Dennys Food and Recipes: Turkey Cooking Tips: How Good Is Your Holiday Roast Turkey?

Dennys Food and Recipes: Turkey Cooking Tips: How Good Is Your Holiday Roast Turkey?:
From Denny:  Roasted my Thanksgiving turkey a day early.  Sure beats stressing on the Big Day.  Also, my husband, affectionately known as "Satan" misses out on trying to micro-manage the cooking, driving me absolutely crazy.  He never did learn to cook but thinks he knows how to tell you all about how to do it anyway.  Getting the Big Bird done a day early is a win-win for everyone as he was less stressed just as much as me!

Though he did try only twice this season to be ever so irritating:  once, when taste testing the fabulous gravy he made The Yuck! Face but could not keep his composure for long, laughed, and then raved about it as one of the best yet.  Later he decided he just had to tell me how to cut the French bread for sandwiches his way rather than the normal slices I was doing for hot garlic bread, his favorite.  Since I'm basically The Spatial Engineer in this house (just ask me to pack a car for travel and I am The Expert on finding every nook and cranny to fill) I explained to him how his way made no sense but cut a few slices for him anyway.  He was so disappointed to realize I was right after all.  "Satan" lost that round.  Never a dull moment at our house, that's for sure!

Hey, we should all be challenging the White House chef to a Roast Turkey Cook Off.  Bet mine is one of  The Best!  We love spices at our house and every year I create something different.  This year's wet rub spices were swimming in clarified butter:  sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smokey paprika, cumin, curry powder, marjoram leaves, lite sodium soy sauce, Moscato wine and Remy Martin cognac...

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Make some merry this holiday season! Jingle Jingle!

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Holiday Appetizer From Chef Grant Actatz: Sweet Potato Toppers

From Denny:  This is a sweet appetizer to enjoy for the holiday season while the turkey is roasting.  Because it is sweet potato it will hold over those rumbling stomachs waiting for the feast.

This appetizer is so simple as it is a sweetened whipping cream and sweet potato mixture topped off with bourbon soaked raisins rolled in spices like cinnamon and ginger with a bit of brown sugar.

With the cracker of your choice (make sure it is strong enough to hold this mixture as sweet potatoes are heavy) just spread with the back of a spoon - or pipe like icing - some of the sweet potato mixture onto the cracker.  Then place the bourbon soaked and spice-sugar rolled raisins on top all in a row.  Simple, easy and serve immediately!

Nutrition facts follow after recipe.  Good news:  very low in sodium per serving.

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Chef Grant Actatz's Sweet Potato Toppers

Servings:  20

From:  Kellogg's

Preparation Time:  40 minutes

Ingredients:

4 cups whipping cream

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 1-3/4 lb. total)

3/4 cup bourbon or orange juice

1/2 cup raisins

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

Crackers Keebler™ Town House Toppers™ Original

Directions:

1. In large saucepan combine cream, granulated sugar and salt. Add potatoes. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

2. Drain potatoes. Place potatoes in food processor bowl. Cover and process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

3. Meanwhile, in small saucepan combine bourbon and raisins. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat. Let stand for 1 hour.

4. Drain raisins. Pat lightly with paper towels.

5. In shallow dish combine brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger. Add raisins. Stir until coated.

6. Generously spread sweet potato mixture on crackers. Top each with 3 or 4 raisins.

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Make some merry this holiday season! Jingle Jingle!

* * *  Please support Warriors Pearl Foundation - contributing to fund efforts to help homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  Thank you for supporting this cause.  You rock!

Subscribe in a reader to Romancing The Chocolate

* Check out Dennys News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food - a place where all my other 20 blogs link so you can choose from among the latest posts all in one place.  A free to read online newspaper from independent journalist blogger Denny Lyon. * 

* * * Be sure to check out the Romancing The Chocolate Amazon book store for cookbooks on chocolate!

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

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Healthy Chef Recipe: Yam Chocolate Spice Bars

From Denny:  Here's an interesting twist for the holidays - chocolate chips in your yams!  This is a quick recipe utilizing a spice cake mix, canned sweet potatoes, chocolate chips, real butter and reduced-fat cream cheese to create a delectable but easy to make dessert!

This recipe comes from Holly Clegg who has been a celebrity in Louisiana from some time now.  Why?  She was on the cutting edge of the food trends to reduce calories in our favorite comfort foods while adding nutrition.

