Thanksgiving Dinner at The Holdcrofts

In advance - prepare sweet potatoes, extra gravy, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, and cranberry whipped cream salad.  Recipes to follow.

Prepare the Turkey

Buy an 18 pound turkey. Thaw if frozen - which can take a few days.  Remove all inner parts and pat dry.  Place in clean dry sink.

Make the Stuffing

1/2 cube butter

1/4 c olive oil

3 c celery

2 c onions

1 lb pork sausage country style bulk

2 tart apples chopped in small chunks

2 cups chopped hazelnuts

2 cups dried pitted cherries

1 cut port wine (or more for drinking while  you cook)

6 cups breadcrumbs

1 tsp ground thyme

1 tsp sage

salt to taste

pepper to taste

chicken broth to moisten

Saute diced onions and celery in melted butter and olive oil in  large pan.

When soft add cooked sausage, hazelnuts, cherries, apples and spices.  Heat until warm.

Get out really large pan or mixing bowl, the biggest you have.

Mix together all ingredients above and add chicken broth to moisten.  Try a spoonful to see if it tastes like stuffing. If not add more thyme, sage and or salt.

Stuff the cavity loosely with about 7 cups of stuffing. Stuff the neck area with about 3 cups of stuffing. Secure the neck skin underneath the turkey. Put any remaining stuffing in an oven-proof covered dish and bake in oven. 

Cook the Bird!  

While the turkey is cooking, peel 5 pounds of potatoes...

8 large ribs celery -- halved crosswise

2 large onions -- quartered

1 large carrot -- peeled and quartered

3 1/2 cups water

1 stick butter -- (8 tablespoons)

3/4 cup port and extra for drinking while you cook

1/4 cup flour

Preheat oven to 325. Arrange a bed of the celery, onion, and carrot pieces in a large roasting pan. Gently place the turkey on the vegetables.   Pour 3 cups of water into the roasting pan. 

Roast the turkey for 4 hours, brushing it well with melted butter, once an hour. 

After it has cooked for four hours, pour or brush 1/4 cup of port over the turkey. Bake 15 minutes. 

Start boiling the potatoes 45 minutes before the turkey comes out of the oven.

Repeat basting with port and baking three more times, until the turkey has cooked a total of 5 hours. 

Transfer the turkey to a platter, cover it loosely and let it rest 15 minutes.  Use a meat thermometer to make sure you are not overcooking the bird.

While the turkey is resting, strain the juices from the pan into a saucepan. You should have 4 cups (add more water or chicken broth to make 4 cups).  Stir the flour and the remaining 1/2 cup water together in a small bowl until smooth. Make sure you have no lumps. Whisk this into the pan juices and heat to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a gravy dish and serve with turkey.  Have a friend start mashing the potatoes when you start the gravy.

When you serve the meal, be sure to go around the table and have everyone say what they are thankful for - and remember it is ever too late to create your own traditions.

Enjoy!

One Bowl No Fail Banana Bread

Ok, So I think everyone needs to know how to make good banana bread - when those bananas on your counter are looking really brown and getting gooey - and you know you should make the bread or throw them in the freezer for smoothies, which is easier..... but you really want the hot moist goodness of the bread. Well now you can whip it together with baking time under 60 minutes.  While it bakes you can workout so you don't feel bad about the whole healthy smoothie issue.

Cream together with a spoon or mixer if you want to go to the trouble. (Creaming together with a spoon means about 100 stirs with a wooden spoon.)

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter

Add

2 beaten eggs
2 cups flour 

before you mix the flour in put on top of it

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

After the above is mixed add

2 large mashed bananas - at least (I have used up to 4 large ones)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix it all up so it is smooth.  If you are using a mixer, don't over-mix or it won't rise.  The bananas should still be slimy chunks.

Make sure you get any dry ingredients hanging around the bottom of the bowl.

Put it in a greased loaf pan with a rubber scraper so you get all the batter.  I usually have to eat a spoon or so.....  mmm good.

Bake for 45-50 minutes at 350 or until it tests done with a toothpick coming out clean.

Eat!  This is really delicious as toast in the morning - if there is any left the next morning.

