BEST GIBLET GRAVY AND MERRY HO HO EVER!

"I'm going to post my Scrambled Egg Casserole and Pumpkin Pancake recipes this week," I told my daughter.
"Mom, what I really need is a Giblet Gravy recipe. Please pray for me, I'm making my first Thanksgiving turkey. Ben is going to try to order a turkey from the butcher. They don't carry them in the grocery store. Pray his Hungarian translates into what we need. We need a cranberry sauce recipe too. You can't buy the canned stuff, but we can buy fresh cranberries at the specialty store," Megan explained.
"But what about my brunch recipes?" I asked.
"I already have those, so they can wait," she laughed. So for my kids in Hungary here are those recipes. 

GIBLET GRAVY

1/4 cup fat from turkey drippings

Vegetable oil

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups liquid (turkey juices, canned chicken broth or water)

Browning sauce, if desired

Salt and pepper, as needed

1. Pan and drippings will be hot, so be careful when handling. Pour drippings (turkey juices and fat) from roasting pan into a glass measuring cup, leaving the brown particles in the pan. With a spoon, skim fat from drippings. Return 1/4 cup of the fat to the roasting pan. (If there isn't enough fat, add oil to measure 1/4 cup.) Measuring accurately is important because too little fat makes the gravy lumpy and too much fat makes the gravy greasy.

2. Stir the flour into the fat in the pan, using a wire whisk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove the pan from the heat.

3. Add enough chicken broth or water to remaining drippings to measure 2 cups. Stir into pan. Heat to boiling over high heat, stirring constantly, Continue boiling 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in a few drops of browning sauce for a richer deeper color. Taste the gravy, and add salt and pepper, if desired.

It is difficult to find canned chicken stock in Hungary, so I started with a rotisserie chicken.
I left plenty of meat on the carcass when I de-boned it. Place in a pot and covered it with water.

This is a great time to clean out the vegetable drawer. Cut up celery and onion
 (and any other vegetable that needs a new zip code) and throw it in with the chicken.
This chicken already had some lovely spices on it, but I did add about a teaspoon of
poultry seasoning. Cover and simmer until the meat falls off the bone.

I let the broth cool overnight and then skimmed the fat off the top.

I didn't have quite enough fat, so I added coconut oil.
(any vegetable oil will do)

I strained the broth until I had 2 cups.
The rest I used in chicken and dumplings.

Stir flour into heated oil to make a roux.

Stir constantly until it browns.

Browning gives it additional flavor.

I heat my broth in the microwave and add it slowly
to the roux so my gravy is smooth and not lumpy.

Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper if needed.

So where are the giblets (heart, gizzard, liver and neck)? You can make your stock using giblets. Strain the stock for the gravy. Chop the giblets up and add them back to the gravy at the end. I never put liver in my gravy because so few people like it. I do use the gizzards, heart, and neck meat, but you can serve it without any of those pieces and call it Turkey Gravy. I like to make my gravy the day before and warm it up before serving. It's just one less thing to stress about on an already busy day.

For Ben my favorite son-in-love in Hungary, my cranberry relish. We call it Merry HoHo! I make a double batch at Thanksgiving, seal it in jars and eat it with Christmas Ham too!

MERRY HO HO!

2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen, 1 12oz bag is enough)

2 fresh oranges, (ends & seeds removed)

2 apples, cored (I like the tartness of Granny Smiths)

1/2 to 1 cup sugar

1 cup chopped pecans (opt.)

Directions

1. Slice unpeeled oranges and apples into eighths. Place half of the fruit in food processor or blender. Pulse until evenly chopped. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with remaining fruit. Stir in sugar to taste. Add pecans. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

Gather your ingredients. Toast your pecans, if desired
Three minutes in the microwave will be sufficient for 1 cup of pecans.

Pulse in food processor or blender.

My blender broke so I ended up using my
mini-chopper.

I just cut the fruit a little smaller and chopped in batches.

Place all the fruit in a bowl. Add sugar and pecans.

Mix together and you have Merry Ho Ho!

I like to put plan-overs in small jars and use it through out the
holiday season. Sometimes we fry turkeys for neighbors and friends.
 I like to send a little Merry Ho Ho when we deliver their turkey.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, YA'LL!

ITALIAN CHEESECAKE!

This slice of cheesecake has been thawed out
after two months in the freezer. I threw berries
on top and made my husband a very happy man!

Cheesecake--creamy, comforting cheesecake! I rarely share this recipe, but now it's yours. Easy to make, cheesecake keeps well in the refrigerator or slice it into serving portions and freeze. Thawed with fresh berries, or a drizzle of chocolate, it is an impressive last minute dessert.
Italian Cheesecake is lighter and higher then New York cheesecake. I once used a cheesecake for the Groom's Cake at a small wedding. A coordinating ribbon around the base and a fresh floral topper made it an elegant addition to the cake table. 
I adapted a recipe which called for a teaspoon of lemon extract. I prefer a half-teaspoon of almond extract. It compliments the flavor of the berries. Use whatever flips your skirt up! 
Here's the recipe:



ITALIAN CHEESECAKE

12-15 Servings                                     Preheat oven to 325^o

1 pound ricotta cheese                      3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 pound cream cheese                       3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 ½ cups granulated sugar`               ½ cup butter, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla               `             2 cups dairy sour cream

1/2 teaspoon almond extract             Graham cracker crumbs

              Grease 9-inch springform pan and sprinkle generously with graham cracker crumbs.

