Perfect Mashed Potatoes

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered length-wise
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 Tbsp heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp milk
• Salt and Pepper
• A potato masher
  

Directions

• Put potatoes into a saucepan. 
• Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. 
• Add water until potatoes are covered. 
• Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15-20 minutes, or until done - a fork can easily be poked through them.
• Warm cream and melt butter, together, either in microwave or in a pan on the stove. 
• Drain water from potatoes. 
• Put hot potatoes into a bowl. 
• Add cream and melted butter. 
• Use potato masher to mash potatoes until well mashed. 
• Use a strong spoon to beat further, adding milk to achieve the consistency you desire. (Do not over-beat or your potatoes will get gluey.) 
• Salt and pepper to taste.

 **Tip..Starchy potatoes, like russets, have high starch and low water. Starchy potatoes are great for baking and French fries, and good as mashed potatoes. When cooked in water, they disintegrate; when cooked by dry heat, they become crumbly and fluffy. All-purpose, or chef's potatoes, like Yukon Golds, have medium starch and medium water. All-purpose potatoes are great in stews, soups, mashed potatoes, or for roasting. When cooked, they are at once moist and fluffy: they keep most of their shape in soups and don't dry out when baked.

Baked Acorn Squash

Ingredients

• 1 Acorn squash
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
• Dash of Salt

Method

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Using a strong chef's knife, and perhaps a rubber mallet to help, cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise, from stem to end. 
• Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff in the center of each half. 
• Score the insides of each half several times with a sharp knife. 
• Place each half in a baking pan, cut side up. 
• Add about a 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the baking pan so that the skins don't burn and the squash doesn't get dried out.
• Coat the inside of each half with 1/2 a Tbsp of butter. 
• Add a dash of salt if you are using unsalted butter. 
• Add a Tbsp of brown sugar to the cavity of each half. 
• Dribble on a teaspoon of maple syrup to each half.
• Bake in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the squash is very soft and the tops are browned. Do not undercook. 
• When finished, remove from oven and let cool a little before serving. Spoon any buttery sugar sauce that has not already been absorbed by the squash over the exposed areas.

Yucca Stuffing

Looking for a less traditional Thanksgiving side.. and with a Latino flare to boot??

 

Inredients

 

4 lb fresh yuca (also called cassava; preferably 2 inches in diameter) or 3 lb frozen cubed

6 slices bread moist with ½ cup hot milk
1/2 pound cured ham good for cooking
2 pounds ground pork (without fat)
1/4 cup chopped cilantrillo or cilantro
1/4 cup chopped culantro (or long-leaved flat Chinese parsley)
1 tablespoon chopped oregano
2 chopped tomatoes
1 green pimento, seeded and chopped
1 chopped red pimento
1 onion chopped
1 tablespoon drained cocktail capers
10 stuffed green onions, chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 can pimentos, drained and sliced.
salt and pepper to taste
Sofrito



Directions

• Preheat over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• Combine yucca and bread. 
• Sauté tbsp of Sofrito.
• Add the ham. 
• Add the ground meat with a little bit of salt and pepper and sauté until it changes color. 
• Add the cilantrillo, culantro, oregano, tomatoes, green and red pimento, the onion and capers. 
• Cook for approximately 15 minutes. 
• Drain milk from the yucca/bread mixture and add the solids to the meat mixture. 
• Cook for additional 5 minutes. 
• Add all the remaining ingredients, mix well and let cool slightly. 
• Stuff and truss the turkey. 
• Put the remaining stuffing in a greased baking pan and bake with the turkey, at 350 for 30 minutes. 
• Uncover and bake 10 more minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and keep covered until ready to serve with the turkey, which will take longer to cook.

Chocolate Nachos

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 8 6-inch flour tortillas
• 1/4 cup butter (no substitutes), melted
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
• 2 teaspoons shortening

Directions

1. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush one side of each tortilla with melted butter; sprinkle with sugar mixture. Cut each tortilla into eight wedges. Arrange half of the wedges in a single layer on a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned (wedges will crisp upon standing).
2. Meanwhile, melt chocolate pieces and shortening in a small saucepan. Remove wedges from oven. Spread in an even layer on a serving platter; cool slightly. Drizzle with half of the melted chocolate mixture.
3. Arrange remaining wedges in a single layer on the same 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake as directed above. Spread in an even layer on a second serving platter; cool slightly. Drizzle with remaining melted chocolate mixture. Serve warm or cool. Makes 64 wedges.

Bloody Maria

Juice of 4 limes
Juice of 3 lemons
60 ounces tomato juice or V8.. (We like to use the spicy)
21 ounces vodka (for an extra kick you can infuse your vodka
with hot peppers for a few days before preparing)
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
Salt and Crushed Black Pepper to Taste
2 tablespoon prepared horseradish


This makes about 1 Gallon. Mix all ingredients, and serve with ice and garnish with celery stalks.. Enjoy..
Also good as virgin drink, minus the vodka.

Use within two days.