Thanksgiving bounty

By The Montana Standard Staff - 11/12/2008

cranberry-orange roasted turkey

Cranberries in the turkey, not just on the side

Legend has it that Native Americans brought cranberries to the Pilgrims during the three-day harvest celebration at Plymouth Colony that has come to be known as the first Thanksgiving. This recipe, from Taste of Home magazine, updates the tradition by incorporating the

flavor of New England cranberries in the turkey, instead of as the usual side dish.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE ROASTED TURKEY

Start to finish: 4 hours

(30 minutes active)

Servings: 8 to 10

3 teaspoons garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

14-pound turkey

1 medium orange

16-ounce can whole-berry cranberry sauce

3/4 cup reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup orange marmalade

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

4 springs fresh herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, parsley and sage

2 medium yellow onions, cut into wedges

Heat the oven to 325 F.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, salt and pepper.

With your fingers,

carefully loosen the skin from the turkey breast. Spread half of the garlic

powder mixture under the skin. Sprinkle the outside of the turkey with the remaining mixture.

Juice the orange, reserving the rind. In a large bowl, combine the orange juice, cranberry sauce, teriyaki sauce, honey, marmalade and soy sauce. Pour 31/2 cups of the mixture into another bowl, cover and refrigerate.

Rub the remaining cranberry sauce mixture under the turkey's skin. Use toothpicks to secure the skin to the underside of the breast. Place herb springs and the reserved orange rind in the cavity of the turkey.

Coat a roasting pan with cooking spray, then add the onions. Place the turkey on top of the onions. Bake, uncovered, for 3 to 31/2 hours, or until an instant read thermometer inserted at the innermost part of the thigh (without touching bone) reaches between 165 F and 170 F. If the turkey browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.

Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with foil and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the reserved cranberry sauce mixture to a simmer. Serve the warmed sauce alongside the turkey.

Simple stuffing,

easily modified

This classic stuffing recipe calls for a standard bag of seasoned stuffing cubes. But if you'd rather start from scratch, cut 1 pound of white sandwich bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Leave the cubes out, uncovered, overnight to dry, then use as directed.

BASIC BREAD STUFFING

Start to finish: 20 minutes

(not counting roasting time)

Makes 10 cups

8 tablespoons (1 stick)

unsalted butter

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 medium celery ribs with leaves, chopped

15-ounce bag cubed seasoned stuffing

1/4 chopped fresh parsley

21/2 to 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons poultry seasoning

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and celery, then saute until the onion is golden, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the vegetables and butter to a large bowl. Add the stuffing and parsley. Stir in enough of the broth to moistened the stuffing, about 21/2 cups. Season with the poultry seasoning and mix well.

The stuffing can be added to a turkey and roasted, or placed in a buttered baking dish, drizzled with an additional 1/2 cup of broth, then covered and baked until heated through.

SAUSAGE APPLE

STUFFING VARIATION

In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, brown 1 pound pork sausage (casings removed), breaking up the meat with a spoon, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add the meat and 1 cup chopped dried apples to the above recipe just before adding to the turkey or baking dish.

OYSTER STUFFING VARIATION

Drain two 8-ounce cans of

oysters, reserving the juices. If the oysters are large, cut them into 2 or 3 pieces. Add to the recipe above at the same time as the bread. Add enough broth to the reserved oyster juices to make 21/2 cups of liquid and use this mixture in place of the broth called for.

BC-FEA—Food-Deadline-Mashed Potatoes,0971

Power up your potatoes with bold additions

AP Photo NYLS112, NYLS113, NYLS111, NYLS110

By J.M. HIRSCH

AP Food Editor

Not that anyone is likely to complain if all you do to your mashed potatoes is add copious quantities of butter and cream... But if you are looking for ways to add wow! to your taters, it's easier and faster than you might think.

It can be as simple as tossing in a package of herbed cheese spread (especially a garlic variety) as you are mashing. Or lose the butter and cream entirely and add part of a jar of thinly sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. It's intense, but awesome.

