Haven’t Made Your Pies?

If you haven’t made the pie crust for your apple or pecan pies yet, here’s an easy recipe that I have found reliable over the years.

Happy pie baking and happy Thanksgiving!

 

Deb’s Flaky Pie Crust

Don’t be afraid to make your own pie dough; it’s not hard. This is a foolproof recipe that results in a buttery, flaky dough, but of course, if you would rather buy premade pie crust in the supermarket, go for it. Mine tastes better, though!

Makes one 9-inch pie crust

 

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

6 tablespoons cold butter

3 tablespoons ice-cold water

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

 

Put the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the butter, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. This will take 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the water and vinegar and mix for about 30 seconds longer, or until the dough begins to form a ball. Remove the dough from the mixer, shape it into a disk and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

On a lightly floured board, roll the chilled dough into a circle with a diameter of 11 to 12 inches. Gently press the dough into a 9-inch pie pan with the sides overhanging the rim. Trim the edges so that the dough is even with the edges of the pan. Lightly spray a piece of foil with vegetable oil spray and lay in on the crust, sprayed side down. Put pie weights or dry beans on top of the foil. This keeps the crust from puffing up during baking.

Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and gently lift the foil from the pie pan. Use a fork to prick the bottom and sides of the crust in several places. Return it to the oven for 9 to 10 minutes longer or until light golden brown.

Let the pie crust cool completely set on a wire rack.

Thanksgiving Stumpers: Questions We All Have, and Answers!

This yearly feast is one of our favorites and yet so many home cooks — the experienced and the novices — have questions every year. Here are four that seem to come up with lots of folks. Happy Thanksgiving! Hope this helps you relax and enjoy the day.

What are a few side dishes that can be made ahead of time?  

On Thanksgiving day, the kitchen can get mighty crowded. And I am not just talking about family and friends wandering in and out — I am talking about bowls, platters, and similar containers of food. This chaos can be controlled if you make a few things ahead of time. Side dishes are perfect for this treatment.

I like a shaved Brussels sprouts salad (see the recipe below). It’s seasonal and a nice, light and crunchy addition to the heavier Thanksgiving fare. You can shave the sprouts, shred the cheese, and mix up the vinaigrette on Wednesday before the meal, or early in the morning. Just before serving, dice the apples and toss them with the sprouts and cheese. Whisk the vinaigrette and drizzle it over the salad, season with s&p, and carry it to the table.

I also like suggest you roast some butternut squash with a little olive oil ahead of time, cube it, and then toss it with arugula, pomegranate seeds and shaved Parmesan just before the meal. Dress the salad with a light vinaigrette. What could be easier?

What is the difference between putting stuffing in the turkey and cooking it in a casserole?

While stuffing traditionally is heated inside the turkey, it’s a better idea to put it into a casserole and heat it alongside the turkey or in a second oven at 350°F. for about 45 minutes or until it reaches a temperature of 170°F. (at which temperature any harmful bacteria have been killed). Be sure to insert an instant read thermometer into the center of the stuffing for the most accurate reading.

You can do the same thing if you choose to stuff the bird. Take the stuffing’s temperature and if it’s not hot enough and yet the turkey is done, scoop it out of the bird and transfer it to a casserole dish. Put this in the oven or even the microwave until it’s 170°F. or hotter. I love the flavor of stuffing cooked in the turkey, but I think it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Is there a way to make the mashed potatoes a little more interesting but still as tempting as ever?

I augment the traditional butter and cream with Greek yogurt and sour cream, or leave out the butter and cream altogether and count on these other dairy products to smooth out the potatoes. To avoid dairy  completely, smash the cooked potatoes with chopped fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, marjoram) and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. I also puree roasted fennel or caramelized onions and fold them to the potatoes to give them a subtle flavor boost.

White or Red?

I drink either white or red on Thanksgiving — one of the best things about this meal. But my favorite on turkey day is rosé Champagne!

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Apples and Parmesan

I’ve served this to skeptical adults who swear they “hate Brussels sprouts,” only to witness them dig in with gusto after the first bite. Even kids come back for seconds! Raw salads are extremely popular these days with everyone concerned with their health, and this is one of the best. It takes only minutes to put together. Love it!

Serves 6 to 8

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound Brussels sprouts

2 tart apples, preferably Rome, cored and cut into small dice

2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded

In a small bowl, whisk together the salt and vinegar. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until well combined. Season with pepper and set aside.

