Finally a fool proof way to cook an unbelievably moist, no fuss, turkey.  The key is cooking it upside down first, all of the drippings cook into the breast.  I haven't had to baste the turkey every 30 minutes like I have in the past, but it definitely won't hurt if you want to.  The lemon adds just enough freshness to it. The seasoned salt replaces any need to brine a turkey.  Make sure the turkey is taken out enough time prior to roasting and let it rest for 1 hour.  I promise it will stay hot for serving but is critical for a moist turkey. 

You will never cook a turkey any other way.

Yield:10 to 12 servings

Ingredients:

Turkey:

• One 12- to 14-pound fresh turkey
• Kosher salt* and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh tarragon
• 1 tablespoon ground sumac (optional)
• 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon finely minced shallots
• Grated zest of 3 lemons (save lemons for next day roasting)
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Roasting:

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 10 sprigs fresh parsley
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 5 sprigs fresh sage
• 3 lemons, halved or cut into thick slices
• 1 shallot, halved
• 1 garlic bulb
• 3 carrots, roughly chopped
• 3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• Water or stock, for the roasting pan
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter or olive oil

* You can use sea salt too, but it's a bit more expensive so using kosher salt is a less expensive.

Instructions:

For the turkey: 24 hours before 

Take out the gravy bag, giblets and neck from both sides of the turkey. If you want to simmer the giblets in a bit of water and cut them up for your stuffing or feed them to your cat/dog, go for it.  I don't use the gravy packet but you certainly can add the drippings from the turkey to the grave packet and follow the instructions on the packet to make it. My first turkey, I didn't know they were in there and cooked it - it was fine, but I am telling you, they are in there - so don't forget  (-:  

Rinse the turkey in the sink inside and out and make sure that there aren't any missed feathers.  Dry the turkey with paper towels well to ensure that the rub stick to it.

Twenty-four hours before cooking your turkey, liberally season the inside and outside of the turkey with salt and pepper. Using a mini chopper or mortar and pestle, grind the oregano, parsley, tarragon, sumac, thyme, shallots and lemon zest together with some salt and pepper; the salt will help draw the moisture and flavor from the mixture. Add the olive oil to form a paste. 

Spread the herb mixture all around the inside and outside of the turkey. (If you want to also rub in between the skin and the turkey for extra flavor, go ahead! Place 2 fingers just under the skin of the turkey and the breast and loosen up the skin without tearing it.  Rub more butter/olive oil in between the layer of skin and the turkey.)

Place fresh sage leaves between the layers.

Refrigerate the turkey, uncovered to dry the skin, for 24 hours.

For the roasting: Remove the turkey from the fridge 90 minutes before roasting and allow it to come to room temperature. (IMPORTANT! this ensures even cooking)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Cut the garlic bulb in half and place half of it in the cavity of the turkey and the other half on the wire rack. Put the parsley and thyme sprigs in the cavity with the 2 lemons and shallot halves.

Put the remaining 1 lemon slices under the turkey along with the carrots, celery and onions in the bottom of a roasting pan fitted with a roasting rack. Add a cup of water or stock to the bottom of the pan. 

Add the turkey (UPSIDE DOWN, BREAST SIDE DOWN) to the rack and roast, adding a little more water or stock to the pan if necessary to prevent the drippings from burning, for 30 minutes. 

Take turkey out of the oven, turn down the temperature to 350 degrees.  Flip the turkey breast side up and drizzle with a little more olive oil.  

Note:  Flipping the turkey might be a bit tricky since the turkey is heavy, maybe ask for some help.  You can use a couple of tongs to help, I just kind of roll it over but be careful!!

Put turkey back into oven and continue to roast.  (You can bast the turkey with the pan drippings every 30 minutes but I haven't had to do this and it's incredibly moist.)  

Cook until the thickest part of the leg registers an internal temperature of 155 degrees F, another 2 1/2 to 3 hours. 

Allow the bird to rest, tented with foil, for at least 1 hour before carving. The temperature will rise to about 165 degrees F during resting.

Pour the pan drippings into a saucepan, set the pan over medium-high heat and cook until reduced by one-half, about 10 minutes. Stir in the butter until melted. Pour the reduced turkey drippings over the carved turkey just before serving.

