What's Cooking - Corned Beef and Cabbage

It's getting close to St Patrick's Day and in our house it wouldn't be complete without a delicious pot of Corned Beef and Cabbage. We don't fuss too much with ours.

We put a good sized pre-brined corned beef in a crock pot, cut a head of cabbage into quarters, then halve the quarters (yes, that's eighths, but little wedges, not slivers).

 Then we add carrots and potatoes, the latter cut into quarters. And we add that little spice packet too. We just cover with about a cup of water to keep it moist, but a can bottle of beer is good too. Maybe a nice dark Guiness or any good Irish ale.


I thought I'd link you to some more recipes. That way you can choose your own special version. The lovely picture here came from allrecipes.com It's the top rated recipe on the web.

Another top recipe is Alton Brown's at foodnetwork.com Don't you just love his recipes. Usually easy, and delish. This one includes a recipe for brining if you choose to do your own.

Here's another foodnetwork recipe for Corned Beef and Cabbage. This one is cooked in the crock pot but has a tasty Horesradish sauce.

Hope these help you prepare for the feasting, and don't forget to keep your dark Irish beer at room temperature.

After posting I realized I left out you vegans, sorry. Here is a recipe with make your own vegan meat. Here's another using seitan. Others basically the same recipe as the meat, but using meat substitute.

What's Cooking - Turkey Two Ways - Reheated

Now that life has settled down a bit for us (crazy Halloween season over, Christmas not yet started) I can give you my recipe for Turkey a little early this year. Last year for Thanksgiving we cooked two turkeys. One our own traditional way and the other a new and different way. If we cook only one turkey, we would cook it the traditional way, but if we ever cook 2 turkeys again I would definitely try the fruit stuffed turkey.

Here is a link to the recipe from my original post last year TALKING TURKEY it's my most popular post. Apparently people all over the world want to know how to cook turkey.

If you want something delicious, easy and different, try the citrus stuffed turkey cooked in a brown paper bag slathered with butter. It is easy, moist and has a delicate citrus flavor. If it's not your thing for Thanksgiving, buy one of those cheap birds and make it another day. You won't be sorry you did.

Talking Turkey

OK, so Lets talk Turkey. I hope all my US friends had a Happy Thanksgiving yesterday and had lots of Turkey to eat. I'm talking about the real stuff, not that tofurkey stuff you vegans eat. C'mon why does a bird have more right to live in this world than a bean anyhow? A bean never took a humongous dump on my head while I was walking around the amusement park last summer.

I'm not here to argue philosophy with you today I'm here to tell you how wonderful our two real turkeys were this year. Yes two. No we are not suddenly rich, both were given to us. No, not rich in money, just rich with kind neighbors (yeah, some of them are and sometimes even the crazy ones are nice).

The night before Thanksgiving we saw a new way to cook turkey on the local news. Poppy and I were tempted. We did have an extra turkey and all the ingredients so the next day we went for it. Two delicious and different turkeys. Both recipes use a stick of butter, so don't think your bird will be healthy. It's a freaking holiday! Enjoy life!

Don't know what we will do next year. I think we might get 2 small birds and cook the 2 ways again. More drumsticks all around!

Here are our recipes for those of you who cook turkey for other holidays, and to keep for next Thanksgiving.

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Our Traditional Turkey Style

Not my mothers recipe, one we saw on Food channel years ago and fell in love with. Use your own stuffing or for a faster bird leave empty.

1 stick softened butter
salt
pepper
garlic powder

Wash and dry thawed or fresh turkey. Stuff if you're using stuffing. Above the neck cavity, slide your very clean hands under the skin loosening it without tearing. It will separate pretty easily from the meat of the breast. Just do it to the breast area. Take handfuls of the soft butter and smoosh it under the skin. Yes that's a professional term ;)

Take the last bit of butter and slather the top. Salt, pepper and garlic powder the bird and rub it everywhere. Make sure you have one of those pop up timer cause they are the BEST way to tell if a turkey is done. Pop in the oven at 350 deg F in a roaster on a rack and do not touch it. Do not baste it, do not move it until that little timer pops up.  The skin crisps and holds in the moisture so you don't have to baste and the fat drips off into the roasting pan. Great for yummy gravy.

Dying for bird two? It's a great one too.

