Cooking a turkey

 Natasha's Kitchen

12 lb turkey, (Anything from 11-15 lbs will work, but bake time will vary), thawed*
Salt & Pepper, for the inside and outside of the bird

For the Flavored Butter

1 cup unsalted butter, softened, (2 sticks)
2 Tbsp olive oil, not extra virgin, plus more to drizzle top
4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, from 1 large lemon, plus 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest
6 large garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
1/2 Tbsp salt, I used sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

.75 ounce container fresh rosemary*

.75 ounce container fresh thyme

.75 ounce container fresh sage*

ADD Paprika

For the Stuffing

1 large onion, quartered (no peeling)
4 garlic cloves, halved (no peeling)
1/2 bunch parsley
1 lemon, quartered

Remove thawed turkey* from the fridge about 30 minutes before you start working with it. If the turkey is closer to room temperature, it will bake more evenly. Remove the neck and bag of giblets and pat dry turkey with paper towels. Let it sit in a roasting pan lined with paper towels to soak up any excess water. Fold the wings behind the turkey so they don't scorch in the oven.

Seasoning, Stuffing, and Tying up a Turkey

Amy likes to cook the turkey in a turkey roasting bag to  help keep the juices in.

• Season inside of turkey cavity generously with about 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
• Make Flavored Butter – In a medium bowl or in a food processor*, combine: 2 sticks softened butter, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 Tbsp lemon zest, 4 Tbsp lemon juice, 3 pressed garlic cloves, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 1/2 Tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper. Mash /stir with a fork until well combined (the lemon juice doesn't easily stir into butter but keep mixing and it will happen after a few minutes).
• Separate the skin from the turkey breast by pushing your fingers under the skin. Do this from the front and the back of the turkey; being careful not to tear the skin.
• Stuff 2/3 of the butter mixture under skin then spread the butter around by massaging over the top of the skin. This butter keeps the turkey breast tender, juicy and provides rich flavor.
• Pat skin dry and rub remaining butter over the outside of the turkey (breast, legs, wings). Drizzle all over the top of the turkey with olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper; I just love a crisp, salty skin.
• • Stuff turkey cavity with quartered onion, 4 halved garlic cloves, 1/2 bunch parsley and quartered lemon. Use kitchen string to tie turkey base and legs together; crossing the legs to better close up the turkey cavity, plus it looks extra fancy on the table.

  How to Roast a Turkey

  • Prep – Pre-heat the oven to 430˚F on the bake mode. Place oven rack in the lower part of your oven (mine was on the second level from the very bottom).
  • Make Foil Shield – to protect the turkey breast and keep it juicy: Fold a large square sheet of foil into a triangle. Rub one side of your triangle with olive oil and shape the foil (oil-side-down) over the turkey breast, then remove foil; it will shield your turkey breast and keep it from getting dry. You'll apply this shield later in the roasting process.
  • Place an oven-safe meat thermometer into the bird; beneath the drum stick; deep into the dark meat. Start roasting uncovered at 430˚F for 20 min.
  • Baste – Remove from oven; quickly baste with butter from the bottom of the dish. You can use a baster or tilt one side of the pan and collect drippings with a large spoon. Now apply prepared foil triangle to turkey breast area.
  • Reduce oven to 350˚F and bake for another 2 hours 30 min for a 12 lb bird. (Once you have reduced the oven to 350˚F, you will bake about 13 min for every pound of turkey). The turkey thigh should register at 170˚F on the temperature probe and the breast at 160˚F to make sure it's fully cooked through then remove from the oven (keep in mind the turkey temp continues to rise slightly after it's out of the oven*).
  • Rest Turkey – Transfer turkey to serving platter and cover loosely but fully with foil. Let turkey rest for at least 1 hour. It will become more tender and easier to carve, the longer it sits. Keep the drippings from roasting pan for turkey gravy. Now you can decorate around your turkey and make it festive. I used kale for my greens, then added small apples, sliced oranges and quartered lemons.
• Cook at 430 for 20 min and then 350 for about 5 1/2 hours, basting occasionally.

Apple Crisp

Apple Filling -
10 apples with peel, chopped in 1-2 inch chunks
2 t cinnamon
1 t salt
1/2c brown sugar
1/4c butter
Dash of lemon juice

Oat topping crisp

1 c  flour
1  cup old fashioned oats
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter.

Mix apple filling.in bowl, in separate bowl mix oat topping

Spray 9x9 pan  with oil, then put apple filling in pan. and layer with oat topping

Bake in oven 350 degrees 40-60min

Lion House Rolls

House of Nash Eats 

Serves 24

• 2 cups warm water
• ▢⅔ cup instant nonfat dry milk powder
• ▢2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• ▢¼ cup sugar
• ▢2 teaspoons salt
• ▢⅓ cup salted butter softened
• ▢1 large egg beaten
• ▢5-6 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
• ▢¾ cup salted butter melted to use during shaping and after baking

