When Jim and I moved to our new home just before Thanksgiving eight years ago we wanted to give thanks for our good fortune of being able to purchase a brand new home. And of course the best way to celebrate was to have a Thanksgiving Dinner with all of our friends. Since our family is not in Florida and nearly all of our friends are transplanted from other parts of the country and world without any family close by, we named our Thanksgiving Feast “Thanksgiving for the Homeless”.
That first year we had 14 people for dinner. I prepared the Turkey, Stuffing, Gravy and Cranberry Sauce and everyone else brought either a side dish or a dessert. We were so overzealous in our preparation that we had enough side dishes and desserts to feed 50 people. What a hoot!!! But, boy-oh-boy, did we ever get organized. We made lists of who brought what and how much; we limited the desserts to three instead of 30. The food everyone brought was beyond fabulous: Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes (these changed every year and all years were my favorite), Corn Pudding, Brussels Sprouts, Green Beans with Garlic, Poached Asparagus, Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie, Pecan Pie and it goes on and on.
When the group grew to over 14 people I started to add another meat besides the turkey to please the crowd. We have had Pulled Pork, Fresh Ham, Smoked Ham, Veal Rack, Prime Rib, and Beef Tenderloin.
How I loved those Thanksgiving Feasts with our “Florida Family”. This year we are not going to be here for Thanksgiving and we are surely going to miss our “Florida Family” on this special day. Instead of spending the Holiday in Sunny Florida we are going to be up North with our “Biological Family” for the first time in many years and we are so looking forward to being together with our family. This will be the first year in eight that I am not cooking one thing for Thanksgiving. I will miss cooking for everyone and miss enjoying the delicious dishes they brings each year. I will especially miss being together with all of the people I love in Florida.
So to take away the “Jones” for cooking on Thanksgiving and to blog about what I make for Thanksgiving each year, I cooked Thanksgiving Dinner yesterday so that I can share the recipes and pictures with you.
I know everyone has their traditional Thanksgiving menu each year with the wonderful dishes that have been a part of Thanksgiving for many years, even generations. I’m not going to even try to compete with the Mashed Potatoes your mom made and now you make: Mashed Potatoes are so very personal. I am going to give you a menu with a few different things you might want to try in additional to what you normally do.
Thanksgiving Feast 2011
Roast Turkey with Cornbread and Andouille Sausage Stuffing
Roasted Corn Pudding
Brussels Sprouts with Pearl Onions and Bacon
Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel Topping
Cranberry Kumquat Compote
Traditional Pumpkin Pie Topped with Italian Meringue
Roasted Turkey with Cornbread and Andouille Sausage Stuffing
Roasted Turkey with Cornbread and Andouille Sausage Stuffing
Every oven is different and things can get really scary when roasting a turkey. If the turkey doesn’t have the little pop up gage in the breast there is always the question of it being done or not. The best way to take a lot of the mystery out of cooking the big bird is to use a probe thermometer. You stick the probe end of the thermometer wire into the thickest part of the thigh and the other end of the wire into an instant read thermometer. If you don’t have a probe that came with your oven then this instant read probe thermometer is absolutely the best way to go. It’s worth the investment. You can get one of these wonderful gadgets at any kitchen store.
1 Cup (2 Sticks) Unsalted Butter, Melted
1 23-25 Pound Fresh Turkey, Rinsed Well and Patted Dry
Cornbread and Andouille Sausage Stuffing (Recipe Below)
Coarse Sea Salt Freshly Ground Black Pepper
6 Large Carrots Coarsely Cut into Pieces
2 Large Spanish Onions Coarsely Cut into Pieces
6 Celery Stalks Coarsely Cut into Pieces
Reserved Turkey Neck
8 Cups Homemade Turkey Stock or Canned Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
Greenery for Garnish
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F with the rack in the lowest part of the oven.
Place cut up carrots, onions and celery into a large roasting pan. (Laying flat on the bottom of the pan will act as a roasting rack. The veggies cooked with the turkey in this way will give your gravy more flavor.) Place the turkey, breast side up, in the pan on top of the veggies. Fold the wing tips under. Season the turkey body cavity and the neck cavity with salt and pepper. Loosely stuff the turkey body cavity and the neck cavity with the Cornbread and Andouille Sausage stuffing. (Put left over stuffing into a buttered heat proof dish and bake at 350 degrees F 40-50 minutes. Serve as a side dish besides the stuffing in the bird.) Tie the legs together with butcher’s twine. Fold the neck cavity skin under and secure with a skewer or long pick. Rub the turkey all over the melted butter and pour some of the butter over the veggies. Sprinkle the turkey with salt and pepper.
