• Baked Sweet Potatoes with Orange-Raisin Sauce
• Bake Herbed Sweet Potato Cheese Puff
• Broccoli with Orange Sauce
• Broccoli with Orange-Sesame Sauce
• Cranberry Chutney
• Cranberry Cider Sauce
• Cranberry Orange Scones
• Cranberry Surprise Loaf
• Cornbread, Apple and Sausage Stuffing
• Deep Fried Turkey
• Festive Cranberry Salad
• Green Beans Almondine
• Grilled Brined Turkey
• Herbed Turkey Breast
• Mashed Potatoes with Garlic
• Pumpkin Tart with Caramel Rum-Raisin Sauce
• Roasted Carrots with Lemon
• Skipjack Oyster Dressing
• Sourdough Bread Stuffing
• Sweet Potato Apple Salad
• Sweet Potato Tapas
• Tofu Turkey

Pumpkin Tart with Caramel Rum-Raisin Sauce

• 1 crust for 9- or 10-inch pie

Filling

• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon cloves
• ½ cup milk
• (1) 15-ounce can pumpkin
• 2 eggs

Sauce

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup whipping cream
• ¼ cup dark rum
• ¼ cup dark corn syrup
• ½ cup raisins

Place cookie sheet in oven on middle rack to heat. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare pie crust for one-crust filled pie using 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom.

In large bowl, combine all filling ingredients and blend well. Pour into crust-lined pan. Place tart in oven on heated cookie sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 35 to 50 minutes or until crust is deep golden brown. Cool 1 hour.

In medium saucepan, combine all sauce ingredients; mix well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Serve sauce with tart. Store in refrigerator. Serves 12.

Herbed Turkey Breast
Cooked in Reynolds Foil Hot Bag

• ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1½ teaspoons dried rosemary
• 1½ teaspoons dried thyme
• 1½ teaspoons dried tarragon
• 4 to 8 pound bone-in turkey breast
• Seasoned salt and pepper

Preheat grill to medium-high or oven to 450 degrees. Open foil bag and spray inside with nonstick cooking spray. Combine water and flour and pour inside bag. Combine rosemary, thyme and tarragon. Rub over turkey breast. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and pepper.

Place turkey breast in foil bag. Double fold open end of bag. Pace bag in a 1-inch deep pan. To cook, slide bag onto grill or leave foil bag in supporting pan and place in oven. Grill 1 to 1½ hours in covered grill.

Bake 1½ to 1¾ hours in oven. Meat thermometer reads 170 degree when done. Open bag carefully with a sharp knife and carefully fold back top, allowing steam to escape. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Roasted Carrots with Lemon

• (1) 16-ounce bag baby carrots, rinsed
• 4 peeled garlic cloves, bruised with side of a knife
• 4 paper-thin slices lemon, halved
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon small black brinecured olives, pitted

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the carrots, garlic, olive oil and lemon in a shallow baking dish. Stir to blend. Bake, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender and lightly browned, about 45 minutes. Add the olives. Bake 10 minutes longer. Serves 4.

Broccoli with Orange-Sesame Sauce

• 1 pound broccoli florets, about 2½ cups
• ¾ cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1½ teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in 4 teaspoons water
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

Place the broccoli in a steamer basket and set in a saucepan over 1 inch boiling water. Cover and steam until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. To prepare sauce, combine the orange juice, honey and ginger in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch mixture and return to a boil, stirring. Cook the sauce until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and sesame oil. Arrange the broccoli in a serving bowl; top with sauce and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Serves 4.

Cornbread, Apple and Sausage Stuffing

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, divided
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 4 ribs celery, trimmed and finely chopped
• 3 large apples, peeled, cored and cut into ½ inch pieces
• (1) 16-ounce package cornbread stuffing crumbs
• 1 pound bulk pork sausage
• ¾ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 cup apple cider
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Melt ½ cup of the butter over medium heat in large saute pan. Add onions and celery and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in apples and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and combine with cornbread in a large bowl. Crumble sausage into same skillet and cook over mediumhigh heat until browned, 7 to 10 minutes.

