Cajun Pasta

INGREDIENTS
3 chicken breasts
8 servings Bow Tie Pasta
1 Yellow Bell Pepper
1 Orange Bell Pepper
1 Red Bell Pepper
1/2 Large Onion
2 Roma Tomato
Cajun Seasoning
16 oz. Heavy Whipping Cream

Parmasean

CAJUN SEASONING
1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp + 1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 - 2 tsp cayenne
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp dried oregano

DIRECTIONS
1. Boil Pasta
2. Make seasoning while pasta boils
3. Cut chicken breasts into cubes and oil the chicken and sprinkle cajun seasoning
4. Cut bell peppers and onions into small cubes
5. Take seeds out of tomato and chop into small cubes
6. Cook chicken in pan. Once cooked, remove from pan.
7. Saute the bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes together in a pan on high heat. Sprinkle with salt and cajun seasoning
8. Once the vegetables soften, add half of the heavy whipping and a tbsp of the seasoning. The cream should begin thickening.
9. Lower heat to medium and mix in pasta and lastly the parmasean cheese. If pasta looks dry, add more heavy whipping cream or some milk
10. Taste and adjust flavor to your liking (i.e. add more seasoning/salt/cream)

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Turkey

TUESDAY- BRINE TURKEY

BRINE

1 gallon of cold water

1 cup kosher salt

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar

2-3 rosemary sticks

1/4 cup peppercorns

3 bay leaves

3 cloves garlic

2-3 sticks of thyme

1 granny smith apple

2 stalks of celery 

1/2 cup parsley

1/2 onion

NOTE: Clean out giblets from turkey before brining

1. To create the brine, combine all ingredients in a large container. When creating the brine, be sure to use kosher salt. If you use table salt, it will cause the brine to become too salty. If you do decide to use table salt, be sure to adjust the measurement ratio from kosher salt to table salt. Note: Boil 1 gallon of water and add all ingredients and then pour into cold water
2. Place the turkey (breast down) in the larger container. 
3. Be sure the turkey is completely submerged in the brine. If turkey is not completely submerged, be sure to add some more water, salt, and sugar. If you only add water to the brine mixture, it will dilute the salt content and prevent the turkey from being moist.
4. Place the turkey in the refrigerator 1 hour per pound and add 1 hour (i.e. 18 pound turkey so place in brine for 19 hours)
5. Check if there is enough salt by taking a raw egg and dropping it in brine. If it floats then salt content is good. If it sinks, add more salt.

WEDNESDAY - BUTTER TURKEY

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/roasted-butter-herb-turkey-recipe-2014276

GARLIC BUTTER RECIPE

Softened butter

Poultry seasoning

Garlic herb sauce mix

Crushed garlic

Pepper

ROASTING PAN ARRANGEMENTS

Celery

Carrots

Lemon (cut in half)

Onion (cut in half)

Fresh Herbs Poultry (Rosemary, Sage, Thyme)

1. Remove Turkey from brine and drain off excess brine. Discard brine.

2. Arrange celery, carrots, half lemons and half of the diced onions in the bottom of a roasting pan. 

3. Make butter mixture.

4. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.

5. Use your finger to loosen the skin around the entire Turkey. Take the butter mixture and apply it to the Turkey. Place the butter under the skin of the entire turkey. Rub the remaining butter on the outside of the skin. 

6. Stuff the inside of turkey cavity with remaining onions and fresh herb poultry blend. Place Turkey back into fridge until it's time to cook on Thanksgiving day.

THURSDAY - THANKSGIVING DAY

32. oz Chicken Broth

1. Preheat oven to 450 F

2. Add chicken broth to bottom of roasting pan

3. Reduce heat to 325F OR 350 F (325 may be better) and place turkey in oven/smoker

4. Roast for 1 hour, then baste with pan juices every 20 minutes until temperature of the turkey breast is at 155-160°F and the turkey leg and thigh is at 180°F

5. If the skin over the breast meat begins to brown too dark, cover it with small tent made from aluminum foil (see below)

6. COOKING TIMES: The turkey will be cooked 1 hour per every 5 pounds. Example: If you have a 15 pound turkey, you will cook it for 3 hours. If you continuously open the smoker, it will take longer to cook. 

