The Best Christmas Cake Recipe

Hello, everybody! Today I will share one nice Christmas Cake Recipe, that you are unlikely to forget, if you going to straightly follow the cooking directions...
Ok, "ho-ho-ho", as Santa Clause used to say, here we start!

Now the recipe itself:

You'll need the following:

1 cup of water
1 cup of sugar
4 large brown eggs
2 cups of dried fruit
1 teaspoon of salt
2 cups of flour
1 cup of brown sugar
Lemon juice
Nuts
1 bottle of whiskey

* Sample the whisky to check for quality.
* Take a large bowl.
* Check the whisky again. To be sure it's the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. Repeat.
* Turn on the electric mixer, beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.
* Add one teaspoon of sugar and beat again.
* Make sure the whiskey is still OK. Try another cup.
* Tune up the mixer. Beat to leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.
* Mix on the turner. If the fired fruit gets stuck in the beaterers, pry it goose with a drewscriver.
* Sample the whisky to check for tonsisticity.
* Next, sift two cups of salt. Or something. Who cares?
* Check the whisky.
* Now sift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.
* Add one table. Spoon the sugar or something. Whatever you can find.
* Grease the oven. Turn the cake tin to 350 degrees.
* Don't forget to beat off the turner.
* Throw the bowl out of the window.
* Check the whisky again and crawl to bed if you can...

That's it, dudes! Enjoy! And I will not give you the nutrition info this time, ok?

Most Famous Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hi! I am here to deliver the best ever easy-made-at-home recipes that would make you a home kitchen star! Don't forger to print them or bookmark my blog for you future reference! I promise to post a lot of fancy information here!

But now let's return to our long-awaited recipe. It will surely be a hit among your children and all other people who don't have this recipe, as you will have the softest and crunchiest cookies ever made! It's gonna be a real delight, no questions.

OK, to make this cookies-star, we need the following ingredients:

- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 cups butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

The cooking directions: (yield: 72 servings of soft and crunchy chocolate chip cookies!!!)

1/ Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.

2/ In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3/ Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.

Tip: you can use any flavor pudding you like for this recipe.

That's it! It really makes a lot of soft and crunchy chocolate chip cookies! They are especially nice when they are warm, just from the oven. Note: if you don't want that many cookies, try to cut the recipe ingredients in half. But I'm sure you will love them! Enjoy! It's a real delight!

As usual, for dieting-inclined, the nutrition info (per serving):

Calories: 176 kcal
Carbohydrates: 20 g
Dietary Fiber: 0 g
Fat: 10 g
Protein: 2 g
Sugars: 13 g

Via [food.yahoo.com]

Six troubleshooting tips for perfect gravy

Hello everyone, I am back! Now it's time to know the best 6 tips'n'tricks for a perfect gravy. Let's move on.

When it comes time to prepare this traditional sauce on Thanksgiving Day, even the most practiced home cook can be reduced to, well, gravy. Perhaps that's because making gravy feels like a test -- as if the results somehow measure our proficiency in the kitchen. Or that we think whisking up gravy should be child's play, although our own experiences have proved otherwise. Too proud to admit defeat, we improvise each year, following what we remember of Grandma's technique, and either end up with so-so gravy or with good results without quite knowing why.

So what happens when you're finishing up at the stove as the family waits at the table in anticipation of a delicious meal and you find that your gravy falls short of expectations? Here are some simple solutions to six common problems.

Troubleshooting Tips

1/ If it seems greasy, use a fat separator to eliminate the problem. If you discover that your gravy is oily toward the end of its preparation, skim off as much fat as possible with a wide-bowled spoon.

2/ If it's chalky or doughy tasting, make sure the flour has been cooked long enough: When flour is added to the pan drippings or butter, whisk constantly while the mixture cooks until it turns a deep golden brown and smells nutty. If the gravy tastes floury when you're almost finished, turn up the heat to maintain a rapid simmer for several minutes; thin it again with more stock or water if necessary.

3/ If the gravy has lumps, strain it just before serving, using a fine sieve; discard any solids.

4/ If the gravy is too thin, simmer it over medium-high heat, allowing the liquid to reduce. If it is still too thin, add a beurre manie: Make a paste of equal parts flour and softened unsalted butter, and add it a little at a time, whisking constantly, until the gravy thickens.

5/ If it's too thick, gradually whisk a little stock or water into the gravy until it reaches the desired consistency.

6/ If it lacks flavor, adjust the seasoning as necessary with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. If you use canned stock instead of homemade, the gravy might lack depth of flavor. Homemade stock, even made with chicken rather than turkey, will produce a superior gravy, so it's worth the effort.

