Prepare Butter-Basted Turkey or Marinated Baked Ham for the holidays

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Linda Hart’s Crazy Hart Ranch in Fellsmere produces pasture-raised poultry, including heritage-breed turkeys, using sustainable farming methods. She raises her animals humanely in a natural environment, and the result is a superior quality and taste. We have Linda’s Butter-Basted Turkey recipe for you along with her brine recipe.

Southern Living’s All-Time Favorites shares their recipe for Baked Ham with us. You marinate it overnight before baking.

From Paths of Sunshine, we have Elegant Crab Casserole. This is a ‘make-ahead and freeze’ recipe which comes just in time for the busy holiday times ahead.

Another Paths of Sunshine goodie is Savory Vegetable Casserole, a pleasing, hot dish. All the ingredients are frozen or in cans except the mushrooms, which could probably also be from a can if that is the only thing keeping you from running out to the store.

From Plains Pot Pourri, we find Mrs. Simmons’ Strawberry-Banana Salad that is beautiful, delicious and festive.

Barbara Hatch’s Athenian Layered Cheese Spread is a tasty spread for crackers or a vegetable plate. This recipe is from Feeding the Flock.

CRAZY HART RANCH’S BRINED AND HERB BUTTER-BASTED TURKEY

Recipe from Field to Feast

1 (14- to 15-pound) pasture-raised turkey, rinsed (giblets discarded)

1 cup coarse salt

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons black peppercorns

3 fresh or 2 dried bay leaves

6 whole sprigs fresh thyme

3 large sprigs fresh rosemary

2 gallons cool water

4 tablespoons unsalted organic butter

2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage

1 cup homemade or good-quality organic chicken stock

Place turkey in a large, deep stockpot or another large, lidded vessel that will hold it snugly. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, combine salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Lightly crush thyme and rosemary sprigs with your fingers, then add them to the mixture. Add water and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved.

Pour brine over turkey. If needed, add additional brine until turkey is completely covered. Refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, combine butter, dill, thyme, sage, and stock in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, until butter is melted. Remove from heat and set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove turkey from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Dry well with paper towels and place in a lightly oiled roasting pan.

Roast uncovered, for 30 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and continue roasting turkey for 2-1/2 hours or until an instant-read thermometer registers 161 degrees Fahrenheit when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh.

During the last hour of roasting, baste turkey with butter-broth mixture every 15 minutes.

Let turkey rest for 15 minutes before carving. Drizzle remaining butter-broth mixture over turkey before serving, if desired.

NOTE: Brining is one of the oldest methods of flavoring foods. The brine seasons meat and poultry right down to the bone and keeps it moist when cooking. If you find you need more brine, use 1/2 cup coarse salt and 1/4 cup brown sugar for every gallon of water.

MARINATED BAKED HAM

Recipe from Southern Living

All-Time Favorites

1 (7 to 8-pound) fully cooked ham half

2 cups orange juice

2 cups ginger ale

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup orange marmalade

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1. Place first 3 ingredients in a large plastic zip-top freezer bag. Seal bag; marinate the ham in refrigerator 8 hours, turning bag occasionally. 2. Remove ham from marinade, reserving marinade. Place ham, fat side up, in a shallow roasting pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake uncovered, at 325 degrees for 1-1/2 hours, basting often with marinade. 3. Remove ham from oven; reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Slice skin from ham; score fat in a diamond design. Combine brown sugar, marmalade, and mustard; spread over scored fat. Bake ham, uncovered 30 more minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before carving. Makes 16 servings.

 

ELEGANT CRAB CASSEROLE

Recipe from Florida Federation of

Garden Clubs Inc., Paths of Sunshine

1/4 cup green onion, chopped

1/4 cup celery, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup flour

2-2/3 cups milk

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons white wine

6 ounces extra sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

1 pound white lump crabmeat

1/2 (8 ounce) package corn meal stuffing mix

Saute onions, celery, salt, pepper and garlic powder in oil for three minutes. Blend in flour; add milk slowly making a thick white sauce. Add lemon juice and wine, blending well. Add grated cheese and crabmeat, keep over very low heat until cheese is thoroughly blended, being careful not to break up the lumps of crabmeat. Pour into a large casserole dish and top with stuffing mix. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Note: This recipe can be made ahead and frozen. Thaw before baking. Serves 8.

SAVORY VEGETABLE CASSEROLE

Recipe from Florida Federation of

Garden Clubs Inc., Paths of Sunshine

1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced lengthwise

One small onion, grated

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

3 cups milk

3/4 pound sharp cheese

1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 (9-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts

1 (9-ounce) package frozen green beans, French style

1 (10-ounce) package frozen lima beans

1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts sliced lengthwise into thirds

1 (3-1/2-ounce) can French fried onion rings crumbled

Cook mushrooms and small onion in butter for about five minutes. Add flour, salt and white pepper. Stir thoroughly to blend the seasonings with mushrooms and onion. Stir in milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth. Add cheese, hot pepper sauce and soy sauce. Stir until cheese is melted. Meanwhile, prepare the frozen vegetables as directed. Blend vegetables into cheese mixture. Add water chestnuts, mixing lightly to avoid mashing vegetables. Turn mixture into a buttered 2-quart casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Sprinkle crumbled onion rings atop and bake 10 more minutes.

MRS. GLORIA SIMMONS’

STRAWBERRY-BANANA SALAD

Recipe from Food Favorites of Plains, Georgia Plains Pot Pourri

3 3-ounce packages strawberry-flavored gelatin

1 cup boiling water

1 10-ounce package frozen strawberries, thawed and undrained

1 15-1/4 ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained

3 bananas, sliced

2 cups sour cream, divided

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in fruit. Pour half of mixture into 8-inch dish and refrigerate until firm, then at room temperature. Spread 1 cup sour cream over the congealed gelatin. Spoon remaining gelatin over sour cream and refrigerate until firm. Top gelatin with remaining sour cream, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with pecans. Yield 8 to 10 servings.

BARBARA HATCH’S

ATHENIAN LAYERED

CHEESE SPREAD

Recipe from New Vision Community Church’s Feeding the Flock

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

2 4-ounce package crumbled feta cheese

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained

1 7-ounce jar sweet roasted red peppers, drained and patted dry

1/3 cup whole natural almonds, chopped and toasted

Combine cream cheese and feta cheese in mixing bowl. Press garlic over cheese mixture using garlic press; mix well. Stir in spinach. Chop red peppers using a food chopper. Line small bowl with plastic wrap; divide cheese mixture in half. Press half of cheese mixture into small bowl; top with red peppers. Spread remaining cheese mixture over red peppers. Cover; refrigerate several hours to allow flavors to blend. To serve, invert bowl onto serving plate. Remove plastic wrap. Chop almonds with food chopper; press onto top of molded cheese. Serve with toasted “Canape” French bread or assorted crackers.