Recipe adapted from FoodNetwork, TheKitchen:  Geoffrey Zakarian (I have altered this recipe to use tips from Martha Stewart's upside down turkey recipe and of course my own changes.)

Easy Cloud Bread (GF)

"Cloud bread is soft and fluffy - like a cloud! It's a great substitute for 'regular' bread and is low in carbs. Although it's not firm enough to replace bread in a regular sandwich, I like to top one 'slice' with peanut butter and bananas, toast it with jam or with my favorite lunch meat and fillings!" - Yummly

5 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 2 ounces cream cheese, very soft
• Optional:  1 tablespoon white sugar, honey or sugar substitute like Truvia

* Try other add-ins like garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt and herbs and eliminate the sugar for a savory "bread".
**  Best to keep in the refrigerator or freeze them, they will mold after a couple of days if left out. Make sure to put pieces of parchment paper on the bottoms to prevent stickage (yes, that's a word).

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar together in a bowl until stiff peaks form.

Mix egg yolks, cream cheese, and sugar together in a separate bowl using a wooden spoon and then mixing with a hand-held egg beater until mixture is very smooth and has no visible cream cheese. Gently fold egg whites into cream cheese mixture, taking care not to deflate the egg whites.

Carefully scoop mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, forming 5 to 6 "buns".

Bake in the preheated oven until cloud bread is lightly browned, about 20-30 minutes. (check after 15 minutes for doneness)

Source:  allrecipes.com

Pumpkin Bread (GF)

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Serves 8 to 10 (1 loaf)

Ingredients :

• 2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• 1 ½ cup canned pumpkin
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup milk
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup soft butter

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. 

• Combine pumpkin, sugar, milk, and eggs in separate mixing bowl. 

• Add dry ingredients and butter, mix till well blended.

• Spread into greased 9x5x3 loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. 

Source:  theglutenexchange.com

Pumpkin Bread (GF) Fresh Pumpkin

Yield: 1 loaf

The gluten free pumpkin bread is so moist and full of flavor! This recipe kicks off fall in our home!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour Blend
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup coconut oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups shredded fresh pumpkin or canned pumpkin,a 15 oz can of pumpkin is just shy of 2 cups.  16 oz = 2 cups. (see note below)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Combine dry ingredients:  the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl and set aside. 

In the bowl of mixer with whip attachment, mix the sugar and eggs until doubled in volume.  Add in the melted coconut oil and vanilla extract.

Add the dry ingredients and mix well on slow speed.
  
Fold in the shredded pumpkin or 3 cups of canned pumpkin.

Once the ingredients are all incorporated pour into a greased 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan.

For Bread:  Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. At this point a knife inserted into the middle of the loaf should come out clean. Cool for 15 minutes and turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely. 

For Muffins: temperature should also be 325 degrees F, but bake for 30 minutes.

Pumpkin Canned vs Fresh:
You can substitute canned pumpkin in almost any dish in which you’d use fresh. When you substitute canned pumpkin for fresh, use the same amount, so for example, use 1 cup of canned in place of 1 cup of fresh pumpkin. Spoon the pumpkin from the can, and place it into a measuring cup, gently packing and pressing it into the measuring cup with the spoon. Carefully fill the measuring cup, and level off the top of the cup with a knife to assure the amount is accurate.

Canned Pumpkin Ingredients:
Buy canned pumpkin that does not contain any salt, spices or ingredients other than pumpkin. Read the can’s ingredients section on the label to assure that the can contains only pumpkin. When you buy plain canned pumpkin without spices or other ingredients, you can add these components to your recipes yourself, in the amounts that your recipes specify.

Source:  In the Kitchen with Stacey

French Duchess Potatoes

This is a perfect way to use left over mashed potatoes if you have them!  The cheese really adds another layer of flavor.  If you are not a nutmeg fan, simply leave it off.  This is a classic french side dish that is served in one of the most expensive french restaurants in New York.  Very classic, elegant and delicious!

Perfect for Christmas or Easter dinner.

