Teriyaki Sauce

Mike and I were going to make beef teriyaki about a month ago, when we happened upon the fact we were out of teriyaki sauce. Found this recipe (halved the sugar) and have decided to never go back to store bought sauce again. (Apologies for the shoddy photo again; I took this photo with my phone.)

• 1/2cup soy sauce
• 1/2 1/4cup sugar
• 1/2teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
• 2tablespoons mirin
• 1/2teaspoon cornstarch

Combine soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and garlic in small saucepan; stir together mirin and cornstarch in small bowl until no lumps remain, then stir mirin mixture into saucepan. Bring sauce to boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced to 3/4 cup and forms syrupy glaze, about 4 minutes. Cover to keep warm.

Holiday Cooking 2012

Alright... it was the holidays.. Twas hectic, wonderful, and unfortunately a little sad.

Thanksgiving brought cupcakes for my coworkers and the usual spread for my family. The cupcakes (apple cobbler cupcakes with literal pumpkin pie frosting) turned out alright. The literal pumpkin pie frosting left some to be desired, but I did enjoy the apple cobbler bit.

While the Thanksgiving spread was normal (same turkey, stuffing, potatoes, rolls...), I had still yet to find a good sweet potato dish. I found one! It's a sweet potato casserole that is still sweet, but not too sweet. My family agreed that this was the sweet potato dish that was going to stay. 

Christmas season started out with cake balls being shipped out to my wonderful raid team. We were recently able to finish 6/6 bosses in Mogu'shan Vaults! (Guess they deserved the cake balls!) Granted... the cake ball part was too little cake and too much frosting for my taste. I will probably try a different recipe next time around.

With  my raid team taken care of... it was time to tackle the cupcakes for the coworkers. Recently I have been going out for a rum & coke with a couple of buddies at work. Not coincidentally, hot buttered rum is my favorite holiday beverage. I decided to make rum and coke cupcakes. Unfortunately, I had no cola extract. I tried to make a frosting with using straight up cola. This made the frosting too watery and didn't have that cola punch I was looking for. The rum cake part was still delicious though.

After presents had been shipped and cupcakes dispersed, it was time for Mike and I to start packing. We headed to Florida for Christmas. First time I've been able to see my cousins in over 10 years. Was a happy reunion full of good ole Southern cooking... not that I wasn't happy to make my way back to California cooking. 

We arrived back Christmas Eve and I still cooked for my parents the next day. Did the same meal as last year: prime rib, greens, and roasted potatoes  Simple, delicious, and perfect to come back to after travelling.

It was time to start planning for New Years Eve. This year, my usual group of friends decided to do a formal pot luck complete with board games. Somehow, the potluck turned into me supplying the meal.

I made slow-cooker barbecued sticky ribs, salad, roasted potatoes, and cherry-coke cupcakes. Mike made fried rice.

Alright, so you would think that the holiday baking would be over... My brother had a few weeks off after New Year's Eve. Him and his friends would come over for beers and board games. Eventually one of his friends turned me onto food porn daily and somehow the topic of cupcakes had come up. Long story short, I decided to make a batch of cupcakes that my brother would enjoy as well as a "belated birthday present" for his friend. My brother's requirement for cupcakes was "cream flavored". A short story short, I made Boston Cream cupcakes (you need to be logged in to America's Test Kitchen to see the recipe). This is probably one of the best cupcakes I have made.

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy (Pulled Pork Sandwich)

Oh alright, there isn't actually lemon is this. The last few months  have been particularly challenging in finding motivation to cook. I started experimenting with different Trader Joes deli packages to try to find easy meals that I wouldn't get sick of after 2 days. I hit jackpot.

Pulled Pork Sandwich with Roasted Potatoes

Potatoes

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg.
2. Cut assorted baby potatoes into  quarters.
3. Spray with a light coating of olive oil. 
4. Season with thyme, salt, and pepper.
5. Cover with aluminum foil. Roast for 10 minutes and then remove aluminum foil.
6. Bake for an additional 30 minutes or until tender.

