After Thanksgiving Turkey Gravy

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 large turkey wing

1 medium onion, quartered

2 carrots, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

1 head garlic, split through the equator

1 tsp. sage

1 tsp. Thyme

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

6 cups chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the wing, onion, celery, garlic, and herbs, and cook for 5 minutes. Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and place over medium heat. Remove the wing and set aside. Add the flour and let cook for about 1 minute. Add the stock and simmer until it has reduced by about 1/4, about 15 minutes. Strain the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. 

Herbed Stuffing

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

2 large onions, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 apple, chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 ½ tsp. dried thyme

1 ½ tsp. dried marjoram

1 ½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. crumbled dried sage leaves

½  tsp. dried rosemary leaves

½ tsp. black pepper

1 lb. of stuffing cubes or 12 packed cups stale Italian or French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 to 1 ½  cups turkey or chicken stock

Directions:

In large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, celery & apple. Cook, stirring often, until onions are softened, 5 to 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and add parsley, thyme, marjoram, salt, sage, rosemary and pepper.

In large bowl, mix bread cubes with onion mixture. Add stock to moisten. Pack stuffing lightly into buttered slow cooker.

Cover and cook on high setting 1 hour, then reduce to low setting for 3 to 4 hours or until heated through (the slow cooker will keep the Stuffing warm for a few hours).

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

4 lbs. of baking potatoes

½ cup of Parmesan Cheese

½ cup of well-done bacon, crumbled

1 cup sour cream

1 cup of milk

¼ tsp. pepper

1 ½ tsp. of salt

Additional ingredients: (You can add or omit as you choose)

1 large onion caramelized

Use blue cheese or asiago cheese

 

Directions:

Cut potatoes in to eighths. Place in large sauce pan, cover with water and bring to boil over high heat. Simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain and return to sauce pan.

First begin to mash the potatoes with mixer or hand masher. Add in all ingredients and blend until smooth.

Place in baking dish, top with the same cheese used, bacon and bake for 20 minutes or until top gets a golden brown.

Bourbon Balls

Ingredients:

3 C. finely crushed vanilla wafers (about 75)

2 C. confectioners' sugar

1 C. finely chopped nuts

1/4 C. cocoa

1/2 C. bourbon

1/4 C. light corn syrup

Directions:

Granulated or confectioners' sugar

Mix crushed wafers, confectioners' sugar, pecans and cocoa in large bowl. Stir

in bourbon and corn syrup. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated

or confectioners' sugar. Cover tightly and refrigerate several days before

serving. Makes about 60 candies.

Chocolate Dipped Bananas

Ingredients:

4 bananas, peeled

1 hershey bar or cup of chips or a jar of hot fudge

1 cup of sliced almonds or nut of your choice

Directions:

I break up the hershey bar and put in a glass bowl in microwave and begin to melt. I usually put on for 1 minute and its done, but all microwaves are different. Keep an eye on it as you don't want chocolate to explode all over the microwave. Place each banana on a place and pour over the melted chocolate and sprinkle the almonds on top. If you are using the jar of hot fudge, you can just dip the banana inside of the jar. Now thats easy and what I did because I decided I wanted to eat the candy bar a few minutes early.

You can either serve this warm or chilled. If you chill it the chocolate will harden up and be great as well. 

Hot Tanqueray Cider

This recipes if for 4 mugs of Hot Tanqueray Cider. An adult beverage to keep you warm on these cold winter nights.

Ingredients:

5 oz. of Tangueray Gin

2 oz. of lemon juice

2 oz. of simple syrup

1 tbsp. of bitters

1 cup of hot apple cider

cinnamon sticks

I like to use glass coffee mugs, but anything you have. I large pitcher add Tangueray, lemon juice, simple syrup and bitters. Pour into mugs 3/4 of the way and then add in hot cider and a few cinnamon sticks.

Rosemary Turkey

Ingredients:

3/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic

2 tablespoons chopped fresh or ground rosemary

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or ground

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend

1 teaspoon ground black pepper salt to taste

1 (12-14 pound) whole turkey

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, basil, Italian seasoning blend, black pepper and salt. Set aside. Wash the turkey inside and out; pat dry. Remove any bags of turkey parts. Loosen the skin from the breast. This is done by slowly working your fingers between the breast and the skin. Work it loose to the end of the drumstick, being careful not to tear the skin. Using your hands spread a generous amount of the rosemary mixture under the breast skin and down the thigh and leg. Rub the remainder of the rosemary mixture over the outside of the breast. Use toothpicks to seal skin over any exposed breast meat.

Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan. Add about 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the pan. Roast in the preheated oven 3 to 4 hours, or until the internal temperature of the bird reaches 180 degrees F. Most turkeys have thermometers, so you will know when turkey is done.