Thanksgiving Archives - Fresh From Oregon

Bays English Muffins Pumpkin Pudding

October 30, 2015 · by Carrie Trax ·

It’s that time of year where you can find fresh pumpkins everywhere and what a great time to create some pumpkin inspired dishes. It is easy to cook your own pumpkin in just a few easy steps. Follow these directions and you will have fresh pumpkin for pie, muffins and more, cooking fresh pumpkin for puree. I created this pumpkin dish by using Bays English Muffins instead of bread. The English Muffins are the perfect texture for making this pudding. Remember to look for Bays English Muffins in your store’s refrigerated section. All their muffins are made to order, and leave the factory within 24 hours of baking and are shipped across the country in refrigerated trucks.

Bays English Muffin Pumpkin Pudding with Vanilla Sauce
6 Bays English Muffins
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh pumpkin puree or canned
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Cut each Bays English Muffin into 9 pieces and place in large bowl, set aside. In medium bowl beat eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla and pumpkin puree. Pour pumpkin mixture over Bays English Muffin pieces and stir in the dried cranberries, let set for 1 hour. You can also pour directly into the baking dish, cover, refrigerate and bake the next day. Spray a 12-inch or 13×9 baking dish. I used a pretty decorative ceramic pie plate. Pour mixture into baking pan and place on a baking sheet and then add about 2 cups of water to the baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until golden brown and knife inserted comes out clean. Remove and cool for about 10 minutes if you would like to serve warm. Drizzle with the warm vanilla sauce and sprinkle with the pecans and serve. Once cooled completely you can refrigerate to serve later or the next day.

Vanilla Sauce
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

Mix everything together and bring to boil for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Set aside for 5 minutes, then pour on warm bread pudding

Pumpkin Roll

November 25, 2014 · by Carrie Trax ·

The pumpkin pie is the traditional dessert at the Thanksgiving table and here is a great and easy recipe to make “Nana’s Trax Pumpkin Pie”. If you are looking to add something new to the Thanksgiving dessert table this pumpkin roll is the perfect addition. The soft sponge cake with just the perfect amount of spices is rolled with cream cheese icing and dusted with confectioners sugar.

Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Icing
Cake:
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup fresh* or can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

Icing:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners sugar
6 tablespoon butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 10x15x1-inch baking pan with cooking spray and line with a piece of parchment paper (this will make it easy to flip the cake after it is baked). Spray parchment paper with cooking spray and dust with flour, set aside. Lay out a large cotton kitchen towel on your work surface and dust with confectioners sugar.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg and salt. In a bowl of an electric mixer beat the eggs and sugar until the mixture is very thick. Beat in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. Add in the flour mixture and mix until combined. With a spatula evenly spread batter in the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 13-14 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Remove from oven and immediately turn the cake onto the confectioners sugar dusted kitchen towel. Carefully peel off the parchment paper. Starting at one of the short ends, rolling up the cake and towel together. Cool on wire rack.

To make the cream cheese filling beat the cream cheese, confectioners sugar, butter and vanilla in the bowl of a electric mixer until smooth.

When the cake has cooled, unroll and remove the towel. Spread the cream cheese filling over the cake, leavening a 1-inch border all around. Starting at one of the ends, re-roll the cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Dust with confectioners sugar before your serve. This can be made a few days ahead of time.

*How to prepare a fresh pumpkin

Fresh Cranberries

November 22, 2014 · by Carrie Trax ·

This Thanksgiving or any holiday enjoy the sweet and tart taste of cranberries 3 ways. Enjoy homemade jellied orange cranberry sauce that tastes better than the one from a can and so easy to do. You can combine the fresh flavors of cranberries, oranges and apples with a little sugar and in a few minutes you will have a crisp relish your family will be asking for seconds of! Cranberry glaze for your turkey (works good with ham too) will give you another depth of flavor to your holiday dinner. Fresh cranberries are always a perfect addition to the holiday table.

