A Thanksgiving Feast

Bring your elastic pants to Recipe Club this time! I think you'll LOVE Anna Kate's selections!

Rachael Ray’s Stuffed Baby Bellas

16 baby portabella mushrooms (creminis)
1 pound ground chicken or turkey breast
1 teaspoon fennel seed, 1/3 palmful
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
1 lemon, zested
1 cup shredded asiago cheese
½ cup breadcrumbs, a couple handfuls
1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and wrung dry in a clean kitchen towel
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoons EVOO
¼ cup pine nuts or chopped almonds

Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth. Remove the stems and finely chop them. Preheat the oven to 400. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat, fennel seed, onion, garlic, lemon zest, half of the cheese, the chopped mushroom stems, breadcrumbs and spinach and season with salt and pepper. Brush lightly with EVOO and stuff the mixture into the caps.
Arrange the caps on a rimmed baking sheet or in a baking dish. Leave some room around each mushroom to prevent the caps from getting steamy. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and the nuts on the caps and transfer to the oven. Bake until the mushrooms are tender and the filling is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Serve warm.


Cat Cora’s Southern Cornbread

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plush more for the pan
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup yellow cornmeal
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk (shake before measuring)
2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 425 and position a rack in the middle. Butter an 8-inch-square baking pan.
Melt the butter in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish in three 15-second intervals on high or in a small pan on the stove. Set it aside to cool.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and the eggs. Add the melted butter. Add the flour-cornmeal mixture and stir just until combined. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake until the cornbread just begins to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 23 minutes. Cool for about 10 minutes before serving.


Paula Deen’s Smoky Cheese-Bacon Loaves

¼ cup butter
1 Vidalia onion, finely chopped
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded smoked white Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese
2 cups whole milk
1 cup sour cream
½ cup butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

In a medium skillet, melt ¼ cup butter over medium heat. Add onion, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until onion is tender. Increase heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes or until onion is lightly browned. Remove from heat, and cool slightly.
Preheat oven to 350. Spray 6 (6x3-inch) miniature loaf pans with nonstick baking spray with flour.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add cheeses, stirring to combine.
In a medium bowl, combine milk, sour cream, ½ cup melted butter, and eggs. Add to flour mixture, stirring until dry ingredients are combined. Stir in bacon and caramelized onions. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.


Alton Brown’s Good Eats Roast Turkey

1 14-to-16 lb frozen young turkey

FOR THE BRINE
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 cup kosher salt
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 ½ teaspoons allspice berries
1 ½ teaspoons chopped candied ginger
1 gallon heavily iced water

FOR THE AROMATICS
1 red apple, quartered
½ onion, quartered
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil, for coating

Two to three days before roasting: Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees. Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve the solids and bring to a boil. Remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature and refrigerate.
The night before or early on the day you’d like to eat: Combine the brine, water and ice in a 5 gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with the innards removed) breast-side down in the brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed. Cover and refrigerate or set in a cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the turkey once halfway through brining.
Preheat the oven to 500. Remove the bird from the brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine. Place the bird on a roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.
Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick and 1 cup of water in a microwave-safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add the steeped aromatics to the turkey’s cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.
Roast the turkey on the lowest level of the oven at 500 for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161. A 14-to-16 pound bird should require a total of 2 hours to 2 hours, 30 minutes roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl, for 15 minutes before serving.

Sandra Lee’s Haricots Verts with Shaved Parmesan

¾ pound ready-to-cook haricots verts
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ cup shaved parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

Place the haricots verts in a large microwave safe bowl. Cover and microwave on high for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and drain, if necessary. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and lemon juice. Pour over the haricots verts and toss to coat.
Serve immediately with shaved parmesan and freshly ground pepper.


Alton Brown’s Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 chipotle chile pepper in adobe sauce, chopped
1 teaspoon adobo sauce, from the pepper can

Put the sweet potatoes in a steamer basket and put the steamer in a large pot of simmering water that is 1 inch from the bottom of the basket. Cover and steam over medium-high heat for 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
Remove the steamer basket, pour the water out of the pot and dump the sweet potatoes into the pot. Add the butter and salt and mash with a potato masher. Add the chile and sauce and continue mashing to combine. Serve immediately.


Claire Robinson’s Roasted Cauliflower with Dates and Pine Nuts

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 8 cups)
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup pine nuts
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup pitted Medjool dates, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 425.
Evenly spread the cauliflower on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast, tossing once with a spatula, until golden brown at the edges, about 20 minutes.
Put the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Once it’s melted, add the pine nuts and cook, stirring frequently until they’re lightly golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and dates and continue cooking until they’re softened, 2 to 3 minutes more; season with salt.
Transfer the hot cauliflower to a serving bowl, drizzle the pine nut mixture over the top and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary and serve warm at room temperature.

