Salivation Sunday: The Superbowl Edition!

"If a man watches three football games in a row, he should be declared legally dead."
-Erma Bombeck

Hello! I have returned! Vacation was wonderful, I will share more about it later in the week! Since today is Super Bowl Sunday I thought a recipe that is easy to make, sure to please and delicious was in order. Enjoy!

"Football is not a contact sport. It's a collision sport. Dancing is a good example of a contact sport."
-Duffy Daugherty



Turkey Chili
Serves 8

Ingredients:

* 2 Tbsp olive oil
* 2 lbs lean ground turkey
* 12 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 sweet red peppers, finely diced
* 1 green pepper, finely diced
* 1 large onion, minced
* 2 Tbsp McCormick Mexican-Style Chili Powder
* Salt to taste
* 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
* 1 Tbsp soy sauce
* 2 dried bay leaves
* 1/4 tsp ground cloves
* 2 tsp ground cumin
* 2 cans diced tomatoes
* 4 cups chicken stock
* 2 cans great northern beans, rinsed & drained
* 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
* Crusty Italian bread

Equipment Needed:

* Large stockpot

Directions:

1.) Heat oil in large stockpot on medium-high until oil faintly smokes.
2.) Add ground turkey.
3.) Crumble and sear until lightly browned, about 5 min.
4.) Mix in garlic, peppers, and onions to browned ground turkey.
5.) Add chili powder, salt, Worcestershire, soy sauce, bay leaves, cloves, & cumin.
6.) Stir in tomatoes and stock.
7.) Bring to simmer.
8.) Add beans.
9.) Continue to simmer, uncovered, on medium-low 45 min, stirring occasionally.
10.) Discard bay leaves.
11.) Ladle chili into warmed bowls.
12.) Top with cheese.
13.) Serve with bread.

"The reason women don't play football is because eleven of them would never wear the same outfit in public."
-Phyllis Diller

Thought of the Day:

"The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination."
-Terri Guillemets

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Tasty Tuesday: Brine & Roast a Turkey

"He who thanks but with the lips
Thanks but in part;
The full, the true Thanksgiving
Comes from the heart."
-J.A. Shedd

Hello! I hope you are well! Can you believe Thanksgiving is NEXT week! I cannot! I was recently asked by a friend how I brine my turkey, so I decided to share that technique here. Brining your bird really does produce a flavorful turkey! ENJOY!



What is brining?

Brining was a traditional method of preserving foods before the days of refrigeration, and it is a technique that has regained popularity. Cooks of all types are discovering that a good brine bath adds flavor and juiciness to pork, chicken, turkey and even shrimp. After the food is brined, it is then roasted or grilled.

A brine bath penetrates into food much more deeply than a marinade. Water from the brine enters each meat cell, making the meat juicier while infusing it with flavor. When cooked, the meat or poultry will not necessarily taste salty; it will just taste juicy and delicious!

How to make a basic brine:

To make a basic brine, mix a 1/4 cup kosher salt for every 4 cups of liquid. (The salt should be kosher salt because it does not contain additives.) You can use water only or mix in other flavorful liquids, such as orange juice, apple cider or wine. Brown sugar, lemon zest, garlic, ginger, sage, rosemary and cinnamon sticks are a few flavoring ingredients that can be used. Heating the liquids helps to dissolve the salt and meld the flavors, but be sure to cool the brine completely before adding meat, poultry or fish.

Submerge the food completely in the brine, using nonreactive containers or sealable plastic bags. Then cover and refrigerate.

Shrimp only require 30 to 45 minutes of brining. Individual cuts of meat, such as pork chops or chicken breasts, take 2 to 4 hours. A pork tenderloin can be brined overnight, while a whole turkey is best after 24 hours of brining.

Always discard brine solutions; do not reuse them!

After the specified time remove your turkey from the brining bag/container, rinse with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a flat rack in a large roasting pan. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

For a 16 lb. turkey:

1.) Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 425°F.
2.) Roast the turkey for 25 minutes.
3.) Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and roast for 45 minutes more, then begin basting the turkey every 30 minutes with your choice of basting liquid.
4.) Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast, away from the bone, registers 165°F.
5.) Total roasting time will be around 3 to 3 3/4 hours.
6.) Transfer the turkey to a carving board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.


Thought of the Day:

"Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart."
-Seneca

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mangia Monday!

Hello and Welcome!

Mangia = Eat: I hope the following recipes inspire you to happily eat!


How can a society that exists on instant mashed potatoes, packaged cake mixes, frozen dinners, and instant cameras teach patience to its young?
-Paul Sweeney





Scalloped Potatoes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

* 1 pint heavy Cream
* 1 tsp Kosher salt
* 1 tsp black pepper
* 1 tsp unsalted butter
* 2 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.) Heat cream in pot on medium heat to warm.
3.) Season with salt and pepper.
4.) Remove cream from heat and let cool slightly.
5.) Grease an 8 x 8 casserole dish with butter.
6.) Add cream and potatoes to large mixing bowl and fold in cheese.
7.) Transfer mixture to the casserole dish and place on baking sheet.
8.) Bake about 1 hour, press down on potatoes with spatula every half hour, until potatoes are tender when pierced with fork.


The belly rules the mind.
-Spanish Proverb




Spicy White Turkey Chili Soup

Serves: 7

Ingredients:

* 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
* 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 4 oz diced celery
* 4 oz diced onion
* 1/2 cup flour
* 1 Tbsp chili powder
* 1/4 tsp cumin
* pinch cayenne pepper
* 16 oz chicken stock
* 1 small, sweet red pepper, diced
* 1 can cannellini beans
* 1 small green pepper, diced
* 8 oz cooked turkey, shredded
* 1/8 cup heavy cream
* Salt and pepper to taste
* Grated Cheddar Cheese or Sour Cream

Directions:

1.) Melt butter and olive oil in large stockpot on medium, until oil and butter mixture faintly smokes.
2.) Add celery and onions.
3.) Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent but not brown.
4.) Add flour, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne. Cook 1 min, stirring continuously.
5.) Add stock.
6.) Bring to a simmer and let simmer 10 min.
7.) Add cannellini beans, peppers, turkey,heavy cream and stir well.
8.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9.) Let simmer 2 to 3 min until heated through.
10.) Ladle into warmed bowls.
11.) Top with cheddar cheese or sour cream.


Soup is liquid comfort.
-Author Unknown


Have a great day and until tomorrow: Go Ahead & Indulge!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2009!





"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."
-John Fitzgerald Kennedy







"The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving."
-H.U. Westermayer







"Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart."
-Seneca






Wishing everyone a day filled with love and laughter!