I Love Cabbage!
Victoria’s Fig & Bacon Cornish Game Hens
1 Pound Bacon
1 Large Yellow Onion
8 Sliced Garlic Cloves
4 Halved Cornish Game Hens
12 Thyme Springs
12 Halved Black Figs
8 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
Preheat oven to 350° F. Cook bacon over medium heat until semi-crisp. Don’t overcook the bacon. Save the bacon fat. Pat hens dry with paper towels, season with salt & pepper. Heat bacon fat in skillet over medium heat, brown halved hens skin side down for about 5 minutes. In a large Dutch oven, sauté in olive oil, onion and garlic. Transfer hens to Dutch oven on top of onion and garlic. Pour any remaining bacon fat over hens. Pour lemon juice over hens. Place figs and bacon evenly on top of hens and top with thyme sprigs. Bake for 2 ½ hours on low oven rack.
Green Bean Casserole
1 Can (10 ¾ ounces) Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
½ Cup Milk
1 Teaspoon Soy Sauce
Dash Ground Black Pepper
4 Cups Cooked Cut Green Beans
1 1/3 Cups French Fried Onions
Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in a 1 ½ quart casserole dish. Bake at 350° F for 25 minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the bean mixture. Sprinkle on top with the remaining onions. Bake for another 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.
Roast Turkey
Oven to 500˚
12-lb. turkey
Sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper, to taste
12 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. finely chopped sage
2 tbsp. finely chopped thyme
2 tsp. paprika
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 lemon, quartered
Heat oven to 500˚. Rinse turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Season turkey inside and out with salt and pepper and let come to room temperature. Meanwhile, in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the sage, thyme, paprika; set herb butter aside.
Transfer turkey to a rack set inside a roasting pan and stuff turkey with carrots, onions, celery, and lemons. Tuck wings behind turkey and tie legs together with kitchen twine. Brush turkey all over with herb butter, reserving some for basting. Pour 2 cups water into roasting pan and roast turkey, brushing once with more of the herb butter, for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350˚ and continue roasting, brushing occasionally with herb butter, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh, without touching the bone, reads 165˚, 2 1/2–3 hours. Transfer turkey to a cutting board, loosely cover with foil, and let sit for 30 minutes before carving.
Serves 12
MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS
Make this gravy using the drippings that remain in the pan after you’ve cooked the roast turkey. For additional flavor, add to the finished pan gravy any juices that accumulate on the platter as the turkey rests.
7 tbsp. of the pan drippings from turkey
roasting pan
6 tbsp. flour
2⁄3 cup dry sherry
4 cups turkey stock or chicken stock
1. Pour off all but 7 tbsp. of the pan drippings from turkey roasting pan, then set pan on top of stove over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until golden, about 2 minutes.
2. Gradually stir in sherry and stock, scraping browned bits stuck to bottom of pan; then increase heat to medium-high and cook until gravy has thickened slightly, 8–10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
In a food processor or blender combine 1/3 cup olive oil; 2 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves; 1/2 cup pine nuts; 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 4 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered; and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and process or blend until nearly smooth, stopping and scraping sides as necessary and adding enough of 2 tablespoons additional olive oil to reach desired consistency. Add black pepper to taste. Makes 3/4 cup pesto.
2 Cups Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
3/4 Cups Butter
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
3 Eggs
3/4 Cups Milk
1 tsp Vanilla
2 Tablespoon Lemon Extract
3 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine softened butter, eggs, vanilla, lemon extract, lemon juice and sugar in a medium bowl. In another bowl combine flour baking powder and salt. Add half of the flour mixture to butter mixture and stir. Next add half of the milk and stir. Finish by adding the rest of the flour and then the rest of the milk stirring until smooth. You can do this by hand, use a hand or standing mixer (I use a standing mixture). Oil and flour three round cake pans; pour mixture evenly into all three pans and bake until done – usually 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. Remove from the pans, frost between layers and the top.
Lemon Frosting: 1 1/2 sticks of butter, 1 package of cream cheese, 1 Tablespoon Lemon Extract, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice; 1 Tablespoon vanilla & 3/4 cups powdered sugar. Soften butter and cream cheese and with a mixer (on high) mix the butter, cream cheese, lemon extract, lemon juice and vanilla. When butter & cream cheese mixture is smooth begin to slowly add the powdered sugar until all in. Continue to mix until smooth. If you need add more powdered sugar you may, but be careful that you don’t over sweeten the frosting.
Pour into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Frost Cake.
Victoria’s Best Carrot Cake
• Unsalted butter, for the pan
• 12 ounces, approximately 2 1/2 cups, all-purpose flour, plus extra for pan
• 12 ounces grated carrots, medium grate, approximately 6 medium
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 10 ounces sugar, approximately 1 1/3 cups
• 2 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 1/4 cup firmly packed
• 3 large eggs
• 6 ounces plain yogurt
• 6 ounces vegetable oil
• Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter and flour a 9-inch round and 3-inch deep cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
Put the carrots into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process for 5 seconds. Add this mixture to the carrots and toss until they are well-coated with the flour.
In the bowl of the food processor combine the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and yogurt.
With the processor still running drizzle in the vegetable oil. Pour this mixture into the carrot mixture and stir until just combined. Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and bake for another 20 minutes or until the cake reaches 205 to 210 degrees F in the center.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow cake to cool 15 minutes in the pan. After 15 minutes, turn the cake out onto a rack and allow cake to cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting after cake has cooled completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese
2 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9 ounces powdered sugar, sifted, approximately 2 cups
In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and butter on medium just until blended. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. With the speed on low, add the powdered sugar in 4 batches and beat until smooth between each addition. Place the frosting in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes before using.
