Perfect Brined Turkey

I brined our fresh turkey that we had for Thanksgiving this year and it turned out to be the BEST whole turkey that I had ever prepared for my family. So...I decided that I would brine our CHRISTmas turkey, too...only instead of letting it brine for 24 hours, I let it stay in the brine solution for 48 hours. Oh.My.Goodness! It was so incredibly moist you can not believe it!

It takes a little more planning to get the bird brining 2 days before you are going to roast it, but trust me, it is WELL worth the extra prior planning! I will never again cook a whole turkey any other way!

BRINE for turkey:


1 (16 lb.) fresh turkey
1 cup kosher salt
3 cups firmly packed brown sugar
4 cups hot water
4 cups cold water
1/4 cup whole black peppercorns
1 (1 oz.) package of fresh thyme

Mix sugar and salt together with 4 cups hot water in a food-safe container large enough for your turkey.  Stir until sugar and salt are completely dissolved.   (I used a 12 quart stockpot.. Just make sure that your container is large enough for your bird to fit in and still be able to cover it with the lid.)

Add 4 cups cold water and mix well.

Add 1/4 cup peppercorns and the bunch of fresh thyme.

Place turkey in the container. Add enough cold water to completely cover the turkey.  Cover and refrigerate for 48 hours.


Preparing Turkey for roasting:

Kosher Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch of thyme
1 large bunch fresh rosemary
3 medium size onions
1 whole head garlic, cut in half crosswise
1 lemon, halved
1/2 stick of butter, melted
8-10 red potatoes, halved
2-3 heads of fennel, cut into wedges
8-10 carrots, cut into 2" pieces
Approximately 1/2 cup of olive oil

After turkey has been in the brine solution for 48 hours, remove and drain well.  Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Place the turkey in a roasting pan and liberally salt and pepper the INSIDE of the turkey cavity. Be generous!


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stuff the inside cavity of the bird with one onion that has been quartered, the halved lemon and the head of garlic that has been sliced crosswise.

Brush the outside of the turkey with the melted butter and liberally salt and pepper the outside of the turkey. Don't be afraid to be very generous with the salt and pepper!

Secure the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wings up underneath the body of the turkey.

Peel and slice the remaining onions, toss them with about 1/4 cup olive oil and spread them all around the turkey in the roasting pan. *

Roast the turkey for 1 hour.  While the turkey is roasting, cut up the carrots, potatoes and fennel and toss in a zip-loc bag with 1/4 cup olive oil. 
After the turkey has been roasting for one hour, scatter the carrots, potatoes and fennel all around the turkey in the roasting pan and continue cooking for an additional 2-2 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you stick a knife between the thigh and the leg. *

Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover it with a tent of aluminum foil for 20-30 minutes.

Give the vegetables a good stir and return the roasting pan with the vegetables to the oven and continue cooking while the turkey is resting.

Slice the turkey and serve on a platter with the roasted vegetables.  If desired, thicken the pan drippings with cornstarch and add about a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar for some delicious gravy!

* Tip: I cut up my 2 onions ahead of time and place them in a zip-loc back with olive oil.  I do the same thing with my carrots, fennel and potatoes and then all you have to do is pull them out of fridge and scatter them around the turkey when it is time to add them to the turkey.

Slow Cooker Meatballs

This is probably one of the easiest recipes possible, but is always a "hit" wherever or whenever you serve them.

1.5 - 2 pounds of meatballs (I use Italian Style)

1 (12 ounce) bottle chili sauce

1 can jellied cranberry sauce



Open can of cranberry sauce and place in medium mixing bowl.

Add entire bottle of chili sauce.

Stir until well-combined.

Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Pour frozen meatballs into slow cooker.

Pour chili sauce/ cranberry sauce mixture over meatballs.

Cook on High for approximate 3-4 hours.

Glazed Cornish Hens

4 Tbsp. apricot preserves **

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

4 tsp. Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 fresh or frozen (thawed) Cornish hens

Mix preserves, vinegar, soy sauce and Dijon mustard together in a small bowl until well blended. Set aside.

Remove package (containing neck, etc.) inside of each Cornish hen and discard. Rinse hens thoroughly and pat dry. With poultry shears or a sharp knife, split birds in half through the breast bone and back.

Place hen halves in greased baking dish with the bone sides down.

Stir sauce again until mixed thoroughly.

With basting brush, brush about 1/3 of the sauce on the hens. Sprinkle with desired amount of salt and pepper.

Pour chicken broth in bottom of baking dish - being careful not to rinse off basting sauce.

Roast at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Brush with half of the remaining sauce. (If needed, add a little more chicken broth or water to bottom of roasting pan.)

Roast 10 more minutes. Brush with remaining glaze, adding about 2 Tbsp. water if the pan starts to get too brown.

Roast about 10 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 180 degrees F.

Remove from oven and let stand for about 5 minutes.

