Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Christmas Season: Tenderloin and Pie

Good afternoon bloggers! I come to you all today with the Christmas season in mind. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, but now it's time to quickly move on to the upcoming holiday and all of the joyous foods that accompany it. I'm starting you all off with a meal that has a Christmas-y note to it and we will finish off with a bang. Before I begin, I would like to take a moment and give you a little background on egg nog. No Christmas would be complete without this treat. Where eggnog gets it's name is debatable, even today. No one is certain where exactly eggnog may have originated from. One thing that we are certain of is, in Britain, the drink was popular among the aristocracy. Dairy and eggs were rarely consumed by the lower classes due to high cost and lack of refrigeration. Those who could afford milk and eggs, mixed it with brandy, sherry, or Madeira to make a drink similar to the modern alcoholic eggnog. The drink crossed the Atlantic Ocean to the English colonies during the 18th century. Okay, now that we know a little about this seasonal favorite, let's get to the grill and make something wonderful to eat!





Cinnamon Pork Tenderloin





You will need:






  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons sherry or chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1.5 teaspoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 pork tenderloins






Ready?






  1. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first six ingredients. 
  2. Add the pork, then seal the bag and turn to coat. 
  3. Refrigerate the meat in the bag for 4 to 6 hours. 
  4. Drain and discard the marinade. 
  5. Grill the pork, covered, over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees, turning occasionally. 
  6. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.
  7. Enjoy!






Let's move on to something everyone enjoys the most... dessert!





Eggnog Pie





You will need:






  • 2 cups eggnog
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 package cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 tablespoon rum or 1/2 teaspoon rum extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 pastry shell, baked
  • Whipped topping







  1. In a large saucepan, cook the eggnog, milk and pudding mix over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. 
  2. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. 
  3. Stir in the rum and nutmeg. 
  4. Pour the pudding mixture into the crust. 
  5. Chill the pie until the pudding mixture is set. 
  6. Garnish with whipped topping and sprinkle with nutmeg if desired.
  7. Enjoy!







I hope you all can take a moment and remember what the Christmas season is all about. Stop into your local Macy's or any other store. They normally post up donation stands or boxes for donated gifts. Share the spirit with a family or children in need this year. I'll be back with more holiday delights soon. Have a great day and happy blogging to all! <3

Monday, November 21, 2011

Thanksgiving Edition: Everything You Need for the Holidays!

Good afternoon bloggers! I come to you all today with apologies and an ENTIRE Thanksgiving meal planned out for you all. I can honestly blame my disappearance on having no life and no time between sick husbands, Thanksgiving shopping and my 2nd anniversary. But not to worry! As I stated before, we have a feast for the entire family to enjoy. It's going to be a long blog, so let's cut the chatter and meet in the kitchen. See you there!





Turkey Roulades





You will need:






  • 1 cup diced and peeled tart apple
  • 1 cup diced fresh mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 5 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
  • Pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 4 turkey breast tenderloins
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs







  1. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute the apple, mushrooms and onion in oil until tender. 
  2. Remove from the heat, then stir in the spinach, lemon juice, lemon peel, 1/4 teaspoon salt and nutmeg. 
  3. Make a lengthwise slit down the center of each tenderloin to within 1/2 inch of the bottom. 
  4. Open the tenderloins so they lie flat and cover with plastic wrap. 
  5. Flatten to 1/4 inch thickness. 
  6. Remove the plastic, then sprinkle the turkey with pepper and remaining salt. 
  7. Spread the spinach mixture over the tenderloins to within 1 inch of the edges. 
  8. Roll the tenderloins jelly-roll style, starting with a short side and tie with kitchen string. 
  9. Place the egg and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. 
  10. Dip the roulades in egg, then roll in crumbs. 
  11. Place the roulades in an 11 inch x 7 inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. 
  12. Bake uncovered, at 375 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees. 
  13. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.
  14. Enjoy!






Ready for more recipes? Great! 





Sweet Potato Casserole





You will need:






  • 6 medium sweet potatoes
  • 1/2 cup butter, cubed
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 can crushed pineapple, drained
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 15 large marshmallows







  1. Place sweet potatoes in a large kettle and cover with water, then bring to a boil. 
  2. Boil gently until the potatoes can easily be pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 30 to 45 minutes. 
  3. Drain and cool slightly. 
  4. Peel the potatoes and place in a large bowl, then mash. 
  5. Stir in butter and sugar until the butter is melted. 
  6. Add pineapple, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg and salt. 
  7. Spoon the sweet potatoes into a greased 2 quart baking dish. 
  8. Top with marshmallows. 
  9. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
  10. Enjoy!






Here's another recipe...





Green Bean Casserole





You will need:






  • 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2  packages frozen cut green beans, thawed
  • 1.33 (One and One Third) cups French Fried Onions







  1. Mix the soup, milk and pepper in a 1.5 quart baking dish. 
  2. Stir in the green beans and 2/3 cup French Fried Onions. 
  3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot. 
  4. Stir well and top with the remaining 2/3 cup onions. 
  5. Bake for 5 more minutes until the onions are golden. 
  6. Enjoy!






