Roast spatchcock turkey (start at 1:45) 1 (10 pound) whole turkey 1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a roasting rack on a baking sheet. 2 Turn the turkey over, breast-side down. Using a pair of sharp heavy-duty kitchen shears, cut along one side of the backbone. Repeat on the other side of the backbone. Reserve the backbone for making turkey stock for gravy. Press firmly down onto both sides of turkey to flatten. 3 Tuck the wing tips under the turkey and place on the roasting rack. Pat skin dry and rub butter season with salt, and bells. 4 Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, rotating baking sheet every 30 minutes. Increase temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and roast until skin is crisp, about 15 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove turkey from the oven, cover loosely with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Giblet Gravy (start at 1pm) PREP TIME 15 mins COOK TIME 3 hrs Giblets 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup diced onion 1/2 cup diced carrot 1/2 cup diced celery 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon dried thyme 5 cups water Drippings from the turkey or chicken 2 to 3 tablespoons flour or cornstarch, dissolved first into 1/4 cup of water Kosher salt, to taste Heat the butter in a 2-quart saucepan on medium-high heat. When hot, add the giblets to the pan. Brown them on all sides. Add the onion, celery and carrot and sauté until the onions turn translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté another minute. Add the bay leaf, thyme and water. Bring to a simmer. Lower the heat. Partially cover so that some steam escapes, and cook on a low simmer for several hours, while the turkey is cooking. Once the bird is close to being done, strain the giblets and stock through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Set aside the stock. Remove the giblets from the sieve. Finely mince the giblet meat. If you want, you can pull some of the meat off of the neck and mince that as well. Add the flour or cornstarch to the drippings: Once the bird is done, move it to a cutting board to let it rest. Pour off the excess fat (all but a tablespoon or two) from the roasting pan. Set the roasting pan over two burners of the stovetop set over medium heat. Add the flour (or cornstarch slurry) and whisk it into the drippings. Stir in the minced giblets. Let cook for a few minutes, stirring while cooking. Add the stock and minced giblets: Add the strained giblet stock to the pan drippings and giblets and mix well to combine. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until the gravy thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of mustard (to taste). Check for salt and add more salt to taste if needed. Serve it as-is, or purée the gravy in a blender for a smoother texture. I make it basically like you've done but I add a heaping spoonful of cornbread dressing to help thicken it. Then I hit it for a few seconds with an immersion blender to smooth it out No Boil Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes PREP TIME10 minutes COOK TIME3 hours TOTAL TIME3 hours 10 minutes SERVINGS10 servings Ingredients 5 pounds potatoes red, yellow or white ¾ cup chicken broth ½ teaspoon onion powder ½ teaspoon garlic powder ¼ cup butter Two bunches, roasted garlic Smoked gouda salt & pepper to taste milk or cream to taste Instructions 1. Peel potatoes and cut into chunks. 2. Place potatoes, garlic, broth, garlic powder and onion powder into a 4QT slow cooker. 3. Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 6-7 hours, stirring every hour or so or until tender. 4. Using a hand masher, mash potatoes until smooth. Stir in butter, and smoked gouda. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Add warmed milk or cream to reach desired consistency if needed. 5. Serve or keep on warm until serving. Slow cooker candied carrots 2 lbs carrots ½ cup light brown sugar ½ cup water ½ tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp nutmeg 1/8 tsp salt Place the carrots in the slow cooker Sprinkle the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt Pour in the water and stir Cover and cook on high for 3 hours without opening the lid. Loaded slow cooker crock pot mashed cauliflower 1 head of cauliflower (leaves stripped and cut into medium/small florets 3 tsp garlic cloves, minced 2 tsp rosemary 1 cup water ½ cup sour cream ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded 3 slices, bacon 1 green onion, large, chopped 1 tsp montreal steak spice, optional Place cauliflower into the slow cooker Add the rosemary, garlic, steak spice and water Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or until the cauliflower is VERY soft Drain any liquid/water off from the cauliflower Add most of the sour cream, most of the bacon and cheese, and most of the chopped green onion. You want to reserve a small amount of each for garnish Mash the cauliflower until you get a very mashed consistency Garnish the cauliflower with cheese, bacon bits, and sour cream. SOUS VIDE BROCCOLI Broccoli: Look for a head of broccoli with florets that are bright green (avoid yellowed ones). The stalk should be firm and strong. Olive oil: It adds extra flavor to your broccoli, but you can leave it out if you prefer to have a healthier side dish. Sea salt and ground black pepper: You can also use other seasonings for some fun variations (see below). 1. CUT BROCCOLI INTO BITE-SIZED PIECES. 