Archive for December 8th, 2008
Don’t just mash your potatoes, make them irresistible. These are sure to be a smash at any table, especially when paired with an herb roasted turkey!
Ingredients:
6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 tablespoons butter, sliced
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large white onion, diced
salt to taste
½ teaspoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons whipping cream
1/3 cup sour cream
½ cup cream cheese
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
1 tablespoon dried parsley
black pepper to taste
Directions:
- In a large pot, cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer on medium-high heat until the center of the potatoes are tender when pricked with a fork, about 25 minutes. Drain, and return potatoes to pot.
- Meanwhile, heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions, sprinkle with salt, and cook 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are a deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in brown sugar.
- Pour whipping cream over the potatoes, and mash with a large fork or potato masher. Stir in sour cream, cream cheese, soy sauce, Parmesan cheese, bouillon granules, and dried parsley.
- Stir in caramelized onions, and season with black pepper. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth. Reheat briefly over low heat, then serve.
December 8th, 2008
While this isn’t a low-fat dish, it certainly is tasty!
Ingredients:
6 large baking potatoes
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
¼ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
¾ cup butter
salt and pepper to taste
3 slices American cheese
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Bake potatoes for 1 hour or until soft.
- Cut enough of the skin off the top of each potato to be able to scoop the potato out of the skin and into a mixing bowl.
- Add butter, sour cream, grated cheese and mix together well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Fill the skins with the mix and top with 1/2 slice American cheese.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes just until heated through.
For an added twist, try twice baked sweet potatoes.
December 8th, 2008
These aren’t just twice baked potatoes, they’re twice baked SWEET potatoes! Bring a new twist to an old favorite.
Ingredients:
3 medium sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
½ cup fat-free ricotta cheese
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh sage
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400°. Pierce potatoes with a fork and bake until soft, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool until potatoes can be handled, about 20 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350°. Grease a large baking sheet.
Meanwhile, place olive oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and cook and stir until softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out pulp, leaving a thin shell. Set shells aside. Place pulp into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add ricotta, salt, pepper, ginger, and sugar to the blender; blend until smooth.
- Return potato mixture to a bowl; stir in shallots, Parmesan cheese, and sage. Spoon mixture back into potato skins. Place potatoes on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.
December 8th, 2008
For you serious cooks out there, here’s a GREAT recipe for a special occasion dinner…apricot-glazed turkey with roasted onion and shallot gravy. For Thanksgiving, Christmas or just to settle a craving!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Dinner’s Ready In: 5 hours, 30 minutes (extra 30 mins. for turkey to cool before carving)
Ingredients:
1 cup apricot nectar
1 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
1 tablespoon honey
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 onions, thinly sliced
6 ounces thinly sliced shallots
22 pounds whole turkey
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
½ teaspoon dried sage
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Combine apricot nectar, preserves, ginger, and honey in a small saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until thickened and reduced to 1-1/4 cups, about 15 minutes.
Blend 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature, 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Set aside.
- Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onions and shallots; saute until very soft and light brown, about 20 minutes.
- Position rack in lowest third of oven. Preheat to 400 °. Season turkey cavity with salt and pepper. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan. Slide hand under skin of turkey breast to loosen skin. Spread half of herb butter over breast under skin. Rub remaining herb butter over outside of turkey. Tie legs together loosely to hold shape of turkey.
- Roast turkey for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325°, and continue roasting 1 hour 30 minutes, basting occasionally with pan drippings. Tent turkey with aluminum foil; roast 45 minutes longer.
- Add onion mixture, 1 cup broth, thyme, and ½ teaspoon chopped fresh sage to the roasting pan. Roast 15 more minutes before brushing ½ cup apricot glaze over turkey. Continue to roast turkey uncovered, brushing occasionally with glaze. Add more broth to the pan if necessary. Bake 40 minutes longer for unstuffed turkey, and 1 hour 10 minutes longer for stuffed turkey, or until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°.
- Place turkey on a platter, and tent with foil. Let stand 30 minutes. Reserve mixture in pan for gravy.
- Pour contents of roasting pan into a strainer set over a large bowl. Skim fat from pan juices using a large spoon. Transfer the onion mixture to a blender. Add 1 cup pan juices, and puree until smooth, adding more pan juices and chicken broth if necessary to thin sauce to desired consistency. Transfer sauce to a large saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cook until color deepens, skimming off any foam, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
December 8th, 2008
For those of you who like to serve turkey for Christmas dinner, here’s an easy way to cook a savory turkey by roasting with herbs.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Dinner’s Ready In: 4 hours, 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 (12 pound) turkey
¾ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon ground sage
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups water
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325°
- Clean turkey (discard giblets and organs), and place in a roasting pan with a lid.
- In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic powder, dried basil, ground sage, salt, and black pepper.
- Using a basting brush, apply the mixture to the outside of the uncooked turkey. Pour water into the bottom of the roasting pan and cover.
- Bake for 3 to 3 ½ hours, or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh measures 180°.
- Remove bird from oven, and allow to stand for about 30 minutes before carving.
December 8th, 2008