Happy Wife Happy Life
December 1st 2010 03:17
You' ve heard it before, now live it. I find a lot of my male ineptitude, stupidity, careless/thoughtless forgetful traits can be overlooked(albeit briefly) if i whip up delicious grub on a regular basis. This also includes pulling together over the top munchies for her book club/staff party/girlfriends pot luck sessions. To that end, and in the interest of making at least a few men's lives a little easier, I am setting out a bunch of easy but fantastic food.
Turkey. You don't need to say anything else. We all love it, but only eat it twice a year and I guarantee that the man of the house carved but did not cook it. For some, cooking a holiday bird is the cause shingles, tension nose bleeds, excessive early morning hard liquor consumption and spontaneous acts of violence directed at husbands. Been there. So here is a brief and frankly simple way of re directing all that holiday bird angst. Start by cooking turkey, not A turkey, but some turkey, at times OTHER than a holidays. Pavlov 101.
Secondly, cook odd bits o' turkey, like wings(Flinstones big) and thighs(tender, juicy and NEXT to impossible to overcook)-sound good?
Read on young Padawan
Jumbo Cajun Turkey Wings
Turkey wings-1 per person.
Cajun Rub (125 ml enough for 4 wings)
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoons ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dry thyme leaves
1 teaspoon oregano leaves
Combine ingredients and store in a cool, dark place until ready to use.
Turkey Brine (2 litres- enough for 8-10 wings)
125ml honey
12 bay leaves
3 large rosemary sprigs
15g thyme
50g parsley
2 heads garlic, crushed skins on
2 tbsps peppercorns
140g kosher salt
2 litres water
Combine ingredients and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely before using.
Combine turkey wings and brine so that all the wings are covered. Refrigerate overnight or up to 12 hours before use.
Bourbon Barbecue Sauce (Yields 625 ml-2.5cups)
500ml-2 cups ketchup
125ml-1/2 cup light molasses or brown sugar
65ml-1/3 cup bourbon
45ml-3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
30ml-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
10ml-2 teaspoons paprika
5ml-1 teaspoon minced garlic
5ml-1 teaspoon onion powder
Bring all BBQ sauce ingredients to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.
Once the wings have brined, remove them from the brine (discard) and pat them dry with paper towel. Place the wings in a large zip lock bag with the rub ingredients and seal the bag. Shake vigorously until the wings are completely dusted with rub then remove them and discard the remaining rub. Place the wings on a parchment lined sheet pan and place in a 350°F oven for 1hour. Check for an internal temperature of 180F, then toss in BBQ sauce and return to the oven for 5-8 minutes until the sauce starts to dry slightly. Serve with sour cream or Greek style yogurt as dip.
Roasted Turkey Thighs
Allow 1 thigh per person.
Onion and Sage Stuffing serves 8-10
125 ml-1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
750ml-3 cups-500g chopped onions
500ml-2 cups chopped celery (4 to 5 stalks)
4 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
4 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
12 cups (generous) 1-inch cubes day-old bread with crust (about 525g)
225g rehydrated unsweetened cranberries
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 cup (or more) chicken broth
For stuffing: Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and celery. Sauté until vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes. Add all herbs; sauté 1 minute longer.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide bread between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake until bread is crusty but not hard, reversing sheets after 5 minutes, 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer to very large bowl and cool.
Stir vegetable mixture and cranberries into bread. Whisk eggs, salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend; whisk in 1 cup broth. Add egg mixture to stuffing, tossing to combine evenly and adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dry. Once you are happy with the consistency(moist but not soaked), proceed to stuffing the turkey thighs.
If you want to do your stuffing separately, follow the instructions below.
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and celery. Sauté until vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes. Add all herbs; sauté 1 minute longer. Can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to bowl, cover, and chill.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide bread between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake until bread is crusty but not hard, reversing sheets after 5 minutes, 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer to very large bowl and cool.
Butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Stir vegetable mixture and cranberries into bread. Whisk eggs, salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend; whisk in 1 cup broth. Add egg mixture to stuffing, tossing to combine evenly and adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dry. Transfer stuffing to prepared dish.
Bake stuffing uncovered until cooked through and brown and crusty on top, 50 to 60 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.
Preparing thighs and stock for gravy
Using a boning knife (or by asking the butcher) remove the bone from the thigh, being careful not to cut through the skin.
Place the bones on a sheet pan and add 2 quartered onions, 2 chopped apples(cored and seeded), chopped celery and carrots and roast for 1 hour at 375F or until the bones are nicely browned. Add the pan contents (except the apples) to a stock pot along with a bay leaf, 1tbsp peppercorns and 2 cloves then cover with cold water by two fingers. Heat to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 hours. Strain the stock and reserve liquid until gravy making time.
In the meantime, place two spoonfuls of stuffing in each breast and tie with butcher string. No butcher string? Use two bamboo skewers to hold the thigh together.
Place the chicken back on the sheet pan in a 350F oven until the middle of the stuffing has reached 180F, about 1 hour. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving.