7.Take turkey out of smoker and cover with loosely covered foil so it stays warm. Let it rest for 20 minutes. 

CARVING TURKEY - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=939uGzs484M

Aluminum foil tent

(Image credit: Emma Christensen)

In this picture, the neck opening is to the right with the bottom to the left. The turkey is breast-side up, so the thighs are a little under the drumsticks. To take the temperature, you might need to turn the turkey on its side.

https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-check-the-temperature-on-a-turkey-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-102442

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Rasmalai

RASMALAI

For large milk balls: makes approximately 10-12

For small milk balls: makes approximately 18-20

INGREDIENTS

For Milk Mixture:

4 cups whole milk

1/2 cup sugar

For Milk Balls: 

1 cup NIDO dry whole milk

1 teaspooon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon all purpose flour

1 tablespoon ghee/butter/oil

1 egg, room temperature

DIRECTIONS

1. Create the milk mixture. Heat milk and sugar in a large saucepan on high heat until it begins to boil. Add more sugar, if needed.
2. After milk begins to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer for 30 minutes. 
3. For milk balls, mix NIDO, baking powder, all purpose flour together.
4. Add ghee/oil to flour mixture. 
5. Whisk egg and add it to the flour mixture. 
6. Mix everything together loosely. Once combined, roll into large or small balls. 
7. Add the balls to the milk mixture and cook on high for 5 minutes. 
8. Reduce heat to a low and cook for 10 minutes. Check a single ball to see if the ball has soaked in. 
9. Take off heat and move to a separate dish. 
10. Refrigerate after it cools down.
11. Serve cold. 

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Unda (egg) Curry

Ingredients
6 hardboiled eggs
1/3 cup olive oil 
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste

1/2 jalepeno, minced 

2 large white potatoes, chopped 

2 tomatoes 

1/2 cup yogurt 

1 tablespoon thai red curry paste 

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon cumin seed, roasted and ground

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/2 cup coconut milk
Cilantro, garnish

Directions

1. Blend tomatoes in a food processor.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan. Add cumin seed to hot pan. 
3. Add onion until it softens, approx 7 to 8 minutes. 
4. Add ginger garlic paste, jalapenos, potatoes, tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes on high
5. Add yogurt and cook for 5 minutes on medium - high.
6. Add curry paste, curry powder, roasted ground cumin seeds, and salt. Cook for 2 minutes on medium high. 
7. Once potatoes are cooked, add coconut milk and cook on medium high for 2 minutes. 
8. Garnish with cilantro. Serve. 

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Chicken Shawarma

Ingredients

Chicken Marination
2 pound chicken tenders 
3/4 cup greek yogurt
1 lemon, juiced 
1 teaspoon garlic, minced 
1/4 cup olive oil 
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 
2 tablespoons Schwarma seasoning (see below)

Schwarma Seasoning 
1 teaspoon cloves 
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon caraway
5 - 6 pieces green cardamom 
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 
1 teaspoon black peppercorn
1 teaspoon dry oregano 
1 teaspoon dry thyme 
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder 
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 ginger powder

Schwerma Roll Ingredients
1/2 red bell pepper, julienne
1/2 green bell pepper, julienne
1/2 onion, julienne 
1/2 lemon juice 
1/2 can of whole kernel corn 
Pita bread

Tahini Sauce
1/2 cup Tahini paste
1 cup lemon juice 
2 garlic cloves, minced 
1 teaspoon Sriracha 
1 tablespoon honey 
Salt, to taste 

Garlic Sauce 
1/2 cup garlic
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups canola oil 
1/4 cup lemon juice 

Tzatziki Sauce
1 English cucumber
3/4 cup greek yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh/dry dill
1 lemon, juiced 
2 garlic cloves, minced 
Salt, to taste