Sandwich

1. Saute some onions with a dash of red pepper flakes until they've just started caramelizing.
2. Spray some multi-seed sourdough with a light coating of olive oil and sprinkles with ginger. 
3. Toast the sourdough. 
4. Pile onions, heated up pulled pork, greens, and cheese on the bread.

Slow Cooker Asian Spiced Pork Ribs with Noodles

The past few months I have pretty much not cooked. I was flipping through my Cook's Illustrated Cover & Bake when I came across a particularly appetizing photo and panicked... it was a Chinese food recipe. It's been a long time since I've attempted Chinese food. Last time I managed to burn noodles. For whatever reason, I was feeling particular inspired last weekend...who knows why. And what do you know? Victorious. Oh so victorious. Supposedly they are reminiscent of real Chinese spare ribs. Super tasty and did not take that long to get all of it together (granted I took my time in consideration of my last attempt at Chinese food).

Easter Dinner & Mom's Day

Most of my family was out of town this year for Easter, but I made a easy-ish dinner for Mike, my dad, and I. Turned out pretty well. I hadn't made ham in years.

My mom was out of town for her birthday unfortunately, so I went to town on her mother's day cake. I ended up with a layered carrot cake and some homemade vanilla ice cream. The carrot cake didn't end up with as many layers as I wanted because I didn't have the right sized pan. It ended up still being delicious though. Wasn't as much of a fan of the frosting as I was for her birthday cake last year.

Carrot Layer Cake

Pi Day in Conjunction with St. Patrick's Day

So... apparently I forgot to post my pi day cupcakes and St. Patrick's Day dinner. So sorry guys!

I didn't want to have to make separate cupcakes for both holidays. That's way too many cupcakes in the span of 3 days. Cupcake Project had posted upside-down key lime pie cupcakes for pi day a bit ago. As a Southern girl, those had a very strong appeal. Granted, it takes an arm and a leg to find key limes around here this time of year.  They turned out supreme even though I used ordinary limes.

As far as St. Patrick's Day goes, Mike had never had corned beef before. I felt oddly inspired to try making it this year. I also made purple cabbage, carrots, and roasted potatoes (a meal inspired by one of my best friend's chemist girls' nights events). I even made some quick homemade rolls. I must say, best meal I've made for us in a very long time.

One thing to note is that my purple cabbage is blue. It turns out, that red cabbage can be used as an at home pH kit. If your cabbage is blue, your solution is basic; if your cabbage is red, your solution is acidic. I've also noticed, that in cabbage recipes, people tend to add some vinegar; this helps it retains its red/purple color.

Simple Lasagna

Rating: 5 of 5


Notes: No boil noodles are heaven-sent.


Ingredients

    Tomato-Meat Sauce

•      1tablespoon olive oil
•     1 medium onion , chopped fine (about 1 cup)
•     6 medium cloves garlic , pressed through garlic press or minced (about 2 tablespoons)
•     1 pound meatloaf mix or 1/3 1/2 pound each ground beef chuck, ground veal, and ground pork
•     1/2teaspoon table salt
•     1/2teaspoon ground black pepper
•     1/4cup heavy cream
•     1 can (28 ounces) tomato puree
•     1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes , drained

    Ricotta, Mozzarella, and Pasta Layers

•     15 ounces ricotta cheese (whole milk or part skim), 1 3/4 cups)
•     2 1/2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/4 cups)
•     1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
•     1 large egg , lightly beaten
•     1/2 teaspoon table salt
•     1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
•     12 no-boil lasagna noodles from one 8- or 9-ounce package
•     16 ounces whole milk mozzarella , shredded (4 cups)

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat oil in large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add ground meats, salt, and pepper; cook, breaking meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until meat loses its raw color but has not browned, about 4 minutes. Add cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates and only fat remains, about 4 minutes. Add pureed and drained diced tomatoes and bring to simmer; reduce heat to low and simmer slowly until flavors are blended, about 3 minutes; set sauce aside. (Sauce can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days; reheat before assembling lasagna.)
3. Mix ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan, basil, egg, salt, and pepper in medium bowl with fork until well-combined and creamy; set aside.
4. Assemble first lasagna layer according to illustrations below. Repeat layering of noodles, ricotta, mozzarella, and sauce two more times. Place 3 remaining noodles on top of sauce, spread remaining sauce over noodles, sprinkle with remaining cup mozzarella, then with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Lightly spray a large sheet of foil with nonstick cooking spray and cover lasagna. Bake 15 minutes, then remove foil. Return lasagna to oven and continue to bake until cheese is spotty brown and sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes longer. Cool lasagna about 10 minutes; cut into pieces and serve.

Cornflake-Crusted Pork Nuggets

Rating:  5 of 5

Ingredients
Pork

• 10 oz pork tenderloin
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 cups corn flakes cereal (crushed)
• 4 tbsp butter  

Glaze 

• 2 tbsp minced red onion
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup Seville orange marmalade
• 1-2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp minced fresh chives

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a baking sheet on a rack inside the oven as it preheats.
2. Cut tenderloin in half lengthwise, then cut halves into ten 1-2 inch pieces. Pat pieces dry with a paper town and season pieces with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic.
3. Place flour, eggs, and cornflakes into three separate shallow dishes. Toss pork pieces in flour to coat, dip into egg, then dredge in corn flakes.Brush each piece of pork with butter.
4. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Transfer pork pieces to the baking sheet and return to the oven. Bake until golden.
5. For the glaze, saute onion and garlic in oil until softened (2 minutes). Stir in marmalade and lime juice. Simmer until glaze thickens. Remove from heat; stir in chives. Serve glaze over pork.

Pizza

Rating: 5 of 5

Notes: The dough was kind of difficult to work, but I managed. ^_^

Ingredients:
Pizza Dough
    1 3/4 cups water
    2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast (1 envelope)
    2 tablespoons olive oil , plus extra for brushing dough
    4 cups bread flour
    1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
    Vegetable oil (or cooking spray) for oiling bowl
    Semolina for dusting peel
Sauce
    2 large cloves garlic, minced
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes or tomatoes packed in puree, chopped coarse  (I used fire roasted tomatoes)
Toppings
    1/4 pound bulk pork sausage , broken into bite size pieces (Pizza 1)
    1 pepperoni sausage, sliced (Pizza 1)
    1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
    1 green pepper (Pizza 2)
    1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (Pizza 2)
    1/4 cup diced red onion (Pizza 2)
    1/4 cup shredded fresh basil leaf
    1/8 cup chopped fresh marjoram
    1/8 cup chopped fresh oregano
    4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (1 cup) (I used a mixed combination of smoked and whole milk mozzarella, fresh.)

Directions:
1. For Pizza: Measure 1/4 cup of warm water into 2-cup measuring cup. Sprinkle in yeast; let stand until yeast dissolves and swells, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1/4 cup warm water plus 1 1/4 cup tap water and olive oil. Meanwhile, pulse flour and salt in workbowl of large food processor fitted with steel blade to combine. Add liquid ingredients (holding back a tablespoon or so) to flour and pulse together. If dough does not readily form into ball, stop machine, add remaining liquid, and continue to pulse until ball forms. Process until dough is smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds longer.

2. Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface; knead by hand with a few strokes to form smooth, round ball. Put dough into medium-large, oiled bowl, and cover with damp cloth. Let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

3. For Sauce: Heat garlic with oil in saucepan over medium heat. When garlic starts to sizzle, add tomatoes. Simmer, uncovered, until sauce is thick enough to mound on spoon, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. For Pizza: Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and use chef’s knife or dough scraper to halve, quarter, or cut dough into eighths, depending on number and size of pizzas desired. Form each piece into ball and cover with damp cloth. Working with one piece of dough at a time, shape by flattening the dough into a disk using the palm of your hand. Start at the center and working outward, use your fingertips to press the disk to about 1/4-inch thick. Use one hand to hold the dough in place, use your other hand to stretch the dough outward. For a medium-thick pizza crust, repeat the stretching by turning the dough a quarterturn after each pull, until the correct diameter. For a thinner pizza, let the dough relax for 5 minutes, then continue stretching it until it has reached the correct diameter. Carefully lift the dough and transfer to pizza peel that has been lightly coated with semolina, brush dough very lightly with olive oil before topping and cooking.

