This Cookn'Dish experience started with a turkey. My dear friend and mentor, Teryl took me up on the offer to cook with me and her choice was to roast a turkey that she had in her freezer. This was to be her first turkey, so we wanted it to be special. Cooking a turkey almost begs for a dinner party and so we invited Jim, Barb, and Deb to join me, Teryl and my husband Steve to share the meal. We decided to make a delicious basic bird--no stuffing. For the most flavorful and moist turkey we took a stick of butter mixed with sage, paprika, rosemary, parsley,
crumbled bay leaves, salt, pepper and chopped onions. This mixture we rubbed under the skin of the turkey AND on top of the skin. The turkey was placed in the roasting pan on top of a bed of onions and celery and popped it in a 325 degree oven. We basted the bird with the juices. The turkey was 10 pounds and we expected it to roast for 3-3 1/2 hours--it actually took 2 1/2 hours to reach 165 degrees of beautiful, brown, goodness. We saved the giblets and cooked them in a mixture of water, chicken broth, wine and a cheesecloth baggie full of herbs de provence to be used in gravy.
Teryl also brought wine, and a yam dish made with apples, nuts and cranberries that she pre-prepared at home. Our guests provided the rest of the meal. Deb brought a delicious green salad of spinach, mandarin orenges, waterchestnuts and bean sprouts; Barb brought a wild rice made with mushrooms and water chestnuts, a spunky salsa with chips (for hors d'oevres), raspberry cosmos and pumpkin pie bars for dessert. (I will put all of these recipes up when I get them!) Jim made a righteous gravy!
Thanksgiving with friends that like to cook--what a great idea--anytime of the year!
crumbled bay leaves, salt, pepper and chopped onions. This mixture we rubbed under the skin of the turkey AND on top of the skin. The turkey was placed in the roasting pan on top of a bed of onions and celery and popped it in a 325 degree oven. We basted the bird with the juices. The turkey was 10 pounds and we expected it to roast for 3-3 1/2 hours--it actually took 2 1/2 hours to reach 165 degrees of beautiful, brown, goodness. We saved the giblets and cooked them in a mixture of water, chicken broth, wine and a cheesecloth baggie full of herbs de provence to be used in gravy.
Teryl also brought wine, and a yam dish made with apples, nuts and cranberries that she pre-prepared at home. Our guests provided the rest of the meal. Deb brought a delicious green salad of spinach, mandarin orenges, waterchestnuts and bean sprouts; Barb brought a wild rice made with mushrooms and water chestnuts, a spunky salsa with chips (for hors d'oevres), raspberry cosmos and pumpkin pie bars for dessert. (I will put all of these recipes up when I get them!) Jim made a righteous gravy! 
Thanksgiving with friends that like to cook--what a great idea--anytime of the year!
Im glad that Im getting responses to this blog. I hear from you on my gmail. I was able to post this comment by hitting the: "no comments" and then selecting a profile. Try it!
ReplyDeleteThat is a gorgeous picture of the food. The red berries inside a band of silver; on the plate the green leaves, the orange and violet, the brown gravy, the blue liquid in the glass. I've got it downloaded for desktop wallpaper.
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