Sizzlin Chef » Thanksgiving

Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic Butter

admin — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 11:29:40 +0000

Definitely the best mashed potato recipe I’ve made. The garlic flavor is strong, but not at all overpowering. I didn’t have to peel the potatoes, which made me happy, and I made the garlic butter hours in advance which made the last minute prep easy. You can make the garlic butter ahead and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
Ingredients

Garlic butter
2 whole garlic heads
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 Tbsp finely chopped shallots
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

Potatoes
2 1/2 pounds cubed Yukon gold or red potato
1/3 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsps chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350F.

To prepare garlic butter, remove white papery skin from garlic heads (do not peel or separate the cloves). Wrap each head separately in foil. Bake at 350F for 45 minutes; cool 10 minutes
.
Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins. Combine garlic pulp, butter, shallots, and rosemary.
To prepare potatoes, place potato in a saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes or until tender.

Drain and return potato to pan. Add broth and buttermilk; mash to desired consistency. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly. Stir in garlic butter, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Makes 8 servings

Herbed Bread Stuffing with Mushrooms and Sausage

admin — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:23:36 +0000

This Christmas, spice up your stuffing by making your own bread cubes. It’s easy and the delicious results are well worth it. You can prepare the toasted bread cubes two to three days before Thanksgiving; store at room temperature in a zip-top plastic bag. If there’s space in the oven, bake the stuffing while the turkey roasts. Otherwise, bake it in the morning, and reheat it while the turkey stands.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds peasant-style white bread
4 (4-ounce) links sweet turkey Italian sausage
2 teaspoons butter
1 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered
Cooking spray
2 cups chopped onion
1 1/4 cups chopped carrot
1 1/4 cups chopped celery
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 Tbsp minced fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Directions
Preheat oven to 400F.

Trim crust from bread. Cut bread into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on 2 jelly-roll pans. Bake at 400F for 10 minutes or until toasted.

Reduce oven temperature to 350F.

Cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 10 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan; cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Melt butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; saute 4 minutes. Combine bread cubes, sausage, and mushrooms in a large bowl.
Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, carrot, and celery; saute 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add parsley, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper; sauté 1 minute. Add to bread mixture. Combine eggs and broth, stirring with a whisk. Add to bread mixture; toss to coat. Spoon into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until browned.

Makes 12 servings

Pumpkin Pie with Island Flair

admin — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:42:12 +0000

Ingredients

1/2 cup whole eggs
7 oz. light brown sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
1 1/4 tsp ginger, ground powder
1/3 tsp cloves, ground
22 oz fresh pumpkin puree, peeled and boiled or steamed
(may substitute 22 oz canned pumpkin puree)
6 oz sour cream
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
Crust
2 1/2 cups of Graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
5 oz. butter
Pam spray, as needed
Cinnamon Creme Anglaise
5 oz Vanilla Pudding powder
2 cups cold water
2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup Amaretto
3/4 tsp cinnamon, ground

Directions
Preheat oven to 250F.

To make crust, mix cracker crumbs and brown sugar in bowl. Melt butter and add to mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Spray 9″ spring form pan with Pam spray.
Place crumbs into pan. Press firmly against bottom and three-quarters of the way up the sides of pan.
To prepare pie, place the eggs into a bowl and using a wire whip, beat the eggs lightly.
Add light brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves to the beaten eggs. Use the wire whip and mix until all the ingredients are evenly blended and the eggs are foamy. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl.
Add the pumpkin puree and sour cream, and mix with the wire whip until everything is blended.
Slowly add the evaporated milk while mixing with the wire whip.

Pour filling mixture into the prepared Graham cracker crust.
Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven at 250ÂºF for two to three hours. Check by inserting a toothpick in center. When it comes out clean, the pie is done.
Transfer pie to rack and cool.

Cinnamon Creme Anglaise
Place the Vanilla Pudding powder in a large stainless steel mixing bowl. Pour water over the powder. Mix with a hand mixer on low speed for one minute.
Using a rubber spatula, scrape the sides of the bowl. Turn the mixer on high speed and mix for three more minutes.
Using a rubber spatula, scrape the sides of the bowl. Turn the mixer on low speed and slowly pour in the cream and then the Amaretto and cinnamon, while constantly mixing. Mix until thoroughly blended and smooth.
Heat the Cinnamon Creme Anglaise in the microwave for 10 seconds. Pour it over the pie and top with a tower of whipped cream.