5a. Put sausage and 1/4 cup water in medium-large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until water evaporates and sausage cooks through and browns, about 7 minutes.

5b.  Sauté peppers, mushrooms, and red onion until softened slightly, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove and set aside.

6. Top pizza dough with a portion of sauce. Scatter a portion of  fresh herbs and toppings over sauce. Immediately slide dough onto heated quarry tiles or pizza stone. Follow cooking time on guide (see below), adding a portion of cheese at appropriate time.

7. Bake for about 8 minutes. Sprinkle on the cheese and bake for an addition 3-4 minutes until crust is golden brown and cheese is completely melted.

Pineapple-Brown Sugar Glazed Chicken Breasts

Rating: 5 of 5

Notes: As much as I hate using corn syrup in my main dinner meal, Ash and I went as directed. Next time I will probably try a combination of honey and water or maybe teriyaki sauce.

Ingredients:
     1 1/2 cups pineapple juice plus an additional 2 tablespoons
     1/3 cup light corn syrup
     2 tablespoons brown sugar
     1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
     1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
     1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
     Table salt and ground black pepper
     1/2 cup all-purpose flour
     4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (about 12 ounces each), ribs removed, trimmed of excess fat and skin chicken legs
     2 teaspoons vegetable oil
     1 medium shallot , minced (about 3 tablespoons)

Directions:
      1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk 1 1/2 cups pineapple juice, corn syrup, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, pepper flakes, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper together in medium bowl. Place flour in pie plate, then season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Working with one chicken breast at a time, coat chicken with flour, patting off excess.
      2. Heat oil in ovenproof 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add chicken breasts skin-side down; cook until well browned and most of fat has rendered from skin, 8 to 14 minutes. (If after 3 minutes you don't hear definite sizzling, increase heat to medium-high. If after 6 minutes chicken is darker than lightly browned, reduce heat slightly.) Turn chicken and lightly brown other side, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to plate.
      3. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon fat from pan. Add shallot and cook until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Increase heat to high and add orange juice mixture. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until syrupy and reduced to 1 cup (heatproof spatula should leave slight trail when dragged through glaze), 6 to 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and tilt to one side so glaze pools in corner of pan. Using tongs, roll each chicken breast in pooled glaze to coat evenly and place skin-side down in skillet.
      4. Transfer skillet to oven and bake chicken until thickest part of breasts registers 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 25 to 30 minutes, turning chicken skin-side up halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to platter and let rest 5 minutes. Return skillet to high heat (be careful-handle will be very hot) and cook glaze, stirring constantly, until thick and syrupy (heatproof spatula should leave wide trail when dragged through glaze), about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons pineapple juice. Spoon 1 teaspoon glaze over each breast and serve, passing remaining glaze at table.

Top Sirloin with Roquefort Butter, Broiled Asparagus, & Oven Fries

Roquefort Butter

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter , at room temperature
• 1/2 ounce Roquefort gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 teaspoon brandy 

 Directions:
Mash together butter, cheese, and brandy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top each cooked steak with portion of flavored butter and serve immediately.

Oven Fries

 Ingredients:

• 3 russet potatoes (about 8 ounces each), peeled, each potato cut lengthwise into 10 to 12 evenly sized wedges
• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil or peanut oil olive oil

Directions: 
1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position; heat oven to 475 degrees. Place potatoes in large bowl and cover with hot tap water; soak 10 minutes. Meanwhile, coat 18 by 12-inch heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet (see note) with 4 tablespoons oil and sprinkle evenly with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; set aside.
2. Drain potatoes. Spread potatoes out on triple layer of paper towels and thoroughly pat dry with additional paper towels. Rinse and wipe out now-empty bowl; return potatoes to bowl and toss with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Arrange potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet; cover tightly with foil and bake 5 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until bottoms of potatoes are spotty golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating baking sheet after 10 minutes. Using metal spatula and tongs, scrape to loosen potatoes from pan, then flip each wedge, keeping potatoes in single layer. Continue baking until fries are golden and crisp, 5 to 15 minutes longer, rotating pan as needed if fries are browning unevenly. 
3. Transfer fries to second baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste and serve. 

