# The SBHonline Community Daily > Restaurants Wine & Food Off The Island >  >  Turkey Tricks - Kara in the Chicago Trib

## JEK

Kara in the Chicago Tribune

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## andynap

Kara gets around. My turkey trick is to buy an already brined turkey from Trader Joes.

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## MIke R

my turkey trick is to get a beautiful organic free range turkey from down the road..that we pick out in July and get it tagged with our name on it


and also to brine it but to the salt, add sugar and lemon juice

and  to cook it on roast convection mode instead of  straight baking

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## MIke R

cant wait for next week....so much fun creating the meal

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## JEK

Mrs. JEK has been doing the rough prep for a week or so. Onions and celery sauteed for the stuffing. Love the way the house smells.

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## MIke R

> Love the way the house smells.



yup ..thats the *best* part...the smells

when Wendi starts her ginger/cranberry/apricot chutney...thats what starts it out...and it just gets better and better from there..add to that the maple and apple wood burning in the fireplace...the chestnuts roasting  in the fireplace......wow

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## andynap

I am doing a butternut squash soup but it's too close to pumpin pie so I can't do that.

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## MIke R

curry it....and use a fish stock as the base instead of a poultry stock, then it wont be so close....

Wendi is doing a pumpkin/banana mousse pie and chestnut bars for dessert

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## andynap

It's the spices that make it smell like pumpkin pie not the base. Some of my relatives would die if I gave them curry. I have to walk a middle ground here.

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## MIke R

yeah I hear ya....if not curry you re probably going with cinnamon, allspice, cloves etc???..too close  to the pie for sure

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## andynap

yep

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## andynap

Don't do this tho

Flying turkey

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## MIke R

I have a friend who does  it that way....the turkey does come out good.... but I still prefer the traditional way because than you get can  great stuffing as well...I own one of those turkey fryers but they work much better as a way of  doing a massive seafood boil with lobsters and clams and corn etc

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## Jeanette

> It's the spices that make it smell like pumpkin pie not the base. Some of my relatives would die if I gave them curry. I have to walk a middle ground here.



I had my ex's family from Italy over for dinner a few years ago and I decided to make a wonderful Caribbean-themed dinner using the Sugar Mill cookbook I bought on Tortola.  None of the men would touch any food that was orange including a yam dish or even the plantains because they could not relate it to a comparable good in Italy.  The women tried everything and loved it.

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## Jeanette

> Kara in the Chicago Tribune



Congratulations, Kara.  I still have visions of a visit to Still River Cafe dancing in my head...

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## andynap

So Phyllis came home tonite with a bag of Key Limes- guess what's for dessert on Turkey day??? Phyllis will do the crust and I'll do the rest.

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## MIke R

thats a good idea too!

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## JEK

More on sides for T'Giving

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## GramChop

> So Phyllis came home tonite with a bag of Key Limes- guess what's for dessert on Turkey day??? Phyllis will do the crust and I'll do the rest.



i'm sure i'm the last person you'd be interested in sharing your recipe with, but i'd be eternally grateful if you would, svp!!!

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## MIke R

if not him..we do key lime pie all the time here..its very easy...a  monkey can do it...I'll share

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## andynap

Missy- I hold no grudge- 

Key Lime Pie

For the graham cracker crumb crust:

1 package graham crackers (11 double crackers, about 4 7/8 by 2 3/8 inches) 2 tablespoons sugar 

5 tablespoons butter, melted

For the filling and assembly:

4 eggs (at room temperature), separated and divided 


1 1/4 cups (one 14-ounce can) sweetened condensed milk 

3/4 cup fresh key lime juice

1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated key lime zest

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar 

1/2 cup sugar, preferably superfine 

2 tablespoons water 

1 tablespoon powdered sugar (optional)

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. To make the crust by hand, place the crackers in a freezer bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into fine crumbs. In a medium bowl, combine the crumbs and sugar and toss with a fork to blend. Stir in the melted butter and toss to incorporate it. (To make the crust using a food processor, process the crackers with the sugar until the crackers become fine crumbs, about 20 seconds. Add the melted butter and pulse just until incorporated, about 10 times.)

3. Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, press the mixture into the bottom of the pie pan and partway up the sides. To keep the crumbs from sticking to your fingers, it helps to place a piece of plastic wrap over the crumbs and press them through the wrap. Then switch to a flat-bottomed, straight-sided measuring cup or glass to smooth the crumbs over the bottom and all the way up the sides. Be sure to press the bottom thoroughly so that the crumbs are evenly distributed. Place the crust in the oven and bake just to set the crust (the crust will color just slightly), about 6 minutes.

4. In a medium mixing bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks with the sweetened condensed milk. Gradually beat in the lime juice. (It will cause the mixture to thicken.) Beat in the zest and set aside.

5. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised slowly. Set aside.

6. In a small, heavy saucepan, stir together the sugar and water until the sugar is completely moistened. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup begins to bubble. Stop stirring, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and continue cooking until a thermometer inserted reads 236 degrees. Immediately remove from the heat.

7. With the mixer running at low speed, gently pour the syrup in a slow, steady stream over the whites until the syrup is incorporated. Continue beating on high speed until the outside of the bowl is no longer uncomfortably hot to touch, about 2 minutes.

8. Remove a scant 2 cups of the meringue and cover the remainder with plastic wrap. Set it aside.

9. Gently fold the scant 2 cups of meringue into the lime mixture and pour it into the crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes (to set the filling more firmly). Remove the pie from the oven and spread the remaining meringue on top of the filling, starting from the outside edge of the crust, covering the crust and working toward the center of the pie. If desired, for extra crunch, dust the meringue with optional powdered sugar.

10. Return the pie to the oven for 5 additional minutes. Then turn the oven to broil and brown the meringue for 20 seconds to 1 minute, watching to prevent burning, until the meringue is golden. Cool in a place away from drafts for at least 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. (The pie can be cut after 2 hours, but the slices hold their shape better after 4 hours.) Cut with a wet, thin-bladed knife. Store uncovered, refrigerated, up to 3 days.

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## GramChop

grazie molto!

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## MIke R

*The Menu is set:*


*
Appetizers*

* Lobster.Artichoke warm dip with garlic crostini
* Teryaki Skewered Grilled Sea Scallops
* Cheese and Cracker Plate 
( Vermont Cheddar, Brie, Gruyere )
* Olive Platter
* Champagne and Chambord Cocktails ( beer for me )

*Dinner:*

* Free Range Organic Locally Farmed Turkey with a roasted chestnut/brandied apple stuffing

* Giblet Gravy

* Butternut Squash/Buttercup Squash/Sweet Potato  casserole with a Panko/crumbled Sage Sausage/Pecan crust 

* Fresh Stringbean Almondine with sauteed ****ake Mushrooms, Pancetta , and roasted Cloves of Garlic

* Grilled Asparagus brushed with garlic lemon  butter

* Ginger/Cranberry/Apricot Chutney

* Cranberry/Orange Relish

* Cranberry Nut Bread



*Dessert:*

* Hazlenut Chocolate Tort

* Banana Pumpkin Mousse Pie 

* Chestnut Bars

* Assorted  Firsts Batch Christmas cookies

* Coffee 
* Hot Chocolate with Peppermint Schnapps
* Hot Mulled Apple Cider with Rum, Tuaca, and Gran Marnier


Assorted MBolo Rhums,  Cognacs, Brandy etc



only thing left to do is get to work on it all.....fun fun fun!

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## GramChop

OMG.....that sounds divine, mike!

speaking of m'bolo rhums....i wish ours had made it home with us...it somehow mysteriously disappeared at colony club!

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## MIke R

karma Missy....karma...

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## GramChop

yep!

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## andynap

Mine too- 


*Hor d'orves*

Roasted Peppers w/ anchovies and a garlic dill sauce with melbas

Hummus Tahini and Pita Bread

Wine- to be determined- my brother-in-law who teaches a wine course at a local college- brings it- always a white and a red 
*
Dinner*

Butternut Squash Soup
Endive/Goat cheese/Candied Walnut salad

Fresh Organic Brined Turkey
Bread and dried Canberry Stuffing
Giblet Gravy

Warm Beets with sherry vinigarette- from my garden
Carrots Vichy- from my garden
Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges with Aioli Sauce

Homemade Cibatta bread

Mia's Playground Pinot Noir 

*Dessert*


Key Lime Pie
Roasted Chestnuts
Grapes

Coffee
English Breakfast Tea

Cognac
Vanilla Rum
Grappa

Bed

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## MIke R

sounds amazing Andy....


* singing* its the most wonderful time....of the year...

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## andynap

Key Lime Pie right ojut of the oven

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## Grey

That looks delicious. Do you mind saving us a slice? :)

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## andynap

I wish I could- it's gone. I couldn't even sneak a piece for tomorrow.

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## MIke R

I'm still full...I'm slightly hungover..

and now I have to go do Black Friday...



UGH.....



but the meal was really good...very pleased with how everything came out....

in addition to the items I listed on the menu....we added a baked brie...to the brie we put a thin layer of chestnut puree and finely chopped pecans and walnuts....to die for..which I probably would if I checked my cholesterol today...

hope everyone had a great day!

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## andynap

Everything was great here too but I started at 7 and went to bed at 11:30. My son keeps asking us to come to his place but he had 18 and 6 more is pushing a bit. I am getting too old for this tho.

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