Love, Mom

Cheese and Pepper Pasta (Cacio e Pepe)

Ok kids - Summer is here - how about an easy pasta you can cook up with just the items in your pantry - except for the cheese.....  well, I hope you have these items in your pantry......  by the way, you will need your handy kitchen tongs for this one.  Read the recipe first to get your ingredients.  They are underlined.

 

 

Cheese and Pepper Pasta (Cacio e Pepe)

Serves 6 hungry people

 

Boil pasta in water with lots of salt in a large pot.  About 2 minutes before it is al dente (you should know this word) - REMOVE half of the pasta water and put in a separate container.  This is key.

 

Strain pasta like usual.

 

Melt 1/4 cube butter in a skillet over medium/low heat.  Never scorch the butter!  If you do, start over - so pay attention here.

 

Add 3 tablespoons freshly cracked pepper to the butter.  Swirl around until pepper is toasted in butter.

 

Add 1/2 of your remaining pasta water to the butter and pepper.  Bring to a simmer. Add pasta and another 1/4 cube of butter.  OK - this is not a low-cal recipe.  Reduce heat to low and add 2 cups grated parmesan  cheese.  (Not the kind in the can. )  Stir and toss with your tongs until melted.  Remove pan from heat.  Add 1 cup grated pecorino cheese.  Stir and toss until cheese melts and sauce coats the pasta.  Add more pasta water if sauce seems dry.

 

Eat!  I think it is best with a buttery chardonnay.  Oh, never mind, I think everything is better with a buttery chardonnay.

 

The key is not to over cook your pasta in water, since you are going to re cook it at the end with the cheese.

 

You can also add frozen peas, mushrooms, cut ham, etc to this recipe to add variety.  Add these and heat before you start adding cheese.

 

Don't the tongs work great with this!  Remember to make a salad so you get your veggies.

 

Love Mom

Thai Style Curry

This recipe is always requested at least once when Lauren and Katie are home.  I have served this when I knew a group of hungry high-schoolers were coming over and needed food!   You can make it as spicy as you want - just experiment with different kids of curry paste.   Here is  a photo of some of my favorite curry eaters!  Miss you guys.

 

 

AUNTY CHERYL'S THAI STYLE CURRY

American restaurant style using everyday ingredients

 

1 onion chopped

 4 cloves garlic put through a press

1 (13.5 oz.) can unsweetened coconut milk

1 (13 oz) can chicken broth

5rounded tbsp. red curry paste

 

2 rounded tbsp. green curry paste

4 tbsp. fish sauce

1 tbsp. sugar

Generous sprinkle of chili flakes to taste.  I like about 1 tsp.

½ package bean sprouts

¼ cabbage, thinly sliced

1 lb. chicken, boiled and shredded (Cut up leftover chicken is fine. Also shredded pork, or thinly sliced beef, or raw shrimp, which will cook in the liquid when you add them.)

½ fresh green beans cut into 1 inch pieces (frozen are fine)

1/2 c. fresh sweet basil

 

Brown ½ onion (save rest of onion for later) and garlic in large deep sauté pan.  Put onion in first, then garlic. Do not burn garlic.  Remove from pan to separate bowl.  Pour half can of coconut milk into same pan.  Add curry paste; mash together well. Using high heat, bring to a boil. Keep watching to make sure it doesn’t burn. Lower heat to medium and continue cooking until coconut milk becomes oily, about 15 minutes. Do not rush this step or your curry will be weak.   

Add rest of coconut milk and continue to cook 10 minutes stirring frequently.  Add chicken broth and ½ raw onion. Continue cooking for 10 minutes.   Stir in fish sauce, sugar and chili flakes. You can add chili flakes at the end if you don't want it too spicy.  Add onions and garlic mixture.  Turn heat to high; add cabbage, bean sprouts. Cook 10 minutes or until they have released liquid and become part of the sauce.  Add chicken; stir until all the meat pieces are separate and saturated with the sauce.  Add green beans.  Continue cooking 10 to 15 minutes or until beans are cooked. Add basil and stir. Turn off heat. Serve with cooked rice. Can be made in advance and reheated. Serves 6 hungry people.