Cranberry Relish
1 (12 oz) bag whole fresh cranberries
2 tart green apples (I used Granny Smith), peeled, cored and cut into thick pieces
1 large seedless orange (peel on), cut into 12 pieces
1 cup sugar

In the bowl of a food processor add the cranberries, apples and orange pieces. Pulse 12-14 times, do not over pulse or the relish will be mushy. I used a Ninja Food Processor and it gave me the perfect relish with 12 pulses. Place mixture in a bowl and mix in the sugar. Let set for 45 minutes at room temperature. It is ready to serve or place in a container and refrigerate for later. Quick and easy and can be made the night before.
Recipe from ~ Simple Recipes

Jellied Orange Cranberry Sauce
2 (12 oz) bags whole fresh cranberries
2 oranges
1 3/4 cups water
2 cups sugar

Wash cranberries and add to a medium pot. Squeeze juice from orange into the pot and add the orange halves and the 1 3/4 cups water. Boil until the cranberries skins burst, about 20-25 minutes. Remove orange halves and over a bowl place a sieve or food mill and press through the cranberry mixture. You will get juice in the bowl, discard the pulp left in the food mill. Add juice to a medium saucepan and mix in the sugar. Boil to almost jelly point (see below spoon test)* or 220 degrees. Pour into glass canning jars (I use 8 oz short jars). If you are not processing the jars you can let set on your counter until cooled then add the lid and ring and place in refrigerator. If you what to process the jars leave a 1/4-inch head space, add the lid and ring and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. These jars can now be left on your shelf.
*Spoon test ~ Dip a cool metal spoon into the boiling cranberry mixture. Raise the spoon out of the steam, about 12 inches above the pan. Turn the spoon so the liquid runs off the side. The cranberry sauce is done when the syrup forms two drops that flow together and form a sheet that hangs off the edge of the spoon.
Recipe adapted from ~ Ball Blue Book

Cranberry Glaze

1 (12 oz) bag fresh whole cranberries
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons ginger, minced
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a medium saucepan combine the cranberries, water, sugar, salt, orange zest, ginger and apple cider vinegar. Simmer over a medium heat until the cranberries burst, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cayenne pepper. I do not like it too hot but if you want more of a kick add more cayenne to taste. Place a mesh strainer over a saucepan and pour in cranberry mixture. With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula push the cranberries around to help the mixture get through the strainer. There will be nice thick cranberry pulp in your saucepan. Over medium heat cook until glaze thickens, about 10 minutes. With a basting brush coat the outside of your turkey 30 minutes before it is ready to come out of the oven. Leave turkey uncovered after adding the glaze . This glaze is also great tossed with meatballs as an appetizer or perfect to brush on a whole ham.
Recipe from ~ Brave Apron

Green Bean Casserole

November 19, 2014 · by Carrie Trax ·

Last year I wanted to make everything for my Thanksgiving dinner from scratch so I was on the hunt for the best Green Bean Casserole. After looking through many cookbooks and searching the web I was watching TV and saw Good Eat’s and Alton Brown make his version of the Green Bean Casserole. I decided this was the one I wanted to make and I am glad I did. This was a delicious made from scratch recipe for the so popular Green Bean Casserole. I made my onion topping a little different and used the Pioneer Woman’s recipe which is so tasty and crispy!

Homemade Green Bean Casserole
Onion Topping ~ Pioneer Woman
1 whole large onion
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 quart canola oil
black pepper to taste

Slice onion very thin. Place in a baking dish and cover with buttermilk and soak for at least an hour. Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Heat oil to 375 degrees. Grab a handful of onions, throw into the flour mixture, tap to shake off excess, and PLUNGE into hot oil. Fry for a few minutes and remove as soon as golden brown. Lay on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat until onions are gone.

