Roast Turkey With Best-Ever Gravy

 

by Roger Kimpton
August 22, 2009

 

Between his work with the nation’s largest poultry purveyor and Thanksgiving-dinner classes, Rick Rodgers has experimented with every conceivable cooking method from breast down to deep frying and this is the one he always comes back to. The secret to a plump juicy breast is protecting it with aluminum foil. This long, slow roast is especially useful with the leaner organic and heritage turkeys which are gaining popularity today.

 

Instructions here are for an 18-pound turkey, but the instructions can be expanded or reduced depending on the size of your bird.

18-pound fresh turkey
About 12 cups of your favorite stuffing
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 1/2 quarts homemade turkey stock (see recipe)
Melted unsalted butter, if needed
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup bourbon, port or dry sherry (optional)

 

1. Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

2. Reserve the turkey neck and giblets to use in gravy or stock. Pull out the pad of yellow fat on either side of the tail and reserve. (These are sometimes already removed by the processor, so don’t worry if they aren’t present.) If you wish, rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water. Pat the skin dry. Turn the turkey on its breast. Loosely fill the neck cavity with stuffing. Using a thin wooden or metal skewer, pin the turkey’s neck skin to the back. Fold the turkey’s wings akimbo behind the back (the tips will rest behind the turkey’s “shoulders”) or tie them to the body with kitchen string. Loosely fill the large body cavity with stuffing. Loosely cover the exposed stuffing with a piece of foil. Place any remaining stuffing in a lightly buttered casserole, cover, and refrigerate to prepare as a side dish. Place the drumsticks in the hook lock (if there is one on the turkey) or tie them together with kitchen string.

3. Rub the turkey all over with the softened butter. Season with salt and pepper. Tightly cover the turkey breast area with aluminum foil. Place the turkey breast-side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Place the reserved fat in the pan — it will melt during roasting and add to the drippings. Pour two cups of the turkey stock into the bottom of the pan.

4. Roast turkey, basting all over every 45 minutes with the juices on the bottom of the pan (lift up the foil to reach the breast area), until a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh (but not touching the bone) reads 180 degrees and the stuffing is at least 160 degrees, about 4 1/2 hours. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add broth to moisten them, about 1 1/2 cups at a time. Remove the foil the last hour to allow the skin to brown.

5. Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter and let it stand for at least 20 minutes before carving. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Drizzle 1/2 cup turkey stock over the stuffing in the casserole, cover, and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, pour the drippings from the roasting pan into a heatproof glass bowl, measuring cup, or fat separator. Let stand for 5 minutes; then skim off and reserve the clear yellow fat that rises to the top (for a separator, pour off the drippings and reserve both drippings and fat). Measure 3/4 cup fat, adding melted butter if needed. Add enough turkey broth to make 8 cups total.

7. Place the roasting pan over two stove burners on low heat and add the turkey fat and the reserved drippings. Whisk in the flour, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the optional bourbon, port, or sherry. Simmer 2 minutes, or until the alcohol evaporates. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the gravy to a warmed gravy boat, straining the gravy, if desired, through a wire sieve. Carve the turkey and serve the gravy alongside.

 

Yield: Makes about 18 servings, with about 7 cups gravy.

Source: Grandparents

 

Editor’s Note: Roger Kimpton is a freelance journalist based in New York City. Previously, he worked for more than two decades in the film industry as a grip, and on television shows such as Law & Order and Law & Order Special Victims Unit.

We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Original Beer-Butt Chicken

by Elizabeth S. Bennett
August 14, 2009

A savory chicken, tender and gloriously beer-steamed

From Fire It Up: There is nothing like this recipe for cooking up a bronze-colored, moist, and incredibly flavorful chicken. Not to mention the awe-inspiring way it’s cooked and presented. You can do it in your barbecue, or, surprise, in your oven! The invention of the ingenious ChickCAN by Louisiana chef Kevin Hester has made this process even easier. Adapted from The Barbecue America Cookbook by Rick Browne (Lyons Press, 1999).

 

Dry Rub:
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon summer savory
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dry yellow mustard
1 tablespoon sea salt (ground fine)

Basting Spray:
1 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Louisiana Hot Sauce
1 cup warm beer

1 12-ounce can of your favorite beer
1 large chicken

1. Mix the rub in a small bowl until it’s well incorporated. Wash, dry and season the chicken generously inside and out with the rub. Work the mixture well into the skin and under the skin wherever possible. Place in medium bowl, cover, and set aside at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.

2. Pour half the can of beer into a spray bottle, add the cider, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar and set aside.

3. Take the beer can in one hand and insert it into the slot in the ChickCAN, then slide the chicken tail-side down over the can. This positioning does two things: first, it helps drain off the fat as the chicken cooks; second, the beer steams the inside of the chicken, while the outside is cooked by the BBQ heat, making it the moistest bird you’ve ever laid yer eyes, or gums, on. Some people put a small potato or carrot in the neck opening of the chicken to keep the steam inside; I prefer to let it pass through.

4. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours over indirect heat, about 300 to 350 degrees F. During the cooking time, spray the chicken all around with the basting spray several times. The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees. Carefully remove the ChickCAN and place it on heatproof counter top. After your guests have reacted appropriately, remove the chicken from the rack and beer can with tongs while holding the rack with an oven mitt (careful! that stainless steel is very hot).

5. Give the chicken one more spritz of the basting spray and then carve and serve.

Source: Grandparents

Editor’Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Pasta, Cheese, Trees

By Parents.com
August 12, 2009

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

1 pound penne, corkscrew pasta, or medium shells

1 pound broccoli tops

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

2 tablespoons butter, cut up

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions. Meanwhile, pull apart broccoli into small “trees.” Put the broccoli into a pot and add enough water to just cover the tops. Bring the water to a boil and add 4 pinches salt. Cook for 5 minutes once the water comes to a boil. Drain.

2. Pour EVOO and butter into a deep frying pan and heat over low heat. When the butter melts, add the garlic and cook 5 minutes. Stir in broccoli and cooked pasta. Add ricotta and Parmesan, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Source: Parents

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Fit for Kid Cheese-and-Spinach Turnovers

 

By Marla Bazar
Parents
July 26, 2009

Making the same lunch every day is almost as boring as eating it. But before you throw cuation to the wind (and your child throws a “gourmet” lunch in the trash), consider changing the look of his lunch without changing its well-loved ingredients. Here we present creative ways to slice, roll, stack, and pack meals no child could resist.

These flaky pastries are so mild tasting that your kids won’t mind the green stuff.

Prep time: 25 minutes.
Bake time: 20 minutes.
Yield: 6 turnovers.

1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup chopped cooked spinach, squeezed dry
2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Italian-her seasoning
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 package (15 oz.) refrigerated piecrusts
1 egg, beaten

 

1. Heat oven to 400°F. In medium bowl mix ricotta cheese, spinach, Parmesan cheese, Italian-herb seasoning and salt.
2. Lightly roll out piecrust on floured surface (reserve second crust for another recipe). Cut out four 4 1/2″ circles. Reroll scraps and cut out two more circles. Place 2 rounded tablespoons of filling on one half of each circle, leaving a 3/4″ border. Brush edges with egg and fold over to make a half-moon shape. Crimp edges with tines of a fork to seal.
3. Brush tops of pastries with egg, then make 3 vents for steam. Transfer to baking sheet. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.

 

Nutrition per turnover: 216 cal.; 6 g pro.; 13 g fat; 19 g carb.; 348 mg sod.; 52 mg chol.

Source: Parents

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Easy to Make Chicken Nuggets

By Parents
July 9, 2009

Ingredients

• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup light mayonnaise
• 1-1/2 pounds chicken tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3/4 pound green beans, washed, trimmed and steamed

 

Directions

1. Heat oven to broil. Coat baking rack with nonstick cooking spray. Place rack over baking sheet; set aside.

2. Stir together bread crumbs, garlic powder and thyme in a pie plate; set aside. Stir together mustard and mayonnaise.

3. Reserve about 1/2 cup of mustard mixture for dipping sauce. Brush chicken pieces with remaining mustard mix; place chicken in pie plate with bread crumb mixture, spooning crumbs on top of pieces and pressing to adhere. Transfer to prepared baking rack. Broil for 10 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with reserved dipping sauce and green beans on the side.

 

Makes: 4 servings Prep: 15 minutes
Broil: 10 minutes

4 Stars

Source: Parents

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Berry Shortcake

By Alicia Cantrell
July 4, 2009

Description

Festive, fruity and delicious cake for all of your patriotic holidays.

Ingredients

Dough:
2 3/4 Cups Cake Flour
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 Tbsp plus 1 Tsp Baking Powder
Tsp Salt
10 tbsp chilled unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
Berry Mixture
1 pint blueberries
1 pint raspberries
1 pint strawberries
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp orange zest
1 can of whipped cream

 

Directions

In a food processor, combine cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined by turning the processor on and off quickly a few times. Add butter then pulse until just combined. With the motor running, pour heavy cream through the feed tube, just before the dough forms a ball.

Lightly flour a work surface and gently knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball. Roll out dough to a round 3/4 inch thick. Cut the dough into 7 circles with a 3-inch cookie or biscuit cutter. Knead the leftover scraps together, roll and cut out 3 more circles.

Line one baking tray with parchment paper and arrange the dough circle on tray. Brush the tops with heavy cream and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake for 5 minutes in a 375 degree oven and then reduce the heat to 350 degree oven. Bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cakes are golden and firm to the touch.

