Thanksgiving 2012

So excited. I have finally made my choices for Thanksgiving dinner.  I must give credit where it is due, and these were all recipes from Food Network star chefs, Sunny Anderson, Giada DiLaurentiis and the Barefoot Contessa. Food Network is amazing and their app allows you to bookmark your favorite recipes and cross off ingredients as you go along. Got to love it when grocery shopping gets simplified.

By Sunny Anderson we have 

Roast Turkey Breast with Rosemary peach glaze,  

By Giada DiLaurentiis a side of 

Penne With Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese (I will be making a gluten free version) 

 By Barefoot Contessa, 

French Apple Tart (not gluten free) for dessert.

I will start with longest to shortest prep and cook times.

Roast Turkey Breast with Rosemary peach glaze

Ingredients

• 2 cups apple cider, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1/4 cup salt, plus more for turkey
• 3 to 5 sprigs thyme
• 3 sprigs rosemary plus 1 teaspoon chopped
• 1 (3 3/4-pound) boneless turkey breast with skin
• 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for turkey
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (10-ounce) bag frozen peeled and sliced peaches, chopped
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups apple cider, salt, thyme and rosemary. Add turkey breast and enough water to cover the bird. Cover and let brine in the refrigerator 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

For the glaze:

In a small saucepan, saute onions in oil until softened. Add peaches, honey, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons apple cider. Bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook until peaches break down and glaze thickens, about 12 minutes.
Remove turkey from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Brush with oil and season with pepper. Place turkey in a roasting pan. Cook 15 minutes until skin begins to turn golden. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and brush the top generously with the glaze. Continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 45 minutes. Let the turkey rest at least 10 minutes. Its temperature will continue to rise.

Penne With Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 1 (2-pound) butternut or kombucha squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 onion, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound penne pasta (here I am using a gluten free penne)
• 1 cup (8 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted (see Cook's Note)
• 1 packed cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan

Directions

Put an oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Spray a baking sheet, liberally, with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.
Mix the squash and onion together and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake for to 40 to 45 minutes until the vegetables are golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
While the squash mixture is cooling, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water. Put the pasta, goat cheese and 1 cup of pasta water in a large serving bowl. Toss until the cheese has melted and forms a creamy sauce. Add the squash and onion mixture, the walnuts and the basil. Toss well and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with Parmesan and serve.

Cook's Note:

To toast the walnuts, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven until lightly toasted, about 6 to 8 minutes Cool completely before using.

  

French Apple Tart

Ingredients

For the pastry:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 12 tablespoons (11/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1/2 cup ice water

For the apples:

• 4 Granny Smith apples
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, small diced
• 1/2 cup apricot jelly or warm sieved apricot jam
• 2 tablespoons Calvados, rum, or water

Directions

For the pastry, place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the butter is in small bits the size of peas. With the motor running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Roll the dough slightly larger than 10 by 14-inches. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the edges. Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you prepare the apples.
Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baler. Slice the apples crosswise in 1/4-inch thick slices. Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices. (I tend not to use the apple ends in order to make the arrangement beautiful.) Sprinkle with the full 1/2 cup of sugar and dot with the butter.
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. Don't worry! The apple juices will burn in the pan but the tart will be fine! When the tart's done, heat the apricot jelly together with the Calvados and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the jelly mixture. Loosen the tart with a metal spatula so it doesn't stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!