Broiled Asparagus

Liberally coat in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, bake until just about finished, and then broil for a minute or two. (I baked it at 325 deg F for maybe 20 minutes until it was starting to look done, took out the bread pudding for a moment, and broiled the asparagus until it was finished.)

Pecan Rum French Toast

Rating: 4 of 5

Notes: This recipe was a little bit too sweet for me. I feel like there wasn't enough egg coating the bread to be called a french toast. Additionally, 20 seconds was way too long to soak the bread. The result was a little bit soggy. The rum aftertaste was fantastic though. Pecans were also a nice touch.

Ingredients:
1/2 cups pecans
4 tablespoon light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 large slices cinnamon-raisin bread
1 1/2 cups whole milk , warmed (see note)
3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted, plus 2 tablespoons for cooking
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons dark rum
Maple syrup

Directions:
1. Process 1/2 cup pecans, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in food processor until coarsely ground, 12 to 15 one-second pulses (you should have about 1/2 cup crumbs).
2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Place bread on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Bake bread until almost dry throughout (center should remain slightly moist), about 16 minutes, flipping slices halfway through cooking. Remove bread from rack and let cool 5 minutes. Return baking sheet with wire rack to oven and reduce temperature to 200 degrees.
3. Whisk milk, yolks, sugar, cinnamon, 2 tablespoons melted butter, salt, vanilla, and rum in large bowl until well blended. Transfer mixture to 13- by 9-inch baking pan.

Turkey with Cranberry Molasses Glaze

Rating: 4 of 5

Note: I have no idea how the cooking times are in this recipe; I had completely forgotten to butterfly. I increased the temperature to (I think) 375 deg. I also tented it with aluminum foil to hurry it up. I took it off for the last 30 minutes to glaze and make the skin a bit less soggy. We also added some water to the bottom so the onions didn't burn.

My family liked this one better than the one for Thanksgiving. I liked the one for Thanksgiving better.

Ingredients:
Turkey

• 1 (12- to 14-pound) turkey , giblets and neck removed and reserved for another use
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt (see note)
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 large onions , peeled and havled

Glaze

• 3 cups apple cider
• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (I used leftover fresh cranberries from Thanksgiving that we had frozen)
• 1/2 cup light or mild molasses
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon  pale ale and honey spice mustard
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:
1. FOR THE TURKEY: Following illustrations in step by step below, butterfly turkey. Using fingers or handle of wooden spoon, carefully separate skin from thighs and breast. Using skewer, poke 15 to 20 holes in fat deposits on breast halves and thighs. Rub bone side of turkey evenly with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Flip turkey skin side up and rub 1 tablespoon salt evenly under skin. Tuck wings under turkey. Push legs up to rest on lower portion of breast and tie legs together with kitchen twine. Combine remaining tablespoon salt, remaining teaspoon pepper, and baking powder in small bowl. Pat skin side of turkey dry with paper towels. Sprinkle surface of turkey with baking powder mixture and rub in mixture with hands, coating skin evenly. Transfer turkey to large roasting pan, skin side up. Place 1 onion half under each breast and thigh to elevate turkey off bottom of roasting pan. Allow turkey to stand at room temperature 1 hour.

2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Roast turkey until instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted in thickest part of breast and 170 to 175 degrees in thickest part of thigh, 2½ to 3 hours. Remove roasting pan from oven and allow turkey to rest in pan for at least 30 minutes or up to 1½ hours. Thirty minutes before returning turkey to oven, increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.

