The Diva Runs Out of Thyme

by Davis, Krista

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

  3 tablespoons bourbon (Airline-size bottle holds

  about 4 tablespoons.)

  2 eggs

  ½ cup dark brown sugar

  ¾ cup dark corn syrup

  ½ teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon vanilla

  2 cups roughly chopped pecans

  1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

  Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Microwave the butter in a cup for about 30 seconds and set aside to cool. In another cup, stir together the instant coffee, cocoa powder, and bourbon until the coffee crystals and cocoa powder are dissolved.

  In a mixer, beat the 2 eggs. Add the brown sugar and the cooled butter and beat. Add the corn syrup, the salt, and the vanilla. Beat to combine all the ingredients. Mix in the pecans. Pour into the pie shell and bake 55 to 60 minutes.

  SERVE WITH WHIPPED CREAM:

  Pour 1 pint whipping cream into mixer and beat until it begins to take shape. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons powdered sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Beat until soft peaks form. Don’t overbeat!

  SOPHIE’S HINT:

  If your piecrust doesn’t have a beautiful crust around the edge, pipe part of the whipped cream on the edge to cover it!

  Brining Basics

  Brine your turkey in a large roasting pot, clean bucket, or food-safe plastic container large enough for the bird to be covered with water.

  About 32 hours before cooking the turkey, remove the giblets and place the bird in the container. Cover with salted water made of ¾ cup of kosher salt per gallon. Add ¼ cup sugar to the brine.

  Place the container in the refrigerator for 8 hours. (The turkey must be kept refrigerated during the brining process.)

  Remove the turkey and discard the water. Rinse the turkey and place on a roasting rack uncovered in your refrigerator for about 24 hours before cooking.

  NOTE:

  Do not brine a kosher turkey or one that has been injected with any solution or is labeled self-basting.

  Crusty Country Bread, Bacon, and Herb Stuffing

  1 pound crusty country-style bread

  1 pound bacon (Sophie prefers bacon without

  added preservatives.)

  ½ stick of butter (4 tablespoons)

  3 chopped onions

  3 stalks of celery, chopped

  1 apple, peeled and chopped

  1½ tablespoons dried sage

  1 tablespoon dried thyme

  ½ tablespoon dried rosemary

  2 cups chicken broth

  salt

  pepper

  Slice the bread and toast in the oven at 325 degrees until dry. Chop into 1-inch chunks. Cook the bacon in a large pan until crisp. Remove the bacon and pour out all but a couple of tablespoons of bacon fat. Add the ½ stick of butter to the pan along with the onions, celery, apple, and herbs. Cook until soft. Remove from heat and mix with bread chunks, crumbled bacon, and chicken broth. Salt and pepper to taste.

  At this point, the stuffing can be spooned into a baking dish and stored, covered, for up to 24 hours. Be sure you use a refrigerator-to-oven-safe baking dish.

  Bake for one hour at 325 degrees and serve.

  Chesapeake Cornbread Stuffing

  CHESAPEAKE CORNBREAD

  2 eggs

  2 tablespoons Chesapeake Bay Spice

  ¼ cup sugar

  1 cup self-rising yellow cornmeal

  ½ cup self-rising flour

  2 tablespoons olive oil

  ¾ cup buttermilk

  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-9-inch pan well.

  In a large mixing bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Add the Chesapeake Bay Spice and the sugar and whisk again to mix thoroughly. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk lightly or stir until well mixed. Pour into greased pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

  CHESAPEAKE CORNBREAD STUFFING

  ½ stick butter (4 tablespoons)

  2 cups chopped onions

  1 cup finely chopped celery

  3 tablespoons sage

  1 tablespoon thyme

  1 Granny Smith apple, cut into small pieces

  ½ cup pecans (Best if toasted but that’s optional.)

  2 tablespoons Chesapeake Bay Spice

  1 9-by-9 pan of Chesapeake Cornbread

  4 slices of toasted white bread (Emma uses

  Pepperidge Farm Hearty White.)

  2 cups chicken broth (Use vegetable broth for

  vegetarian version.)

  Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add onion, celery, sage, and thyme and cook until the onion and celery begin to soften, stirring occasionally. Add Granny Smith apple. When the onion, celery, and apple are soft, add the toasted pecans and Chesapeake Bay Spice, mixing thoroughly. Remove from heat.

  Crumble the Chesapeake Cornbread into a very large bowl. Cut or crumble the toasted white bread and add to the bowl. Mix in the contents of the skillet. Add two cups of chicken broth and mix so that all the contents are coated and slightly moist. (For a fun variation, add cooked crab meat or chopped cooked shrimp.)

  Pour into a casserole dish or a loaf pan. (If you’re cooking a day ahead of time, at this point it can be covered and refrigerated overnight. Be sure to use bakeware that can go from the refrigerator to the oven if you do this!) Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.

  Cranberry Mushroom Wild Rice Stuffing

  1 4-ounce box all-natural wild rice

  2 cups chicken broth (Use vegetable broth for

  vegetarian version.)

  1 teaspoon sage

  1 tablespoon butter

  2 tablespoons olive oil

  1 carrot

  1 cup diced onions

  1 cup minced celery

  1½ tablespoons sage

  1 tablespoon thyme

  1 16-oz package white mushrooms (Washed,

  stems discarded.)

  ½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

  2 cloves garlic, minced

  1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

  1 bag Craisins

  Cook the wild rice according to the directions on the box but substitute chicken broth for the amount of water in the instructions on the box and add the teaspoon of sage and tablespoon of butter.

  If using a low-salt broth, you may need to add a small amount of salt to the broth when it’s cooking. The wild rice will take approximately 1 hour to cook. Taste to be sure it is soft. When done, take off the heat, pour into a sieve, and set the rice aside. Discard the cooked liquid that remains.

  Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. After peeling the carrot, use the peeler to make thin slices, then chop until it looks like confetti. Add the onions, celery, carrot, sage, and thyme to the olive oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions and celery are soft. Meanwhile, dice the mushroom caps. Add the butter, mushrooms, and garlic to the skillet. Mix thoroughly and cook until the mushrooms are tender. Add 1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup. Mix thoroughly. Remove from heat and mix in the Craisins. Spoon into a casserole or loaf pan.

  (If you are cooking ahead, at this point, you can cover the stuffing and refrigerate until the next day. But be sure to use a baking dish that can go from the refrigerator to the oven.)

  Bake in a casserole or loaf pan at 350 degrees for about an hour.