Oven-roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Perfect Roasted Apple Turkey Gravy
Allow 5-6 fingerlings per person, about 150g
rosemary
olive oil
salt and pepper
2 cloves of minced garlic
Toss the potatoes in olive oil, and chopped rosemary and garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast in 350F oven for approx 1 hour, stir repeatedly.
Serve and wash it down with her choice of beverage. Suggest hitting the sack early, maybe a back rub.
Turkey. You don't need to say anything else. We all love it, but only eat it twice a year and I guarantee that the man of the house carved but did not cook it. For some, cooking a holiday bird is the cause shingles, tension nose bleeds, excessive early morning hard liquor consumption and spontaneous acts of violence directed at husbands. Been there. So here is a brief and frankly simple way of re directing all that holiday bird angst. Start by cooking turkey, not A turkey, but some turkey, at times OTHER than a holidays. Pavlov 101.
Read on young Padawan
Jumbo Cajun Turkey Wings
Turkey wings-1 per person.
Cajun Rub (125 ml enough for 4 wings)
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoons ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dry thyme leaves
1 teaspoon oregano leaves
Combine ingredients and store in a cool, dark place until ready to use.
Turkey Brine (2 litres- enough for 8-10 wings)
125ml honey
12 bay leaves
3 large rosemary sprigs
15g thyme
50g parsley
2 tbsps peppercorns
140g kosher salt
2 litres water
Combine ingredients and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely before using.
Combine turkey wings and brine so that all the wings are covered. Refrigerate overnight or up to 12 hours before use.
Bourbon Barbecue Sauce (Yields 625 ml-2.5cups)
500ml-2 cups ketchup
125ml-1/2 cup light molasses or brown sugar
65ml-1/3 cup bourbon
45ml-3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
30ml-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
10ml-2 teaspoons paprika
5ml-1 teaspoon minced garlic
5ml-1 teaspoon onion powder
Bring all BBQ sauce ingredients to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.
Once the wings have brined, remove them from the brine (discard) and pat them dry with paper towel. Place the wings in a large zip lock bag with the rub ingredients and seal the bag. Shake vigorously until the wings are completely dusted with rub then remove them and discard the remaining rub. Place the wings on a parchment lined sheet pan and place in a 350°F oven for 1hour. Check for an internal temperature of 180F, then toss in BBQ sauce and return to the oven for 5-8 minutes until the sauce starts to dry slightly. Serve with sour cream or Greek style yogurt as dip.
Roasted Turkey Thighs
Allow 1 thigh per person.
Onion and Sage Stuffing serves 8-10
125 ml-1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
750ml-3 cups-500g chopped onions
500ml-2 cups chopped celery (4 to 5 stalks)
4 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
4 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
12 cups (generous) 1-inch cubes day-old bread with crust (about 525g)
225g rehydrated unsweetened cranberries
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 cup (or more) chicken broth
For stuffing: Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and celery. Sauté until vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes. Add all herbs; sauté 1 minute longer.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide bread between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake until bread is crusty but not hard, reversing sheets after 5 minutes, 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer to very large bowl and cool.
Stir vegetable mixture and cranberries into bread. Whisk eggs, salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend; whisk in 1 cup broth. Add egg mixture to stuffing, tossing to combine evenly and adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dry. Once you are happy with the consistency(moist but not soaked), proceed to stuffing the turkey thighs.
If you want to do your stuffing separately, follow the instructions below.
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and celery. Sauté until vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes. Add all herbs; sauté 1 minute longer. Can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to bowl, cover, and chill.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide bread between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake until bread is crusty but not hard, reversing sheets after 5 minutes, 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer to very large bowl and cool.
Butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Stir vegetable mixture and cranberries into bread. Whisk eggs, salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend; whisk in 1 cup broth. Add egg mixture to stuffing, tossing to combine evenly and adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dry. Transfer stuffing to prepared dish.
Bake stuffing uncovered until cooked through and brown and crusty on top, 50 to 60 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.
Preparing thighs and stock for gravy
Using a boning knife (or by asking the butcher) remove the bone from the thigh, being careful not to cut through the skin.
Place the bones on a sheet pan and add 2 quartered onions, 2 chopped apples(cored and seeded), chopped celery and carrots and roast for 1 hour at 375F or until the bones are nicely browned. Add the pan contents (except the apples) to a stock pot along with a bay leaf, 1tbsp peppercorns and 2 cloves then cover with cold water by two fingers. Heat to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 4-5 hours. Strain the stock and reserve liquid until gravy making time.
In the meantime, place two spoonfuls of stuffing in each breast and tie with butcher string. No butcher string? Use two bamboo skewers to hold the thigh together.
Place the chicken back on the sheet pan in a 350F oven until the middle of the stuffing has reached 180F, about 1 hour. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving and serving.
Oven-roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Perfect Roasted Apple Turkey Gravy
Allow 5-6 fingerlings per person, about 150g
rosemary
olive oil
salt and pepper
2 cloves of minced garlic
Toss the potatoes in olive oil, and chopped rosemary and garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast in 350F oven for approx 1 hour, stir repeatedly.
Serve and wash it down with her choice of beverage. Suggest hitting the sack early, maybe a back rub.
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