How to Cook a Turkey from Lynda Rojas

Remove giblets and neck. Remove band from legs. Wash in cold water, pat dry. Salt and pepper back, then salt and pepper breast. Place on rack in turkey roaster, breast up and cover with foil tent over breast. Bake at 325 degrees F. For the last 1 1/2 hours of cooking, take off foil and brown breast. When turkey is done remove from oven and allow it to stand 20 minutes to one hour before slicing.

6-8lbs 3 to 3 1/2 hours
8-12lbs 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours
12-16 lbs 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours
16-20lbs 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 hours
20-24lbs 6 1/2 to 7 hours

How To Cook a Turkey from Judy Love

If turkey is frozen, thaw in refrigerator for 2-3 days. If you don't have that much time, thaw in a pan on the counter still in plastic wrapper for one day. Remove plastic wrapper and remove giblets from the neck cavity and leg cavity. Put turkey into sink and rinse both cavities with cool water. Also rinse giblets and neck, then drain.

Salting the turkey:

Put 1 1/2 tsp salt into your hand, reach into turkey leg cavity and rub salt all around. Repeat with 1/2 tsp salt in the neck cavity. Put approximately 2 tsp of salt on hand and rub all over the turkey skin. Put into roasting pan and cover with the lid or with a foil tent and seal edges around the pan. Cook at 225 degrees F for 8-10 hours depending on the size of your turkey.

You may also cook your turkey at 325 degrees F

6-8lbs 2 1/2-3 hours
8-12 lbs 3 to 3 1/2 hours
12-16 lbs 3 1/2 to 4 hours
16-20 lbs 4 to 4 1/2 hours
20-24lbs 5-6 hours at 300 degrees F

Carrot Muffins

2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3 cups shredded carrots

Mix dry ingredients together, set aside. Mix eggs, oil, and brown sugar together until smooth. Combine dry and wet mixtures until just moist. Fold in carrots until just blended. Pour into greased 12 cup muffin tin. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Recipe adapted by Kimbrah Gonzalez

Sweet Potato Cornbread

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp. salt
1 cup margerine or butter
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
6 eggs or mix together: 6 Tbsp water, 6 Tbsp canola oil, 4 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp orange juice
2 cups mashed sweet potato
1/2 cup plus 4 Tbsp water

Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Cream margerine or butter. Add brown sugar and blend well. Add eggs or baking powder, water, oil mixture and blend. Add sweet potato, orange juice, and water and blend until smooth. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Pour batter into a greased 9" x 13" baking pan. Cook at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes until edge is golden brown and bread springs back when lightly touched. Serves 12

Recipe adapted by Kimbrah Gonzalez

Almond Roca

1 lb butter
2 cups ground almonds
8 oz milk chocolate bar, shredded
2 cups white sugar
2 cups finely chopped walnuts
12" x 17" cookie sheet

Cover pan with foil and spread half cup walnuts and half cup shredded chocolate bar. In a heavy sauce pan boil together butter, sugar, and almonds over medium heat until it reaches 315 degrees F, stirring constantly or it will burn. Pour mixture over chocolate and walnuts, then put the remaining chocolate and walnuts over the top. Allow to cool and break into pieces when set.

Recipe created by Barbara Truitt

Butter Toffee

1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 large pkg. chocolate chips (I like to use milk chocolate)

Combine sugar, salt, water, and butter. Cook to light crack stage (285 degrees F) on candy thermometer. Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Pour onto well greased cookie sheet (wax paper is good too). Cool. Melt chocolate bits over hot water (or microwave for 30 seconds at a time until melted, be careful not to over cook or chocolate will burn). Spread chocolate on the top of toffee and sprinkle with nuts. Cool. Break in pieces.

