quote:

Originally posted by Nina:
Those of you who brine your turkeys.... what in heaven's name do you use to contain the little bugger?

I generally end up with a 16-lb. bird, more or less. I figure the bird, plus two gallons+ of the liquid and I'd need a crane to get it into my non-existent big-enough refrigerator.

But I'm curious to try it. Are you guys cheating because you can just leave it outside, in a garbage can or something since you leave in cold-weather climes?

(I remember the first time I went to Thanksgiving at my SIL's in Massachusetts--the beer and soda were chilling on the back deck! What a cool (pardon the pun) idea! Free cold!

Yeah, I keep the brining turkey in my garage. But to make sure that the temp is low enough, I add a couple of bags of ice.

Last year, I used a not-yet-used paint bucket from Home Depot.

This year, I'm using a big plastic storage container.

One suggestion I saw on the interweb is to use a big cooler ... put the turkey and the brining solution in there, and then add ice to keep the temp down. They suggest lining the cooler somehow so it doesn't wind up smelling like turkey. (I did put ice in my plastic container, to keep the turkey nice and cold.)

Aha...here's the Food Thread! Pasting this over where it should be!

Happily going to my niece's this year. Most years in the past, my dear sister has hosted, and I have always done everything I can to help her out, starting the day before. Yes, it is a lot of work, but fun to celebrate and work together.

But this year, her 40 yr old (and kids 13, 16, 18 and new SO and extended families) are getting together. I designated myself for two desserts

Most everyone that I know does the usual apple pie, but I like to do an old NEW ENGLAND APPLE PAN DOWDY. And will do a huge APRICOT CREAM PIE.

Apple Pan Dowdy is similar to an apple pie but with no bottom crust. Just loads of sliced apples in a deep dish, with the usual cinn, nutmeg, some sugar (or not), lotsa butter, and THEN molasses dribbled over the apples. Some water (needed to loosen it for later) and I also do a few tablespoons of flour to keep the juices thick. The top crust has been rolled, buttered, rerolled, buttered, rerolled and tucked in on the top.

Once cooked (400 for 10 mn and then 300 for 40) it is then DOWDY'D (for us this is the next day after reheating). Cut in the crust in thick layers (dowdying) into the juicy appled mixture, which then sucks up the juices.

Serve with icecream or whipped cream. YUM!

Apricot Cream Pie is easy.

Bake a bottom crust.

I do a huge one which calls for 1.5 lbs of dried apricots. Adjust for your needs.

2 cups of water or so, with 1 lb of dried apricots in a 2 qt saucepan will be good for normal size crust. Takes about 3/4 hr to absorb. More water or take off the cover if too much water. I do 2.5 cups water and 1.5 lbs of dried apricots and keep it going until they are mushy and stewed.

Then add some sugar and vanilla. When cooled, pour the stewed apricots into the pie shell.

Put in fridge. When cold, top with BIG layer of REAL WHIPPED HEAVY CREAM!

Sit back overstuffed and relish what you just ate!

And here is an offering from Bill H (from the Eric Himy thread)

Sweet Potato Casserole
8 - 10 servings
2 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
3 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans (mom uses about 1/2 cup) Preheat oven to 350°F Cook sweet potatoes in boiling salted water 15 to 20 minutes or until tender; drain Add butter and let stand until melted Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat egg whites and 1/4 cup sugar, and egg yolks until smooth; blend in half-and-half and vanilla. Gently fold beaten egg whites into potatoes. Spoon into greased 2 quart casserole or souffle? dish.
Sprinkle with pecans.
Bake 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

quote:

Originally posted by QuirtEvans:

quote:

Originally posted by Nina:
Those of you who brine your turkeys.... what in heaven's name do you use to contain the little bugger?

I generally end up with a 16-lb. bird, more or less. I figure the bird, plus two gallons+ of the liquid and I'd need a crane to get it into my non-existent big-enough refrigerator.

But I'm curious to try it. Are you guys cheating because you can just leave it outside, in a garbage can or something since you leave in cold-weather climes?

