Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie

 Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (2.5 oz / 71g) 
• 1/3 cup honey (4 oz/ 113g) 
• 3/4 cup heavy cream (6 oz /170g), at room temperature 
• 4 large eggs (7 oz /200g), at room temperature 
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar (1.8 oz /50g) 
• 1 (15oz/ 425g) can unsweetened pumpkin puree 
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1 teaspoon  kosher salt (0.11 oz /3g) 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Brown the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat.  
3. Add honey and cook until it darkens some and you smell a savory nutty flavor. 
4. Remove from heat and slowly add the cream.
5. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. 
6. Add the brown sugar to the eggs and whisk until slightly lightened in color and foamy.
7. Add the pumpkin to the egg/sugar, then add the salt, spices and vanilla extract. Whisk really well to incorporate.
8. Slowly add the hot mixture to the egg mixture. Whisk as you add. 
9. Pout into your pie crust and bake at 325° for 45-60 minutes. 
10. It's done when the entire surface has puffed and is slightly domed and there is a slight wobble still in the pie. 

 

Pomegranate Margarita

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup pomegranate juice
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/3 cup tequila
• 2 tsp agave (add more if you like it sweeter)

Directions:

1. shake, shake, shake 
2. serve over ice with a sugar/salt rim

Thanksgiving Turkey

Ingredients:

• Turkey (12-14 lbs)
• Salt & Pepper
• Sage
• Olive oil/butter

Directions:

1. With turkey breast side up, using boning or paring knife, cut through skin around leg quarter where it attaches to breast. Bend leg back to pop leg bone out of socket. Cut through joint to separate leg quarter. Repeat to remove second leg quarter. Working with 1 leg quarter at a time and with skin side down, use tip of knife to cut along sides of thighbone to expose bone, then slide knife under bone to free meat. Without severing skin, cut joint between thigh and leg and remove thighbone. Reserve thighbones for gravy.
2. Rub interior of each thigh with ½ teaspoon sage, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Truss each thigh closed using wooden skewers and kitchen twine. Place leg quarters on large plate, cover, and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours.
3. Using kitchen shears, cut through ribs following vertical line of fat where breast meets back, from tapered end of breast to wing joint. Using your hands, bend back away from breast to pop shoulder joint out of socket. Cut through joint between bones to separate back from breast. Reserve back for gravy. Trim excess fat from breast. Dissolve ¾ cup salt in 6 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge breast in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours.
4. Remove breast from brine and pat dry with paper towels (leave leg quarters in refrigerator). Tuck wings behind back. Brush surface with 2 teaspoons oil. Place turkey breast skin side down in a hot skillet and roast in oven for 30 minutes at 425 degrees.
5. Remove breast from oven and, using 2 wads of paper towels, flip breast and place in roasting pan. Arrange leg quarters on the pan and brush with oil.  Lightly season breast and leg quarters with salt. Tuck any large sections of exposed stuffing under bird so most of stuffing is covered by turkey. Transfer pan to oven and cook for 30 minutes.
6. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue to roast until thickest part of breast registers 160 to 165 degrees and thickest part of thigh registers 175 to 180 degrees, 40 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes longer. Transfer breast and leg quarters to cutting board and let rest for 30 minutes.
7. Carve and serve.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds Russet Or Yukon Gold Potatoes, Peeled And Rinsed
• 3 heads To 5 Heads Roasted Garlic
• 1-1/2 stick Regular Salted Butter (3/4 Cup)
• 8 ounces, plain Greek Yogurt
• 1/2 cup Or So Half-and-half or other cream
• Salt To Taste
• Black Pepper To Taste

Directions: 

1. Cut the peeled potatoes into pieces and cook in boiling water until fork-tender. 
2. Drain water and return to pot, and mash potatoes with a masher, not a hand mixer, until lots of the steam has escaped.
3. Next, mash in softened butter, cream cheese, half-and-half, and salt to taste. 
4. Dump in three to five heads of roasted garlic cloves; stir together, then check seasoning. Be sure to salt adequately.
5. Add some fresh ground black pepper, and serve with one or two roasted garlic cloves on top.

