Cardini's Salad

Cardini's Salad
Recipe from Breta Finlinson

Romaine
Tomato
Purple Onion
Croutons (favorite is Mrs. Cubbins)
Parmesan, shredded
Cardini's Caesar Salad Dressing

Mix all together in a salad bowl.

Thanksgiving Turkey

(This whole process takes about a week)

Thanksgiving Turkey
John Craw

Thaw the bird thoroughly in the fridge over 2-3 days.  Remove everything from the cavity and either throw it away (meaning the stuff inside like the neck and liver) or save it to do what you like with it.

Make your brine:
Make 4 cups of vegetable broth (or beef broth, or chicken or turkey or whatever type of bullion you have to make broth with)
Add 1 cup salt (can buy any kind, non-iodized is probably better)
1 Tbsp crushed dried rosemary
1 Tbsp dried sage
1 Tbsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp black pepper
Boil everything together well.

Take it off the heat and cool it down to nearly refrigerator temperature using ice (or just let it cool on its own if you have time).  This usually takes quite a bit of ice.

Use a 5 gallon bucket, like from Lowes or Home Depot.  You can line it with a roasting bag or even trash liner if you want.  Place the turkey breast down in teh bucket and add the brine.  You may need to add liquid to make sure the brine covers the turkey.  I usually add a thing of cheap apple juice, what water works too.

Place the 5 gallon bucket in the fridge (usually requires removing a shelf temporarily) and keep it there at least 24 hours (48 is better).

On Thanksgiving day, thaw some bacon and set it aside.  Remove the turkey from the brine and save the brine.  Remove the turkey from the brine and save the brine.  Cut the skin in the midline with a razor blade or sharp knife and peel the skin from center off the breast but don't cut it off or tear it (I use a surgical dissection technique where you basically use scissors, place them under the skin while closed and open them between the skin and the meat to dissect it off).  Place the turkey in a roaster or roaster pan held off the bottom with the rack by at least a centimeter or so.  Pour enough of the brine into the roaster to come up to the bottom of the turkey.  Scoop out the spices left in the bottom of the brine and spread them over the exposed turkey breast meat like a seasoning rub (you can add olive oil to it or butter.  I use a little butter.)  Lay the strips of bacon over the turkey breast meat.  Pull the skin back over the bacon covered breast meat and attach it in the middle using tooth pics like straight pins.

Cook the turkey on NO HIGHER than 225 degrees.  It's vital not to cook it at high temperature.  Try not to remove the lid any more than is necessary to keep the temperature even and constant.  I use the meat prove to tell me when the deep portion of the breast near the thigh reaches at least 165 degree (the closer to 200, the better).  A well brined turkey cooks much faster than normal, so don't worry too much about the low temperature slowing it down too much.  It generally does take 3 hours or so to get the internal meat temp up to around 200 where the meat will be very tender.

Take out the tooth pics, take off the bacon, wipe off the spices if you want and carve it up.

Giant Ganache-Topped Whoopie Pie

Recipe from bettycrocker.com

Ingredients

Cake

1/2

box Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ devil's food cake mix (about 1 2/3 cups)

1/2

cup water

1/4

cup vegetable oil

2

eggs

Filling

3/4

cup butter or margarine, softened

1

jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme

1

cup powdered sugar

1

teaspoon vanilla

Ganache

1/2

cup whipping cream

4

oz semisweet baking chocolate, chopped

Directions

Directions

Heat oven to 350.  Spray bottoms and sides of two 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray with flour.  In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed until moistened, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.  Pour into pans.  Bake 14-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes.  Remove from pans to cooling racks.  Cool completely, about 1 hour.

In a large bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy.  On serving plate, place 1 cake layer, rounded side down.  Spread filling over cake, spreading slightly over edge.  Top with second layer, rounded side up.

In a 1 quart saucepan, heat whipping cream over low heat until hot but not boiling.  Remove from heat; stir in chocolate until melted.  Cool about 10 minutes.  Pour ganache onto top of cake; spread with spatula so it just begins to flow over edge of cake.  Store loosely covered.

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

• Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup
• Recipe from copykat.com
• 
  
• 1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage links
• 2 large russet potatoes, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans chicken broth
• 1 quart water
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits (1/2 can)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups chopped fresh kale or Swiss chard
• 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Put the sausages in a baking pan and roast for about 30 minutes, until cooked through. Drain on paper towels and cut into slices.

