The Party's Started

I have made the rolls!  Yep, my Big Batch Dinner Rolls, all 24 of them, are all ready to go and in the freezer until I a) give some to Mama Teacher (almost an annual tradition) and b). defrost them Wednesday night to cook Thursday.  As some of you may recall, last year's dinner rolls (and dinner, see lessons learned here) were a disaster when my bread machine decided to lose its metallic coating IN THE DOUGH.  Well, I have a new bread machine (still a handy little Oster, since the last one lasted almost a decade), and everything turned out just fine.

Tomorrow, I'm hoping to make the pie crust to refrigerate overnight until pie-baking with Sis on Wednesday and also either the 7-Up Jello Salad (I had to; I've missed it) or the various cranberry sauces.  That leaves putting together the dressing (note to self:  defrost cubed bread on Tuesday night) and baking the sweet potatoes for Wednesday.  Oh, and maybe roasting the pecans.  Everything else--mulled cider, the baked brie, turkey, gravy, green bean casserole, and whipped cream--will wait til Thursday.

And that might look like this:

-2.5 (10:30 a.m.) Assemble brie, baked, and serve with crackers; mull cider and serve
-2.0 (11:00 a.m.)  Roast turkey

-1.5 (11:30 a.m.) Assemble sweet potato and green bean casseroles
- 1 (12:00 p.m.) Remove turkey; dressing and sweet potato casserole go in the oven (45 minutes each)

- .50 (12:30 p.m.) Green Bean Casserole into oven (15+ minutes); start on gravy
- .25 (12:45 p.m.) Dinner Rolls in oven (about 20 minutes); finish setting table
0.0 (1:00 p.m.) DINNER
+1 (2:00 p.m.)  Whip cream to serve with pies

+2 (3:00 p.m.) Somebody else does the dishes!

-=-=-=-=-

Miss K's Baked Brie

Roll out a boxed pie crust ( I use the Pillsbury pie crust found in the cold section near the orange juice - 2 in a box) with a little flour into a large circle. Spray the baking dish with Pam (or whatever) and put the pie crust in the dish. Place the large brie in the middle (I use the President brand), top with a layer of preserves (for the party I used apricot but I've used others like orange, etc.) then top with sliced almonds (if you use cranberry then walnuts are good). Fold up the pie crust around the brie, pinch closed and tear off extra crust. Put a light egg wash all over and then if desired, put another thin layer of preserves and nuts on top. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until the pie crust is golden brown. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.

K.K.

A Trio of Pecans from Saveur's article "Southern Belle" by Wendell Brock
Glazed Pecans
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup sour cream
2 cups pecan halves, lightly toasted
¾ tsp. vanilla extract

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Whisk sugar and sour cream in a 4-qt. saucepan until smooth; bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbling and thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pecan halves and vanilla extract until well coated. Spread on prepared baking sheet; let cool completely. Break into bite-size pieces before serving.

Spiced Pecans

• 2 tbsp. packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp. ground coriander
• ¼ tsp. granulated garlic
• ¼ tsp. ground cumin
• ⅛ tsp. ground allspice
• 2 cups pecan halves
• ½ beaten egg white

Heat oven to 300°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Mix dark brown sugar, paprika, cayenne, salt, coriander, garlic, cumin, and allspice in a bowl. Mix pecan halves and egg white in a bowl until combined. Toss nuts with spice mixture to coat completely. Spread on prepared baking sheet; bake until browned and crisp, 25–30 minutes. Let cool before serving.

Candied Pecans

• 2 cups pecan halves
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• ½ tsp. flake sea salt

Heat oven to 325°. Spread pecan halves on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 10 minutes; set aside. Boil brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until mixture is foamy and slightly thickened, 2–3 minutes. Add pecans and cook, stirring constantly, until well coated, about 3 minutes. Spread on prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt; let cool completely. Break into bite-size pieces before serving.

Mark Bittman's 45-Minute Roast Turkey

1 8- to 12-pound turkey

10 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed, more to taste

1 branch fresh tarragon or thyme separated into sprigs, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or tarragon

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil or butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Put turkey on a stable cutting board breast side down and cut out backbone. Turn turkey over, and press on it to flatten. Put it, breast side up, in a roasting pan. Wings should partly cover breasts, and legs should protrude a bit.

Tuck garlic and tarragon under the bird and in the nooks of the wings and legs. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.

Roast for 20 minutes, undisturbed. Turkey should be browning. Remove from oven, baste with pan juices, and return to oven. Reduce heat to 400 degrees (if turkey browns too quickly, reduce temperature to 350 degrees).

Begin to check turkey's temperature about 15 minutes later (10 minutes if bird is on the small side). It is done when thigh meat registers 165 degrees on an instant-read meat thermometer. Check it in a couple of places.

Let turkey rest for a few minutes before carving, then serve with garlic cloves and pan juices.

YIELD10 servings

NYTimes

Gravy
Be patient and really let that roux brown!
Heat 3 tablespoons grease. Add 3 tablespoons of flour. Brown til copper-colored. Stir in 3 cups drippings. Add chicken bouillon and salt and pepper to taste.
 (Note:  for more gravy, use 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup flour, and 8 cups stock)

Mom


Dressing
It took awhile to get the moisture right, but now I know to double (at least) the stock with the dried bag stuffing.

½ cup margarine
½ cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 bag of stuffing
2 cups dry bread (or 2 more cups of Pepperidge Farms)
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
½ teaspoon sage
1 cup chicken stock (double this amount!)

Saute onion and celery in margarine. In mixing bowl, crumble breads and add spices and onion/celery mix. Add chicken stock. Refrigerate over night. Bake at 350°F for 45 min.-1 hour.