Yield:8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds (about 4 medium) russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the baking dish
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese, optional
• Freshly grated nutmeg, optional

Instructions

In a large pot, combine the potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt and enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer until fork tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the potatoes and then press through a ricer or food mill back into the pot they were cooked in.* Place over low heat for a few minutes to dry the potatoes.

Heat the cream and 1/2 stick of the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the butter melts and the cream is warm but not hot. Stir the mixture into the potatoes. Mix in the egg yolks and season with salt and pepper. Add cheese and nutmeg if desired.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a medium baking dish with butter.

Melt the remaining 1/2 stick butter in a small pot over low heat.

Fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip with the mashed potatoes. Into the prepared baking dish, pipe the potatoes in a circular motion, about 3 inches in diameter, starting from the outside and filling in a circle. Finish by piping upwards for a nice swirl on top. Repeat to fill the entire baking dish. Brush each circle with the melted butter. Bake in the oven until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.

Note:  These will "puff" up a bit with the egg yolks so when you are piping them into the dish, leave a little room between each one and they will puff up and end up touching one another.  

Special equipment: a piping bag fitted with a star tip

* If you don't have a ricer or food mill, use a potato masher and mash them really well to mostly eliminate all chunks or a beater.  Be careful not to over mix them so they turn out "gummy". 

Source:  FoodNetwork:  Geoffrey Zakarian

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Grade A pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 quart pumpkin ice cream, softened
• 2 cups crumbled store-bought pumpkin bread
• 1/2 cup chopped store-bought candied pecans or other nuts, for garnish

Instructions

Spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large, chilled metal bowl, beat the whipping cream with 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar and the maple syrup and vanilla until it holds medium-stiff peaks. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Combine the gingersnaps, the remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar and the melted butter in a large bowl and mix until completely combined. Firmly press the mixture into the prepared pie plate. Freeze for 30 minutes to set.

Spread the softened ice cream into the pie crust, being sure to make the top as smooth as possible. Top with the pumpkin bread and then with the whipped cream. Freeze for at least 1 hour.

Garnish with candied pecans before serving.

Source:  FoodNetwork,  The Kitchen

Espresso Martini

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 6 ounces vodka, such as Russian Standard
• 4 ounces coffee liqueur
• 4 ounces brewed espresso, chilled
• 2 ounces creme de cacao, white
• 6 coffee beans

Instructions

Chill 2 martini glasses.

Combine the vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso and creme de cacao in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until chilled and frothy. Strain into the chilled glasses and garnish with 3 coffee beans per drink.

Source:  FoodNetwork, The Kitchen - Geoffrey Zakarian

Peruvian Chicken

This marinade makes the chicken incredibly moist!

Serves:  4

Ingredients

• 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 bottle beer (lager)
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• One 3- to 4-pound chicken

Instructions

Combine the rosemary, cumin, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, oregano, lime juice, hoisin sauce, beer, salt and pepper in a blender and blend until completely combined. Pour the marinade over the chicken in a container and let it marinate, refrigerated, for 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the chicken from the marinade (discard the marinade) and put on a rack in a roasting pan. Add about 1/2 cup or so of water to the bottom of the pan.  Roast until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 hour. Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

You can add a dipping sauce of Sriracha and Mayo for a nice little zing!  Just a couple of dashes of Sriracha to a couple tablespoons of mayo and your good to go (I also added a bit of lime juice too)!

Source:  FoodNetwork, The Kitchen guest - Franco Noriega

Maple Leaf

Voted best cocktail of all time by chefs on the Kitchen.  

Try it hot too!

Serves:  1

Ingredients

• 2 ounces pear puree
• 1 ounce bourbon, such as Four Roses
• 1/4 ounce cognac, such as Remy Martin VS
• 1/4 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1/4 ounce grade A maple syrup
• 1/4 ounce pimento dram

Instructions

Add the pear puree, bourbon, cognac, lime juice, maple syrup and pimento dram to a mixing glass, add ice and shake vigorously in a cocktail shaker. Double-strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice, garnish and serve.

