Easy Entertaining for Beginners

Makes 8 to 10 servings

1 turkey, about 12 pounds, defrosted

4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), softened to room temperature

2 tablespoons dried turkey seasoning (see Note)

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 can (14 ounces) chicken broth (soup aisle)

Gravy

4 cups water

2 medium carrots, each cut into 2 or 3 pieces

1 large onion, quartered

1 bay leaf

1 can (14 ounces) chicken broth

Reserved turkey neck and giblets

1/4 cup drippings from roasted turkey

1/2 cup white wine

3 tablespoons all-purpose unbleached flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Special Equipment

Instant-read thermometer

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Remove the giblets (heart, kidneys, and liver) from the turkey (they are usually packed in a bag in the neck cavity). Remove the neck from the opposite cavity inside the turkey. Reserve for the gravy. Rinse the turkey inside and out in cold water and pat dry. Starting at the neck cavity, loosen the skin from the breast and drumsticks by inserting a tablespoon, upside down, under the skin, gently pushing it between the skin and meat to separate the skin. In a small bowl, combine the butter, turkey seasoning, salt, pepper. Rub the mixture under the skin onto the breast meat and both drumsticks.

Place the turkey, breast side up, in a shallow roasting pan. Pour the broth over the turkey. Place in the oven and turn the oven temperature down to 325 degrees F. Roast for about 2-2 ½ hours.

While the turkey is roasting, make the stock for the gravy. Combine the water, carrots, onion, bay leaf, chicken broth, and neck and giblets in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook until reduced to 2 1/2 cups. This will take 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Using a sieve, strain the stock into a medium bowl and discard the solids. Reserve stock for gravy.

After the turkey has roasted for 2 hours, place the instant-read thermometer in the meaty part of the thigh, making sure not to touch the bone. The turkey is done when the thermometer reads 175 to 180 degrees F. If it hasn’t reached this temperature, roast it for 15 minutes more and check again. Repeat until the thermometer indicates that the turkey is done. If the skin is becoming too browned, you can tent the turkey with a piece of aluminum foil until it is finished roasting.

Take the turkey out of the oven and put it on a heatproof surface. Remove 1/4 cup of the turkey drippings from the bottom of the pan, cover the turkey with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes before you carve it.

To make the gravy, while the turkey is resting, combine the flour and turkey drippings in a bowl and stir with a whisk until smooth. Whisk drippings/flour mixture into the wine in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce and simmer for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the 2 1/2 cups of strained stock, salt, and pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. You should have perfectly lump-free gravy.

To carve the turkey, cut through the skin between the drumstick and the body. Pull the leg outward to locate the joint at the body and cut through the joint to remove the leg. This includes the thigh and the drumstick. Remove the other leg and both wings in the same way. Cut between the joint to separate the thigh and drumstick. Slice the meat off the thigh and drumstick and put it on a platter. Insert the carving fork to steady the turkey and slice the breast into thin slices, cutting parallel to the rib cage. Continue on both sides until you have enough turkey carved to serve.

Pour the gravy into a gravy boat or bowl and serve with the turkey.

Notes: The spice section of most grocery stores has prepared turkey seasoning, or you can mix together 2 teaspoons each of dried sage, dried thyme, and dried marjoram.

For ease, in this recipe the turkey is not stuffed. The stuffing is baked separately in a casserole dish. If you wish to stuff your turkey, lightly spoon the stuffing into the cavity and be aware that your turkey will take a longer to roast.

(Serves 4- 6)

Meat from 1 precooked rotisserie chicken (available at most grocery stores), skinned, boned and shredded
1 cup seedless grapes, washed, dried and cut in half
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup finely chopped celery (about 2 stalks)
1 cup mayonnaise
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon good quality curry powder (optional)
6 red lettuce leaves, washed and dried
6 large tortillas

To make the chicken salad, in a medium bowl, mix together the shredded chicken, grape halves, walnuts, celery, mayonnaise and curry powder. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble, place lettuce leaf in the middle of each tortilla and spoon chicken salad down a line in the center. Wrap each side of tortilla in about 2 inches to close the ends and roll the tortilla wrap tightly. Cut in half and wrap in a paper towel and put in a zipper-lock bag. Transport in a cooler with ice to your location.

Tip: You line the tortilla with the washed and dried lettuce leaf to keep the wrap from becoming soggy.

12 tortillas, flour (or corn, if preferred)
1 – 8 oz. package Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 can – 4 oz. diced mild green chiles, drained (optional)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
Salsa, purchased (optional)

Spread one side of tortillas with butter or margarine. Place butter side down of one tortilla in a large frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Sprinkle with shredded cheese on top of tortilla and then sprinkle some of the mild diced green chiles on top. Add another tortilla with the butter side up. Cook 1-2 minutes and carefully turn over when golden brown. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes until tortilla is golden brown and crunchy and cheese is melted. Move to a cutting board and carefully cut the quesadilla down the middle vertically and again horizontally to make 4 quarters. Spoon about a teaspoon of salsa on top of each quarter and serve immediately.

8 chicken breasts, boneless, skin attached
Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Assemble all ingredients for Pineapple Citrus Sauce, but do not cook yet. Pre-heat grill. Pound the chicken breasts with a meat tenderizer until they are a uniform 1/2″ thickness. Rub both sides with oil and salt and pepper. Grill breasts, skin-side down for 4-5 minutes, turn and cook and additional 3-4 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove to platter and cover with foil for 5 minutes before serving. Meanwhile, make the Pineapple Citrus Sauce. You may remove skin to serve, if desired.

Pineapple Citrus Sauce

2 tablespoons shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable broth, purchased
Zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh pineapple juice
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Add all ingredients except cornstarch to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. To avoid lumps whisk cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water and add to sauce. Bring to a boil until thickened, about 1 minute; serve immediately over chicken breasts.

Note: Purchase 1 fresh pineapple and use it for the 2 tablespoons juice for the sauce, 1/3 cup small dice for the Basil-Pineapple Rice and cut up the rest to serve as a refreshing appetizer. Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise through the green top and carefully cut out the flesh from each half, reserving the shells to use as a bowl for the rice. Cut out the core and discard. Cut remaining pineapple into chunks. Squeeze a few into a small bowl to obtain 2 tablespoons of juice for the sauce.