Category: BLOG 365

BRINED ROAST TURKEY BREAST ~ BLOG 365.

We’re had a SMALL group for Thanksgiving this year and I ordered a LARGE boneless turkey breast, but was afraid it would be too dry so decided to try a brine to keep it juicy. This recipe calls for an overnight wet brine overnight creating maximum flavor and keeping it extremely moist. It is then roasted to a golden perfection.

BRINED ROAST TURKEY BREAST
Prep Time 15 minutes
Brine Time 12 hours
Cook Time 3 hours
Rest Time 15 minutes
+/- Total Time 15 hours 15 minutes

BRINE
8 cups water
½ cup kosher salt
½ cup PACKED brown sugar
8 cloves garlic, FINELY minced
1 cinnamon stick
¼ cup FRESH tarragon
2 sprigs FRESH rosemary
2 lemons, cut in half and juiced
1 LARGE orange, peeled, cut in half and juiced
4 cups ice, optional

  • Bring the water to a boil in a LARGE pot.
  • Add all ingredients to the pot except the ice and return to a boil, stirring to dissolve all the salt and sugar.
  • Remove from heat and cool completely.
  • To speed up the cooling add about 4 cups of ice to the brine.
Once the brine is cooled, place the turkey breast in the brine making sure it’s fully submerged. You may have to weigh it down with another pot of water to keep it submerged.
  • Store it in the refrigerator overnight or for at least for 12 hours.


TURKEY
2 medium onions, quartered
4 large carrots, rustic cut
4 cloves garlic, FINELY minced
5-8 pound turkey breast, thawed
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
8 tablespoon butter, melted
1 cup homemade chicken broth

  • Preheat your oven to 350°.
  • Remove the turkey breast from the brine solution and pat it dry with paper towels.
  • Rinse the turkey breast thoroughly to remove excess salt and pat dry.
Place the quartered onions, carrot pieces, minced garlic and 4 tablespoons diced butter in a large roasting pan then place the turkey breast on top.
  • Rub the turkey with the melted butter, keep remaining butter for later.
  • Generously season with salt and pepper on both sides. 
Add the chicken broth to the pan. 

  • Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place in the oven.
  • Roast covered for 1½ hours, basting with the melted butter, remelting as necessary every 20 minutes.
  • After 1½ hours, remove the foil and roast for another 1 hour or until golden brown. The breast is done when a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast registers at 165°.
Transfer the turkey breast to a platter or cutting board and let it rest for a full 15 minutes before slicing into it.
  • With a slotted spoon remove carrots to a serving bow. Cover and keep warm.


GRAVY
pan drippings
¾ cup homemade chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch or more for a thicker gravy

  • Skim some of the fat from the pan drippings if necessary.
  • Place the pan on the stove over medium-high heat.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch with a couple tablespoons of the chicken broth. Add mixture to the pan, whisking it all together.
  • Strain gravy through a sieve pressing all the liquid out of the onions and garlic for additional flavor.
Add more cornstarch until you reach the desired consistency. Cook for a few minutes, until the gravy thickens a bit.
  • Adjust seasoning as necessary.

NOTES

  • Turkey breast cooking guidelines:
    4 to 6 pounds – 2 1/2 to 3 hours
    6 to 8 pounds – 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours
  • Use a shallow roaster so that the oven air can flow completely around the turkey breast.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with WEEKLY MENU & RECIPES week 1 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.1

And after being out on New Year’s Eve last night for the first time in MANY a year, I really have no intention of doing much – other than staying in my PJ’s and relaxing today. Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Surprise, it’s cold, gray and rainy here in the Pacific North West. We’re still JUST a bit above normal which is not predicted to last, but it’s a wet cold in the low 40’s during the day with night time lows of mid 30’s. The years we don’t have snow for Christmas usually bring snow in the new year and this year won’t disappoint evidently. We have a dip in temperatures predicted at the end of the week with snow predicted for the weekend on.

Hubby got me several new flannels for Christmas so I’ll be trying those out this week with Levis, turtlenecks and my favorite UGGs.

