Homemade "Stove Top" Stuffing

I love me some Stove Top stuffing.  And no stuffing recipe I have ever made has even come close to the umami chicken goodness of that boxed mix.  But as with most things, I didn't really love how processed it was.  There had to be a better way.  So after scrutinizing the ingredients label of the package and doing some internet research, I came up with this recipe.  And I have to say, it pretty much nails it.  I think this is my go-to stuffing recipe for Thanksgivings to come.

Note: The chicken fat and Accent powder (MSG) will help you achieve the flavor of the packaged stuffing mix, but feel free to substitute additional butter and salt if you can't find these ingredients or prefer not to use them.  I found chicken fat (schmaltz) in the kosher section.  I picked the cubed stuffing mix because it comes the closest in size and texture to the cubes in the box mix, but you can absolutely substitute some fresh dried bread cubes; less stock and some additional poultry seasoning may be needed.

Homemade "Stove Top" Stuffing

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chicken fat (schmaltz)
1 cup diced celery
½ cup finely chopped yellow onion
⅓ cup finely chopped carrot
⅓ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon Accent seasoning
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2½ cups chicken broth
1 (12-ounce) package Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned cubed stuffing

Melt butter and chicken fat in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add celery, onion, and carrot, and cook until soft.  Add parsley, poultry seasoning, turmeric, Accent seasoning, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.  Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Add stuffing mix, stir well to coat all of the bread crumbs, then cover and remove from the heat.  Let set, covered, for 10 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and serve.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole

I'm not entirely sure how I have somehow managed to miss posting this recipe over the years.  This is literally one of my favorite things to eat.  It makes an appearance at every Thanksgiving and most Christmas dinners.  It is required consumption.  And my family has been making it since I was a child.  The picture honestly does not do it justice.  I have no clue where the recipe originated, as it is one of those items written on a recipe card (you know what I'm talking about), but God bless whoever came up with this casserole of deliciousness.

Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 (10¾-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
⅓ cup milk or cream
Dash Tabasco sauce
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon Accent seasoning (optional)
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 (10-ounce) package frozen cauliflower, thawed and chopped
2 cups corn flakes cereal
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish.

Mix the cheese, soup, milk, and seasonings in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the cheese melts completely and the mixture is smooth.

Make layers in the casserole dish – broccoli then sauce, cauliflower then sauce – ending with sauce on top. Crush the cornflakes with a pastry cutter or fork and mix with the melted butter. Sprinkle the cornflakes over the top of the casserole. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and the cornflakes are beginning to brown slightly.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Herb-Roasted Turkey and Pioneer Woman: Turkey Brine

Somehow I got stuck cooking the turkey, even after I tried my hardest to pawn it off on another family member.  How do these things happen?  And then you have the stress of not messing up the turkey.  That's a lot of pressure.  So I figure the best idea would be to brine the thing so it would stay nice and juicy throughout, and I was right.  This turkey was delicious, tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned.

Note: The brine recipe makes enough for an 18 to 20 pound turkey.  My turkey was only 9 pounds, so I made ¾ of the recipe.  I probably could have gotten away with half, but I wanted to make sure my whole turkey was submerged.  I also recommend starting to check for doneness around the 13 minutes per pound mark, as you don't want to overdo it.  But just in case you do, the brining should help insulate you a bit from dryness.

Herb-Roasted Turkey

1 brined turkey (see below)
2 cups chicken broth
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons choppped fresh sage
1 small onion, cut into quarters
1 large orange, cut into quarters
1 sprig rosemary

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Tie the legs of the turkey together and place on a rack in a roasting pan.  Pour chicken broth in the bottom of the pan.  Gently lift the skin from the breast of the turkey.  Mash the butter with the fresh herbs, then rub ⅓ of the butter under the skin of the breast.  Rub the remaining butter over the outside skin of the breast, thighs, and legs.  Do NOT salt the turkey further; the brine has done its job.  Stuff the cavity with the onion, orange, and rosemary sprig.  Place the turkey in the preheated oven and roast for 13 to 15 minutes per pound, basting every 20 to 30 minutes.  Check for doneness in the thigh, which should be 165°F when done.  Let rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

Turkey Brine
From Pioneer Woman

3 cups apple cider
2 gallons cold water
4 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
5 cloves garlic, minced
1½ cups kosher salt
2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
5 whole bay leaves
Peel of 3 large oranges

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Stir until salt and brown sugar dissolve. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cover.  Allow to cool completely, then pour into a large brining bag or pot. Place uncooked turkey in brine solution, then refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours.