Place the turkey in the preheated oven and roast for 4½ to 5 hours. Baste the turkey occasionally (about every 45 minutes). Do this quickly; keeping in mind that each time you open the oven door you loose about 25 to 40 degrees of heat and it takes time to recover the heat. The turkey is done when an instant read thermometer reads 175 degrees F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest part of the thigh.
Remove the turkey from the oven and transfer to a large platter. Cover with foil and let rest for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour before serving. Remember the turkey will continue to cook when covered with the foil.
Place the roasting pan over two burners. Over medium high heat bring the juices, fat and veggies to a boil. Sprinkle the veggies with 1 cup all-purpose flour. Stir this all together, scraping the bits off the bottom of the pan and let it cook for about 5 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste, stirring the whole time.
Meanwhile heat the turkey stock. Slowly add the hot stock to the pan stirring the whole time. Let this cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Strain the stock into a large sauce pan and slowly bring back to a simmer. Season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste.
Gravy Hints and Tips: You can make the Turkey Stock by boiling together 10 cups water, two cut up carrots, a cut up onion and several cut up stalks of celery, the turkey neck, a bay leaf, ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns, a few sprigs of fresh thyme and fresh parsley. Lower heat to simmer and cook for two hours covered.
If the gravy is too thin for your liking, blend cornstarch and water together to a smooth thin paste and stir into boiling gravy a little at a time until the desired thickness is reached. If the gravy is too thick for your liking, add hot stock until the desired thickness is reached.
- Cornbread and Andouille Sausage Stuffing
Cornbread and Andouille Sausage Stuffing
Makes Enough Stuffing for a 25 lb. Turkey with Extra to Bake as a Side-Dish
You can make the cornbread several days in advance. Wrap it in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for a month.
I get the Andouille Sausage from my friend Drew who is from New Orleans and when he goes home to visit his family, he always brings me back a nice “Stick” of Andouille. If you don’t want the spice Andouille can give you, you can use whatever sausage is to your liking. A mild polish sausage is great in the recipe as well. You can get a good quality Andouille locally at your grocer.
Don’t bother to dice the veggies by hand. Do it in the food processor. Just be sure you don’t puree them. DO cut the chestnuts by hand. If yo put them in the processor they turn to mush.
If you don’t want to go through the whole roasting and peeling of the chestnuts (I don’t) you can purchase cooked and peeled chestnuts in the jar. I found them at my grocery store and Williams-Sonoma has them for sure.
When you triple the cornbread recipe, cook in three 9” pans instead of one large pan. Doing this won’t compromise the integrity of the cornbread.
Cornbread and Andouille Sausage Stuffing
1 Loaf Golden Cornbread
1 Pound Loaf Pepperidge Farm White Bread, Crust Removed
1 Lb. Smoked Andouille Sausage
12 Ounces Unsalted Butter
1 Lb. Celery, Finely Diced
1 Lb. Carrots, Finely Diced
2 Medium Onions, Finely Diced
3 Cups Cooked and Peeled Chestnuts, Medium Dice
6 Large Eggs, Lightly Beaten
1 Tablespoon Rubbed Sage
3 Teaspoons Coarse Seat Salt
1½ Teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 Cups Chicken Stock
Cube the Cornbread and White Bread into 1” pieces and let dry over night in a cooled oven with the door closed.
In a large sauté pan melt the butter over medium heat and add the celery, carrot and onion and cook until the vegetables are soft, not browned, about 15 minutes (this is called “sweating the vegetables”). Cool slightly. Add all ingredients, except the chicken stock, and gently mix so as not to make bread mushy. Add the stock gradually and continue to mix gently.
Cool completely before stuffing bird.
Hints and Tips: Never stuff a cold bird with warm stuffing. This is how bacteria can form. It’s best to make the stuffing the day before and refrigerate it over-night. Bring the turkey and stuffing out of the refrigerator no more than an hour before stuffing and roasting.
