Cook Time:2 hr 30 min
Level:Easy
Yield:10 to 12 servings

Ingredients

* 1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey

For the brine:

* 1 cup kosher salt
* 1/2 cup light brown sugar
* 1 gallon vegetable stock
* 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
* 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
* 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
* 1 gallon heavily iced water

For the aromatics:

* 1 red apple, sliced
* 1/2 onion, sliced
* 1 cinnamon stick
* 1 cup water
* 4 sprigs rosemary
* 6 leaves sage
* Canola oil

2 to 3 days before roasting:
Directions

Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.

Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.
Early on the day or the night before you'd like to eat:

Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.

Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.

Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.

Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 151 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Show: Good EatsEpisode: Romancing the Bird (A Good Eats Thanksgiving)
Food Network Website

Prep Time:
5 min
Inactive Prep Time:
30 min
Cook Time:
hr min

Level:
Easy

Serves:
3 cups

2 medium oranges, peeled, sectioned, and roughly chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
1 pound fresh (or frozen, thawed) cranberries
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

Place half of the orange segments, the zest, and the jalapenos in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the sugar and pulse 3 to 4 more times. Add the cranberries and continue to pulse until berries are roughly chopped. Adjust seasonings with sugar, if needed. Transfer cranberry mixture to a bowl and toss with the remaining half of chopped orange segments and the mint. Allow relish to chill for at least 30 minutes, and up to 2 days. Serve relish chilled or at room temperature.

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2004

Show: Emeril LiveEpisode: Emeril's Chelsea Market Thanksgiving
Food Network Website

This is called 'Real Original' because it is based on the recipe taken directly off the back of a 1950s Chex cereal box. For the more complicated updated recipe, go to Chex Party Mix, which contains pretzels and bagel chips. Oh, and Anthony wrote me as well - he says that margarine is the original, not butter. He says the mix tastes better with margarine. I personally prefer butter, but it's your choice!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup butter or margarine
* 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
* 1-1/4 teaspoons seasoned salt
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
* 3 cups Wheat Chex square cereal
* 2 cups Rice Chex square cereal
* 1-1/2 cups peanuts
* 1-1/2 cups small pretzel rods

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Melt butter in a shallow pan. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, and garlic salt (not garlic powder). Add Wheat Chex, Rice Chex, nuts (peanuts, pecans or cashews), and pretzel rods. Mix until all pieces are coated with the butter mixture.

Place on a shallow baking pan with sides. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool...enjoy!

Crispix Puppy Chow

12 oz. box Crispix cereal
1/2 cup butter (I don't think I've ever put the butter in...unnecessary fat)
1 cup peanut butter
12 oz. pkg. chocolate chips
2 to 3 cups powdered sugar

In medium microwave-safe bowl, combine butter, peanut butter and chocolate chips and microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring once during cooking, until mixture is melted and smooth. Place the cereal in another large bowl and pour the melted mixture over the cereal. Stir until the cereal is thoroughly coated. Pour the powdered sugar into a large plastic food bag. Pour the coated cereal into the powdered sugar and shake until it is well covered with the sugar. Pour the cereal onto wax paper to cool and dry. Store in tightly covered containers at room temperature.

Ingredients

* 1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut flakes
* 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
* 2 tablespoons curry powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
* 2 egg whites
* 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
* Lime wedges, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a food processor, pulse the coconut until coarsely ground and transfer to a shallow bowl. Mix coconut with bread crumbs, curry powder, and salt, and set aside. Beat egg whites until slightly foamy. Dip shrimp in egg whites and coat with coconut mixture. Repeat to form a double coating. Place shrimp on rack placed within a sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes. Garnish with lime wedges and serve.



Ingredients
8 whole crabs backs removed, washed and cleaned
3 cups water seasoned salt to taste
2 cups coconut milk
6 cloves garlic sliced
2 onions chopped
½ oz fresh thyme
½ oz fresh marjoram
¼ tsp curry powder
2 stalks celery diced
4 tbs parsley chopped
½ tsp hot pepper sauce

Dumplings:

2 cups flour
¼ tsp salt
1 tbs butter
water

Method

Break the crabs in half and place them in a saucepan with the water and seasoned salt. Tie the thyme and marjoram together, place in the water and boil for 10 minutes. Add the coconut milk, dumplings, onions, garlic, celery, parsley, pepper sauce and curry powder. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated. The stew can be thickened by mixing a little flour and water together and adding to the gravy. Serve over boiled rice or breadfruit. Dumplings: To make the dumplings mix the flour, salt and butter together with enough water to make a stiff dough. Knead it on a floured board for 2 minutes then transfer to a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave to stand for 5 - 10 minutes. Shape the dumplings into balls about 1½ inches in diameter, then press them flat with the palm of your hand.





