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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 9/29/2009 1:00:13 PM | Hello TB
Most definitely go with your apricot nectar brine for the chicken. I have done it, then smoked it, and also just roasted and it is soooooooooo goood. That brine recipe of mine is ages old from when I brined my first wild turkey, which I have only done a few times. When I had the kids home and still lived in Texas, like you, 2 refrigerators and a big chest freezer. With a bunch of kids (boys) that eat a LOT and always having family, guests and parties, it is essential. Plus in Texas I think almost everyone has a refrigerator in the garage or on a back porch or something so you can get cool drinks on those many hot days without opening the door to the house a million times a day letting in all the hot air and letting out the cool. I don't know what it is like now, but I remember having ac bills as high as $687 in July/August. Anyway, when I did it in the extra refrigerator, I used a stainless steel 4 gallon stock pot. Oh, the turkeys I was doing were over 24#-28#. While they were wild, we were feeding them lots of food for several months. We had an abundance of them and armadillo in the wooded creek area behind where we lived. This is when we used to hunt armadillo with cross bows at night and I nearly got shot in the toe. The arrow landed between my big toe and second toe pushing them apart. That was freaky. My brother in law did it and he walked over, already sweating, he looked at my foot and said, "I just felt the whoosh of angel wings fly by me."
Today my situation sure is different. I live alone, no family here. Everyone is scattered all over the world. 5 of my 8 grandchildren will be in Europe by Chritsmas. I decided last year with all of the snow and shoveling that an apartment was best and moved out of the house, so I don't have to do it, or pay anyone else to do it. Whether you are doing it yourself or paying someone, either way you are getting up at 4am, because they are noisy! so that much needed sleep never came. I have been much happier here and I never hear them plow and shovel because I got on a backside. I just desperately miss having land, or a yard. I have to change it all again. I am just looking for the right situation. I am in the unique position of being able to go anywhere I want. I have no ties here and I mostly work from home and pretty much anywhere I would have more client base than here. I like the snow, I like the summers and I like the wilderness I have available here. I have even looked at Canada, Rockies, NW Coast, and coming back to the Hill Country in Texas or one of the islands. As of yet, I do not know. Tell me about you apricot hen brining when you do it. I will post some apricot recipes you might want to alter or combine.
LA,
the question on the Butter Tarts was why the heck are they haunting me every September/October? I am very sensitive to the thoughts of those I converse with and very intuitive, so I was asking if I am picking up on some Canadian thoughts. Are Butter Tarts more eaten in the fall than any other time, or what? I agree about the raisins. No raisins in mine. I hear vinegar makes them more runny and this is desired. I made a bunch of them last year, put them out for a lunch at church and by the time I got back to the dining room, they were all gone, so I have never tried any LOL Now, tell me about this use of Butter Tarts for recreational purposes????
TB, here are some apricot ideas,
Apricot Salad Dressing
5 unpeeled apricots
1/4 cup juice (if nectar, thin half and half with water)
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1/4 cup honey
1 tbls lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
Process all ingredients in a blender until smooth, scrape down sides, blend more. Chill. Serve over salad greens or fruits and nuts.
Cornbread Apricot Dressing
You can make a quick dressing that doesn't need to be baked by cubing cornbred a couple of days before so it dries out some.
Saute all of the veggies like onion and celery or whatever you use on the stove top and add about 18 chopped dried apricots to the saute.
Use parsley and rosemary instead of sage, or leaving out the sage. I use a lot of different herbs.
After veggies are done, toss in the cornbread and chicken broth and heat. Trun off burner and cover for 5-10 minutes.
Pecan Apricot Dressing
Good for all kinds of meats
1 loaf (1 pound) country-style French or Italian bread (wheat or white or use fresh baked cornbread)
1/4 cup butter
1 cup onions, diced
1 cup celery, diced
2 cups chicken broth, or pan juices from bird or meat
1 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 cup dried apricots, diced
3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
1 egg, beaten
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Cut the bread into 1" cubes, and bake in a 275 degree F. oven until dry and crisp, check often after 15 minutes. Remove bread cubes and allow to cool.
