When I discovered this recipe I was a little skeptical because most people don’t think of Cajun food when there’s snow outside and Jingle Bells playing in the background. Yet it’s a perfect way to add some flavor to a meal you had the month before and to warm things up.

I suggest using a premium Reposado Tequila that is 100% Blue Agave. This Tequila has been aged in oak barrels and will compliment the Cajun spices and Turkey flavor.

Ingredients:

- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons “slap yo momma” brand seasoning
- 1 teaspoon tabasco sauce
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon flake red pepper
- 2 cups Dos Coronas Tequila or Hijos de Villa

Directions:

Mix red pepper, olive oil, and paprika; baste turkey inside and out with mixture.

Blend the garlic, Dos Coronas or Hijos de Villa Tequila, “slap yo momma” seasoning, Tabasco sauce, and butter together; inject mixture under the skin of the turkey.

Wrap turkey in foil and smoke with hickory smoke for 30 min. at 350 degrees.

Remove foil and continue to cook turkey at 320 degrees until internal temperature of breast reaches 170 degrees. Remove and let rest for 15 min. then slice and serve.

It may be risky but it will definitely be a holiday meal that no one will forget! It’s making me hungry just thinking about it!

Happy Holidays!

Recipe Source: RecipeTips.com

Image Credit: istockphoto

Post from: Blisstree

Something Different: Tequila Cajun Turkey

You can use the stuffing and the chicken stock to make the turkey rolls, or have the turkey, and stuffing separate, and use the stock to make a hearty soup.

These great fall flavors are courtesy of  Todd Adelman, Director of Nutritional Services for Block Institute. Todd is the co-author of the James Beard Award nominated book Special Foods for Special Kids: Practical Solutions & Great Recipes for Children with Food Allergies.

Make them ahead and these turkey rollups, with stuffing could be reheated for an an easy lunch idea, or a quick nutritious supper when you’re on the go.

TURKEY ROLL-UPS
(Yields 6 “roll-ups”)

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 turkey cutlets (4 oz. each)
• 2 cups unbaked “stuffing” (see recipe below)
• ½ tsp. paprika
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. Parsley flakes
• ½ tsp. ground thyme
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. margarine
• ½ cup orange juice
• 1 Tbsp. honey

Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Pound the cutlets to ¼ inch thickness.
Place 2 Tbsp. “Stuffing” towards one end of each cutlet then roll up jelly roll style
Place the rolls seam side down in a shallow roasting pan.
Mix the paprika, garlic powder, parsley, thyme and salt together
Sprinkle roll-ups with ½ of seasoning mixture and set aside
Melt margarine in small sauce pan.
Add orange juice & honey & bring to boil.
Remove from heat.
Baste roll-ups with orange juice mixture.
Bake for 10 minutes. Flip. Sprinkle with remaining seasoning mixture Baste. Flip again & baste with remaining liquid. Bake for additional 5 minutes.
Serve.

STUFFING
(Yields 4 cups)

INGREDIENTS:

• 16 slices bread, toasted with curst removed
• ½ cup celery, finely diced
• ¼ cup onion, finely diced
• 1 Tbsp. margarine
• 2 medium apples, grated
• 2 tsp. parsley flakes
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. white pepper
• ½ cup “Chicken Stock” (see recipe)

Preheat oven to 350° F
Cut bread into cubes & set aside in large bowl.
Saute celery & onion in margarine until soft.
Add celery mixture & remaining ingredients to bread cubes.
Toss until liquid is absorbed.
Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Serve.

Chicken Stock
(Yields 2 quarts)

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken, skinned & cut into pieces
• 8 carrots, quartered
• 6 celery stalks, quartered
• 1 turnip, quartered
• 10 sprigs dill
• 2 parsnips, quartered
• 1 leek, halved
• 6 sprigs parsley
• 1 onion, quartered
• 3 quarts cold water

Place ingredients in pot.
Bring to boil.
Reduce heat.
Simmer for 1 ½ hours.
Strain the soup.
Serve.

Post from: Blisstree

Fall Flavors~ Turkey Roll Ups

Butterball is synonymous with turkey in America. They have a 24-hour turkey hotline, a full range of turkey products, and they were gracious enough to share this “recipe for turkey success” with “All Holiday Cafe” readers:

Citrus, Mustard and Herb Infused Turkey
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter
3 tablespoons each of chopped fresh tarragon and marjoram
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon each of lemon and orange zest
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Butterball(R) Turkey (14 to 16 pounds), thawed if frozen

*If fresh herbs are not available, substitute 1 teaspoon dried herbs for each tablespoon of fresh.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Combine butter, herbs, zests, mustard, salt and pepper in work bowl of blender or food processor; cover. Process until well blended.

2. Remove neck and giblets from body and neck cavities of turkey. Reserve giblets for stuffing if desired. Drain juices from turkey and dry turkey with paper towels.

3. Remove butter mixture from blender. Carefully work fingers under skin on breast of turkey. Place half the butter mixture under breast area. Rub remaining butter mixture over breast and legs of turkey.

4. Place turkey, breast side up, on a flat rack in a shallow baking pan. Roast turkey approximately 1-1/2 hours. Then, cover breast and top of drumsticks loosely with foil to prevent overbrowning.

5. Roast turkey another 1-1/2 hours, or until meat thermometer reaches 180 degrees F when inserted into the deepest part of the thigh.

6. Let turkey stand 15 minutes before carving.

Turkey advice is just a phone call (or Internet click) away. Bilingual experts are available to help you at the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line (1-800-BUTTERBALL – press 7 for Spanish) where you can ask a home economist or nutritionist your toughest turkey questions, in English or Spanish. Says Butterball:

“We have people calling from coast-to-coast with questions ranging from thawing to flavor ideas to cooking times to people giving us some fantastic regional recipes of their own,” said Astrid Volpert, a native of Puerto Rico and bilingual expert on the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line. “My favorite part about talking turkey is that I enjoy being able to offer a lifeline to all callers. I love reassuring our ‘home chefs’ that they are doing a good job by steering them in the right direction, helping make their holiday meal a success!”

^{(photo © istockphoto)}

Post from: Blisstree

Butterball’s Recipe for Turkey Success