Green Beans and Sauce ~ Alton Brown
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 pound fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil in an 8-quart saucepan. Add the beans and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately plunge the beans into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside. Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to give up some of their liquid, approximately 4 to 5

minutes. Add the garlic and nutmeg and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 of the onions and all of the green beans. Top with the remaining onions. Place into the oven and bake until bubbly, approximately 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

Onion Topping ~ Pioneer Woman

Green Beans & Sauce ~ Alton Brown’s Green Bean Casserole recipe

Classic Deviled Eggs

November 15, 2014 · by Carrie Trax ·

Thanksgiving dinner would not be complete without “Classic Deviled Eggs”. My family does not like anything fancy just your basic deviled eggs like I remember growing up. If there are any extra leftover deviled eggs add them to your favorite potato salad recipe the next day to enjoy with your turkey sandwich!

Classic Deviled Eggs
8 eggs
1/3 cup Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise if your prefer
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon white vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste
Paprika, garnish
Fresh Parsley, garnish

Add eggs to a pot and add enough water to cover eggs about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and cover with a lid for 20 minutes. Drain water and run cold water over eggs for a few minutes. Crack and peel off the egg shells. Cut eggs in half lengthwise and remove the yolk and set the egg whites aside for now. Place the egg yolks, Miracle Whip, dry mustard, vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl of a food processor and blend until creamy. If you have a Ninja Food Processor just use the puree button which pulses and blends for 65 seconds. If you want to do by hand mash with a potato masher until no longer lumpy. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. I wanted to be a little fancy so I placed the mixture to a pastry piping bag that I had attached a star tip. Pipe mixture into each egg white sprinkle with a little paprika and garnish with a piece of parsley. It is that simply and easy.

Roasted Turkey with Homemade Cracker Stuffing

November 12, 2014 · by Carrie Trax ·

The roasted golden bird, the Turkey is the center piece of any Thanksgiving table. But in my family the favorite dish is my family’s cracker stuffing passed down from my mom from my grandmother and great grandmother. For four generations and probably longer it has been a holiday tradition making cracker stuffing in my family. My great grandmother comes for the town of Vejvanov, West Bohemia, Czech Republic a small city south west of Prague. I wanted to learn more about the history of cracker stuffing and read several Bohemian cookbooks and searched the internet. I found that it is called (Nádivkou) or Bohemian Cracker Stuffing. Crackers seemed to be an easy substitute for stale bread or bread crumbs. All the recipes I found online seem to be just a little different than mine, with an extra ingredient or seasoning but we like our basic one made with the recipe below. It was even featured on the Food Network’s kitchen website when I entered the recipe in a Stuffing Cook-off contest.

Cracker Stuffing

Cracker, onions and celery in vintage bowl

4 sleeves saltine crackers
2 stalks celery
1 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk

12-14 pound Turkey
4 stalks celery
6 carrots, peeled
2 can chicken broth
Olive oil
Salt & pepper

To make my cracker stuffing I used my Ninja food processor attachment this year to crush my crackers and chop the celery, it made my crackers more consistent in size. In the bowl of the Ninja food processor place one sleeve of crackers and pulse three times. That’s all it takes to make the perfect size cracker for this recipe. Empty crackers from the Ninja into a large bowl and repeat with the remaining crackers. In the same food processor bowl add the celery and pulse 8 times then add the celery to the crackers in the bowl. If you do not have a Ninja (add it to your wish list) you can crush the crackers by hand. With the crackers still in their sleeves, crush them with your hands (easier to crush this way, and it keeps your hands cleaner) then empty the sleeves into a large bowl. Chop celery into small pieces and add to the crackers. In a frying pan, saute the butter, onion and black pepper until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. No need to add salt since you are using saltine crackers. Add cooked onions to the crackers and mix well. Add eggs and mix well. Add milk a little at a time (you might not use all of the milk), until the cracker mix is moistened. Cracker mix should form a ball which you can hold in your hand. When stuffing a turkey with cracker stuffing it does not expand, so you want to pack it in tight. With traditional bread stuffing you would pack it in the turkey loosely. When the turkey is ready, you pull out the cracker stuffing in one big chunk and slice it. Also great on a turkey sandwich the next day!

