Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Gingersnap Crust

http://www.bakedbyrachel.com/mini-pumpkin-cheesecakes-with-gingersnap-crust-butterball-giveaway/print/

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Gingersnap Crust

The perfect two bite Thanksgiving treat. Creamy spiced pumpkin cheesecakes baked on top of a gingersnap crust.
YIELD: MAKES 12 MINI CHEESECAKES COOK TIME: 15-18 MINUTES

Ingredients:

20 gingersnap cookies
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tbsp granulated sugar

8oz cream cheese, softened
1/2C packed brown sugar

1/2C canned pumpkin
1 tbsp sour cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cloves

1 egg

Fresh whipped cream


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease mini cheesecake pan with baking spray.

In a food processor, process cookies into fine crumbs. Add granulated sugar and melted butter, combining well. Divide equally among cheesecake pan cavities. Use a small flat bottom item such as a shot glass to press down on cookie crumb mixture. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Reduce oven temperature to 325.

In a medium to large bowl, beat cream cheese and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin, sour cream, salt, vanilla and spices. Mix well. Finally, add egg mixing only until completely combined. Do not over mix. Divide among cheesecake pan cavities.

*Roughly 6 teaspoons or 2 tablespoons of filling per pan cavity. Using a small OXO cookie scoop, add roughly three scoops per cavity. Do not overfill. There should be a 1/4" gap between cheesecake mixture and top of the pan.

Tap pan on counter gently to force any air bubbles to the top.

Bake for 15-18 minutes in a 325 degree oven. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before transferring to the refrigerator to chill overnight.

Top off with optional fresh sweetened whipped cream prior to serving.

Apple Cider Gravy

http://www.bakedbyrachel.com/apple-cider-gravy/print/

Apple Cider Gravy

Easy make ahead dripless apple cider gravy. A flavorful addition to all of your holiday meals!

Ingredients:

1/4C unsalted butter
1/4C all purpose flour

1 1/2C chicken broth*
1/2C apple cider*

1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. When butter is fully melted, whisk in flour until thickened. Slowly add broth and cider, whisking well to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a low boil, continuing to whisk until desired thickness is reached.

Serve immediately or chill and reheat as needed.

If making ahead, press plastic wrap to the surface of the gravy to prevent a skin from forming. Reheat in a saucepan or in the microwave, stirring to ensure an even temperature.

Notes
*Vegetable broth may be used in place of chicken broth for a vegetarian option.
*If apple cider is not available, apple juice may be used instead.

Gravy Spices

http://www.livestrong.com/article/506473-how-to-spice-gravy/

Making homemade gravy is one of the most daunting challenges that a new cook can face. Getting the thickness right, making sure there are no lumps and not scorching it are all hurdles. Once you’ve leapt those, you still have to figure out how to season your gravy. The best time to do that is while it is beginning to thicken. But there are literally hundreds of spices to choose from and not every spice goes with every kind of gravy. Don’t panic. Choosing gravy spices is a snap once you know the basics.


Season beef gravy with strong-flavored, savory herbs. Dried bay leaf, marjoram, sage and thyme add a rich depth to beef gravy. Grated nutmeg adds an unexpected grace note, and coarse pepper of any kind -- black, green, pink or white -- adds a tangy bite. Onion and garlic powder also work but these can easily overwhelm the other spices.


Spice up chicken and turkey gravy with lighter savory spices. Premixed poultry seasoning is the simplest choice. It usually contains oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme and pepper. Adventurous cooks can also experiment with ginger, marjoram, paprika and tarragon. Lemon pepper adds a fresh bite to poultry gravy.


Sprinkle generous amounts of strong-flavored spices into pork gravy to complement its richer flavor. Garlic and onion are best with pork, though these also complemented by oregano and sage.

Use a light touch when seasoning fish gravies to avoid overwhelming the delicate taste of the main dish. Lemon juice is best unless your gravy is cream-based. To avoid curdling the cream, use lemon zest or dried lemon peel. Curry, dill and mustard go well with fish, as do marjoram and paprika.

Season vegetable gravy according to the natural flavors of the produce in question. Strong, green vegetables like broccoli and kale can stand up to bold flavors like lemon, garlic and onion. More delicate vegetables like leeks and cauliflower do better with lighter curry, dill, cinnamon and parsley. Carrots and most squash are also complemented by cinnamon, allspice and other so-called baking spices.

Warnings

Never over-salt gravy because it not only overwhelms the other flavors, but too much sodium can contribute to high blood pressure.

Tips

Always use a light hand when adding spices to gravy because you can always put more in, but you can’t take any out.

Turkey Gravy

Turkey Gravy

Gravy from the Thanksgiving turkey pan drippings.

Total:25 min, Active: 10 min
Yield: 10 to 12 servings


Ingredients

1 Good Eats Roast Turkey, recipe follows
24 ounces reduced sodium chicken broth
8 ounces red wine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh herbs such as oregano, thyme or rosemary
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Roast Turkey:
One 14- to 16-pound frozen young turkey

For the brine:
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
1 gallon heavily iced water

For the aromatics:
1 red apple, quartered
1/2 onion, quartered
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil


Directions


Remove the turkey from the roasting pan and set aside to rest.

