Thanksgiving Cranberry Jell-O

Recipe calls for letting Jell-o set overnight ... Maybe it's just something you can make ahead.  I don't know how long it REALLy needs.  

 JELLO: 

1 (6oz) package cherry jello 

1 cup boiling water 

2 granny smith apples 

1 can whole cranberry sauce 

1 cup chopped pecans 

TOPPING: 

8 oz cream cheese room temp 

Small container cool whip 

1 cup powder sugar 

1 8oz can crushed pineapple

DIRECTIONS:

Peel apples, grate using large holed cheese grater Boil water, add jello, mix Add cranberries, pecans, apples to jello Pour onto 9x13 pan, cover refrigerate until set/overnight NEXT DAY Drain pineapple well, set aside Beat cream cheese with powder sugar Beat in cool whip fold in pineapple Spread over jello and keep refrigerated until serving

From Sarah Phillips and Emily Bohman

Kern Thanksgiving Turkey (Spatchocked and baked in a bag.)

 Brine:

1 cup salt

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 gallon vegetable stock (I just use some better than bullion)

1 Tbsl Black Peppercorns

1 1/2 tsp allspice berries

1 1/2 tsp chopped candied ginger

`1 gallon heavily iced water.  

Turkey:

14-16 lbs

Injectables:

melted Butter

hot sauce - tabasco (put a lot in Jared's piece, but go easy on the rest of the turkey)

 

fresh garlic, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary (if desired scatter them on top of turkey before closing the turkey bag.)

Directions:

1. thaw turkey 2-3 days before roasting in the refrigerator.

2. combine vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and ginger in  large stockpot over medium high heat.  Bring to a boil.  Then remove brine from the heat to cool to room temperature.

3. Early on the day you'd like to eat, combine the brine water and ice water.  I use less than a gallon of stock or ice water and just use my stock pot.  Cut out the backbone and save it with the innards covered in the fridge. Place the thawed turkey in the brine.  Put it in the fridge for 8  hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.  

4. Preheat oven to 500*.  Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water.  Discard the brine.  Place bird on roasting rack inside a turkey bag (with flour).  Tuck wing tips behind back.  arranging so that it does not overlap the edges, pressing down on the breast bone to flattern the breasts slightly.   Leave the top part of the turkey exposed out of the bag.  Do not close it yet.

5.  Melt 4 T of butter with 4 T hot sauce.  mix together and inject into the turkey.  Inject every inch or so.  Coat the bird and skin with olive oil.

6.  Roast turkey at 500 degrees for 30 minutes.  Remove the turkey and then seal the turkey bag - cutting a few holes into the top.  Insert a prove thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and set alarm to 161.  A 14-16 lb bird should require a total of 2-2.5 hours of roasting.  Let the turkey rest for 15 minutes before carving.

 

Perfect Peach Pie

from The Pie and Pastry Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum

Ingredients

 Flaky Cream Cheese Pie Crust for a 2-crust 9-inch pie.

1 2/4 pounds peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced into 16ths: about 8 medium or 6 cups.  I use under-ripe peaches that are still firm.

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

a pinch of salt

4 tsp corn starch (I'm usually generous)

1/2 tsp pure almond extract (again, I'm generous)

Directions:

1. Mix sliced peaches with lemon juice, sugar, salt.  Allow to macerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.

2.  Drain and transfer peach juice (about 1 cup)  into a small non-stick saucepan.  Over medium high heat boil down the liquid until it has reduced to about 1/3 cup, or until syrupy and lightly carmelized.  Swirl pan, don't stir while doing this. (my peaches don't generate as much juice because they aren't all the way ripe.)

3.  Meanwhile toss the cornstarch and almond extract in with the peaches.  Then pour the sypup over the peaches, tossing gently.  

4. Pour filling into pie shell, and then cover with top crust.  Preheat oven to 425*and set a baking stone on the lowest oven rack.   Cover Pie loosely with plastic wrap then chill pie for at least 20 minutes - 1 hr.  

5. Place chilled pie directly on the baking stone and bake 40-50 minutes or until the juice bubble thickly.  After 30 minutes, protect the edges from overbrowning with a foil ring.

6. Cool pie on rack for at least 3 hours before cutting.  

Caramel Apple-Pecan Pie

CRUST

1 single crust pastry (add 3T sugar to your normal recipe)

10 caramels, each cut into 4 pieces

FILLING

7 C. apples

1/2 c light brown sugar

1 T. lemon juice

2 T. granulated sugar

1 T. cornstarch

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

PECAN CRUMB TOPPING

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

6 T. butter (cold and cut into pieces)

CARAMEL AND GARNISH
3 T. butter
1 T. water
30 caramels
1/2 c. chopped pecans
Large handful of pecan halves (I didn't have any so I just put a bit more chopped pecans)

1. Tuck pastry into 9 1/2 inch deep-dish pie pan. Scatter the caramel pieces in teh pie shell and place in freezer while you make filling. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Combine apples, brown sugar, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Then set aside while apples juice. (I drained this juice into a no-stick sauce pan and added 1 tsp butter and then carmelized it on the stove; shaking the pan - not stirring. Then I poured it back into the apples) Stir in the granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and vanilla. Pour into crust and smooth fruit with your hands. Put pie on bottom rack and bake for 30 minutes.

3. Make crumb topping using a pastry cutter until you have damp, gravelly crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.

4. After 30 minutes remove pie from oven and reduce temp to 375. Dump crumbs in center of pie and spread them evenly over the surface. Tamp them down lightly. Return pie to oven for another 30-40 minutes. Turn the pie 180 degrees from where it was originally so you get an even cooking. You may need to cover your crust with tented foil in the last 15 minutes if it's getting too dark.

