hanukkah

How To Cook a Frozen Turkey

frozen turkey

butter

Salt

Pepper

Heat the oven to 325°F. Place a rack in the bottom third of the oven.

Place the turkey in the roasting pan: Unwrap the turkey and place it on top of a roasting rack inside a roasting pan. Don&#x27;t try to remove the giblets or season the turkey right now.

Roast for 2 1/2 hours. Try not to open the oven door or let out too much heat. After 2 1/2 hours, your turkey should just be starting to turn golden.

Check the temperature: This temperature check is just to get a reference point for how quickly the turkey is cooking. At this point, the breast and thighs will likely be in the low-100°F range.

Remove the giblets: The turkey should be thawed enough at this point that you can remove any trussing mechanisms (although most are safe for roasting in the oven; check the turkey&#x27;s packaging for information). Check the neck cavity and remove the bag of giblets if you see it. Check the cavity of the turkey for the neck or giblets, and remove them if you can. If you can&#x27;t get to the giblets, or if the giblets are still frozen inside the turkey&#x27;s cavity, continue roasting, but check every 30 minutes to see if you can remove the giblets. Be careful — the turkey is still mostly frozen, but the juices around the surface are hot.

Tuck the wings behind the turkey: You can also leave them untucked — either way is fine.

Season the turkey: Brush the turkey with melted butter. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you&#x27;d like to use. Rub in the spices with your fingers.

Tip the turkey to pour out any juices: Juices tend to collect inside the cavity of the turkey as they melt. Lift the roasting rack and tilt the turkey so these juices pour out into the pan.

Continue roasting: Refer to the chart above for estimated total roasting times. Check the temperature in the breast and thigh meat every hour or so to gauge how fast it&#x27;s cooking, and tilt the pan to pour out any juices. Brush the turkey with more butter if you&#x27;d like. If the skin over the breasts is browning more than you like, cover loosely with foil. If the pan starts looking very dry or if the drippings start looking burnt, add a few cups of water or broth.

Cook until the turkey registers at least 165°F in all areas: The breast meat is the thickest part of the turkey and will cook the slowest. The middle of the turkey, closest to the bone, will also be the last to cook through; the temperature may be well above 165°F close to the surface, but below temperature deeper in the meat. Make sure you take the temperature in multiple places and also at multiple depths in the meat to be sure you&#x27;re getting an accurate temperature reading throughout. (Just be sure not to hit the bone, which will give you a false temperature.)

Rest the turkey for 30 minutes. Set the turkey aside to rest for at least 30 minutes. Use this time to make gravy, if desired.

Carve the turkey and serve. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and carve.

Delicious homemade applesauce recipe! There is nothing better than homemade applesauce with hand-picked apples, and it is so easy to make! 

Applesauce

apples

lemon peel (use a vegetable peeler to strip the zest only, not the pith)

lemon juice

cinnamon

water

salt

"I’m trying this today, I also have a bunch of plums, can I add these or cook them separately"

"I can’t wait to try this recipe! If I wanted to “can” them does anyone have the method that they can share?"

"Hi, can I freeze the applesauce in freezer bags rather than jars?"

Boil peeled, cored, quartered apples with lemon, cinnamon, sugar, salt in 1 cup water: Place the peeled, cored, and quartered apples into a large pot. Add the strips of lemon peel, the lemon juice or vinegar, cinnamon, sugar, water and salt. (You might want to start with half the sugar at this point and add more to taste later.)
 
Bring to a boil on high heat, then lower the temperature, cover the pot, and maintain a low simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the apples are completely tender and cooked through.

Remove lemon peels, mash the cooked apples: Once the apples are cooked through, remove the pot from the heat. Remove the lemon peels.
Use a potato masher to mash the cooked apples in the pot to make a chunky applesauce. For a smoother applesauce you can either run the cooked apples through a food mill, or purée them using a stick blender or a standing blender. (If you use a standing blender, do small batches and do not fill the blender bowl more than halfway.)

