Patti Labelle’s Wicked Peach Cobbler

Ingredients:

1 Piecrust for Double Crust Pie

3 lbs Medium Peaches , peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/4-inch slices

2 Tbsp Cornstarch

1 Cup Sugar

2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice

1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon , plus more for the top of the crust

4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) Butter , chilled, cut into small pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter an 8-inch square baking dish.

2. In a medium bowl, toss the peaches, cornstarch, sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Fold in the butter. Spoon half of the peach mixture into a prepared dish.

3. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the smaller disk of dough into an 8-inch square about 1/8 inch thick, trimming the dough as needed. Place over the peaches in a baking dish. Top with the remaining peaches. Roll out the larger disk of dough into an 11-inch square about 1/8 inch thick, trimming as needed. Fit over top of the baking dish, letting the dough hang down on the sides of the dish. Pinch the dough firmly onto the top edge of the dish. Press the overhanging dough onto the sides of the dish. Cut a few slits in the top of the dough. Place the dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips.

4. Bake until the fruit juices are bubbling and the top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle the top of the dough with cinnamon. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Sweet Potato Pie

Prep Time:      30 Minutes

Cook Time:      1 Hour 50 Minutes

Yields 1 Pie

Ingredients

• 1 (1 pound) sweet potato
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Directions

1. Boil sweet potato whole in skin for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin.
2. Break apart sweet potato in a bowl. Add butter, and mix well with mixer. Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a souffle, and then will sink down as it cools.

Paula Deen’s Cranberry Sauce

Prep Time:      10 minutes

Cook Time:      20 Minutes

Yields 4-5 Cups

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 (16-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
• 1 cup chopped apple
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup Grand Marnier
• 1/2 orange, juiced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated

Directions

Combine the sugar and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the cranberries and return to a boil, then lower the heat so that the liquid simmers. Add the apples, walnuts, raisins, Grand Marnier, orange and lemon juices, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the sauce cool.

Serve in a side bowl with turkey or any preferred holiday dish.

Paula Deen’s Layered Cranberry Sauce

Prep Time:      10 Minutes

Cook Time:      10 Minutes

Yields 4-6 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, plus more for topping (optional)
• 1 16-ounce can jellied cranberry sauce

Directions

Beat the cream cheese and mayonnaise in a bowl with a mixer until creamy (it should be spreadable). Beat in the pecans.

Put the cranberry sauce in a bowl and mash with the back of a fork.

Awesome Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing

Prep Time:      15 minutes

Cook Time:      25 Minutes

Yields 10 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cubed whole wheat bread
• 3 3/4 cups cubed white bread
• 1 pound ground turkey sausage
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 cooked turkey liver, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup turkey stock
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F (175 degree C). Spread the white and whole wheat bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until evenly toasted. Transfer toasted bread cubes to a large bowl.
2. In a large skillet, cook the sausage and onions over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps until evenly browned. Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to blend flavors.
3. Pour sausage mixture over bread in bowl. Mix in chopped apples, dried cranberries, parsley, and liver. Drizzle with turkey stock and melted butter, and mix lightly. Spoon into turkey to loosely fill.

Thanksgiving Stuffing and Dressing Recipes

Prep Time:      10 minutes

Cook Time:      45 Minutes

Yields 4-6 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
• 1 medium onions, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped coarsely
• 1 teaspoon freshly minced thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon freshly chopped sage leaves
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• 1 1/4 pounds cubed and dried cornbread stuffing, store-bought
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 2 cups turkey or low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in 12-inch skillet.

Cook sausage for 5 to 7 minutes until browned. Add onions and celery and saute until softened. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Mix in apples, thyme and sage and saute for another 2 minutes. Add bourbon. *Cook’s Note: When adding alcohol take pan off flame. Allow to simmer until bourbon is almost evaporated; 1 to 2 minutes.

In a large bowl, add cornbread stuffing, parsley, chicken stock, eggs and pecans. Mix well. Mix in vegetable mixture to bowl. Combine and stir well together. Add to a large casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes.

Caramelized Onion and Cornbread Stuffing

Prep Time:      45 minutes

Cook Time:      40 Minutes

Yields 6-8 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 onions, chopped
• 6 large cornmeal muffins, cubed
• Handful fresh sage leaves, chopped
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes, or until soft and caramelized. Add sage and scrape into a large mixing bowl. Add the cornbread pieces, season well with salt and pepper, and give it a good toss until it’s well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, cream, and stock, and pour that over the cornbread. Stir the stuffing together and stuff the cavity of the turkey. You could also spoon it into a buttered baking dish and put it in the oven along with the turkey. Bake until hot and crusty on top, about 30 minutes.

