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Recipes from Your Radio
The California Report Cooks!
The California Report staff steps out of the studio and into the kitchen to share some favorite family recipes for Thanksgiving.
Appetizers:
- Stacy's Sweet Potato Pinwheels
- Molly's Aunt Mimi's Cheese Cookies
The Bird:
- PJ's Turkey and Mashed Potatoes
- Ingrid's Stuffing
Sides:
- Judy's Can't Resist 'Em Creamed Onions
- Erika's Gooey Gruyere Potatoes
- Kathy's Challah
- Margot's Aussie Damper
- Sasha's Central Valley Cranberry-Orange Chutney
- Alex C.'s Amazing Asparagus
- Jason's Altruistic Refusal
Desserts:
- Larry's Black Bottom Cupcakes
- Suzie's Grandma Eugenia's Bibingka
- Sarah's Shamelessly Simple Swedish Apple Pie
- Leyna's Kona Inn Banana Bread
- Alex P.'s Ginger Apple Crisp
Stacy's Sweet Potato Pinwheels
Stacy Bond, Producer
- 3 garnet or jewel yams (sweet potatos are actually too light in color)
- 8 oz tub of sour cream
- 2 oz jar Sterling California caviar
- thinly sliced chives (optional)
- Rub the yams with a tiny bit of mild olive oil and just a tad of salt.
- Bake in oven on 400 until they can be pierced with a fork, but are still firm (approximately 25 minutes).
- Remove from oven and cool for about 10 minutes.
- Slice into 1/4-inch rounds, laying rounds flat on baking sheet, retaining crisped skin on rounds if possible.
- Return to oven under broiler to brown tops, but not letting rounds get oozy (approximately 5-7 minutes).
- Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
- Top each round with about a teaspoon of very, very cold sour cream.
- Use a plastic spoon to add a dollop of very, very cold caviar to each round.
- Arrange on sparkly serving platter and garmish each round with a few chives if desired.
- Serve immediately. So easy, and yet so chic!
Molly's Aunt Mimi's Cheese Cookies
Molly Peterson, Morning Director/Reporter
Simple; deadly. My Aunt Mimi's three boys and assorted nieces and nephews love these fresh out of the oven, sometimes still on the cookie sheet, while we're waiting for whoever is in charge of the rest of the meal to get it going. With 25 people at the table sometimes, one more distraction in the chaos helps.
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- 1 stick butter, softened but not melted
- 2 cup cheese -- Mimi's advice: "You want Cheddar, grated. It can be medium or sharp. I like medium. But it has to be good old fashioned orange cheese. Don't get cute with this."
- A pinch of paprika
- 2 chopped green onions
Blend in a food processor and form into balls the diameter of a nickel. Chill, or better yet, freeze. They do spread, but only a little, so you can scatter them on a cookie sheet. Oh, you probably don't need to bother greasing it; the dough does it for you. Mimi doubles the batch for a crowd. Bake at 350-375 degrees until golden brown, about 8-12 minutes. They should be crispy on the outside, and chewy on the inside.
PJ's Turkey and Mashed Potatoes
Peter Jon Shuler, South Bay Bureau Chief
Well, for me, the whole meal revolves around my preparation of the turkey and mashed potatoes, which is simple, but a little unorthodox. Here's the deal with perfect poultry: well seasoned, high heat, no stuffing and short cooking time.
After washing and patting dry the turkey, I slather it, inside and out, with salt, pepper, garlic, sage and paprika. But NO stuffing. I pop it into a 500 degree oven for about an hour and a half for a 15-pound bird. The skin is very crispy and spicy -- almost inedible, which is good because it's the fattiest part anyway. But the meat -- both light and dark -- is the most tender, juicy, tasty, most perfectly cooked meat you can imagine. If you use a larger bird, it will take a bit longer, but not much longer. Use a meat thermometer.
As for the potatoes, you can use any kind, but I find Yukon Golds are the best. Clean them, but don't peel them -- that just deprives you of half the goodness and creates extra work. Cut them up if they're too big, and boil the hell out of them. I use a pasta cooker (sort of like a double boiler) to avoid scorching the ones on the bottom. After about an hour, they should be just falling apart. Drain them. Mash them up with a hand masher. Then take an electric hand blender and go to town. For an even smoother texture, add a little (as little as possible) hot milk. Let diners salt, pepper, butter and gravy to their own taste. We've been having holidays with this one family since the daughters were little girls. Now they're teenagers, and all but DEMAND my mashed potatoes.
Ingrid's Stuffing
Ingrid Becker, Senior Producer
The exact origins of this family stuffing recipe are unknown to me. The Becker side of my family in Chicago passed it on to my Swedish-born mother eons ago, and since then none of our Thanksgiving turkeys were complete without this stuffing. The one year I boldly stuffed a bird with a cornbread-based mixture it was not a big hit, and I quickly learned that the secret to a happy family holiday is to not waver from tradition.
Here then, in approximate proportions, is stuffing for a 20-pound bird. There will be some leftovers for the next day. This recipe is equally good with roasted chicken.
- 1 loaf white bread, crust trimmed and cut into quarter-inch cubes. Don't worry if the bread is a day old. In fact, for this recipe it's better if the bread is slightly on the dry side.