Roasted Corn Pudding
2 Tablespoons Olive or Corn Oil
6 Cups Fresh Yellow Corn Kernels Cut off the Cobbs (from 6 to 8 ears) or the Equivalent of Frozen Corn Kernels
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Chopped Scallions
2 Cups Chopped Red Bell Pepper
1 Chopped Jalapeño Seeds and Veins Removed (Optional)
6 Large Eggs
2 Large Egg Yolks
1 ½ Cups Heavy Cream
1 ½ Cups Half and Half
1 ½ Cups Grated Cheddar Cheese
1 ½ Cups Grated Jack Cheese
1 Teaspoon Mild Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Ancho Chili Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Chipotle Powder
1 Tablespoon Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper Pinch of Freshly Grated Nutmeg
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the inside of Large Baking dish (13x9x3 high) with cooking spray. Bring a medium large pot of water to boil.
Remove corn kernels from the Cobbs. Toss with two tablespoons corn or olive oil. Place on a cookie sheet pan with sides and roast in oven for 10 minutes. Longer if using thawed frozen corn to dry it out.
Melt the butter in a sauté pan and sauté onion and peppers over medium-high heat for 4 minutes. Add chili, ancho and chipotle powders and gently sauté for 1 more minute. Remove pan from heat and cool slightly.
Whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, heavy cream, and half-and-half in a large bowl. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the cooked corn, the onion-pepper mixture, grated cheeses and pour into the baking dish.
Place the dish in a larger pan and fill the pan 1/2 way up the sides of the dish with the boiling water. Bake the pudding for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the top begins to brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.
Brussels Sprouts with Pearl Onions and Bacon
Serves 12 – 15
1 Lb. Bacon, Cut Crosswise into Thin Strips
3 Lbs. Brussels Sprouts, Medium in Size, Cut in Half Length-Wise
1 Lb. White Pearl Onions, Skins Removed
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
2 Tablespoons XVOO
1 Cup White Wine
½ Cup Homemade Chicken Stock or Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 Teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
In a sauté pan large enough to hold all of the Brussels Sprouts and Pearl Onions in a single layer, cook the bacon until all the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels. Set aside. Discard the bacon fat. (If you don’t have a pan large enough to cook all of the Sprouts and Onions together then do it in smaller batches.)
In the same pan over medium high heat, heat the butter and oil. When the butter stops foaming add the Brussels Sprouts and the Pearl Onions to the pan and sauté tossing around in the butter and oil. Add the salt and pepper. Toss around. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and reduce the wine by half. Add the chicken stock and reduce by half. This should take only a few minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cover the pan with a lid. Cook until the sprouts are tender and the onions are cooked through, about 7-10 minutes.
Add the cooked bacon bits to the pan and toss around to combine. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.
Hints and Tips: To peel the Pearl Onions, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the onions and let simmer for two minutes. Drain and quickly transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool down. When cool, easily remove the skins from the onions. 
Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel Topping
Serves 12 – 15
For the Topping
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
8 Tablespoons (1 Stick) Cold Unsalted Butter, Cut into 1/2 Inch Cubes
1½ Cups Chopped Pecans
For the Sweet Potatoes
7 Lbs. Sweet Potatoes
¼ Cup Heavy Cream
2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
8 Tablespoons (1 Stick) Unsalted Butter Melted
3 Large Eggs
½ Cup Maple Syrup
½ Cup Orange Blossom Honey
¾ Cup Firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar
2 Teaspoons Fine Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg Preheat oven to 450 Degrees
To prepare the topping, in a bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Using your fingers, a pastry blender or two knives cut in the butter until the flour mixture has been completely absorbed into the butter. The mixture should hold together when squeezed with your hand but still crumble apart easily. Stir in the pecans, Set aside.
To prepare the sweet potatoes, put them a large roasting pan and add a small amount of water. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and roast until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a knife, 1 to 1 1/2 Hours. (Don’t forget to pierce the potatoes with a knife before roasting.) Cool the potatoes completely. Once cool, remove the skins from the potatoes. Refrigerate the potatoes for several hours. This will make them much easier to handle and cut.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 Degrees.