With a sharp knife, trim the bottoms of the Brussels sprouts. Slice each sprout as thinly as possible, using a sharp knife or a mandolin. Transfer the sprouts to a serving bowl and add the apples and cheese.

Whisk the vinaigrette again to emulsify and toss about ¾ cup of it with the salad. Use more if needed. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve right away.

Butternut Soup for Thanksgiving — and Beyond

If you’re thinking of serving soup for Thanksgiving, go no further. You have found your recipe! I love this marriage of squash and fruit, and since both butternut squash and pears are late fall foods, what makes better sense? Not much. Try it as the prelude to the majestic turkey to come. Sure to be a major hit!

 

 

Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

When the weather turns crisp and cool in the autumn, you can find me at farmers’ markets demonstrating how to make this perfect fall soup, which is always a crowd-pleaser both at the markets and Aux Delices. Everyone is mad about butternut squash soup, and this one stands out, although you can make it with other fall squashes with tasty results. The pears enhance the squash’s natural sweetness and the dash of cinnamon brings it home. Just right for a chilly day. I often use squash that’s sold already peeled and cut to make life easier.

Serves 6 to 8

 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 medium-size carrots, peeled and sliced

2 ribs celery, thinly sliced

1 small onion, sliced

11/4 pounds assorted fall squash, such as butternut, acorn, and Hubbard, peeled and cut into chunks

2 pears, cored and cut into large dice

6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

 

In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter begins to bubble, add the carrots, celery, and onions and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until softened without browning.

Add the squash and pears and stir to mix with the vegetables. Add the stock and cinnamon and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until the squash is tender when poked with a fork.

Transfer the soup, in batches, to a blender and process until smooth, or blend with an immersion blender. Return the puréed soup to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Reheat, if necessary, and serve hot.

 

 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes? Perfection

Sweet potatoes are about as good as it gets when it comes to the tuber family. These are also called yams by some people, although officially they are not yams. It doesn’t really matter what you call them; what matters is that you eat them — and this easy recipe showcases them beautifully. Their bright orange flesh is sweet and comforting and when roasted with butter and maple syrup pretty much say “fall!” or, more specifically, “Thanksgiving!”

Roasted Maple-Glazed Sweet Potatoes

I have a hard time resisting this when it comes out of the oven and have been known to nibble away an embarrassing amount before it reaches the table. The sweetness of the maple syrup paired with the touch of orange work wonders with the sweet potatoes—which are pretty great in and of themselves!

Serves 4

 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 medium-size sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a large, oven-safe sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat and when bubbling, add the sweet potatoes, tossing to coat with butter. Add the syrup and toss gently until well mixed.

Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for about 30 minutes, tossing the potatoes in the pan once during roasting. They should be tender when done.

Just before serving, toss the potatoes with the orange zest and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Ginger Cake for Fall

 

Okay, okay. Maybe I should be thinking about pumpkin pie about now, but instead I am happily nibbling on a just-baked ginger cake. No one will refuse this one, whether you serve it on Thanksgiving day or anytime from now until spring. It’s that good! 

Fresh Ginger Cake

This ordinary-looking cake is deceptive, packed as it is with powerful flavors, particularly the punch of fresh ginger. I bake it all year long, although I particularly like it in the fall when it fills the kitchen with warm, sensual aromas that say “autumn.” And in case you’re wondering about the difference between this and more typical gingerbread, this cake’s ginger and spice quotients are much higher.

Serves 10

 

6 ounces fresh ginger, peeled

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup dark black-strap molasses                                        

1 cup canola oil

2 teaspoons baking soda

21/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

About 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

 

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9-inch round pan that is 3 inches deep and line it with a parchment paper circle cut to fit.

Cut the ginger into medium-size pieces and put in the bowl of a food processor. Add the granulated sugar and pulse until very smooth, like a paste. Mix together the molasses and canola oil.

In a saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil over medium-high heat, add the baking soda, and when dissolved, stir in the molasses mixture.

Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, and cloves and then whisk into the molasses mixture until combined. Add the eggs and mix well.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out dry.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, drizzle the lemon juice, a few drops at a time, over the confectioners’ sugar, whisking until the glaze is thick and smooth. Set the glaze aside until needed.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 to15 minutes and then turn out of the pan to cool completely on a wire rack. When cool, drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake and serve.