Recipes

Tips for Cooking the Turkey & Roasting Times Chart

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Tips for cooking a Perfect Turkey with Safe handling instructions.

1. Set the oven temperature to 325 °F.

2. Make sure the turkey is completely thawed. Roasting times are based on fresh or completely thawed turkeys.

3. Place turkey breast-side up on a flat wire rack in a shallow roasting pan.  If pan does not have a rack, make a sturdy 2-piece “lifter” from heavy duty reynolds wrap, long enough to safely lift the turkey from the pan once it has cooled.

4. For shorter cooking times,  cook stuffing in a casserole. Mix ingredients just before stuffing a turkey and stuff loosely.

5. For food safety and test for doneness, the internal temperature should be checked with a meat thermometer. Temperature must reach 180 °F in the thigh of a turkey (center of the stuffing should reach 165 °F)

6. Juices should run clear. In the absence of a meat thermometer, pierce an unstuffed turkey with a fork in several places - the juices should be clear with no trace of pink.

7. Let the turkey stand 20 minutes before removing stuffing.  Let stand another 10 minutes before carving.

APPROXIMATE COOKING TIMES

UNSTUFFED

  • 4 to 6 lb breast…..1 1/2 to 2 1/4 hrs
  • 6 to 8 lb breast…2 1/4 to 3 1/4 hrs
  • 8 to 12 lbs…………….2 3/4 to 3 hrs
  • 12 to 14 lbs…………..3 to 3 3/4 hrs
  • 14 to 18 lbs……..3 3/4 to 4 1/4 hrs
  • 18 to 20 lbs……..4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hrs
  • 20 to 24 lbs…………..4 1/2 to 5 hrs

STUFFED

Yummy Pumpkin Bread for Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner

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The first time I tried Pumpkin bread was when a neighbor of mine, from South Carolina, made it for Thanksgiving.  My family fell in love with this moist, delicious bread.  Having grown up in the North, I had not even heard of it or imagined anyone using pumpkin for making bread.  but ever since then, we have had pumpkin bread at Thanksgiving and it is always a favorite with company.  And ... it's easy to make!

Ingredients:

2/3 cup Oil

2/3 cup Brown Sugar

4 Eggs

1 lb. (2 cups) Canned Pumpkin

2/3 cup Water

Cream above ingredients and set aside while mixing remaining ingredients.

3 1/3 cups Flour

2 tsp Baking Soda

1 1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Cloves

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1/2 tsp Ginger

Optional add-ins - (which I myself don't use)

2/3 cup chopped nuts

2/3 cup raisins

Mix all ingredients together well and then pour into greased/floured pans.  Bake at 350 degrees.

2 loaf pans - 70 minutes or until done

Muffins - approx 30 minutes

 

Kid Friendly Smoothie Recipes Perfect for A Summer Treat

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Smoothies are a great way to get some extra fruit and calcium into your kids and they love to help make them.  Even though these are a great tasting Summer treat you can also make these year round for snacktime or a last minute dessert.

Smoothies are really easy to make and all you need is a blender and a few ingredients.  Use whatever fruit you have available and add a little milk, some yogurt and some ice cubes.   It really is simple.  And you can vary flavors and experiment with fruits you happen to have on hand.  You know how kids love to experiment anyway, so they might come up with a favorite flavor all by themselves.  Be sure to let them make some choices.  For all recipes, just add ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth.  Add extra milk or juice for a thinner smoothie, yogurt for a thicker smoothie.  You can also add a little honey or vanilla to increase flavor if needed.

Great Smoothie Recipes

Tropical Smoothie

  • 1 cup Orange Slices
  • 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
  • 1/4 cup Pineapple
  • 1/4 cup Milk
  • 1 cup Yogurt

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

  • 1 cup Strawberries
  • 2 cups Orange Juice
  • 1 Banana, cut up
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • 1 Tsp Honey

Peach Mango Smoothie

  • 1 Peach
  • 1/2 cup Mango
  • 1 cup Yogurt
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • 1/4 cup Crushed Ice

Blueberry Pineapple Smoothie

  • 1/2 cup Frozen Blueberries
  • 1/4 cup Pineapple
  • 1 cup Yogurt
  • 1/4 cup Milk
  • 1/4 cup Crushed Ice