Tip: If you have enough gravy to be used later, you may put it in freezer and melt it when it is necessary. This is also a perfect gravy to be used with our previous recipes on how to make a nice roast turkey for any holiday meal. Enjoy!

Turkey a la Carte

Hello everybody! Now I want to share one more great turkey recipe, that will definitely make you asking for more. Here it is, and please don't forget to check for daily updates of best international cuisine recipes. You may also bookmark our blog so you would not type in the address next time.

First, we will need the following ingredients:
-6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
-6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and skimmed, for basting
-2 tablespoons fennel seeds
-1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
-Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
-1 (12 pound) turkey, legs and breast separated (ask your butcher to do this) and breast left whole on the bone (discard the carcass or set aside for another use)
Note: you may take less butter if you want, as the turkey itself should be moist and juicy.

Now, the cooking directions: (makes 8 servings)

1/ Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the softened butter, fennel seeds and sage and season with salt and pepper. Carefully slide your hands under the skin of each turkey piece until it separates from the flesh, then spread the herb butter evenly between the meat and skin. Season the turkey pieces with salt and pepper. Place the pieces, skin side up, in a single layer in a large roasting pan outfitted with a rack. Transfer to the oven.

2/ After 15 minutes, baste the turkey with the melted butter. Continue basting every 15 minutes, until both breast and legs reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F when a thermometer is inserted in the thickest parts, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove the turkey from the oven and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Note: in the next post I will give you some hints and ideas on how to carve a turkey in a nice and convenient way.

Tips & Tricks:
Roasting a turkey breast and legs that have been separated from the carcass makes sense for several reasons. First, it takes up less oven space, so you can bake your stuffing or other sides simultaneously. Also, the bird cooks faster than it does when roasted whole.

Bon appetit! Enjoy!

As usual, the nutrition info for those who cares:
Per Serving
Calories: 1164 kcal
Carbohydrates: 0 g
Dietary Fiber: 0 g
Fat: 64 g
Protein: 136 g
Sugars: 0 g

Via [food.yahoo.com]

Roast Turkey with Oranges, Bay Leaves, Red Onions, and Pan Gravy

Here we go guys, it's now time to the things up and running, and what I want to do now is to share one of my favourite recipes on how to make a Thanksgiving Roast Turkey.

First, we need the following ingredients:
1 (12 pound) turkey (preferably kosher), any quills removed if necessary and neck and giblets (excluding liver) reserved for making stock
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 navel oranges, each cut into 8 wedges
3 small red onions, each cut into 8 wedges
5 bay leaves (not California)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Pan juices from roast turkey
4 cups turkey stock
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 roasted onions, each cut into 8 wedges (optional)
Fresh bay leaves (do not eat)

Ready with the ingredients? Ok, now we proceed to the cooking directions:

1/ Roast turkey: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2/ Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. Sprinkle turkey inside and out with salt and pepper, then fold neck skin under body and secure with small skewer. Stuff large cavity with oranges, 1 onion, and bay leaves. Tie drumsticks together with kitchen string and secure wings to body with small skewers.
3/ Put turkey on a rack set in a large flameproof roasting pan and roast in middle of oven 30 minutes.
4/ While turkey is roasting, toss remaining 2 onions with 2 tablespoons melted butter.
5/ Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Brush remaining 1/4 cup butter over turkey and roast 30 minutes more. Baste turkey and scatter buttered onion wedges around it, then roast, basting turkey every 30 minutes (add a little water to pan if onions get too dark) until an instant-read thermometer inserted into fleshy part of a thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170 degrees F, 1 1/2 to 2 hours more (total roasting time: 2 1/2 to 3 hours). Transfer turkey to a platter (do not clean roasting pan) and let stand 25 minutes (temperature will rise to 180 degrees F).
6/ Make gravy: Transfer pan juices with onions to a 2-quart glass measure, then skim off and reserve 1/4 cup fat. Add enough turkey stock to pan juices to make 4 1/2 cups total. Set roasting pan across 2 burners, then add 1 cup stock mixture and deglaze pan by boiling over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits. Add remaining stock mixture and bring to a simmer. Pour stock through a fine sieve back into glass measure and discard onions.
7/ Whisk together reserved fat and flour in a large heavy saucepan and cook roux over moderately low heat, whisking, 3 minutes. Add hot stock mixture in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, then simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in any additional turkey juices accumulated on platter and season gravy with salt and pepper.
8/ Serve turkey with gravy on the side. It should make 10 servings altogether.

Enjoy!

For those, who is interested in the Nutrition info, here it is: (Per Serving)
Calories: 1040 kcal
Carbohydrates: 17 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Fat: 55 g
Protein: 112 g
Sugars: 10 g

Via [food.yahoo.com]