Place the potatoes, onions, chicken broth, water, and garlic in a pot and cook on medium heat until potatoes are done. Add the sausage, bacon, and salt and pepper to taste and simmer for another 10 minutes. Turn the heat to low. Add kale, the cream, and more water, if necessary. Heat thoroughly and serve.

Baked Potato Soup

Baked Potato Soup

Recipe from Our Best Bites

3 Tbsp butter

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 C. flour

4 1/2 C. Milk (low fat works great)

1 - 14 oz can chicken broth

4 Medium baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 lbs) baked (or microwave)

2 C. grated cheddar cheese, divided

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 1/2 C. Sour cream, divided

1/2 C. chopped green onions, divided

8 Slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided

Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.  Add flour to pan.  Slowly add milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to eliminate lumps.  Whisk until smooth and then add chicken broth.  )Now, if you get to this point and don't have a smooth liquid. Stop! Save your soup by popping the mixture in the blender, then continue.) Bring soup just to a simmer and heat until thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Once soup is thickened, turn heat down to medium-low.  Cut potatoes in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out potato flesh into the pot.  Use a wooden spoon to smash potatoes, breaking up large clumps.  Add 1 1/2 C. grated cheese and salt and pepper and stir until cheese is melted.  Remove pan from heat and stir in 3/4 cups sour cream, 1/4 cups green onions, and 4 strips of the crumbled bacon.  Add additional salt and pepper to taste.  ladle into bowls and top with each serving with the remaining sour cream, onions, cheese, and bacon.

Cashew Chicken with Noodles

Cashew Chicken with Noodles
Recipe from Taste of Home
Serves 8

16 oz uncooked thick rice noodles
1/2 Cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
4 Tbsp cornstarch
6 Garlic cloves, minced
3 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 Tbsp peanut oil (or canola oil)
2 Tbsp sesame oil
12 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 Cups unsalted cashews
4 Tbsp sweet chili sauce

Cook rice noodles according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a medium sized bowl, combine the soy sauce, cornstarch and garlic.  Add chicken.  In a large skillet or wok, saute chicken mixture in peanut and sesame oils until no longer pink.  Add onions; cook 1 minute longer.

Drain noodles; stir into skillet. Add cashews and chili sauce and heat through.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Turkey Chili

Recipe from OurBestBites

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, diced (any color)

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 bell pepper, diced
1-2 jalapenos, minced
20 ounces ground turkey breast
8 ounces mushrooms, minced (about 2 heaping cups)
2 teaspoons cumin
2  teaspoons kosher salt
½  teaspoons pepper
1  teaspoon oregano
1  teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2  teaspoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes*
1 28 ounce can tomatoes (notdrained)
2 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
32 ounces beef broth (one box/carton)
1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree (make sure you’re not using pumpkin pie filling 
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

*”Sweet potatoes” and “yams” are often sold interchangeably depending on what part of the country you live in.  Just buy whichever one is orange 

optional: sour cream, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro or green onion, and fresh lime juice for serving

Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat.  Add 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil and add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and jalapenos.  Saute for about 5 minutes, until veggies are tender and fragrant.  Add to slow cooker.

In same skillet, heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil.  Add turkey and mushrooms and stir to combine.  Sprinkle in cumin, salt, pepper, oregano, chili powder and smoked paprika.  (note: the meat will taste very seasoned when done.  Keep in mind these seasonings are not to flavor just the meat, they will season the entire pot of chili, so they are intentionally strong!)  Add turkey mixture to slow cooker.

Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, beans, broth, pumpkin, cinnamon, and cocoa powder to slow cooker and stir til combine.  Place lid on pot and cook for  4-6 hours on high, or 8-10 on low.   Slow-cookers vary greatly in temperature and cooking times, but really, the important thing to note is if the sweet potatoes are tender.

When done, turn off heat and let chili sit with lid off for 10-15 minutes to thicken.  Season with additional salt to taste before serving.  If desired, serve with sour cream, sliced avocados, and a small squirt of fresh lime juice, and any other toppings desired.

Yields: About 4 quarts (16 cups)