If the applesauce is too thick, add more water to thin it out.
If not sweet enough, add more sugar to taste. If too sweet, add more lemon juice.
This applesauce is delicious either hot or chilled. It pairs well with pork chops for savory dishes, it's terrific with cottage cheese as a snack or light lunch, and it's great with vanilla ice cream or yogurt.
Freezes well and will last at least a year in a cold freezer. If you freeze it, make sure to allow enough headroom in your jar for expansion. At least an inch.

"I just made the apple pie recipe a couple of days ago and used the wrong apple for a pie. So, I had lots of apples prepped and ready to go. Because the seasoning for apple pie was amazing with a touch  of brandy, I had to add that to this recipe ... and a splash of vanilla. It isn't even done and we are gathered around the pot it tasted SO good! I did 50\/50 with white\/brown sugars, at 1\/3 cup and used lemon peels. Best I have had!"

This classic sweet and tangy brisket cooks in a fraction of the time thanks to the electric pressure cooker. 

Instant Pot Brisket

onion

(3-pound) beef brisket,

kosher salt, divided

black pepper

vegetable oil

low-sodium beef broth

red wine vinegar

ketchup

brown sugar

thyme

oregano

paprika

garlic powder

Fresh parsley, for serving (optional)

Thinly slice 1 large onion and place in a medium bowl. Trim off the surface fat from a (3-pound) beef brisket if the fat is more than 1/4-inch thick. Cut the brisket in half if needed to fit in an electric pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Season the brisket all over with 2 teaspoons of the kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. 

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the pressure cooker with the Sauté function until shimmering. Add the brisket (sear in 2 batches if needed) and sear undisturbed until browned on the bottom, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip the brisket and brown on the other side, 5 to 6 minutes more. Transfer to a large plate.

Add the onion and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pressure cooker and sauté until onions are tender, scraping brown bits from the bottom of the pot, 4 to 6 minutes. 

Stir in 1/3 cup low-sodium beef broth, 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, 1/3 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon paprika, and 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Return the brisket to the pot, overlapping the pieces if needed. 

Lock the lid on and check that the valve is set to seal. Set to cook for 70 minutes under HIGH pressure. It will take 5 to 7 minutes to come up pressure. 

When the cook time is up, let the pressure naturally release, which will take 20 to 25 minutes. Carefully open the pressure cooker and transfer the brisket to a cutting board. 

Slice the brisket across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Serve the brisket with the onions and gravy. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.

This recipe was recently submitted to a news group to which I belong. I think it is very good and hope you like it, too. Preparation time in the kitchen is just a few minutes. When the big meal is through, this is a tasty way to use up the leftover mashed potatoes.

Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes

potatoes

-2 egg

flour

pepper

garlic

onion (optional)

chives (optional)

cheese (optional)

sour cream (optional) or applesauce, for garnish (optional)

Mix mashed potatoes, egg, flour, salt, pepper, garlic, and any optional ingredients, into mashed potatoes.

Preheat skillet and add a couple of tablespoons of Crisco shortening or oil.

Pour 1/4 cup batter into hot pan; brown on both sides.

In talking with a well schooled woman of the culinary arts the results for this recipe are based on the cooks leftover mashed potatoes.  Some women make them way to runny or rather they have too much liquid, while others make them dry.  Rather than expressing disappointment in the recipe the best thing would be for the person making this dish to look at their ingredients.  I followed the recipe to the letter and not problems.  I even added onions to the mashed potatoes.  Less eggs for watery mash ans more eggs for dry mash.  They fry up very nicely and DO NOT fall apart.  I stuffed mine with sausage.  Great recipe

Easy sautéed spinach! The best way to cook delicious fresh spinach, with olive oil and garlic. 

Easy Sautéed Spinach

Extra virgin olive oil

garlic,

"I think the garlic should be finely chopped and then we should cook it. Cause one can not like the bites of garlic with big chunks of garlic. Tell me what you think it\"s just my personal opinion! - NO OFFENCE"

Clean and prep the spinach: Cut off the thick stems of the spinach and discard. Clean the spinach by filling up your sink with water and soaking the spinach to loosen any sand or dirt. Drain the spinach and then repeat soaking and draining. Put the spinach in a salad spinner to remove any excess moisture.