2. DON’T THROW AWAY THE DELICIOUS STEM. The stem is delicious and also nutritious, so don’t throw it away. Just peel the skin First place the broccoli floret pieces in a large bag, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Then vacuum seal the bag and sous vide cook the broccoli for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper (and other toppings you prefer). Serve and enjoy! Cooking temperature and time depends on your desired texture. There are two popular temperatures to cook broccoli: 180°F DEGREE BROCCOLI (82°C) Sous vide cooking broccoli at 180°F for 15 minutes produces a crispier texture with a vibrant green color Best Sous Vide Vegetables Prep Time5 minutes Cook Time15 minutes Total Time20 minutes Ingredients 1/2 head broccoli florets cut to bite-sized pieces 1 zucchini sliced and halved 1 red bell pepper chopped 1 medium onion chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil salt to taste ground black pepper to taste Instructions 1. Fill a large container or pot with water. Attach the sous vide precision cooker and set the temperature to 183ºF/84ºC. 2. Clean the vegetables and cut them into bite-sized pieces. 3. Add each vegetable into separate bags, vacuum seal the bags using a vacuum sealer. If you don’t have one, you can use zip-top bags. Just seal the bag using the “water displacement” technique: seal all but one corner of the bag and slowly place it in the water bath. Make sure everything below the zipline is covered by water. Then seal the rest of the bag. 4. When the water bath is ready, add the vacuum-sealed bags. Make sure the vegetables are completely submerged in the water. If your bags are floating, you can use heavy kitchen items such as kitchen tongs and bowls to weigh them down. (Make sure the seams are above the water). 5. Set the timer to 12 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the bags with broccoli and zucchini and set aside. 6. Set the timer for 3 more minutes. 7. When the timer goes off, remove the bags with bell peppers and onions. 8. Add all cooked vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, or your favorite seasonings. Serve warmly and enjoy! Sous Vide Carrots These Sous Vide Honey Glazed Carrots are tender and flavorful carrots simmered in a mixture of honey and butter, then topped with a sprinkling of parsley. The sous vide method transforms the carrots into the perfectly tender pieces. Sweet, savory and full of flavor, this recipe makes an amazing side dish for a holiday dinner or a week day meal. Ingredients 1 pound baby carrots or you can use large carrots and cut them into smaller chunks 1 ½ tablespoons butter 1/8 teaspoon salt plus additional for serving Instructions 1. Preheat the Sous Vide Water Bath: Fill a large container or pot with water. Attach the sous vide precision cooker and set the temperature to 183°F (84°C). 2. Prepare the Carrots: Wash and peel the carrots. (I used whole baby carrots, and if yours are too big, you can cut them into slices or sticks.) 3. In a large bowl, mix the carrots with honey and salt. Toss until they are evenly coated. (I use my hands to rub the seasonings all around the carrots). 4. Vacuum-seal the Bag: Add the seasoned carrots and butter into a zip-lock bag and arrange in a single layer. I also added the sous vide weight to help weigh down the bag so that it won’t float in the water bath. (Make sure to arrange in one layer. If your bag is not large enough, use multiple bags). 5. Seal the bag using the “water displacement” technique or a vacuum sealer. (Just seal all but one corner of the bag. Slowly place it in the water bath, and make sure everything below the zip-line is covered by water. Then seal the rest of the bag.) 6. Sous Vide Cook the Carrots: Place the bag in the warm water bath and cook for 1 hour. Make sure the carrots are fully submerged while the seams of the bag are above water. (You can add heavy kitchen items to weigh down the bag if yours is still floating.) 7. Remove the carrots from the bag and pour the juices in a jar. The juices taste great as is, but if you'd like to thicken it, you can thicken them into a thicker glaze in a skillet over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. 8. Drizzle the carrots with the glaze, and sprinkle with chopped parsley and extra salt. Serve immediately! Easy Crock Pot Corn Casserole 1 can cream style corn 1 can whole sweet corn drained 1 8.5 oz box of Corn Muffin Mix 4 oz ½ cup of sour cream ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 stick butter ½ cup melted 1. Dump all the ingredients into the slow cooker 2. Stir to combine well 3. Cover and cook 2-3 hours on high heat, until cooked through and center is set. Super Creamed Corn (start at 12:15) Makes 8–12 servings Prep. Time: 5–10 minutes Cooking Time: 4 hours 2–3 lbs. frozen corn 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, cubed 4 Tbsp. (½ stick) butter, melted 2–3 Tbsp. sugar or honey 2–3 Tbsp. water, optional 1. Grease interior of slow-cooker crock. 2. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. 3. Cover. Cook on Low 4 hours Variation: Add ¼ lb. mild cheese, shredded, to Step 2. Green Bean Casserole (start at 11:30) 1 can (10¾ ounces) 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup ½ cup reduced-fat sour cream ¼ cup 2 % reduced-fat milk 1 package (10 ounces) frozen French-style green beans, thawed Salt and pepper, to taste ½ cup canned French-fried onions 1. Mix soup, sour cream, and milk in slow cooker; stir in green beans. Cover and cook on low 4 to 6 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper; stir in onions just before serving. Sous Vide Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes(start at 3:15) Servings: 6 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 60-90 minutes Your Anova is an excellent way to cook sweet potatoes and lock in all of their delicious flavor. Ingredients: 2-1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces 1/3 cup pure maple syrup 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt Instructions: 1. Set your Anova to 190F/87.7C. 2. Combine all the ingredients in a vacuum-sealed bag. 3. Submerge the bag in the water bath and cook for at least 60 minutes and not longer than 90 minutes 4. Remove from bag and drizzle the liquid over the potatoes to serve. Parker House Rolls Ingredients 1 1/2 cups milk 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for brushing 1/2 cup sugar 1 package active dry yeast 1/2 cup warm water 3 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 6 cups all-purpose flour Place milk in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter and sugar and let cool. Dissolve yeast in warm water and let sit until foamy. Combine milk mixture, eggs, yeast, salt, and 1/2 of the flour in a mixer with the dough attachment and mix until smooth. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the bowl and knead by hand on a floured surface for about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 60 to 70 minutes. On a floured surface, punch down the dough and shape into desired shapes. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover again and let rise until doubled, about 30 to 40 minutes. Preheat the oven 350 degrees F. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter before serving. Honey-glazed Carrots Ingredients 1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into chunks 2 tablespoons golden raisins ½ cup water ½ tablespoon unsalted butter, melted ½ tablespoon honey 2/3 teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed Salt to taste How to 1. Add the raisins, water, and carrots to the Instant Pot 2. Secure the lid and select the “Manual” function for 5 minutes with low pressure. 3. After the beep, do a quick release then remove the lid. 4. Strain the carrots and transfer them to a large bowl. 5. Put the remaining ingredients into the bowl and mix them well. 6. Serve warm. Garlic-Pepper Almonds (start at noon) 6 cups whole unblanched almonds 4 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted 3 cloves garlic, minced 2-3 teaspoons coarse ground pepper 1. Heat slow cooker on high 15 minutes; add almonds. Drizzle margarine over almonds and toss; sprinkle with garlic and pepper and toss. Cover and cook on low 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Turn heat to high; uncover and cook 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. Turn heat to low to keep warm for serving or remove from slow cooker and cool Best Turkey Brine Recipe Ingredients • 1 gallon warm water (more as needed) • 2 cups brown sugar • 1 cup sea salt • 3 shallots, roughly chopped • 6 cloves garlic, smashed • 2 tablespoons whole peppercorns • 2 tablespoons dried juniper berries (optional) • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, roughly chopped • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme Instructions • Place a gallon of warm water in a clean bucket or cooler. Add the brown sugar, salt, shallots, garlic, herbs and spices. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. • Carefully submerge the turkey in the brine. Add an additional 1/2 gallon of water to make sure the brine covers the turkey entirely. (Or more water!) • If using a bucket, cover the bucket with plastic and place in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 days. If using a cooler, filled it with ice to keep the turkey cold for up to 3 days. • The brine time should be determined based on the size of turkey. For a turkey 15 pounds or under, brine for just 24 to 36 hours. For a turkey larger than 15 pounds, brine for up to 3 days. *If you want to brine a smaller turkey for a longer period of time, reduce the salt to 1/2-3/4 cup, so it is not overly seasoned. • Before roasting, take the turkey out of the brine water and place on a rack for at least a couple hours. Allow the turkey skin to dry thoroughly. Use paper towels to pat it dry if needed. You can place the roasting pan in the refrigerator (or back in the cooler over ice) if you want to give the bird longer to dry. (The dryer the skin, the better it browns. Drying it overnight is best.) • Once dry, rub the turkey skin thoroughly with butter. Sometimes I stuff the turkey with herbs, but this is not necessary. • Roast the turkey at 325° F for 15 minutes per pound. Roast uncovered for the first couple hours, then tent with foil the last hour to make sure the breast meat doesn’t overcook. When using a meat thermometer, the breast meat should be 165° F. • Allow the turkey for rest for at least 25 minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute. Notes If you plan to brine a large turkey for more than 24-48 hours, use 2-3 gallons of water per 1 cup salt, to make sure the turkey doesn't over-season. Brining Turkey 1 whole turkey Aromatic options: bay leaf, peppercorns, cloves, juniper berries, allspice berries, orange peels, lemon peels, etc. 4 quarts cold water, divided 1 cup kosher salt, or 3/4 cup table salt Unwrap your turkey and remove the giblets, then transfer it to the pot. Add any aromatics you'd like to use. Mix the brine solution. Heat 1 quart of water in the microwave until warmed — it doesn't need to come to a boil, just be warm enough to dissolve the salt. Add the salt and stir until the salt is dissolved. Let the liquid cool slightly; it's fine if it's still a touch warm. Pour the brine solution over the turkey. Pour the salt water over the turkey. Pour the remaining 3 quarts of water over the turkey. Add the remaining 3 quarts cold water. This dilutes the salt solution to the best ratio for brining and also helps further cool the solution. Make sure the turkey is completely submerged. If needed, prepare more brine solution at a ratio of 1/4 cup salt per quart of water to completely submerge the turkey. Cover and refrigerate. If the turkey floats, weigh it down with a dinner plate. Cover and place it in the refrigerator. Brine the turkey in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Dry for another 24 hours for crispier skin (optional). Place the turkey on a roasting rack set inside a roasting pan and cover loosely with plastic wrap to prevent cross contamination. You can roast the turkey either immediately after brining or after air-drying. I've found that brined turkeys tend to cook a bit more quickly, so roast as usual, but start checking the turkey's temperature an hour before the end of your estimated cooking time.