(I remember the first time I went to Thanksgiving at my SIL's in Massachusetts--the beer and soda were chilling on the back deck! What a cool (pardon the pun) idea! Free cold!

Yeah, I keep the brining turkey in my garage. But to make sure that the temp is low enough, I add a couple of bags of ice.

Last year, I used a not-yet-used paint bucket from Home Depot.

This year, I'm using a big plastic storage container.

One suggestion I saw on the interweb is to use a big cooler ... put the turkey and the brining solution in there, and then add ice to keep the temp down. They suggest lining the cooler somehow so it doesn't wind up smelling like turkey. (I did put ice in my plastic container, to keep the turkey nice and cold.)

The temp isn't cold enough to do it outside this year. We actually lined a 5 gallon bucket with a tall kitchen garbage bag, and, believe it or not, found room in the fridge for it. For some bizarre reason I bought a 20 lb turkey this year, and it seems to fit.

The bird plus 4 gallons of water weighs under 50 lbs. We put one gallon of brine in, then lifted it into the fridge, then poured the rest of the brine into the bucket already in the fridge.

I'll let you know if the shelf cracks.

I made up a really yummy dressing with sourdough and whole grain bread (cubed and toasted), caramelized onions and apples (green and red), celery and carrots, cranberries, pecans, fresh sage, thyme, rosemary, and lemon zest. (Held together with chicken stock.)

So good.

And we had extra herbs, so I doctored up the corn pudding with thyme and sage; also delish.

LL: I think I'll make your apricot cream pie for a leftovers party I'm going to tomorrow. Came very close to picking up the apricots today, and I'll regret it tomorrow if I have to brave traffic to pick them up.

quote:

Originally posted by Nina:

quote:

1/2 pund sweed French or Sourdough bread cut into 1/4 ince cubes (8 cups)

Far be it for me to make fun of someone's typing skills, but in this case I'm not actually sure where you were headed with this.

Sweet? Seeded? Swedish?

Sweet.

quote:

Originally posted by Cindysphinx:
Here's my submission. Ask JF how good it is.

**********************

Bourbon Cranberry Sauce

1 pound fresh cranberries
2 cups sugar [I prefer 1.5]
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup bourbon

Mix cranberries, sugar and cinnamon in bowl. Transfer to 9x13 baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Stir, bake another 30 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer to bowl and stir in bourbon immediately. Refrigerate.

Cindy, we miss you.

jf

quote:

Originally posted by Cindysphinx:
Here's my submission. Ask JF how good it is.

**********************

Bourbon Cranberry Sauce

1 pound fresh cranberries
2 cups sugar [I prefer 1.5]
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup bourbon

Mix cranberries, sugar and cinnamon in bowl. Transfer to 9x13 baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Stir, bake another 30 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer to bowl and stir in bourbon immediately. Refrigerate.

Made it every year since 2006 and it is cooking now.

jf, enjoying a glass of Jack, not an every day treat

quote:

Originally posted by piqué:
oh, shoot, well, my recipe is for cranberry sauce, too, but it is my own invention, and it doesn't have white sugar in it.

select several varieties of apples and pears, one of each kind. wash and core and slice up.

put apples, pears, a bag or two of fresh cranberries, and a half cup or so of raisins in a big pot.

cover the ingredients with apple cider with a splash of orange juice and turn on the heat.

add several slices of orange, with the peel left on.

add to your preference:
whole cinnamon sticks
whole cloves
ground ginger
ground nutmeg
whole cardamom pods

allow the mixture to come to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer slowly for a few hours, until all the apples, pears, and cranberries are quasi-dissolved and the raisins are well plumped. add more liquid if needed until the mixture is well jelled.

feel free to add or omit ingredients and change proportions as suits your fancy.

if the mixture is not sweet enough, add a little maple syrup and simmer some more.

Pique that sounds delectable! My only change would be eliminating raisins - just a personal preference (against raisins). I too love chopped fresh oranges including the peel. (Wondering what the cardamon adds. I have some, far from fresh. Wonder what a difference that would make.) I'd think you'd need to strain it, though to avoid choking on the cloves and other solid ingredients (cinnamon sticks and pods).