Food 911! DU Cooks to the rescue!

[thedailyshow]

My mother, worn out after years of preparing Thanksgiving meals, has requested that I cook the Thanksgiving meal this time around. I've decided that I want to do a little twist to the traditional entree, which is the turkey, as you know is the centerpiece of the meal itself.

I don't have the time to be cooking a whole turkey in the kitchen for hours, and I want to spend more time on the side dishes. So, I'm thinking about having boneless turkey breasts, and stuffing them. The only problem is that I have no idea what to stuff them with, and whether I should sear them first before putting them in the oven. I would really appreciate any advice you guys might have for this unique dilemma.

As for the rest of the meal, I know what I want to prepare :-) The starter course should be butternut bisque or a mixed greens salad with cranberries, walnuts, goat cheese and honey viniagrette. I'm thinking that I'll go with the mixed greens salad instead of the butternut bisque. I want to prepare roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and add some shredded gruyere cheese to the potatoes. I'm also thinking about making maple glazed sweet yams with pecans. I'm also going to be making a fresh cranberry-orange sauce from scratch to pair with the turkey breasts. I also want to make rustic apple tarts or else have my younger brother make the chocolate rum truffles which everyone in the family loves.

Am I leaving anything out?

[kayell]

1. You sure are leaving somethings out.

Invitations for all of us! :-)

:slurp: :drool:

[thedailyshow]

2. checked your profile....

looks like you're too far away to come up for a bite of this succulent thanksgiving meal! You're invited in spirit though :-) Any ideas as to how I should prepare the turkey breasts?

[kayell]

8. Sorry, no idea on the turkey breasts. I don't eat meat, but who

cares with a selection of sides like that.

[thedailyshow]

10. You're welcome to copy the side dish recipes :-)

Here's to a safe and happy vegan thanksgiving for you! :toast:

[wicket]

3. This sounds like a very yummy stuffed turkey breasts recipe:

http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/thanksgiving/turkey-recipes/cranberry-turkey-breasts.htm

I've not tried this particular one but have used a similar one for boneless chicken breasts and it came out AWESOME! Good luck with your Thanksgiving meal, sounds SOOOOO yummy! :)

[thedailyshow]

4. that sounds amazing!

The only worry is that I'm also using pecans and cranberries in the salad, and I'm making a cranberry-orange sauce for the turkey, that it would be way too much cranberries and pecans throughout the entire meal.

[lakemonster11]

11. I think that it's good to have some common

features to tie the recipes together. Sometimes I plan a meal so that each dish has some spice or ingredient in common with another dish I'm serving. For example, last night I made steelhead with a glaze that featured lime juice, soy sauce, and brown sugar. I chose that glaze because I was also planning to make avgolemono soup (which is very citrus-y), sauteed sweet potatoes with roasted pecans and dried cranberries (flavored partially with brown sugar), and sauteed spinach (which I flavored with some lemon juice). Then for dessert, I made a cobbler-type dish with an oatmeal-brown sugar topping.

Besides, pecans and cranberries are very evocative of the season, so I think it's good to emphasize them.

[thedailyshow]

12. thanks for the input!

I really appreciate it :-)

[wryter2000]

5. You can cook stuffing in the oven

You don't have to put the stuffing in the bird. You can put it in a bowl, covered in foil in the oven to cook. However, make sure it's well moistened with turkey or chicken broth.

Instead of a turkey breast roast, how about a brined breast or breast half? 1.5c kosher salt to 1 gallon of water. Soak the breast in ther for several hours and then dry well before baking. It makes the meat very moist.

[yellowdogintexas]

6. Turkey breasts will cook themselves once you stuff them

My grandmother made one stuffed with spinach one time that was very good.

However I would not stuff a turkey breast, just roast it. They take much less timet to cook. You can put rosemary on it, you can glaze it with what ever you like

Your cranberry orange sounds divine. I used to make the cranberry orange relish every year (it makes tons) when I lived in Tennessee. My Texas relatives do not like it so I don't make it any more.

You have a delightful feast of delicious sounding dishes, I must say.

I would add one thing: a nice green veg, say some lightly steamed asparagus or brocolli? Or perhaps a zuchini saute?

I am afraid our dinner will be much more ordinary. But it will be a surprise, since it is a big pot luck with about 17 people .the only definite thing will be the turkey!

GOOD LUCK

[thedailyshow]

7. the zuchini saute sounds great

If I do that, I'd pair it with slices of sauteed yellow squash and sprinkled with toasted pine nuts and shredded parmesan cheese.

[yellowdogintexas]

9. yummy I sometimes mix zuchinni and yellow in the saute:

julienne the veg
use sweet type onion
add julienned red and green bell pepper sometimes

saute in butter/olive oil w/garlic, dill salt and pepper to taste

quick, easy, delicious.

I have sent this with bereavement meals from my Sunday School class on occasion.

[thedailyshow]

13. sounds great!

[wiggs]

14. Killer cranberry recipes

www.epicurious.com has dozens of cranberry sauce recipies...I've tried some and two I know are killer:

cranberry sauce with figs and port

and for the one with orange...

cranberry sauce with gran marnier and orange zest


I'm doing these two again this year.