In a large saute pan, on medium heat, saute the onion and celery in the butter until the vegetables are tender.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread, sauteed vegetables, broth, herbs, apricot, pecans, egg, salt and fresh ground black pepper, mix well. Place in a buttered baking dish and bake at 375 for 30 to 40 minutes, or until browned.
Pear Almond Dressing
1 loaf (about 1 to 1 1/2 lb) country-style French or Italian bread (wheat or white or use fresh baked cornbread)
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 cup onions, diced
1 cup celery, diced
2 cups chicken broth, or pan juices from bird
1 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
2 ripe pears, peeled and diced
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Cut the bread into 1" cubes, and bake in a 275 degree F. oven until dry and crisp. Remove bread cubes, cool.
In a large saute pan, on medium heat, saute the onion and celery in the butter until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the broth and herbs; bring to a simmer and remove from heat.
In a large mixing bowl combine the bread, broth mixture, and remaining ingredients, mix well. Place in a buttered baking dish, and bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes, or until well browned.
Sausage Apricot Dressing
1/2 pound Italian bulk sausage (or buy links and remove from casing if bulk is not available)
1/2 stick butter
1 onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped (I use celeriac)
1/2 cup dried apricots, diced (or substitute 1# mushrooms, sliced for a savory dressing)
2 1/2 cups broth
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
salt and pepper to taste
6 cups dried cubes of cornbread or a dense country bread like French or Italian (white, wheat or hard rye)
In a large pan, over medium heat, brown the sausage, breaking it in small pieces as it cooks to no longer pink. Drain if it is fatty. Add butter, onion, celery, apricots (or mushrooms), and saute for about 5 minutes or until the onions soften. Stir in broth, herbs, salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer.
Add bread cubes to a large mixing bowl and pour over the hot broth mixture, mix well. Transfer to a buttered baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F until top is golden-brown.
Here is my favorite. I have only done it a couple of times so I do not know any exact amounts. It is better to do it to your taste anyway. A sort of Yorkshire Pudding.
Brine the hen in the apricot brine
Roast it without the smoke
In the roasting pan put shallots unpeeled or peeled, either way
quartered dried apricot halves
apricot brandy
fresh thyme sprigs
with appricot halves and thyme inside the bird cavity
Roast as normal. When done, remove the bird and make up a popover recipe (probably double it), then pour into hot pan with the juices, brandy, apricots and shallots. If you have left the peel on the shallots either remove the peel first, or just leave the shallots out to serve on the side.
This goes particularly well with a mixed root mash. You can use any of these, or all of these together and it is good, or at least the combinations I have used have never been bad. I think it is a matter of your taste, so you know what to use. Just do them like mashed potatoes. You can roast, boil or a combination with the vegetables you mix.
Yukon Gold Potato
Parsnips
Carrots
Sweet Potato
Rutabaga
Celeriac
SS | |
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 10/9/2009 8:32:18 PM | Canadian Thanksgiving Day...Oct. 12
Okay, all my Canadian friends...I want a menu. Whats for dinner? I am sure a lot of you will be cooking over the weekend.
Here in the states we still have over a month before our Thanksgiving, thinking maybe we could steal some great ideas/recipes from you.
To my two favorite Canadians...you know who you are...love you and thanks for what you did. 
Looks like my family is going to have a reunion and we are planning all the traditional stuff. I would love to do something just a little different, that would surprise them (since I am hardly "the cook" in the family) and knock their socks off, any ideas?
SS: Your dressing recipes above are definitely the type stuff I'm looking for. | |
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 10/9/2009 8:58:57 PM | Naughti
I was getting ready to write you because I was getting concerned you were in the PoF pokey. I have been in there before!
Yes, I have been wondering why the Canadians have been so quiet about Thanksgiving this year. I bet they all have butter tarts 
Well, their Thanksgiving is our Columbus Day, right?
I want to hear menus too. I might get a new idea.
