AuthorHouse and the Food Network have more in common than you might think. Whereas AuthorHouse leads the indie book revolution that provides everyone with the opportunity to become a published author, Food Network has brought fine cuisine from exclusive, cost prohibitive, make-your-reservation-a-year-in-advance restaurants and put in on the kitchen tables of the masses. A writer's story is no longer held at the mercy of a publisher's whim nor are our taste buds held to ransom by executive chefs.
There is no excuse therefore for you and your family not to enjoy a gourmet Thanksgiving Dinner this year. Even if you are in the midst of your NaNoWriMo challenge, you can still prepare a sumptuous feast to delight your clan's palates and bring their epicurean fantasies to life.
"How?" you say. Well, here are a few ideas for you.
The Turkey
Let's start with the centerpiece of the show, the turkey. A third of the United States' annual turkey consumption occurs on Thanksgiving Day. So why not make yours one of the most delicious in the land? Here's how you can in just two-and-a-half hours:
Ingredients
• 1 frozen young turkey
For the brine:
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 gallon vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
• 1 gallon heavily iced water
For the aromatics:
• 1 red apple, sliced
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup water
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 6 leaves sage
• Canola oil
Directions
2 to 3 days before Thanksgiving:
Keep at 38 degrees F in a refrigerator or cooler to thaw.
Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a pot over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until everything is dissolved and then bring it to a boil. Remove brine from heat and cool to room temperature. Keep in the refrigerator.
The night before Thanksgiving:
Combine brine, water and ice in bucket. Place turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine, making sure the bird is fully immersed. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 16 hours. Turn the bird once half way through brining.
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Remove bird from brine and rinse with cold water.
Place bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan. Dry using paper towels.
Combine apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add aromatics to turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck wings underneath the bird and coat skin with canola oil.
Roast turkey on oven's lowest level at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Guide: a 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest for 15 minutes before carving.
The Stuffing
Sausage Cornbread Stuffing in just 45 minutes:
Ingredients
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, small dice
• 3 ribs celery, small dice
• Kosher salt
• 1 pound spicy sausage, casing removed, broken into bite-size chunks
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed and finely diced
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 10 sage leaves, finely chopped
• 3 sprigs rosemary, leaves finely chopped
• 10 cups stale cornbread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 cups dried cranberries
• 3 to 4 cups chicken stock
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Coat with olive oil, add onions and celery and sauté over medium heat. Season with salt and cook until vegetables become soft. Add sausage and cook until it starts to brown. Stir in garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add walnuts, sage and rosemary and cook for an additional minute. Remove from heat.
Mix cornbread, cranberries, and sausage mixture. Add chicken stock and knead with hands until bread is wet. Taste for seasoning.
Bake stuffing until hot all the way through and crusty on top.
Side Dishes
Brussels Sprouts in just 10 minutes:
Ingredients
• 1 pound Brussels sprouts
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
Cut off stem end of Brussels sprouts. Cut in half and place Brussels sprouts, water and salt into a covered saucier. Place over high heat for 5 minutes.
Spinach Salad in just 22 minutes
Ingredients
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 2 pounds triple washed spinach, stems removed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, quartered lengthwise
• Parmigiano-Reggiano
Directions
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add bacon, reserve the crispy bacon bits and add shallots and garlic. Cook 4 minutes then deglaze pan with vinegar, turn spinach into pan and wilt down. Do not fully cook the spinach. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Place spinach on a serving dish and top with quartered eggs, cheese and bacon bits.
Cranberry Sauce in just 30 minutes:
Ingredients
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 bag fresh cranberries
• 1 cup chopped apple
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup Grand Marnier
• 1/2 orange, juiced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Directions
Cranberry Sauce in just 30 minutes:
Ingredients
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 bag fresh cranberries
• 1 cup chopped apple
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup Grand Marnier
• 1/2 orange, juiced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Directions
Combine sugar and water and bring to boil. Add cranberries and return to boil, then lower heat to let liquid simmer. Add apples, walnuts, raisins, Grand Marnier, orange and lemon juices, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook for 5 minutes.
Dessert
Pumpkin Chiffon Pie in just 20 minutes:
Ingredients
• 1 frozen deep-dish pie crust
• 32 jumbo marshmallows
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12-ounce container whipped topping
• Cinnamon
Directions
Bake pie crust according to directions on the package.
Over low heat, combine marshmallows and pumpkin puree. Stir constantly until marshmallows melt. Stir in spice and salt.
Stir in half of the whipped topping once mixture has cooled completely. Pour filling into pie crust. Top with remaining whipped topping and garnish with cinnamon.
So now you can prepare a Thanksgiving Dinner fir for a King. And Queen, princes, princesses, Dukes, Earls, Viscounts and anyone else who is coming over for dinner.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving, we certainly will be here at AuthorHouse.
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