Holly's father suffers from arthritis and she has developed a book of recipes to help those with arthritis reduce inflammation through food choices (think watermelon and sweet potatoes).  Holly also has a book on diabetes recipes.  Her mind is always thinking of healthier ways to trim, substitute or re-think our favorite recipes for modern times and health needs.

Louisiana yams and sweet potatoes are quite popular in our state so the local chefs are constantly thinking of new ways to include these vitamin A and vitamin C packed veggies into our everyday diet.  Holly also suggests this recipe is a good way to use up leftover sweet potatoes.

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Here are a few tips to get you through the holidays from Holly Clegg:

• 1 cup canned = 1 medium cooked, fresh
• 1 (16-ounce) can = 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
• When using canned sweet potatoes, add at end of recipe
• Baked sweet potatoes freeze well
• Store at room temperature

Yam Chocolate Spice Bars

Servings:  48 squares

From:  Holly Clegg for Albertson's grocery stores - and HollyClegg's Site

Preparation Time:  15 minutes

Cook Time:  50 minutes 

"One bite of this incredible fall favorite made with a spice cake mix, yam filling and chocolate chips was a taste sensation. Everyone requested this recipe. Good use for leftover cooked sweet potatoes."

Ingredients:

1 box (18.25-ounce) spice cake mix

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 egg

1 package (8-ounce) reduced-fat cream cheese

1 can (15-ounce) sweet potatoes, drained and mashed

1 box (16-ounce) confectioners’ sugar

2 egg whites

1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Coat 13x9x2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In mixing bowl, beat together cake mix, butter, and egg until well mixed. Spread batter into prepared pan.

3. In mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, sweet potatoes, confectioners’ sugar, egg whites, and vanilla until creamy. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour mixture over batter in pan.

4. Bake 40-50 minutes or until top is golden brown. Cool to room temperature and cut into squares.

Terrific Tip: Most bar cookies freeze well, so feel free to make ahead and pull out when you have a craving.

Nutrition Nugget: You know yams are an excellent source of antioxidant-rich carotenoids because of their deep orange color – great for reducing inflammation.

Nutritional Information: 

Calories 134

Calories from Fat 42

Total Fat 5g 

Saturated Fat 3g 

Cholesterol 12mg 

Sodium 116mg 

Total Carbohydrate 22g 

Sugars 16g

Protein 2g


And here is a site for:  Easy DIY Thanksgiving Crafts Kids Can Make

Writers Thank You Greeting Cards (Pk of 10)

Elegant lady writer ponders what to write on her scroll.  This design also available as an ornament for your tree or to include with your thank you note as a little gift for the holiday season!

* * *  Please support Warriors Pearl Foundation - contributing to fund efforts to help homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  Thank you for supporting this cause.  You rock!

Subscribe in a reader to Romancing The Chocolate

* Check out Dennys News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food - a place where all my other 20 blogs link so you can choose from among the latest posts all in one place.  A free to read online newspaper from independent journalist blogger Denny Lyon. * 

* * * Be sure to check out the Romancing The Chocolate Amazon book store for cookbooks on chocolate!

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Holiday Recipe: Frozen Grasshopper Pie

From Denny:  This retro recipe is a blast from the past - with updates!  The decade of the 1950's sported the food trend of frozen desserts, especially for entertaining and the holidays.

Historically, it was in the 1950's when freezers were first mass manufactured as separate from refrigerators.  This new appliance trend created some serious creativity in the cooking arena with frozen desserts offered.

This Christmas holiday favorite has survived the test of time, in this decade with a couple of tweaks as options for ingredient substitutions - like frozen yogurt or reduced-fat ice cream for the original full fat ice cream in the filling.  Using canola oil reduces the saturated fat in the original crust that used butter - later in the 1960's and 1970's it was worse, using solid shortening like Crisco for the crust.

Basically, this is a type of frozen mint ice cream pie with a delicious chocolate cookie wafer or chocolate graham cracker crust.  It's a very easy recipe to make which also makes it a big hit.  This recipe is an easy one for beginners.

