Thanksgiving – Oven Love

Quick Cranberry Sauce and Cranberry Shortbread Cake

Natalie — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 12:00:00 +0000

We are in full Thanksgiving mode at Oven Love this week! Yesterday, we got you set with your turkey. Today, I want to address the cranberry situation. For some people, cranberries are a must; for others, they’re no big deal. I like to have them around just in case, but that means sometimes I have leftovers. So I’m bringing you a simple cranberry sauce and a sweet way to re-purpose what’s left.

It doesn’t take much more effort to put this sauce together than it does to open the canned version. All you need is water, sugar, fresh (or frozen if need-be) cranberries and an orange. You can even do without the orange if you forgot to grab one at the store. If you’re feeling fancy, go ahead and throw in a cinnamon stick, switch out the OJ for some pomegranate juice, go ahead and get crazy with whatever you’ve got in the kitchen. Let it bubble away for a bit and you’re set. You can serve it hot, cold, or room temperature, and you can make it ahead or leave it to the last minute. Talk about flexible!

Fast forward to the end of the meal. You’ve got more cranberries left than you thought you would. I think the best way to use them is to make them into this shortbread cake. The dough comes together in minutes, takes a little time to set up in the fridge, then you roll out the two layers or press them into a springform pan with the cranberries and in 35 minutes, you’ve got dessert. You could even get away with serving it at breakfast with a little yogurt or snack time with coffee or tea. I prefer it with some vanilla bean ice cream.. but that’s just me. It’s really a no-fuss recipe, and you can replicate it with any fruit sauce, sweet chutney or jam.

We’re getting closer and closer to Thursday. I won’t be able to post up all of the Thanksgiving staples, so if you have any Thanksgiving questions or recipe requests, please comment here or send me an email at ovenloveblog@gmail.com. I’ll be answering your questions all week on Facebook. And there are no dumb questions, seriously!

Quick Cranberry Sauce

by Oven Love, adapted from Ocean Spray (they know what they’re talking about!)

makes 2-2 1/2 cups

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup orange juice (preferably fresh, but whatever you have is great. If you don’t have any, just substitute water)

1 cup sugar

1 12oz bag fresh cranberries

1 cinnamon stick (optional)

Bring water, orange juice if using and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Add cranberries and sugar and bring back to a boil. Reduce and cook until berries burst, about 10-15 minutes. Serve warm, room temperature or cold.

Cranberry Shortbread Cake

adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking From My Home to Yours

1-2 cups leftover Quick Cranberry Sauce (the above recipe makes about 2-2 1/2 cups. I prefer my cake to have closer to 1 cup of berries, but if you like it tart, keep it closer to 2 cups.)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

pinch salt

1 stick plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar, plus more for dusting

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Whisk together the dry ingredients. In a stand mixer, beat butter until soft. Add 1 cup sugar and beat until dissolved. Add the egg and yolk, followed by the vanilla until the disappear into the mixture. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined; finish by hand if necessary. You’ll have a thick mixture, almost like a pie crust.

Split the mixture into two flattened disks and wrap with plastic. Let rest in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes (or up to overnight, just bring it up to room temp the next day).

While the mixture is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 and lightly butter a 9 inch springform pan and place it on a baking sheet. When the dough is ready, roll each disk out into a 9 inch circle. Press the first disk into the bottom of the pan, making sure to seal the cracks with your fingers. Spread the cranberry sauce in an even layer across the dough. Lift the second dough circle onto the cranberry layer and use your fingers to make sure it covers the filling. Brush the top with water and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until cake is just lightly golden and a knife comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 20 minutes, then unmold and let cool to room temperature before slicing.

The Easiest Roast Turkey [with Broth and Gravy]

Natalie — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 15:17:00 +0000

An easy roast turkey? Is there such a thing?

I’m here to tell you there is. There a just a few things to keep in mind:

1. Buy a FRESH turkey.

2. Prep it the night before and let it sit salted in the fridge overnight.

3. Let it come to room temperature and smother it with butter.

4. Roast it.

5. Let it rest.

6. Carve and get to the good part: eating and giving thanks!

Let me break it down to you in a little more detail.

1. Buy a FRESH turkey.

Ladies and gents, this is key to a quick and easy roasting situation. You won’t have to worry about defrosting (or forgetting to defrost until the last minute) or wondering if the turkey is actually still frozen in the middle. Buy fresh, and all that drama goes out the window. Plus, you’ll have a better quality bird to begin with.

2. Prep it the night before and let it sit salted in the fridge overnight.

The night before the big day, take the turkey out of the packaging, remove the turkey neck and the giblets (throw them out or put them aside for turkey broth and gravy*), and rinse well in cold water. Cut off the wing tips at the joint (you can save those for your broth*, too). Pat dry with paper towels. Place on a large tray or in your roasting pan and cover with a light layer of kosher salt. The salt will help the skin dry out overnight. Stick that turkey in the fridge and forget about it until the next day.

