In a small sauce pan, melt and mix together:

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon corn syrup

Once sugar is dissolved pour into a 9×13 inch baking dish.  Cut about a 1/2 loaf of french bread into thick slices and remove crusts.  Arrange slices on top of the butter and sugar mixture in a single layer.  In a small bowl whisk together:

3 large eggs

1 cup half and half cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

Pour egg mixture over the bread slices.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  The next day preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bring dish to room temperature and then bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes until lightly puffed and brown.

Serves 4

Softened unsalted butter, as needed for greasing
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 large egg, at room temperature, lightly beaten with a fork
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup hot water
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
Serving suggestions: Confectioner’s sugar or whipped cream

Lightly butter an 8 by 2-inch round cake pan and/or line the bottom with a piece of parchment or wax paper. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, molasses. Add the egg and whisk until smooth.

In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and allspice. Whisk the molasses mixture into the flour mixture until evenly combined. Stir the baking soda into the 1/2 cup of hot water (heat in microwave) and whisk into the batter until just combined. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake in the center of the oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack.
Cut and serve with confectioner’s sugar or whipped cream.

Serves 8-10

Sugar Cookie Frosting Ingredients:
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Tablespoon Milk

In a medium size bowl, combine the three ingredients above. Stir in additional milk as needed until it reaches the desired consistency.

Makes about 1/2 cup.

Note, to create different colors of frosting for sugar cookie decorating, simply add food coloring.

Sugar cookies are the favorite Christmas cookies in our household. The cookie dough can be prepared ahead and kept refrigerated until ready to use.

Sugar Cookie Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Butter or Margarine
1/2 Cup Shortening
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
Dash of Salt
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
2 Cups Flour
Plastic Wrap

Store bought frosting (or check out Sugar Cookie Frosting)

Making Sugar Cookie Dough:
1. Beat the butter and shortening in a large bowl on medium speed for one minute.

2. Add the egg and sugar, beating until well combined.

3. Combine the baking powder, flour, and the dash of salt in a separate bowl until well combined.

4. Stir the flour mixture into the larger bowl.

5. Divide the dough in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Creating and Baking Sugar Cookies:

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

1. On a lightly floured surface (I use the counter) roll half of the dough at a time to about 1/8 of an inch thick.

2. Using cookie cutters (or a knife) cut the dough into desired cookie shapes (stars, circles, squares, x-mas trees, etc!)

3. Place the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake 8 to 10 minutes (or until the edges are firm and the bottoms lighly browned).

4. Cool on a rack and frost as desired!

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet or line with parchment paper. In a large bowl combine:
2 cups flour
7 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Then using two knives, a food processor, or pastry cutter, cut into the flour mixture:
6 tablespoons cold butter

Cut butter into the four mixture until it is crumbly and there are no chunks of butter. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together:
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3 tablespoons half and half
1 egg
Fold wet ingredients into the flour and butter mixture. Form the dough into a ball and pat it out onto a lightly floured surface until dough is about 1 inch thick. Using a pizza cutter, slice the dough twice through the width, making three equal portions. Cut those three portions diagonally to that you have 6 triangular slices of dough. Place onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes. Scones should turn lightly brown, cool on a wire rack. While the scones are baking, make the glaze by whisking these ingredients into a small bowl:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons half and half
When scones are cool brush or drizzle glaze on top.

Makes 6 scones

This is a great Fall recipe for pumpkin muffins. I love pumpkin and use it whenever I can. This would be a great addition to a Thanksgiving dinner or even a quick snack for the morning after Thanksgiving before shopping.

1 ½ cups all-purpose white flour or whole white wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1/3 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger

Topping:
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar (either white or light brown)
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cold butter (cut in small pieces)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line muffin pan with foil or paper liners.
1. Gently whisk together flour and baking powder in a small bowl.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, sugar, baking soda,salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger until smooth. Then, whisk in flour mixture just combined.
3. In another bowl, use a fork to mash together butter with remaining topping ingredients until coarse.
4. Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about ¾ full), then generously sprinkle tops with topping mixture. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes for regular muffins or 15 to 17 minutes for mini muffins or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes, and then transfer muffins to rack to cool further.

(Makes approximately 12 to 14 regular muffins or double the amount of mini muffins)

I am always looking for new side dishes to serve at holiday dinners or dinner parties. I normally do not care for Brussels Sprouts but this recipe is amazing. The bacon vinaigrette is the right combination of salty, sweet and savory. This is the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving dinner.

In a small bowl, to make the vinaigrette, whisk together:
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
5 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, brown:
4 oz bacon cut into 1/4 pieces
Transfer bacon to paper towel lined plate to cool and pour out all the bacon grease but leaving 1 tablespoon in the saute pan, saving the remaining grease to use later. Add 1 shallot, finely chopped, to the pan with the 1 tablespoon of bacon grease. Cook 2-3 minutes over medium heat or until tender. Remove and cool, then add to vinaigrette.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add:
1 1/2 lb. brussels sprouts,
Cook until tender, about 4-6 minutes. Remove from water with a slotted spoon and add to ice bath to stop cooking. Drain then place on paper towel lined baking sheets. Return the pot to boiling and add:
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4 inch square pieces
Cook until tender, about 4-6 minutes. Remove from water with a slotted spoon and add to ice bath to stop cooking. Drain then place on paper towel lined baking sheets.

