Rumaki

Supposedly, Rumaki is an hors d'oeuvre of mock-Polynesian origin (whatever that means!). For me, the origin was a work party at my bosses house in the south suburbs of Chicago! I skip the chicken livers and don't miss them at all. Let's face it, anything wrapped in bacon is going to be a hit at any party.

Ingredients

2-3 cans of water chestnuts (whole)
1 small bottle of ketchup
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1-2 lbs bacon
1 t. worcestershire sauce

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut each water chestnut in half. Slice the bacon strips in halves or thirds (depending on length to start).
Roll a strip of bacon around each water chestnut half and secure with a toothpick. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
 

In a mixing bowl combine the ketchup and sugars well.
At the end of initial 30 minute baking period, remove bacon wrapped chestnuts and turn them to ensure even cooking on both sides. Pour ketchup/sugar mixture over the bacon wrapped water chestnuts and continue baking for 1/2 hour longer (total baking time, 1 hour).
 

Serve hot.

Picnic Deli Sandwich

One of the best memories I have is a drive I took with my brother and his family into the Arizona mountains.  We took one of these sandwiches along for lunch and it will forever remind me of that day.

Ingredients:

1 loaf (1 lb.; about 4 1/2 in. wide, 14 to 16 in. long) sourdough bread 

1/2 cup vinaigrette-style salad dressing, homemade or purchased 

1/2 cup finely chopped cucumber 

1/2 cup finely chopped tomato 

2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives or green onion  

3 to 4 ounces thin-sliced Swiss cheese 

12 thin green bell pepper rings, seeds removed (or not)

6 ounces to 9 ounces thin-sliced cooked turkey breast

12 pieces thin-sliced salami (about 3 oz. total) 

3 thin red onion slices, separated into rings

Preparation:

With a serrated knife, horizontally slice 1 inch off the top of the loaf. Pull soft center from bottom half of loaf, making a shell with 1/2-inch-thick walls. Reserve soft bread for other uses. 

In a bowl, mix vinaigrette dressing, cucumber, tomato, and chives. Brush or spoon about half the dressing evenly over interior of the hollowed shell. Also spoon enough dressing on cut side of loaf top to moisten. 

Layer cheese, bell pepper, turkey, salami, and onion in shell. Drizzle remaining dressing over filling. Set bread top over filling. Wrap sandwich in foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 1 day. 

Unwrap; cut into equal portions.

You can substitute the vegetables and meats/cheeses to your personal taste. 

Fresh Cranberry Relish

We just got back from the Cranberry Harvest Celebration in Wareham, MA with about 5 lbs. of fresh cranberries. I used this recipe to make a side to go with our Turkey Pot Pie dinner and definitely want to save this recipe for Thanksgiving celebrations to come!

Ingredients:

1 cup white sugar 1 cup orange juice 1.5 cups of fresh cranberries zest of 1 orange   Directions:   In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the sugar and the oranze zest to the orange juice.   Dissolve the sugar in the orange juice. Stir in the cranberries, and cook for around 15 minutes until most of the cranberries have 'popped' and the mixture has begun to thicken.  Remove from heat, and transfer to a bowl. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.  I like this best as a cold side. This can be made ahead & refrigerated which also allows the flavors to combine nicely and the texture to thicken.

Herb Roasted Turkey

8 servings  (10 to 12 pounds) 

Ingredients (Rub):

• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 turkey (10 to 12 pounds)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large bunch fresh thyme
• 1 whole lemon, halved
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 head garlic, halved crosswise

Ingredients (Herb Rub):

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic. 

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the zest and juice of the lemon and 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves to the butter mixture. Set aside.

Next, prepare the herb rub.  In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a paste. 

Now loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers.  Smear all of the paste except 2 Tablespoons directly on the breast meat (between the skin & the meat).

Add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of the rub to a softened stick of butter to make a paste.  Spread 1/3-1/2 of the butter paste evenly on the leg/thigh meat (under the skin).

Add the remaining butter to the saucepan containing the zest/lemon/thyme mixture and brush over the outside of the turkey.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.  