3. Let it come to room temperature and smother with butter.

Another key element! About two hours before you’re ready to bake, bring the turkey out of the fridge to come up to room temperature (about 70 degrees). This will ensure that your turkey cooks quickly and evenly. Slather on up to a stick of softened butter (it doesn’t have to look pretty, it’s going to melt anyways) to get that coveted crispy skin. No need to tie up the legs or anything fancy- you want the air to circulate for quick cooking. You should also bake your stuffing separately for the same reason. Just keep the turkey buttered and empty!

4. Roast it.

Time to stick that bird in the oven! I like to start the bird at 400 degrees and then lower it to 350 degrees after about 30 minutes. Here are approximate cooking times for a fresh turkey from a great turkey tutorial at Simple Bites:

5 lbs – 1 – 1/2 hrs
8 lbs – 1- 3/4 hrs
10 lbs – 2 hrs
12 lbs – 2 – 1/2 hrs
15 1bs – 2 – 3/4 hours
17 lbs – 3 hours
20 lbs – 3 – 1/2 hours

Check the turkey periodically, but there is no need for basting. If you think it’s browning too quickly, tent it with foil and continue to roast. The turkey is done when the internal temperature (taken in the thickest part of the thigh, not touching the bone) reaches 170 degrees and the juices run clear when the turkey is pierced.

5. Let it rest.

Seriously, let it rest! Plan for it. Plan at least 30 minutes (up to an hour) of resting time for your turkey. This should be no problem since your turkey will cook so fast! If you’re interested in a really moist turkey, here’s a little trick: when the turkey comes out of the oven to rest, flip it over breast-side down so the juices run into the breast. You may sacrifice some of the crispy skin with this maneuver, but you’ll get very juicy meat.

6. Carve and get to the good part: eating and giving thanks!

There are tons of videos out there about turkey carving if you’re not familiar or feeling a little nervous about cutting up your precious bird. Bring that gorgeous meat to the table and enjoy. Simple as that, my loves!

For traveling:

Maybe you’re wondering how to transport your bird? I’m sure you noticed my post-roast turkey photos are taken in the car. When transporting, make sure you drain the juices from your pan so they don’t spill and cover tightly with foil.. You can carve ahead of time, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you want the turkey to stay as moist as possible. You can factor in your drive as part of the resting time so it stays warm.

*For giblet broth and gravy:

In a large stockpot, place turkey giblets, neck and wing tips. Add a carrot or two, a few rings of onion, some celery, about a teaspoon of whole peppercorns, a bay leaf and a healthy dose of salt. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, 2-3 hours. It’s not an exact science, so just throw in what you’ve got. Pour through a sieve and reserve for your gravy.

When the turkey is out of the oven, drain off the drippings and scrape any browned bits out of the pan and into a saucepan. You can also make your gravy right in the roasting pan over two burners. Let the drippings come to a boil and get syrupy. Add flour to the saucepan to make a rue- enough flour to make a thick paste. Let that cook and bubble for about a minute, whisking all the time. Whisk in your reserved broth and bring to a boil, adding more or less broth, depending on how thick you want it. You can always add more later if the gravy is too thick. If the gravy is too thin, whisk up some flour and broth in a separate bowl (adding flour directly to the gravy will give you lumps) and add it to the gravy. Pour through a sieve and serve.

So there you go!

No fear required for Thanksgiving this year.

Anyone have any turkey tips to add that I might have missed?

Oh, and PS- I entered my Vanilla Bean Pudding in a contest to win a prize basket from none other than Beanilla! I would love to win this basket and spread the love again by giving away some more vanilla beans to you guys! If you vote and I win, you’ll have another chance to get vanilla beans! Visit Good Life Eats and vote for me, #28!

Martha’s Fresh Pumpkin Pie

Natalie — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:56:00 +0000

Aren’t the holidays just the best? It’s amazing to me how quickly they come and go each year. I can’t believe Thanksgiving is just days away.

So, confession: I’ve never made a pumpkin pie before. Not even a fake one, out of the can. I guess I’ve never really had a reason to, since someone always brings a pumpkin pie to Thanksgiving. This week I finally tried my hand at making one, using a tried and true Martha recipe.

I made the fresh pumpkin puree about a week earlier, so I didn’t have to fiddle with all of that extra work. The basics of this pie are brown sugar, pumpkin puree, eggs and condensed milk. I was surprised about how little pumpkin there was in this recipe and how soupy the filling was when I poured it in. Not what I expected.

But about an hour (20 minutes longer than Martha suggests.. get on your game, girl!) in the oven and poof! The pie sets up, nice and pumpkin-y and perfect. The color is a little lighter than your usual pie, but that’s on account of the fresh puree. What do they do to that canned stuff to make it so much darker?

