Around Christmas and New Year's Day, you're sure to find yourself hosting or attending a holiday party or two. What to serve your guests (or bring to the party) can always pose a challenge. Vegetable platters with dip are the most obvious choices for a buffet, but this year, why not go for a little more gusto and incorporate cheese into your appetizers?
Cheese is one of the most versatile ingredients you can use to create impressive and delicious holiday appetizers. Light or heavy, rich or delicate, cheeses come in various shapes and sizes. Goat cheese (made from the milk of goats) can be purchased in logs, round disks, square blocks and even pyramid-like shapes. Fresh cheddar cheese is often sold in blocks that can be sliced or grated, depending on your recipe. Some imported cheeses, such as Brie, come wrapped in paper or covered with a natural fungus that acts as a natural ripening agent for the cheese.
When purchasing your cheese, keep the following in mind: Soft consistency cheeses tend to be mild in flavor, while firm consistency cheeses tend to be more pungent in flavor. Try to avoid purchasing cheeses that have been tightly wrapped in plastic (also known as "shrink-wrap"). And certainly avoid any cheese that has a dark black mold on it. The best place to store cheese is in the coldest part of your refrigerator. Keep the cheese loosely wrapped but not open to the air inside the refrigerator.
If you're going to be preparing a cheese platter, think about choosing cheeses that have contrasting flavors, textures and colors. Sharp cheddar, mild gouda, seeded herb, Roquefort or Swiss cheeses make a visually appealing layout along with crackers or sliced fruit.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
More Thanksgiving Turkey Tips
Stuffed Whole Turkey Roasting Guide
Thermometers & Food Safety
Temperature is the definitive guide to doneness. To assure that the turkey and stuffing have reached a safe temperature, always use a meat thermometer when you roast turkey. Whenever you insert a meat thermometer into the turkey to check the temperature, make sure it is not touching any bones. Since the bones conduct the heat of the oven, they will be hotter than the rest of the meat, and will therefore give an inaccurate temperature reading. When buying a meat thermometer, look for an easy-to-read dial with a stainless-steel face and shatterproof lens. If you're unsure whether your meat thermometer is accurate, you can check for accuracy by submerging at least 2 inches of the pointed stem in boiling water. An accurate thermometer should read 212° F, the boiling point of water.
Rules of Stuffing
- For an 8 to 12 lb. turkey, roast in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven for 3 to 3-1/2 hours.
- For a 12 to 14 lb. turkey, roast in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven for 3-1/2 to 4 hours.
- For a 14 to 18 lb. turkey, roast in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven for 4 to 4-1/4 hours.
- For an 18 to 20 lb. turkey, roast in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven for 4-1/4 to 4-3/4 hours.
- For a 20 to 24 lb. turkey, roast in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven for 4-3/4 to 5-1/4 hours.
Thermometers & Food Safety
Temperature is the definitive guide to doneness. To assure that the turkey and stuffing have reached a safe temperature, always use a meat thermometer when you roast turkey. Whenever you insert a meat thermometer into the turkey to check the temperature, make sure it is not touching any bones. Since the bones conduct the heat of the oven, they will be hotter than the rest of the meat, and will therefore give an inaccurate temperature reading. When buying a meat thermometer, look for an easy-to-read dial with a stainless-steel face and shatterproof lens. If you're unsure whether your meat thermometer is accurate, you can check for accuracy by submerging at least 2 inches of the pointed stem in boiling water. An accurate thermometer should read 212° F, the boiling point of water.
Rules of Stuffing
- Never stuff a turkey the night before cooking.
- Allow 3/4 cup of stuffing for each pound of turkey. For example, 9 cups of stuffing will sufficiently stuff a 12-pound bird.
- Don't stuff the bird too tightly; it won't be fully cooked when the turkey is done.
Party Planning Details
I think one of the best parts of hosting a dinner or a special event is seeing how your hard work and efforts bring happiness to the faces of the people you've invited. You want everything to be just right, so make sure you give yourself enough time to prepare in advance for the event. The worst thing you can do is wait until the last minute, rush around trying to get everything in order and then be too tired to enjoy the company of your guests.
If you're hosting a holiday dinner, take the time now to shop for non-perishable items--things like baking goods, plastic wrap, food containers, etc. As the day of your event approaches, create a list of things you have to do so that you won't forget anything. A few days before your party, make sure you have all of the ingredients you'll need for all of the recipes you'll be using and that you have the right size cookware called for in the recipes.
Your list of things to do should include preparation tasks, such as thawing the turkey and baking pies, along with the time each task will take. We've probably all heard the horror stories from friends and co-workers of individuals who somehow forgot to thaw the turkey and woke up Thanksgiving morning to discover a still-frozen turkey.
The evening before your event is a good time to do tasks like filling containers with flowers, putting together centerpieces, setting out your linens, flatware and place settings. These are tasks that you likely won't find time to do if you wait until the day of to do.
If you're hosting a holiday dinner, take the time now to shop for non-perishable items--things like baking goods, plastic wrap, food containers, etc. As the day of your event approaches, create a list of things you have to do so that you won't forget anything. A few days before your party, make sure you have all of the ingredients you'll need for all of the recipes you'll be using and that you have the right size cookware called for in the recipes.
