Cranberry Walnut Vinaigrette

Cranberry Walnut Vinaigrette
(submitted by Kim Rizk from the Rizk family kitchen)

Yield – almost 2 cups vinaigrette

This is a very pretty emulsified dressing which is delicious used as a dipping sauce for crudite vegetables like blanched broccoli and cauliflower florets, bell pepper strips and/or blanched green beans. Of course it’s equally yummy tossed with salad greens as a dressing or used as a marinade for grilled chicken or pork.

2 tbs minced shallot
1/2 cup white/golden balsamic vinegar
4 tbs cranberry puree*
2 tsps grainy mustard
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup walnut oil

Combine the minced shallots and balsamic vinegar in a bowl, wide mouthed jar. or salad dressing bottle that has in fitted lid for shaking. Add the mustard and cranberry puree, secure the lid and shake to blend well. Remove the lid, add the olive oil and shake well to incorporate into an emulsified dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


*Cranberry Puree
This recipe makes a lot more puree than you will need for a single batch of the vinaigrette but I find that it keeps well in the refrigerator or can be frozen. And, I have found several uses for the puree including using it for a pretty and delicious drizzle over ice cream and/or apple pie or cheesecake.

1 12 ounce bag fresh or frozen cranberries
¾ cup water
½ cup sugar

Combine all the ingredients in a medium sized saucepan and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat and cook until most of the berries have split open or “popped”, 3 to 5 minutes. Allow to cool then puree in a blender.

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

serves 15 to 20
(submitted by Barbara Chatham recipe adapted from The Trenton Times)

1 large butternut squash
maple syrup
ground cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 leek (white part only) washed well and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 cans chicken broth
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sherry wine (medium dry, inexpensive)
1 large sprig or 1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 325 degres.

Cut squash in half, remove and discard seeds. Make slits on top with knife and place on a shallow baking sheet, cut sides facing up. Drizzle with maple syrup, and sprinkle with cinnamon, salt and pepper. Roast for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until completely fork tender. Set aside to cool.

Add a couple of tbs of oil or butter to a large soup pot and saute onion, leek and garlic for a few minutes. Add the chicken broth, water and sherry. Bring to a simmer and add the diced sweet potatoes. Add the tender cooked flesh from the butternut squash (discard skin). Add the cinnamon, thyme and nutmeg. Simmer for approximately 45 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender and cooked through. Cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and puree. Return the pureed soup to the original cooking pot. Add the cream and reheat gently, stirring constantly, until hot but not boiling. Serve hot topped with a sprinkle of shelled roasted pumpkin seeds just before serving.

Turnip & Parsnip Casserole

Turnip & Parsnip Casserole
(submitted by Sharon Knill recipe from the Knills' Canadian kitchen)

1 large turnip, peeled, cubed and boiled until tender
2 large parsnips, peeled, cubed and boiled until tender
2 tbs butter
1 tbs milk
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbs cracker crumbs
2 tbs parmesan cheese
2 tsps butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Whip the cooked turnip and parsnips together until the mixture is fluffy.
As the next four ingredients (butter, milk, s&p). Spoon mixture into a small casserole dish.
Combine the cracker crumbs and parmesan cheese and sprinkle on top. Dot with the remaining 2 tbs butter. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

Mashed Turnips

Mashed Turnips
(submitted by Kathy Hackett recipe from the Hackett/Burks kitchen)

1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into 2" t0 3" cubes
6 to 8 white turnips, peeled and cut into 2" to 3" cubes
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
butter
salt and pepper to taste

Combine (equal amounts) rutabaga and turnips along with the onion in a large pot. Add water to cover and bring to a boil. Boil uncovered until the vegetables can be pierced with a fork. Drain and return to the pot. Mash together with plenty of butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cauliflower "Dressed Up"

Cauliflower "Dressed Up"
(submitted by Kathleen Biggins; adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Paris Cookbook)

serves 8-10

1 large head cauliflower (3 lbs), cut into florets
kosher salt
4 tbs unsalted butter
3 tbs all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup grated gruyere cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup bread crumbs (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Boil cauliflower florets in salted water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.