Directions

1. In a pan, roast cloves, cumin seeds, caraway, green cardamom, nutmeg, black peppercorn for 1 minute on high heat. Stir constantly so the spices do not burn. Turn off stove, add dry oregano and thyme. 
2. After roasting, put ingredients in a separate bowl/plate so they do not continue to cook in hot pan. 
3. After it cools slightly, ground all ingredients with cinnamon powder, cayenne and ginger powder in a coffee grinder.
4. Add all marination ingredients to chicken and allow chicken to marinade for at least 2 hours. 
5. Cook chicken tenders on stove 3 to 4 minutes on each side. 
6. Mix red bell pepper, green bell pepper, onion, corn in a separate bowl
7. Slice chicken tenders and place chicken, sauces, bell pepper/onion mixture into pita bread.
8. Serve. 

Tahini Sauce: 

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and blend with an immersion blender. 
2. Adjust ingredients to taste. 

Garlic Sauce:

1. Mix garlic and salt in a food processor until there are no large chunks in the garlic left 
2. Turn the food processor on and slowly pour 1/2 a cup of canola oil. 
3. Turn the food processor off and add 2 teaspoon lemon juice to the mixture.
4. Repeat steps 2 - 3 until you run out of ingredients. The texture should resemble mayonnaise. 
5. Place in fridge uncovered for 2 - 3 hours to let excess moisture out. 

Tzatziki Sauce:

1. Peel cucumber and apply salt to it. Let it sit for 30 minutes.
2. Combine greek yogurt, dill, lemon juice, minced garlic, and salt.
3. After 30 minutes, squeeze the water out of the cucumber.
4. Add cucumber to yogurt mixture and blend all ingredients together until combined. 
5. Adjust ingredients to taste. 

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Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

Tom Kha Gai Soup - Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
Ingredients
1 pound chicken breast, cut thinly 
4 cups (32 oz) chicken broth
2 cans (13.5 oz) Chaokoh coconut milk
2 stalks lemongrass
1 inch ginger, peeled and sliced
handful kaffir leaves
2 - 3 tablespoon sugar
2 tsp red curry paste
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 sweet onion, sliced
8 oz mushroom, sliced
3 tbs fish sauce
3/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro, garnish

Directions

1. Heat pan over high heat and add chicken broth, coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger, kaffir leaves.
2. Add chicken, sugar, red curry paste, and salt to boiling broth. Cook on high heat for 3 minutes.
3. Add onion, mushroom, fish sauce, and lime juice. Taste and adjust to taste.
4. Add cilantro.
5. Serve. 

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Red Chicken Curry

Ingredients
2-3 cups long grain rice or whichever you prefer
2 chicken breasts, sliced or cubed 
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon oil for vegetables
1/2 green bell pepper, julienne
1/2 yellow bell peper, julienne
1/2 red bell pepper, julienne
1/2 small onion, julienne 
4 cubes palm sugar
1/2 teaspoon water  
1 tablespoon oil for chicken
1 stick of curry leaves 
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1/2 teaspoon of salt 
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1/2 can CHAOKOH coconut milk (13.5 oz can)

Directions

1. Cook rice based on directions on the rice packet.
2. Cut chicken breasts into slices or in cubes.
3. Sprinkle cornstarch over chicken breasts and refrigerate.
4. Heat oil in a wok or pan. Cook green, yellow, red bell peppers, and onion for 2 to 3 minutes. Once cooked, set aside. 
5. Melt palm sugar and water together in microwave for 1 minute or until melted. 
6. Heat oil in wok or pan. Cook chicken for 5 to 6 minutes. At the 2 minute mark, add curry leave, red curry paste, salt to the chicken. 
7. Add 2 tablespoons palm sugar, fish sauce, and coconut milk to the chicken.
8. Taste to see if you feel there is anything lacking (spice, salt, etc.) 
9. Serve warm with rice.

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