Sweet Potato-Marshmallow Casserole

Sweet Potato-Marshmallow Casserole

Thanksgiving isn't just about the turkey; the side dishes can make or break a fabulous holiday meal. So, as part of his weeklong cook up to Turkey Day, Emeril Lagasse is showing you how to get the most out of your sweet potatoes. Check out his recipe below.

3 ½ to 4 pounds fresh sweet potatoes, scrubbed well
¼ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup evaporated milk or heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon finely grated orange zest
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Pinch ground mace
Pinch ground cloves
¼ cup finely chopped toasted pecans
3 cups miniature marshmallows

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil.

Bake the sweet potatoes on the foil-lined baking sheet until a thin, pointy knife inserted in the center meets no resistance, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Once cooled, remove the skins and mash until smooth. (If you have a potato ricer, this works well in helping to remove any stringy fibers, as does a food mill.) In a large bowl combine the potatoes (you should have about 4 cups), sugar, evaporated milk, butter, orange juice, vanilla, salt, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace and cloves and beat until smooth. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the chopped pecans. Arrange the marshmallows in an even layer over the top and bake until the marshmallows are lightly browned, 35 to 45 minutes. This can be made a day ahead, covered, and refrigerated, then returned to room temperature and baked 35 to 45 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 to 10 servings
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, courtesy Martha Stewart Omnimedia, Inc

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

TIME/SERVINGS
Total: 1 hr 30 mins
Active: 35 mins
Makes: 10 to 12 servings

You know why mashed potatoes in good restaurants taste better than yours? Copious amounts of butter and cream are a start, but a special technique is also used.

The rules: Don’t cut the potatoes too small (they’ll absorb too much water); start with cold water and salt the heck out of it; let the potatoes “steam dry” after you drain them; for the best texture, use a food mill; and don’t overmix the potatoes (they’ll get gluey!). Enjoy.

What to buy: Russet potatoes work best for mashers, but Yukon Golds are great, too.

Buttermilk gives these potatoes a nice tang. Be sure to keep the buttermilk at room temperature and add it at the end. Heating it causes it to separate.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 pounds russet potatoes
  
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 large onions, chopped
• 1 pound sliced bacon
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into small pieces
• 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Peel and halve potatoes lengthwise. Cut each half into quarters. Place cut potatoes immediately into a large pot filled with cold water to prevent oxidation. Add more cold water to cover potatoes by at least 4 inches. Season water well with salt (it should taste like salt water).
2. Meanwhile, fry bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until evenly browned and crisp. Remove bacon from the skillet to drain on paper towels. Add the onions to the bacon grease in the skillet, and fry until tender, stirring constantly. Drain excess grease.
3. Bring potatoes to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are completely tender and just beginning to fall apart, about 20 minutes.
4. Drain potatoes in a large colander and let them sit, undisturbed, to steam dry for about 5 minutes. (Steam drying allows much of the excess moisture to evaporate from the potatoes, so you can add more cream and butter later!) Taste the potatoes to see how salty they are.
5. Meanwhile, heat cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until mixture is hot and butter is melted; do not boil. Remove from heat and season with freshly ground black or white pepper, and, if necessary, salt.
6. Pass cooked potatoes through a food mill or potato ricer into a large pot. Crumble in the bacon, and stir in the onions. Those who are not worried about fat can also stir in about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease. Pour hot cream-and-butter mixture into potatoes and fold in using a large rubber spatula. Fold in room-temperature buttermilk, being careful not to overwork potatoes.
7. Taste potatoes, and, if necessary, adjust seasoning.

Note: We've provided special diet and nutritional information for educational purposes. But remember — we're cooks, not doctors! You should follow the advice of your health-care provider. And since product formulations change, check product labels for the most recent ingredient information.

Golden Roasted Turkey

Golden Roasted Turkey

Serves 10 to 12

This deliciously moist roasted turkey is surprising in its ease of preparation. Exactly what you remember from Thanksgiving dinners of old only better. While you can prepare this turkey recipe without the brining step, we highly recommend you give it a try as this process produces wonderfully succulent meat. When set on the table, this beautiful bird is guaranteed to elicit oohs and aahs.

Ingredients

1 (14- to 15- pound) turkey
Salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
2 yellow onions, roughly chopped
2 cups gluten-free chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
Pepper to taste

Method

Brine the turkey overnight (at least 12 hours) by submerging it completely in a salt water solution made from a ratio of 1/2 cup salt to one gallon water. (Alternately, you may brine the turkey for 4 hours using a ratio of 1 cup salt to one gallon water). Rinse the turkey well and pat it dry.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix thyme, carrots, celery and onions together in a small bowl. Stuff turkey cavity with the vegetable mixture and scatter any remaining vegetables around the bottom of a roasting pan. Pour broth and wine over vegetables in pan.

Arrange a rack over the vegetables in the pan and arrange the turkey on top of it, breast side down. (You may use either a flat rack or a V-rack). Brush half of the melted butter all over the turkey, then season with pepper. Reserve remaining butter for later use.

Roast turkey for two hours, breast side down, basting once. Remove from oven and turn turkey breast side up, being careful not to pierce the skin. Brush turkey with the remaining butter and season again with pepper.

Return turkey to oven and continue roasting until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F, about 2 hours more.

Set turkey aside to let rest for 30 minutes, then carve and serve, drizzled with the pan drippings.

Nutrition

Per serving (about 8oz/225g-wt.): 330 calories (150 from fat), 17g total fat, 6g saturated fat, 115mg cholesterol, 650mg sodium, 4g total carbohydrate (1g dietary fiber, 1g sugar), 37g protein

Note: We've provided special diet and nutritional information for educational purposes. But remember — we're cooks, not doctors! You should follow the advice of your health-care provider. And since product formulations change, check product labels for the most recent ingredient information.