Bobby Flay’s Macaroni and Cheese Carbonara

Unsalted butter for the baking dish
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1-inch-thick slice pancetta, cut into small dice
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups whole milk, or more if needed, hot
4 large egg yolks, lightly whisked
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups (8 ounces) grated asiago cheese, plus more for the top
1 ½ cups (6 ounces) grated Irish white cheddar cheese, plus more for the top
1 ½ cups (6 ounces) grated American cheddar cheese, plus more for the top
1 cup (4 ounces) grated aged fontina cheese, plus more for the top
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plush more for the top
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound Elbow macaroni, cooked just under al dente
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Preheat the oven to 375. Butter the bottom and sides of a 10-by-10-by-2-inch baking dish and set it aside.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.
Add the garlic to the fat in the pan and cook until lightly golden brown, 1 minute. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the hot milk, raise the heat to high and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the eggs until incorporated and let cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the thyme, cayenne and all the different cheeses until completely melted. Season with salt and pepper. If the mixture appears too thick, add additional warm milk, ¼ cup at a time.
Put the cooked macaroni in a large bowl, add the cheese sauce, reserved pancetta, and the parsley, and stir until combined. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
Combine an additional ¼ cup each asiago, cheddars, fontina and parmesan in a bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top. Bake until the dish is heated through and the top is a light brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Nigella Lawson’s Butternut, Arugula and Pine Nut Salad

1 butternut squash, approximately 2 ¼ pounds
1 teaspoon kosher salt or ½ teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons cold-pressed canola oil or olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for dressing
1/3 cup golden raisins
¼ cup water, from a freshly boiled kettle
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
4 ounces (about 3 cups) arugula and other salad leaves
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

Preheat the oven to 400. Don’t bother to peel, but halve and seed the butternut squash, cut into 1/2 –inch-thick slices, then cut each slice into flour.
Put the butternut pieces in a bowl with the salt, spices, and 2 tablespoons oil and smoosh them about, then tip onto a lipped baking sheet (lined with aluminum foil). Don’t clean the bowl yet.
Cook the squash for 30 to 40 minutes. Check to see if it is cooked through by the time the half hour’s up by piercing with a fork; some squashes cook faster than others.
Add the golden raisins to the spice-smeared bowl and cover with the freshly boiled water; once cooled, whisk in the vinegar and the 2 tablespoons oil that remain.
Put half of the salad leaves over a large plate or bowl and arrange the butternut pieces on top. Sprinkle with the remaining salad leaves and the toasted pine nuts. Scrape the raisin-studded dressing out of the bowl to dribble over it all the toss gently before serving.


Cranberry-Apple Stuffing

1 stick butter
2 cups diced onion and celery
2 chopped apples
1 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon minced sage
1 tablespoon minced thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups turkey or chicken broth
2 eggs
¼ cup chopped parsley
16 cups cubed stale white bread

Melt 1 stick of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cups each diced onions and celery, along with apples and cranberries, and 1 tablespoon each minced sage and thyme.
Add 3 cups turkey or chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Beat 2 eggs with ¼ cup chopped parsley in a large bowl.
Add 16 cups cubed stale white bread, then pour in the vegetable brother mixture and toss. Transfer to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter.
Cover and bake 30 minutes at 375; uncover and bake until golden, 30 more minutes.

Paula Deen’s Pumpkin Cheesecake

1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
One 15-ounce can pumpkin
¼ cup sour cream
Whipped cream, for garnish
Toasted pecan halves, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with vegetable oil cooking spray.
Combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Pour the melted butter over the mixture and stir until all of the crumbs are moistened. Press this mixture on the bottom and about 1 ½ inches up the sides of the pan.
Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until it is very smooth. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon cinnamon, the granulated sugar, flour, vanilla, nutmeg, cloves, eggs, egg yolk, pumpkin, and sour cream and beat at low speed until the mixture is very smooth.
Spread the batter in the pan and place the pan on a baking sheet for easier handling. Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake the cheesecake until the center is set, about 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
To loosen the cheesecake from the springform pan, run a butter knife along the inside of the pan. Remove the outer ring and allow the cake to cook completely on a wire rack. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
Bring to room temperature before serving with whipped creamed and toasted pecan halves.

Paula Deen’s Chocolate Monkey Bread

½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, divided
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 (16.3-ounce) cans refrigerated flaky layer biscuit dough, cut into quarters
¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup butter
¼ cup light corn syrup

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 12-to-15-cup flute pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a small bowl, combine sugar, 1 teaspoon cocoa, and cinnamon. Dredge biscuit quarters in sugar mixture to coat; layer in prepared pan.
In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and remaining 2 tablespoons cocoa. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil for 1 minute. Pour mixture over layered biscuits. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until biscuits are done, covering bread with aluminum foil to prevent excess browning if necessary. Let stand for 5 minutes. Invert monkey bread onto a platter to serve.