Your list of things to do should include preparation tasks, such as thawing the turkey and baking pies, along with the time each task will take. We've probably all heard the horror stories from friends and co-workers of individuals who somehow forgot to thaw the turkey and woke up Thanksgiving morning to discover a still-frozen turkey.
The evening before your event is a good time to do tasks like filling containers with flowers, putting together centerpieces, setting out your linens, flatware and place settings. These are tasks that you likely won't find time to do if you wait until the day of to do.
Apple Recipes
Applesauce, apple fritters, apples with pork chops and sauteed cabbage, baked apples with cider sabayon...the list goes on and on. At this time of year, you're probably searching for a few great apple recipes to add to your files. In celebration of the fall apple harvest, we've included links to 10 of our favorite apple recipes from several years of Michael's cooking adventures on Suite.
DESSERTS
DESSERTS
- Apple Fritters - Fritters are great for breakfast; these apple fritters are just the thing to get your day off to a sweet start.
- Applesauce Cake - As a cake that everyone will love, this applesauce cake is the perfect ending to a fall dinner.
- Baked Apples with Cider Sabayon - The comfort-food classic baked apples receives a French flair with a cider-based sabayon.
- Caramel Apple Pie -This recipe takes the traditional apple pie and updates it with the addition of nuts and a creamy caramel sauce.
- Glazed Apple Tart - Featuring puff pastry and apples, this tart is simple to make and even more delicious to eat.
- Homemade Applesauce - Make the most of the apple harvest by preparing a batch of your own preservative-free applesauce.
- Inverted Apple Pie - We all know pies aren't usually served upside down. Not this one--surprise guests with an upside-down apple pie.
- Oven-Dried Apple Chips - You wouldn't know it from their taste, but apple chips are a healthy snack. Find out how to make these super-easy apple chips.
- Pork Chops with Apples and Sauteed Cabbage - You just can't go wrong when you pair tasty apples with sauteed pork chops and cabbage--the makings of a classic autumn dinner.
- Pork Tenderloin with Apples - Looking for a quick-to-prepare dinner? You'll find it in this recipe, which features a main course and accompanying side dish in one place.
Pumpkin Dinner
Join us for Halloween recipes for an Orange-Pumpkin Flan, Individual Chicken Potpies in Pumpkins and a Crunchy Pumpkin Seed Salad.
Although it predated the arrival of colonists, the pumpkin became associated with settlers from Europe during the colonization of the Americas. Today, it's a Thanksgiving tradition to have pumpkin pie with roasted turkey. However, pumpkins shouldn't be relegated to traditional dessert offerings like pies, which is why I incorporated pumpkin into the salad, main course and dessert of this holiday-inspired meal.
Inspired by the theme of thanksgiving for the growing season and harvest, we've used all parts of the pumpkin in these dinner recipes: the flesh, the outer shell and the seeds. Canned pumpkin puree is the base for the orange-pumpkin flan recipe, a twist on pumpkin pie. For the individual chicken potpies, use small sugar pumpkins for the serving containers. The sugar pumpkin has a sweet, firm flesh that won't become soggy when baked. Don't use large sugar pumpkins; small sizes work best to hold individual servings of a hearty chicken potpie baked inside the pumpkins' interiors. Pumpkin seeds, known as pepitas in Mexican and Latin American cuisine, add crunch and flavor to a healthy salad of fresh lettuce and crispy green beans.
RECIPES
ORANGE-PUMPKIN FLAN
In this custard-based dessert, pumpkin pie (a popular Puritan dish that traces its origins to Colonial America) combines with flan, a traditional Spanish dessert.
INDIVIDUAL CHICKEN POTPIES IN PUMPKINS
A family-dinner favorite everyone enjoys during cool weather, chicken potpie is baked and served inside a hollowed-out pumpkin.
CRUNCHY PUMPKIN SEED SALAD
Full of vitamins A and C, pumpkin seeds are nutritious and make a great snack. Called pepitas in Mexican cooking, the seeds are great when toasted and added to a salad.
Although it predated the arrival of colonists, the pumpkin became associated with settlers from Europe during the colonization of the Americas. Today, it's a Thanksgiving tradition to have pumpkin pie with roasted turkey. However, pumpkins shouldn't be relegated to traditional dessert offerings like pies, which is why I incorporated pumpkin into the salad, main course and dessert of this holiday-inspired meal.
Inspired by the theme of thanksgiving for the growing season and harvest, we've used all parts of the pumpkin in these dinner recipes: the flesh, the outer shell and the seeds. Canned pumpkin puree is the base for the orange-pumpkin flan recipe, a twist on pumpkin pie. For the individual chicken potpies, use small sugar pumpkins for the serving containers. The sugar pumpkin has a sweet, firm flesh that won't become soggy when baked. Don't use large sugar pumpkins; small sizes work best to hold individual servings of a hearty chicken potpie baked inside the pumpkins' interiors. Pumpkin seeds, known as pepitas in Mexican and Latin American cuisine, add crunch and flavor to a healthy salad of fresh lettuce and crispy green beans.