While the dough cools, mix the berries. Combine 1 pint blueberries, 1 pint raspberries, and 1 pint strawberries with 2 tbsp sugar in a large mixing bowl. Then add 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 1 tsp orange zest. Gently mix and set aside.

When ready to serve, split each shortcake in half and warm slightly. Place the bottom half of the shortcake on a dessert plate. Squirt whipped cream on the cake and arrange a cup of the berry mixture over and around the ice cream. Top with the additional whipped cream. Serve immediately while the shortcake is still warm.

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 30 Min
Total Time: 45 Min

Servings: 6

Source: Eversave

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Chicken Kebabs With Oregano Garlic Marinade

By Ramin Ganeshram
June 26. 2009

 

Marinades bring out a wonderful flavor in chicken, and they’re easy to prepare.

 Although most recipes for chicken kebabs specify boneless and skinless cubed chicken breasts, breasts are easily overcooked and can toughen on the grill. Joyce Goldstein prefers to use boned chicken thighs with the skin on, which remain moist and juicy throughout the broiling or grilling process. The skin retains the wonderful flavor of the marinade, which can be mixed up by the grandchildren. This recipe is adapted from Mediterranean Fresh: A Compendium of One-Plate Salad Meals and Mix-and-Match Dressings by Joyce Goldstein (W.W. Norton, 2008).

 

18 small chicken thighs, boned
1 large onion, cut in chunks, about 1 1/2 cups
2 cups oregano garlic vinaigrette
1 tablespoon sweet paprika or Pimentón dulce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Put the onion in a blender along with the dressing and paprika. Puree. Pour the marinade over the chicken and refrigerate overnight.

2. Bring the chicken to room temperature. Preheat the broiler or make a charcoal fire. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Thread on skewers, three thighs per person. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Broil or grill for about four minutes on each side, or until the juices run clear and the chicken tests is done.

Yield: Serves 6.

Source: Grand Parents

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? And we would like to know your receipts, to share with others. dan@youngchronicle.com

Turkey & Tomato Panini

By EatingWell.com
June 28, 2009
 

A creamy spread full of Parmesan and fresh basil cozies up to turkey and summer-ripe tomato slices for a savory hot sandwich that will quickly become a go-to mealtime solution.

Prep Time:	25 minutes
Ready in:	25 minutes
Yield:	4 servings
Ease of Prep:	Easy

 

Recipe Ingredients
	3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
	2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
	2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
	2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
	1 teaspoon lemon juice
	Freshly ground pepper to taste
	8 slices whole-wheat bread
	8 ounces thinly sliced reduced-sodium deli turkey
	8 tomato slices
	2 teaspoons canola oil

Recipe Directions

• 1. Have four 15-ounce cans and a medium skillet (not nonstick) ready by the stove.
• 2. Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, Parmesan, basil, lemon juice and pepper in a small bowl. Spread about 2 teaspoons of the mixture on each slice of bread. Divide turkey and tomato slices among 4 slices of bread; top with the remaining bread.
• 3. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 2 panini in the pan. Place the medium skillet on top of the panini, then weigh it down with the cans. Cook the panini until golden on one side, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, flip the panini, replace the top skillet and cans, and cook until the second side is golden, 1 to 3 minutes more. Repeat with another 1 teaspoon oil and the remaining panini.

 

Health Advantages: low calorie, high fiber, low sat fat, low cholesterol, heart healthy, healthy weight.

Nutrition Information
Servings Per Recipe: 4
	Amount Per serving
	Calories:	272 cal					Carbohydrate Servings:	2
	Carbohydrates:	36 g		Dietary Fiber:	5 g		Cholesterol:	27 mg
	Fat:	4 g		Sodium:	680 mg		Saturated Fat:	1 g
	Protein:	10 g		Potassium:	118 mg		Monounsaturated Fat:	1 g
	Nutrition Bonus:	Fiber (20% daily value), Calcium & Iron (15% dv).
	Exchanges:	2 starch, 1 lean meat

 Source: Family.go

Editor’s Note: We would like to know what you think? dan@youngchronicle.com

Burger Bar

by Nora Sherman
May 24, 2009

When the days are long and all you and your grandchildren want to enjoy the backyard, the ultimate kitchen playdate spends as little time as possible in the kitchen. A “burger bar” is a twist on the grill-out, as Lauren Bank Deen explains in Kitchen Playdates  (Chronicle Books, 2007). These recipes for toppings and condiments are ready in minutes, and their exotic, vibrant flavors engage young cooks/eaters. Adding just a bit of cayenne to the bacon, chipotle to the mayonnaise, or jalapeño to the tropical-fruit salsa is an exciting introduction to spices for young palates, but you can always make two versions, one without the heat.