Naughti, any other things you might be interested in, or was it just dressing? The Sausage Apricot is probably the best. Use an awesome sausage, like a chicken apple sausage or a good flavored smoked one.
SS | |
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 10/10/2009 8:59:25 AM | If you would like to try something different ?
Try a turkducken,
you take a turkey, stuff it with a chicken, and stuff that with a duck.
I first try this in New Orleans and when I came back home in Jersey, I made it for Thanksgiving everyone love it .
www.turkducken-king.com/
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 10/10/2009 9:50:30 AM | Jerseygirl: Thanks for bringing up turducken...what a concept, huh?
I know it has been brought up before, maybe even in this thread, but it never hurts to mention it again. There are always people who have never heard of it.
Unfortunately, your link doesn't work. I think it might be the k in turk. I didn't try it without it, yet.
I have yet to have it and I most certainly haven't made it. Scares me to think of even trying. There are sites where you can buy it already prepared and ready for cooking and you can buy one already cooked...maybe one day.
Here is a link to another site that gives step by step instructions, with pictures, on how to do it.
http://www.thesalmons.org/lynn/turducken.html
Would love to hear stories from those who have been brave enough to attempt it. | |
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 10/10/2009 10:13:39 AM | I did one, in 1991 for a BarMitzvah. It wasn't too hard once you get into it. You just have to have the right knives. Right now I don't, which is why I didn't choose to do Julia's dish of Cannard en Croute - a deboned, stuffed duck wrapped in a pastry. Same concept.
For that Bar Mitzvah I also did a whole poached salmon swimming in a sea of pale blue lemon aspic and a Torte Milanese. Then a whole bunch of other things. It was fun. I had never had so much help, so I got to schmooze the guests.
SS | |
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 10/10/2009 11:18:20 AM | This is the recipe from Der Dutchmen resturant that my family loves at Thanksgiving.
It really is worth the time it takes to prepare :) I usually double this recipe.
Fried dressing
1 loaf of bread diced and toasted ( I just dry it out in the oven and may toast in toaster about half of it.
2 cups boned/diced chicken or turkey ( I also use turkey giblets if I have them)
1 cup celery
1/2 cup shredded carrots
2 cups chicken broth
2 T butter
1 T chicken base
6 beaten eggs
5-6 cups of milk
sage to taste ( I added this one)
Mix all ingredience ( it looks like slop but trust me on this one, this dressing is the bo mb!)
Fry in a skillet till liquid is absorbed and dressing begins to brown ( this is the only time ever I use solid shortning)
Season each batch with pepper and laury's season salt. (to me its important to the taste that you use this salt)
As I fry each batch I put it in oblong baking dish and have it in a 350 deg. oven. once its all fried I usually spray the top with "I cannot believe its not butter" spray and brown the top in the oven. you can then cover it with foil and just keep it warm in low oven till the rest of the meal is ready. | |
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 10/10/2009 6:35:12 PM | Bree: That sounds wonderful.
I have one question...what is chicken base?
My first thought was broth but you have that listed separately.
Do you think leaving the carrots out would make much of a difference in the taste?
Oops, I said one question and I asked two. 
SS: I managed to stay out of the "pokey" by keeping my mouth shut even when it was hard, feel bad for those who didn't and can't post at the current time.
Keep an eye on this thread...I'll probably have questions for you as Turkey day gets closer. | |
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 10/10/2009 6:52:23 PM | Naughtical -
You can use a boullion cube in place of the chicken base. ( that is what I usually have in my cupboard) I think if you had a nice full flavored chicken stock you probably wouldn't even have to use the base or boullion)
As for the carrots, they add more to eye appeal than flavor - but really do make for a nice presentation :) ( pretty easy to shred one up too )
Hope you enjoy it as much as we do! | |
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 10/10/2009 7:00:33 PM | | Please excuse the additonal post but I just realized I left out the onion ( med/lg diced) which I saute the onion and celery in butter before adding the rest of the ingredience | |
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| Thanksgiving Turkey Pie
Posted: 10/11/2009 7:01:29 PM | If you'd rather not do the big bird or if you have lots of leftovers next day, try this:
Thanksgiving Turkey Pie
Spray a deep ovenproof Corning wear casserole dish with cooking spray inside.
