Thinking about Thanksgiving??

Big Bro's Smoked Turkey

Last weekend my family threw an early Thanksgiving Potluck.  It was great fun with great food!  More importantly it got me thinking about all the pressure home cooks put on themselves for the Thanksgiving meal.  Why are people so afraid to make this holiday meal?  Is it because it is the one Holiday that is wholly focused on the meal?  Yep, that's probably it.  However,  if you think about it what is so complicated about it?.  Turkey, potatoes, vegetables, and pie.  Nothing too elaborate.  I am here to tell you anyone can do it!  Here are some ideas for your holiday as well as my personal menu!


My Family's Thanksgiving Menu :

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup -
recipe already on indy epicure



Big Bro's Smoked Turkey 
not sure what all he does but I know it involves a Big Green Egg and deliciousness!

William Sonoma Dry Brined Turkey

I use to go through the effort of a liquid brine but last year I tried WS's dry brine and I will never go back!  It creates the most moist bird I have ever had and it is so much simpler than the traditional brines.  After its rinsed I simply season with a fresh herb and salt rub.  You can not get any easier than that!

Fennel Herb Stuffing

• 2 loafs of crusty country-style bread cut into 1inch cubes
• 2 cups finely chopped fennel bulbs
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 2 tbls fresh thyme finely chopped
• 2 tbls  fresh sage finely chopped
• 2/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 4 cups turkey stock

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread bread cubes on 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Toast until light golden and crisp, about 20 minutes. Cool completely. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetables, thyme and sage.. Reduce heat to medium and sauté until vegetables are soft. Preheat oven to 375°F.  Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Combine bread crumbs, vegetables, parsley and desired salt and pepper in a very large bowl. Add turkey stock by 1/4 cupfuls to mixture until desired moistness. Transfer to buttered dish. Cover dish with buttered foil; bake 35 minutes. Uncover; bake until top is browned, about 30 minutes longer.

 Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes 

• 3 pounds yukon gold potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 6 tbls unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• salt and pepper

Cut potatoes into cubes and place them in a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart easily. With a hand mixer mash the potatoes, butter and cream until very creamy. Add sour cream and salt and pepper till desired taste. Serve immediately.


Corn Spoon Bread

• 1 pkg. corn muffin mix
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 can (8 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 can (8 oz.) cream style corn
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 375. Grease 1- 1/2 quart casserole dish.  Pour butter and corn into prepared dish. Blend in sour cream. In separate bowl, beat eggs and stir into casserole along with muffin mix. Blend thoroughly. Bake 35- 40 minutes or until center is firm.

Martha Stewart's

Turnip and Sweet Potato Gratin

•  3 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
• 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
• salt and pepper

Butter Bacon Brussels Sprouts

• brussels sprouts
• 5 slices Bacon
• approx. 2 tbls butter
• salt and pepper

Steam brussels sprouts till tender but still somewhat firm and set aside.  Cut bacon in small pieces and cook in skillet till desired crispness.  Add butter and cook until melted.  Add brussels sprouts and salt & pepper and toss until well coated.

Brown Butter Pumpkin Layer Cake-recipe already on indy epicure

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

Grilled Steak and Brie Sandwich

Mayor's Race

Another Wabash Win!

Happy Monday!  Hope you had a wonderful weekend! The fam and I had a fun full weekend of football games, haunted houses, and bike races!  Andrew even met Indianapolis Mayor, Greg Ballard at his bike race. Not quite the celebrity as Rahm Emanuel but we still took the photo op!  All my years living in Chicago, I never once met the Mayor: or even had a chance sighting.  Less than 3 months in Indy and whatta ya know!

On to today's recipe... A yummy Steak and Brie sandwich topped with balsamic arugula. With all my recipes using arugula, I am running the risk of looking a bit like a one trick pony here... but  I just can't help it, I love it!  It's the perfect green to add to just about anything.  If you are in the mood for a change though, watercress would work just as well.  Hope you like!  I know you will like how simple it is to make!

Ingredients:
2 small baguettes (I use take and bakes so they fresh and warm!)
3/4- 1 pound of  steak ( I like to use a thin cut ny strip or a flank)
brie
arugula
1/4 red onion, sliced thinly
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
salt and pepper

Season steak with salt and pepper and marinate for 20 mins in equal parts balsamic and olive oil. Dress arugula with balsamic and olive oil and set aside . Over indirect heat, grill steak until medium rare. Remove from grill and cut into 1/2 inch slices.  Cut a fresh baked or warmed baguette in half . Spread an ample amount of brie on one half and lay steak on top.  Top with arugula and onions.  This recipe should make about 4 sandwiches. 

We had garlic fries on the side last night.

1 bag frozen french fries
canola oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
tbls finely chopped parsley
shredded parmesan
1/2 tbsp of butter
salt

Pan fry french fries in canola oil until golden and remove from grease.  Pour grease out of pan and put french fries back in.  Add butter, garlic, parmesan, parsley, and salt.  Toss until all the fries are evenly coated.

Fennel and Apple Salad

A few weeks ago while visiting my bro and his wife in Chicago, I had a simple fennel and apple salad.  It was crisp and delicious and got me thinking about my current close-minded opinion of this tasty vegetable. Why is it that I only think of fennel as a compliment to my Thanksgiving Stuffing when it can clearly stand out on its own!   So the other night,  along side our grilled chicken I made a fennel salad; and it was tasty.  Not to mention, a nice change of pace from the standard mixed green salad...   As always I tweaked the recipe a bit by adding apple cider to the dressing and throwing some Gorgonzola and walnuts on top, but this Charlie Trotter recipe is what I used as the base...

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and halved
• 2 bulbs fennel, thinly sliced

To prepare the vinaigrette: Whisk together the lemon juice, chopped tarragon, and olive and canola oils in a small bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To prepare the salad: Cut the apple into thin slices and place in a medium bowl with the fennel. Toss with the vinaigrette and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Shaved-Fennel-and-Apple-Salad-104117#ixzz1bNC6V1vX

Bacon Potato Hash

Good Morning!!!  Its Sunday morning, so that means a breakfast with the family that doesn't involve the microwave!  We can actually lounge in our pjs a bit longer, take our time making a meal, and eat as a family at an hour earlier than 6pm!  I love the weekends!
In earlier posts, I have mentioned my weakness for carbs; the only other ingredient I could quite possibly love even more is pork.  So, the combination of potato and bacon???  Fantastic! Most of my closest friends know this about me and its a bit of running joke. When out to eat, I typically order pork, my lunch time staple; salami (which of course is made of pork), and if I am trying to perfect a recipe, what would I add?  Most likely, pork!  You put bacon on just about anything and it is instantly delicious!  Just ask comedian, Jim Gaffigan:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaK9bjLy3v4  Hilarious!

This recipe is a little piece of Heaven for your Sunday morning. Not to mention, ridiculously easy!  (Easy, is usually the common theme with any of my recipes)

Ingredients:

6-8 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces
approx. 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of finely minced garlic
approx. 10-12 small yellow fleshed potatoes (like a yukon gold)
1 medium sized sweet onion, diced
1/2 of a red onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste

fried egg(s)

In a large skillet,  cook bacon and garlic in olive oil until bacon begins to crisp.  Add potatoes and onions and cook for approx. 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft and crispy and onions have caramelized.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with a fried egg, over easy.

Enjoy!