Leave the drippings from the turkey in the pan and place the roasting pan over medium heat.
Add the broth and wine at the same time. Whisk to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan until all of the bits have come loose. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes in order to reduce the mixture slightly.

Transfer the liquid to a fat separator and let sit for 5 minutes to allow fat to separate.

Return 2/3 to 3/4 cup of the fat to the roasting pan and place over medium-high heat. Discard any remaining fat. Add the flour and whisk to combine.

Cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture starts to thicken and become smooth, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Once this happens, gradually add the liquid back to the pan and whisk until smooth and you have reached your desired consistency, approximately 5 to 6 minutes.

Remember, your gravy should be slightly thin in the pan as it will thicken once you serve it. Add the herbs and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

~~~~~~~ Brining~~~~~~~
2 to 3 days before roasting:

Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.

Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.

Early on the day or the night before you'd like to eat:

Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.

~~~~~~ Baking ~~~~~~~~

Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.

Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.

Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 151 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.

Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown, 2008

Pork Loin with Wine and Herb Gravy

https://www.seasonsandsuppers.ca/wprm_print/19871

Pork Loin with Wine and Herb Gravy

PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES COOK TIME: 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 45 MINUTES
SERVINGS: 8 PEOPLE CALORIES: 419 KCAL

Pork loin (or tenderloins) cooked on the stove-top with wine and herbs, then sliced and served with a delicious, lightly creamy gravy. If using a pork loin roast, look for one with a little bit of fat. For pork tenderloins, be sure to trim the silverskin before cooking.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
5 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped

2 lb center cut boneless pork loin (or two 1 lb. pork tenderloins)

1 1/4 cups dry white wine (plus a bit more to deglaze pan)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth or stock
1/2 cup heavy cream (or a lighter cream mixed with 2 tsp. cornstarch)

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute the garlic, rosemary and sage, stirring, for about one minute. Add the pork loin to the pan, carefully placing it on top of the herbs. Saute the pork for about 5 minutes on each side, then remove it to a plate. Add the wine to the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan. Cook until the smell of the alcohol has disappeared, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Lower the heat under the pan to low-medium heat. Return the pork to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Partially cover with a lid and cook for about 1 1/2 hours (probably less if you're using pork tenderloins), flipping the pork and scraping the bottom of the pan every 20 minutes or so. Keep an eye on it, making sure there continues to be some liquid in the pan. Add 1/4 cup of warm water if necessary.

When the pork is cooked through (if you want to test with a thermometer, it should be about 150° internal temperature.) Remove pork to a plate to rest. Meanwhile, increase the heat under the liquid in the pan to medium. If your pan has little liquid, deglaze with a splash of white wine. Stir well to loosen the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Allow to cook until the alcohol smell disappears (about 1-2 minutes). Add the chicken stock. Remove pot from heat and allow to cool in the pot for 20 minutes.

When the sauce has cooled, add the cream and put the pan back on the stove. Heat gently over medium-low heat, stirring the sauce constantly until it thickens a bit and warms. Avoid boiling. (*If your sauce doesn't thicken up, mix 2 Tbsp. cornstarch with 2 Tbsp. water and add a bit at a time to your sauce until it thickens to your liking.) Taste sauce and add salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.

Place the resting pork on a cutting board (you can add any accumulated meat juices back to the sauce if you like!). Slice the pork very thinly and place on to a serving plate.

Pour the warm gravy over top.

Pork Tenderloin with Merlot-Shallot Sauce

http://www.food.com/recipe/pork-tenderloin-with-merlot-shallot-sauce-61982

Pork Tenderloin with Merlot-Shallot Sauce

This recipe was printed in the Houston Chronicle. It's very elegant, but quick and easy enough to prepare for a week night meal.

Ingredients

2 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb each)
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaf
1⁄2 teaspoon salt, divided
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
4 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup merlot or 1 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon chicken stock powder or 1 tablespoon chicken soup base (a concentrated reduced chicken broth can be substituted)
2 tablespoons cherry preserves or 2 tablespoons blackberry preserves
2 tablespoons butter (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.
Coat pork with 1 1/2 tsp olive oil; rub with rosemary, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Heat a heavy, ovenproof skillet over high heat.

Cook pork, turning often, until lightly browned on all sides, 5 minutes.

Transfer skillet and pork to oven; roast until thermometer reads 150 degrees, about 10- 15 minutes.
Transfer cooked pork to a platter; keep warm.

Add remaining 1 1/2 tsp oil to same skillet.

Heat over medium heat.

Add shallots and garlic; cook, stirring until lightly browned, about 4 minutes.

Add wine; cook over high heat until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium.

Stir in stock concentrate and preserves.

Add remaining 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper; adjust seasoning if necessary.

Whisk in butter.

Pour into a serving bowl.
Slice pork into 1/4" slices and serve with sauce.