Sausage, Apple, and Cranberry Stuffing





You will need:






  • 1.5 cups cubed whole wheat bread
  • 3.75 cups cubed white bread
  • 1 pound ground turkey sausage
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 3/4 cup chopped celery
  • 2.5 teaspoons dried sage
  • 1.5 teaspoons dried rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped
  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
  • 1 cooked turkey liver, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup turkey stock
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted







  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
  2. Spread the white and whole wheat bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. 
  3. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until evenly toasted. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl. 
  4. In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned. 
  5. Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme, then cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to blend the flavors. 
  6. Pour the sausage mixture over the bread in the bowl. 
  7. Mix in the chopped apples, dried cranberries, parsley, and liver. 
  8. Drizzle with turkey stock and melted butter, and mix lightly. 
  9. Place in a bowl and cover to keep warm.
  10. Enjoy!






Cranberry Sauce





You will need:






  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1 package fresh cranberries







  1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice. 
  2. Stir in the cranberries, and cook until they start to pop, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and transfer to a bowl. 
  3. The Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.
  4. Enjoy!






I hope you all had a blast cooking with me tonight. I will catch you on the flip side. If I'm not around before the holidays, may you all have a Happy Thanksgiving and be prepared for Christmas treats coming soon! Happy blogging to all! <3

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Thanksgiving Edition: Orange Glazed Turkey Breasts

Good evening bloggers! Welcome to another wonderful edition of Everyday Meals. I'm your hostess with the mostest, Mandie. We are continuing our Thanksgiving adventures tonight. Before we begin, we are going to take a stroll into our classroom and learn a little bit about the origin of Thanksgiving. Please, take a seat and stay tuned! Thanksgiving traces back to 1621 at a celebration in Plymouth in present-day Massachusetts. The Plymouth colony did not have enough food to feed half of the 102 colonists, so the Wampanoag Native Americans helped the Pilgrims by providing seeds and teaching them to fish. As for the date of Thanksgiving, in the era of the Founding Fathers until the time of Lincoln, many states had decided on various dates for Thanksgiving. The first Thanksgiving celebrated on the same day in all of the United States was in 1863 by presidential proclamation. How interesting is that? Okay, enough with the history lessons. I think it's time for us to get into the kitchen and start prepping for our Thanksgiving feast!






Orange Glazed Turkey Breasts





You will need:





  • 1 turkey breast, bone-in, about 5 to 7 pounds
  • vegetable oil
  • salt and pepper
For the Glaze
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 6 ounces orange juice concentrate
  • 2 tablespoons sweet orange marmalade
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger





Ready?





  1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Rub the turkey breast lightly with vegetable oil.
  3. Sprinkle the turkey breast with salt and pepper.
  4. Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan.
  5. Roast for about 2 to 3.25 hours, depending on size of the turkey breast.
  6. A meat thermometer will reach 170 degrees when the turkey is done.
  7. If necessary, tent with a piece of buttered or oiled foil during the last hour.
  8. For the Glaze: In a small saucepan combine all of the glaze ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
  9. Baste with glaze a few times the last 20 minutes of cooking time.
  10. Let the turkey stand for 10 minutes before carving.
  11. Enjoy!








I hope you all had a blast learning another fabulous Thanksgiving recipe. I will catch you all on the flip side. Have a great weekend and happy blogging to all! <3

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Thanksgiving Edition: Meals for the Masses

Good morning bloggers! Welcome to a brand new Thanksgiving edition of Everyday Meals. Today, we have a special treat. Normally, I would post one recipe for the entire family to prepare, but not today. In order to fully comprehend what I'm getting at, let me explain. This upcoming Thanksgiving, I decided to split from the normal and prepare Thanksgiving for just my husband and I. It'll be our first holiday cooking together and I really enjoyed the idea of this. However, I know you all have families of your own and relatives who will be joining you for the holidays, so in respect of that, we have a full-sized turkey for the bigger crowds and a meal perfect for only a handful. Let's get in the kitchen and start prepping these birds!





Herb Roasted Turkey with Apples and Root Vegetables





You will need:






  • Olive Oil No-Stick Cooking Spray
  • 1 (10 to 14 pound) whole turkey, thawed if frozen, giblets removed
  • 1/2 cup 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves, crushed
  • 3 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 4 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
  • 6 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
  • 2 large red cooking apples, such as Gala
  • 3/4 cup pecan halves






Ready?






