Keeping it Trim for Thanksgiving
Recipes from EatingWell Magazine and Gordon Brown,
November 17, 2011, pages 12-13.....

EatigWell Magazine has graciously shared these recipes for brine-cured turkey and delectable mini brie and apple quiche appetizers that will please the palate and keep the waist trim this Thanksgiving.

Mini Brie & Apple Quiches

Makes: 30 quiches
Active time: 15 minutes. Total: 30 minutes.
We love the way Brie and apples taste together in these mini quiches.

Mini phyllo cups make it swift and simple to create an elegant appetizer.

30 mini phyllo shells (two 1.9-ounce packages; see Note)
1/2 medium apple, peeled and finely diced
5 large eggs
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg
4 ounces Brie (1/2 small wheel), cut into 30 squares

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Arrange phyllo shells on a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Divide apple among the shells.
3. Whisk eggs, mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a large measuring cup. Pour the egg mixture over the apple (do not overfill the shells). Place a Brie square in each shell.
4. Bake until the egg is set, the Brie is melted, and the phyllo is starting to brown around the edges, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Per quiche: 39 calories; 2 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 39 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrate; 0 g added sugars; 2 g protein; 0 g fiber; 65 mg sodium; 20 mg potassium.

Note: Mini phyllo shells, or fillo shells, are available in the freezer section near frozen appetizers. They do not need to be defrosted before filling and baking.

Brine-Cured Roast Turkey

Healthy Weight, Lower Carbs,
Healthy Heart

Active time: 1 hour 10 minutes. Total: 3 hours (plus 3 days brining time). Equipment: Pot, bucket or clean cooler large enough to hold the turkey (but small enough to fit in your refrigerator), kitchen string.
A big turkey is so spectacular you hardly need to do anything to embellish it. But brining can be that extra touch that makes it so juicy and flavorful that you’ll remember it for years to come. Brining the turkey takes three days so you’ll need to plan ahead, but the lengthy brining time really pays off with fabulous flavor. Make sure you start with an all-natural bird without any added water and sodium solution. (Recipe adapted from Alice Waters.)

3 gallons water, divided
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup kosher salt
2 carrots, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
2 leeks, dark tops trimmed off,
chopped
1 small stalk celery, chopped
4 bay leaves
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
4 star anise
5-6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 12- to 14-pound naturally fed, free-
range turkey (reserve the liver for
Wild Mushroom Stuffing)
1 large sprig rosemary for basting
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
for basting

1. Bring 1 gallon water to a boil in a large nonreactive pot that will hold your turkey and fit in your refrigerator (see Tip). Stir in sugar and salt until completely dissolved. Turn off the heat. Stir in carrots, onions, leeks, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns, coriander, crushed red pepper, fennel seeds, star anise and thyme. Add the remaining 2 gallons water. Place the turkey in the brine and weight it with a plate, if necessary, so it stays below the surface. Refrigerate for 72 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 425°F.
3. Remove the turkey from the brine, brush off any briny bits and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes (discard the brine). Tuck the wing tips under the turkey. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Place the turkey on a roasting rack set in a large roasting pan.
4. Roast the turkey until the skin starts to brown, about 40 minutes. Use rosemary sprig to baste the turkey with oil. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and continue roasting the turkey, basting with more oil about every 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh without touching bone registers 165°F, 1 to 1 1/2 hours more, depending on the size of the turkey. If the skin begins to darken too much, cover it loosely with foil.
5. Carefully transfer the turkey to a large, clean cutting board; let it rest, loosely covered with foil, for 20 minutes before removing the string and carving.
Makes 10 servings, plus leftovers.
Cost per serving: under $2.50
Per 3-ounce serving (without skin): 147 calories; 4 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 66 mg cholesterol; 0 g carbohydrate; 25 g protein; 0 g fiber; 96 mg sodium; 253 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Zinc (20% daily value).

Kitchen Tip: If you do not have a pot large enough to hold the turkey plus the 3 gallons of brining liquid, bring 1 gallon of water to a boil in a smaller pot, add the flavorings (Step 1), then transfer the brine to a clean large bucket or medium cooler (small enough to fit in your refrigerator). Add the remaining 2 gallons water and the turkey. To fit the brining turkey into your refrigerator, you may need to remove a shelf or two.

© 2011 Eating Well, Inc. (eatingwell.com); photography by Ken Burris

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Gordon Brown’s
Fresh Cranberry Sauce

4 cups (1 lb) fresh cranberries
3 cups granulated sugar
2 cups boiling water
1 Tbsp grated orange rind
½ bottle Certo (one pouch bag in box)
Wash and drain cranberries. Stem and remove over-ripe berries and any stones. In a large pot, combine cranberries, sugar, boiling water, grated rind and Certo. Let stand for 5 minutes. Bring to boil again, then simmer covered for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for another 5 minutes. Bring to boil again and add Certo. Simmer covered 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and let cool. Chill overnight. Makes one quart.