Grill enough hamburgers and turkey and veggie burgers for everyone, and let people add their own toppings, such as sugar-and-spice bacon, chipotle mayonnaise, pineapple and mango salsa, and marinated feta cheese, as well as the traditional ketchup and mustard. Don’t forget the toasted buns!

Deen suggests rounding out the outdoor meal with campfire potatoes(prepared both in the microwave and on the grill) and coconut ice-cream sandwiches for dessert.
Sugar-and-Spice Bacon

“The crispy coating of brown sugar and cayenne here hits just the right note,” Deen writes in Kitchen Playdates. “I usually make a third of the batch without the cayenne for the kids.” A slice or two, cut in half, makes an unusually sweet and spicy bacon burger. It’s especially good on turkey burgers. Sous-chefs-in-training can do the prep work – setting up the foil-lined baking sheet – and the cooking, while little line-cooks can sprinkle the bacon with the flavor.

Ingredients:
1 pound bacon
1 cup brown sugar, light or dark
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste

Equipment:
Measuring cups and spoons
Baking rack
Baking sheet
Aluminum foil
Paper towels

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Place a baking rack over a foil-lined baking sheet and place the bacon across the rack. Sprinkle the sugar and cayenne over both sides of the bacon. Bake for 15 minutes, or until crispy. Drain on paper towels.
Chipotle Mayonnaise

Add just a bit of the canned chipotles to start and encourage children to taste before adding more. Little line-cooks can do the measuring and mixing, while sous-chefs-in-training can do the chopping.

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon or more (to taste) of canned chipotles in sauce, chopped
2 cups mayonnaise

Equipment:
Measuring cups and spoons
Chopping knife
Serving bowl
Mixing spoon

Combine the ingredients in a serving bowl and mix well. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Pineapple and Mango Salsa

If a sous-chef-in-training is doing the chopping, be sure she washes her hands carefully after handling the jalapeños and avoid any contact with her eyes or face. A little line-cook can juice the lime with the help of a citrus squeezer or juicer, but you should leave the zesting to a sous-chef-in-training (with more kitchen experience). If young children will be eating the salsa, you may want to reserve some for them that omits the jalapeño.

Ingredients:
1 pineapple, cut in 1/4-inch dice
1 mango, cut in 1/4-inch dice
1 red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeño, diced
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Equipment:
Measuring cups and spoons
Chopping knife
Serving bowl
Mixing spoon
Zester
Citrus juicer

Combine all ingredients in the serving bowl and mix well. Store in the refrigerator until about 20 minutes before serving.
Marinated Feta Cheese

A welcome alternative to Cheddar cheese, this marinated feta cheese elevates a basic burger to something worthy of a grill by the side of the Mediterranean. Little line-cooks can crumble the feta and mix the ingredients.

Ingredients:
1 pound feta, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup olive oil

Equipment:
Measuring cups and spoons
Chopping knife
Serving bowl
Mixing spoon
Zester
Citrus juicer

Combine all ingredients in the serving bowl and mix well. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Source: Grand Parents

Kitchen Lessons

by Ramin Ganeshram
May 11, 2009

 

Chef Jacques Pépin, and daughter, Claudine, have kids sample different tastes

Watch any of Chef Jacques Pépin’s cooking shows and you witness not only a master cook at work but also a master instructor, eager to impart his vast base of culinary knowledge to viewers. It is a role he continues off-screen as a dean of Special Programs at the French Culinary Institute in New York City, and most recently, as a teacher to his 4-year-old granddaughter Shourey.

Pépin is unabashed about the importance of developing a child’s palate, an attitude he says, that comes from being from a family of cooks.

“For me the moment for a child to be in the kitchen is from the moment they are born. For my family in France, many of whom were in the restaurant industry, the crib is in the kitchen out of necessity,” he says. “But the children, they nourish themselves on the noise, the scents, the tastes. There is no place as sacred as the kitchen. You smell the smell of family, hear the noise of mother and father, all of that changes you forever.”

Watch any of Chef Jacques Pépin’s cooking shows and you witness not only a master cook at work but also a master instructor, eager to impart his vast base of culinary knowledge to viewers. It is a role he continues off-screen as a dean of Special Programs at the French Culinary Institute in New York City, and most recently, as a teacher to his 4-year-old granddaughter Shourey.

Pépin is unabashed about the importance of developing a child’s palate, an attitude he says, that comes from being from a family of cooks.

“For me the moment for a child to be in the kitchen is from the moment they are born. For my family in France, many of whom were in the restaurant industry, the crib is in the kitchen out of necessity,” he says. “But the children, they nourish themselves on the noise, the scents, the tastes. There is no place as sacred as the kitchen. You smell the smell of family, hear the noise of mother and father, all of that changes you forever.”

Source: Grandparents

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