3. FOR THE GLAZE: While turkey rests, bring cider, cranberries, molasses, vinegar, mustard, and ginger to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 1½ cups, about 30 minutes. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer into 2-cup liquid measuring cup, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids (you should have about 1¼ cups glaze). Transfer ½ cup glaze to small saucepan and set aside.

4. Brush turkey with one-third of glaze in measuring cup, transfer to oven, and roast 7 minutes. Brush on half of remaining glaze in measuring cup and roast additional 7 minutes. Brush on remaining glaze in measuring cup and roast until skin is evenly browned and crispy, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer turkey to cutting board and let rest 20 minutes.

5. While turkey rests, remove onions from roasting pan and discard. Strain liquid from pan through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator (you should have about 2 cups liquid). Allow liquid to settle 5 minutes, then pour into saucepan with reserved glaze, discarding any remaining fat. Bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat and cook until slightly syrupy, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in butter. Carve turkey and serve, passing sauce separately.

Herbed Roast Turkey

Rating: 5 of 5

Notes: Most successful bird I've made yet. The recipe I used the past couple years was good, but took forever. This bird remained moist without basting and had a great flavor. Also, a shout-out to Shelby for doing the majority of work while I prepped a lot of the other dishes.... Granted she did enjoy "dissecting" the bird. (See a pic at the bottom of the post for an amusing pic)

Ingredients:
Turkey and Brine

• 2 cups table salt
• 1 turkey (12 to 14 pounds gross weight), rinsed thoroughly; giblets and neck reserved for gravy (if making), and tailpiece removed
• 1 sprig rosemary, thyme, marjoram

Herb Paste

• 1 1/4 cups chopped fresh parsley leaves (roughly chopped)
• 4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves (roughly chopped)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
• 1 medium shallot , minced (about 3 tablespoons)
• 2 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 3/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest , from 1 lemon
• 3/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Dijon  pale ale and honey spice mustard
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Gravy

• 2 cups drippings
• 2 tbsp floud 

 Directions:
      1. FOR THE TURKEY AND BRINE: Dissolve salt in 2 gallons cold water in large stockpot or clean bucket. Add turkey and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours.
      2. Remove turkey from brine and rinse under cool running water. Pat dry inside and out with paper towels. Place turkey breast side up on flat wire rack set over rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan and refrigerate, uncovered, 30 minutes. Alternatively, air-dry turkey (see note above).
      3. FOR THE HERB PASTE: Process parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, shallot, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in food processor until consistency of coarse paste, ten 2-second pulses. Add mustard and olive oil; continue to process until mixture forms smooth paste, ten to twelve 2-second pulses; scrape sides of processor bowl with rubber spatula after 5 pulses. Transfer mixture to small bowl.
      4. TO PREPARE THE TURKEY: Adjust oven rack to lowest position; heat oven to 400 degrees. Line large V-rack with heavy-duty foil and use paring knife or skewer to poke 20 to 30 holes in foil; set V-rack in large roasting pan. Remove turkey from refrigerator and wipe away any water collected in baking sheet; set turkey breast side up on baking sheet. Tuck wings behind back and tuck tips of drumsticks into skin at tail to secure.
      5. Using hands, carefully loosen skin from meat of breasts, thighs, and drumsticks. Using spoon, slip 1 1/2 tablespoons paste under breast skin on each side of turkey. Using fingers, distribute paste under skin over breast, thigh, and drumstick meat.
      6. Using sharp paring knife, cut 1 1/2-inch vertical slit into thickest part of each breast. Starting from top of incision, swing knife tip down to create 4- to 5-inch pocket within flesh. Place 1 tablespoon paste in pocket of each breast; using fingers, rub in thin, even layer.
      7. Rub 1 tablespoon paste inside turkey cavity. Rotate turkey breast side down; apply half remaining herb paste to turkey skin; flip turkey breast side up and apply remaining herb paste to skin, pressing and patting to make paste adhere; reapply herb paste that falls onto baking sheet.
      8. TO ROAST THE TURKEY: Place turkey breast side down on prepared V-rack in roasting pan. Roast 45 minutes.
      9. Remove roasting pan with turkey from oven (close oven door to retain oven heat). Using clean potholders (or wad of paper towels), rotate turkey breast side up. Continue to roast until thickest part of breast registers 165 degrees and thickest part of thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 50 to 60 minutes longer. (Confirm temperature by inserting thermometer in both sides of bird.) Transfer turkey to carving board; let rest 30 minutes. Carve turkey and serve.
     10. To make gravy, take 2 cups of the drippings and put into a small sauce pan. Add 2 tbsp of flour and simmer until thickened.