** I have also used grape jelly and seedless raspberry jam and they were equally good in sauce. Can also use to glaze chicken pieces.

MiMi's Dry Rub Ribs

My family LOVES ribs!  A few years ago, I started developing my own recipe for a dry rub and I am constantly "tweaking it".  This is the latest combination of spices that I am using to cook some mouth-watering ribs.  Hope you enjoy!

Dry Rub Seasoning Mix:

1/4 cup salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup black pepper

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. oregano

1 Tbsp. celery seed

1 Tbsp. paprika

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 Tbsp. sweet basil

1 Tbsp. ground mustard

1 Tbsp. onion powder

Combine all dry ingredients and set aside. ( This recipe will make more dry rub than you will need, but can be stored in an airtight container in a dark place and can be used for any type of pork that you would like to cook.)

I use Baby Back Pork ribs, but you could certainly use spare ribs, if you prefer.

Flip racks of ribs over with bone side up. Start at one end of rack and remove thin membrane that runs across the entire length of the ribs. Pull slowly and the membrane will come off in one continuous piece.

Generously apply dry rub to both sides of racks of ribs -- working into the meat well with fingertips.

Place dry rub-coated ribs in a roaster pan.

Add 1/2 cup water and the secret ingredient...... 1 cup cola.

Cover tightly with foil and place in 400 degree oven for approximately an hour.

Remove from oven.  Set aside while you mix up the basting sauce.

Basting Sauce:

2 cups apple cider vinegar

2 cups water

1/2 cup dry rub seasoning mix

Combine vinegar, water and seasoning mix. Mix well.

Place ribs on grill - bone side down first. 

Cook 15 -20 minutes over medium heat, basting 4-5 times with a basting sauce. Turn ribs over and repeat.

** When ribs are almost cooked to desired doneness, you may baste with barbecue sauce, if desired. 

Remove ribs from grill when they reach desired doneness. 

MiMi's Coffee Chuck Roast

I had family visiting this weekend and one of the meals I made for them was this roast.  I had forgotten how much I loved this dish until I made it again. The gravy is so yummy and the fresh mushrooms  just melt in your mouth!  You won't even need a knife to cut this roast!  It will fall apart as you try to get it from the pot to your serving platter. 

The whole house smells like Sunday Dinner when this starts cooking!

1 ( 3lb.) boneless chuck roast

2 Tablespoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 cup All-Purpose flour

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 pkg. dry onion & mushroom soup mix

3/4 cup cooking sherry

1/4 cup strong brewed coffee

1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced

Rub roast all over with vinegar.  Cut 8-10 slits into roast; sprinkle garlic salt into the slits.  

Dredge roast in flour.

Brown in olive oil over medium heat.

Mix together soup, sherry and coffee and pour over roast in crockpot.  

Add sliced mushrooms.

Cook on High for 2 hours and then on Low for 7 hours in a crockpot --OR -- at 350 degrees for 3 hours covered in conventional oven.

*** To thicken gravy, place pot with gravy on burner of stove.  Mix approximately 1 Tablespoon cornstarch with 1/4 cup water and add to gravy.  Heat over medium heat stirring constantly until desired consistency. ( If gravy starts to thicken more than desired, add small amounts of water until desired consistency is reached. )

Note:   I double the amounts of cooking sherry, soup mix and brewed coffee because my family likes a lot of gravy.

MiMi's Meatloaf

Nothing is better than a homemade meatloaf and some creamy mashed potatoes. It is almost better leftover than it is when you first make it - especially those meatloaf sandwiches. YUM!

This is my meatloaf recipe that I make for my family. I hope that you and yours will enjoy as well. Bon Appetit!



4 slices white bread, torn into pieces
2 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into 8ths
2 cloves garlic
2 stalks celery, cut into 2" pieces
2 carrots, cut into 2" pieces
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley leaves
1 large egg
1 cup ketchup
3 teaspoons dry mustard
1 Tablespoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons brown sugar


Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Place bread in bowl of food processor; pulse until fine crumbs form. Transfer to a medium bowl and add ground beef.

Place onion, garlic, celery and parsley in food processor; pulse until fine.

Add to meat mixture, using hands to mix well.


Add egg, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 teaspoons dry mustard, salt and pepper.

Use hands to combine thoroughly. Shape into a loaf and place in an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" loaf pan.

Combine remaining 1/2 cup ketchup, remaining teaspoon dry mustard, and brown sugar in a bowl; stir until smooth.

Brush mixture evenly over top of meatloaf; place in the oven with a baking pan set on the rack below to catch drippings.

Cook until a meat thermometer inserted in center reads 160 degrees, about 90 minutes. ( If top gets too dark, cover with foil and continue baking.)

Serves 8 - 10

*Can also 1/2 recipe and make a smaller loaf which will be the size that is pictured here.