Thawing a Turkey

Turkeys 

8-12 pounds                                  2-3 days

12-14 pounds                                3-3 1/2 days

14-18 pounds                                3 1/2-4 1/2 days

18-20 pounds                                4 1/2-5 days

Turkey will keep up to 4 day once thawed, so thawing a day or so early is not a problem, if you brine the turkey you need the extra time.

Couple of ways to thaw:

1.  Thaw Turkey in its wrappings in a pan in the refrigerator.  (no water)

2. Thaw turkey in its wrappings in a container large enough to allow it to be in water. Fill the container with cold water and change the water every 30 minutes. This method will thaw a turkey at the rate of about 1 pound every 30 minutes. An 18-pound turkey will take 9 hours.

Easy Italian Stuffing side Dish.

           1 pound of sweet Italian sausage
        1 package seasoned stuffing mix 16 oz bag or box
        1/2 cup of butter
        2 large celery stalks  (Dice)
        1 large onion (Dice)

Heat 10-inch  fry pan over medium heat add the  sausage and cook until brown for about 8-10 minutes stirring often so that  sausage breaks apart. With a draining spoon transfer sausage to a large bowl and add stuffing.(Hold fry pan and Dripping from sausage)
Add margarine to fry pan dripping  and heat until butter melts, but not browns, add celery and onion and cook until onion cooked well, until vegetables are tender and golden, about 15 minutes, now mix with celery mixture to bowl with sausage.
Pour 2 1/2 cups hot water over stuffing mixture. Mix well. Spoon stuffing into 13" by 9" baking dish, cover with foil and bake in preheated 325 degrees for 30 minutes or until cooked to your taste and liking texture

Italian Turkey Stuffing made Easy

1 pound of Sweet Italian sausage or turkey sausage
2 boxes seasoned stuffing mix

2 celery stalks diced

1 large onion diced 3 cups chicken broth 1/2 cup unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 375. Heat fry pan  over medium heat, add sausage and cook until browned.
Prepare stuffing according to package instructions use the  chicken broth and melted butter).
Add cooked sausage and drippings to the stuffing and mix together well.
Place in a buttered baking pan or into turkey
 

Grandma Piccirillo's Bread Turkey Stuffing

 Stuffing bread (about 10-12 cups) 3 loves

1 large onion diced

2 large celery stalks diced

10 Tablespoons of butter

Turkey giblets cooked and diced

Parsley 1/4 fresh

1 box of bells  seasoning

1 teaspoon of pepper

 Dash of salt

1-2 cups of  chicken stock

Do this the night before:

Break your bread up the night before and let in sit covered this will dry the bread out. The bread dry out so that when you add the ingredients below it will not be too soft and mushy.  

Put turkey giblets from the turkey and put them in a saucepan and add water and simmer for about an hour.  Once cooked strain the juice and use it for the stuffing.  (You can use the chicken stock or water, but I always use the stock from the giblets.)

In another pan saute 10 tablespoons of melted butter, celery and onion.  Once done add the giblets and mix together well. Refrigerate.

Next day:

Season your bread with the bells seasoning, covering evenly:

Mix the take the giblet mixture and add 1 cup of chicken stock and mix together;

Slowly pour evenly over your bread until bread is coated and soft but not mushy.  Use all of the giblet mixture, add chicken stock as needed.  Once finished seasoning bread.  Stuff your cleaned turkey.

I am sure my sons remember us breaking the bread together as a family and getting the giblets ready.  We made the breaking of the bread a family event.  Nice memories!  Love you all!

Herbed Turkey

Thaw Frozen turkey as directed or use fresh (12-14 pound turkey)

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil  or 1 tablespoon of melted butter

2 tablespoons of sage rub

1 teaspoon of salt

2 tablespoons of paprika

2 tablespoons of garlic powder

t teaspoon of black pepper

1 teaspoon of parsley

Place oven rack on the lowest position in oven
Preheat oven at 325
Place roasting rack in shallow roasting pan

Mix seasoning in a small bowl

Place turkey breast side up in pan, Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the seasoning inside the turkey
Brush turkey breast with oil, and then sprinkle rest of seasoning mixture over the whole turkey.  Add 1/2 cup of water to pan, tent turkey loosely with heavy duty foil.


Roast as directed by turkey size and until internal temperature is 165f.  Bast occasionally with the juices from roasting pan.  Remove turkey once done and let sit for 25 minutes.  Have turkey platter ready as you carve your turkey.  You can make gravy from pan juices.