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Fruit Stuffed Turkey in a Brown Paper Bag


one stick butter
one large orange
one large lemon
one pear
one large onion
2 stalks celery cut up
cooking oil
one brown paper grocery bag

Because you have to put the turkey in a bag, I'm not sure this is suitable for a turkey over 20 lbs.

Cut the fruit and onion into eights and put in a large bowl. Cut the celery into 2 or 3 inch sections and place in bowl. Toss till evenly mixed and put this mixture in the turkey cavities at both ends. If there is not enough you can add a bit more of whatever you have. Rub down the bird with oil. I used safflower, but you could use anything you like, just remember this will be a citrus flavored bird.

Take the stick of butter and coat the inside of the paper bag. Yes really. All over the inside till it's all used up.
Place the stuffed bird in the bag and roll up the ends to seal in. You can staple shut, but we have a lot of straight pins so I used that. Place in roasting pan in a 350 degree F oven and cook for about 15 minutes per pound. I did this and it was perfect, It had a timer and it had popped when the time was over. Open the bag and you will have a beautifully brown citrus scented bird. Pull it out and let it rest FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR. If you cut it too soon all that yummy moisture will be gone.

This bird kept the heat in much longer. I had to let it cool down a bit more than an hour, but it was unbelievably moist and delicious. The smell of the citrus was soo wonderful too. I just can't decide which I loved better.

Have fun with your cooking, and don't get stuck in a rut. If you're game to try something new, you don't have to give up the old. After all, the birds cost the same per pound if you have one or two of them.

A MOST UNUSUAL THANKSGIVING DINNER

In 2007 My family went out of town for Dinner so I chose to accept an out of the country commission, in China. Here's how I celebrated Thanksgiving that year.

Thanksgiving 2007

Today I enjoyed Thanksgiving lunch with my Chinese family, a Designer, an engineer, 2 factory managers, a product manager, and our driver. I was the only American, as all of my associates had gone back to the States to have Thanksgiving with their families. It was only lunch and not quite Thanksgiving Day in the US, but I imagined that this was my Thanksgiving dinner.

We ate things that might have been eaten in America that first Thanksgiving, rabbit, corn and beans. I was sure that the bamboo sticks the rabbit was threaded on, and the shiny aluminum foil protecting their ends, were not used that first Thanksgiving, but the meat was very tasty.

The corn, which I am sure the pilgrims must have eaten, was very good also, although ours was cooked in egg yolk and sprinkled with large crystalline grains of pale brown sugar. The green beans were cooked with almost neon purple skinned eggplant that had a fire-roasted flavor. This was the best of all of the dishes, but I’m positive that eggplant hadn’t arrived in the Americas for many years after the first Thanksgiving.

We had a pot of animal insides, stomach, liver, and I’m not sure what else, that were boiled in broth with some sort of meatballs, and quail eggs. I was not really sure what animal it was or what the meatballs were made of, and maybe I didn’t really want to know. We were served a heaping platter of pork meat with even more heaps of dried hot red peppers. The meat wasn’t very spicy , I guess the peppers were just decoration.

We had a plate of finely chopped broccoli. Not the best tasting thing on the table though, and I like broccoli. It was steamed with no seasoning. Too plain for my taste, but healthy so I ate a large portion. The best tasting dish was the rice noodle with spicy sauce. Large flat translucent noodles with garlic and spicy oil, and so much hot pepper that the oil is a deep glistening red.

There was a small iron dish of bubbling hot spicy beef. This one is a favorite of mine. Small tender strips of beef, that simmer in a little oil and broth with a lot of hot peppers, garlic, and fresh cilantro, and have a flavor similar to Mexican food.

The food was all served on a large rotating tray, like an over sized lazy Susan. That’s how my Chinese family eats in a large group. It is really a nice way to dine. You rotate food around and take only what you want, when you want it, no fighting. There is plenty for everyone, and no mother over stuffing your plates with amounts and food you don’t really want.

The conversation went on, just like any family dinner. There were heated discussions and lots of laughing. I didn’t understand a word of it. I did hear my name mentioned once and was told that they complimented me for something. I believed them.

We sipped hot tea and a canned herbal tea drink and enjoyed the company of friends and good food.

My mind wandered to my many years of Thanksgiving with my family in the U.S. This was my first Thanksgiving away from home. I have spent my birthday away, many times, and I have been without part of my family other holidays, but never so far away.