Sauté garlic: Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, until the garlic is just beginning to brown.

Add spinach to pan: Add the spinach to the pan, packing it down a bit if you need to with your hand. Use a couple spatulas to lift the spinach and turn it over in the pan so that you coat more of it with the olive oil and garlic. Do this a couple of times. Cover the pan and cook for 1 minute. Uncover and turn the spinach over again. Cover the pan and cook for an additional minute.

Remove from pan and drain excess liquid: After 2 minutes of covered cooking the spinach should be completely wilted. Remove from heat.

Drain any excess liquid from the pan. Add a little more olive oil, sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve immediately.

"I made it and it was delicious.  Thank you, I will be making about twice a week!"

"So glad I read this before overcooking it again. Tossed it with shrimp and it was delicious. Thanks"

Here is a bread that is as much a pleasure to look at as it is to eat. Check out that braiding! Challah is a bread that should be in everyone's repertoire.

How To Make Challah Bread

yeast

all-purpose flour

sugar

eggs

neutral-flavored vegetable oil,

Dissolve the yeast. Place the water in a small bowl, sprinkle with the yeast and a healthy pinch of sugar, and stir to combine. Let stand until you see a thin frothy layer across the top, 5 to 10 minutes. This means that the yeast is active and ready to use. (If you do not see this or if your yeast won&#x27;t dissolve, it has likely expired and you&#x27;ll need to purchase new yeast.)

Mix the dry ingredients. Place 4 cups of the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine. (Alternatively, use a large bowl and knead by hand.)

Add the eggs, yolk, and oil. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the eggs, egg yolk, and oil. Whisk to form a slurry, pulling in a little flour from the sides of the bowl.

Mix to form a shaggy dough. Pour the yeast mixture over the egg slurry. Mix the yeast, eggs, and flour with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until a shaggy dough that is difficult to mix forms.

Knead the dough for 6 to 8 minutes. Fit the mixer with the hook attachment and knead on low speed for 6 to 8 minutes. (Alternatively, turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes.) If the dough seems very sticky, add flour a teaspoon at a time until it feels tacky, but no longer like bubblegum. The dough has finished kneading when it is soft, smooth, and holds a ball-shape.

Let the dough rise until doubled. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place somewhere warm. Let the dough rise until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Divide the dough and roll into ropes. Divide the dough into 3 or 6 equal pieces, depending on the type of braid you&#x27;d like to do. Roll each piece of dough into a long rope about 16 inches long. If the ropes shrink as you try to roll them, let them rest for 5 minutes to relax the gluten and then try again.

Braid the dough. Gather the ropes and squeeze them together at the very top. If making a 3-stranded challah, braid the ropes together like braiding hair or yarn and squeeze the other ends together when complete. If making a 6-stranded challah, the directions are below.

Let the challah rise. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the braided loaf on top and sprinkle with a little flour. Cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place away from drafts until puffed and pillowy, about 1 hour.

Brush the challah with egg white. About 20 minutes before baking, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. When ready to bake, whisk the reserved egg white with 1 tablespoon of water and brush it all over the challah. Be sure to get in the cracks and down the sides of the loaf.

Bake the challah 30 to 35 minutes. Bake, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the challah is deeply browned and registers 190°F in the very middle with an instant-read thermometer, 30 to 35 minutes total.

Cool the challah. Let the challah cool on a cooling rack until just barely warm. Slice and eat.

These crisp potato pancakes are the ultimate in holiday comfort food. (Don’t skip the sour cream and applesauce!) Get them sizzling away in a heavy-bottomed skillet until beautifully browned, and arrange them on a plate lined with paper towels as they finish. They won’t last long.

Latkes

breadcrumbs (or matzo meal)

neutral oil

To the grated potatoes, add 1
grated onion, 2 lightly beaten eggs
and 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
(or matzo meal); substitute neutral
oil for butter. (Be liberal with the
oil.)

Spoon the mixture into the oil
to form pancakes; fry until brown
and crisp on both sides.