Stuffed Turkey Breast

Prep Time:          45 Minutes

Cook Time:          1 Hour

Ready In:            2 Hours

Original Recipe Yield 10 servings

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package herb-seasoned bread stuffing mix
• 2 skinless boneless turkey breasts
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 (8 ounce) packages dried, sweetened cranberries
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 lettuce leaves
• 1/2 cup pecan halves

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions. Set aside to cool.
2. With a sharp knife, butterfly breasts open to lay flat. Place each breast between two sheets of waxed paper, and flatten with a mallet. Spread the prepared stuffing to within 1/4 inch of the edge of each breast. Sprinkle each one with chopped pecans and dried cranberries, reserving some of the cranberries for garnish. Roll up tightly in a jellyroll style, starting with the long end. Tuck in ends, and tie in sections with string, about 4 sections around the middle and one running the length of the roll to secure the ends.
3. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully brown rolls on all sides.
4. Place skillet in oven, uncovered. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature is at 170 degrees F (78 degrees C) when taken with a meat thermometer. Do not let these get overly dry.
5. Allow rolls to set for 15 minutes before removing string, and slicing into 1/2 to 3/4 inch circles. Leave one roll whole, and slice the other for presentation. Stuffing will be spiraled into meat. Present on your prettiest platter on a bed of curly lettuce, and garnish by sprinkling with the remaining 1/2 cup pecan halves and the reserved dried cranberries.

Giada De Laurentiis’ Stuffed Turkey Breast

 Prep Time:      1 Hour 15 minutes

Cook Time:      1 Hour

Yields 4-6 Servings

Ingredients

• 8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing
• 5 ounces prosciutto, finely diced
• 1 cup chopped boiled chestnuts
• 1/2 cup diced green olives
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (4-pound) boneless turkey breast
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Special equipment: kitchen twine

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine the sausage, prosciutto, chestnuts, olives and sage. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a small skillet and add a teaspoon of the stuffing. Saute until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust seasoning in the stuffing mix, if necessary.

Place the turkey breast on the cutting board with skin side down. Flatten with your hands, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil to moisten. Spread stuffing on top and roll the turkey around the stuffing. Wrap kitchen twine around breast and tie tightly.

Place turkey in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until internal temperature of the turkey breast is 165 degrees F, about 1 hour or 12 to 15 minutes per pound.

Let rest 10 minutes, then snip off kitchen twine. Slice the turkey and arrange decoratively on serving platter. Pour pan juices over the slices and serve.

*****************************************************************************

Prep Time:      20 minutes

Cook Time:      55 Minutes

Yields 8 Servings

Heads up: you need a couple of bricks covered in foil to press these breasts

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Seasoning by McCormick) 3 palm fulls
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin, a palm full
• 1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika, a palm full
• 1 tablespoon coriander, a palm full
• 4 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, 8 sprigs, stripped off stems
• Cilantro leaves, 2 handfuls or 1/2 cup basil leaves
• 1 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley, 4 handfuls
• 1 cup shelled natural pistachios
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for generous drizzling
• 2 boneless halved turkey breasts, about 3 pounds each
• 1 stick butter, divided
• 1 fresh or dried bay leaf
• 6 ribs celery from the heart, shopped with greens
• 2 to 3 McIntosh apples, seeded and chopped
• 2 medium onions, chopped, divided
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 6 pumpkin muffins, crumbled
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
• 6 cups chicken stock, divided
• 2 slightly rounded tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 chipotles in adobo, finely chopped, plus 2 to 3 tablespoonfuls adobo sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Preheat a 14-inch skillet or medium roasting pan over medium heat on your largest burner. Mix grill seasoning, cumin, paprika and coriander together. Place the thyme, cilantro or basil, parsley and pistachios in the food processor and process into a paste. Remove bowl from processor and remove blade from bowl. Have a rubber spatula on hand. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil generously over the breasts to coat the skin. Loosen skin of the breasts with a small sharp knife. Divide the herb and nut paste between the flesh and skin on each breast. Use your hands to move the paste around under the skin to evenly distribute the mixture. Coat the extra-virgin olive oil coated skin with the spice mixture. Set the coated breasts into the large skillet or roasting pan. Wash hands. Set a second slightly smaller skillet or pan on top of the breasts and weight down with a couple of bricks covered in foil. Crisp the skin 8 to 10 minutes then transfer meat to oven and roast 35 to 40 minutes, until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 165 to 170 degrees F.

While turkey roasts, heat a second large, deep skillet over medium to medium-high heat with 5 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces. To melted butter, add bay, celery, apple, 1/2 of the onion and zucchini. Season the vegetables liberally with salt and pepper. Cook 10 minutes or until softened. Add crumbled muffins and sunflower seeds to the pan and combine with the vegetables. Season the stuffing with poultry seasoning then adjust salt and pepper. Dampen the stuffing with 1 1/2 to 2 cups of stock. Pile the stuffing into a serving dish. Place in oven to just crisp up the top along with turkey or, if the pan does not fit, when the turkey comes out, switch on the broiler and crisp the top of stuffing – it should only take a couple of minutes, tops.

In a sauce pot, melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat and add the finely chopped remaining 1/2 of the onion. Sweat the onion out 5 to 6 minutes to make it nice and sweet. Add the flour to the skillet and whisk 1 minute. Add in the chipotles and their sauce then whisk in 4 to 4 1/2 cups chicken stock. Thicken the gravy 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt, to taste.

Let turkey rest to distribute juices then thinly slice and serve with mounds of stuffing and gravy.

Tidbit: An ice cream scoop is an easy way to portion out stuffing on dinner plates