Cheesy Stuffed Chicken

Edit: I apologize readers; this is my second time posting this recipe. >.<

Rating: 5 of 5
Rating Note: I don't actually like this recipe, but it's Mike's favorite. :)


Notes: I use just enough cream cheese and cheddar cheese to coat the inside... otherwise the cheese overpowers the rest of the flavors. Also, I think our oven might not be accurate; this dish took around 60 minutes to cook in our oven. Also, I only make this in batches of 4 chicken breast halves.


Ingredients:
     oil, for greasing pan
     8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
     Cream cheese
     Cheddar cheese
     1 cup milk
     1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
     1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
     1 tablespoon minced garlic
     3/4 cup butter, melted
     2 tablespoons lemon juice
     1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, or to taste
     1/2 teaspoon paprika
     1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:
   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly coat a large, shallow baking dish with oil.
   2. Butterfly each breast by slicing in half horizontally through the center, cutting almost but not completely through. Place one slice each of Cheddar and cream cheese in the center of each breast. Close again as if placing between the pages of a book. Set aside.
   3. Pour milk into a shallow bowl. In a separate bowl, combine breadcrumbs and Romano cheese. Carefully dip each breast first in milk, then in breadcrumb mixture, patting lightly to firmly coat. Place breasts side by side in a single layer in pre-oiled baking dish, tucking edges under to seal.
   4. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in lemon juice and garlic, and drizzle evenly over chicken. Season breasts with garlic salt and paprika, if using.
   5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until no longer pink in center and juices run clear.

Grilled Cheese

Rating: 4 of 5
Rating Note: I used too much butter. >.<

Note: I feel silly for never having made grilled cheese this way. I usually just throw some cheese on some bread and into the toaster oven. Since I had made tomato soup a couple weeks ago (and still had some leftover) I gave it a go.

 Ingredients:

• 4 slices white  wheat bread
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 slices Cheddar
• 2 slices Smoked Gouda

Directions:

   1. Preheat skillet over medium heat. Generously butter one side of a slice of bread. Place bread butter-side-down onto skillet bottom and add 1 slice of cheese. Butter a second slice of bread on one side and place butter-side-up on top of sandwich. Grill until lightly browned and flip over; continue grilling until cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining 2 slices of bread, butter and slice of cheese.

Sloppy Joes

Rating: 4 of 5
Notes: WAY too much sugar.

Ingredients:

     1 pound lean ground beef
     1/4 cup chopped onion
     1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
     1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
     1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
     3/4 cup ketchup
     3 teaspoons brown sugar
     salt to taste
     ground black pepper to taste

Directions

   1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper; drain off liquids.
   2. Stir in the garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar; mix thoroughly. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meatloaf

Rating: 4 of 5
 
Note: I have a tendency to over stuff everything; my meatloaf didn't stay together very well. It would have helped if I had chopped everything a lot smaller. 


Ingredients:

•      6 ounces garlic-flavored croutons
•      1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
•      1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
•      1 teaspoon chili powder
•      1 teaspoon dried thyme
•      1/2 onion, roughly chopped
•      1 carrot, peeled and broken
•      3 whole cloves garlic
•      1/2 red bell pepper
•      18 ounces ground chuck
•      18 ounces ground sirloin
•      1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
•      1 egg

For the glaze:

•      1/2 cup catsup
•      1 teaspoon ground cumin
•      Dash Worcestershire sauce (omitted; I ran out)
•      Dash hot pepper sauce
•      1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a food processor bowl, combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture. Place this mixture into a large bowl. Combine the onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper in the food processor bowl. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed. Combine the vegetable mixture, ground sirloin, and ground chuck with the bread crumb mixture. Season the meat mixture with the kosher salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat.
3. Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf. Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray. Insert a temperature probe at a 45 degree angle into the top of the meatloaf. Avoid touching the bottom of the tray with the probe. Set the probe for 155 degrees.
4. Combine the catsup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey. Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes.

