Turkey Stock

When the little guy looks at you, looks at the plate in front of him, points his finger at you and says 'NO' then it may be time to start thinking about ditching the Thanksgiving leftovers.

I opted to get a smaller turkey this year - a mere 16 pounds for the 4 of us.  It was small enough to stick in a stockpot to brine (rather than dealing with the brining bags) but big enough that we had turkey for .... 8 meals.

Yesterday I took what was left of the turkey:  the carcass, drumsticks and assorted skin and bones.  Threw it in a pot with some water and vegetables, let it simmer and perfecto!  Two big containers of stock in the refrigerator waiting to go into the freezer for a future meal or two of Turkey Noodle Soup.  I think Madeleine got a little nervous when she walked into the kitchen - "Mommy it smells like you're cooking a turkey again.  We aren't eating MORE turkey, are we?"

Turkey Stock

Leftover turkey carcass with a bunch of the good stuff still attached
2 onions, quartered
3 stalks celery
3 carrots, peeled
3-4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
Handful of parsley, chopped
salt

Break the turkey carcass in half and toss in a tall stockpot.  Fill pot with water until carcass is almost fully submerged.  Add the vegetables and seasonings.  Cover and bring to a boil, reducing the heat and let it simmer gently.  I let it simmer for an hour and a half with the cover on and 30 minutes with the cover off so it would reduce a little.

Strain the stock into a bowl (or two) discarding all the solids.  Let cool before placing in the refrigerator.  I typically let it sit in the refrigerator overnight and then skim off the top layer of fat before either using right away or freezing in quart sized containers.  Careful when taking it out of the bowl.  As you get to the bottom of the bowl,  a lot of time some of the 'stuff' that passed through the strainer will have sunk.  I typically use a ladle rather than pouring it right from the bowl to a pot or container.

Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Happy Thanksgiving all!!!  It's been a while since I've posted and I have no excuse other than just being busy.  Taking a break at the moment while waiting for the turkey to cook and the football game to start (GO PATS!!) so I thought I'd post on of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes and pretty much the only way I'll eat sweet potatoes.

I am a huge fan of the Barefoot Contessa.  She is one of the few I can stand to watch on Food Network these days and any of her recipes I have tried have been a success.  This one is no exception.  Simple to put together and the end result is oh so good not too sweet and just the right amount of spice.  Here's hoping everyone is enjoying a wonderful dinner with their loved ones!

Smashed Sweet Potatoes

4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 6 large)
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Scrub the potatoes, prick them several times with a knife or fork, and bake them for 1 hour or until very soft when pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven and scoop out the insides as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Place the sweet potato meat into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and add the orange juice, cream, butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Mix together until combined but not smooth and transfer to a baking dish.

Bake the potatoes for 20 to 30 minutes, until heated through.