Turkey Time

After trying many different turkeys we've found our favorite. A Lemon Bacon Turkey. Seriously you can't go wrong with bacon. This turkey comes out so moist and delicious that my husband actually enjoys eating the white meat! The post is long, but it gives the full details, so try it out some time and enjoy!

Lemon Bacon Turkey (Stuffing and Gravy)

• 20-24 lb. Turkey (adjust recipe for smaller turkeys)
• 4-5 Lemons
• ¾ Loaf Day old French Bread (or whatever bread you like to use)
• 1 Lg Onion
• 10-12 Cloves Garlic
• Salt & Pepper (or favorite seasoning mix- I like McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning)
• 3 Stalks of Celery
• 3 Carrots (or 10-12 Baby Carrots)
• 1/3 Cup Butter
• 5-6 Cups of Chicken or Turkey Stock
• 5-7 Strips of Bacon
• 3-5 Tbl. Flour

Prep: (This can all be done the night before if you prefer)

• Slice Bread into bite size cubes and lay out on tray to dry [This needs to be done the night before!]
• Make sure turkey is defrosted.
• Slice 3-4 of the lemons for nice thin circular slices, quarter the other lemon (Remove seeds).
• Finely Dice Onion and Mince Garlic
• (In a small container combine ½ of the onion and about 7-8 of the minced cloves of garlic, add S&P or your own seasoning mix)- this is the base for the rub.
• Finely chop celery and carrots.
• (In a larger container combine celery carrots and the rest of the onion and garlic, and add seasoning)- this is the base for the stuffing.

Pre-Oven Prep: (Best done the morning of)

• Add ½ Cup of Stock to the Rub Base.
• Add dry bread to Stuffing Base. Melt 1/3 Cup butter and add to stuffing base with 1 ½- 2 Cups of Stock (depending on how dry or soggy you like your stuffing). Stir to combine and add more seasoning if needed.
• Before I start touching the turkey I like to set everything out that I will need.
• So grab a dish for the neck and the giblets (which I spray lightly with non-stick and sprinkle with seasoning), turkey twine (if your turkey doesn’t already have the little leg locks on it).
• I also grab a 5” square piece of foil and about 5 toothpicks (we’ll talk about this later) and some paper towels to pat dry the turkey and a small sharp knife.
• Grab turkey pan and roasting rack I usually put this on top of a cookie sheet to avoid spillage in the oven.
• Set up a clean working surface for the turkey, I like to use a large cookie sheet. 
• Put everything you need (including the Rub, Stuffing and rest of Stock) in arms reach if you can so that it’s easily accessible.

Turkey Time:

• Remove turkey from packaging.
• Remove giblets and neck from either the neck cavity or the main cavity. Rinse giblets and neck and place in prepared pan.
• Rinse (with cold water) and pat dry turkey, both inside and out.
• Start with breast side up. Right near the cavity opening make slits in the skin on each side of the bird (long enough to fit your hand in, but on the edge so the skin doesn’t rib on the top). Take about ¼ of the rub and work it in between the breast and the skin on both sides. Then slide in 3-4 slices of lemon on each side.
• Next stuff the bird. I start with ½ of the quartered lemon and put it all the way in the back of the cavity (if the lemon mixes too much with the stuffing the stuffing will be really lemony). Then fill the rest of the cavity with stuffing, and end with another quarter of a lemon. [Some turkey experts say not to stuff your turkey for safety concerns, but as long as all my stuffing ingredients come straight from the cold fridge I haven’t had a problem- your call.] I usually have a little left over stuffing that I will use in a bit.
• Replace the legs in a leg locks (or tie with twine). Here is where I use the foil. I stick one end of it under the leg locks and use the toothpicks on the other end, so that cavity opening is completely covered (essential since I will the flipping the bird over). I sprinkle a little seasoning over the top of the bird.
• Flip the turkey over and repeat the rub process on the thighs. (Make a slit, work in the rest of the rub, slide in lemon slices all between the skin and the meat). Sprinkle a little more seasoning over the top. I place the rest of the stuffing in the neck cavity and attach the skin with a couple of toothpicks (make sure to remove the toothpicks, before serving).
• Pour 1 ½ - 2 Cups of stock in the bottom of the roasting pan and place the turkey (BREAST SIDE DOWN) on the roasting rack.
• Put turkey on the bottom rack of a 325 degree oven. Cooking times depends on the size of the turkey, but with a large bird, stuffed I plan on 4 ¾ hours- 5 ½ hours. Check out the FDA website for turkey cooking times and safety tips.
• I roast the giblets in the oven for the first hour the turkey is cooking, just sprinkle a little seasoning on the top. My husband likes them as his appetizer.
• At half way through (2 ½ hours for a 24 lb. turkey), remove turkey from oven and flip it so breast side is up. (I wrap hot pads in foil to put on each end of the turkey and usually enlist the assistance of my much stronger husband). Return to oven.
• When there is about an hour left. Remove turkey one more time (which does increase cooking time just a bit) and lay the strips of bacon across the top the bird. (If you want to be healthy don’t add the bacon, but really if it’s the holidays, splurge a little, it tastes delicious)! Return to oven
• When time is up, check with a meat thermometer. It should read 165 degrees in the thickest part of the meat. When temperature has been reached remove from oven. Place turkey in a different pan or a cutting board (with indentations, because there will be juices). Scoop stuffing from both cavities (discard foil and toothpicks) and put into an oven safe pan.
• Cover turkey with foil and let rest for 20 minutes.
• I like my stuffing a little crispy, so I put it under the broiler for about 5 minutes.

Gravy:

• In a sealable container put flour and about a cup of stock. Shake vigorously until flour dissolves. Pour about ½- ¾ of the juices left in the roasting pan into a sauce pan (I don’t add any butter or oil, because there is enough bacon drippings in the juices).
• Over medium heat bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add about ½ of flour mixture, stirring constantly, until gravy thickens.
• Slowly add more of the flour mixture until you’ve reached desired consistency.
• Season as needed.

                                                                 Happy Thanksgiving!!



Pause in Posting

Sorry about the serious pause in posting, but it's going to continue.

We moved, and finally got settled in,

but then I found out I was pregnant.

Which means my love for food has turned into a love-hate relationship.

I can't even watch food shows on TV.

So once this kid comes out. I'll be back!

Homemade Hummus

I love hummus and I love being able to make it cheaply whenever I want, instead of spending a lot of money for a very small container of it. Plus, I needed to use up some of those Chickpeas in my cupboards before we moved.

Hummus

• 1 Can Chickpeas (aka Garbanzo Beans) (Reserve a 1/4 C liquid from can)
• 1 T Tahini (Sesame Seed Paste)
• 2 Cloves of Garlic (Minced) - I use 3 or 4 cloves.
• 1/2 t Salt
• Juice of 1/2 a Lemon
• 2 T Olive Oil

This is quick and easy to make if you have a food processor (just put it all in and blend- save the olive oil until the very end). But, I don't have a food processor, or a blender, so it takes a bit of arm strength. I find a potato masher works really well to mash up the chickpeas, use a little of the liquid you reserved as needed for a creamier consistency. Add tahini (I find the tahini in the cultural food isle, it's a bit expensive, but it lasts for a very long time and I can get numerous batches of hummus out of one container). Add garlic, lemon juice and mix all together. Add the olive oil last. The texture is a little smoother if you have a food processor, but it tastes just as good without one.
I really like it with pita bread and grilled chicken, but I've also used it as a spread on sandwiches and burgers. Tasty!

Roasted Garbanzo Beans

We are moving, and with the joy of moving comes trying to figure out what to do with all the stuff in the cupboards. Pack it up into our small moving space or try to eat as much of it as we can; it looks like we're doing a mix. A few weeks prior to moving I sat in front of the cupboard, pen and paper in hand, and tried to figure out what tasty meals I could make using mostly what I had on hand, and having to buy very little, so the next month or so of posts is some of what I came up with.

