Roasting a turkey is  a Thanksgiving tradition in the U.S., but  many families also enjoy this meal on Christmas Day, hence the post at this time.

Our family follows a very special Ukrainian Christmas Eve tradition which includes a 12 course meatless dinner.

Christmas Day, on the other hand, is a feast of many different dishes, including smoked sausage (kobasa), as well as baked ham, but no turkey.

This Thanksgiving I tried Martha Stewart’s recipe for roasting a turkey, recommended by a friend from my church, as her absolute favorite.  I was quite impressed with the outcome of this project, as you can see from the picture of the finished product.

Doesn’t this bird look delicious?  So glossy and tender, and just awesome (scroll down to the bottom of this post).

So, if you plan to roast a turkey for Christmas, or Thanksgiving, and like to try this recipe, plus watch Martha’s video, by clicking the link above, I will share my step by step experience with this recipe.

Here is the cheesecloth, as well as the basting sauce ingredients (melted butter and dry white wine).

Ingredients:

• 1 turkey, 14-18 lbs.
• 1 1/2 cups of unsalted butter, melted
• 4 Tbs. unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 bottle(750 -ml) of dry white wine of your choice
• 1 package of cheesecloth, I cut mine in half
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 stalks celery, cut into chunks
• 2 carrots, cut into chunks
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup dry red wine (0r white wine) for the gravy
• 3 Tbs. of fat (reserved from the pan juices)
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour (for gravy)
• Salt and pepper to taste (I also like to sprinkle some Maggi Seasoning)

Directions:

1. Remove turkey from plastic wrapping, and remove the giblets packed inside the turkey, and in the neck cavity.  Place the giblets in a medium saucepan filled 3/4 with water, and cook for at least an hour. Save the stock for gravy.
2. Rinse the turkey under running cold water, outside and inside. Also rinse out the giblets, and set aside.
3. Dry the turkey with paper towels, and let stand uncovered for 2 hours at room temperature (this lets the skin dry out slightly for better results with basting).
4. Place oven rack on the lowest level in your oven, and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
5. Combine the melted butter with wine.  Fold each cheesecloth in half, and let it soak in this mixture.
6. Pour 1  cup of water into the roasting pan, place the cut up veggies, and place the roasting rack in the pan.
7. Place the turkey, breast side up, on the roasting rack, remove the pop-up timer, if present.
8. Fold wingtips under the turkey.
9. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper inside the turkey.  If you are stuffing your bird, fill the large cavity and neck cavity loosely with stuffing (I do not stuff my turkey, I cook the stuffing separately).
10. Rub the turkey’s breast with 4 Tbs. room temperature butter, and sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper.
11. Tie the turkey legs together with kitchen twine, and tie a bow for easier removal after roasting.
12. Lift  one cheesecloth one at a time from the butter/wine mixture, squeeze it slightly, so it does not drip, make sure you have it folded to form 4 layers of  cloth.

    

13. Place it on top of half of the turkey, extending over the right leg and down the side (if you co not cover the thighs they will brown much faster and darker than the rest of the turkey).
14. Do the same with the second piece of the cheesecloth, overlapping it slightly over the first one at the top of the turkey breast, covering the left side of the turkey breast, leg, and extending it down the side, as well as the front and back of the bird.
15. Place turkey legs first into the oven. Do not cover the pan.
16. Cook for 20 minutes, without checking on it.

    

17. Using a pastry brush, baste the  cheesecloth and exposed parts of the turkey, with butter/wine mixture. Don’t panic if you notice how dark the cheesecloth gets during cooking.  The turkey underneath is still very light. Your kitchen will fill with a sweet aroma of warm butter.
18. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F, and continue baking for 2 1/2 hours, basting every 30 minutes.
19. If your pan fills up with too much juice, you may remove some and save for gravy.

    

20. After about 3 hours of cooking, remove and discard the cheesecloth.  Notice how light the breast meat is still at this point.
21. Turn the pan around, so the legs are facing front, and the breast is facing the back of the oven.
22. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F.
23. Baste the turkey gently with the juices, or the remaining butter/wine mixture.
24. Bake for 1 hour longer, basting after 30 minutes.
25. Insert the instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, not touching the bone, and the temperature should reach 180 (if stuffed – the stuffing should reach 140 -160). The turkey should be golden brown.
26. If the legs are not fully cooked yet, baste the turkey, and bake another 20 minutes.
27. Once fully cooked, transfer turkey to a warm serving platter, and let it rest for 20-30 minutes.
28. Pour the pan juices into a fat separator cup.  Let it stand for 10 minutes to settle.  The baked veggies in the pan may be used or discarded, but they added delicious flavor to the pan juices for your gravy.
29. Set the roasting pan aside, do not wash it.