Recipe created by Lynda Rojas

Whole Wheat Molasses Bread

2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 to 2 cups unbleached flour
4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 3/4 cups water
1/2 cup dark molasses
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp shortening (or butter)
1 Tbsp salt

In large mixer bowl, combine whole wheat flour, 1 cup unbleached flour, and yeast. In sauce pan, heat water, molasses, brown sugar, shortening, and salt until just warm (115-112 degrees F), stirring to melt shortening. Add to dry mixture in bowl. Beat at low speed of electric mixer for 30 seconds. Scraping sides of bowl constantly, beat 3 minutes at high speed. ( If preparing by hand stir for 100 strokes until mixed thoroughly). By hand, stir in enough remaining unbleached flour to make a stiff dough. Turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead dough till smooth, 5 to 8 minutes. Shape into a ball. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease the breads surface. Cover; let rise till double, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down, divide in half, cover loosely with a damp towel and let rest 10 minutes. Shape into 2 slightly flattened 6-inch balls. Place both halves on a greased cookie sheet. Cover; let rise till double, about 45 minutes. Bake loaves in 375 degree F oven for 30 to 35 minutes until well browned. Remove from cookie sheet immediately and rub top with butter and cool on rack. Makes 2 loaves

Recipe created by Lynda Rojas

Banana Kiwi Salad

2-3 bananas
3-4 kiwis

Peel and slice kiwis and bananas and mix together. Serves 4-5.

Recipe created by Carlene Truitt

Cauliflower Avocado Salad

1 head of cauliflower
2 ripe avocados
1 bottle of Italian dressing

Cut cauliflower and avocado into bite size pieces and put in medium sized serving bowl. Pour dressing to taste over the top and toss with vegetables. Serves 4-5

Recipe created by Carlene Truitt

Stuffed Italian Shells

1 box Barilla jumbo shells
1 jar pasta sauce (or mild salsa if you would like to do a Mexican twist)
1 lb mozzarella cheese (or 8 oz jack, 8 oz pepper jack for Mex), grated
2 split boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
8 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
salt to taste

Cook pasta shells and set aside. Combine diced chicken, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, salt, and half of the grated mozzarella (or 8 oz pepper jack) in a bowl. I have found it is easier to mix it with an electric mixer to get a better texture. Stuff shells with this mixture and place in a 9 x 13 baking dish until you can't fit anymore. Pour pasta sauce (or salsa) over the top of shells and spread it around until it completely covers the shells. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella (or 8 oz jack cheese) over the top and sprinkle additional parmesan over that. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes. Serves 6-8.

Recipe created by Kimbrah Gonzalez

Poor Folks Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 split boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 slices turkey bacon
8 oz. cheddar cheese
dijon mustard

Pound chicken breasts with a mallet until they are quite thin. You will want to be able to roll it up later. On half of the breast lay one or two strips of bacon (your choice whether you want pork or turkey and whether you want to cook it first or not, depends on how crispy you like it). Place a couple of slices of cheese on top of the bacon. Roll chicken breast from short side to short side and place it seam side down in a glass baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 30 minutes. Serves 4-5 people.

Recipe created by Kimbrah Gonzalez

Ritz Chicken

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz crackers
4 boneless skinless thighs or 2 split boneless skinless breasts (chicken)
1Tbsp granulated garlic
1tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Pour crushed crackers into a shallow pan. Season chicken with garlic, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken into butter, then roll in cracker crumbs, roll the chicken up, place in baking pan. Bake 30 minutes. Serves 4.

Recipe created by Judy Love

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Dough:
See Fresh Pizza Dough Recipe and follow directions

Sauce:
1 small can Italian Seasoned tomato paste
1/2 cup bold, smoky BBQ sauce (I recommend Trader Joe's Bold and Smoky Kansas City Barbecue Sauce)

Mix together thoroughly and spread on dough leaving about 3/4 inch around edge.

Toppings:
1 pound mozzarella cheese, grated
1 pound grilled chicken, diced
two cloves garlic, diced and roasted in butter until crispy

Spread toppings evenly and cook in 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is melted.

Recipe created by Kimbrah Gonzalez

Fresh Pizza Dough

2 tsp. yeast
1 cup warm water
dash of salt
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. molasses
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp whole rosemary crushed
olive oil for greasing pan

Dissolve yeast in water, then add honey, molasses and salt. Stir until all are dissolved. Mix in flour and let rise for one hour, covered. Punch air bubbles out. Add rosemary and knead thouroughly. Let rise one additional hour. Roll out on pan brushed with olive oil and add toppings. Brush edges with additional olive oil and cook at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. Makes about a 12"-14" diameter pizza.

Recipe created by Kimbrah Gonzalez