Tag: thanksgiving

24 Hour Turkey Brine

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If you’re not brining your turkey for Thanksgiving what are you even doing?

Brining allows for the turkey to be more tender and flavorful as the salt breaks down some of the turkey’s protein. Though the process at surface level seems complicated, it’s really not, just ensure that you have given yourself enough time.

You can be as creative and complicated or as simple as you’d like with your brine. I like incorporating citrus fruits like oranges and lemons, garlic, rosemary, and bay leaves.

Ingredients

  • 7 Quarts (28 Cups) Water
  • 1 1/2 Cups Kosher Salt
  • 2 TBSP Black Pepper Corn
  • 2 TBSP Dried Rosemary [or use Fresh]
  • 2 TBSP Dried Thyme [or use Fresh]
  • 2 Oranges, sliced
  • 3 Lemons, Sliced
  • 1 Head of Garlic, the top removed
  • 6 Bay Leaves

Let’s Get Brining

First things first, make sure you have a thawed turkey and a container large enough to hold it. I use a roasting pan and flip the turkey 12 hours into the brine.

Line the bottom of your roasting pan with your lemons + oranges + garlic cloves. I also like to stuff a few orange slices and garlic cloves into the turkey while it brines.

In a saucepan, combine 4 cups of water + 1.5 Cups Kosher Salt + 2 TBSP Black Pepper Corns + 2 TBSP Dried Rosemary + 2 TBSP Dried Thyme + 6 bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the salt dissolves, about 3-5 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and place the saucepan into an ice bath to allow to cool.

Take the salt mixture that was just created + remaining 24 cups of water and submerge the turkey into whatever vessel you are using to brine. Use a weight if needed to keep the turkey submerged.

Keep refrigerated for 24 hours. Remove from the brine and pat dry 1 hour before you intend to roast it. Be sure to remove any citrus or garlic you stuffed into the turkey as well.

I would love to know if you brine your turkey and what else you add to yours!

Made with Love,

Hannah

Anthony Bourdain’s Candied Sweet Potatoes

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Thanksgiving, the Chef’s Holiday, is on it’s way.

My mom’s side has been doing an early Thanksgiving for 3 years now and honestly, it has been so nice! Way less pressure and no lines at the grocery store! What I love about Thanksgiving is all the sides, though the turkey is the main the side dishes are really the stars of the show! These sweet potatoes from Anthony Bourdain deserve their own recognition as one of the best. They feature apple cider and bourbon giving you a perfect taste of fall! A perfect addition to your Thanksgiving Day menu!

Ingredients

  • 3 LBS Sweet Potatoes, cut into quarters
  • 6 TBSP Unsalted Butter
  • 1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, Packed
  • 1/3 Cup Apple Cider
  • 1/4 Cup Bourbon
  • Pinch of Salt

Let’s Get Cooking

Preheat the oven to 375F

Place the sweet potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to HIGH simmer, and cook for 15-20 minutes. At this point the sweet potatoes should be cooked through but offer some resistance to a fork. Drain and once they are cool enough to handle, peel the potoates and cut them into 1-inch chunks.

Use 1 TBSP of Butter to grease a roasting pan thats large enough to hold the sweet potatoes in a single layer, place the sweet potatoes in it.

In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 5 TBSP of Butter + 1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, then whisk in 1/3 Cup Apple Cider + 1/4 Cup Bourbon + Pinch of Salt. Let bubble on the stove top for 1 minute, then remove and drizzle over the sweet potatoes, tossing gently to coat. Roast in the oven, stirring with a wooden spoon every 10 minute for about 40 minutes, until the sweet potoates are tender.

Serve with the rest of your delicious thanksgiving meal!

Made with Love,

Hannah

Cranberry Brie Bites

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I love finger foods. They always look so appetizing. I know holiday parties are winding down, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring these bites to your next get-together, or make them for yourself and enjoy them on the couch.

Ingredients

  • Store-bought puff pastry
  • 1 14oz can Whole Cranberry Sauce
  • 1 Wheel of Brie, cut into cubes
  • Zest of half a orange
  • 1 TSP Cinnamon

Let’s Get Cooking

Preheat the oven to 400F

Pour the cranberry sauce into a bowl and add in orange zest + cinnamon and stir.

Cut the puff pastry into squares, about 4×4 in, and place into muffin tins.

Place one of the brie cubes into the pastry and top with the cranberry sauce.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes and enjoy!

Made with Love,

Hannah

Brussel Sprouts with Pistachios & Lime

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With Thanksgiving coming up this is a perfect side dish to share with your family. Or if you are doing this year on your own, it’s a good side to have alone. This recipe is from last year’s Thanksgiving edition of Bon Appétit. I loved it when I tried it, the pistachios give a great crunch and a bit of salt to balance out the sweetness of the honey.