Banana Smoothie

Fast and Easy, Kid-Friendly Dinner Recipe- Black Bean an Salsa Soup

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Black Bean and Salsa Soup
Are you looking for a fast meal to make tonight? This Black Bean and Salsa Soup is a favorite in my house!. My 2, 4, and 6 year olds all love this soup!
Make this dinner and it will fast become a Kid Favorite Dinner at your house! You can make this Soup in less than 10 minutes and it only requires 2 main ingredients! Here's What You Need:

How to Get Your Kids and Family to Eat Healthy Foods

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Fresh Frozen Berries-Healthy snack for kids

It is no secret that the world is facing a food epidemic. There are more overweight and obese children and adults than ever before. But beyond that, there are so many other concerns that are tied into the food epidemic that need to be addressed and every one of us is responsible to ourselves and our families to understand better what we are putting into our mouths and work on putting the right foods into our bodies. I hear parents complain all of the time, “my child will not eat this veggie or that fruit,” or “my child is so picky, she will only eat a few foods.” I think those comments are just ways to get out of making food an important part of our lives. I have 3 young children and I know that it does take work to keep my kids trying new foods and embracing healthy choices but with a little knowledge, the right groceries and the right dialogue we can eat healthier and our kids will grow up making healthier choices for themselves. I believe everyone needs to eat better, no matter your age, and that the younger we start serving our kids healthy food and talking about the importance of healthy food the easier and healthier it is for our kids. Here are my recommendations for getting your family to eat healthy. 1. Understand why you need to eat vegetables, fruits, healthy protein, grains, etc… 2. Start thinking about food from the right perspective. I am eating these veggies or fruit, because it fuels my body, it strengthens my body; it helps my body work well and helps my brain function and makes me smarter. 3. Start talking out loud, to your family, about the benefits of a healthy snack or healthy vegetable or meal. All day long in my house we talk about and use these words to describe foods: "It is healthy, it is good for your body, it helps you grow big and strong, it helps you see better, have energy, etc." 4. Limit the Amount of Fast Food or Prepared Meals 4.

Kale, White Bean and Tomato Soup- Healthy, Low-fat and Delicious Soup

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Are you looking for a tasty, healthy meal that is filling and low in calories? This soup is perfect for lunch or dinner. Whether you want a healthy option or you are dieting, this soup fits the bill. Even my kids eat this soup!

Ingredients:

1 tsp Olive Oil

1-2 Minced Garlic Cloves

32 oz Chicken Broth (for vegetarian use vegetable broth) 

1 Cup Water 4 Cups Diced Kale (remove stems)

1 15oz Can Diced Tomatoes- Drained

1 15 oz Cans White Cannelloni Beans (or other white beans) in liquid

1/4 tsp Salt 

1/2 tsp Pepper

1/2 tsp Oregano

1/2 tsp Basil 

Put Olive Oil in pot. Add minced garlic and saute lightly over medium heat. Add Broth, Water, Kale, and Tomatoes to pot. Add spices and stir. Simmer over Medium Heat until Kale is cooked (approx. 45 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add Beans and cook over Medium low heat for an additional 15-30 minutes.

This is a great soup to make the night before and bring to work or serve for dinner the next evening. It tastes even better the next day. Serve soup in bowls with a whole wheat baguette. For a little added flavor, sprinkle low-fat shredded cheese on top of soup. Enjoy this Flavorful, Healthy Soup! Bon Appetite!

Make Valentine Heart Brownies with the Kids

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Looking for a fun food to make for Valentine's Day? Something you can make with the Kids? Well, make our easy Valentine brownies, which are also perfect if you have classroom party duty for Valentine's Day.

This is a super easy treat to make from a boxed brownie mix. Add some red cherry licorice strings ... and wallah!

What you need:

Chewy-style Brownie mix (plus eggs/water/oil)

Red Licorice twists

Cookie baking sheet with a lip

Heart-shaped cookie cutter

Mix brownie batter and then spread onto greased cookie sheet. Try to spread evenly. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, but you may have to check sooner, depending on your oven. You want the brownies baked but not dried out.

Let the brownies cool and then remove (slice away) the last three inches of the brownie. This will give you room to maneuver and whoever is helping to make the valentine brownies will be delighted to get first taste!