  1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. 
  2. Coat a roasting pan with olive oil no-stick cooking spray. 
  3. Rinse the turkey with cold water and pat dry. 
  4. Place the turkey breast side up in the prepared pan. 
  5. Whisk olive oil with thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, garlic powder, pepper and paprika in small bowl until blended. 
  6. Reserve 1/4 cup olive oil mixture for the vegetables and 1 tablespoon to brush the turkey with after roasting. 
  7. Brush turkey with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil mixture, discarding any not used. 
  8. Roast the turkey for 3 to 3.5 hours or as recommended on the turkey packaging. 
  9. Insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast. 
  10. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. 
  11. Begin preparing vegetables about 30 minutes before the turkey will be done. 
  12. Combine sweet potatoes and parsnips in large microwave-safe bowl. 
  13. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes. 
  14. Stir and cover the vegetables, then microwave on HIGH for an additional 5 minutes. 
  15. Coat TWO (2) 15x10 inch baking pans with olive oil no-stick cooking spray. Stir the reserved 1/4 cup olive oil mixture, brown sugar and 1 teaspoon salt with the hot vegetables until evenly coated. 
  16. Core the unpeeled apples and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices, then cut in half cross-wise. 
  17. Add the apples and pecans with the vegetables and toss to coat. 
  18. Layer the mixture evenly in the prepared baking pans. 
  19. Remove the turkey from the oven. 
  20. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees. 
  21. Brush the turkey with reserved 1 tablespoon olive oil mixture. 
  22. Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes. 
  23. Roast the vegetables for 15 to 20 minutes or until fork tender. 
  24. Place the turkey in center of large serving platter. 
  25. Arrange the roasted vegetables around turkey. 
  26. Serve with pan drippings, if desired.
  27. Enjoy!







Are you still with me? Great! Let's continue now.





Cornish Hens with Almond Stuffing





You will need:






  • 1 celery rib, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 2 cups crushed seasoned stuffing
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 Cornish game hens
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/8 teaspoon paprika







  1. In a large skillet, saute the celery and onion in 1 tablespoon butter until tender. 
  2. Stir in the stuffing, broth, almonds, parsley, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. 
  3. Spoon about 1 cup stuffing mixture into each hen and tie the legs together with kitchen string. 
  4. Place the hens breast side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, then cover with foil. 
  5. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. 
  6. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the remaining butter with garlic and paprika. 
  7. Uncover the hens and baste with butter mixture. 
  8. Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes longer or until the juices run clear and a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees for hens and 165 degrees for the stuffing.
  9. Enjoy!






As we can all tell, this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to holiday cooking. Kudos to you people who pull this off yearly! You can't hear my round of applause, but it's there. I will be back soon with more Thanksgiving recipes and ideas for everyone. Happy blogging to all! <3

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Thanksgiving Edition: Elegant Turkey Wellington

Good evening bloggers! Welcome to a brand new Thanksgiving edition of Everyday Meals. I'm your happy hostess, Mandie. From now until Thanksgiving, we will be prepairing meals fit for the upcoming holiday. Today, we will be preparing an elegant twist on Wellington. When people think of Wellington, it's an automatic response to think of beef Wellington. We will not be using beef tonight, but turkey instead. Before we begin, we will have a little history lesson. The origin of the name, beef Wellington, is unclear. Most theories point to Arthur Wellesley, the 1st Duke of Wellington. The earliest accounts of beef Wellington were in 1966 in a cookbook. The term "Wellington" is sometimes referred to informally to describe other dishes in which meat is baked in a puff pastry, such as our own today. Now that we've taken a moment and learned something new, let's get in the kitchen and make something fantastic!





Elegant Turkey Wellington





You will need:






  • 1 package frozen puff pastry
  • 1 cup dried wild mushrooms, diced
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon tarragon
  • 4 turkey breast cutlets
  • 1 tub herb-flavored cream cheese
  • 1 egg, beaten

For the Sauce:

  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 3/4 cup canned cranberry sauce






Ready?






  1. Thaw the puff pastry according to package directions. 
  2. Place the diced mushrooms in 1 cup of broth to re-hydrate. 
  3. Place the onions, 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 teaspoon salt in a pan. 
  4. Cook the onions for 10 minutes at medium temperature, adding water if needed. 
  5. Add the mushrooms and the tarragon in with the soaking broth. 
  6. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes or until all the liquid is evaporated and the onions are caramelized.
  7. Season the turkey cutlets with salt and pepper. 
  8. Cut the cutlets in half. 
  9. Place the turkey in a skillet with 1 tablespoon of butter and brown on each side, then remove from the pan. 
  10. Cut the puff pastry into 4 pieces, saving some pastry for decoration. 
  11. Place 1/4 of caramelized onions and mushroom mixture on top of each piece of puff pastry. 
  12. Place one piece of turkey on top, followed by 2 tablespoons of cheese. Top with a second piece of turkey. 
  13. Fold the sides of pastry towards the middle and moisten, then press to seal. 
  14. Turn the pastry over, place in shallow baking pan and brush with beaten egg. 
  15. To decorate, cut leaves from the leftover pastry by using a small cookie cutter. 
  16. Attach to the center top of pastry and brush with egg. 
  17. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden. 
  18. To create the sauce, add wine, balsamic vinegar and 1 cup chicken broth to a sauce pan. 
  19. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half. 
  20. Swirl in the cranberry sauce to finish. 
  21. To assemble, spoon 1/4 of the cranberry sauce in the center of plate, followed by the pastry-wrapped turkey.
  22. Enjoy!







I hope you all had a blast preparing this dish. I know it was a little tougher than our other dishes, but rest assured, your significant other (or friends) will enjoy this dish. I will be back soon with more Thanksgiving inspired dishes. Have a fantastic evening and happy blogging to all! <3