New England Roast Turkey with Cranberry-Pecan Stuffing

1 cup chopped celery


1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup margarine or butter
1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 cups dry bread cubes
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 6- to 8-pound turkey
1 to 2 tablespoons chicken broth (optional)
1 teaspoon cooking oil





For stuffing, cook celery and onion in margarine or butter in a small saucepan until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in sage, thyme, and pepper. Place dry bread cubes in a mixing bowl. Add celery mixture, pecans, and cranberries. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, tossing to moisten.

Release turkey legs from leg clamp or band of skin crossing the tail. If desired, remove leg clamp from body cavity. Rinse turkey inside and out; drain and pat dry with paper towels. Just before roasting, spoon some stuffing into neck cavity. Pull neck skin over stuffing; fasten to back with a short skewer.

Loosely spoon stuffing into body cavity (no more than 3/4 cup stuffing per pound of turkey.) Do not pack stuffing tightly, or it will not get hot enough by the time the turkey is cooked. (Transfer any remaining stuffing to a casserole, adding the 1 to 2 tablespoons chicken broth, if desired, for additional moistness; cover and chill casserole.) Tuck legs under band of skin or reset into leg clamp. If leg clamp has been removed, tie legs together with string. Twist wing tips under back.

Place stuffed turkey, breast side up, on rack in a shallow roasting pan. Brush with cooking oil. Insert a meat thermometer into the center of an inside thigh muscle so the bulb does not touch bone. Cover turkey loosely with foil, leaving some space between the bird and the foil. Press foil over legs and neck.

Roast in a 325 degree F oven for 3 to 3-1/2 hours or until thermometer registers 180 degree F and juices run clear. The center of the stuffing should be at least 165 degree F. Add covered casserole of stuffing during the last 30 to 45 minutes of roasting. If desired, during roasting, baste the turkey occasionally with drippings. Remove the foil the last 30 to 45 minutes to let the bird brown.

Remove turkey from oven and cover loosely with foil. Let stand for 20 minutes before carving. Release legs from leg clamp, or snip string or band of skin. To avoid possible burns, do not remove leg clamp from the hot bird after roasting. Remove stuffing from turkey. Store leftover turkey and stuffing in separate containers as soon as possible after serving. Makes 6 to 8 servings.



recipe source

BHG.com

Roasted Chicken Thighs Provencal

3 pounds small red potatoes, quartered
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 6 wedges
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
6 (6-ounce) skinless chicken thighs
24 black olives
Rosemary sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place potatoes, tomatoes, and carrots on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Drizzle vegetable mixture with olive oil; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary, 1 teaspoon thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss gently, and spread into a single layer on pan. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes. Remove vegetable mixture from pan, and keep warm.

Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped rosemary, remaining 1 teaspoon thyme, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken and olives to pan. Bake at 425° for 35 minutes or until chicken is done. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired.

6 servings (serving size: 1 chicken thigh, 1 2/3 cups vegetable mixture, and 4 olives)

Chicken Cacciatore

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken, cut into pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes
1/3 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley,roughly chopped

In a shallow bowl, combine the flour,
1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Working in batches, lightly coat the chicken with the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Add some of the chicken to the pan and cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; set aside. Repeat with
the remaining chicken.

Add the onion to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Crush the tomatoes in the can with a large spoon and stir them into the vegetables along with the wine and the remaining salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Add the chicken, reduce heat, and cover. Simmer for 45 minutes, turning the pieces occasionally. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the parsley.

Makes 4 servings