Baking a chocolate babka is no casual undertaking. The Eastern European yeast-risen coffee cake has 14 steps and takes all day to make. But the results are worth every sugarcoated second – with a moist, deeply flavored brioche-like cake wrapped around a dark fudge filling, then topped with cocoa streusel crumbs.

If you want to save yourself a little work and love Nutella, you can substitute 1 1/2 cup (420 grams) of it for the homemade fudge filling. Also note that you can make this over a few days instead of all at once. Babka freezes well for up to 3 months, so if you  need only one loaf now, freeze the other for later.

Chocolate Babka

118 milliliters whole milk

(1/4 ounce 7 grams) active dry yeast

granulated sugar,

all-purpose flour, more as needed

fine sea salt

vanilla extract

lemon

nutmeg

eggs,

unsalted butter,

granulated sugar

heavy cream

kosher salt

112 grams/1 stick unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature

cocoa powder

unsalted butter, melted

60 grams mini semisweet chocolate chips

Prepare the dough: In a small saucepan or a bowl in the microwave, warm the milk until it’s lukewarm but not hot (about 110 degrees). Add yeast and a pinch of sugar and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until slightly foamy.

In an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, or in a food processor, mix together flour, 1/3 cup sugar, the salt, the vanilla, the lemon zest (if using) and the nutmeg. (If you don't have a mixer or processor, use a large bowl and a wooden spoon.) Beat or process in the yeast mixture and eggs until the dough comes together in a soft mass, about 2 minutes. If the dough sticks to the side of the bowl and doesn’t come together, add a tablespoon more flour at a time until it does, beating very well in between additions.

Add half the butter and beat or pulse until the dough is smooth and elastic, 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed. Beat in the rest of the butter and continue to beat or pulse until the dough is smooth and stretchy, another 5 to 7 minutes. Again, if the dough sticks to the sides of the bowl, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Butter a clean bowl, form the dough into a ball and roll it around in the bowl so all sides are buttered. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place (inside of a turned-off oven with the oven light on is good) until it puffs and rises, about 1 to 2 hours. It may not double in bulk but it should rise.

Press the dough down with your hands, re-cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight (or, in a pinch, for at least 4 hours, but the flavor won't be as developed).

Prepare the filling: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, cream and salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar completely dissolves, about 5 minutes. Scrape mixture into a bowl. Stir in chocolate, butter and vanilla until smooth. Let cool to room temperature. Filling can be made up to a week ahead and stored, covered, in the fridge. Let come to room temperature before using.

Prepare the streusel: In a bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Stir in melted butter until it is evenly distributed and forms large, moist crumbs. Stir in the chocolate chips. Streusel can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and stored, covered, in the fridge.

Prepare the syrup: In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 2/3 cup/158 milliliters water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves.

Butter two 9-inch loaf pans, then line with parchment paper, leaving 2 inches of paper hanging over on the sides to use as handles later.

Remove dough from refrigerator and divide in half. On a floured surface, roll one piece into a 9-by-17-inch rectangle. Spread with half the filling (there's no need to leave a border). Starting with a long side, roll into a tight coil. Transfer the coil onto a dish towel or piece of plastic wrap and stick it in the freezer for 10 minutes. Repeat with the other piece of dough.

Slice one of the dough coils in half lengthwise to expose the filling. Twist the halves together as if you were braiding them, then fold the braid in half so it’s about 9 inches long. Place into a prepared pan, letting it curl around itself if it’s a little too long for the pan. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until puffy (it won’t quite double). Alternatively, you can cover the pans with plastic wrap and let them rise in the refrigerator overnight; bring them back to room temperature for an hour before baking.

When you're ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Use your fingers to clump streusel together and scatter all over the tops of the cakes. Transfer to oven and bake until a tester goes into the cakes without any rubbery resistance and comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. The cakes will also sound hollow if you unmold them and tap on the bottom. An instant-read thermometer will read between 185 and 210 degrees.

As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, use a skewer or paring knife to pierce them all over going all the way to the bottom of the cakes, and then pour the syrup on top of the cakes, making sure to use half the syrup for each cake.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

A fudge center and chocolate crumb topping give this babka a serious upgrade.

