Charley's Cranberry Chicken :)

A Thanksgiving Leftover favorite!!  2-3 boneless chicken breasts 1-2 cans whole or jellied cranberry sauce (may use fresh cranberries) 1 whole onion-chopped  Place chicken breasts in a dutch oven or slow cooker. Add onion and cranberry sauce. Either cook on low for 8-10 hrs in a slow cooker or a glass dish, you can bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour so that the cranberries absorb into the chicken.

TO ALL MY VIEWERS:

Roasted Turkey with Savory Cranberry Stuffing

The Holiday Collection- 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup margarine or butter 1 (16-oz) can whole-berry cranberry sauce 2 TB chicken-flavor instant bouillon cubes 12 cups dry bread cubes (about 16 slices bread) 1 cup chopped pecans 2 tsps poultry seasoning 1 tsp rubbed sage 3 cups hot water 1 (12-14lb) turkey,thawed if frozen vegtable oil Rich Turkey Gravy (recipe follows)  In large skillet, cook celery and onion in margarine until tender; add cranberry sauce and bouillon. Cook and stir until bouillon dissolves. In large bowl, combine bread cubes, pecans, seasonings and water; add cranberry mixture. Mix well.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove neck and giblets from turkey cavities. Rinse turkey; drain well. Stuff neck and body cavities lightly with stuffing. (Place extra stuffing in greased baking dish; refrigerate.)  Turn wings back to hold neck skin in place. Place turkey, breast side up, on flat rack in open pan. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of thigh next to body, not touching bone. Brush skin with oil. Place turkey in oven and roast about 4 hours. (Bake extra stuffing with turkey during last 40 min or until hot.) When skin is golden brown, shield breast loosely with foil to prevent overbrowning. Check for doneness; thigh temperature should be 180-185 degrees. Let turkey stand 15-20 min before carving. Serve with Rich Turkey Gravy. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 10-12 servings. RICH TURKEY GRAVY:  In med skillet, stir 1/4 to 1/3 cup flour into 1/4 cup pan drippings; cook and stir until dark brown. Stir in 2 cups hot water and 2 tsps chicken-flavor instant Bouillon or 2 chicken-flavored Bouillon cubes; cook and stir until thickened and bouillon is dossolved. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes about 1 1/2 cups. (Source:  Publications International, LTD)

Turkey Tip

TURKEY THAWING METHODS- Experts recommend refrigerator thawing. However, if you are short on time and need a quicker method for thawing, submerge the turkey in cold water. Thawing a turkey at room temperature allows bacterial growth and is not recommended.  * REFRIGERATOR THAWING   Thaw breast side up in unopened wrapper on a tray in the refrigerator. Allow at least one day of thawing for every four pounds of turkey. *COLD WATER THAWING  Thaw breast side down in unopened wrapper submerged in cold water(completely covered). Change the water every 30 min to keep the turkey surface cold. Estimate minimum thawing time to be 30 min per pound for whole turkey.

Pumpkin Almond Bisque In A Pumpkin Shell

The Holiday Collection- 1 med- size pumpkin  3 cups chicken broth, divided 2 TB butter or margarine 3 TB chopped celery 3 TB chopped onion 2 TB almond paste 1 TB tomato paste 1 1/2 cups half-and-half 3 TB almond-flavored liqueur 1 tsp ground nutmeg 1 tsp black pepper Salt to taste Toasted Pumpkin Seeds(recipe follows)  Cut slice from top of pumpkin. Scoop out seeds and fibers; reserve. Scoop out flesh,leaving shell that can be used for serving. Simmer pumpkin flesh in small amount of the chicken broth until tender. Place cooked pumpkin in food processor or blender container; process until smooth. (There should be 2 cups of pumpkin puree.) Leave puree in food processor.  Melt butter in heavy stockpot. Add celery and onion; cook over low heat 5 min. Add celery mixture, almond paste and tomato paste to pumpkin puree; process until smooth. Return contents of food processor to stockpot; add remaining broth and simmer over low heat, 30 min. Stir in half-and-half and cook until heated through. Stir in liqueur,nutmeg,pepper and salt. Pour into reserved pumpkin shell. Garnish with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds Makes about 8 servings  TOASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS:  Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Carefully separate reserved seeds from fibers. Wash,drain and dry seeds on paper towels. In small bowl, coat seeds with small amount of vegtable oil. Add 2 TB Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 tsp ground pepper; toss to mix thouroughly. Spread seasoned seeds in single layer on baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally until golden brown. (Source: Publications International,LTD)

Turkey Tips

Leftover Turkey Food Safety Tips:  *Refrigerate leftovers as soon as the meal is over.  Carve the meat off the bone,then store in refrigerator or freezer.* Wrap turkey slices and stuffing separately, refrigerate and use within three days. * Use refrigerated gravy within three days. * Freeze leftovers if you plan to store them for longer periods of time. Wrap in heavy foil, freezer wrap or place in freezer container or freezer bags; for optimum taste, use stuffing within one month and turkey within two months.

Low-Calorie Mashed Potatoes

The Holiday Collection- 2 lbs med red boiling potatoes,peeled and cut into chunks 4 large cloves garlic, peeled 3/4 cup cultured buttermilk (1 1/2 %fat) 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper 2 TB chopped chives for garnish  Place potatoes and garlic in large saucepan. Add enough water to cover; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to med. Simmer, uncovered, 20-30 min or until potatoes are fork-tender; drain. Place potatoes and garlic in med bowl. Mash with potato masher or best with electric mixer at med speed until smooth.* Add buttermilk, salt and pepper. Stir with fork until just combined. Garnish, if desired. Makes 4 cups, 8 servings *For a smoother texture, force potatoes through potatoe ricer or food mill into med bowl. Proceed as directed. BUTTERY MASHED POTATOES:  Prepare as directed except add 1 TB butter or margarine along with buttermilk, salt and pepper. (Source: Publications International,LTD)