Holidays & Celebrations – Rants Raves and Recipes

November 17, 2018March 6, 2021

Turkey Stock for Great Turkey Gravy

O.K. lets start with my Rant! Every year all the TV chefs start with all the fancy sides and different ways to cook turkeys trying to make you feel inadequate about your Thanksgiving menu. They probably get a whole bunch of people trying different and sometimes much harder than it seems recipes to serve .

Rule #1 never try to cook a new item for the first time on Thanksgiving day! You want to try something new, write the recipe down now and try it out a few times over the next year to see how difficult it is, how much TIME and oven or stove top space it takes, and whether or not your family actually enjoys it. If it’s a success than do it NEXT YEAR!

Turkey Stock

I look at a turkey as just a over-sized chicken that just takes a little longer to cook, needs a little bit of basting and perhaps a cover over the breast if it gets too brown, you can add a mirepoix to the bottom of the pan and with a little water,stock or wine baste the turkey and you’ll get a good start for a gravy. Its just that it usually does not create enough stock for all the gravy you will need.

The answer is to create more stock by using the bag of giblets that comes with the turkey . The great thing about this is you can make the stock days in advance and refrigerate or freeze until you need to use it.

Ingredients for Turkey Stock

Bag of giblets defrosted
2 carrots cleaned and diced
1 onion diced
2 stalks of celery with tops thinly sliced
1 clove garlic crushed
1 cup white wine
4 cups water
2 tsps each salt & pepper

Directions for Turkey Stock

Cut the neck into 2 or three pieces and take the giblets and place into a large pan or stock pot with a scant Tbs of butter on medium high heat, and saute until just beginning to lightly brown, add the vegetables and continue to cook until the giblets are nicley brown and the vegetables are wilted. Add the wine deglaze the pan if necessary and cook until the wine is thick and syrupy. Now add the water and bring the mixture up to a boil and once boiling reduce heat to a simmer cover with the lid just slightly ajar to allow some reduction of the liquid and simmer for one to two hours and the liquid and reduced by about ¼.

Strain the liquid and remove any excess fat from the top.

Making the Gravy

On Thanksgiving day bring the stock up to medium heat, now take the juices from the turkey pan, strain and remove most of the fat and add to your prepared stock. For every cup of stock you have use about 1½ Tbs of fat and flour cooked lightly until completely mixed and the raw flour taste is gone. This will make a slightly thin gravy if you want a thicker gravy use a ratio of 2 Tbs each to every cup of stock. I usually go with the 1½ ratio and have some extra butter and flour microwaved and combined on the side if I need to thicken it a bit more.. You can also use heavy cream in place of the butter which will make a great rich gravy that is much lighter in color. Taste before serving and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Favorites from the market
Dark Chocolate Cake

Favorites from the market
Farm Raised Atlantic Salmon Fillet

The Official Taste Tester

Don’t forget to strain the heart, liver and gizzard and serve as an appetizer to you 4 legged kiddies, then pile on the turkey.

October 21, 2017October 21, 2017

Halloween Ice Box Cake

OK so the first thing that is obvious is that, as an example, my Halloween Ice Box Cake shows I am not the greatest cake and cookie decorator.

The Nabisco “Famous” chocolate wafers ice box cake has been one of my favorites for years, the only differences between this and the original is the construction is slightly different and of course the color.

The recipe on the box says you can make it 4 hours before serving, but it is really best if left to sit in the refrigerator overnight so that the cream can be absorbed by the wafers and they swell and soften.

Ingredients for Halloween Ice Box Cake

1 Box Nabisco Famous chocolate Wafers
2 cups Heavy Cream Whipped Stiffed
¼ cup XXX sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Orange food coloring
Chocolate icing*

*Unless you plan to make cookies or use icing for something else a store-bought tube will be easier to manage

Directions for Halloween Ice Box Cake

Whip the Cream, sugar vanilla and as much food coloring, as needed to obtain your desired color, to stiff peaks.

On a cake plate or serving platter place 7 wafers flat, rough side down on the platter with a dot of icing on the rough side to adhere them lightly to the plate. Place one in the center of the plate and arrange the others in a circle around it. Place about a tablespoon of whipped cream on each. Now place a second layer of wafers over these so that they overlap the edges of the first layerand spread the whipped cream out from each wafer, it will end up being slightly larger than the first. Place whipped cream on them and then arrange a layer similar to the first on top, Continue to layer the wafers until all are used. Finish by covering the top and sides with the remaining whipped cream, decorate with the icing.

Here are a few items to help make this recipe:

This one has chocolate which I can’t have so rule #1 applies No Tasty No ratey!

Yum

Halloween Ice Box Cake

Ingredients

The recipe on the box says you can make it 4 hours before serving, but it is really best if left to sit in the refrigerator overnight so that the cream can be absorbed by the wafers and they swell and soften.
1 Box Nabisco Famous chocolate Wafers
2 cups Heavy Cream Whipped Stiffed
¼ cup XXX sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Orange food coloring
Chocolate icing*
*Unless you plan to make cookies or use icing for something else a store-bought tube will be easier to manage

Instructions

Whip the Cream, sugar vanilla and as much food coloring, as needed to obtain your desired color, to stiff peaks.
On a cake plate or serving platter place 7 wafers flat, rough side down on the platter with a dot of icing on the rough side to adhere them lightly to the plate. Place one in the center of the plate and arrange the others in a circle around it. Place about a tablespoon of whipped cream on each. Now place a second layer of wafers over these so that they overlap the edges of the first layerand spread the whipped cream out from each wafer, it will end up being slightly larger than the first. Place whipped cream on them and then arrange a layer similar to the first on top, Continue to layer the wafers until all are used. Finish by covering the top and sides with the remaining whipped cream, decorate with the icing.

