WELCOME THANKSGIVING! ~ MAPLE GLAZED TURKEY / CRANBERRY BOURBON RELISH / WILD RICE DRESSING with ROASTED GRAPES, APPLES & CHESTNUTS

" If the only prayer you said

in your whole life was,

'thank you,'

that would suffice. "

~Meister Eckhart

( http://www.eckhartsociety.org/meister.htm )

~ Soul of a maple leaf

_________________

MAPLE GLAZED TURKEY

~ Simple autumn flavors infused in the soul of the bird. Perfect for a Thanksgiving or holiday buffet. Though 'tweaked' throughout the years through roasting time and the addition of wine, fresh herbs, apple and lemon, this lovely adapted 1998 recipe from Sweet Lorraine's retains the rich essence of Michigan.

*

12- 15 lb. fresh turkey

coarse salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

1 quartered onion

bunch of fresh sage leaves

1 quartered apple

1 sliced lemon

4 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter

3 Tbsp. fresh thyme

3 Tbsp. fresh sage

coarse salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

1 cup organic chicken stock

1 cup white wine

4 Tbsp. melted butter

1/2 cup maple syrup

• Preheat oven to 450-degrees. Rinse turkey inside and out. Season cavity & outside with coarse salt & pepper. Place onion, apple, lemon and sage leaves in cavity. Close with skewer and tie legs together.
• Place breast side up on rack in large roasting pan. Combine butter, herbs, salt & pepper. Brush turkey and place in oven.
• While turkey is roasting, combine stock and wine. After 15 minutes, open oven and pour broth mixture in bottom of pan. Reduce heat to 350-degrees and continue roasting (about 15 minutes/pound) until meat thermometer registers 180-degrees in leg and 170-degrees in breast (about 3 hours). Baste turkey with pan juices every 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine butter and maple syrup, brushing liberally over bird the last hour of cooking. Cover loosely and allow turkey to rest 30 minutes before carving.

Note: If going to annual parade or LION GAME, prepare bird the night before, let rest, carefully remove breast, legs and thighs. Cover and carve the next day. Please don't throw the carcass (the remains of a great bird) away ... happy to give its all.

Note: 'Turkey Carcass Soup' (Nov 25, 2006 archives).

__________________

CRANBERRY BOURBON RELISH

~ Compliments of Sweet Lorraine's

( http://www.sweetlorraines.com/ )

*

2 cups bourbon

1/2 cup minced shallot

zest of 1 large orange

1 (12-oz) bags fresh cranberries

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. fresh grated ginger

2 tsp. ground fresh pepper

Combine bourbon, shallots, ginger, and orange zest in non-reactive saucepan. Bring to boil, lower hear & simmer til reduced to syrupy glaze (about 10 minutes) Add cranberries & sugar, raise heat and bring to boil, stirring to combine. Lower heat and cook til cranberries start to burst. Remove from heat & add pepper. Cool and refrigerate til needed. (8-10 servings)

_________________________

WILD RICE DRESSING with ROASTED GRAPES, APPLES & CHESTNUTS

~ Be adventuresome ... try wild rice, actually a 'grass seed' staple for Great Lakes Indians and perfect side with turkey.

1 cup wild rice

3 cups organic chicken stock or water (or 1/2 & 1/2 of each)

1 (7.25 oz) jar pealed whole chestnuts

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup chopped shallots (about 4 large)

1/2 lb. roasted grapes*

(*roast grapes, lightly drizzled grapes with olive oil, in 350-degree oven for 15 minutes or until beginning to wrinkle)

2 cubed tart apples

1 cup chopped celery

3 tsp. dried or fresh thyme

coarse & freshly ground pepper to taste

1 cup organic chicken broth

1 1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnuts

dots of butter

garnish with additional parsley

• Bring chicken stock (water) to boil. Add rice, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until tender and grains begin to split, about 45 minutes. Drain and fluff.
• Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Butter 13x9x2 inch baking dish.
• Combine cooked rice, chestnuts and parsley.
• Heat olive oil in pan and saute shallots, apples and celery. Season with thyme, salt & pepper. Add to wild rice mixture. Add grapes and any liquid on pan. Stir in broth. Re-season and transfer to prepared baking dish. Top with toasted nuts, parsley, dot with additional butter, and bake until heated through, about 30-45 minutes. (8 servings) ~Can be made ahead and reheated before serving.

Note: 1 lb. crumbled sweet Italian sausage (casing removed and browned) may be added.