In the same large saute pan that the bacon and shallot was cooked in warm over medium heat:
1 tablespoon olive oil
cooked butternut squash
Saute, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and warm through. Add to a large serving bowl. In the same saute pan, over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat and add the cooked brussels sprouts, cut side down. Cook without moving for about 3-4 minutes and allow to brown. Add:
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh sage
Cook 2 minutes more then add to the serving dish with the squash. Add half the cooked bacon and enough vinaigrette to coat (you may not use all the vinaigrette). Stir and top with remaining bacon.

Serves 6-8

Two or three days before Thanksgiving, begin thawing your 14 to 16 pound turkey in the refrigerator.

One day before cooking, make the brine by combining:
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger

Cook brine in a large stockpot over medium heat until everything has dissolved, stirring occasionally. Remove the brine from the heat and allow to cool before refrigerating. The night before or early the morning of the day you want to eat, combine the brine and 1 gallon ice water in a large bucket or cooler. Place cleaned turkey (innards removed) breast side down into the brine. Cover and refrigerate (if possible) for 8 to 16 hours, turning once.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse inside and out. Get rid of the brine and pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Then place the turkey on a roasting rack in a roasting pan.

In a separate bowl, prepare the aromatics (to give the turkey flavor) by combining:
1 red apple, quartered
1/2 onion, quartered
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
Microwave the aromatics on high for five minutes.

Add the aromatics along with 4 rosemary sprigs and 6 sage leaves to the turkey’s cavity. Tuck the wings under the turkey and coat generously with canola oil. Roast the turkey on the lowest rack in the oven for 30 minutes then reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Turkey should take cook for a total of two hours to two and a half hours or (using a meat thermometer, the turkey reaches 160 degrees in a deep part of the turkey). When finished cover loosely with foil and let rest about 15 minutes before carving.

Serves 10-12
*Aromatics inside the turkey will provide flavor but shouldn’t be eaten.

Eggs Benedict is one of my favorite breakfast meals.  Given the rather high amount of calories in Eggs Benedict, we try not to have it too often, but when we do I love this easy recipe below.  My eggs benedict recipe uses croissants instead of english muffins which again probably doesn’t help the calorie count, but definitely makes it an easy and delicious dish to prepare!

The tricky part with Eggs Benedict is poaching the egg. If you know how to do this, great! If not, first take a look at the video at the bottom of this page for a quick overview on an easy way to poach an egg.

This recipe below makes 4 small servings.

Ingredients:

• 2 Fresh Croissants (you can usually get a package of 4 fresh in your grocery store bakery)
• 4 Large Eggs
• 1 Packet of Dry Hollandaise Sauce (and based on the sauce, look on the packet for the ingredients you need to make the sauce – typically mild and butter)
• 1 Tablespoon of Finely Chopped Fresh Chives
• 4 Slices of Ham, about 1/4 of an inch thick
• 4 Slices of Bacon

Step 1: Folllow the instructions on the packet of Hollandaise sauce to get the sauce cooking on the stove.

Step 2: Cut the croissants in half, making four croissant halves.  These will be the foundation for your four eggs benedict servings.

Step 3: Cook the bacon in a pan to your liking.  Put the cooked bacon on a plate of paper towels but keep the bacon fat in the pan.

Step 4: In the same pan from the bacon, lightly cook the 4 slices of ham.  Put the cooked ham on the plat with the bacon.

Step 5: Poach the four eggs. Again, if this is a new concept to you, check out the quick an easy video below.

Step 6: Place each of the four pieces of ham on top of each of the croissants. On top of the ham, put a piece of bacon (break it into two pieces if it fits better)

Step 7: Carefully place each of the four poached eggs on top of each of the croissants.

Step 8: Spoon your desired amount of Hollandaise sauce on top of each of the dishes, then top with a desired amount of fresh chopped chives.

Enjoy!

14 Pound WHOLE TURKEY, fresh or frozen, thawed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Medium yellow onions, quartered
1/4 Cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
2 Medium shallots, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/3 Cup Madeira cooking wine

1. Remove giblets (discard liver), neck and any visible fat from turkey. Rinse turkey with cold running water and drain well. Blot dry with paper towels.
2. Sprinkle turkey cavity with salt and pepper. Place one quartered onion in cavity.
3. Combine parsley, thyme, rosemary, shallots and 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with salt and a generous grinding of pepper.
4. Separate turkey skin from breast meat, taking care not to tear skin or pierce the meat.
5. Rub herb mixture under the skin on each side of the breastbone.
6. Tie drumsticks together with kitchen string and twist wing tips behind the back.
7. Place turkey, breast side up, on a wire roasting rack (sprayed with non-stick cooking spray) in a shallow hotel pan.
8. Loosely cover turkey with foil and roast in a preheated 325 degree F. oven for 2 hours.
9. Remove foil from turkey and continue to roast, basting every 15 minutes with Madeira cooking wine. Cook another 1 to 1-3/4 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F in the thigh.
10. Transfer turkey to carving board and loosely cover with foil. Let rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.

Madeira Gravy
2/3 Cup Madeira
1/4 Cup dry white wine
1-1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Cups turkey or chicken stock

1. Pour pan drippings from roasting pan through a fine sieve. Place in freezer for 15-20 minutes to solidify fat.
2. Meanwhile, de-glaze the roasting pan with remaining Madeira and wine. Cook about 1 minute, until the mixture comes to a boil. Strain liquid through a fine sieve into a sauce pot.
3. Skim the fat from the chilled pan and discard. Add drippings to the sauce pot. Add turkey or chicken stock. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
4. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 tablespoons cold water. Slowly add to the simmering mixture, whisking until gravy thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper.

Garnish turkey with loose thyme and rosemary leaves. Serve gravy along side turkey.
Serves 16