Homemade Pie Crust

Ingredients:

• 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• 3/4 cup  coconut oil (should be solid at room temperature, chill if your house is warm)
• 1/2 - ice water

Directions:

1. Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add cold unsalted butter and shortening. Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut the butter and shortening until the mixture resembled coarse meal.
2. Slowly drizzle in the very cold water 1 Tablespoon at a time, stirring with a large spatula after every Tablespoon of water that you add. You  may need up to 2/3 cup of ice water. Do not add any more water than you need to. Stop adding water when the dough begins to clump. I usually use around 1/2 cup.
3. Roll out the dough on a floured work surface. The dough should come together easily and should not feel overly sticky. Form the dough into a ball. Divide in half. Flatten each half into 1-inch thick discs using your hands. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks).
4. Proceed with the pie per your recipe's instructions.

Shiitake-Mushroom Stuffing with Sausage and Cherries

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large onions, chopped (6 cups)
• 4 leeks, white and pale-green parts only, quartered, finely chopped, and rinsed well (5 cups)
• 1 bunch celery, finely chopped (4 cups)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms or other 'exotic' blend
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
• 10 cups dried white Pullman bread or sandwich bread, crusts removed, bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes (from 2 loaves)
• 2 cups dried cherries, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 2 cups homemade vegetable or chicken stock
• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 

Directions:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium heat. Add onions, leeks, celery, and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent and tender, about 20 minutes.
   
2. Add mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a plate, and let stand until cool, about 5 minutes. (Onion-mushroom mixture can be refrigerated overnight.)
   
3. Return skillet to medium heat. Stir in sausage, and cook, breaking into small pieces, until browned, about 9 minutes. Remove from skillet using a slotted spoon, and transfer to paper-towel-lined plates. Let drain. (Sausage can be refrigerated overnight.)
   
4. Combine onion-mushroom mixture, bread, cherries, sage, and thyme in a large bowl. Just before baking, pour stock and melted butter over top of mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine.
   
5. Let stuffing stand for 10 minutes, allowing bread to soak up liquid.
   
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Transfer stuffing to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, and bake until top is crisp and stuffing is heated through, 45 to 50 minutes. Serve warm.

 

Nonny's mashed potatoes

• 5 lbs potatoes
• 1 cup sour cream
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1/4 tsp salt and pepper
• 1 clove garlic, mashed
• 2 Tbsp butter

1. Set oven to 350.
2. Peel, chop and boil potatoes until tender.
3. Soften cream cheese and butter.
4. Drain potatoes when done and blend with remaining ingredients.
5. Bake for 30 minutes.

Zwieback

Zwieback or 'Double Buns' are a great favorite among the 'Russian' Mennonites, as well as any visiting friend. These buns are usually baked on Saturday to be served for Vaspa or lunch on Sunday. The dough for Zwieback must be kneaded well to give a good texture to the buns.

Years ago Zwieback were always served for weddings and for the fellowship hour following funerals. To some extent, this custom is still kept up in some Mennonite communities, and Zwieback are making a 'come back' in other circles of Mennonite ethnic groups. Zwieback are usually served with cheese, lump sugar, and coffee. Dunking them is also a special treat! (excerpt from The Melting Pot of Mennonite Cookery, 1974, Mennonite Press, North Newton Kansas)

Ingredients:

• 2 cup milk
• 2/3 cup butter
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 packages yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 tsp sugar
• ~6 cups flour

Directions:

1. Scald the milk and add butter, oil, salt and 2 Tbl. sugar. Let cool.
2. Dissolve yeast in the warm water, then add 1 tsp. sugar. Let sit for a few minutes. 
3. Add the dissolved yeast and 4 cups flour to the milk mixture. Mix well. 
4. Add additional flour until dough is smooth. 
5. Let rise until double, about an hour. 
6. Pinch off small portions of dough and form into balls the size of a small egg. 
7. Place on greased cookie sheet and let rise until doubled. 
8. Place a smaller ball on top of a larger ball.
9. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. 
10. Eat hot with apricot preserves!

Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie

 Ingredients:

• 2 cups canned pumpkin purée
• 1 1/2 cup heavy cream or 1 12 oz. can of evaporated milk (cream tastes MUCH better)
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs plus the yolk of a third egg
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest
• 1 pie crust
• 1 16 oz carton of heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup real maple syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F
2. Mix sugars, salt, and spices, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Beat the eggs and add to the bowl. Stir in the pumpkin purée. Stir in cream. Whisk all together until well incorporated.
3. Pour into pie shell and bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes reduce the temperature to 350°F. Bake 40-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
4. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. Note that the pumpkin pie will come out of the oven all puffed up (from the leavening of the eggs), and will deflate as it cools.
5. Put 16 oz heavy whipping cream into a bowl or stand mixer. 
6. Add 1/4 cup maple syrup.
7. Beat on high for 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form. 
8. Serve pie with whipped cream!

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:
Crispy Onions

• 2 medium yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced (use a mandoline if you have one)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons panko or plain breadcrumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Canola, safflower, peanut or other high-heat oil, for deep-frying

Mushroom Sauce

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 12 oz baby portabella mushrooms, thinly sliced or coarsely chopped
• Few gratings fresh nutmeg (optional)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon table salt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 lbs fresh green beans trimmed

Directions:

1. 1 to 1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed and halved
2. Toss onion with flour, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. 
3. Heat a 1/2-inch or so of oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet. 
4. Fry until a light golden brown. Remove and place on plate with paper towel. Set aside.
5. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
6. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and boil greens for 5 minutes.
7. Drain beans, then plunge them into ice water to full stop them from cooking. Drain again, and set aside
8. Over medium-high heat, melt butter in the bottom of a 12-inch cast iron skillet. 
9. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and saute them until they start releasing their liquid, anywhere from 3 to 5 minutes. 
10. Add the garlic and saute one minute more. Add the flour and stir it until it fully coats the mushrooms. Add the broth, stirring the whole time. 
11. Simmer mixture for 1 minute, then add cream and bring back to a simmer, cooking until the sauce thickens. Stir frequently.
12. Add cooked greens beans to sauce and stir until they are coated. Sprinkle crispy onions over the top. Bake for 15 minutes, or until sauce is bubbling and onions are a shade darker 

Sweet Potato Casserole

(I tried to get a good picture, but I turned around for a second and someone had already swiped some!)

This is honestly the best sweet potato casserole I've ever had. I think you could actually classify this as a desert. This isn't your ordinary throw-marshmellows-on-top casserole, this one has class.

Ingredients:
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes (wash, don't pierce, place on a cookie sheet and bake at 425 degrees for about an hour. If they are soft at that point, cook for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. The pulp should be shrinking away from the outer skin and sugar should be leaking through)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
2 eggs well beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk (as always whole is best)
pinch of salt

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar firmly packed
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup shopped pecans

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients together.
2. Pout into casserole dish that has been greased.
3. Crumble topping on.
4. Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.
5. Enjoy!

Cranberry Sauce

Just in time for Thanksgiving! This recipe is based on a Food & Wine recipe I found about eight years ago. I never liked cranberry sauce until I made this and now I adore it. Serve the sauce warm or at room temperature; you can make this ahead of time and store it refrigerated for up to two weeks.

Ingredients:

½ C port (I've used tawny and ruby port and generally prefer a ruby port)
½ C raspberry juice (cran-raspberry is fine)
12 ounces fresh cranberries
¾ C sugar

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the port and juice and bring to a boil.
2. Add the cranberries and sugar and simmer over moderately low heat until the sauce is jam-like and most of the berries have popped, about 25 minutes.
3. Enjoy!