Michael Symon's Turkey Gravy

Go here:

http://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/turkey-gravy-michael-symon


I have a really great turkey neck gravy recipe that cooks for hours and is yummy! This one takes only about an hour and is just as amazing, well, it's even better!!! Plus...you can make it a day or two ahead by going to step 4 and stopping then reheating and adding the pan drippings the day of Thanksgiving.

NOTE: go get some turkey stock to make it!

Sweet Potato Praline Casserole

This recipe is NOT MINE Here is the link to where I got it.

http://www.southyourmouth.com/2013/03/southern-style-easter-menu.html?m=1

We made this a few months ago and it is what the family wants now!

I didn't find it needed any more sugar than the recipe called for.

Sweet Potato Praline Casserole

Sweet Potatoes:
4 lbs. sweet potatoes
3/4 – 1 cup sugar* (I used 3/4 C)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
6 tablespoons butter, melted

Praline Topping: (I found this to be more than it needed! I am going to try half this time)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 heaping cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup butter, melted
Pinch of salt

Arrange sweet potatoes on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil then pierce each with a fork a few times to vent. Bake at 400 degrees until tender (usually about an hour for large sweet potatoes). Check tenderness by inserting a knife into the thickest potato – knife should slide in easily with no resistance. Do not boil the potatoes or use canned ones. I mean it!

Allow sweet potatoes to cool to room temperature then remove the skins. Add sweet potatoes, sugar, vanilla, salt, eggs and butter to a medium bowl or stand mixer.  Mix on medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or until fluffy. Spoon sweet potato mixture into a 9x9 casserole dish and spread evenly.

To make praline topping, combine flour, brown sugar, pecans, butter and salt in a small bowl and mix until combined.  Mixture will be crumbly.  Sprinkle praline crumbles evenly over sweet potato mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

*Start with 3/4 cup of sugar and add more if desired.  Some sweet potatoes are much sweeter than others so the amount of sugar that you need can vary.  Mix everything up to the eggs and taste it for sweetness.  Make it as sweet as you like.

Carrot Cake

I LOVE estate sales....I find all sorts of fun things there, like old cook books! This recipe comes from one of those finds. It was found in the "Centennial 1888-1988 Recipe Book" From the First Presbyterian Church Florence, Arizona.

I made it sans raisins to see how it would be with substitutions for the raisins. I used half of the batter  and added diced apples, the other half I added shredded zucchini! I liked BOTH very much! So, here it is:

2 C. Sugar
1 C. Oil
3 eggs
2 C. Flour plus 2 Tbsp.
1/2 t. Salt
1 level t. soda
1 t. Cinnamon
1 C. Chopped nuts
1 C. or one small can of Crushed Pineapple (I didn't drain it...but it doesn't specify)

Beat all together thoroughly.
Fold in 2 C. Shredded Carrots
1 C. Raisins (or shredded zucchini or diced apples)

Bake at 350 for 1 hour in Loaf pan-9x12 (I don't think they meant a bread loaf pan but a 9x13 pan)
I made mine into muffins, so that I could keep the two varieties separate. I cooked 20 min to start and I think I had to add a few more minutes.

Results (sorry! I will add pics later!) These were amazing!! They stayed moist for days!!

Cream Cheese Icing:

1 8oz pkg. Cream Cheese room temp
1/4 C. of butter room temp
1/2 Box Powdered Sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
Beat till smooth and spread over cake.

Lila's Pizza Sauce

This recipe is from my mother in law Lila Bates. I made it tonight for the first time and used it with our Calzones. It worked great!!

In a 3 qt. sauce pan heat  2 T. Olive Oil and add:
1 yellow onion Chopped fine
Cook till translucent then add 3-4 lg. cloves of  garlic minced.
Cook for 30 seconds and add:
1 can of tomato puree or diced tomatoes with liquid (15oz)
1 can of tomato sauce (15oz)
1 can of tomato Paste (6oz)
2 t. sugar (can substitute some balsamic vinegar to sweeten if desired)
2 t. salt
2 t. pepper
2 t. Dried Oregano
1/2 t. finely chopped rosemary (or dried)
2 t. dried basil
dash of Cayenne Pepper
1 bay leaf
Simmer uncovered for an hour stirring occasionally, remove bay leaf when done and store in fridge or freezer till needed.

My notes: I forgot the Cayenne, but I will add it next time! I used 2 t.  Balsamic and the sweetness was fine, when I make it again I might use my immersion blender, the diced tomatoes were a little too big for the calzones! The thickness of the sauce was perfect!!!

Salmon foil Pack dinner

 Salmon Foil Pack Dinner:

This is our first time attempting Fish or Rice with our foil packs,
We started with criss cross foil in 4 layers. I added 3/4 C. of minute
rice to the bottom with a sprinkle of salt and a teaspoon of butter.
Then I layered
Asparagus spears
julienned bell peppers and carrots
2 green onions
We added salt and pepper to the veggies and another small amount
of butter.
I then added the salmon with salt, pepper, thyme, herbs de provance
and about 2 teaspoons of butter.
We put lemon slices over the top and sealed up all but one side.
We added 3/4 cup of water to the pouch and sealed up the last side!

Kent cooked it on the coals for 20 Min. he did NOT turn it, the sealing of the pouch was able to steam the fish perfectly!

Best foil pack dinner ever!!

Touchdown Taco Dip

I believe this is a Pampered Chef Recipe! I have to double it ALWAYS!!

1 can (16 oz) refried beans
1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese room temp
1 C. sour Cream
2 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning Mix
2 oz. Cheddar Cheese Shredded (1/2 C.)
1 sm. can sliced black olives
1 med tomato, diced
1/4 C. sliced green onions
2 Tbsp. fresh Cilantro
(I make Guacamole from a package mix with a little lemon juice added to retain color)

Warm beans and spread in bottom of 8x8 or 9x9 dish (or equivalent oval or round ...)
While that is warming up mix together Cream Cheese, Sour Cream and Taco Seasoning

Layers:
Beans (cooled to just warm)
Guacamole
Sour cream mixture
Cheese
Olives
Onions
Tomatoes
Cilantro
Store in refrigerator till party time!!