Finished product, ready for carving and serving.

To make gravy:

1. Place roasting pan on a stove over medium-high heat.
2. Add 1 cup of dry wine (red or white).
3. Add 3 Tbs. of fat which separated from the pan juices.
4. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the pan until liquid boils and all the crisp bits are loosened up from the pan.
5. Mix 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring continuously, so it’s not clumpy.
6. Stir in giblet stock (at least 2-3 cups) and bring to boil.
7. Cook until liquid has reduced by half (about 10 minutes).
8. Add the fat-free part of the reserved pan juices, and cook for 10 minutes longer.
9. This will make about 2 1/2 cups of gravy.
10. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and Maggi seasoning if you like.
11. Strain into a warm gravy boat, and serve.

Enjoy your delicious turkey with homemade gravy.

Recipes for my favorite stuffing, and other side dishes, will be posted by next Thanksgiving.

Your Thanksgiving dinner was a winner.  Everyone enjoyed the company and the delicious food.

However, now you have loads of leftovers to use up within the next 3-4 days.

Some people do not mind having the same food for another meal, but it gets boring after that, so we need to dip into our creative thinking.

I will provide few suggestions, in case you are too tired to search the internet for new recipes.

Adults and kids love leftover chicken, or turkey meat baked into Tetrazzini casserole.

Another quick “new” dish from leftover meat, is a batch of Potstickers.  You might need to purchase some Wonton wraps, in case you ran out of your previous stack.

Chicken or Turkey Pot Pie is an excellent way to use up a bunch of leftover meat, and turn it into a delish new

meal.

Turkey Croquettes are also  a fast and easy way to turn leftover chicken or turkey meat into a whole new dish.

Making some Turkey Salad, from that leftover Thanksgiving turkey, is the easiest dish ever.

Another easy idea is a turkey sandwich, on a fresh roll, with some stuffing and cranberry sauce all layered perfectly on top of some turkey meat.

Enjoy.

Please share your ideas for creatively using up leftovers from your Thanksgiving dinner.  Thank you.

My latest internet activity consists of being totally enveloped in Pinterest.  It is so easy to spend hours perusing through the myriad of pictures on that site, and always finding something new, and exciting.

Each package of won ton wraps contains at least 48 pieces of these paper thin wraps.  One package has enough wraps to make some Potstickers, plus some of these Lasagna cups, and still have some leftover for a possible dessert idea.

I tried storing these wraps the fridge for later use, but after a while they begin to change color to slightly grayish, and start to dry out.

I understand you can freeze them, but I rather used them up within a weeks time, and be done with it.

Today I will share a recipe for Lasagna in a Wonton cup, which I spotted on Pinterest, and pinned it on my board of Party Foods.

I modified the original recipe, to better fit my taste, since I was making these for my grandchildren.

This recipe yields 24 cups.

Ingredients:

• 24 Wonton Wraps
• 1 lb. ground beef, or turkey
• 1 Tbs. of canola oil for frying meat
• 1 cup of Ricotta cheese (or whipped Cottage Cheese, if you prefer)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, ground
• 1 cup tomato sauce (I used Prego)
• 1 tsp. oregano, dried
• 1 tsp. basil, dried or freshly chopped
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper, ground
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1 cup Mozzarella cheese
• Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Grease, or spray with cooking spray, the cups of 2 cupcake pans.
2. Place one wonton wrap in each cup, gently pressing it down to fit to the  bottom of each cup. Set aside.
3. Pour 1 Tbs. of oil into a medium frying pan, warm it up, and place the ground meat in it.
4. Saute the meat at least 5 minutes, mixing it frequently, to break it up and to cook it so it is no longer pink.
5. Scoop out any accumulated fat, and discard.
6. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil and oregano, and cook 1 minute longer.
7. Add the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and tomato sauce, and cook another minute.
8. Scoop 2 Tbs. of meat mixture into each wonton cup.
9. Sprinkle some Mozzarella cheese over the top of each cup.
10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
11. Bake lasagna cups for 15 minutes, or until cheese melts and wraps are lightly golden.
12. Remove and serve warm, or cool off completely and store covered in the fridge for later use.  You can also wrap them well, and freeze for a future quick dinner or an appetizer.