Add to stuffing, along with walnuts and ginger. Melt the remaining ¼ cup butter and pour over stuffing mixture along with apple cider to moisten. For a moister stuffing, add more cider. Season with salt and pepper.

If stuffing a turkey, stuff mixture loosely into the bird's cavities at once and roast. Otherwise, stuffing can be baked at 325 degrees in a buttered casserole until browned and crunchy, about 50 to 60 minutes. This is enough stuffing for a 16 to 22 pound turkey or 14 cups. Oysters may be substituted for sausage, if desired.

Green Beans Almondine

• 1 pound green beans
• Handful slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Soy sauce or tamari to taste

Wash and prepare beans. Steam until tender over hot water. Drain. Saute almonds in butter until golden brown. Add beans and heat through. Season with soy sauce or tamari.

Sweet Potato Apple Salad

• 6 medium sweet potatoes, about 2½ pounds
• ½ cup olive or vegetable oil
• ¼ cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon cider or white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
• 1½ teaspoons poppy seeds
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• ½ teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 2 medium tart apples, chopped
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

In a large saucepan, cook sweet potatoes in boiling salted water until just tender, about 20 minutes. Cool completely. Meanwhile, in a jar with a tightfitting lid, combine the next nine ingredients and shake well. Peel potatoes, cut each in half lengthwise, then into ½ inch slices.

In a 4-quart bowl, layer a fourth of the sweet potatoes, apples and onions; drizzle with a fourth of the salad dressing. Repeat layers three times. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Toss before serving. Yields 8 to 10 servings.

Note: This is a good accompaniment to a turkey dinner.

Cranberry Surprise Loaf

• 1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 2 cups unbleached flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup apple juice
• ¼ cup melted margarine or butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1½ cups coarsely chopped fresh cranberries
• ½ cup chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bottom of a 9-by-5-by-2½-inch loaf pan. In small bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg and blend well. Set aside.

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off. In large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in apple juice, margarine and beaten egg. Fold in cranberries and nuts. Spoon half of batter into prepared pan. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over batter. Top with remaining batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 65 to 75 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched in center. Cool 15 minutes and remove from pan. Cool on wire rack. Wrap tightly and store in refrigerator. Makes 1 loaf.

Festive Cranberry Salad

• 1 14-ounce can, sweetened condensed milk
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 16-ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• 1 8-ounce cartoon frozen whipped topping, thawed

In a bowl, combine milk and lemon juice and mix well. Stir in the pineapple, cranberry sauce, marshmallows and pecans. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon into a 13-by-9-by-2inch baking dish. Freeze until firm, 4 hours or overnight. Cut into squares. Yields 12 to 16 servings.

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Orange-Raisin Sauce

• 8 small sweet potatoes
• 1½ cups orange juice
• 1 8-ounce can, pineapple chunks in their own juice
• ½ cup raisins
• 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and scrub sweet potatoes and pierce with a small knife or fork. Place on a baking sheet and bake until they are tender when pierced, about 45 minutes. Sweet potatoes can be microwaved in batches about 6 minutes per pound. When nearly done, combine orange juice and pineapple juice from can in a saucepan. Cut each pineapple chunk in half then add to juices along with raisins and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking often. Mix cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water. Slowly add cornstarch mixture to sauce, whisking constantly.

Stir until sauce thickens, 30 seconds to 1 minute. To serve, cut each sweet potato open, fluff insides with a fork and top with a generous spoonful of sauce. Offer coconut to add to taste. Makes 8 servings.

Cranberry Orange Scones

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 10 teaspoons sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup cold butter or margarine
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup half and half
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk

Glaze

• ½ cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon orange juice

Orange Butter

• ½ cup butter, softened
• 2 to 3 tablespoons orange marmalade

In a bowl, combine flour, 7 teaspoons sugar, orange peel, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine cranberries, orange juice, cream and egg. Add to flour mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. On a floured surface, gently knead 6 to 8 times. Pat dough into an 8-inch circle. Cut into 10 wedges. Separate wedges and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush with milk. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.

Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over scones. Combine orange butter ingredients and serve with warm scones. Yields 10 scones.

Cranberry Chutney

• 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup orange juice
• ½ cup apple cider
• ½ cup sugar
• 3/8 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 6 fresh mint leaves
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander

Heat oven to 325 degrees. In large saucepan, over medium heat, combine all ingredients. Cook 1 hour, stirring frequently, until chutney is reduced to about 1¾ cups. Cool. Discard cinnamon sticks. Serves 12.

Bake Herbed Sweet Potato Cheese Puff

• 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
• 1 8-ounce package low fat cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup milk
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup sliced green onion
• 1 teaspoon basil
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• Sour cream for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend with electric mixer at medium speed until well combined. Then beat on high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Spoon mixture into a greased casserole dish.

Bake uncovered for 35 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a sprig of fresh thyme or parsley. Serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.

Sweet Potato Tapas

• 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
• ½ cup grated pepper Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine sweet potato, egg, butter, garlic, salt and cayenne. Set aside. Unfold pastry sheet and cut into 12 squares. Place approximately 1 teaspoon of sweet potato mixture into the center of each square and top with cheese. Bring corners to center and gently pinch edges to lightly seal.

Place in muffin pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Cool 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to serving platter. Garnish with slice of green onion, if desired. Makes 2 dozen.

Tofu Turkey

• 5 pounds medium firm tofu
• ½ cup sesame oil, no substitutes
• ¼ cup tamari
• 5 tablespoons of veggie chicken seasoning
• 4 tablespoons of brewer's yeast
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons sage or turkey seasoning
• 10 to 15 cups dressing

Mash tofu well. For optimal results, blend a firm Chinese style tofu with a smaller portion of Japanese style, such as Mori-Nu Firm. Mix tofu with all ingredients except tamari, sesame oil and dressing. Line an 11 inch colander with a single layer of moistened cheesecloth. Transfer tofu to colander. Press to flatten. Fold edges of cheesecloth over it and place a cake tin or other flat object over the surface of the tofu and weigh it down with a heavy object, about 5 pounds, to press the liquid from the tofu.

After the tofu has drained for 1 hour, hollow out to within 1 inch of the colander. Fill the cavity with your favorite stuffing. Pack in stuffing and cover with the remaining tofu. Pat down so surface is flat and firm. Oil a roast or turkey pan, place pan over colander and flip over so that flat surface of filled tofu faces down. Remove cheesecloth. Mix sesame oil and tamari to use as a basting liquid. Baste tofu with liquid.

Bake, covered at 400 degrees for 1 hour. Remove cover, baste and return to oven to bake uncovered until top becomes golden brown, about one hour more. Baste again at least once during remaining cooking time. Serves six.

Grilled Brined Turkey

• 1 12- to 14-pound whole turkey
• 2 gallons water
• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 carrots, diced
• 1 large onion, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 leeks, cleaned and diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• 1 bunch fresh sage
• ½ bunch Italian parsley
• 4 tablespoons olive oil or butter

Bring two gallons of water to boil in a large stockpot. Stir in salt and sugar until completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the diced carrots, onion, celery, leeks, spices and fresh herbs. When cool place the stockpot in refrigerator until cold. Remove giblets from the turkey. Add the turkey to the stockpot and place a plate on top to weigh the turkey down to ensure full immersion. Refrigerate the turkey overnight.

Remove from brine and rinse well, both inside and out. Place the turkey in a disposable, aluminum roasting pan. Start the grill. When the coals are white hot, bank them up high along the perimeter of the grill so they form a circle. Place the roasting pan on the grill rack and cover with the lid. Control the temperature of the grill by opening and closing the vents. Close slightly if the grill is too hot. If the grill is too cold, open the vents. If using a gas grill, set on medium-high.

While the turkey is cooking, baste frequently with olive oil or butter and pan juices. Add more coals, if necessary. Brined turkeys cook more rapidly than unbrined. Check the internal temperature after 1½ hours of grilling time. Remove the turkey from the grill when the deepest part of the thigh reaches 180 degrees. Let rest 20 minutes before carving. Serves 14.