Layer 1. Place roasted turkey in small shreds and bits in the bottom of casserole dish
about an inch thick and press it down with a sturdy egg turner. Pour about 1/2 cup of turkey gravy on the turkey layer and spread it evenly. Dot with cranberry sauce.
Layer 2. On top of turkey layer, place cooked turkey stuffing evenly about an inch thick
and press down with the egg turner.
Layer 3. On top of the dressing layer, place your mixed cooked veggies; turnips, parsnips, yams and peas, whatever combination you like. Do not press this layer down.
Layer 4. On top of the mixed vegetables layer, spread mashed or whipped potatoes about one inch thick.
Place the turkey pie in a moderate oven at about 325 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cut pie into 4 servings. Top each serving with hot turkey gravy.
If it's day-after turkey that's a little dry, the gravy added to the turkey layer makes it
moist and tender again.
And save some pumpkin pie for after your turkey pie. Do you want to get raves on your pumpkin pie? Add 1/4 cup of melted orange concentrate from a tin of frozen orange juice and reduce the other liquids a little. You'll get a lovely mild spiced orange taste to the mashed pumpkin. The orange concentrate can also be added to pumpkin muffin batter or included in pumpkin cookie dough.
Thanks, fisherfolk, for all your recipes,
Laurissa | |
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| Thanksgiving Turkey Pie
Posted: 10/11/2009 7:09:31 PM | | I managed to avoid turkey this thanksgiving, Most family are doing there own thing this year, out of town and what have you. Anywho I simply fired up some fresh shoom's n redpepper's and a steak on the grill, Oh and baked tater's withe butter garlic and marble cheese, A lil razzamatazz never hurt's.. | |
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| Let's Talk Turkey..... and stuff[ing]
Posted: 10/12/2009 8:21:53 AM | Just wanted to add another word about the chicken base mentioned a couple of days ago.
I use one called better than bouillion, it is moist, rather than being dried granules and has to be stored in the frig after opening. Looks sorta like baby food, comes in a small jar like granular does, there's also beef flavor, in addition to chicken.
The taste is maybe a little better, in my opinion, but I also use the dry stuff if that's what happens to be on hand.
Of course, I agree, home cooked stocks are the best, every time. But honestly, at my age I'm turning into a lazy cook. So, I take more shortcuts these days. There might even be a box of instant potatoes hiding out in the back of one of my shelves. Sometimes, I just want to take the easy way.
tb | |
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 10/12/2009 5:08:30 PM | | I cook turkeys all year long, about 2 a month...so Thanksgiving is not like a Holiday for me...but I just bake it the traditional way. Leave it in the oven on low until the skin is crispy and it is ready to be scarfed down. :) Sides...I do not eat carbs so I make mashed Cauliflour and Zuchinni. I know, I am boring but thats what I make. | |
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 10/13/2009 2:32:47 AM | Apparently, I've been reprieved (albeit probably temporarily, knowing my predilection for tilting at windmills) from the PoF time-out chair, so I can finally answer your question, SS ...
The answer is ... I dunno. Not much of a sweets eater, although I have made and eaten butter tarts. Never really noticed any seasonal pattern to their consumption here. They're good hot or cold, although I prefer them hot. Probably just that less gets baked in summer than in fall and winter as nobody wants the oven on? It isn't like the ingredients are seasonally dependent, so that's not it.
And yes, a (very) little vinegar does thin them and make them more runny. | |
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 10/21/2009 2:25:51 PM | I KNOW we are talking "turkey.....and stuff(ing)...
so I figured my TURKEY TENDERLOINS fit right in.
I have a couple of them defrosted for dinner tonight. They aren't thick and are obviously skinless and boneless.
Anyone have an idea on how to prepare them and/or what to marinate them in?
