Cranberry-Orange Roasted Turkey.

Cranberry-Orange Roasted Turkey. 

 Ingredients: 

• 3 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 14-pound turkey 
• 1 medium orange 
• 16-ounce can whole-berry cranberry sauce 
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce 
• 1/2 cup honey 
• 1/2 cup orange marmalade
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 4 springs fresh herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, parsley and sage 
• 2 medium yellow onions, cut into wedges 

Heat the oven to 325 degrees.

  In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, salt and pepper. 

  With your fingers, carefully loosen the skin from the turkey breast. Spread half of the garlic powder mixture under the skin. Sprinkle the outside of the turkey with the remaining mixture. 

  Juice the orange, reserving the rind. In a large bowl, combine the orange juice, cranberry sauce, teriyaki sauce, honey, marmalade and soy sauce. Pour 3 1/2 cups of the mixture into another bowl, cover and refrigerate. 

  Rub the remaining cranberry sauce mixture under the turkey's skin. Use toothpicks to secure the skin to the underside of the breast. Place herb springs and the reserved orange rind in the cavity of the turkey. 

  Coat a roasting pan with cooking spray, then add the onions. Place the turkey on top of the onions. Bake, uncovered, for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until an instant read thermometer inserted at the innermost part of the thigh (without touching bone) reaches between 165 degrees and 170 degrees. If the turkey browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil. 

  Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with foil and let stand for 15 minutes before carving. 

  In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the reserved cranberry sauce mixture to a simmer. Serve the warmed sauce alongside the turkey. 

Servings: 8 to 10.

Christmas Apricot Glazed Turkey.

Apricot Glazed Turkey .

Apricot Glaze:

• 1 cup apricot nectar
• 1 cup apricot preserves 
• 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger 
• 1 tablespoon honey

 Herb Butter:

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried 
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 1 tablespoon dried rubbed sage 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 

 Onion Mixture:

• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 3 large onions (about 2 pounds), thinly sliced 
• 6 ounces shallots (about 6 large), thinly sliced  

• 1 21- to 22-pound turkey
• 1 14 1/2-ounce can (or more) low-salt chicken broth 
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried 
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage or 1/4 teaspoon dried 

 Gravy:

• 1 14 1/2-ounce can (about) low-salt chicken broth 

For Glaze: Combine all ingredients in heavy small saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened and reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 15 minutes.

For Herb Butter: Blend all ingredients in small bowl. Set aside.

For Onion Mixture: Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and shallots and salt. From Bon Appetit.

Pecking Chicken.

Pecking Chicken.

Yield: 8 servings 

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup soy sauce - lite 
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar 
• 1/4 cup honey 
• 1 tbl grated peeled ginger root 
• 4 garlic cloves, minced 
• 2 lbs skinned, boned chicken breast halves 
• 1 tbl dark sesame oil, divided 
• 8 (8") flour tortillas - low fat 
• 1 cup sliced green onions 

Combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, ginger root, garlic cloves  in bowl; stir well. Reserve 1 cup hoisin mixture; set aside.

Cut chicken diagonally across grain in thin slices. Add chicken to remaining sauce mixture in bowl; stir well. Cover & marinate in fridge up to 8 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from bowl; discard marinade.

Coat nonstick skillet with cooking spray; add 1 1/2 tsp oil; place over med-hi heat till hot. Add half of chicken; cook 5 min or till done. Remove chicken from skillet; set aside. Repeat with remaining oil & chicken.

Warm tortillas according to pkg. Spread 2 tbl reserved hoisin mixture down center of each tortilla. Arrange 1/8 of chicken slices & 2 tbl green onions down center of each tortilla; roll up.

Could serve with your favorite fresh salad.

Roast Duck. Ideal for Christmas Day's.

Roast Duck. 

Ingredients:

• 1 Duck, about 5 pounds
• Six 1 by 3-inch strips orange zest
• 1 small onion, halved
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsulfured molasses
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly crushed
• 8 whole black peppercorns, lightly crushed
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed and peeled

  A day before roasting, remove the giblets and neck from the cavity of the bird and discard. If necessary pluck any stray pinfeathers off the duck with tweezers. Trim the neck flap and excess fat from around the cavity. Rinse and dry the bird well. Set the duck on a rack on a baking sheet, and refrigerate, uncovered, for 24 hours.

  Heat the oven to 300 degrees F. Pierce the duck's skin all over (including the back), every 1/2-inch, with a skewer or small knife. Season the cavity with salt and pepper and stuff with 3 strips of the orange zest and the onion. Set the duck on a rack in a roasting pan, and pour a cup of water in the pan. Roast the bird for 3 hours, removing the duck from the oven every hour to prick the skin again.