Overall, my pumpkin pie making experience was successful. The only thing I’d say about the pie is that it could use some more spice. I think I’d double what she’s got in there next time.

Happy Thanksgiving- make sure to eat lots of pie.

Find Martha’s recipe here.
(I’d suggest keeping it in the oven an extra 15-20 minutes until it sets up, and also upping the spices.)

The 2nd Annual Autumnal Extravaganza: The Full Run-Down

Natalie — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:36:00 +0000

Thanksgiving vacation came and went in a flash! I spent all day Friday with my mom, Kath, and my best friend, Erin, preparing for the Autumnal Extravaganza. We hit the grocery store around 9am, and continued cooking all the way until 6pm! It was a long day of cooking, but so much fun! We didn’t get to take pictures of everything, but we took as many as we could (Thanks to Erin for many of these pictures!).

The Menu
(click for recipes)

Hot Spiced Sangria
Mulled Apple Cider*
Sweet Onion Dip
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Ham and Cheese Rugelach (click here for Dorie’s dough recipe, put whatever you want inside!)
Panko-Crusted Chicken Bites
Turkey Meatballs in Homemade Barbecue Sauce (with some secret ingredients- comment if you want the details!)
Pumpkin Mousse**
Thanksgiving Twofer Mini Pies
Mini Caramel Cupcakes with Caramelized Butter Frosting
Mini Fruit Tarts (click here for the dough recipe)

The sweet onion dip, chicken bites, rugelach, barbecue sauce and caramel cakes were the hits of the party. I will be making the onion dip again and again, I’m sure! Check out the pictures below -I wish I had more!

The Sangria was super tasty and super easy!

*Quick steps to mulled cider: Pour the cider into a stockpot or crockpot. Add mulling spices, wrapped in cheesecloth (I recommend Williams Sonoma Mulling Spices, of course). Simmer for a few hours. Add applejack brandy to mugs (if desired) and pour cider on top.

I missed the rugelach challenge for TWD, but I thought savory rugelach would be a great idea. These were super popular and gone in minutes!

Mini fruit tarts! These pie shells were meant for the Twofer pie, but they were too tiny! My quick fix: fill them with pie filling and throw them back into the oven for a few minutes to set up.

A tasty mini Twofer pie. So cute, so fun! There might have been a little too much crust, but I’ll work out the kinks for my next mini pies.

**Pumpkin Mousse Recipe (straight from the Williams Sonoma files!)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
8oz cream cheese, room temperature, softened
12oz cool whip
1 jar Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter (found at WS – on sale now!)

Mix milk and sugar until well blended. Add cream cheese and pecan pumpkin butter and mix well again. Fold in Cool Whip. Chill 20 minutes and serve.

Thanksgiving: Kath’s Big Success

Natalie — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 02:50:00 +0000

This year, my family spent Thanksgiving in Pittsburgh with my grandmother. For the first time in a very long time, Kath (my momma) took the reigns and did most of the cooking. She made a great spread- turkey, stuffing, corn pudding, green bean casserole, and sweet potato casserole. I just sat back and helped when asked- I can only take credit for the gravy and mashed potatoes. She did an amazing job, and here are the results..

Meet Big Bird! Mom’s first turkey in years turned out great. While watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, we heard a little tip from the people at the Butterball Turkey Hotline that was extremely helpful- stuffing should register 165 degrees, thighs 180 degrees – to make sure the turkey is moist and not overcooked. A great tip. We used the plastic oven bags, no brining here. Moist and delicious!

My gravy. The recipe: Make a roux of flour and butter over medium heat. Strain turkey drippings; whisk into the roux. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. To thicken, make a paste of flour and water (or broth) and whisk in as needed. Season with salt and pepper.

My potatoes. The recipe: Peel and quarter yukon gold potatoes; place into a pot. Add water into the pot until potatoes are just covered. Bring to a boil, cook until potatoes are very tender. Drain water. Add butter and milk (or buttermilk, or half-and-half, or cream.. whatever you have) and mash the potatoes to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

New addition to the Thanksgiving table: Mom’s new corn casserole. She got the recipe from the December edition of Cooking Light. A quasi-veggie for a carb-filled meal.

The old stand-by: green bean casserole. We actually never have this dish, but my dad insisted this year. It’s the basic French’s recipe– American cooking at it’s finest? Not my favorite, but apparently some people live and die by it.

And the finale.. Grandma’s sweet potato casserole. We don’t mess with that marshmallow stuff. We get down with brown sugar and pecans. I don’t have the recipe on hand, but I’ll be sure to post sometime in the future. SO good.

Overall, a terrific time with family, a delicious meal thanks to Kath. The fun continues tomorrow!