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Frozen Grasshopper Pie

Yield: 8 servings

Serving size: 1 slice

From:  CanolaInfo

Ingredients:

• canola oil cooking spray
• 1¼ cup finely crushed chocolate wafer cookies or chocolate graham cracker crumbs (310 mL)
• 3 Tbsp canola oil (45 mL)
• 4 cups mint chip reduced-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt, softened* (1 L)
• 1/3 cup chocolate shavings (1 oz (30 g) chocolate)* (60 mL) 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray 9-inch (22-cm) pie dish with canola oil cooking spray.
2. In medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs and canola oil and mix until combined, then press mixture into prepared pie dish. Bake until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
3. In large bowl, place softened ice cream and mix well until uniform texture forms, similar to soft-serve ice cream. Fill cooled pie crust with ice cream, smoothing out top. Garnish with chocolate shavings, cover with plastic wrap and put back in freezer until solidly frozen, at least 4 hours. 
4. When ready to serve, heat knife under hot water and use it to cut pie into slices. 

* Notes: An ice cream or frozen yogurt without green food coloring is recommended. To make chocolate shavings, use a vegetable peeler to peel strips from a thick block of chocolate. If the chocolate crumbles as you make the shavings, put it in the microwave at 10-second intervals to soften it slightly.

	Per Serving Calories 290 Total Fat 14 g Saturated Fat 5 g Cholesterol 15 mg Sodium 190 mg Carbohydrates 36 g Fibre 1 g Protein 5 g Celebrate Chocolate Earring Circle Charm

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* * *  Please support Warriors Pearl Foundation - contributing to fund efforts to help homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  Thank you for supporting this cause.  You rock!

Subscribe in a reader to Romancing The Chocolate

* Check out Dennys News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food - a place where all my other 20 blogs link so you can choose from among the latest posts all in one place.  A free to read online newspaper from independent journalist blogger Denny Lyon. * 

* * * Be sure to check out the Romancing The Chocolate Amazon book store for cookbooks on chocolate!

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Holiday Cookie: Rocky Road Bars

From Denny:  Rocky road is a favorite flavor combination for everything from ice cream to fudge to cake to cookies.  If you like rocky road and shortbread then this bar cookie is for you!  This is a rich little cookie that is just perfect for the holidays or birthday celebrations.

The beauty of this cookie is that you can make ahead and store in the fridge or even freeze it.  A good recipe for taking to holiday gatherings but one you can make at your convenience when you have the time.  Included are some reviews of the recipe from home bakers.  I always like to see what other people think about a recipe and check out any fresh ideas for different twists of ingredients or presentation.  This King Arthur Flour recipe database has been fun to explore!

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Rocky Road Bars

From:  King Arthur Flour - ingredient list also available in ounces and grams.  A buttery, crunchy shortbread cookie topped with creamy dark fudge, jam-packed with marshmallow and toasted pecans? now THAT'S our idea of what to do with a chunk of dark chocolate!

Hands-on time:  15 mins. to 25 mins.

Baking time:  35 mins. to 40 mins.

Total time:  40 mins. to 1 hrs 5 mins.

Yield:  2 dozen bars


Ingredients:

Crust

• 1 cup (16 tablespoons) salted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt* 
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• * If you use unsalted butter, increase the salt in the recipe to 1 teaspoon
• 
  

Topping       

        3 cups chopped semisweet or dark chocolate or chocolate chips* * 

        3/4 cup heavy cream         

        1 cup toasted diced pecans   

        3 cups (half a 10.5-ounce package) mini marshmallows        

        * * go ahead and use a 16-ounce bag of chocolate chips, if you like; the "missing" 2 ounces will simply produce a slightly softer topping.  

Directions: 

1) Preheat the oven to 300°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan, or line with parchment and grease the parchment.

2) To make the crust: In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the butter, salt, sugar, and vanilla, then beat in the flour. The dough will seem very dry, and won't seem to want to become cohesive at first. Just keep beating, and it'll eventually come together.

3) Press the dough into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with your fingers or a mini rolling pin (pastry roller). The dough will feel stiff, but just keep pressing on it until you've covered the bottom of the pan. Prick the dough all over with a fork; this will keep it from bubbling up as it bakes.

4) Bake the crust for 35 to 40 minutes, until it's golden brown around the edges and beginning to brown on the top. Remove it from the oven, and loosen the edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or a table knife. Make the topping while the shortbread begins to cool.

