Marvelous Turkey Meatloaf

The following recipe comes from Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. It’s phenomenal.

• 3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 large onions)
• 2 Tablespoons good olive oil
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves ( ½ teaspoon dried)
• 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 ½ teaspoons tomato paste
• 5 lbs ground turkey breast
• 1 ½ cups plain dry bread crumbs
• 3 eggs, beaten
• ¾ cup ketchup

Preheat Oven to 325 Degrees

In a medium sauté pan, on medium heat, cook the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme until the onions are translucent but not browned, approximately 15 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, eggs and onion mixture in a large bowl. Mix well and shape into a rectangular loaf on an ungreased baking sheet. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 ½ hours, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees and the meatloaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven, under the meat loaf, will keep the top from cracking) Serve hot, room temperature, or cold in a sandwich.

Sheila Cason, MD

Thanksgiving and Food Safety

Well it’s a couple days before Thanksgiving and now I’m starting to panic. Until now it was a dull roar in the background of everyday daily life. Now it’s so loud I can’t help but notice it. You think I’d be looking forward to this; I love to cook and entertain. But the thought of preparing the turkey is a little too much to handle right now.

It’s been a very long time since I cooked a turkey so I’ve reviewed all the dos and don’ts. If you’ll be cooking a turkey, take the time to review the CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. They go through the four main safety issues of cooking a turkey which includes thawing, preparing, stuffing, and cooking to adequate temperature. Once the turkey is taken care of you can turn to the The Food Network for other menu ideas.

I’m off to go get some help.

Happy cooking!

Sheila Cason, MD

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe…Ever!

Hands down this is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve ever made. I have no problems with passing it on to you because it was a generous soul who passed it to me. I use the butter flavored sticks of Crisco - yes, I know! Just eat the cookies in moderation. My kids adore them!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of shortening
• 1 cup of white sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 12 oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix the first 5 ingredients together until smooth. Combine the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and then add to the sugar mixture. Add the chocolate chips in last.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.

Sheila Cason, MD

French Bread

I’ve been making french bread now that I have a little more time on my hands. Twice a week, I’m in the kitchen mixing and kneading by hand. I’ve always loved my bread machine, but there something really authentic about these loaves! Not only does it taste great it has the added benefit of having no artificial ingredients or preservatives. It has nothing but flour, water, salt, and yeast. I love it when it’s still warm from the oven.

French Bread (Adapted from Better Home and Gardens: New Cook Book- 1996)

• 5 ½ - 6 cups all- purpose flour


• 2 packages of active dry yeast


• 1 ½ teaspoons salt


• 2 cups warm water (120 degrees to 130 degrees)


• Cornmeal


• 1 slightly beaten egg white


• 1 tablespoon water
  

1. In a large mixing bowl stir together 2 cups of the flour, the yeast, and salt. Add the warm water to the dry mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping the sides of the bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.


2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. (8-10 minutes total) Shape the dough into a ball. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface of the dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place till double in size. (about 1 hour).


3. Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease a baking sheet. Sprinkle with cornmeal.


4. Roll each portion of dough into a 15 x 10 inch rectangle. Roll up, jelly-roll style, starting from the long side; seal well. Pinch ends and pull slightly to taper. Place seam down on prepared baking sheet. In a small mixing bowl stir together egg white and water. Brush some of the egg white mixture over the loaves. Cover and let rise till nearly double in size (for 35-45 minutes). Using a sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts about ¼ inch deep across the top of each loaf.


5. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. Brush again with some of the egg white mixture. Continue baking for 15-20 minutes more or till bread sounds hollow when you tap the top with your fingers. Immediately remove bread from baking sheet. Cool on wire racks.

Sheila Cason, MD

Chocolate Mayo Cake

This chocolate mayo cake recipe is perfect for kids because it’s safe to let them indulge in the “quintessential childhood activity” of licking the bowl. The mayonnaise has no raw eggs therefore the risk of acquiring salmonella is removed. It’s easy enough for the kids to make with you. Our family recipe is below.

Chocolate Mayo Cake

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 1 cup ice cold water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all dry ingredients and add remaining ingredients. Beat at medium speed until mixed. Pour into lightly greased and floured tin pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until done. I frost mine with the chocolate frosting recipe found on the unsweetened cocoa can. Delicious!

Sheila Cason, MD

Banana Bread

We made banana bread the other day. Yes, I have been enjoying staying at home! Here’s the recipe! It’s from The New Best Recipe: All-New Edition with 1,000 Recipes by the Editors of Cook's Illustrated Magazine . It’s a great book if you love to cook and especially great if you love to read about cooking.

• 2 cups unbleached flour, plus more for dusting the pan (the kids too of course!)


• 1 ¼ cups walnuts, chopped coarse


• ¾ cups sugar


• ¾ teaspoon baking soda


• ½ teaspoon salt


• 3 very ripe, soft, darkly speckled large bananas, mashed well (about 1 ½ cups)


• ¼ cup plain yogurt


• 2 large eggs, beaten lightly


• 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

Adjust oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9x5-inch loaf pan; dust with flour, tapping out the excess.

Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant, 5-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and walnuts together in a large bowl; set aside.

Mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl. Lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined and the batter looks thick and chunky. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. (The bread can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days).

Sheila Cason, MD