THANKSGIVING FAMILY RECIPES

Aunt Mary Sue's Bag-Cooked Turkey with Rosemary-Wine Gravy

Ingredients

  • Fresh or frozen whole turkey, any size, but not to exceed 22.5 pounds (to fit in oven cooking bag)

Ingredients: Rosemary-Wine Sauce for 12 pound turkey - (Double ingredients for sauce if turkey exceeds 12 pounds.)

  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 cup Chardonnay or other dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 to 5 fresh rosemary sprigs

Ingredients

  • 1 oven cooking bag, turkey size
  • all-purpose flour
  • water
  • salt & black pepper

Thaw the turkey if frozen and clean inside and out. Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees.

Rosemary-Wine Sauce: Combine all ingredients for the sauce, except the rosemary sprigs, in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon of flour to the cooking bag and shake to coat. (This keeps the bag from bursting during cooking.) Place the cooking bag in a roasting pan at least 2 inches deep. Put the turkey in the bag. Spoon some of the Rosemary-Wine Sauce into the cavity and pour the remaining over the turkey. Place the rosemary sprigs in the cavity and on top of the turkey. Close the bag and tie securely with the twisty provided with the cooking bag. Cut 6 half-inch slits in the top of the bag to allow the steam to escape. Place the turkey in the pre-heated 325 degree oven. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the turkey so check the chart provided with the cooking bag. Divide the estimated cooking time by half, and for the first half, cook at 325 degrees, and for the second half cook at 350 degrees. Cover the top of the bagged turkey with aluminum foil during the second half of cook to avoid over-browning the turkey. The turkey is done when the temperature in the thickest part of the inner thigh reaches 180 degrees and the juices run clear (not pink) when the thigh is pierced.

Remove the entire assembly from the oven. Drain the juices from the bag into fat separator. Place the bagged turkey in a warm oven (140 to 165 degrees) for up to 1 hour while making the gravy.

To make the Rosemary-Wine Gravy: Measure the separated fat, pour it into a heavy saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Measure an equal amount of flour and water and whisk to combine. Raise the heat to medium and pour the flour and water mixture slowly into the fat, whisking constantly. When well mixed, slowly pour the de-fatted broth into the pan, whisking constantly. Approximately twice the broth as fat will be necessary. Taste and add more broth if needed. Bring the gravy to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce to low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

When ready to serve, carve the turkey and serve with the Rosemary-Wine Gravy.

Eileen's Sausage Dressing

Ingredients

  • 1 16-ounce package hot sausage
  • 1 16-ounce package regular sausage
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup celery, finely chopped
  • 1 pound button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
  • 1 loaf English muffin bread or other dense bread, unsliced (dry, day old bread is best)
  • 1 to 3 14-ounce cans chicken broth

Brown the sausage (both packages) in a skillet over medium heat. Place the sausage, along with the drippings, in large mixing bowl. Stir in the onion, celery and mushrooms. Add the bread, pinching bite-size pieces from the loaf and stir to combine. Place the dressing in 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Pour as much chicken broth as needed over the mixture until the bread is moist. (The exact amount varies with type bread and moisture content. Add less chicken broth for fresh bread, and more for dry bread.) Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake the dressing in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. To brown the dressing, remove the foil during the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking. Serves 12.

Aunt Naomi's Streusel Topped Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds fresh sweet potatoes, or 3 16-ounce cans sweet potatoes
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • grated orange zest from 1 medium orange

Ingredients: Streusel Topping

  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup quick cooking oatmeal
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into pieces
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans

If using fresh sweet potatoes, peel and cut them into 1-inch dice. Cook the potatoes in a pot of boiling water over medium-high heat for 30 to 45 minutes, until tender. If using canned, drain well before using. Place the potatoes in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher. Stir in the maple syrup and orange zest. Spoon the mashed sweet potatoes into an 8 or 9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking oil spray.

Streusel Topping: Combine the flour, oatmeal, brown sugar and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture looks like crumbs. Add the pecans and sprinkle the topping evenly over sweet potato mixture. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until the casserole is heated through and the topping is lightly browned. Serves 10 to 12.

Recipes for Aunt Mary Sue's Bag-Cooked Turkey with Rosemary-Wine Gravy, Eileen's Sausage Dressing and Aunt Naomi's Streusel Topped Sweet Potato Casserole by Kansas Court of Appeals Judge Richard Greene.

Maple Pecan Pie

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs
  • cup brown sugar, packed
  • cup dark corn syrup
  • cup maple syrup
  • cup butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup pecan halves
  • 1 9-inch unbaked pastry shell

Place the eggs in a large bowl and beat lightly with a wire whisk. Whisk in the brown sugar, corn syrup, maple syrup, melted butter and vanilla. Stir in the pecan halves. Pour the filling into the pastry shell. Bake the pie in a 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick or wooden skewer comes out clean. Serves 8.

Maple Pecan Pie by Jayni Carey Copyright 2006.

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