I’d always thought that flanken was specific to boiled beef or soup. But a little research divulged that the brawny cut is hugely popular in braises (and pot-roasting is arguably the same as braising), especially in Germany, Austria and Hungary. It also shines in Asian cuisines, particularly Korean, in which it’s seared and served rare.

Arthur Schwartz, in his book “Jewish Home Cooking” (Ten Speed Press, 2008), extols the virtues of flanken. He points out that it’s from the same part of the animal as short ribs, cut across rather than along the bones. But while short ribs have achieved culinary stardom and high prices, flanken remains cheap and obscure. And just as tasty.

Braised Flanken With Pomegranate

flanken ribs

salt, more to taste

black pepper, more to taste

olive oil

carrots,

celery stalks, diced

leeks,

garlic cloves, finely chopped

shallot, chopped

pomegranate juice

dry red wine

chicken stock,

thyme branches (see note)

rosemary

bay leaf

cloves

pomegranate molasses (optional)

pomegranate seeds

cilantro

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Season meat generously all over with salt and pepper. Heat a large ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear meat in batches until dark golden, 3 to 4 minutes a side. Transfer meat to a platter.

Add oil to pan and sauté carrots, celery, leeks, garlic and shallot until vegetables are softened and slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes; season lightly with salt and pepper. Add pomegranate juice and wine, and cook, scraping browned bits from bottom of pan, until most of the liquid is evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, cloves, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Return meat to pot. Liquid should reach halfway up sides of meat. If not, add a little more stock or water.

Cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook, turning meat every 30 minutes until fork tender, about 2 hours.

If you have time, let meat cool and chill overnight. The next day, remove fat from surface, then reheat over low heat. Stir in the pomegranate molasses if using, and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and cilantro just before serving.

Sweet and Sour Braised Brisket With Cranberries

salt,

red chile flakes

Aleppo pepper or hot paprika

onion,

cranberries

fruity white wine

apple cider

pomegranate molasses, optional

parsley,

Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, rosemary, black pepper, 1 tablespoon salt, chile flakes and Aleppo pepper. Place the brisket, fat side up, in a large Dutch oven. Rub meat all over with the spice mixture. If you have time, let meat rest at room temperature for 1 hour. (You can skip this step if necessary.) Transfer pot to oven and roast, uncovered, 20 minutes.

While meat cooks, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in the cranberries and remaining 6 tablespoons sugar. Simmer, uncovered, until cranberries begin to break down, about 5 minutes. Stir in the wine, cider and pomegranate molasses if using. Season with salt.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Pour cranberry mixture over the brisket. Cover and cook until meat is very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours; turn meat every hour. Slice meat and serve with plenty of sauce and parsley for garnish.

This is a technique that elevates basic sauteed greens into something even more savory and tender.

Sautéed Kale

vegetable stock, white wine

Kosher salt, black pepper and red-pepper flakes

red-wine vinegar

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add garlic, and cook until soft.

Add kale to the pan, turn the heat to high and add the stock. Use a spoon to toss the greens in the oil
and stock, then cover and cook for approximately 5 to 7 minutes, until it is soft and wilted, but still quite
green. Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until all the liquid has evaporated, another 1 to 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and peppers, add vinegar and toss to combine.

This is an invincible weapon in the culinary arsenal: whole corn kernels, simply tossed in a hot skillet of melted butter, and showered with fresh mint when they start to pop and turn brown. It's sweet and savory all at once. And it's divine.

Caramelized Corn With Fresh Mint

corn

unsalted butter

mint

If using frozen corn, drain between layers of paper towels until thawed, about 30 minutes.

In a wide skillet, melt half the butter over high heat. Add half the corn and cook, stirring often, until golden and browned (kernels may begin to pop), about 10 minutes. Stir in half the mint and sprinkle with salt. Transfer to a serving bowl. Repeat with remaining corn, butter, mint and salt.

Simple doughnuts made with less than 5 ingredients in less than 5 minutes with pantry staples.

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