RECIPES
ORANGE-PUMPKIN FLAN
In this custard-based dessert, pumpkin pie (a popular Puritan dish that traces its origins to Colonial America) combines with flan, a traditional Spanish dessert.
INDIVIDUAL CHICKEN POTPIES IN PUMPKINS
A family-dinner favorite everyone enjoys during cool weather, chicken potpie is baked and served inside a hollowed-out pumpkin.
CRUNCHY PUMPKIN SEED SALAD
Full of vitamins A and C, pumpkin seeds are nutritious and make a great snack. Called pepitas in Mexican cooking, the seeds are great when toasted and added to a salad.
Pantry Staples Inspire Meals
You've probably heard of the phrase "cook from your pantry." Cooking from your pantry involves taking items you already have on hand and using them to create dishes you can serve for breakfast, lunch or dinner. See below for some examples:
Roasted Red Sweet Peppers
Try using roasted red sweet peppers as a savory topping for cold meat sandwiches or broiled chicken. To roast peppers, place them on top of a gas flame or under a broiler. Turn the peppers occasionally, and roast until the skins are completely charred and blackened. Place the peppers in a paper or plastic bag or wrap them in a covering of paper towels and let them stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully rub off the skin, halve the peppers, remove the seeds, and cut the peppers into strips to use as sandwich or meat toppings.
Bottled Marinade
Add flavor to skinless, boneless chicken breasts with bottled marinades. Simply marinate the chicken overnight in whatever flavor of marinade you prefer. Drain the chicken well, then cook it in a skillet in 2 to 3 tablespoons of hot olive oil over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until the meat is no longer pink. Top the chicken breasts with roasted red sweet pepper strips and a generous sprinkling of finely grated Parmesan cheese. Cover the skillet, and continue cooking for 2 to 3 more minutes or until the peppers are heated through. Serve the chicken over rice combined with fresh (or canned) diced tomatoes.
Bottled Chutney
Lend an exotic twist to pound cake with this dessert sauce. Just spoon some bottled fruit chutney over slices of cake for a quick dessert topping (it may be necessary to thin the chutney with a few teaspoons of water or fruit juice).
Roasted Red Sweet Peppers
Try using roasted red sweet peppers as a savory topping for cold meat sandwiches or broiled chicken. To roast peppers, place them on top of a gas flame or under a broiler. Turn the peppers occasionally, and roast until the skins are completely charred and blackened. Place the peppers in a paper or plastic bag or wrap them in a covering of paper towels and let them stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully rub off the skin, halve the peppers, remove the seeds, and cut the peppers into strips to use as sandwich or meat toppings.
Bottled Marinade
Add flavor to skinless, boneless chicken breasts with bottled marinades. Simply marinate the chicken overnight in whatever flavor of marinade you prefer. Drain the chicken well, then cook it in a skillet in 2 to 3 tablespoons of hot olive oil over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until the meat is no longer pink. Top the chicken breasts with roasted red sweet pepper strips and a generous sprinkling of finely grated Parmesan cheese. Cover the skillet, and continue cooking for 2 to 3 more minutes or until the peppers are heated through. Serve the chicken over rice combined with fresh (or canned) diced tomatoes.
Bottled Chutney
Lend an exotic twist to pound cake with this dessert sauce. Just spoon some bottled fruit chutney over slices of cake for a quick dessert topping (it may be necessary to thin the chutney with a few teaspoons of water or fruit juice).
Tips for Using Potatoes
Potato Pancakes
While you're preparing your mashed potatoes for dinner, why not make an extra batch, so you can have leftover potatoes to make these simple yet tasty potato patties for the next day. Simply combine 2 cups of chilled leftover mashed potatoes with 2 beaten eggs and 4 tablespoons of chopped scallions, white onions, chives, or any type of herb you desire. In a skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Shape the potato mixture into round patties. Slide the patties into the skillet, and cook about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown on both sides.
Tips for Potato Storage
While you're preparing your mashed potatoes for dinner, why not make an extra batch, so you can have leftover potatoes to make these simple yet tasty potato patties for the next day. Simply combine 2 cups of chilled leftover mashed potatoes with 2 beaten eggs and 4 tablespoons of chopped scallions, white onions, chives, or any type of herb you desire. In a skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Shape the potato mixture into round patties. Slide the patties into the skillet, and cook about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown on both sides.
Tips for Potato Storage
- Store potatoes in a cool, dry area. Under proper storage conditions, potatoes will stay fresh for up to 3 months.
- Never wash potatoes before storing them. Washing will only decrease the storage life of potatoes. If they have some dirt or soil clinging to the skin, gently rub it off with a towel.
- Never store uncooked potatoes in the refrigerator. The refrigerator can cause the potato flesh to turn a dark color when the potatoes are cooked.
- chopped oven-dried tomatoes
- chopped fresh spinach
- freshly grated Parmesan or cheddar cheese
- chopped roasted garlic cloves
- finely chopped fresh herbs (such as basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, chives, or thyme)
- cooked, crumbled pieces of bacon
- finely chopped sauteed leeks or shallots
- sour cream, low-fat yogurt, cream cheese
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)