Any suggestions or recipes would be very much appreciated.
Thank you,
~~Beth~~ | |
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 10/21/2009 2:50:42 PM | actually.....they are great breaded and fried
i've also chunked them up and sauteed in butter with mushrooms and a bit if baslmic...finished with a good squeeze of lemon juice........very different..but very good | |
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 10/21/2009 2:58:02 PM | Thanks Rax for your suggestion.
I actually did a bit of research and found a different way to prepare them.
Take some prepared Pesto sauce (unless you are brave and have time to make homemade) and spread all over the turkey tenderloins.
Place sliced potatoes around the tenderloins, salt and pepper the potatoes and drizzle a bit of olive oil too.
Bake at 400* until potatoes are fork-tender.
Sounds like a nice dish to try. What do you think?
~~Beth~~ (Thanks again Rax!!!!) | |
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 10/21/2009 3:12:02 PM | Hi Bethy Darling!!!
Glad to see you back from the dark underworld LOL
Here is what I think....when you cook turkey tenderloins, medallions, etc... think of them like scallops. Very small amount of cooking time unless you like them and chicken breast on the dry side.
I think your pesto recipe sounds awesome, as long as the potatoes aren't stacked so that they take longer to cook. That dish should be ready in under 20 minutes. Sounds like you will be having an awesome dinner tonight!
SS | |
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 11/5/2009 6:05:45 AM | Bumping up this great turkey thread ~ because it's almost Thanksgiving!
I'm wondering who has their menu planned already and what you're cooking this year.
At my age, I have adopted the philosophy of dessert first! Heck, you might not make it to the turkey!
I have over 20 cups of fresh pumpkin in my freezer from our Halloween pumpkin, so pumpkin pies will be on my menu, for sure.
For the bird,, some of the brines posted sound sooo good and I like the turkey brined, so which one to try?
Stuffing this year,, I'm craving oysters, so, even tho I don't usually put them in, I'm going to this year.
tb | |
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 11/5/2009 4:49:26 PM | TB......make some pumpkin bread with all that pumpkin........then use the bread for french toast..................trust me on this one...........its as good .or better than that sour cream pie.
as far as the brin goes.......i definately reccomend one of the cider brines....
i'm also starting to wonder about this.........rub the turkey with yellow mustard before brineing not sure why.............but i got a feeling that it might be pretty dang good.........definately be different | |
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 11/5/2009 5:14:18 PM | Absolutely! Pumpkin bread is on my agenda for tomorrow, as a matter of fact. I'm going to make frosting for it with egg nog, cream cheese and powdered sugar, it think.
The french toast idea is great too! A few days ago I made Nutella sandwich french toast for my kids. They loved it!
So, do you think Nutella pumpkin bread french toast would be over the top?? lol
I was at the grocery store today and they had turkeys for 40 cents a pound. I got a decent size turkey for about the same price as the whole chicken I bought. I will be ready to brine later this month.
The mustard is an interesting idea. I love honey mustard, tangy and sweet. What about coating the turkey with that before it goes into the oven?
tb | |
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 11/6/2009 7:53:45 AM | | i bbqed my turkey as i usually do , i stuff with a couple apples to hold the spit centered for the rotissere then give the bird a rub with spice , i normally use orange juice but this time i used cranbeery juice in a tray under the bird , slow cooked for 6 hours and the last 2 hours baste with cranberry juice, it was really good , i think i prefer the orange juice over the cranberry buyt i tried something new and it worked out ok , i didn't have to pull out the emergency ham lol ( i try to get a bird about 10 to 12 lbs or so ) PS poke the apples with a fork in a few spots so as they bake they let their juices flow better into the bird. | |
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| Let's talk turkey......and stuff(ing).
Posted: 11/8/2009 10:43:20 AM | Turkey and chestnut dressing. Lots of chestnuts and I won't eat anybody elses dressing because they don't put chestnuts in it.
I don't want anything but the turkey, dressing and cranberries, I am still dieting. | |
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