Source:  FoodNetwork, The Kitchen -  Geoffrey Zakarian

Sausage and Sage Apple-Stuffed Apples

A perfect compliment to any turkey or ham dinner.  The cheese really makes this side dish divine!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground sweet Italian sausage
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 ounces Calvados (apple brandy)
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup toasted pistachios, chopped
• 2 tablespoons julienned fresh sage
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 Fuji apples
• 1 cup seasoned rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• Eight 1/4-inch slices Camembert cheese
• Fresh thyme leaves, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then the sausage. Saute the meat until browned but still a little pink, about 5 minutes. Add the shallot and continue to cook until the sausage is fully cooked, another 5 minutes. Off the heat, deglaze with the calvados and scrape up any bits on the bottom of the skillet. Add the raisins, pistachios and sage. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool in a bowl.

Halve the apples from stem to bottom and core. Carefully hollow them out using a melon baller, reserving the apple "balls." Chop up the apple "balls" (you should have about 3/4 cup) and add to the sausage mixture. Stuff each hollowed-out apple half with some of the sausage mixture.

Pour the vinegar into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and add the stuffed apples skin-side down. Bake until the apples are just soft, about 25 minutes. Top each apple with a slice of cheese and continue to bake until melted, another 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves.

Source:  FoodNetwork The Kitchen - Jeff Mauro

Creole Spice Blend

Commercial spice blends include MSG, soy, and dextrose — so use your own spice blend instead:

• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine together and keep in an airtight spice jar.

Honey Garlic Salmon

This is PLENTY of glaze to generously cover 2 fillets. You could absolutely use this amount for 3 fillets. We just like lots of glaze!

Serves: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 (4-6oz) salmon fillets (thawed if frozen)
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1½ Tbsp Tamari (or soy sauce, or coconut aminos)
• 1 tsp rice vinegar (or cider vinegar or lemon juice)
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• ¼ tsp salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Grease a baking sheet or line it with foil. Place salmon fillets on baking sheet.

In a small bowl, whisk together honey, tamari, vinegar, garlic, and salt until well combined. '

Pour half of the mixture over the salmon. Reserve the other half for after cooking.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8-12 minutes, or until cooked through. Pour remaining glaze over the salmon. Enjoy!

Notes:

My favorite method for thawing fish. I almost always use frozen fish fillets when I make fish. I will usually buy a large 1/2 of a full fresh salmon at Sam's Club and cut it into fillets, vacuum seal them in portions and put in the freezer. To thaw frozen fish fillets, I like to put them in a bowl of water in my fridge for an hour or two, or you can thaw them on the counter in a bowl with a few changes of lukewarm water in about half an hour.

Adapting this recipe. I usually cook gluten free, so I usually use tamari, which is gluten free soy sauce. If you’re not GF, you can certainly use soy sauce. We’ve also tried this with coconut aminos for a paleo version. It’s delicious!


Change it up. You can add about 1/2 tsp fresh ginger to the recipe to give it a more pronounced Asian flair, or substitute fresh lemon juice for the rice vinegar for a citrus twist.

Source: One Lovely Life

Pineapple Peach Smoothie

You can use fresh or frozen fruit for this smoothie. If you use fresh fruit, I like adding 1 cup of ice for a frosty finish.

Serves: About 4 cups

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups pineapple (I like frozen)
• 1½ cups peaches (I like frozen)
• 1 cup baby spinach (you can also use kale)
• ¾ cup orange juice
• ¾ cup water
• Optional protein boost (pick one): 2 Tbsps: Protein Powder (BiPro), collagen peptides, chia seeds, or hemp seeds

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in a blender. Puree until smooth, adding more water or orange juice as necessary.

Author: One Lovely Life

Pineapple Mint Smoothies

You can make these with frozen or fresh fruit. If using fresh fruit, I recommend adding at least 1 cup of ice to the blender for a frosty finish.

Serves: 4 small or 2 regular smoothies

Ingredients:

• 3 cups frozen pineapple
• 1 cup baby spinach (can use kale)
• 1 cup coconut milk (like the refrigerated carton kind)
• 1 cup water
• 2-4 Tbsp fresh mint
• optional: 2-4 Tbsp protein powder (or unflavored vegan protein powder)

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in a blender. Puree until completely smooth.

Source: One Lovely Life