Roast the turkey about 2 1/2 hours (longer for a larger turkey -- approximately 5 hours for a 20 lb turkey), or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes. 

Slice the turkey and serve.

GIBLET STOCK

Empty Giblets into stock pot.

Add water to cover by about 1 inch.

Add 2 Carrots chopped in large pieces

Add 1 Onion - quartered

Add 1 Tablespoon Salt

Add 1 teaspoon ground pepper

Simmer. Can be used in combination with pan drippings to make gravy.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients:


16 oz. cream cheese - at room temperature
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup of ranch dressing

1 cup Franks Original Red Hot Sauce
1 lb. cooked white meat chicken  (I use rotisserie chicken)
Green Onions (sliced - optional)
 
Preparation:

Mix everything together well, taste and adjust hot sauce or ranch as needed... Put in a baking dish sprinkle with extra cheddar cheese bake at 350 until hot and bubbly... Serve with Fritos scoops, tortilla chips, toasted french bread or pretty much anything.   

Cheesy Tuna & Noodle Casserole

One of my childhood favorites.

6 oz. egg noodles (wide or extra wide), cooked*
1 small can of albacore tuna, drained and flaked with a fork
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup (or more) grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup fresh bread crumbs cooked in 1 T. butter until slightly crisp
fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. In a large bowl, stir together first six ingredients until well combined.

3. Spread into a small greased casserole dish then sprinkle bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.

4. Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes and serve warm

Tortilla Soup

While tortilla soup is often served as a starter, the addition of corn, chicken and black beans makes hearty enough to serve as a main course.
Serves 4-6

10 fresh corn tortillas, cut in half
Canola oil , for frying

For the soup
4 cloves garlic , peeled and left whole
1 medium white onion , thinly sliced
1 T ancho chile powder - note:  ancho chile powder can be of varying heat intensities the darker the color, usually the more mellow (less hot) the flavor
1 large can of diced tomatoes in juice
6 cups chicken broth (I use Swanson's low sodium)
1 large can or two small cans of black beans (rinsed well)
1 cup of corn (can be canned or frozen)
Approximately 2 cups of cubed chicken (I use a rotisserie chicken)
salt to taste (usually not required when using prepared stock/broth)

For the garnish
6 ounces chihuahua cheese (can use alternatively use Monterey Jack)-- shredded
1 large avocado , peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch dice - preferably a ripe hass avocado
1 large lime, cut into wedges
sour cream for garnish

In an 8 quart stock pot, heat 3 tablespoons of corn or vegetable oil.  Add onion and garlic and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently for about 4 minutes.  Add the ancho chili powder and cook for an additional 4 minutes.

Transfer garlic and onion to a blender or food processor. Drain the diced tomatoes (reserving juice) and add half of the tomatoes to the food processor along with the onion/garlic.

Puree tomatoes with garlic mixture in the blender or food processor until very smooth.  Heat same saucepan over medium-high heat. Add tomato puree and stir until thickens to consistency of tomato paste, about 10 minutes. Add stock, reserved tomato juice from can and remaining diced tomatoes ; bring to a boil, then partially cover and gently simmer over medium-low heat 30 minutes.

Remove the meat from a rotisserie chicken (I only use the breast meat) and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. In a separate saucepan, combine the corn, black beans and cubed chicken. Add 2-3 large ladles of the broth and heat the mixture through.

While soup is simmering, prepare the tortilla straws.

Cut fresh corn tortillas into 1/4-inch-thick strips. In a medium (2-quart) saucepan, heat 1/2 inch oil over medium flame until the edge of a tortilla strip inserted in oil sizzles vigorously. Add half tortilla strips. Stir until golden brown and crisp. With a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

To serve: Place a small pile of crispy tortilla strips in the bottom of each bowl.  Add cheese and avocado on top of the tortilla straws followed by a scoop of the hot chicken/bean/corn mixture.  Next pour several ladles of broth over the top of the ingredients in the center to fill the bowl. The ingredients are in the center while the broth is surrounding.  Top with a few more tortilla strips & a dollop of sour cream. Serve with lime wedges which can be squeezed onto the soup before eating if desired.