlic and carrots into a pot. Add a dash of nutmeg. Press with a potato masher. Add in the chicken stock. Cook on medium low. Taste the soup and add what is needed.
Use a blender or food processor to blend the soup into a smooth, velvety concoction. Pour into bowl and drizzle heavy cream on the top (optional).
Make this recipe your own. Add cayenne pepper for a little heat or add maple syrup for more sweetness. You could even drizzle the top with a balsamic glaze. Top with roasted pumpkin seeds. Lots of options!
I have never met a green I didn’t like, however I will admit, I was late to the kale train. But now, I love it so much, I try to find ways to incorporate it into dishes. You may find kale to be bitter and that is not unusual, but there is a secret to toning down the bitterness- massage the greens. Yes, that is not a misprint and I know you aren’t suppose to play with your food, but in this case it works magic. Throw your cleaned and cut kale greens into a bowl and squeeze them, you can be rough with them, they can take it.
And yes, kale in the bag, already cut, is perfectly fine. I use the bags when I can find them. Just be sure and wash them, as sometimes greens can be a bit sandy.
My mom lives across the street and recently she brought me a huge bag of dried cranberries (she did not like them). So I have been throwing them into salads and whatever else I can think of. They really work in this dish and when you saute them for a minute or so, they plump a little and add a burst of sweetness that goes well with the other vegetables.
Be careful when cutting the butternut squash. Some people like to microwave it a minute or two before slicing to make it easier. I just try to break it down into smaller sections before I remove the skin. You can now buy bags of butternut squash already cubed. Those will work just fine to roast.
This is one of the prettiest side dishes I have made. And I am certain it will make its way onto my Thanksgiving table this year.
I paired this dinner with a bottle of Vennstone, a dry pinot noir by Joe Wagner. It is smooth, low tannins with hints of cherry. It is an excellent wine if you love dry, which I do. At $20 a bottle, it is a great wine for the price. It drinks like a much more expensive bottle. I like the heavy cabs and my husband likes the grapey merlots. We meet in the middle often with a pinot noir. And I am beginning to prefer them!
It has a Vivino rating of 4.1. Anything 4 and over is excellent. I have used the Vivino wine rating app for years and it is a great way to find out what you like and find more bottles you like. I walk around the liquor store scanning bottles and reading details.
1 butternut squash, cut into small cubes
8 oz chopped kale (1/2 bag)
1 red onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup dried cranberries
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Directions
Toss the butternut squash with 2 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Set aside.
In a pan, heat olive oil. Saute the red onions for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic for 1 minute. Add the balsamic vinegar. Toss in the kale and cranberries and cook for 1-2 minutes, until just wilted. Add salt and pepper. Toss in roasted butternut squash.
Make this recipe your own. , add walnuts or pecans, swap out the dried cranberries for dried cherries. Add some spice with cayenne pepper. You could even swap out the balsamic vinegar for maple syrup. Lots of options!
