Thanksgiving 2013 Feast!

Roasted Turkey Breast

• 1 - 4-5 lb. turkey breast
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
• coarsely ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350F.

Remove turkey from casing and rinse well.  Put it on a rack in a small roasting pan and baste with 2 tbsp. melted butter.  Season with freshly ground black pepper.  Put the broth in the bottom of the roasting pan.

Cook 2.5 hours, basting twice with remaining butter and broth in the bottom of the pan.

Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Ultra Creamy Mashed Potatoes

• 4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
• 3 large potatoes (2 1/2 lbs), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 cup cream
• 2 tbsp. butter
• Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the broth and potatoes in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium.  Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.  Drain the potatoes in a colander, reserving the broth.

Mash the potatoes with 1/4 cup reserved broth, the cream, butter and black pepper.  Add additional reserved broth, if needed, until desired consistency.

 Moist and Savory Stuffing

• 3cups reduced sodium chicken broth
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large stalks celery, chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped
• 1 - 14 oz. package Pepperide Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing
• 1 cup homemade sourdough croutons (or croutons from a bakery)

Heat a small amount of olive oil in large pot over medium heat.  Add the celery, onion and leeks and saute until starting to get soft, 10 minutes.  Season with freshly ground black pepper.  Add the broth and cook for a couple of minutes.  Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the stuffing and mix lightly.

Spoon the stuffing mixture into a greased 3-quart shallow baking dish and cover with foil.

Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes,  until stuffing is hot and getting crisp on the top.

Creamed Pearl Onions

• 2 cups frozen pearl onions, thawed
• 2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2/3 cup light cream
• 1 tbsp. minced chives

Combine onions, broth, sugar and salt in a 8" saucepan.  Simmer for 10 minutes, until the onions are tender.  Strain the onions and put them back in the pan. Add cream and cook until thickened.  Stir in chives and season.

 Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Garlic and Shallots

• 6 slices center-cut bacon
• 1 large shallot sliced (1/2 cup)
• 1 1/2 lbs. Brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
• salt & freshly ground black pepper

 Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add bacon and saute for 5 minutes, until bacon begins to brown.  Add shallot and Brussel sprouts, saute 4 minutes.  Add garlic and saute 4 more minutes or until garlic begins to brown, stirring frequently.  Add the broth and bring to a boil.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes.  Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, or until the broth mostly evaporates and the sprouts are crisp-tender.  Remove from heat and season.

Thanksgiving Feast!

Zucchini with Garlic and Herb Cheese

• 3 medium zucchini
• 1 container Alouette Light Garlic & Herb Cheese Spread
• Olive Oil
• Salt & freshly cracked black pepper

Use a vegetable peeler to peel thick ribbons from the zucchini. 

Heat about 2 tbsp. olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat.  Add the zucchini ribbons, a few at a time, allowing to cook for about 15 minutes on each side. Let dry on paper towels and continue with the remaining ribbons until you've cooked them all.  Pat the zucchini dry and season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

Lay the zucchini ribbons flat on a work surface.  Place a dollop of cheese spread on the end of each ribbon and roll up gently to encase the filling.

Enjoy!

Sausage & Ricotta Lasagna Roll Ups with Garlic Bread

Sausage & Ricotta Lasagna Roll Ups

• 1 - 19.5 oz. package sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
• 1 - 19.5 oz. package spicy Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 2 - 24 oz. jars Tomato & Basil pasta sauce
• 1 - 1 lb. box lasagna noodles (18 noodles)
• 2 - 15 oz. container low fat ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, minced
• 4 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the sausages and crumble in the pan and cook until sausage is crumbled and cooked through, 7minutes.  Drain the fat and return to the pan.  Season with salt and pepper and add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute.  Add the remaining pasta sauce and combine well.  Remove from the heat and let cool.

Meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles according to instructions and then lay them out on parchment paper to cool.  Do this right away or they stick!

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Combine the ricotta, 2.5 cups of the mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, basil and parsley in a large bowl and mix well.

Pour about a cup of sauce each into two 9x13 baking dishes.  You will need two 9x13 baking dishes, fitting 9 lasagna roll ups in each pan.

Spoon a thin layer of the ricotta mixture down the entire length of a lasagna noodle.  Cover the ricotta with a thin layer of the sausage sauce mixture.  Starting from one end roll the noodle up and place in a 9x13 baking dish seam side down.  Repeat this with all 18 noodles.  Cover each roll up with remaining sauce mixture and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.

Cover the pans with foil and cook for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted.

Garlic Bread

• 1 large loaf Italian bread
• 4 tbsp. light butter
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• dried oregano
• paprika

Cut bread in half lengthwise.

Mix the butter, garlic and olive oil in a bowl.  Generously spread the mixture over both sides of the bread.  Sprinkle both sides with oregano and paprika.

Wrap the loaf in foil and refrigerate all day.  Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.  You can cook this at the same time as the lasagna roll ups.

Serve with a salad.  Perfect for entertaining!