Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole


These rich and creamy potatoes are absolutely delicious. For an extra crispy bacon topping, sprinkle at end of cooking.

Makes 12 (3/4-cup) servings.
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

5 1/2 cups mashed potatoes (about 4 pounds uncooked)
1/2 cup milk
1 package (8 ounces) regular or low-fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup regular or low-fat sour cream
2 teaspoons McCormick® Parsley Flakes
1 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Salt
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Nutmeg, Ground
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
12 slices bacon, crispy cooked and crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place all ingredients, except cheese and bacon, in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer on medium-high speed until potatoes are smooth and creamy.

2. Spoon mixture into lightly greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and bacon. If you prefer extra crispy bacon, reserve bacon and sprinkle at the end of cooking. Cover.

3. Bake 30 minutes or until heated through.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Thanksgiving Stuffed Turkey

INGREDIENTS:

2 large onions, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
3/4 cup butter, divided
2 loaves (1 pound each) day-old egg bread, cubed
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 turkey (16 to 18 pounds) with giblets and neck
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika

GRAVY:

4-1/2 cups water, divided
1 medium carrot, halved
1 celery rib, halved
1 small onion, quartered
1 bay leaf
6 whole peppercorns
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a large skillet, saute onions, celery and carrots in 1/2 cup butter until tender. In a bowl, combine bread cubes, onion mixture, broth,parsley and egg substitute. Remove giblets and neck from turkey;cover and refrigerate. Just before baking, loosely stuff turkey with stuffing. Place remaining stuffing in a greased 2-qt. baking dish;refrigerate. Skewer turkey openings; tie drumsticks with kitchen string. Place breast side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.Melt remaining butter; brush over turkey. Sprinkle with garlic salt and paprika. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 4 to 4-1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 180° for turkey and 165° for stuffing, basting every 30 minutes after the first hour. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.) For gravy, in a large saucepan, combine 4 cups water, carrot, celery, onion, giblets,neck, bay leaf and peppercorns. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until giblets are tender; strain broth and set aside. Bake additional stuffing, covered, for 25-30 minutes.Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer. Remove turkey; cover and let stand for 20 minutes before carving. Pour turkey drippings and loosened browned bits into a measuring cup; skim fat. In the saucepan used for the gravy, combine flour, salt and remaining water until smooth. Stir in the drippings and reserved broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with turkey and stuffing.

Yield: 16-18 servings (3 cups gravy, 16 cups stuffing).