Turkey Gravy

2 packages of Turkey gravy mix
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of parsley
2 cups of water
1 cup turkey pan drippings
1/4 cup white wine


 Mix gravy, mix in flour, garlic in large saucepan, slowly add in and stir in water, turkey drippings and wine with whisk until smooth.   Stir often, cook on medium heat until gravy come to a boil, lower heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes and thickening keep stirring.


Gravy will get thicker as it stands.



Copyright@ Maria A. Piccirillo

Fluffy Pumpkin Cheese cake

2-8 ounces each of cream cheese        (room temp soft)

3/4 firmly packed light brown sugar  (I have used dark)

3 eggs

1 can puree pumpkin 15 ounces

1 tablespoon of flour

1 tablespoon vanilla 

1 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice 

Beat cream cheese and brown sugar in a large bowl with mixer on medium until fluffy, add eggs, one at a time, beat after each egg is added beat until well blended, add pumpkin, flour, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice.Beat until light and fluffy.  Pour into Crust

Crust or use frozen pie crust or any refrigerated crust.

2 cups of Graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons of melted butter
2  1/2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
 Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Press evenly into bottom of 9-inch Springform pan.
Preheat oven to 350


Bake for 50 minutes until the top is golden and center is set.  Turn off oven and keep cheesecake in oven for 1 hour.  Remove from oven and run a small spatula or knife around the rim to loosen it from the rim of the Springform pan.  Cool once cooled refrigerate 4 hours or more.
Copyright@ Maria A. Piccirillo

Italian Pumpkin Pie

1 can of canned  Pumpkin
5 large eggs
2 sups of Ricotta cheese (low fat can be used)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup Maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons of unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ginger
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

10 inch pie crust home made of frozen

Sift together in medium bowl:  Then set to one side

sugar
cornstarch
cinnamon
ginger
nutmeg

Beat eggs slightly in a large bowl mixing at medium speed, slowly add milk,syrup, pumpkin and ricotta.  Add melted butter and lemon, then slowly add sifted ingredients. Keep blending at low speed until nice and smooth. 5-8 minutes  Pour into uncooked 10 inch pie crust.

Bake 450 oven for 15 minutes
Reduce to 350 and bake for another 50 minutes.  Makes 10 servings

Will also take great in a chocolate pie crust.




Copyright@ Maria A. Piccirillo

Warmed Pumpkin Milk

1 cup of pumpkin (canned)
1 quart of milk  (low fat is fine)
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla  (coffee syrup or almond flavor okay)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Whipped cream to top

Over medium heat:

Combine pumpkin, milk,sugar,cinnamon, and flavor.  Heat evenly, do not boil just simmer, and whisk together.


Pour in cups and top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Pumpkin Chocolate Smoothie

1 can of puree pumpkin  (16 oz)
2 cups milk  (Fat-Free milk)
1/4 dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon of Chocolate syrup  (optional)
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon

Whipped cream  (optional)

Store the pumpkin in a plastic bag and place in freezer for 1 day

Next day thaw until fairly soft:


In blender add milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin.  Blend until smooth.


Pour into 2 glasses evenly top with cream and drizzle chocolate.

Seasoned Artichoke Hearts Roasted

Preheat oven to 375


Drain artichokes and rinse in a colander and remove brine.

Pour artichoke hearts to a bowl and freely add olive oil,  garlic and pepper, sprinkle with parsley, coating well.

Gently place artichoke into a metal roasting pan for about one hour,  toss them every 20 minutes so that they roast evenly.

Optional:
Sprinkle with lemon juice and  2 tablespoons of butter

Sicilian bread dip

1/4 teaspoon of rosemary

1/4 teaspoon of oregano

Sprinkle of Sicilian sea salt

Sprinkle of peppercorn 

1/4 cup of olive oil

Crushed Rosemary, oregano, freshly ground black pepper and sea salt.

This is a one person serving double and triple as needed.  This can be made in individual same dishes per person.


 Copyright@ Maria A. Piccirillo

Pumpkin Cheesecake

38 finely crushed ginger Snaps
1/4 cup butter melted
4 packages of Cream Cheese soften  8 ounces each (Do not use lite)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 18 ounce of spice pumpkin pie
1 teaspoon of vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup cool whip (thaw)  or use real cream
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/8 cinnamon


Heat oven 325

Mix ginger snaps and butter, and then press onto bottom and about 1 inch up the side of a nine inch springform  pan.  Beat cream cheese and slowly add sugar with mixer until well blended.  Add pumpkin, spices and vanilla, mix together until well blended.  Pour into springform pan and bake 1 hour and 20 minutes, check to make sure center is almost set.  If not bake another 10 minutes.  Loosen cake from rim of pan, and cool before removing it from rim.  Refrigerate about 4 hours.  Serve with cool whip or real cream.