Mom


Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish
Apparently, this recipe is a legend. Two years ago, for Thanksgiving 2001, I believe, my mom made it, having heard it on the radio and liking the horseradish idea. She told me about it and I thought Mama would be intrigued. So I looked it up on the internet—well, there are several sites about it—how awful it is, how it ruined a cook’s reputation and/or family relationship, how pink it is. Only a few letters and sites say it’s any good. Mama liked it but I don’t think anyone else did. This copy of the recipe is straight from http://www.npr.org/. Apparently, Susan Stamberg reads it every year and has only since learned that it was originally a New York Times recipe by Craig Claiborne in 1959.

2 cups whole raw cranberries, washed
1 small onion
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons horseradish from a jar ("red is a bit milder than white")

Grind the raw berries and onion together. ("I use an old-fashioned meat grinder," says Stamberg. "I'm sure there's a setting on the food processor that will give you a chunky grind -- not a puree.")
Add everything else and mix.
Put in a plastic container and freeze.
Early Thanksgiving morning, move it from freezer to refrigerator compartment to thaw. ("It should still have some little icy slivers left.")
The relish will be thick, creamy, and shocking pink. ("OK, Pepto Bismol pink. It has a tangy taste that cuts through and perks up the turkey and gravy. It’s also good on next-day turkey sandwiches, and with roast beef.")
Makes 1-1/2 pints.

NPR radio

Fresh Cranberry Orange Relish
1 12-ounce package Ocean Spray(r) Fresh or Frozen Cranberries, rinsed and drained

1 unpeeled orange, cut into eighths and seeded

3/4-1 cup sugar

Place half the cranberries and half the orange slices in food processor container or food grinder. Process until mixture is evenly chopped. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with remaining cranberries and orange slices. Stir in sugar. Store in refrigerator or freezer. Makes about 3 cups.

Oceanspray

Sweet Potato Casserole with Crunchy Topping

Potatoes

1 lb sweet potatoes or 29 oz. can, drained

3/4 cup milk

3 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

6 tablespoons butter, melted

Topping

6 tablespoons butter, softened

½ cup chopped pecans

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

¾  cup crushed corn flakes

Beat together potatoes and next 5 ingredients.  Place in an ungreased 1 ½ quart baking dish.  Bake for 45 minutes or until edges leaves sides of pan.  Mix together all topping ingredients in a bowl until combined. Spread over baked dish.  Cook under broiler for 1 minute or until topping browns.

Gommie Hungry

Somewhat Homemade Green Bean Casserole

2 pounds green beans, trimmed, cut in half, and steamed (8 to 10 minutes or until tender),

6 tablespoons butter

8 ounces mushrooms, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 tablespoons whole wheat flour

½ teaspoon salt

Pepper, to taste

2 ½ cups milk

1 tablespoon soy sauce

French's fried onions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook while stirring for 2 to 3 minutes.  Sprinkle in the flour and stir vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes, being careful not to let the flour burn. Stir in the salt and pepper.  Carefully whisk in the milk and soy sauce while scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring to a light boil. Whisk and cook until the sauce thickens to the consistency of a really thick soup, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Mix the sauce with the green beans and some fried onions in a casserole dish and toss to combine. Bake in the oven until bubbly, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and top with French's fried onions and bake until brown.

adapted from 100 Days of Real Food (they make their own onions)

Big-Batch Quick Dinner Rolls

1/2 cup lukewarm water 

2 cups warm milk ( 100 - 110°F)
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons yeast, instant preferred
6 to 7 cups KA all-purpose flour

I put everything in my bread machine (using 5 cups of flour and then adding 1 1/2 more as needed).  I let it knead and then rise about 30+ minutes (i.e. not the whole cycle).  And then removed the dough, made a 12 x 8" rectangle, divided it into 4 rows with 6 rolls each, rolled them into balls, and placed them into greased aluminum pie tins. Allow to rise 10 minutes.  Then I covered them tightly and put them in the freezer.  I'll defrost overnight.  In the morning, I'll preheat to 350F and bake 20-25 minutes until golden.  Yum!

adapted from King Arthur Flour

7-Up Salad (my usual jello salad)
1-8 oz. (large) package lime jello
2 tablespoons hot water
12 oz can 7-Up
20 oz can drained pineapple
8 oz package cream cheese
1 cup pecans

Heat can of 7-Up. Take off heat and add Jello. Add the cream cheese that has softened in hot water or let sit at room temperature for awhile (you can microwave it for 1-2 minutes to soften). Add pineapple and pecans. Refrigerate.
Note: This looks beautiful in a jello mold. Just spray it with Pam and wipe with a paper towel before filling.

Church Pie Crust
Makes 2 crusts

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
1/3 + 1 tablespoon ice water

from Joy of Cooking


Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie
1 cup apple butter
1 cup fresh or canned pumpkin
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
3 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
Sweetened whipped cream, for garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Combine apple butter, pumpkin, sugar, salt and spices in a bowl. Stir in eggs. Gradually add milk and mix well. Pour into pie shell. Bake for about 40 minutes or until set.

Paula Deen

Pecan Pie

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup sugar

1 cup Karo syrup (light or dark; I usually have light)

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ¼ cup whole pecans

1-9 inch unbaked or frozen pie crust

Preheat oven to 350°F.  In large bowl, stir the first five ingredients until well blended.  Stir in pecans.  Pour into pie crust.  Bake 50-55 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between crust and center comes out clean.  Cool on wire rack.

 Karo syrup bottle