After brining time has elapsed, remove turkey from brine. Submerge turkey in a pot or sink of fresh, cold water. Allow to sit in clean water for 15 minutes to remove excess salt from the outside.  Discard brine. Remove turkey from clean water and pat dry.  If desired, place turkey, uncovered, in the refrigerator overnight to dry out the skin a little.  This will make for a crispier skin after roasting.

Instant Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake

Since Thanksgiving is coming, I figured it was time to start cooking.  And since I've got some people in my family that can't handle a ton of carbs, I decided to try something a little less antagonistic.  This recipe is actually a combination of the best of three or four recipes, adjusted to taste by me.  And I've got to say - it turns out an amazing pumpkin cheesecake.  So good that I would actually elect to eat it over other options, even though it technically has no flour or sugar.  In fact, I hesitate to even draw attention to that fact, since some people will automatically decide it must be tasteless.  I promise it's not.  It's fantastic.  And don't be scared of the dates if you've never used them before.  They hold the crust together in beautiful, naturally-sweetened perfection.

Note: Cooking this cheesecake in the Instant Pot yields an incredibly moist and tender cheesecake.  It may not look quite done when you pull it out, but just trust the process, and you'll reap the benefits.

Instant Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust
1 cup toasted pecans
8 Medjool dates, de-seeded and cut into chunks
¼ cup cassava or coconut flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of sea salt

Filling
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
1 cup pumpkin puree
½ cup real maple syrup
2 tablespoons half-and-half or heavy cream
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Topping
⅔ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Pour pecans into the bowl of a food processor and process until they are coarsely chopped.  Pour them into a bowl, and then reset the food processor.  Put the dates into the food processor and process until they start to form a ball.  Sprinkle with the cassava flour and pour in the butter.  Pulse a few times to combine.  Add the reserved pecans and process until the mixture is well combined and the pecans are finely chopped.  The mixture should stick together when pressed between two fingers.

Gently press the mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of an Instant Pot silicone springform pan.  Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 5 to 6 minutes, just until the edges start to brown.  Set aside to cool.

Using a stand mixer on medium-high speed, blend the cream cheese, pumpkin, maple syrup, half-and-half, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract. Blend thoroughly, while scraping the sides of the bowl until completely combined and creamy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, gently mixing on low until just combined without over-beating.

Cover the outer bottom of the springform pan with the crust with a sheet of tin foil to keep water from seeping into the cheesecake. Pour the pumpkin cheesecake filling into the pan over the crust. 

Place a trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot.  Pour 1½ cups water into the inner pot, then set the cheesecake onto the trivet, making sure the pan is level.  Close and lock the lid on the Instant Pot. Turn the pressure valve handle to Sealing.  Select Pressure Cooker (Manual) on High Pressure. Set the timer for 58 minutes.

While the cheesecake is cooking, in a small bowl, whisk all the topping ingredients until blended, then cover and refrigerate.

Once the cooking time is complete, use the Natural Release method for 25 minutes, and then quick release any remaining pressure.  Remove the lid and lift the cheesecake out of the Instant Pot.  If water has accumulated on top of the cheesecake, gently blot it with a paper towel.  Let the cheesecake cool on the counter for an hour.

While cheesecake is still warm (It’s okay if the center looks less firm and jiggly), spread the sour cream mixture topping over it.  Cover the cheesecake pan with aluminum foil and refrigerate for 12 hours or more until firm.  Carefully and gently release the outer spring ring of the springform pan and serve.