Orange and Honey Glazed Turkey Breast
Ingredients:
- Turkey breast (any size)
- Salt, Pepper (to taste)
- 1 tsp Dried Rosemary
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 3/4 cup honey
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1/4 cup squeezed fresh orange juice (3-4 oranges)
- 1 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp honey mustard
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
Directions
- Preheat the Oven to 375 degrees
- Place the turkey breasts into a roasting pan (I keep my turkey elevated by setting on a roasting rack in the pan) and then drizzle with some olive oil.
- Season the turkey breast with freshly ground pepper and kosher salt (to taste) the rosemary and paprika. Spread with hands if necessary to cover the breast
Orange/Honey Sauce:
- ADD 3/4 cup honey, 1 teaspoon orange zest, 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice, 1 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon mustard and some salt and pepper to a small saucepan.
- BRING to a boil and whisk to combine the ingredients. TURN down the heat after 5 minutes and let simmer for another 5 minutes.
- POUR the orange-honey glaze into a bowl and let it cool off.
- Baste the Turkey Breast with the Glaze and insert into the pre-heated Oven
- Cook the Turkey Breast until done – glazing every 15 minutes or so.
- When the turkey has reached the correct internal temperature – remove from oven and pour remaining Glaze over the breast.
Slice and serve (NOTE: the outside of the Turkey breast will be dark brown but the inside will be moist and juicy)
Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
Filling:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3-4 whole mashed sweet potatoes
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
Topping:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
Directions
For the filling:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 2-quart baking dish.
- Whisk together the butter, mashed sweet potatoes, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, salt and the eggs in a large bowl.
- Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
For the topping:
- Combine the flour, brown sugar, butter and salt in a medium bowl until moist and the mixture clumps together.
- Stir in the pecans and spread over the top of the sweet potatoes in an even layer.
- Bake until mostly set in the center and golden on top, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Special Note! Brussel Sprouts are Emily Nadolski’s favorite side dish food- she never understood why anyone didn’t like them! Her cousin grows her own brussel sprouts and every year brings them to their family Thanksgiving.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Brussels sprouts
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 8 slices bacon
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously.
- Trim the bottom end of the Brussels sprouts, leaving the core intact, and pull off the outer dark leaves. Halve through the core.
- Add the Brussels sprouts and cook, uncovered, until tender, about 6 minutes.
- Drain and rinse under cold running water. (This can be done a day ahead.)
- Meanwhile, put the oil and bacon in a very large skillet or stew pot, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy.
- Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Increase the heat to medium-high, add the Brussels sprouts and cook, stirring occasionally, until they brown and the edges get crisp, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the vinegar, salt, pepper, and bacon. Serve warm.
Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
For the topping:
- 2 crispy French onions
For beans and sauce:
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 pound fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 12 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup half-and-half
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
- Bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil in an 8-quart saucepan.
- Add the beans and blanch for 5 minutes.
- Drain in a colander and immediately plunge the beans into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat.
- Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to give up some of their liquid, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and nutmeg and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine.
- Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer for 1 minute.
- Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 of the onions and all of the green beans.
- Top with the remaining onions.
- Place into the oven and bake until bubbly, approximately 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.
Softest Best Rolls EVER
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for brushing
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 package active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
Directions
- Place milk in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Remove from the heat, stir in the butter and sugar and let cool.
- Dissolve yeast in warm water and let sit until foamy.
- Combine milk mixture, eggs, yeast, salt, and 1/2 of the flour in a mixer with the dough attachment and mix until smooth.
- Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, and stir until a smooth ball forms.
- Remove from the bowl and knead by hand on a floured surface for about 5 minutes.
- Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 60 to 70 minutes.
- On a floured surface, punch down the dough and shape into desired shapes.
- Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover again and let rise until doubled, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Preheat the oven 350 degrees F.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter before serving.
Creamy Butter Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 5 pounds Yukon gold or russet potatoes
- 1 1/2 sticks softened butter, plus more for baking
- 1 1/2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- 1/2 cup cream
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Milk, if needed, for thinning
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Peel the potatoes and rinse them in cold water. Chop the potatoes in fourths. Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes, and then return them to the pan.
- With the burner on low heat, mash the potatoes with a potato masher; the more steam that’s released while you mash, the better. Mash for about 5 minutes. Turn off the burner.
- Add the butter, cream cheese, half-and-half, and seasonings. Stir to combine, and if the mixture needs thinning, add milk. Check the seasonings, adding salt and pepper, to taste.
- Pour the mashed potatoes into a large casserole pan. Dot the surface with butter.
- Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue baking for 10 more minutes. Serve immediately.
Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 strip orange or lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons water
- 12-ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
Directions
- Empty a 12-ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries into a saucepan and transfer 1/2 cup to a small bowl.
- Add 1 cup sugar, 1 strip orange or lemon zest and 2 tablespoons water to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries are soft, about 10 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium and cook until the cranberries burst, about 12 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the reserved cranberries.
- Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste and cool to room temperature before serving.