Using a thin spatula, slide spatula under the area of brownie section you will work on first, just to make sure your brownies won't be sticking to the cookie sheet. Press cookie cutter into loosened area and remove heart-shaped brownie. Continue in this manner until all hearts are done.

Using a toothpick, gently make a hole through the heart and then slide a string of licorice through. Tie and then trim. For other hearts, cut lengths of licorice to form hearts on top of the brownie. Since brownies are soft, you can press the licorice in a little ways. This is a fun treat for kids and adults for Valentine's Day. Experiment with decorating and let us see your finished brownies.

Turkey Cranberry White Bean Soup- Perfect Fall Meal or After Thanksgiving Soup

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Need a great new soup recipe? Well this one is perfect for Fall and Winter. The best time to try it out is after Thanksgiving when you are left with a little turkey, a little cranberry sauce, and other odds and ends. This Soup is easy, takes less than 30 minutes to make and cook.

Even my kids LOVE this SOUP! It is truly light, refreshing, yet hearty all at the same time. It is a new twist and step up on a traditional turkey or chicken soup. Yum!

To make the Turkey Cranberry White Bean Soup with a hint of Orange you will need:

Ingredients:

1 tsp Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves-minced
1/4 White Onion-diced
64 oz Chicken Broth or Turkey
2 Cups Cooked Turkey Meat

(can be more or less)
1 cup Water
1 can Cranberry Sauce diced (less if fine)
1 can White Beans with Liquid (Nothern Beans)
1/2 tsp. Basil
1/2 tsp. Coariander
1/2 tsp. Poultry or Stuffing Seasoning or Sage
1/4 tsp. Oregano
1/4 tsp. Thyme
1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
Pepper to Taste
1/4 tsp Juice of Orange or 1/8 Orange Juice (optional)-adds a hint of citrus- think Heffenweizer with an Orange)

In a Large Stock Pot add 1 tsp Olive Oil over Medium Heat. Add garlic and onions and cook until soft (approx. 5-10 min). Add turkey broth,water, and diced turkey, and all seasonings. Then add beans and cranberry sauce and juice of orange (optional). Let simmer on Med-Low Heat until ready to serve. Or make the night ahead and reheat the next day once flavors have time to marry.

Serve warm with crusty bread! Enjoy!

For Vegetarians: Make this soup but replace broth with Vegetable Broth and Turkey with Crumbled Tofu- it is Amazing!

Quick, Healthy Dinner Your Kids will Love-Salmon Cakes with a Salad or Vegetable

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I have several ways I cook Salmon and a few recipes I work with when I am serving Salmon. The first way I love to use Salmon is to make Homemade Salmon Cakes with a Spicy Honey Mustard Sauce. Salmon Cakes are a favorite in my house and friends request I make these for them. They are much tastier (and different) from crab cakes, which I do enjoy.

Ingredients for Homemade Salmon Cakes

8 oz of cooked Salmon (cook it, or use leftovers or from a can/pouch)

½ cup breadcrumbs

1 egg

¼ cup of Reduced Fat Mayonnaise

¼ tsp thyme

¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper

¼ tsp Oregano

¼ tsp Basil

Sprinkle of Salt and Pepper

1 tsp of lemon juice

1 Tbs Olive Oil or Butter

Ingredients for the Spicy Honey Mustard Sauce

½ cup reduced fat Sour Cream (or regular)

¼ cup Honey Mustard Dip/Dressing (I use Ken's)

1-2 tsp of hot sauce (like Texas Pete) or you could try 1 tsp of horseradish or cayenne pepper instead which will work

1-2 Tbs of Brown Sugar

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Time to make: 25 minutes. 10 to prepare cakes, 5-10 to cook, and 5 to prepare the sauce

Easy Dinner Ideas Your Kids will Love- Serve Your Kids Healthy Whole Wheat Pizza

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If you are like most families-you love having pizza but often take out pizza or frozen pizza is high in fat and made with white flour.  Our food correspondant, Krisitn wants to share a healthier whole wheat white pizza with you.  Another recipe I love to make and have given it my own twist is my version of a White Pizza. It is called White Basil Pizza on Whole Wheat Crust and it is a wonderful pizza that is perfect for an appetizer or for dinner when paired with a small salad or soup. You can also serve the pizza with a side of marina sauce for dipping the bites of the pizza.  By adding the marinara you are adding the healthy nutrients of tomatoes, like Lycopene to your meal.

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