To prepare the turkey remove from packaging. Remove the neck (Do not worry it has been already cut off and is inside the turkey cavity). On the back end of the turkey there will be a bag of giblets including the heart, gizzard and liver. It may not sound good but do NOT throw away the neck and the giblets it will make a great turkey stock so just place all together in a bag and refrigerate. I will share in a later post the best turkey stock recipe using these parts and the carcass of the turkey after you have carved off all the meat. Rinse turkey under cold water and pat dry with paper towel. In your roasting pan add 4 stalks of celery and 6 carrots that have been cut up and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. They will also be used later in making the turkey stock.

Place turkey on top of carrots and celery. Stuff the cavity of the turkey with the cracker stuffing and remember to pack it in tight. Do not forgot there is room in the back of the turkey where the giblets were so pack some stuffing in there as well. There is no need to tie the legs together just let the stuffing flow out the cavity. Rub some olive oil on the turkey and sprinkle with salt and pepper. This will help give your turkey a nice golden brown color and add flavor to the skin. Add two cans of chicken stock to the pan and cover with a nice tall lid.* Place in a preheated 325 degree oven and since we stuffed the turkey it will take 4 to 4 1/2 hours to cook. The turkey is done when the thigh meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

* I have found over the years that if you have a tall lid on your turkey when it is cooking the air can circulate and your turkey will come out a golden brown without having to remove the lid the last 30 minutes to brown it. You may choose to bast the turkey once an hour with the juices from the bottom of the pan. I seem to get so busy I never remember and it bastes itself just fine with the tall roasting pan I use.

Do not forget after Thanksgiving dinner is over, save anything left in the pan, the turkey bones, pieces, carrots, celery, juice and bits left in the roasting pan. Place in a container and get ready to make some turkey broth to use in some other great dishes like turkey chili, turkey wild rice soup, turkey pot pie or in place of chicken broth in any of your favorite recipes.

Nana Trax’s Homemade Pumpkin Pie

November 23, 2013 · by Carrie Trax ·

This is the recipe I have been using to make homemade pumpkin pie for the last 30 years. The recipe came from my husband’s grandmother “Nana Trax”. She is also the one who taught me to make homemade white bread. As she got older and could not knead the bread dough any more I would go to her house almost every Saturday morning to help make the 5 loaves of bread she would bake. During those Saturday mornings she would share other recipes and gossip and this pumpkin pie always reminds me of those times. I have fancied the pie up by adding some cutout leaf shapes but the taste of this rich and smooth pie is still the same recipe passed from one generation to the next.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie / Blue Hubbard Pie ~ Makes 2 pies
2 cups Pumpkin or Blue Hubbard squash puree
2 cups evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 unbaked pie shells ~ homemade (see recipe below) or store bought

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place pumpkin or Hubbard squash puree in large bowl. Add evaporated milk, sugar and eggs. With a hand whisk mix until combined. Add the salt, cinnamon, ginger and allspice. Mix until all the ingredients are combined and mixed well. Divide mixture between the two unbaked pie shells. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. It is that easy!

Homemade Pie Crust
3 cups Bob’s Red Mill flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups shortening
1 egg
5 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
In large bowl combine the flour and salt. Add shortening and with pastry blender combine until the flour mixture resembles small crumbs. In small bowl combine egg, water and cider vinegar. Add all at once to the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Divide dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate 30 minutes. When ready roll out one piece at a time to fit your pie pan. Remove any extra dough around the edge and roll the dough under and crimp the edges. Do not crimp the edge if you plan on adding a leaf border. Repeat with the second dough ball. With the extra dough roll out and cut out shapes with small cookie cutters. I used a new set of pie dough cutters that I bought at Williams-Sonoma. They cut out the shape and if you push harder they emboss the shape as well. If adding a leaf cutout to the pie’s outer crust you need to wet the dough with a little water and then lay down the leaf cutouts around the pie before adding the filling. For the cutouts in the center of the pie you will need to place them separately on a baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Add to the pumpkin pie once it has cooled to a warm temperature.