5. Let pie cool for 1 hour. Then prepare caramel. Combine butter, water, and caramels in top of a double boiler and melt the carmels over (not in) simmering water. This may take about 10 minutes or more. Stir until smooth. Then drizzle the caramel over the entire surface of the pie. Immediatly sprinkle with the pecans and let cool for another hour before serving.


Tastes best warm.
I make a lot of pie, and this might just be one of my favorites. It took more time to do all the steps than just a standard two-crust apple pie, but I think it might have been worth it.

Double Pie Crust

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 T sugar
1 t salt
1/2 c. cold unsalted butter - cut up
1/2 c. cold vegetable shortening
1/2 c. cold water

Measure out the vegetable shortening and place in the fridge. Mix dry ingredients. I usually omit the salt because use salted butter. Add the cut up butter and cut in to the dry ingredients. Then add the cold vegetable shortening in small chunks. Since I don't have a food processor I mix this using a beaters until it resembles coarse crumbs. Then pour the water in and mix with a fork. Divide the dough and make into two round disks (I usually split it 3 ways if it mixes well). Wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 400* and place pizza stone on bottom rack. The oven and stone should be very hot when you put the pie in the oven. Roll out dough on 1 sheet of floured wax paper. Transfer to pie plate. You could refrigerate again, but I'm always too lazy to do this.
For baked pie, add the filling and cook according to directions. Place it on the pre-heated pizza stone so your bottom crust is crisp and not soggy
Cook at 400* for 15 minutes lined with foil and beans (or pie weights).
Lower to 375* and then cook for additional time listed below
10-12 minutes for partial pre-baked crust
15-17 minutes for full pre-baked crust

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

3/4 c. brown sugar
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. ginger
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
3/4 c. milk
1 1/4 c. canned or mashed cooked pumpkin
3 egg whites
1/3 c. sugar
19 inch graham-cracker or regular crust

In saucepan, combine brown sugar, gelatin, salt and spices. Combine egg yolks and milk. Stir into brown sugar mixture. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in pumpkin. Chill until mixture mounds slightly when spooned (test every now and then - don't let it get too stiff). Beat egg whites until s oft peaks form. Gradually add white sugar, beating to stiff peaks. Fold pumpkin mixture thoroughly into egg whites. Turn into crust. Chill until firm. Garnish with whipped cream.

This is the traditional pumpkin pie recipe at the Hickman's house.

Eileens Candied Yams

Boil Yams until soft throughout. Then cool until you can peel them. Slice them about 1 inch thick and place them in 9x13 pan. Then this is what she says about the recipe.

"About the yams. I do a little water with some, butter, brown sugar and melt them together. I boil the yams and add to the brown sugar, butter and water mixture and add marshmallows on top. Then back and turn them over after awhile. I bake them until they liquid is thick. I don't have amounts of what I put in. I put about half inch water and half cube of butter and a couple handfuls of brown sugar. Write and I'll try to help some more if I can."

I had to add this because I look up the email every Thanksgiving. Jared really like marshmellows so that's a must for the Yams. I actually bake the yams with the rolls and then turn the broiler on for a minute to brown the marshmellows (if you add them too early they just melt)

Red White and Blue Jell-o

1 small box red raspberry jell-o
1 small box berry blue jell-o (or a 2nd box of red rasp. if you can't find this)
3 cups boiling water (not all at once)
1 envelope knox gelatin
1/2 c. cold water
1 c. half & half
1 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese
1 c. chopped pecans
1 can wild blueberries (wyman's works best - don't drain)

First Layer:
Dissolve 1 box of red rasp jell-o in 2 cups boiling water. Pour in 9x13 pan and place in fridge. Allow to set before next layer
Second Layer:
Dissolve plain gelatin in 1/2 c. Cold water. Heat 1/2 & 1/2 & sugar until it just about boils. Mix w plain gelatin mixture. Add vanilla and cream cheese. Blend this until smooth so there are no chunks of cream cheese. Then add the nuts. Pour over first layer and allow to set in the refridgerator.
Third Layer:
Dissolve other box of Jell-o in 1 c. boiling water; stir until dissolved. Add bluberries with juice. Allow to cool before pouring over second layer. When mixture is luke warm pour third layer on and allow to set.

Don't take this to a picnic or anywhere it will be set in the sun for a long time.

Recipe from Jaci Kern

Turkey Spice Rub

1/2 c. soft butter
3 -4 cloves garlic (minced)
Poultry Fresh Herbs (usually available in a clear plastic box around the holidays)

Prepare this rub the day before use.

Wash herbs and chop up finely. Mix all ingredients including a dash of pepper. Lie out a strip of plastic wrap on the counter and lay the butter mixture out like a log. Roll it up tight and let it harden in the fridge or freezer. When it is hard, cut it up into 1/2 inch slices. Gently loosen the skin from the turkey and slide the slices underneath as far as you can go. Put the butter slices all over the turkey. If you have butter left over, spread it on top of your stuffing and the bird.

Natalie's Sweet Potatoes

4 lbs Sweet Potatoes -- peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
2/3 c. brown sugar
5 T. butter
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. nutmeg
1 pinch ginger
2 c. marshmallows
1/2 c. sliced almonds (or other nuts)

Preheat oven to 375. Put potatoes into a 9x13 pan.

Mix everything else except Marshmallows and nuts in a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir until sugar dissolves. Drizzle over potatoes.

Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 50 minutes. Uncover and stir to coat all pieces. Bake for an additional 20 minutes (uncovered) until potatoes are cooked and syrup thickens.

Take out of oven. Increase temperature to 500. Put marshmallows and nuts on top. Cook for 3-4 minutes until marshmallows are browned.