Deep-Fried Turkey

 Okay, okay... So I have to admit - I have never actually made a deep-fried turkey. My dad always does it. I do know, rest assured that it is absolutely delicious. Also, get online and read some deep-fried turkey tips before you start. Every single year geniuses across this great land burn down their house and the neighbors house by doing this indoors or on their dead grass lawn. So read up - so you know how to do it properly. please.

Ingredients:1 (10-pound) turkey
2 tablespoons House seasoning, recipe follows
2 tablespoons of your favorite dry rub
3 to 5 gallons peanut oil

Directions:

Cooks Note: To measure the amount of oil needed to fry the turkey, place turkey in fryer, add water to top of turkey, remove the turkey and the water line will indicate how much oil will be needed to fry your turkey. Having too much oil can cause a fire. The pot should not be more than 3/4 full or the oil could overflow when the turkey is added.

Wash bird inside and out, and allow to drain. Rub turkey all over with House Seasoning. Coat turkey with dry rub. Allow the bird to sit until it reaches room temperature.
Heat peanut oil in a turkey fryer or a very, very large stockpot to 350 degrees F. Lower turkey into hot oil, making sure it is fully submerged. Fry turkey for 3 minutes per pound plus 5 minutes per bird. Remove turkey from oil and drain on paper towels.
Serve with favorite Thanksgiving sides and salads.

House Seasoning:

Ingredients:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Directions:

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Thanksgiving Turkey

I am not going to lie to you... I make the best Thanksgiving Turkey ever! But, in the spirit of honesty, I must say that it is a combination of two recipes that I have picked up from the Food Network.  The brine recipe is actually from Good Eats with Alton Brown , and the roasted turkey portion is from Everyday Italian with Giada De Laurentiis.

If you have never brined a Turkey before this is the year to try it out. It is super easy and it makes a whole lotta difference. I can't even describe the juiciness that this brings to the turkey (and roasted turkey doesn't usually spark memories of juicy - now does it?). People will wonder what your magic trick is - and how you managed such an amazingly juicy turkey.

This recipe from Giada is AWESOME! I know the show says Everyday Italian, but this isn't an italian turkey. I have actually been told that this turkey is magazine worthy because it comes out so beautiful...not to mention the smell ---- ahhhhh,, the smell filling your home.

The Brine:

1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey

1 cup kosher salt

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 gallon vegetable stock

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger

1 gallon heavily iced water  

About 2-3 days before: Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.


Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.


Early on the day or the night before you'd like to eat:

Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.

To Roast:

1 orange, cut into wedges

1 lemon, cut into wedges

1 onion, cut into wedges

6 fresh rosemary sprigs

6 fresh sage sprigs

6 fresh oregano sprigs

7 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons herbes de Provence

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

6 cups canned low-salt chicken broth (approximate amount)

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

To make the turkey: Position the rack in the lowest third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.


Rinse the turkey and pat it dry with paper towels. Place the turkey on a rack set inside a large roasting pan. Place the orange and lemon wedges, onion, and 2 sprigs of each fresh herb in the main turkey cavity. Tie the legs together to hold the shape of the turkey. Stir 2 tablespoons of butter, the herbes de Provence, oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of each the salt and pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat just until the butter melts. Rub the butter mixture all over the turkey and between the turkey breast meat and skin. Place the turkey neck and giblets in roasting pan. (Recipe can be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before roasting.)


Cover the turkey breast with foil. Roast for 20 minutes. Pour 3 cups of broth into the pan and stir to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining sprigs of fresh herbs to the pan. Roast the turkey for 40 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Remove the foil from the turkey; pour 1 more cup of broth into the pan. Continue roasting the turkey until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F to 175 degrees F or until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer, basting occasionally with pan juices, about 1 hour and 30 minutes longer. Transfer the turkey to a platter and tent with foil. Let stand 30 minutes while preparing the gravy.

To make the gravy: Strain the turkey pan juices from the roasting pan through a sieve and into a 4-cup glass measuring cup; discard the solids. Spoon off the fat from atop the pan juices. Add enough chicken broth, about 1 to 2 cups, to the pan juices to measure 4 cups total. Melt the remaining butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the broth. Simmer until the gravy thickens slightly, whisking often, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the turkey with the gravy.

Note: Don't disappoint yourself and everyone else by cooking your turkey to death. It really does not have to cook for 8 hours! In fact, I cooked a 25 pound turkey in about 4 1/2 hours, and it was perfect. Just trust in your handy dandy meat thermometer.

Spaghetti & Meatballs

Tonight I am not going to be home, so I have to make a dinner that my husband can figure out. I am going to get everything made ahead of time and then he just has to cook the noodles, and heat up the sauce and meatballs.

Traditional Tomato Sauce (you should have some leftover from last week)

2 slices white sandwich bread, stale

1/2 pound ground pork

1/2 pound ground turkey

1/2 pound ground beef chuck

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 medium onion, grated (about 1/4 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large egg, beaten

Freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup olive oil, divided

Serving suggestions: 1 pound cooked spaghetti or linguine

Pulse the bread in a food processor. In a small bowl toss the bread crumbs with 1/3 c. cold milk to rehydrate. In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, meats, Parmesan, parsley, salt, onion, garlic, and egg and mix until combined. Season the meat mixture with pepper.
Using your hands, gently form the meat mixture into 18 slightly larger than golf ball-sized balls. (Packing the meat mixture too tightly together will result in tough meatballs). Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
Heat half the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a plate. Drain the oil and wipe out the skillet, return to the heat, and repeat with the remaining oil and meatballs.
Drain and wipe out the skillet again. Return all the meatballs to the skillet and pour in the marinara sauce. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, swirling the pan occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through about 15 minutes. The cheese in the meatballs will start to melt when the meatballs are ready. Serve immediately.

Easy Red Beans & Rice

 A part of me was meant to live in the South. When we lived in North Carolina and Texas I was in culinary heaven. I LOVE the food in the South. The barbecue, the spicy, the deep fried, the delicious... While this recipe would never been caught dead in the South (it's low-fat ;) ) it is a yummy, lower calorie version of Red beans & rice.

1 T. + 1 t. Olive Oil
1 C. finely chopped onion
2 t. finely chopped garlic
16oz Canned kidney beans, drained
2 oz. diced, lean smoked ham or turkey-ham
1 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 c. chopped canned tomatoes with juice
1/2 c, thinly sliced scallions
1 t. chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 t. dried
1 large or 2 small bay leaves
1/4 - 1/2 t. hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco)
salt & pepper to taste
4 C. cooked white rice

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; add onion and garlic. Saute and continue to stir until onions are wilted about 6-7 minutes. Add beans, ham, broth, tomatoes, scallions, thyme, bay leaves and hot pepper sauce; mix well. Over high heat bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans get creamy. Season with salt & pepper, remove bay leaf and serve over rice.

* Note, after sauteing the onion and garlic you can transfer to a slow-cooker and cook for several hours until beans are creamy.