Overnight Turkery for the Holidays

Preheat your oven to 400°


You Will Need:

A Big Turkey

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder

Two Heads of Garlic

Yellow Onions

Poultry Spice – Or Any Fresh Herbs Your Prefer

Celery

Parsnips

Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil

An Instant Read Thermometer

Preparation:
1.
Thoroughly wash your turkey inside and out. Pat dry.
2.
Place in a Large Roasting pan – on a rack.
3.
Season with Salt, Pepper, Poultry Spice (I use Bell’s), Paprika and Garlic. Remember to season inside as well as outside.
4.
Clean and peel two heads of garlic and place garlic, celery, parsnips, onions and water under the rack, (add enough water to come to the top of the rack – but not to touch the turkey itself). Add the turkey neck, liver and gizzard to the water in the pan.
5.
Place the turkey in the oven (at 400°) and roast for 30 minutes.
6.
After 30 minutes baste the turkey – and lower oven to 250°. COVER THE PAN COMPLETELY BY MAKING A TENT OUT OF HEAVY DUTY ALUMINUM FOIL. You must make sure that all the edges of the pan are covered so that the moisture will remain in the pan. This is the only tricky part to cooking a turkey like this. You should check the water before sealing the pan. There only needs to be a few inches.
7.
Now go to sleep – and you will dream of turkey. (I think it has to do with the smell of the turkey cooking.)
8.
If you are of an age that you get up during the night to go to the bathroom – you can check the turkey – but it should be fine. By 6 or 7am – the turkey should be fully cooked. Be sure to check the temperature. You can check by inserting an instant read thermometer in the breast it should read 155°. (Please do not consume undercooked poultry.)
9.
You can unwrap the turkey, baste and raise the temperature to 400° to brown the breast.


Notes:
I leave the turkey in the pan to cool – and I go right back to sleep. Then I watch the parade and then and only then do I begin to cook my side dishes. This is what my father would call a “gedempte turkey” – so well cooked that it falls off the bone – yet because of how it was cooked it is moist and delicious.

Strain the drippings and refrigerate them. Remove the fat layer and use the drippings as a base for your gravy. If you need a gravy recipe send me an email.

I did not mention the turkey neck which was cooked in the pan – because at my house there is always a Thanksgiving Miracle – somehow the neck is eaten while I’m parade watching – and sometimes my turkey loses a wing along the way.

Oh well … Gobble Gobble…

Chicken Saltimbocca by Andrew

What you will Need...

extra virgin olive oil
1 pound boneless/skinless chicken breast
1 cup flour
2 tbsp sage
5 oz dry fruity white wine (e.g. pinot grigio)
3 tbsp butter
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 3/4 oz capers
4 tin slices prosciutto ham (although pancetta probably works better)

Mix flour and sage with spoon until thoroughly blended. Dredge chicken and cook in oil, until
browned on both sides. Dredge chicken in flour/sage again and cook thoroughly. Add wine, and reduce wine by half. Also add remaining flour (as needed) to thicken. Mix butter into wine mixture until it glistens. Add lemon juice and capers.
Serve chicken with prosciutto/pancetta over fettuccine.

Chocolate Chili REcipe from Member Andrew...

Ingredients:

extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
2 shallots
1 lb ground beef - preferably 93% lean
1 tbsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 29 oz can red beans

Mince garlic, cook in oil until golden. Meanwhile, dice shallots and cook with garlic until
transparent. When garlic is golden and shallots are transparent, add the beef. Cook beef
until browned, then add spices. Continue to cook thoroughly, and add red beans.

Serve chili on top of thin pasta such as angel hair, and top with copious amounts of mild cheddar cheese,

Sweet Potato Bisque

½ cup
Butter
½ cup
Chopped White Onion
1 cup
Chopped Celery
2
Large Sweet Potatoes
3 cups
Chicken Stock
1 cup
Milk

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Preparation:
1.
In a 4 quart stock pot (with cover) melt the butter.
2.
Add Onions and Celery and Sauté until tender – approx 10 minutes.
3.
Add Diced Sweet Potato and Chicken Broth and bring to a boil.
4.
Lower heat to medium, cover and cook for 25 minutes (until potatoes are tender).
5.
Puree potato mixture in a food processor in small batches, until smooth.
6.
Return mixture to stock pot, add milk.Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7.
Reheat and serve.



Note: This soup can be made a few days ahead – and stored in your refrigerator.