Remove the potatoes from the refrigerator and cut the flesh into 1/2 cubes. Transfer one-fourth of the potatoes to a large bowl and mash with a potato masher. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the cream, vanilla, butter, eggs, maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the cream mixture to the mashed sweet potatoes and stir until well combined. Combine this mixture with the cubed potatoes and GENTLY stir to combine. (Gently toss so as not to mash the cubes.)
Transfer the mixture to a 3-quart rectangular baking dish that has been sprayed with bakers spray such as PAM and sprinkle with the Streusel topping. Bake until the topping is golden and crispy and the potatoes are hot and cooked all the way through, 45 to 60 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Hints and Tips: To test the potatoes to be sure they are hot all the way through, insert a thin bladed knife into the center of the dish and leave it there for 30 seconds. If the knife blade is hot then the potatoes are ready.
You can do some of this recipe in advance. The streusel topping can be made the day before and refrigerated until you are ready to use it.
The potatoes can be cooked the day before as well, but peel them while they are still warm.
Cranberry-Kumquat Compote
My mother had a kumquat tree growing outside of her home in Florida. The kumquats would bloom every year just before Thanksgiving. We would have a great time picking them and making this wonderful compote for our Thanksgiving Feast. I have kept the tradition going although my mother and the tree are long gone. We are able to find the kumquats in the grocery store in Florida at Thanksgiving time but if you can’t get them where you are, they are available almost all year on line.
I don’t like to add any other flavorings to this dish as I love the taste of the two bitter fruits as they are. You can always add cinnamon and nutmeg if you like those flavors. Adding won’t hurt this recipe. You can even add diced jalapenos, seeds and all, for a really different take on this compote. Adding one large jalapeno gives it just enough heat without it being to hot.
Makes 4 Cups
1 Pint Fresh Kumquats
2 Cups Granulated Sugar
2 Cups Water
2 12 Ounce Bags Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
1 Teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt
Wash the kumquats and slice in half length-wise. Remove and discard the center, bitter pit and seeds. Place the kumquat peels in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse to finely chop the peels. Be careful not to puree.
In a large pot such as a Dutch oven combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil. Boil until the sugar is dissolved and becomes a bit syrupy, about 5 minutes. Add the cranberries, kumquats, salt and bring to a rolling boil. Lower the heat to simmer and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring often. Skim the foam that will float to the top as you go along.
Remove the pan from the heat and cool completely. Store in air-tight containers and refrigerate for up to one month. 
Traditional Pumpkin Pie Topped with Italian Meringue
Anyone who knows me knows I am a purist when it comes to food. Only organic and fresh for me: Nothing frozen, canned or precooked. BUT once in a while I have to make the exception to my rule and Pumpkin Pie filling comes under the exception category. I have made Pumpkin Pie with fresh pumpkin, pumpkin I have picked, white pumpkin, you name it. The only pumpkin I like for Pumpkin Pie is the good old standard – Libby pumpkin puree. My mother used it and I am continuing the tradition. The pumpkin puree by Libby is consistent. I never have to second guess the product. I guess you can say I am only 99¾% pure. DO NOT USE PUMPKIN PIE FILLING IN THE CAN. When you reach for the puree on the shelf don’t grab the wrong one.
To take it even further, I use the recipe on the can. The proportions are perfect. I am giving Libby complete credit for the Pumpkin Pie but the Meringue Topping is my idea. I thought it would be fun to do something different for the topping. (So did Martha, but she used Meringue like you put on a Lemon Meringue Pie. Totally different Meringues but the idea of doing something other than whipped cream is a good idea.)
If the Italian Meringue is too daunting for you or you just don’t have the time with everything else that is going on, go ahead and use whipped cream to top the pie. But, please, do me a favor and don’t use cool whip!! Please!!!!
¾ Cup Granulated Sugar
½ Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
½ Teaspoon Ground Ginger
¼ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Nutmeg
2 Large Eggs
1 15 Ounce Can Libby’s Pumpkin Puree (NOT PUMPKIN PIE FILLING)
1 12 Ounce Can Evaporated Milk
1 Disk of Pate Sucre (Pastry Crust) Recipe Below, Rolled Out to Fit a 9″ Deep Dish Pie Pan, Flute the Edges
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (400 if using a convection oven).
In a small bowl combine the sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg.
In a larger bowl beat the eggs lightly, add the pumpkin puree and the spice mix. Blend well. Slowly add the evaporated milk. Mix well.
Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350 Degrees F. Bake 40 – 50 minutes or until a thin bladed knife inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack completely before topping with Italian Meringue.
Hints and Tips: I found that baking a pie in a glass dish is the best way to get a crispy cooked crust. If you don’t have a glass dish, ceramic works just as well. If you don’t have either I suggest you purchase one. You will be so glad you did. They are sold at the grocery store for as little as $6.00
You can make the pie the day before and refrigerate it overnight. When you are ready to top it with the meringue, bring the pie to room temperature before topping it. If the pie is cold and the meringue is warm condensation will develop between the pie and the meringue. You don’t want this. Also, when you take the pie out of the refrigerator to bring it to room temperature there may be a little moisture on top of it. Blot it lightly with a paper towel.
Italian Meringue
6 Large Egg Whites at Room Temperature
½ Teaspoon Cream of Tartar Pinch of Fine Sea Salt
2 2/3 Cup Sugar
2/3 Cup Water
You have to do the two steps to this recipe simultaneously. Have a standing mixer ready to go along side your stove. You will also need a candy thermometer.
Begin by beating the egg whites on medium speed to break up the whites. Add the cream of tartar and the salt and beat at high speed until stiff peaks form, not dry peaks.
At the same time bring the water and sugar to a boil over high heat, swirling the pan in the beginning to help dissolve the sugar. Do not stir with a spoon. Once it begins to boil, cover it with a lid for a minute or two to help dissolve the sugar crystals that form on the side of the pan. Do this instead of washing the crystals down with a brush. Doesn’t work!!!! Remove the lid and boil the sugar/water mixture until it reaches 238 Degrees F on the candy thermometer. As soon as it reaches 238 Degrees F quickly pour the mixture into a 4 cup measuring cup (don’t burn yourself).
With the mixer on low, slowly add the syrup in a slow and steady stream to the egg whites. When all of the syrup is in, turn the mixer on high and beat until the meringue is cool. This will take about 10 minutes.
Place some of the meringue in a pastry bag fitted with a French tip or star tip and decoratively pipe the meringue onto the pie. Complete a full circle around the pie using either of the tips. Then do a second full circle on top of the first circle. You will most likely not use all of the meringue but go ahead and be generous with it. After the meringue is piped onto the pie, torch it with your blow torch to give it a little brown color. This also sets the meringue. If you don’t have a blow torch (mine is industrial size) put the pie under the broiler about five or six inched below the heat. Stand there and watch it turn a light brown color. Don’t take your eyes off of it for it will surely burn. It will take only a minute or two to brown under the broiler.
Refrigerate the pie for several hours before serving.
Pate Sucre (Pastry Crust, Pie Crust)
Enough for a 13 Inch Tart or Two 9” Pie Crusts For the Pastry 3½ Cups All Purpose Flour 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar 1 Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt 8 Ounces Cold Unsalted Butter (2 Sticks) Cut Into 16 Pieces ½ Scant Cup Cold Vegetable Shortening Such as Crisco 5 – 6 Tablespoons Ice Water
My personal preference for making this or any pastry crust is to use my fingertips. To make it my way, place the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the cut up butter and blend into the flour mixture using your fingertips. Work quickly so butter does not get too soft. Blend until the mixture resembles coarse meal or small peas. Add the vegetable shortening in the same manner. When all is mixed take a small amount and press it together in the palm of your hand. If it stays together it is time to add the water. Start with 5 tablespoons of the ice water and pour over the mixture. Gather the mixture together into a ball. If it is too crumbly and won’t stay together add a little more water. You want the mixture to come together nicely. Not dry or wet. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form it into two balls. Flatten into disks and wrap the disks in plastic. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
If this all seems to daunting, use your food processor following this next set of directions: Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and shortening to the flour. Pulse the mixture until the mixture forms crumbs the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Keep hitting the pulse button to combine the mixture and the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form it into two balls. Flatten into disks and wrap the disks in plastic. Refrigerate for 1 hr.
Whew, that was a long posting. I hope you read it all and maybe, just maybe, you will try at least one of my recipes. If you have any questions please contact me by posting directly on this blog or e-mailing me at:
camille@camillecooksforyou.com
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!! WE HAVE SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR.
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