Pilgrim Hat Cookies

 

Ingredients 

1 cup vanilla frosting
7 drops yellow food coloring
32 miniature peanut butter cups
1 package (11-1/2 ounces) fudge-striped cookies
32 pieces orange mini Chiclets gum

Directions

In a small shallow bowl, combine frosting and food coloring. Remove paper liners from peanut butter cups. Holding the bottom of a peanut butter cup, dip top of cup in yellow frosting. Position over center hole on the bottom of cookie, forming the hatband and crown. Add a buckle of Chiclets gum. Repeat with remaining cups and cookies.

MAKES: 32 servings TOTAL TIME: Prep: 1 hour

Marinated Thanksgiving Turkey

 

Ingredients

2 cups water
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2/3 cup lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon pepper
2 large oven roasting bags
1 turkey (12 to 14 pounds)
Directions

1.  Combine the first seven ingredients; set aside and refrigerate 1 cup for basting. Place one oven roasting bag inside the other. Place turkey inside both bags; pour in remaining marinade. Seal bags, pressing out as much air as possible; turn to coat turkey. Place in a shallow roasting pan. Refrigerate overnight, turning several times.

2.  Remove turkey; drain and discard marinade.

3.  Conventional roasting method: Preheat oven to 325°. Place turkey on a rack in a large roaster. Bake, uncovered, 3 to 3-1/2 hours or until a thermometer inserted in a thigh reads 170°. Baste frequently with reserved marinade. When turkey begins to brown, cover lightly with a tent of aluminum foil. Remove turkey from oven; tent with foil. Let stand 20 minutes before carving. If desired, skim fat and thicken pan drippings for gravy. Serve with turkey.

4.  Grill method: Prepare grill for indirect medium heat. Tuck wings under turkey and arrange breast side down on grill rack. Grill, covered, for 1 hour.

5.  If using a charcoal grill, add 10 briquettes to coals; turn the turkey. Baste with reserved marinade. Cook, covered, for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, adding 10 briquettes to maintain heat and brushing with marinade every 30 minutes until thermometer inserted in thigh reads 170°. Remove turkey from grill; tent with foil. Let stand 20 minutes before carving. Yield: 12 servings.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends!

Thanksgiving Sparkling Punch

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup peeled, chopped fresh ginger
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups water
4 cups pomegranate juice
4 cups pineapple juice
6 cups ginger ale

Directions

1.  In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together ginger, sugar and water until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes to form a syrup. Remove from heat to cool. When cool strain out ginger.

2.  Mix together syrup with pomegranate juice, pineapple juice and ginger ale. Serve over ice.

Cookbook Review: Craig Chapman's Real Food, Real Kitchens: New York Cookbook

About the Book

After an award-winning career in television and magazines, Craig Chapman is pursuing his passion: telling the real stories of real food and the people and cultures that bring a dish to life. Based on his popular Create TV series, these recipes take you behind the scenes and into the kitchens of chefs who are using food to change the world.

About the Author
Craig Chapman published his first magazine at the age of 15, which was a handwritten, photocopied punk rock fanzine. He moved to New York after college and worked as a television and film Production Manager at Nickelodeon, MTV, VH1, Time Inc., and more. He also took time to work as a magazine Editor developing an MTV Magazine for Hearst, as a Fashion and Beauty Editor at InTouch Weekly during their inaugural year, and as a Lifestyle Editor for Seventeen.

Chapman owns OEG Media LLC which creates unscripted television, film, and multi-platform digital projects that highlight the lifestyle, drama, comedy, and challenges of real life. He is also the Founder and Producer of the national brand Real Food Real Kitchens which includes a TV series, yearly magazine, and daily web site. Real Food Real Kitchens is all about ‘Family, Food, Culture and History; telling the story of a dish and the family and culture that bring it to life.

My Review:

I'm really impressed all the main neighbors of New York had their own sections and diversities of cultures which included Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, The Bronx and Staten Island.

Everyone would certainly find something they would love to eat since there were all different cultures covered which included American Fusion, Chinese, Dominican, Filipino, French, Guyanese, Haitian, Italian, Jamaican, Japanese, Latin Fusion, Modern Mexican/Street Food, Polish, Puerto Rican, Seafood, Southern, Trinidadian, Vegan/Pan Pacific, Vegetarian BBQ, Vietnamese/Japanese and West Indian.

I really like how each person had a story to tell about their culture, a little background about themselves and the food they love to cook! Really enjoyed looking at the pictures that accompanied the recipes.

Baked Shrimp with Parsley

 

Ingredients

1 lb raw shrimp
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup oil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Clean, wash and dry shrimp. Melt butter in a 9-by-13 inch pan. Add oil, garlic powder, lemon juice, salt, parsley and Parmesan, then mix. Add shrimp and mix some more until shrimp are well coated. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes. Serve over pasta or rice. Serves 2.

Creole Jambalaya

 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
8 green onions, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
3 cups cubed cooked ham (1 pound)
1 pound Cajun-flavored or smoked sausage, sliced
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
5 cups cooked rice

Garnishes: fresh parsley sprig, chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and next 3 ingredients; sauté until tender.

Add ham, sausage, and next 4 ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.

Stir in rice, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes over low heat. Garnish, if desired.

Tea Mail (Sept 30)

Sweet Heat Espresso

 

Ingredients

Good quality espresso
2% milk
2 TBSP dark chocolate sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp chili powder

Directions

Prepare espresso and steam milk. Once milk is steamed add chocolate sauce and mix together. Pour over espresso. Add pepper and chili powder and stir together. Top with whipped cream and shaved dark chocolate.

Courtesy of Ellie Alexander (Meet Your Baker)!

Tornado Twist

 

Ingredients

12 fluid ounces cranberry-raspberry juice
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle lemon-lime flavored carbonated

Directions 

In a pitcher, mix cranberry-raspberry juice with lemon-lime soda. Pour over ice and serve.

Mexican Recipe: Baked Breakfast Taquitos

 

Ingredients

1 TBSP unsalted butter
2 cups deli ham, chopped
6 large eggs, beaten
3 TBSP half-and-half
salt and pepper
4 scallions, diced
12 (6-inch) flour tortilla
1 1/2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese
cooking spray
kosher salt
salsa and sour cream for serving, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with foil, coated with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Heat the butter in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high. Add ham and saute until starting to crisp, 3 - 4 minutes. Add eggs and half-and half to the pan and stir to scramble. Season with a touch of salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a medium bowl. Gently mix in the scallions.

3. Microwave the tortillas for 20 - 30 seconds until pliable. Place about 1/4 cup of the egg filling into the lower third of each tortilla, followed by 2 tablespoons of the cheese. Roll up tightly and place seam-side down on the baking sheet, making sure the rolls are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with a little cooking spray, followed by a sprinkle of kosher salt.

4. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes until golden and crispy. Serve with salsa and/or sour cream on the side if desired.

NOTES: For added spice, swap out the Colby Jack cheese for Pepperjack.

Makes 12 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes Total Time: 35 Minutes