I’m starting off 2024 FRESH with a new look here on the blog, but also my outlook on what I want to accomplish in this new year. The blog look may change a few times as I adjust to the color combinations 😀

I’m even attempting a new way to combine all my different lists, calendars and planners into one place. I found an easy to use calendar/planner from a company called Fringe that is compact, yet full size and to all appearances will allow me to keep ALL my planning in one place instead of multiple planners, whether it’s birthdays, appointments or meals. WISH ME LUCK 😀 I’ve used the same brand and style of calendar/system for so many years now I’m just not sure if I’ll be able to do it, but have high hopes in eliminating all the multiple planners.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING/GROCERIES & ERRANDS This week I’ll be cleaning up from the holidays and doing a deep cleaning all around. I actually have no appointments and did all the shopping last Friday other than the Eagles shopping on Wednesday afternoon. I’m even starting off with NO laundry besides what we wore to the party last night.
  • PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS, PROJECTS & TRAVELS I’ll be cleaning up the end of year files and boxes of receipts and trying to get rid of all the stray notes on my desk so I can start the new year off less cluttered.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m deciding which cookbook to cook from for the remainder of the month after I finish a few leftover recipes, but leaning towards a new one from Taste of Home, the “all-new MOST REQUESTED recipes” that came in my last quarterly box. I have a list of some “scheduled” to post recipes I want to use this month also.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • We just finished the 2nd season of REACHER on Prime and will watch the Kid’s Baking Championship on Food Network that begins tonight and football of course. Besides that not much is worth our time.

I’m about halfway through Marie Force’s current book STATE of BLISS, book #6 of the First Family series.

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀 Jean did suggest some coffee yogurt and I was able to find it, but it just wasn’t the same 🙁

There were so many meals in December that were altered or downright canceled that I’m rolling many of them over into January. I was able to end the year with a cleaned out refrigerator and am looking forward to cleaning out the freezer and pantry this next month.

My plan is to then pick one cookbook each month and cook all the “tagged” recipes from that book before donating the book. I’ll only keep the recipes we REALLY liked and will add them to my actual recipe box.
MONDAY 1/1
TUESDAY 1/2
WEDNESDAY 1/3
THURSDAY 1/4
FRIDAY 1/5
SATURDAY 1/6
SUNDAY 1/7
DINNER
 BLACK EYED PEA CHILI & CORN BREAD
 WHITE CHICKEN CHILI LASAGNA
CORN clean out refrigerator night
ROLLED FLANK STEAK and CAULIFLOWER GRATIN
 CHICKEN CORDON BLEU and SALAD
 PORK CHOPS with APPLE STUFFING
 CARNITAS with HOT PINEAPPLE SAUCE & SALAD
DESSERT
 probably nothing as there are still plenty of holiday treats around 😀
 
 

Usually the sunsets are the gorgeous ones, but this was midday to the east a couple days ago.

TEX MEX RANCH CHICKEN CASSEROLE ~ BLOG 365.362

Here’s another version of the infamous King Ranch TEX MEX RANCH CHICKEN CASSEROLE, none of which have any real affiliation to the ranch itself based on what research I can find.

TEX MEX RANCH CHICKEN CASSEROLE
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 LARGE onion, FINELY chopped
2 stalks celery, FINELY diced
2 small sweet red peppers, FINELY chopped
2 cloves garlic, FINELY minced
3 cups diced or cubed rotisserie chicken
2 cans undiluted cream of celery soup (see NOTE)
1 can ROTEL tomatoes, drained but reserve juice
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder (see NOTE)
12 small corn tortillas cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheddar/Jack cheeses

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Lightly spray 3 quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add onions, celery and peppers, sauteing until crisp tender.
  • Add garlic, cooking until fragrant.
  • Add chicken pieces, tomatoes and spices, stirring to combine and heat through.
  • Whisk together soups and reserved drained Rotel tomato juice until smooth.
  • Fold soup mixture into chicken mixture until well combined.
  • Line the bottom of baking dish with half of the corn tortilla strips.
  • Top with half the chicken mixture, followed by half of the cheese.
  • Repeat layers.
  • Bake uncovered 30-40 minutes until cooked through and bubbly.

NOTE:

  • You can mix up the soup flavors of your choice – I like to use a combo of cream of celery and golden mushroom or tomato bisque – really whatever is on hand works just fine!
  • I also use Pampered Chef TEX MEX seasoning instead of chili powder.
  • Rotel heat is your choice – mild, original or HOT.