Thanksgiving Dinner Day

Thanksgiving is not Thanksgiving without the turkey, the cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and the pumpkin pie.

So let’s begin!

The Simplest Roast Turkey

Ingredients:

• 14-16lb turkey
• 2½ tsp salt (2 tsp if using a kosher bird) (12½ml)
• 1½ tsp black pepper (7½ml)

Method:

• Remove any feathers and quills with pliers.
• Put oven rack in lower third of the oven, and preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Rinse the turkey inside and out and pat dry. Mix the salt and pepper in a small bowl, and sprinkle it evenly in turkey cavities and all over the skin.
• Fold the neck skin under body and, if desired, secure with metal skewer, then tuck wing tips under breast and tie drumsticks together with kitchen string.
• Put turkey on a rack in a large flameproof roasting pan.(Put in the oven drumstick side first) Roast, rotating pan 180° halfway through the roasting, until thermometer inserted into fleshy part of each thigh (close to but not touching the bone) registers 170°F, 1¾ to 2½ hours.
• Carefully tilt the turkey so juices from the inside large cavity run into roasting pan. Transfer turkey to a platter and let stand 30 minutes. Cut of and discard string from turkey.

The Simplest Roast Turkey

Ingredients:

• 14-16lb turkey
• 2½ tsp salt (2 tsp if using a kosher bird) (12½ml)
• 1½ tsp black pepper (7½ml)

Method:

• Remove any feathers and quills with pliers.
• Put oven rack in lower third of the oven, and preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Rinse the turkey inside and out and pat dry. Mix the salt and pepper in a small bowl, and sprinkle it evenly in turkey cavities and all over the skin.
• Fold the neck skin under body and, if desired, secure with metal skewer, then tuck wing tips under breast and tie drumsticks together with kitchen string.
• Put turkey on a rack in a large flameproof roasting pan.(Put in the oven drumstick side first) Roast, rotating pan 180° halfway through the roasting, until thermometer inserted into fleshy part of each thigh (close to but not touching the bone) registers 170°F, 1¾ to 2½ hours.

Carefully tilt the turkey so juices from the inside large cavity run into roasting pan. Transfer turkey to a platter and let stand 30 minutes. Cut of and discard string from turkey

Cranberry Sauce Made Simple

Ingredients:

• 1 lb cranberries (rinsed)
• 2 cups castor sugar (500ml)
• 1 cup water (250ml)

Method:

• Combine all the ingredients in a large microwave bowl.
• Cover with plastic wrap. (Remember to pierce a few holes in the plastic to allow the steam to escape.)
• Microwave on high for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
• Let it stand for 15 minutes, and cool down. the sauce will thicken as it cools.

Cranberry and Quince sauce

Ingredients:

• 1¾ lb quinces
• 1½ cups castor sugar (500ml)
• 4 cup water (4 x 250ml)
• 12 oz cranberries (fresh or frozen)

Method:

• Peel, quarter and core the quinces and cut into pieces. Reserve the peel and cores.
• Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil, stirring till the sugar has dissolved.
• Tie the peel and cores in a piece of cheesecloth. Add bundle and the quince to the water, and simmer till the quince is tender. (1- 1½ hour)
• Add the cranberries to the mixture, and simmer, uncovered, while stirring till the cranberries soften. (10 minutes).
• Remove the bundle and simmer another 8 -10 minutes. The mixture will become syrupy.
• Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Pumpkin Cheese Pie

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese (225g)
• ½ cup brown sugar (packed) (125ml)
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/5 cup evaporated milk (300ml)
• ½ tsp cinnamon (2.5ml)
• pinch of ground ginger (1ml)
• pinch of ground nutmeg (1ml)
• pinch of ground all spice (1ml)
• 1 cup cooked, pureed pumpkin (250ml)
• 1 9" pie shell, baked in a glass pie dish

Garnish:

• sweetened whipped cream
• chopped pecan nuts

Method:

• Place the cream cheese in a 2 liter bowl, and microwave on medium for 1½ minutes.
• Add the sugar, and whisk till well mixed.
• Add the eggs, and beat well.
• Add milk and blend well.
• Now add the spices and the pumpkin. Blend well.
• Pour the mixture into the baked pie shell.
• Microwave on high for 10 to 11 minutes, or till the center jiggles slightly. Rotate twice during cooking period.
• Cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.
• Top with cream and garnish with the pecans.

Apple Tart with Caramel Sauce A delicious dessert, easy to make, and definitely on my list of favorites!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar (250ml)
• 2½ tblsp butter (37.5ml)
• 3 eggs (x-large)
• 1 cup self-raising flour (250ml)
• ½ tsp baking powder (2.5ml)
• pinch of salt
• 4 tblsp milk (60ml)
• 14 oz cooked apple pieces (unsweetened) (395g)

Caramel sauce:

• 14 oz evaporated milk (395g)
• 1 cup sugar (250ml)
• 1 tsp vanilla essence (5ml)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C)
• Combine sugar and butter, and beat well with an electric beater.
• Add eggs one by one, beating well after each addition.
• Sift dry ingredients together, and fold into sugar mixture, alternatively with milk.
• Transfer batter into a 2pt baking dish. Spread the apple pieces evenly on top of the batter.
• Bake 30-40 minutes, or until a skewer, inserted in the middle, comes out clean.
• In the mean time, make the caramel sauce.
• Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 3 minutes, while stirring.
• Pour the sauce over the apple tart, as soon as it is removed from the oven.
• Serve with fresh cream, custard or ice cream.

Coffee Cake An impressive marbeled cake, with a harvest of nuts on top.

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar (500ml)
• 1 tsp vanilla (5ml)
• 1 2/5 cup oil (350ml)
• 1 2/5 cup yoghurt (350ml)
• 15 oz self raising flour (425g)

Coffee mixture:1

• 1 cup brown sugar (250ml)
• 4 tblsp flour (60ml)
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon (15ml)
• 2 tblsp instant coffee (30ml)
• 2 tblsp melted butter (60ml)

(1 cup mixed nuts, roughly chopped (250ml)

Icing:

• 2 cups icing sugar (sifted) (500ml)
• ½ cup butter
• 2 tblsp instant coffee (30ml)
• 2 tblsp brandy (30ml)
• 1 cup mixed nuts (250ml)
• 4 packets chocolate wafer sigars

Caramel:

• ½ packet Jersey caramels, chopped (125g)
• 2 tblsp butter (30ml)
• 1 tblsp golden syrup (15ml)
• 1 tblsp light corn syrup (15ml)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C)
• Beat sugar and eggs till light and fluffy.
• Add essence, oil and yoghurt, and whisk in.
• Sift flour and fold into mixture.
• Combine the dry ingredients for the coffee mixture, together with the melted butter and nuts.
• Divide ¾ of the cake batter between 2 greased and lined 10" square tins. Sprinkle with coffee mixture, and cover with the remaining batter.
• Bake 1 hour or till done. Remove from tin, and cool on a wire rack.
• For the icing, whisk the butter and icing sugar till smooth.
• Heat the brandy, add the coffee, and mix till dissolved. Cool a bit, and then whisk into the icing.
• Spread 1/3 of the icing onto 1 layer of cake, place the ather layer on top, and ice the top and sides.
• Place the wafers upright and close together around the sides of the cake, pressing the wafer into the icing to secure.
• Sprinkle the nuts over the cake to decorate
• Combine the ingredients for the caramel in a saucepan, and stir over heat, without boiling, till mixture is smooth. Drizzle over the nuts.

Happy Thanksgiving!