5) To make the topping:  Place the chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan on very low to low medium heat. Heat in the microwave, or over low heat on a burner, until the cream is steaming and barely beginning to form bubbles.

6) Remove from the heat, and stir. The chocolate will gradually form a lump in the center of the bowl, then will start to expand as it absorbs the cream. Eventually the chocolate and cream will become one; keep stirring until it's very smooth. If all the chocolate doesn't seem melted, reheat very briefly, and keep stirring.

7) Spread the warm chocolate atop the cookie crust. Sprinkle with the marshmallows, then the pecans.

8) Cover the pan, and place the bars in the refrigerator for about 15 to 20 minutes, to set the chocolate a bit.

9) Using a sharp knife or baker's bench knife, cut 2" bars. Transfer to a serving plate, if desired; or serve right from the pan.

10) Wrap any leftovers airtight, and store at room temperature for up to a week. Freeze for longer storage; but be aware these bars are tastier fresh than frozen and thawed.

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Make some merry this holiday season! Jingle Jingle!

Reviews

• Scarlettdancer from KAF Community

• SMJ from Connecticut

• Veggiechiliqueen 

* * *  Please support Warriors Pearl Foundation - contributing to fund efforts to help homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  Thank you for supporting this cause.  You rock!

Subscribe in a reader to Romancing The Chocolate

* Check out Dennys News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food - a place where all my other 20 blogs link so you can choose from among the latest posts all in one place.  A free to read online newspaper from independent journalist blogger Denny Lyon. * 

* * * Be sure to check out the Romancing The Chocolate Amazon book store for cookbooks on chocolate!

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Decadent Chocolate Recipe: Chocolate Brownie Sundae

Photo: Cynthia L. Nobles/The Advocate newspaper, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

From Denny:  Love brownies and vanilla ice cream?  Enjoy this brownie that is so much like a chocolate souffle and serve it warm with melting ice cream, smothered in a homemade chocolate sauce.  There is a lot of chocolate in this recipe, so stock up before the world chocolate prices go up! This is a dessert that would appeal for entertaining during the holidays, making you their favorite relative! 

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Chocolate Brownie Sundae

Recipe is from Brendan Coughlin, of Lincoln, Mass., who thinks he may have found it years ago in a food magazine.

Serves:  6

Ingredients:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate

6 Tbls. unsalted butter

4 large eggs

2/3 cup sugar, divided

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1-1/2 pints vanilla ice cream

Chocolate Sauce 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium glass bowl, melt chocolate in microwave. Add butter and whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool slightly.

2. Separate yolks from whites of 3 eggs. In a large bowl, whisk yolks, the remaining whole egg, and 1/3 cup sugar until blended. Add melted chocolate and vanilla and whisk until smooth.

3. In a medium bowl or bowl of an electric mixer, whisk reserved egg whites on medium-high until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating 10 seconds between additions. Continue beating until whites are firm and glossy.

4. Whisk one quarter of the meringue into the chocolate mixture until well-blended. Fold remaining meringue into chocolate mixture until no streaks remain.

5. Scrape mixture into an ungreased 9-inch round pie plate. Bake 35 minutes or until the souffle is cracked and no longer wobbles.

6. Cut into serving-size pieces and put into individual dessert bowls. Top with scoops of ice cream. Drizzle with Chocolate Sauce.

Chocolate Sauce

From:  Brendan Coughlin, of Lincoln, Massachusetts, who can't remember what food magazine she found featured in years ago.

Makes:  2-1/2 cups

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. semisweet chocolate

2 cups milk

3 Tbls. sugar

3 large egg yolks

Directions:

1. Combine first three ingredients into saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks until smooth. Add boiling chocolate in thin stream, whisking continually.

3. Strain sauce through a fine sieve. Cool slightly before serving.

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Christmas Diva Cat sending you a giggle, a smirk, a full blown laugh! Happy Holidays!

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* * *  Please support Warriors Pearl Foundation - contributing to fund efforts to help homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  Thank you for supporting this cause.  You rock!

Subscribe in a reader to Romancing The Chocolate

* Check out Dennys News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food - a place where all my other 20 blogs link so you can choose from among the latest posts all in one place.  A free to read online newspaper from independent journalist blogger Denny Lyon. * 

* * * Be sure to check out the Romancing The Chocolate Amazon book store for cookbooks on chocolate!

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