Side Dish -
Sweet Fried Plantain ( I never used the rum topping nor put salt or sugar on my plantain. I just get the ripest ones, fry, and eat cuz I am greedy like that)



Ingredients

* Vegetable oil, for shallow frying
* 2 firm-ripe plantains (about 1 pound)
* Kosher salt
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* Rum Whipped Cream, recipe follows, or ice cream

Directions

Heat about 1-inch of oil in heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 340 degrees F. Line a large plate with paper towels.

Peel the plantains and discard the skins. Slice into 1/4-inch thick pieces. Fry the plantains in oil, turning occasionally, until a golden brown color, about 2 to 4 minutes. The longer the plantains fry the sweeter they are. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle the plantains with a little salt.

Put the sugar and cinnamon in a brown bag, drop the warm plantains into the bag, and shake to coat evenly. Serve with rum whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.
Rum Whipped Cream:

3/4 cups heavy cream, chilled

1 tablespoon dark rum bananas to the boiling water. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove the skin, and serve hot.


Desert

Espresso Cake

——————————————————————————–

Adapted from a recipe in O, The Oprah Magazine
Serving Size: 14

Ingredients:

2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup raw cane sugar (Turbinado)
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup brewed coffee, cooled

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with waxed paper; spray paper. Dust bottom and side of pan with cocoa powder, tapping out excess; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flours, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. In another bowl, combine oil, eggs, vanilla and coffee. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients and pour into prepared pan.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in middle of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes.

un a knife around edge of cake and invert onto a wire rack; peel off waxed paper. Invert again onto rack to cool completely.


As Jen and Des are the bakers I fully expect yall to make this. :)

Appetizer

 

Prunes and Peanut Butter

 

Ingredients

 

1 package pitted prunes

 

Peanut Butter (chunky or smooth your preference)

 

Toothpicks

 

Directions

 

Lay prunes flat

 

Add a dollop of peanut butter

 

Fold prunes in half and hold in place with toothpicks

 

 

 

Stuffed Red Snapper (Fish)

 

Ingredients

 

1 (3 to 4  pound) red snapper, scaled and gutted

 

1 lime quarted

 

Salt, for rubbing the fish

 

Stuffing

 

1 package spinach (chopped)

 

1/2 package okra (chopped)

 

1 small onion (chopped)

 

2 gloves of garlic (minced)

 

1 stalk of scallion (chopped)

 

1 tablespoon jerk seasoning (optional)

Salt (to taste)

 

Black pepper (to taste)

 

1 teaspoon dried thyme

 

Directions

 

Wash fish and rub inside and out with the quartered lime and salt.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours.  Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. 

 

Combine all ingredients for stuffing and fill the cavity of the snapper.

 

Wrap the snapper in aluminum foil.

 

Place in pyrex dish and bake for about 30 mins or until flesh is opaque.

Johnny Cakes (Fry Bakes)

Ingredients

4 cups Flour

4 teaspoon Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Salt

1/4 cup shortening

1 cup vegetable oil

Directions

Mix together flour, salt, and baking powder,

Rub in the shortening

Add sufficient water to flour mixture to make a smooth dough

Knead dough lightly until smooth

Divide and shape into 12 balls

Roll each ball of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4" thick and 3 1/2" round

Fry in hot oil until brown on both sides

Drain on paper towel.

 

 

Sugar Cakes

 

Ingredients

4 cups sugar

1 cup water

4 cups fine shredded unsweetened coconut (with brown husk removed)

1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter

1 teaspoon almond extract

Directions1

Boil sugar and water into a light syrup.

2

When bubbles the size of small pearls appear, add grated coconut and cream of tartar.

3

When the coconut mixture leaves the side of the pan easily (No syrup must be running out), remove from the heat and beat with a spoon for 3-5 minutes.

Add the almond extract.

5

Drop by spoon onto a greased tray to form sugar cakes