Ramona’s Pumpkin Fudge

 

I got this recipe from a friend who used the word “Divine” to describe this fudge. Since I was looking for something different to do with pumpkin I decided to give it a try. It is definitely a rich and decadent candy. A little goes a long way – still, I ate more than a little.

I made it two different ways – vanilla and chocolate - and I decided that both were worthy to take to a gathering. Since several people requested the recipe, I have decided that I am not the only one who thinks this fudge is pretty tasty.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 C sugar
1/2 C canned pumpkin
2/3 C evaporated milk
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice*
1 (12oz) pkg vanilla or chocolate chips
2 C mini marshmallows
1-1/4 tsp vanilla
chopped nuts if desired

Directions:

Line an 8 X 8 pan with foil, letting the foil hang over the sides of the pan. (I don’t have a square pan, so I just use a round cake pan.) Spray the foil with non stick spray.

It’s a good idea to have the chips, marshmallows and vanilla measured out and ready to add at the end of the cooking time.

In a heavy pan, combine the sugar, pumpkin, evaporated milk, butter, salt and pie spice. Stirring constantly over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for 12 minutes while continuing to stir. This is a lot of stirring, but it’s important or else the mixture will burn and be ruined. It should look like a thick caramel sauce. I have many ideas for how I could use just this pumpkin caramel.

Remove sauce from heat and stir in chocolate or vanilla chips, marshmallows and vanilla  until smooth. Poor into the foil lined pan. Cover and refrigerate until set.

* I mixed up my own pumpkin pie spice using: 1-1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground cloves and 1/2 tsp ginger. It’s more than you’ll need, but it’s good to have a little left for other holiday recipes.

Brined Turkey

Today we are getting ready to dunk the turkey. For the last 5 years, we have brined our turkey for Thanksgiving. I have never had a better turkey. Moist and flavorful. Some have asked us if it's too salty, but we have not noticed a huge difference. The only drawback is that you can't make homemade gravy from the drippings. So save the gibblets for gravy. This recipe is a mixture of several that Steve has perfected over the years.

Brine:

1 C Salt
1 C Brown Sugar

2 Oranges, quartered

2 Lemons, quartered

6 sprigs thyme

4 sprigs rosemary

You will also need some type of large container.

We use a 5 gallon bucket lined with a garbage bag.

To make the brining solution, dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons of cold water (we do this right in the bucket). Squeeze the juice from the oranges and lemons into the water, and then throw the rinds in too. Then add the thyme, and rosemary. If you have a big turkey and need more brine than this, use 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup brown sugar for every gallon of water. Let the turkey sit in this brine for about 24 hrs. in the fridge or some other cold place. We leave ours in the garage - don't let it freeze though!

We Stuff the turkey with:

1 orange slice
1 yellow onion, cut into big chunks

1 stalk celery, cut into large pieces

1 carrot, cut into large pieces

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs of thyme

1/2 bunch sage

3 sprigs parsley

We Season the turkey this way:

1/4 of an orange
Room temperature butter

Salt and pepper

Rub the orange all over the turkey.

Rub butter all over the turkey - even under the skin too.

Season w/ salt and pepper as desired.

This is how we Cook the turkey:

You will need about 2-3 cups of chicken stock.

Cook at 325 degrees. Cook the turkey upside down (breasts down) for the first hour. Flip it over after that. Baste the turkey ever 45 min or so w/ a 1/2 Cup of chicken stock. As the turkey gets brown, tent it w/ aluminum foil. It took our 12lb. turkey about 3 hrs to cook.

We have cooked this in a bag before, and that works great too - it takes less time.

Not your Campbell's Green Bean Casserole

I've always really liked green bean casserole--even the Campbell's version, and it is a staple at Thanksgiving dinners for us. This, however, is a fresher take on it--better flavor, less mushy. It is an Alton Brown recipe from Food Network. He fries his own onions, but I still use the French's. I guess I'm not ready to give up all my processed foods. But if you are feeling ambitious the instructions are here.

Green Bean Casserole

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1 pound fresh or frozen green beans cooked until barely tender in salted water
  
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (He calls for 12 oz, but it's easier to just throw in an 8 oz package of already sliced 'shrooms .)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1-1/3 cup french fried onions
  

Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook until mushrooms start to release their liquid, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and nutmeg and cook for a minute or two more. Sprinkle the mixture with flour, stir until mushrooms are coated, and cook for one minute. Add broth and simmer for a minute more. Reduce heat to medium low and add half and half. Cook until mixture thickens, about 6-8 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 of the onions and all of the green beans. Pour mixture into a casserole dish. Top with remaining onions. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 15 minutes. Serve immediately.