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December 18, 2016December 18, 2016

Hazelnut Linzer Tart Cookies

Linzer Tart Cookies are a Christmas tradition and these with Hazelnuts are sure to become one of your families favorites. They do take a bit of work and time but the end result is certainly worth it.

This recipe will make about 4 dozen cookies with a 2½” diameter cookie cutter. The only special equipment you will need is either a corresponding smaller cookie cutter or an aspic cutter to make a hole in the top cookies and a small fine mesh strainer to sprinkle the powdered sugar.

Ingredients for Hazelnut Linzer Tart Cookies

6oz Hazelnuts finely chopped
1 cup dark brown sugar
5 cups all purpose flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups= 1# butter softened
2 eggs
2 tsps vanilla
2/3-1 jar red raspberry preserves with seeds
2-3 Tbsps brandy or Cognac (optional)
½ cup (appox.) powdered sugar

Directions for Hazelnut Linzer Tart Cookies

If using whole hazelnuts, place them on a baking sheet and bake at 350º for about 8-10 minutes until the skins begin to loosen. Place them onto a kitchen towel and rub them together to remove the skins, then allow to cool.

In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and whisk to combine.

In a food processor place the nuts and ½ cup of the brown sugar and pulse until the nuts are finely ground.

In a mixer with a paddle attachment place the butter and the remaining brown sugar and cream until mixture is light and fluffy. With the mixer on low add the nuts and beat to combine thoroughly, then add the eggs one at time combining them completely before adding the second. Now add the vanilla. Once all are combined begin to add the flour until all in incorporated completely.

Roll the dough out and form into a large ball and cut into 4 equal portions. Roll each quarter into a ball and flatten into a round. Wrap each round with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about an hour until it begins to firm up.

Preheat oven to 350º

Take one to the quarters and place between two sheets of wax paper and roll out to about an 1/8″ thick. Cut out the shapes you are using and place on an ungreased baking sheet or one with a silpat. Use the smaller cutter to remove the center of half the cookies.

Bake for about 15 minutes in the center of the oven, until the cookies begin to lightly brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Repeat with the other three rounds. If the dough becomes to warm to work with form into a ball rewrap and place in the refrigerator for about ½ hour.

For the Fillimg:

In a small sauce pan place about 2/3 of the jar of preserve and 2 Tbsps of brandy and bring up to medium heat and stir to fully combine.

Place about a teaspoon of preserve on the flat side of the whole cookies.

Dust the top cookies (with the cutout) with the powdered sugar once they are completely cooled and place each carefully on top of the preserve covered cookies. press lightly and allow the preserve to cool and firm up.

Store in an air tight container in layers with wax paper in between.

Here are a few items to help make this recipe:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M8NIGA4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=2329824862&pf_rd_r=RDCMDRPEYE8BK9SN64KS&pd_rd_wg=xU3Ej&pf_rd_s=desktop-rhs-carousels&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_w=WRgc8&pf_rd_i=snowflake+cookie+cutters&pd_rd_r=29CXPJXYY4PYY1MS36S0&psc=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=rantsravesa06-20&linkId=108ff72fc9db774bfd5d1c0ccf19dec6
https://www.amazon.com/Silpat-Premium-Non-Stick-Silicone-Baking/dp/B01HKALEC0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1482086160&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=silpat&psc=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=rantsravesa06-20&linkId=8c12f9721e348648bb4778333c0e1ed9

They are fruity and taste fine, but at this time of year a S.A.P.P. such as I has only thoughts of Scottish Shortbread Cookies, but in a pinch these will do. 5 paws

Yum

Hazelnut Linzer Tart Cookies

Ingredients

6oz Hazelnuts finely chopped
1 cup dark brown sugar
5 cups all purpose flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups= 1# butter softened
2 eggs
2 tsps vanilla
2/3-1 jar red raspberry preserves with seeds
2-3 Tbsps brandy or Cognac (optional)
½ cup (appox.) powdered sugar

Instructions

If using whole hazelnuts, place them on a baking sheet and bake at 350º for about 8-10 minutes until the skins begin to loosen. Place them onto a kitchen towel and rub them together to remove the skins, then allow to cool.
In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt and whisk to combine.
In a food processor place the nuts and ½ cup of the brown sugar and pulse until the nuts are finely ground.
In a mixer with a paddle attachment place the butter and the remaining brown sugar and cream until mixture is light and fluffy. With the mixer on low add the nuts and beat to combine thoroughly, then add the eggs one at time combining them completely before adding the second. Now add the vanilla. Once all are combined begin to add the flour until all in incorporated completely.
Roll the dough out and form into a large ball and cut into 4 equal portions. Roll each quarter into a ball and flatten into a round. Wrap each round with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about an hour until it begins to firm up.
Preheat oven to 350º
Take one to the quarters and place between two sheets of wax paper and roll out to about an 1/8" thick. Cut out the shapes you are using and place on an ungreased baking sheet or one with a silpat. Use the smaller cutter to remove the center of half the cookies.
Bake for about 15 minutes in the center of the oven, until the cookies begin to lightly brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Repeat with the other three rounds. If the dough becomes to warm to work with form into a ball rewrap and place in the refrigerator for about ½ hour.
In a small sauce pan place about 2/3 of the jar of preserve and 2 Tbsps of brandy and bring up to medium heat and stir to fully combine.
Place about a teaspoon of preserve on the flat side of the whole cookies.
Dust the top cookies (with the cutout) with the powdered sugar once they are completely cooled and place each carefully on top of the preserve covered cookies. press lightly and allow the preserve to cool and firm up.
Store in an air tight container in layers with wax paper in between.

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