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.

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.

Southern Pecan Chicken

1 cup Bisquick

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (I use food processor)

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Creole seasoning

4 chicken breasts

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup melted butter

Place Bisquick, paprika, salt and creole seasoning in medium mixing bowl.

Add finely chopped pecans to dry ingredients.

Combine all dry ingredients well.

Pour buttermilk into small bowl. Dip chicken breasts in buttermilk.

Remove chicken breasts from buttermilk and roll in the pecan coating mixture.

 
Place chicken breasts in baking dish. 

Pour melted butter over top of coated chicken breasts.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 50 minutes or until chicken tests done with meat thermometer.

Chicken Chili

With the weatherman predicting record low temperatures this weekend, I thought you all could use a little comfort food to warm you inside and out! This is what my family will be having tonight on a cold Friday evening.

It's another one of my family's favorites!

You absolutely MUST try this with the Mississippi Cornbread in my previous post!

1 chicken, cooked and shredded, or equivalent

2 Tablespoons oil

1 medium green pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14.5 oz.) can stewed tomatoes 

1 can Rotel tomatoes  **

16 oz. chunky salsa

16 oz. can black beans, drained (can use pinto beans or chili beans, if preferred)

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Chop onion and green pepper.

Finely chop garlic.

Saute green pepper, onion and garlic in oil until tender.

Add stewed tomatoes and Rotel tomatoes.

Add all remaining ingredients and stir until well combined.

Bring to a boil and then cover and turn on Low. Simmer for at least 20 minutes.

Stir well prior to serving.

Top with grated cheese, sliced green onions, sour cream, ripe olives or avocados.

My family also loves it served atop corn chips.

**Note: Can use 2 (14.5 oz.) cans of stewed tomatoes and omit Rotel tomatoes, if preferred.

Chicken Breasts Supreme

This dish is probably my family's all-time favorite dish. We all absolutely LOVE it! My husband said today that, for him, his favorite is a toss-up between Chicken Breasts Supreme and what he calls "Spaghetti Roast".

I know that many people have their own adaptation of this recipe, but I decided to post it anyway because I don't think that ANYONE should be deprived of this goodness!

This is also the perfect Sunday dish because it can literally cook on Low for the entire time that you are gone to church and will have your house smelling so yummy when you return. With some rice, baby lima beans and yeast rolls, you are good to go!


6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

6 strips of bacon

1 package of thin sliced beef lunch meat **

1 pint sour cream

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

Spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with cooking spray. Line bottom of baking dish with thin sliced beef.

Wrap one slice of bacon around each chicken breast.

Lay bacon-wrapped chicken breasts in baking dish.

Place cream of mushroom soup and sour cream in medium bowl.

Combine soup and sour cream thoroughly.

Pour sour cream mixture over chicken.

Bake uncovered for 3 hours at 250 - 300 degrees.

(I usually set mine between 265 - 275 degrees and it is perfect when we come in from church.)

Pictures don't actually do this dish justice. There is no way to describe the goodness of the flavors that the beef and bacon give to this dish. The gravy is absolutely delicious and my family devours it.

** Note: You can substitute dried beef, if you prefer, but it is a little too salty for our liking. We prefer the thin sliced beef lunchmeat.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

This is a great week-night dinner that can be put together in a short amount of time.  My family really likes it served over rice.  This and a tossed salad is a complete meal! 

1 chicken, cooked and deboned (or approx. 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts)

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 cups chicken broth

1 (16 oz.) can mixed vegetables, drained

salt and pepper to taste

1 stick margarine, melted

1 cup Self- Rising Flour

1 cup buttermilk

Place cooked, shredded chicken in greased 13" X 9" X 2" dish. 

 Combine soup and broth; bring to a boil and pour over chicken.  

Pour can of mixed vegetables over this. Salt and pepper to taste.

Combine margarine, flour and buttermilk. 

Mix well.

Spoon over chicken mixture.

Bake at 425 degrees approximately 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown.