Good stocks are always welcome items in my freezer. They couldn't be easier to make. They may take time, but there is always a good day to mark on your calendar to spend comfort time in the kitchen. Turkey stock is the champion during the holiday season. It can be used for gravies and soup bases.
Stock can be made way ahead of the holiday. In the Fall, as soon as I see packages of turkey necks, wings, legs, gizzards, etc. show up in the meat department of my favorite grocery store, I get to work.
This year I used turkey necks, wings and legs. Everything gets rubbed in oil, salted and peppered.
These get roasted in a 400° oven for about 45 minutes.
While the turkey parts are roasting, prepare the vegetables. I used carrots, onion, garlic, celery, and fresh sage leaves.
Once the meats are roasted, remove them, temporarily, and place the vegetables in the bottom of the roasting pan. Give the vegetables a toss to coat with the drippings in the pan.
Return the meats to the pan placing them on top of the vegetables, turning the meats over with the roasted side down.
This gets returned to the oven to roast for 35 minutes longer.
Once the turkey parts and vegetables are removed from the oven they are placed in a large stock pot, covered with water and simmered for 2 hours.
Everything is strained and the stock is cooled in the refrigerator so any fat can be skimmed off.
The stock is now ready for freezing. Pour into four 1-quart Mason jars or four 1-quart plastic freezer bags. If you freeze in Mason jars, be sure to leave space at the top for the stock to expand and put the lid on loosely until the stock is frozen solid. If you elect to freeze in freezer baggies lay them flat on a sided baking sheet until the stock is frozen solid. Also, I would highly suggest NOT using the bags with the slider zippers. They can leak while the baggy is lying flat on a baking sheet. Once frozen solid, the baggies will stack well in the freezer.
Turkey Stock
Adapted from a recipe of Guy Fieri's
Yields 4 quarts of stock
Ingredients:
2 turkey legs
2 turkey wings
2 turkey necks
2 Tbsp. canola oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 large garlic cloves
2 large yellow onions, quartered
2 large carrots scrubbed
3 stalks of celery, chopped in half
6 fresh sage leaves
6 quarts water
Method:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Evenly rub turkey parts with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place turkey parts in a large roasting pan, skin side down, in oven and roast for 45 minutes.
Prepare and combine vegetables and sage leaves. Reduce heat of oven to 350°F., briefly remove turkey from roasting pan. Add vegetables to roasting pan, tossing to coat in pan juices. Return turkey parts placing skin side up on top of vegetables and continue to roast for another 35 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and transfer turkey parts and vegetables to a 10 quart or larger stock pot. Place the roasting pan over burners of range top (do this only if your roasting pan is a heavy-duty pan), add 2 cups of water to the pan and boil, scraping up any stuck bits. Pour this into the stock pot.
Add 6 quarts of water to the stock pot. Bring to a boil then lower heat and keep to a medium to low simmer for 2 hours, uncovered until stock is deep in color and flavor. Strain turkey and vegetables from stock, pushing any vegetable matter through strainer. Let stock sit, overnight in refrigerator if time allows, then skim off any fat from top.
Divide stock into 4 Mason jars or plastic freezer bags and place in freezer.
This is another cookie that I tried for the first time this year and it will definitely become a Christmas regular.
Prior to making the dough for the cookies a filling is made with dates, orange juice and orange rind. I'm so thankful that dates can be purchased already chopped. I have a not-so-fond childhood memory of being required, every Christmas season, to sit at the kitchen table and chop up those sticky whole dates
Process with the knife blade. You will want the date mixture very smooth.
The cookie has three layers so the dough will be divided. If you have a kitchen scale, separate the dough and weigh into 3 equal pieces.
Line a 9" x 5" loaf pan with foil allowing the sides to hang over.
Knead half of the pecans into 1 portion of dough. Press into the bottom of the loaf pan taking care that the layer is even and firmly tucked into the corners.
For the middle layer, knead the date orange mixture into a portion of the dough. When well incorporated press onto the top of the bottom pecan layer. Use enough pressure to try to keep any air pockets from forming. The more even and neat you make your layers the nicer your cookies will look.
Knead the reminder of the toasted pecans into the last portion of dough. Press this onto the top of the orange date layer. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours. Mine stayed in over night.
When you are ready to slice your cookies preheat the oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Turn the firm, molded dough out onto a cutting board. Remove and discard the foil. This is what your dough looks like from the side.
Slice the dough lengthwise into 4 sections
My loaf pan sloped a tad on the ends so I trimmed off the end to make it even.
Now you can start your cutting with a straight edge.
Slice each cookie about 1/4" thick and place them 1" apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly on baking sheets, remove to wire racks to cool completely.
I baked one batch until they were quite brown and they crisped up; almost like a thin biscotti. The norm should be a little softer. Lovey liked the over done batch to have with his coffee so all turned out well. However, remember what makes this cookie fine in NOT being over baked. Soft and chewy is what you want.
In addition to the fact that these cookies taste great, here are some other reasons they can be your friend during the holiday:
~ The recipe yields a large quantity, making it a good selection to make for a holiday cookie swap
~ Being a "slice and bake" type of cookie, they're great for keeping a batch of the dough in the refrigerator during the holidays. You'll be able to slice off a few and stick them in the oven when someone stops by for a visit.
Orange Date Nut Cookies
Adapted from Christmas Cookies published by Oxmoor House
Yield 8 dozen
Ingredients:
1 (10 ounce) package chopped dates
grated orange rind from 1 medium orange
1 Tbsp. orange juice
1 cup butter softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup pecan pieces
Mise en place:
- set out butter to soften
- line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with aluminum foil, allowing foil to extend over edges of pan. Set aside
- cover cookie sheets with parchment paper
- toast the pecans for 8-10 minutes or until browned and aromatic; cool
- grate rind from orange
- juice the orange
- measure out sugar & vanilla
- measure out flour, baking powder and salt
- finely chop pecans and divide in half
Method:
Position knife blade in food processor bowl and add the dates, orange rind and orange juice. Process 45 seconds or until dates are finely chopped.
Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy duty electric stand mixer until blended. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add egg and vanilla, beat well.
In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended.
Divide dough into 3 equal portions. Knead 1/2 of the pecans into 1 portion of dough; press into prepared pan. Knead date mixture into 1 portion of dough; press in pan over pecan dough. Knead remaining pecans into remaining dough; press into pan over date dough. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Invert loaf pan onto a cutting board, remove and discard aluminum foil. Cut dough lengthwise into 4 sections. Cut each section of dough crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Place slices 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 9 - 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly on baking sheets,; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