Enjoy your meal.

TIP:  If you prefer, you can saute fresh onions and garlic, and use fresh herbs.

Ever since I tasted these yummy dumplings for the first time, I knew they would be part of my recipe collection, and an addition to my family menu.

They are so easy to make, and so delicious, that I had to share this experience with all of you.

If you also love Potstickers, please let us know what is your favorite filling.

I like mine with well flavored ground turkey, or pork, but you can also use chicken, beef, veggies, or even fruit.

These are great as a new meal, created out of leftover meat.  Thanksgiving is just around the corner, thus a great way to use some of that leftover turkey.

The won ton dough sheets are so much lighter than the Varenyky dumplings, and so easy to use, since they come pre-cut into serving pieces.

Won ton wraps usually are easily found in the fresh vegetable section at your favorite grocer.  I even found them at Walmart (also in the fresh vegetable section).  They are quite inexpensive as well; these were under$3 per package.

These are the ones I purchased.  The 12 oz. package am0unts to at least 48 paper thin wraps.

These are NOT Gluten Free!

This recipe yields about 40 dumplings.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. ground turkey (beef, pork, or chicken)
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp. mustard ( I like Grey Poupon, or Gulden’s)
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp. soy sauce, low sodium
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper, ground
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 1 Tbs. tomato sauce, or ketchup
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 cup coleslaw mix
• 1/2 tsp. corn starch
• 3 Tbs. water
• Canola oil for frying

Directions:

1. Heat 1 Tbs. canola oil in a frying pan (I used electric skillet).
2. Add ground meat, and cook 6 minutes, mixing frequently, until meat is all broken up and cooked through.
3. Add, chopped green onions, Soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and sesame oil.
4. Cook 3o seconds.
5. Stir in coleslaw mix, and cook 30 seconds longer, or until cabbage is wilted
6. Mix cornstarch with 3 Tbs. water, add to the filling.
7. Cook another minute.
8. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
9. Place at least 12 won ton wraps on a works surface.
10. Place a 1 Tablespoon of filling in the middle of each wrap.
11. Moisten the edges of the wrap with water, fold sides over and seal.  I make mine to little square packages (see picture above), but you can fold them over into rectangles or triangles, and seal.
12. Heat oil in a pan until not, but not smoking.
13. Place enough Potstickers in the pan to fill it, with the flat part down.
14. Cook for about 1 minute, to lightly brown the bottoms.
15. Add 1/2 cup of water, cover the pot with tight fitting lid, and steam for 3 minutes.
16. Uncover, lower heat and cook until most of the water evaporates.
17. Remove and serve, or keep it warm on a platter, until all Potstickers are cooked.

Dipping sauce Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce, low sodium
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. rice vinegar

Mix all ingredients together, and use as a dipping sauce for freshly cooked Potstickers.  I poured some of this sauce over my serving of  Potstickers , instead of dipping them.

Enjoy your meal.

You don’t have to be a fan of the New England Patriots, or the New York Giants, or even a football fan at all, but you still can have lots of fun attending a Super Bowl Party.

Everyone is always looking forward to the excitement of the game, the half-time entertainment, the greatest commercials, and of course, lots of delicious food, and plenty of drinks.

I had a discussion with someone about different foods people like to try, and she told me about the Rocky Mountain Oysters, which she actually sampled before, and enjoyed it.

This dish is considered a delicacy in the Western States of the US, as well as in some parts of Canada.

I definitely am not about to prepare it, or sample the finished product (I am not that adventurous with food), but if you have the ingredients, and want to make it for your party, then here is a recipe I found for you.

As for me, I would suggest the following party foods for this Super Bowl Party:

• Jalapeno Corn Dip
• Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip
• Swedish Meatballs
• Mrs. Z’s Deviled Eggs
• Seven Layer Guacamole Dip
• Turkey Taco Ring
• Rye Bread Dip
• Ham Canapes
• City Chicken
• Calico Beans
• Onion Quiche

These are the hearty party foods I have posted previously, and am convinced that your party goes will absolutely adore them.

I would like to hear about the different foods you included in your Super Bowl Party menu.  Thank you.

Enjoy the game, the food, and have lots of fun!!

Go Patriots!!

Go Giants!!