             In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, cream ricotta cheese and cream cheese.  Add sugar, eggs, vanilla and almond extract; Mix well. Add flour and cornstarch, then add melted butter. Fold in sour cream. Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan.

                Bake in a preheated 325^o oven for 1 hour. Turn off heat and leave cake in oven for 2 hours. Do not open the oven door for 3 hours after the cake is placed in the oven. This is the most important step of the recipe.

                After 3 hours, remove cheesecake from oven and cool completely. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve or freeze until needed. 

Gather your ingredients

Butter springform pan 

Cover bottom with graham cracker crumbs. Press firmly.

 In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer,
 cream ricotta cheese and cream cheese.  

Add sugar, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract; Mix well.

 Add flour and cornstarch, 

then add melted butter. 

Fold in sour cream.

POUR INTO PREPARED PAN

 Bake in a preheated 325^o oven for 1 hour. Turn off heat and leave cake in oven for 2 hours. Do not open the oven door for 3 hours after the cake is placed in the oven. This is the most important step of the recipe.

After 3 hours, remove cheesecake from oven and cool completely.

Wait until completely cooled to remove ring.Store in refrigerator until ready to serve or freeze until needed. 

This slice came right out of the freezer onto the plate, still creamy
and delicious. I serve chocolate, caramel, and raspberry sauces
on the side to insure each guest has as much or little as they desire.

Make your cheesecake this week and store it in the refrigerator until Thanksgiving or Christmas. It will be perfectly delicious and look like you slaved all day!

Ten Hostess Gifts for $10!!

My sweet daughter is increasing Gigi's fold of grandbabies to six in January. She asked me to write this post because she needs three hostess' gifts for her baby shower. I went to some of my favorite stores and came up with this list of gifts under $10. Tuesday Morning, Ross, T.J. Maxx, Home Goods and Burke's carry plenty of items in this price range. They can just as easily be used as stocking stuffers or as gifts to exchange at the office.

Knowing your host/hostess is the surefire way to chose an appropriate gift. Pay attention when you are with them. If they never wear perfume, don't give them a scented lotion or candle. They may have a sensitivity (no pun intended) to odors. If they don't drink, don't give them wine.

1. STATIONARY-- In this world of instant communication (texting), note cards are rarely used. I love to buy notepad sets which have a small pen included for myself. The pen ends up in my purse for "just-in-case"! 

2. BEVERAGES--Coffee or Tea Cup -- You can include their favorite tea or coffee. Or get a gift card and refillable cup from their favorite coffeehouse.

Sparkly?

Or Funny? I would use either one!

How cute is this! I just pinned it on Pinterest!

3. GOURMET FOODS  -- Most of us have more "stuff" than we need. If we can't eat it or drink it, we don't need it! 

 

Specialty salts and spices!

These sassy containers are begging for dip, nuts,
candy or cookies, When they are gone your
hostess still has a container for leftovers or lunch!

Buy or make a cheese ball. Wrap it up with
a cute spreader. Perfect!

4. PET TREATS--Do they love their fur babies? Check out their Facebook page. If they've share more pictures of their pets than their spouse, this is the way to go! (Tip: Keep a lint roller in the car when you visit.)

Obsessed with this pillow! My dogs would be all over it!

I'm giving this to a (currently) close friend.
Let's just say her cat is less than friendly. The status
of our friendship may change based on the above.

We all love a cute sweater on these cold days!

5. PICTURE FRAME-- Do  you have a picture of a special time shared with your hostess? Print and pop it in. If they aren't that crazy about you, they can always change it!

6. BAKED GOODS--This year my neighbors are getting a loaf of my Honey Wheat Bread and a pint of yummy Pecan Honey! My recipe makes four loaves of bread in two hours--start to finish. I picked up the honey from Gilbert Pecan Company. You could buy your favorite jam or just give them the bread. I promise their low-carb diet will go out the window until the bread is consumed!

7. CANDY-- My father-in-law always kept a candy dish of Tootsie Rolls next to his recliner. My children headed straight for Grandpa/the candy dish when they arrived.They loved it and so did he! The dish and the tradition has been passed down to the next generation.

8. FLOWERS-- How can you go wrong with this standard? I took a Thanksgiving bowl to our local Kroger. Sherry made up this gorgeous arrangement for my dinner table. Shout-out to Kroger, the largest floral company in the world. They have helped me with many weddings, bridal showers and other events. Always reasonable! Always helpful! Thank you, Sherry and Mary!

This particular arrangement was over $10, but your can buy
prearranged bouquets and put them in your own vases.

9. HOSTESS PLATE SET -- I've given so many of these little sets of plates that I've forgotten to whom I've given them. I use them every day for breakfast, lunch and snacks. Yes, they are glass, but my grandchildren use them too. It makes them feel special and I love to make them feel special. 

10. DEVOTIONAL OR INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE -- This brings us to my VERY FAVORITE gift. I buy ten at a time and have given them to all my friends. The words of this little 10-minute devotional changed my life. Who doesn't have 10 minutes to change their life? Leave it in the bathroom, I know you take your cell phone in there to check Facebook, read this first!! If you don't have one, it's because you saw me coming!

BECAUSE---

A little extra--

This season affords a huge selection of holiday gifts.
Each of these items are under $10.

Small tabletop games.

A great tin to leave by the door to collect what usually

 goes on the floor!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE APRONS!!!

Go forth and shop! Blessed are the givers of blessings!!!