Ever since I started making hummus, I have a stock pile of garbanzo beans. I buy the bulk box once or twice a year from the warehouse store, which satisfies my hummus fix, but now I don't want to have to box up and travel with this many beans, and although I love hummus, I can't eat it everyday, so I tried out this recipe. I got the idea for this recipe here, and then made a few of my own changes with what I had in the cupboard.

Roasted Garbanzo Beans

• 1 Can Garbanzo Beans
• 2 T Olive Oil
• 3-4 Garlic Cloves (grating it works really well)
• 1/2 T Cumin
• 1/8 T Chili Powder
• Dash of Salt
• Parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour olive oil in a pan, mix in garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Toss in drained garbanzo beans. Bake about 30 minutes (it creates a nice aroma in the house). Garnish with parsley once cooked.
Pretty simple and pretty tasty. Next time I'd like to try it with the feta, I love feta!

Easter Feast

With Spring's arrival and the remembrance of the Resurrection, Easter has always been celebrated in my home with food. Whether it's a large family gathering, or just our small family (like this year), the food is always tasty.

This year we decided on braised lamb shanks (the major factor in that decision was that they were better priced at the store then any other cut of lamb). Lamb (which my husband loves) has become somewhat of an Easter tradition. Braised lamb shanks, cheesy potatoes, salad and sourdough bread made for a tasty meal.

Braised Lamb Shanks

• 4 Lamb Shanks
• 2 T Olive Oil
• 1 Med. Onion (roughly chopped)
• 4 Cloves Garlic (roughly chopped)
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 Can Tomatoes
• Salt & Pepper
• 2 T Italian Seasoning
• 2-3 C Broth ( I had turkey broth, so that's what I used)

I looked up a few different recipes, and after checking the cupboards for what I had, I came up with this recipe. Heat a large pot on the stove with olive oil. Season shanks with salt & pepper and brown in pot (this may have to be done in stages if all the shanks won't comfortably fit in the pot at once). Once browned remove from pot, add onions and garlic, allow to soften, then add salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and tomatoes. Return shanks to the pot and add the broth. Cover and bring to a low simmer. Simmer 2-3 hours.

Once the meat is falling off of the bone, remove shanks. Turn heat in pot to high, allow the liquid to reduce. I added a couple of Tablespoons of flour (mixed with half a cup of water) to the pot to help thicken the sauce. Then return the shanks to the liquid. Ready to Serve.

Cheesy Potatoes

• 4 Medium Potatoes
• 2-3 C Broth (Once again I had Turkey broth, so that's what I used)
• 1 T Butter
• 1 T Flour
• 4 Cloves Garlic (Chopped)
• Salt & Pepper
• 1/4 C Sour Cream
• 1 Can Mushrooms
• 1/2 C Cheddar Cheese

This is a true Tasty Cupboard meal. I had Potatoes and Turkey broth and wanted to use both, so this is what I came up with. Cube potatoes (I peeled off half of the skin, but left half on, I like a bit of the skin) and boil potatoes in broth until soft, but not yet mushy. Remove potatoes and separate from broth. Put potatoes in an oven safe pan. Melt butter in the pot, over low heat, add flour. Once combined add  half of the garlic, salt, pepper, and slowly stir in the leftover broth. Allow to simmer 5 minutes. Temper sour cream (stir in a little broth to the sour cream), then add to sauce. Heat through. Chop mushrooms and sprinkle over potatoes as well as the rest of the garlic. Pour sauce over the potatoes and top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

We added a salad and homemade sourdough bread rolls (recipe to come), and had quite the tasty Easter feast.

Easter cupcakes are the traditional dessert for our family, but I wanted to try different ones this year. I went with this recipe I found here. They were delicious. I wasn't quite as fond of the frosting, but I think that was because I didn't quite follow the recipe (don't substitute margarine for the butter here). I'll try it again the right way sometime, and let you know how it turns out. Overall a fantastic Easter feast. We hope you had a Happy Easter as well!