Note: Brined turkeys also may be cooked in a regular oven at about 325 degrees. Baste frequently with turkey stock.

Deep Fried Turkey

• 1 12- to 16-pound turkey
• 3 to 4 gallons peanut oil
• ¼ cup Cajun or Creole seasoning, optional
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper

Heat oil outdoors in a very large stockpot or turkey fryer. Remove giblets from both cavities and rub bird all over with Cajun or Creole seasoning, salt and pepper. Tie legs together with kitchen string to hold shape and made sure neck hole is at least 2 inches in diameter as oil will need to flow through freely.

When oil has reached 400 degrees, place turkey in drain basket or suspend securely from an upturned metal coat hanger and very slowly lower turkey into oil. Cook at 350 degrees for 3½ minutes per pound, from about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Meanwhile, prepare a large platter with a thick layer of paper towels.

Very slowly remove turkey from fryer. If using an upturned coat hanger, slide a broomstick through the hanger and have two people lift the turkey out, standing on either end. Transfer turkey to platter lined with paper towels and make sure a thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180 degrees.

Skipjack Oyster Dressing

• ½ teaspoon lemon and pepper seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon, each, mace, poultry seasoning and tarragon
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 pint shucked oysters with liquor
• 2 large stalks celery
• 1 medium onion
• ½ cup butter or margarine
• 1 teaspoon salt

Finely chop celery and onions. Saute in margarine or butter until tender. Mix in seasonings. Add oysters with liquor and simmer until edges of oysters just begin to curl. Remove from heat and gently mix in bread cubes. Adjust moistness with water as desired. Makes about 4 cups dressing. Use to stuff turkey or cook in a casserole in a 325-degree oven until the stuffing reaches a temperature of 165 degrees.

Sourdough Bread Stuffing

• 1 day-old sourdough baguette
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 3 ribs celery, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 10 fresh sage leaves, chopped
• ¾ cup toasted chopped walnuts
• 2 cups chicken or turkey stock
• ½ pound of butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Dice the baguette into 1-inch cubes. Spread out on a sheet pan and toast in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until golden brown. Saute onions, celery and garlic in the butter until onions are soft and translucent. Add walnuts, bread, sage and coat with butter mixture. Add the stock a little at a time so the bread absorbs the liquid evenly.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let stuffing cool before putting it in the turkey. Stuffing may be baked in a greased casserole dish or baking pan for 30 minutes. Serves six.

Mashed Potatoes with Garlic

• 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and quarters
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup milk
• 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Cook potatoes in large sauce pan of boiling water about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and return to pan. Warm olive oil and milk in small saucepan. Stir in crushed garlic. Add mixture to potatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste and mash well. When potatoes are smooth and well seasoned, stir in chopped parsley, transfer to serving dish. Serves four.

Cranberry Cider Sauce

• 2 12-ounce packages cranberries
• 2 cups sugar
• ½ cup apple juice or cider
• 4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• Grated zest of two limes
• Pinch of salt
• 6 tablespoons Grand Marnier liqueur

Pick over cranberries. Combine cranberries, sugar, juices, lime zest and salt in a large, heavy saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil. When cranberries pop, remove from heat and add Grand Marnier. This recipe may be made one week ahead. Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. Yields approximately 5½ cups.

Broccoli with Orange Sauce

• 1 pound broccoli florets
• ¾ cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1½ teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in 4 teaspoons water
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

Place the broccoli in a steamer basket and set in a saucepan over 1 inch of boiling water. Steam until tender, eight to 10 minutes. Drain. Combine the orange juice, honey and ginger in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the corn starch mixture and return to a boil, stirring.

Cook until thickened, about one minute. Remove pan from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and the sesame oil. Arrange the broccoli in a serving bowl, top with the sauce and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Serves four.

Published 11/18/05, The Capital, Annapolis MD
Copyright © 2005 The Capital, Annapolis, Md.