Turkey Helps

These wonderful helps come from http://www.myrecipes.com/ which is a compilation of recipes from Cooking Light, Southern Living, Sunset, Real Simple and Health Magazines.



Buying the Thanksgiving Bird


There are basically seven different types of whole turkeys: frozen, fresh, natural, organic, free-range, heritage, and kosher. Frozen is the cheapest and most widely available. The drawbacks: you'll need considerable time to thaw in the refrigerator, and it may be injected with a salt solution to keep moist. See Sunset.com's "Pick the Perfect Turkey"  for a quick primer on the differences between the turkey types.

How Much Turkey to Buy


A good rule of thumb is to buy 1 pound of turkey per person to allow for seconds and leftovers. So if you're having 8 guests for Thanksgiving, you'll need an 8-pound bird. You know your crowd best, so buy the size that fits your needs.
Get ready for the feast with our ultimate collection of  Thanksgiving Recipes.

Turkey Defrosting Tips


The best–and safest–defrosting method is to set the bird in a shallow pan in the refrigerator for 24 hours per 5 pounds of turkey. Keep in mind you'll need to save room in the refrigerator as this will take several days. The turkey is fully thawed when the thick part of the turkey registers 40 degrees. For tips to defrosting in a hurry, read, "The Turkey is still frozen"  at RealSimple.com.

Roasting Turkey for Beginners


The key to roasting a perfect turkey is the temperature; you want moist, juicy meat on the inside and a crisp exterior. Keep your meat thermometer close by to ensure the bird reaches a safe internal temperature of between 165 and 180 degrees. An average 12-pound turkey with giblets will take around three hours to cook at 325 degrees. For a step-by-step guide, go to CookingLight.com

Deconstructing Turkey Carving


"The whole turkey may look really pretty, but taking slices from the outside of the breast is difficult," says Cooking Light Test Kitchens staffer Sam Brannock. For a step-by-step guide, watch our "how to" video on turkey carving or read more of Sam's tips at CookingLight.com.

Check out the link below for 9 different turkey ideas.  This is the first one!
Dry-Cured Rosemary Turkey


First-time Thanksgiving hosts might relate to Lori P, who shares this success story:

"This was rated by the most critical of my family to be the best turkey of all time. It was great that it was my first large-scale hosting of Thanksgiving for the family.... it made me proud."



Double Chocolate Warm Pudding Cake



This is from Very Best Baking .  Check out their great Holiday recipes!


Prep:10 mins
Cooking:20 mins
Cooling:0 min
Yields:9 servings

Guests will love the combination of moist cake with chocolate sauce. Enjoy this simple take on southern baking warm from the oven and topped with light whipped topping or ice cream.

Ingredients

nonstick cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Lowfat 2% Milk, divided
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons water
Lowfat whipped topping or ice cream (optional)

Directions

PREHEAT the oven to 350° F. Spray 8-inch-square baking pan or dish with nonstick cooking spray.

COMBINE flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons cocoa, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup evaporated milk, oil and vanilla extract; whisk until just blended. Spread batter into prepared baking pan.

COMBINE remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa in small bowl. Microwave remaining 1 cup evaporated milk and 2 tablespoons water in small, uncovered microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute. With wire whisk, stir in sugar-cocoa mixture into milk mixture until blended. Gently pour over chocolate batter in pan.

BAKE for 20 to 25 minutes (25 to 30 minutes if using glass dish) or until cake layer forms on top and edges are bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes. Spoon into serving dishes, spooning chocolate sauce over cake. Top with whipped topping.

TIPS: • Individual servings can be reheated in microwave for 10 seconds.

Southern Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie

A Family Favorite!

1 9-inch unbaked Pie Crust Shell

1 Cup Pecan Halves

1/2 Cup semi-sweet Chocolate Chips

4 Eggs slightly beaten

1/4 Cup melted Butter (no substitute)

3/4 Cup light or dark corn syrup

1 Scant Cup granulated Sugar or 1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Spread the pecans and the chocolate chips over the bottom of the unbaked pie crust.  Beat eggs slightly.  Add melted butter, corn syrup and sugar; blend well.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour egg mixture over pecans and chocolate chips in pie shell.  Bake for 45 - 60 minutes until center of pie is set.  Cool before serving.  While cooling, melt 1/4 chocolate chips and 3 Tablespoons of whipping cream in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until melted.  Garnish with melted chips and pecans.

Ganache-Glazed Peanut Butter Tart



Ingredients


1 cup crushed chocolate wafer cookies

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1-1/2 cups half-and-half or light cream

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

5 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

1 tablespoon light-color corn syrup

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For crust: In a medium bowl, combine crushed chocolate cookies and the 3 tablespoons sugar. Stir in the melted butter. Press mixture onto the bottom of an ungreased 9-inch tart pan that has a removable bottom. Bake about 10 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.

2. For filling: In a medium saucepan, combine half-and-half, flour, and salt. Cook over medium heat until simmering, stirring frequently.

3. In a small bowl, combine egg yolks and the 1/3 cup sugar. Gradually whisk hot half-and-half mixture into egg yolk mixture. Return egg yolk mixture to saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. Whisk in peanut butter and vanilla until combined. Pour into crust, spreading evenly. Cover and chill for 3 hours.

4. For ganache: In a small saucepan, combine chocolate and the 5 tablespoons butter. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in corn syrup; cool for 10 minutes.

5. Pour ganache over filling; tilt pan to allow ganache to flow evenly over tart. Cover and chill for 1 to 24 hours.

6. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Using a small sharp knife, gently loosen edge of tart from side of pan; remove side of pan. Makes 16 servings

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If you like this Fall Template I have used on my blog, you can view more at LeeLou blogs .  She always has new FREE stuff for every season, holiday and/or occasion!  Check it out! 



There are also more free templates at Bloggy Got Back .  They have lots of free web and blog disigns for all occasions.  They also do blog and web design.  Very easy to install on Blogger.

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