Vampire Blood Tomato Soup with Muenster Sammies

Tomato Soup

 Rating: 5 of 5 


Ingredients:

•      3 tablespoons olive oil
•      1/2 fennel bulb, chopped, about 2 1/2 cups
•      1/2 large onion, chopped, about 1 cup
•      4 cloves garlic, smashed
•      1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
•      1 teaspoon fennel seed
•      1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
•      1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
•      2 cups homemade vegetable broth or low-sodium canned
•      2 cups tomato juice
•      6 basil leaves, torn
•      Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
•      Muenster Sammies, recipe follows

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add fennel, onion, garlic, salt, fennel seed and crushed pepper, if using, and cook until vegetables soften and brown slightly, about 5 minutes. Drain and reserve juice from the tomatoes, then crush tomatoes gently with your hands. Add the tomatoes, increase heat to high, and cook until they begin to brown slightly, about 5 minutes.

Add the reserved tomato juice, vegetable broth, tomato juice, and basil leaves. Bring to a boil, stir, reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook until vegetables are cooked through and soup reduces and thickens, about 30 minutes.

Remove pot from stove and puree the soup in batches, with an immersion, regular blender, or food processor. Stir in lemon juice and season with pepper to taste. Serve.

Muenster Sammies with Apple Butter

Rating: 4 of 5

Note: I don't like these very much on their own. They're so good with the tomato soup though.

Ingredients:

•      16 (3 1/2-inch square) slices dark rye
•      1/2 cup apple butter
•      8 slices muenster cheese, about 3 ounces
•      8 slices yellow cheddar cheese, about 3 ounces

Directions:
Toast bread in toaster or toaster oven until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes (or less if using a toaster.) Spread one side of each slice of bread with apple jelly. Layer the cheese over the apple jelly, top with remaining slice of bread. Cut out as desired. Garnish as desired.

Spaghetti & Meatballs

Rating: 5 of 5

Notes: I used a cast iron skillet because I love the flavor of how iron interacts wth tomato sauces. Unfortunately, it wasn’t big enough and I had to divide it in half between the skillet and my soup pot. I also let my sauce simmer for way longer than specified, it gave it some additional flavor.

Ingredients:
Note: The meatballs and sauce both use the same onion mixture.
Onion Mixture
•    1/4 cup olive oil
•    3 onions , chopped fine
•    8 garlic cloves, minced
•    1 tablespoon dried oregano
•    3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Easy Marinara
•    1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
•    1 cup dry red wine
•    1 cup water
•    4 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
•    1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
•    1/4 cup fresh basil leaf
•    Salt
•    1 - 2 teaspoons sugar , as needed
Meatballs
•    4 slices hearty white sandwich bread
•    3/4 cup milk
•    1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage , casings removed (I used 1 spicy Italian sausage and 1 mild Italian sausage)
•    1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
•    1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
•    2 large eggs
•    2 garlic cloves, minced
•    1 1/2 teaspoons salt
•    2 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck

Directions:
1. For the onion mixture: Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onions until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer half of onion mixture to large bowl and set aside.
2. For the marinara: Add tomato paste to remaining onion mixture in pot and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in water and tomatoes and simmer over low heat until sauce is no longer watery, 45 to 60 minutes. Stir in cheese and basil and adjust seasonings with salt and sugar.
3. For the meatballs: Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Mash bread and milk in bowl with reserved onion mixture until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, except ground beef, to bowl and mash to combine. Add beef and knead with hands until well combined. Form mixture into 2 1/2-inch meatballs (you should have about 16 meatballs), place on rimmed baking sheet, and bake until well browned, about 20 minutes.
4. Transfer meatballs to pot with sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve over pasta.