  Meanwhile, make the glaze: Combine the remaining orange zest, molasses, honey, coriander, pepper, orange juice, vinegar, and garlic in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring, over medium-high heat until warm. Remove glaze from the heat and set it aside at room temperature while the duck cooks.

 Remove the duck from the oven and carefully, pour off the excess fat from the pan. (If desired reserve this fat for frying potatoes or wilting greens.) Raise the oven temperature to 450 degree F. Return the duck to the oven and roast until crisp and brown, about 30 minutes more.

   Let the duck rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before carving. Brush the duck's skin with glaze 4 to 5 five times during the resting period. Carve the duck and transfer pieces to warm serving platter. Serve the remaining glaze at the table to drizzle over the duck, if desired.

  Made this for last Christmas Day and now it is my favorite dish. Recipe is simple, the duck was moist and the glaze is delicious. One note, for the next time I would double the amount of glaze. 

Honey Roasted Turkey.

Honey Roasted Turkey

 Servings: 8 to 10.

• 3 teaspoons garlic powder1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
• 14-pound turkey 
• 1 medium orange 
• 16-ounce can whole-berry cranberry sauce 
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce 
• 1/2 cup honey 
• 1/2 cup orange marmalade 
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce 
• 4 springs fresh herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, parsley and sage 
• 2 medium yellow onions, cut into wedges 

Heat the oven to 325 degrees.

  In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, salt and pepper. With your fingers, carefully loosen the skin from the turkey breast. Spread half of the garlic powder mixture under the skin. Sprinkle the outside of the turkey with the remaining mixture. 

  Juice the orange, reserving the rind. In a large bowl, combine the orange juice, cranberry sauce, teriyaki sauce, honey, marmalade and soy sauce. Pour 3 1/2 cups of the mixture into another bowl, cover and refrigerate. 

  Rub the remaining cranberry sauce mixture under the turkey's skin. Use toothpicks to secure the skin to the underside of the breast. Place herb springs and the reserved orange rind in the cavity of the turkey. 

Coat a roasting pan with cooking spray, then add the onions. Place the turkey on top of the onions. Bake, uncovered, for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until an instant read thermometer inserted at the innermost part of the thigh (without touching bone) reaches between 165 degrees and 170 degrees. If the turkey browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.

  Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with foil and let stand for 15 minutes before carving. 

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the reserved cranberry sauce mixture to a simmer. Serve the warmed sauce alongside the turkey.

Orange Muffins.

Orange Juice Muffins With Honey Spread.

These are great for a lunch box dessert or a quick breakfast!

Muffin Batter:

• 2 c. Original Bisquick
• 4 tbps. sugar, divided 
• 1 large egg  
• 1 tsp. grated orange zest 
• 2/3 c. orange juice 
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon 
• 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg 

 Honey Spread: 

• 6 tbsp. margarine or butter, softened
• 6 tbsp. honey 

  To make muffins: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottoms only of 12 medium muffin cups. 

In a nonreactive large bowl, mix together Bisquick, 2 tablespoons sugar, egg, orange zest and orange juice. Beat vigorously 30 seconds. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full. Mix remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of mixture over top of each muffin. Bake in center of oven 15 minutes or until firm and beginning to brown.

  To make spread: Beat softened margarine or butter with honey until light and fluffy. Serve muffins warm with Honey Spread or reheat muffins to serve with spread. Makes 12 muffins to serve with 1 tablespoon Honey Spread each.

  Per muffin with 1 tablespoon spread: 194 calories, 43 percent calories from fat, 9 grams total fat, 18 milligrams cholesterol, 2 grams saturated fat, 2 grams protein, 27 grams carbohydrates, .41 gram total fiber, 334 milligrams sodium.

Nut torte...yummy:-)

Chopped Nut Torte

• 10 egg whites
• 12 oz. ground or chopped nuts
• 1 lb. confectioner’s  sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey

   Filling

• 4 oz. sweet butter
• 4 oz. confectioner’s sugar
• 4 oz. toasted, ground almonds

  Beat the egg whites. Add the confectioner’s sugar and beat again. Mix together the nuts and the honey and add to the egg white mixture, beating well. Pour into two pans,  greased and sprinkled with bread crumbs and bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for one hour. Remove and cool.

  Mix together the butter and sugar. Add the almonds. Fill the cooled torte layers and ice as desired.