Ingredients

  • 2 LB Small Brussel Sprouts, trimmed
  • 3 TBSP Vegetable Oil
  • 3 TBSP Unsalted Butter
  • 3 TBSP Raw Pistachios
  • 2 TBSP Date Molasses/Honey
  • 1 TSP Honey
  • Zest of 1/2 Lime
  • 2 TBSP Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1/2 TSP Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • Salt + Pepper

Let’s Get Cooking

Preheat the oven to 450F and move a rack down to the lower 3rd of the oven. Toss the chopped brussel sprouts with oil + salt + pepper. Roast the brussel sprouts for about 15 minutes, shake the brussel sprouts to loosen them from the pan and then continue to roast for another 5-10 min.

Reduce heat to 350F and cook for another 10 minute or until a fork is able to easily slide through.

While the brussels are cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add in the pistachios + salt into the pan and cook for about 4 min or until browned. Remove from heat and place on a paper towel. Chop coarsely afterwards. Make sure you cook them whole and then chop after and don’t do it like me. If you cook them already chopped they will burn easily.

In the same pan, add in the honey + date molasses/honey + lime juice and simmer over medium heat. Add in 1 TBSP of water and swirl to emulsify. Add in the cooked brussel sprouts and toss to coat.

Pour into the serving dish, top off with the pistachios + lime zest + red pepper flakes + salt.

Serve with lime wedges if you’d like & enjoy!

Always Hungry,

Hannah

Julia Child’s Apple Tart

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Julia Child is the end all be all. I received her both volumes of her cookbook Mastering The Art of French Cooking for Christmas one year and they are both something I would grab if my house was on fire. This recipe is all homemade, from the tart shell to the apple filling. This will 100% impress your friends and family when you present this. Be ready to set some time aside, but it is totally worth it.

Ingredients

Pastry Shell:

  • 2 Cups Sifted All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 TSP Salt
  • 2 Pinches of Sugar [her words not mine]
  • 1/4 lb Chilled Butter cut into 1/2 in cubes [again this is where a kitchen scale really comes in handy]
  • 3 TBSP Chilled Vegetable Shortening
  • 5 TBSP Cold Water

Apple Tart

  • 4 lbs Crisp Cooking apples, I used half granny smith and half honeycrisp hybrid
  • 1 TSP Lemon
  • 2 TBSP Sugar + 2/3 Cup
  • 1/3 Cup Apricot Preserves, forced through a sieve
  • 1/4 Cup Calvados, Rum, or Cognac [can substitute for a TBSP of Vanilla extract]
  • 3 TBSP Butter
  • 1/2 TSP Cinnamon & grated rind of 1 lemon/orange

Let’s Get Baking

I love Julia Child, but jeez her recipes can be unnecessarily complicated so I am going to do my best to make this simple.

We are going to start with the pastry shell. You are going to add together the flour + salt + sugar + butter + vegetable shortening into a large bowl. Using the tips of your fingers, rub together the fat until it has broken into small pieces. Don’t worry about them getting incredibly small they will blend more later.

Slowly add the water and blend the mixture with the other hand. The goal is to gather the dough into a large mass. Sprinkle up to another TBSP more of water over any parts that have not added to the main ball of dough. Press the dough into a firmly shaped ball, it should hold together but not be sticky.

Lightly flour a cutting board and with the heel of one hand, rapidly press the dough down onto the board. I did this a couple times to fully incorporate the butter. Scrape together all the dough and knead it slightly into a smooth ball. Cover with wax paper and place into the fridge for an hour, or freeze up to 3 days.

When it’s time to bake the shell, preheat the oven to 375F. Carefully roll out the shell into a 10inch circle. Gently place the shell into a tart pan and press down until the pastry fills the tin. Cook for 5-6 minutes. Then remove the shell, prick the bottom of the shell with a fork and bake for about 8-10 minutes more. The shell will remove slightly from the mold and will brown.

Now onto the apple tart. You are going to quarter, core, and peel all of the apples. Cut the apples into about 1/8 inch slices, enough for about 3 cups. I recommend using a mandolin. Once you have 3 cups, add in the lemon juice and 2 TBSP of sugar, mix together and reserve for the top.

The rest of the apples will be cut into rough slice, about 8 cups. Add the apples into a pan and cook covered on low heat for about 20 minutes. Stir here and there until tender. Beat the remaining ingredients into the pan, including the remaining 2/3 cups of sugar. Increase the heat until it bowls and is thick enough to hold a mass on the spoon.

Preheat the oven to 375. & spread the apple sauce on the precooked pastry shell.

Cover the applesauce with the left over apples in concentric circles. Top off with some of the apricot glaze and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove and place on a cooling rack, service warm or cold.

I say warm with vanilla ice cream is always the way to go.

Always Hungry,

Hannah