Melt 2 tbs of the butter over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly, then pour in the hot milk and stir until it boils. Whisk vigorously until it thickens (about 1-2 minutes). Add 1 tsp salt, pepper, nutmeg, the parmesan cheese and most of the gruyere (save a handful for topping off the dish). Pour half of hte sauce into a 3 quart baking dish, add the drained cauliflower florets and cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the reserved gruyere on top and add the remaining 2 tbs of melted butter. Bake 25-3- minutes or until browned on top. For a thicker crust, mix the breadcrumbs in with the remaining melted butter and gruyere for the topping.

(I've also folded in sauteed proscuitto on top of the cauliflower before the second topping of sauce)

Good Eats Roast Turkey

Good Eats Roast Turkey
(submitted by Penny Thomas; recipe by Alton Brown)

serves 10-12

1 14 to 16 pound local free range turkey (organic if possible)

for the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tbs black peppercorns
1/2 tbs allspice berries
1/2 tbs candied ginger
1 gallon ice water

for the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
canola oil

Combine all the ingredients, except the ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve the solids, then remove from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Early on the day of cooking (or the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5 gallon bucket. Place turkey breast side down in the brine, cover and refrigerate or set in a cool area, like a basement for 6 hours. Turn turkey over once halfway through brining.

A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.

Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine.

Place bird on a roasting rack inside a wide low pan and pat dry with paper towels. Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with canola (or other neutral oil). Roast on lowest rack of oven at 500 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of breast and return to the oven, reducing the temperature to 350 degrees. Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.

Corn Souffle

Corn Souffle
(submitted by Holly Burt recipe from Rebecca Ynoncecio)

serves 8-10

2 10 ounce packages frozen corn (use your summer corn if you freeze it end of season)
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 tsps salt
2 cups milk
4 large eggs
1/2 vanilla bean (split lengthwise, seeds scraped out with tip of knife and pod discarded)
4 tbs unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tbs all-purpose flour
1/4 cup snipped fresh chives plus 3 tbs for garnish

preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 1 1/2 quart baking dish (a deep dish pie plate will work).

In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse half the corn until coarse. In a separate bowl, stir together coarse chopped corn along with the remaining whole kernels. Sprinkle with sugar and salt and stir to combine.

In another bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, vanilla seeds, melted butter, flour and chives. Stir these wet ingredients into the corn mixture until well combined. Pour into baking dish and bake in the middle of preheated oven until the center is set, about 45 minutes.

Serve hot topped with fresh chive garnish.

(you can make ahead by assembling all ingredients in baking dish and chilling. Bring to room temperature before baking)

Night Before Mashed Potatoes

Night Before Mashed Potatoes
(from the kitchen of Cecilia Mathews)

serves 10-12

8 to 10 potatoes, peeled
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
salt & pepper to taste
butter
seasoned salt

Boil and drain potatoes

Whip potatoes adding cream cheese and sour cream. Continue beating until fluffy and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon into a buttered 9x13 baking dish. Dot generously with butter and spinkle with seasoned salt. Cover with foil and refrigerate. Bake, covered with foil, 15 minutes at 325. Remove foil and continue baking for another 20 minutes.

(The prepared dish of unbaked potatoes can be frozen and thawed before baking. A pinch of baking soda added to mashed potatoes will make them fluffier).

Oil Roasted Haricots Verts, Potatoes & Fennel

Oil Roasted Haricots Verts, Potatoes & Fennel
(submitted by Margaret Sieck from "The New Basics" Cookbook)


serves4

2 fennel bulbs (about 1 1/4 lbs total)
1 1/2 lbs small red new potatoes
1 1/2 lbs haricot verts (thin, tender green beans)
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp coarse or kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut tops off the fennel (saving fronds), and then cut bulbs into at least quarters, maybe smaller. Thinly slice the potatoes. Snap the ends off the beans.

Combine the fennel, potatoes and oil in a mixing bowl and toss well. Spread the mixture (with the oil) out on a baking sheet, sprinkle with the salt and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Toss the beans with the cooked vegetables and bake until lightly browned, another 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve room temperature.