McCormick Home-Style Cranberry Sauce

MmMmMm.. This cranberry sauce was to die for! (And, I don't even like Cranberry Sauce!)

Let me be completely honest... I totally forgot to even put the cranberry sauce on the table, until I saw it in the fridge after the dinner had been served and consumed!  But, it ended up being a funny mistake!  JD's mom, Debbie, and I actually ate it for dessert! Yummmmmmy!

Home-Style Cranberry Sauce
Courtesy of McCormick

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 package (12 ounces) fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Cinnamon, Ground
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Mix sugar and water in medium saucepan. Bring to boil on medium-high heat. Add cranberries, cinnamon and orange peel; return to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 minutes or until cranberries burst and sauce begins to thicken, stirring occasionally.
 
Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature. Cover.
 
Refrigerate until ready to serve.


Awesome Tip:
You can actually make this sauce up to a week ahead of time and refrigerate until you're ready to serve it!

 This sauce was scrumptious! Mmmm Mmmm GOOD!

Alton Brown's Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Another update:  These mashed potatoes were to die for! That Alton Brown really knows his way around the kitchen!

I served these mashed along side the Perfect Roast Turkey, Home-style Cranberry Sauce, and my favorite Greenbean Casserole.  What a Thanksgiving feast, it was!

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Courtesy of Alton Brown, 2004

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 16 fluid ounces (2 cups) half-and-half
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 6 ounces grated Parmesan

Directions:

Peel and dice potatoes, making sure all are relatively the same size. 

Place in a large saucepan, add the salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to maintain a rolling boil. Cook until potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork.

Heat the half-and-half and the garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and set aside.

Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain off the water. Mash and add the garlic-cream mixture and Parmesan; stir to combine. 

Let stand for 5 minutes so that mixture thickens and then serve. 


These potatoes were rich, and creamy! Of course, I used gravy but honestly, they didn't need it! 
Yummmmmm!

Barefoot Contessa's Perfect Roast Turkey

Oh my! It sure has been a while.  Work has been consuming most of my time since moving to Pittsburgh.  I do apologize for neglecting this blog!  I've tried out quite a few recipes this year... some were disastrous, others, delicious!  I've decided to update with just a few I made during this most recent holiday season. 

Enjoy! :)

The first, was the turkey I prepared for Thanksgiving (2012).  
It was PERFECT! So, it's name is fitting.

Perfect Roast Turkey
Courtesy of Barefoot Contessa Parties!, 2001, All rights reserved.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 fresh turkey (10 to 12 pounds)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large bunch fresh thyme
• 1 whole lemon, halved
• 1 Spanish onion, quartered
• 1 head garlic, halved crosswise

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the zest and juice of the lemon and 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves to the butter mixture. Set aside.

Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.

Roast the turkey about 2 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes.

Slice the turkey (or if you're like me... Have your DAD slice the turkey) and serve!  

This turkey was absolutely amazing! AND, SO EASY! 
It'll definitely be my go-to for any turkey feast!