Chopped fresh herbs of just about any variety are another great choice. While they're fine added as is, fresh herbs are even better if you melt butter on the stove and add the herbs for a brief simmer before mixing the whole thing into the potatoes.

Or try these impressively easy and delicious variations of the basic mashed potato. Start by making the standard batch of mashed potatoes (or your own favorite recipe), then adding one of the four finishes.

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BASIC MASHED POTATO

Start to finish: 45 minutes (15 minutes active)

Servings: 6

1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Place both varieties of potatoes in a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover the potatoes by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to medium-high to maintain a low boil. Cook until tender, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, during the final 5 to 10 minutes of cooking, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the butter and cream. Once the butter melts, mix well and set aside.

Drain the potatoes. If you have a potato ricer, use it to rice the potatoes into the cooking pot. Alternatively, use a large spoon to force the potatoes through the holes in the strainer, or return them to the pot whole and use a masher.

Season the potatoes with salt and pepper. Use an electric mixer or whisk to lightly beat the potatoes. Whip in half of the butter and cream mixture, then continue adding more to reach desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 390 calories; 267 calories from fat; 30 g fat (19 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 94 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 2 g fiber; 227 mg sodium.

———

BC-FEA—Food-Thanksgiving Sides,0971

Easy flavor mods for Thanksgiving sides

AP Photos

By JIM ROMANOFF

For The Associated Press

The turkey may be the star of Thanksgiving, but it would be a pretty dull meal without a great supporting cast.

Start planning now, and you can easily adapt some traditional side dishes with whatever seasonings or ingredients you like. For example, mashed potatoes are neutral enough to go with almost any flavor. For a California feel, whip them with some Napa Valley goat cheese. Or offer a hint of the Southwest by adding chopped roasted chilies and a pinch of ground chipotle pepper.

Cranberry sauce can take on a Midwestern style with the addition of some dried Michigan cherries, or become decidedly New Englandy when sweetened with maple syrup. A West Coast cranberry sauce can be made with the juice and zest of Valencia oranges and some slivered California almonds.

These recipes for glazed parsnips, shredded Brussels sprouts and mashed sweet potatoes are elegant sides that go well with any holiday meal, and can be modified to fit with whatever the flavor theme of your Thanksgiving.

Balsamic glazed parsnips and onions can be transformed into a Northeastern dish by substituting cider vinegar for the balsamic vinegar and even maple syrup for the brown sugar.

If you like, for an Italian treatment, you can use carrots instead of parsnips and season the dish with an additional half teaspoon each of dried basil and oregano before roasting.

Shredded Brussels sprouts with bacon can take on a different feel by substituting different meats. Instead of bacon consider using bits of salty country ham from down South, Italian pancetta bacon, or even shreds of Cajun tasso, which is made with pork shoulder that has been cured with garlic and cayenne pepper before being hot smoked.

Maple-orange mashed sweet potatoes with toasted pecans is perhaps the most versatile recipe of the bunch. To go Northwestern, use brown sugar instead of maple syrup and substitute toasted hazelnuts for the pecans.

For a Southwestern take, use honey as the sweetener, add 3/4 teaspoon of ground cumin, 3/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of ground ancho chili and top with toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds).

You even can make a Chinese variation by using brown sugar instead of maple syrup, adding a teaspoon of five-spice powder and topping the dish with toasted walnuts or pine nuts.

———

BALSAMIC GLAZED PARSNIPS AND ONIONS

Start to finish: 45 minutes (10 minutes active)

Servings: 8

2 pounds parsnips, trimmed, peeled and cut into sticks 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide

2 medium yellow onions, halved and sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or more to taste

Place a rack in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 450 F. Line a baking sheet with foil.

In a large bowl, combine the parsnips, onions, olive oil, vinegar and brown sugar. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Cover the baking sheet with foil.

Roast the parsnips for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tender. Uncover the baking sheet and continue roasting until the parsnips are well-browned and glazed, 5 to 10 minutes longer, stirring once.