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Stir together the water and dry milk powder in a large bowl of a stand mixer until the milk powder dissolves. Add the yeast and let it proof for 5 minutes until foamy.
  2 cups warm water,⅔ cup instant nonfat dry milk powder,2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• • Mix in the sugar, salt, butter, egg, and 2 cups of flour and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
    ¼ cup sugar,2 teaspoons salt,⅓ cup salted butter,1 large egg beaten,5-6 cups all-purpose flour
  • Switch to the dough hook and add remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, until a soft, only slightly sticky dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. I almost always use 5 ½ cups of flour, but you might need a little more or less. Knead for 5 minutes by mixer or 10 minutes by hand until the dough is smooth, supple, and elastic.
  • Transfer the dough to a large bowl greased with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Turn the dough over in the bowl so it is coated on all sides with oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 to 1½ hours.
  • When the dough has doubled in size, generously dust a clean counter with flour, then turn out dough onto the floured surface and divide it in half using a bench scraper. Working with only half of the dough at a time, roll out into a large, approximately 11"x14" rectangle, about ¼-inch thick, and brush with ¼ cup of melted butter.
    ¾ cup salted butter
  • Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, slice the rectangle in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 12 small rectangles, approximately 2″x4″ each. A good guide is by making an “L” shape by holding your palm out flat with the thumb extended and cutting the rectangles to be the same length and width as the “L” shape.
  • Roll each rectangle up and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, placing the tail edge of each roll flat on the pan. Repeat with the remaining dough, then cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
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  • Close to the end of the rising time, 
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  • heat the oven to 375°F and melt the remaining ¼ cup of butter. When the oven is hot, bake the rolls for 14-16 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter while still hot.

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  • NOTES- Make Ahead:

    To make-ahead, freeze the dough before the second rise. Shape the rolls like normal, then wrap the baking sheet with the shaped rolls in a couple of layers of plastic wrap and pop them in the freezer before they begin to rise for the final time. When you are ready to bake them, remove the tray from the freezer and allow the rolls to sit at room temperature for 4 hours until they have had a chance to thaw and complete their final rise before baking, then follow the baking instructions like normal.

    Storage:

    Store: Place rolls in an airtight container, freezer bag, or covered in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

    Freeze: Baked Lion House rolls will freeze well as long as they are already completely cool before you put them in the freezer. Just use a Ziploc bag or freezer-safe container to protect them.

Intense Chocolate Cheesecake

 Chloe's choice of cake for her birthday- cheesecake

Baker By Nature

For the Crust:

• 1 and 1/2 cups (24 chocolate cookies) like oreos
• 1/4 cup (57g/2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

For the Ultimate Chocolate Cheesecake:

• 2 cups (340g/12 ounces) bittersweet dark chocolate chips (A)
• 1 and 1/2 pounds (680g/24 ounces) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup (198g/7 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (53g/1 and 7/8 ounces) light brown sugar, packed
• 3 Tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 4 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup (170g/6 ounces) heavy cream, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Ganache:

• 1 and 1/3 cups (226g/8 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 and 1/4 cups (12 ounces) heavy cream
• 1/4 cup (57g/2 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes

Instructions

 

For the Crust:

• Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the outside of the pan in layers of heavy duty aluminum foil. You’ll be placing this pan in a water bath, so be sure the pan has been wrapped from every angle.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the chocolate wafer crumbs and melted butter. Pat the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack and cool the crust completely. Leave the oven on.

  For the Ultimate Chocolate Cheesecake:

  • Fill a medium pot one-third full with water and bring it to a low simmer over medium heat.
  • Place a heatproof bowl that will fit on top of the pan snugly, but will not touch the simmering water, on top of the pan. Reduce the heat to low and add the chopped chocolate into the bowl over the pot. Heat until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring occasionally with a silicon spatula. Remove the pot from the heat, leaving the bowl of chocolate over the hot water. Set aside until needed.
  • In the bowl of a food processor (or high-powered blender), pulse the cream cheese until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 2 minutes. Add in both sugars and cocoa powder and beat smooth. Add in the eggs, egg yolks, and heavy cream and mix until just combined, about 20 seconds. Fold in the chocolate. Finally add in the vanilla and pulse for another 20 seconds.
  • Remove the bowl from the food processor and, using a rubber spatula, stir the filling several times to ensure it’s evenly blended.
  • Scrape the filling over the partially baked crust in the prepared pan.
  • (B) Place the springform pan in a roasting pan or large baking pan. Place the roasting pan in the preheated oven and pour enough hot water into the pan to come 1-inch up the sides of the springform pan.
  • Bake the cheesecake in the water bath for 1 hour and 30-40 minutes, or until the center of the cake is set but still slightly jiggly. The cake will set completely as it cools.
  • Remove the cake from the water bath and  place the pan on a wire rack. Carefully loosen the foil, then immediately run the tip of a knife around the sides of the pan, to prevent the top from cracking. Cool completely (in the pan), then transfer cheesecake to the refrigerator to chill for at least 6 hours before removing from the pan and slicing. 

  For the Chocolate Ganache:

  • Add chopped chocolate to a medium bowl; set aside.
  • In a small saucepan over medium-heat, bring the cream to a low simmer. Pour half of the cream on top of the chocolate pieces and set aside for 1 minute. With a whisk, begin to incorporate the melted chocolate into the cream. Slowly add the remaining cream and continue carefully whisking until smooth and glossy.
  • Add in the butter and use a spatula to stir until the butter is completely melted. The mixture will be dark and glossy. Set aside, at room temperature, until needed.
  • Pour ganache over cooled cheesecake. Set aside until ganache is set, about 1 hour.
  • To serve, slice the cheesecake with a thin-bladed sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between each cut.
  • Store, loosely covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days. 

  (A) I used one 10oz bag of dark chocolate chips. I turned on the stove to cook the cookie crumb crust and I put the new bag of chocolate chips right where the oven emits heat so the oven would melt the chocolate chips so I wouldnt need to do a double boiler or melt the chocolate chips in the mirco.

(B) I did wrap the cheesecake springform pan with a crockpot plastic liner so the cheesecake wouldn't get wet by the water bath. it worked out perfect