I want to acknowledge that I have not been able to provide more butcher shop articles yet as promised for this fall. Life has become extremely busy for me with my four children. (When I began writing for the Chronicle, I had two.) I hope to write more at a later date; family first. I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving – there are some good recipes for the holiday here!
Stuffed Peppers
Recipe and photos from Elizabeth Hostetler
1 lb. hamburger, fried and finely “crumbled”
2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
3 T. milk
1 c. shredded cheese of your choice
1 t. of the following seasonings: pepper, all-seasoned salt, garlic, parsley
½ t. crushed red pepper seeds (optional – spicy)
3 orange and green bell peppers
Bake at 375°F for about 35-40 minutes or until heated through. Serve with tortilla chips.
Best Thanksgiving Turkey
Recipe from my husband’s Aunt Linda Kisling; my photo
One whole turkey, giblets removed
2 c. salt
2 Granny Smith apples
Poultry season, for rub
Note: will need a food grade 5 gallon bucket
Soak whole turkey in a brine of the salt and water in a five-gallon bucket. I draw some hot water to dissolve the salt, stir, then add some cool water, the turkey, and more water to cover. Refrigerate for 24 hours; remove turkey, could rinse if desired and pat dry with paper towels; discard salt water. Stuff two Granny Smith apples that have slits cut all through them (like gills in a fish) in the cavity; rub the bird thoroughly with poultry seasoning. The Butterball company website (butterball.com) advises, “turn the wings back to hold the neck skin in place. (Tucking the wings will help stabilize the turkey in the pan and when carving.) [Place turkey in roast pan and] brush or spray lightly with cooking oil for best appearance.” Roast at 375°F for 1 hr., then cover with roaster lid or foil tent, reducing the temperature to 325°F for the remainder of the cooking time. Butterball also suggests “inserting an oven-safe meat thermometer deep into the lower part of the thigh without touching the bone before roasting”. A meat thermometer should read 180° F in the thigh and 170° F in the breast or stuffing. Transfer turkey to a cutting board or platter; wait 15 minutes before carving. This is the most moist, delicious turkey I have ever eaten. The apples are the secret to moisture and flavor, with the brine likely contributing as well. -Sarah
Corn Balls
From Sharon Knicely
½ c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped celery
½ c. butter
3½ c. herb-seasoned stuffing croutons
2 c. cooked whole-kernel corn
3 eggs, beaten
½ c. water
½ t. salt
¼ t. pepper
In saucepan, sauté onion and celery in butter until tender. Set aside to cool. Combine croutons, corn, eggs, water, salt, pepper, and onion mixture. Mix well. Shap into 12-15 balls and place in ungreased shallow baking pan. Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes. Sharon says, “these corn balls are an excellent side dish for a variety of meals. We enjoy them with beef, ham, or chicken.” I think they are a nice variation to dressing/stuffing at Thanksgiving. -Sarah
Texas Sweet Potato Balls
From Country Home Cooking cookbook by Marjorie Rohrer Shank copyright 2006 Campbell Copy Center, USA, used with permission.
2 c. mashed sweet potatoes
½ t. salt
2 T. melted butter
3 T. brown sugar
Mix all ingredients well in a bowl. Wrap a tablespoon of the mixture around a large marshmallow. Roll balls in grated coconut or crushed cornflakes or chopped pecans. Place balls into a greased casserole dish. Bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes. Be careful not to melt marshmallows. Note: These freeze well. Take from freezer and pop into oven. Very pretty.
Give a local cookbook as a gift this Christmas! Country Home Cooking cookbook can be found at Kitchenwares and More within the Shops at Dayton (Dayton Market) and the Kitchen Kupboard in the Shenandoah Heritage Market, as well as Rocky Cedars, a fabric store in rural Dayton area.
