Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

We're thankful for a wonderful year filled with amazing clients, outstanding vendors, and lots of laughter!

Thank you for making this year great!

You'll Need a Drink

A seasonal cocktail to enjoy with family and friends and some good conversation.

Apple Brandy Cooler

2 ounces brandy

1 ounce light rum

3 ounces apple juice

1/2 ounce lime juice

1 teaspoon dark Jamaican rum

Shake well with ice.  Strain into tall 10-ounce glass.  Float dark rum on surface and garnish with slice of lime.

from colincowie.com

Sweet Stuff

Because Thanksgiving can be about more than pumpkin pie...

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

Ingredients

2 (14-ounce) packages gingerbread mix

1 (5.1-ounce) box cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix

1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon

1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping

1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional

Directions

Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding. Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle of the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.

Another serving suggestion:  Make individual trifles in special trifle dishes, martini glasses, small glass bowls - anything cute and small.

thank you FoodNetwork and Paula Deen

Oh So Delicious

This is a recipe from Alton Brown that we've been using for the past few years.  The turkey is amazing and the prep is simple.

Good Eats Roast Turkey

1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey 

For the brine: 

1 cup kosher salt 

1/2 cup light brown sugar 

1 gallon vegetable stock 

1 tablespoon black peppercorns 

1/2 tablespoon allspice berries 

1/2 tablespoon candied ginger 

1 gallon iced water 

For the aromatics: 

1 red apple, sliced 

1/2 onion, sliced 

1 cinnamon stick 

1 cup water 

4 sprigs rosemary 

6 leaves sage 

Canola oil

Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Early on the day of cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket. Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement) for 6 hours. Turn turkey over once, half way through brining.

A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.

Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine.

Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels. Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage. Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with canola (or other neutral) oil.

Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350 degrees F. Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving. 

Thanks Alton and the Food Network