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SHREDDED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BACON

Start to finish: 40 minutes (20 minutes active)

Servings: 8

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts

4 slices bacon, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1 large yellow onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

14 1/2-ounce can chicken broth

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Cut and discard the stem ends of the Brussels sprouts, then pull off and discard any discolored outer leaves. Halve each sprout lengthwise, then slice the halves thinly crosswise to make shreds.

In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until it begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the onions and thyme and saute until the onions are tender, about 4 minutes.

Add the Brussels sprouts and broth. Cover the pan, adjusting the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

———

MAPLE-ORANGE MASHED SWEET POTATOES WITH TOASTED PECANS

Start to finish: 1 hour 10 minutes (10 minutes active)

Servings: 8

4 pounds sweet potatoes

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup orange juice concentrate

1/4 cup maple syrup

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Heat the oven to 400 F.

Scrub and dry the sweet potatoes. Pierce each potato several times with the tip of a knife. Bake the potatoes for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tender, turning the potatoes once.

Meanwhile, in a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast the chopped pecans, stirring often, until lightly browned and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Let the sweet potatoes cool enough to handle. Split each and scoop the flesh into a large mixing bowl. Discard the skins.

In a small saucepan over medium, heat the orange juice concentrate and maple syrup until hot.

Mash the sweet potatoes using a potato masher. Stir in the orange juice concentrate and maple syrup, then season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the reserved toasted pecans.

BC-FEA—Food-Cranberry Sauce,0866

Taking cranberry sauce to a new level is easy

AP Photo NYLS113

By JIM ROMANOFF

For The Associated Press

Making cranberry sauce is almost ridiculously easy.

The traditional stovetop method involves nothing more than combining a 12-ounce bag of cranberries with 1 cup each of sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the cranberries burst.

Then, just chill it and eat it. It really is that easy. And it really is so much better than canned.

It also takes little additional effort to add other flavors. For example, for a spicy pepper cranberry sauce add up to three seeded and diced jalapenos before cooking. For a smokier version, use 1 teaspoon of ground canned chipotle peppers.

Since citrus complements cranberries, you could substitute orange juice for the water and add a few teaspoons of grated orange zest. Another option that will give you a similar flavor is to add a few tablespoons of orange or grapefruit marmalade.

Apples and pears make a nice addition to cranberry sauce and turn it into more of a compote. Before cooking, add 3 peeled and diced pears or apples to the cranberry mixture along with 1 teaspoon of minced fresh ginger and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

Or a simple cranberry chutney can be made by sauteing a large chopped onion, then adding a 12-ounce bag of cranberries, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of golden raisins, 1/2 cup of water, 1/4 cup of cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons of minced fresh ginger and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer until the cranberries burst. The chutney will thicken as it cools.

Of course, if you're feeling truly adventurous, you can skip the cranberries altogether and make a different fruit sauce.

To make a sweet and savory fig sauce, saute 1/2 cup of chopped shallots and a tablespoon of minced fresh ginger in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add 2 cups of chicken broth, 1 cup of red wine, 1 cup of chopped dried figs (stems removed) and 2 teaspoons of soy sauce. Simmer the mixture until the figs are very soft, about 15 minutes, then thicken the sauce with 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water.

Or try this sweet and salty sauce of dried plums and olives simmered in chicken broth, white wine and red wine vinegar. A trio of oregano, thyme and parsley add a heady herbal aroma to this sauce, which goes as well with roasted pork or chicken as it does with turkey.

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OLIVE AND DRIED PLUM COMPOTE

Start to finish: 1 hour (15 minutes active)

Makes 4 cups

1 1/2 cups dry white wine

14 1/2-ounce can chicken broth

3/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 cups pitted dried plums

1 cup oil-packed green olives, pitted

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the wine, chicken broth and vinegar, then bring to a boil.

Stir in the dried plums, olives, brown sugar, garlic, oregano and thyme. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 1 hour.

