Favorite Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

My youngest daughter is my mashed potato girl (she even plays mashed potatoes in a school play this year!). For the past couple of years, she has had mashed potato duty from start to finish. I bought a very pricey but very quick mashing tool that makes the whole process a snap. She also peels and leaves a small amount of skin which actually helps the dish.

I love the roasted garlic in these. They add a great dimension!

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

gluten free

Ingredients:

1 full head of garlic (outer leaves peeled)

1 TBSP olive oil

salt and pepper

7 or 8 Idaho potatoes, peeled and quartered (leave little bits of skin on)

5 TBSP butter (and more just in case)

1/2 C whole milk

Preheat oven to 350. Slice off the top of the garlic head and drizzle olive oil over it. Season with salt and pepper. Wrap in aluminum foil leaving top exposed. Bake for one full hour.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add potatoes and cook about 15 minutes (until tender--can easily pierce with a fork). Drain and let cool, slightly.

Add butter and milk. Mash. Season with salt and pepper. Add more butter or milk as needed.

Take garlic out of oven and squeeze moist cloves in the mashed potatoes. Continue to mash until the potatoes are to your liking :)

The Thanksgiving Turkey

Before you even begin to read this, please remember this is a Thanksgiving recipe. It is meant to be extremely calorie-laden. This turkey is gluttony at its finest. Try not to think of the calories or the fat content as you read it ;)

I got this incredible recipe from Tyler Florence and make it every year (oddly, I switch all my dishes every year but the turkey--you cannot top perfection)

Maple Glazed Turkey with Bacon

(gluten free addition)

Ingredients:

1 11-13 pound turkey (thawed, brining optional)

2 sticks butter, room temp

handful fresh sage, chopped

1 C maple syrup (yes, real!)

1/4 C hot water

10 strips bacon (uncooked)

1/4 C arrowroot flour (or regular flour)

Chicken stock (amount varies but have a full box handy)

1/4 lemon, juiced

Pre-heat oven to 350.

Combine sage and butter in small bowl ( great smaller kids activity if you don't mind greasy fingers!). Season with salt and pepper.

Remove gizzards and neck from turkey. Carefully rinse in cool water and pat dry.

Using your fingers, pull up the turkey's skin and push in the sage butter all around the bird. Try to push the butter back as far as possible for an even coat. Truss (tie up the turkey) and place in large roasting pan. Pop in the oven.

Combine maple syrup (and it is real, right?!) and hot water. You are going to baste the turkey with this. Suck up the juice with the baster and baste the bird. Baste using the juices from inside the pan every 30 minutes.

In about two hours, pull out the turkey to add the main attraction (at least it is here), the bacon. Carefully layer the bacon over the turkey covering the entire turkey breast (think roof shingles). Place back in the oven.

Turkey should be ready in about 3 hours. You should place a meat thermometer in the turkey thigh (meatiest part) to really know when it is done. Turkey temp should be 170. Another hint is seeing CLEAR juices if you stab the thigh with a fork or the thermometer. (For everyone's sake, please use the thermometer!)

Take the turkey out and let rest on a carving plate for at least 20 minutes prior to carving (keep the pickers away!).

Place your roasting pan over two burners over medium-high heat. Skim off the big chunks of fat. Carefully add your arrowroot and whisk away. Season with salt and pepper. Carefully add chicken stock to get the right consistency.

After about 5 minutes, finish your gravy off with the lemon juice. Continue to whisk and then add to the gravy boat.

Voila!

Cranberries with Mint

My absolute favorite way to prepare cranberries. This recipe is based off one I saw in a Williams Sonoma catalogue.

Cranberries with Mint

2 C sugar

2 C water (boiling)

4 C cranberries

1 C water (boiling)

bunch of mint leaves

Place mint leaves in a fine strainer and over a bowl. Pour the boiling water over the mint leaves, pushing the mint leaves down to get all the flavor.

Let water cool.

In a medium saucepan, combine mint water and sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and partially cover. Sauce will thicken within a half hour.

Remove from heat and let cool (thickens even more).

Place in the refrigerator.