Remove the sauce from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in the parsley.

———

CRANBERRY-APRICOT SAUCE

Start to finish: 20 minutes

Makes 4 cups

12-ounce bag fresh or frozen cranberries

1 cup chopped dried apricots

3/4 cup honey

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup water

3 tablespoons brandy (optional)

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, apricots, honey, orange juice and water. Set the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly.

Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and cook until the cranberries are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the brandy (if using) and orange zest. Let cool to room temperature before serving, or cover and refrigerate.

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FAST SPICED CRANBERRY SAUCE

Start to finish: 15 minutes

Makes 3 cups

12-ounce bag fresh cranberries

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

In a large microwave-safe bowl with a cover, combine all the ingredients. Cover and microwave on high for 7 minutes.

Uncover the bowl and stir thoroughly. Replace the cover and microwave on high for another 3 minutes. Allow to cool slightly. Serve warm or cover and refrigerate to chill.

 

BC-FEA—Food-Best Pumpkin Pie-Recipe,0752

Fresh spices and smooth texture key to great pie

With BC-FEA—Food-Best Pumpkin Pie

AP Photo NYLS103, NYLS102, NYLS101

By The Associated Press

Be sure to let the pie cool completely before slicing. And for the cleanest cuts, use a knife briefly heated under hot water and wiped clean between cuts. The filling and crust can be prepared a day ahead, then assembled just before cooking.

If using a preformed crust (the kind sold in the foil pie plates) you will have about 1/4 cup excess filling (these crusts tend not to be as deep as homemade). The excess can be baked in a buttered ramekin for a snack-size pumpkin custard.

If you would rather make your own crust, try this foolproof recipe from Cook's Illustrated magazine. It uses vodka to create a dough that is easy to work with, but still light and flakey. Don't worry, the vodka cooks off.

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BEST PUMPKIN PIE

Start to finish: 1 hour 15 minutes (15 minutes active), plus cooling

Servings: 8

9-inch deep pie crust

15-ounce can pumpkin puree

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 egg yolk

1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream

Heat the oven to 375 F. If using a homemade or unformed pie crust, arrange it in a pie pan and crimp the edges.

Place a sheet of parchment paper inside the pie crust, then fill it with enough dry beans, uncooked rice or pie weights to come nearly to the top of the pie. Bake for 15 minutes, then set aside to cool slightly. Reduce the oven to 350 F.

While the crust is baking, in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Heat for 7 minutes, stirring often.

Transfer the pumpkin mixture to a blender or food processor. Puree for about 10 seconds. One at a time, add the eggs and egg yolk, pulsing the blender or processor briefly between each.

With the blender or processor running, slowly pour in the cream and puree until well mixed, about another 10 seconds.

Discard the beans and parchment paper from the pie crust. Slowly pour the filling into the pie crust, then bake for 1 hour, or until the edges are puffed and the center is set and jiggles only slightly.

Cool completely on a rack before cutting.

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PIE CRUST

Start to finish:

Makes 2 pie crusts

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1/2 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces

1/4 cup cold vodka

1/4 cup cold water

To make the crust, in a food processor, combine 1 1/2 cups of flour, the salt and sugar. Pulse several times to mix.

Add the butter and shortening and process until the dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds. The dough will resemble cottage cheese curds and there should be no uncoated flour.

Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and redistribute it evenly around the processor blade. Add the remaining flour and pulse 4 to 6 times, or until the flour is evenly distributed through the dough.

Transfer the dough to a medium bowl, then sprinkle the vodka and water over it. Using the rubber spatula, mix the dough and liquid with a folding motion, pressing down on the dough until it is slightly tacky and sticks together.

Divide the dough into 2 even balls, then flatten each into a 4-inch disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes, and up to 2 days.

When the dough has chilled, on a well floured counter roll out each round to a roughly 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a pie pan, crimping any excess over the edge.

(Recipe from Cook's Illustrated magazine)