- 3-4 stalks of celery, cut into quarter-inch cubes.
- 1/4 onion, diced
- 1/2 green apple, diced
- 1 stick butter or margarine, melted
- 1-2 tbsp marjoram
- Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Season to taste. If you are using salted butter or if you tend to salt the inside of the turkey cavity, you may not need to add much salt.
- Drizzle melted butter over the top and toss ingredients lightly to coat.
- Stuff the bird and sew the cavity closed with cooking twine.
- Any extra stuffing can be baked in a dish alongside the bird. Grease the baking dish first and then drizzle a little extra butter on the top of the dressing to prevent it from drying out.
Judy's Can't Resist 'Em Creamed Onions
Judy Campbell, Northern California Reporter
- Take a couple of packages of pearl onions and cut off the stem end. Put in boiling water until just about soft. Take out and run under cold water until cool enough to handle. Squeeze onion out of skin. Put onions aside.
- Melt a quarter cup of butter, mix in a quarter cup of flour. Depending on how rich you want it, add milk, half and half or cream or any combo. Mix a little liquid in and keep stirring with wire whisk until it becomes a medium thick sauce.
- Season with tarragon, salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook for about 10 minutes then add onions. Put on low flame for about 10 minutes or until serving. Watch so it doesn't burn.
Erika's Gooey Gruyere Potatoes
Erika Kelly, Morning Director/Reporter
- 3 lbs medium sized russet potatoes, peeled and sliced very thinly
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups water
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- sea salt, to taste
- 3 bay leaves
- freshly ground nutmeg and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup crème fraiche or heavy cream
- 10 ounces Gruyere cheese, freshly grated
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Place potatoes in large saucepan and cover with milk and water.
- Add garlic, salt and bay leaves.
- With pan partially covered, bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring occasionally to potatoes don't stick to bottom of the pan.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender but not falling apart, about 10 minutes.
- Using a large flat strainer or spoon, transfer half of potatoes to an 8-cup gratin dish. Sprinkle with nutmeg, pepper, half cream and half cheese. Cover with remaining potatoes and sprinkle with pepper, nutmeg and remaining cream and cheese. (Discard milk, water and herbs in which potatoes were cooked.)
- Bake until gratin is crisp and golden on top, about one hour.
- Serve immediately. 6-8 servings.
Kathy's Challah
Kathryn Baron, guest host
A traditional Jewish egg bread.
- 8 cups flour
- 1 package active yeast
- 3 eggs
- tsp salt
- 1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tbsp
- 2 1/4 cups lukewarm water
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil
- sesame seeds or poppy seeds (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm water with 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit for 15 minutes.
- Mix together flour, two beaten eggs, salt, vegetable oil, yeast mixture, and enough water to form hold dough together.
- Knead dough on floured surface until forms a ball with a silky texture, not too moist.
- Place dough in a covered bowl away from drafts, until it doubles in size -- about 2 hours.
- Separate dough into three equal portions. Knead each one and roll by hand into a rope.
- Braid the three ropes, pinching the two ends to hold them together.
- Cover and let sit for a half hour.
- Beat third egg and brush on top of braided dough.
- Sprinkle on some sesame or poppy seeds. (optional)
Bake for 50 minutes, or until golden.
As a bonus, here's my grandmother's favorite recipe for breakfast:
Buy a nice onion bagel (water bagels only). Slice it open, being careful not to hit any critical arteries. Place lovingly in toaster. While bagel is browning, open a package of Temptee Whipped Cream Cheese. When bagel pops, plop it on plate and schmear liberally with cream cheese.
Margot's Aussie Damper
Margot Dunphy, Intern
[Editor's note: Margot is from Austrailia, and claims they don't have Puritans there. We believe her.]
A Thanksgiving substitute for dinner rolls? This no-yeast bread was made by drovers and stockmen out in the Australian Bush. It is now served as side bread in some restaurants in Australia. The authentic way to cook it is to wrap the dough around a stick and hold it over an open fire or bury it in a camp oven (large 'billy') under hot coals. You can also use aluminum foil to wrap before burying.
- 2-3 cups self-rising flour (add until the mixture becomes of a doughy consistency)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup milk or 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup water
Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl. Make a well in the center and add butter and milk and stir with a knife until combined. Make a soft dough and knead lightly on floured board until smooth. Shape into round loaf, brush with milk, and bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the loaf makes a hollow sound when tapped.
Should be eaten hot! Great with butter and honey or golden syrup.
Sasha's Central Valley Cranberry-Orange Chutney
Sasha Khoka, Central Valley Reporter
- zest of 2 large oranges
- 1 1/2 piece fresh ginger, cut into pieces
- 2 serrano peppers (to taste, stems removed)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 10 black cardamom pods, pounded lightly to break the skin
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp ground fenugreek seeds
- 2 12-oz packages cranberries
- 2 cup water
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- 3 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp toasted almond slivers
- 1 tbsp pine nuts
Grind orange zest, ginger, and peppers in food processor. Heat oil in large stainless steel saucepan over medium-high heat and cook cardamom, cinnamon, fennel and fenugreek for about a minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the orange zest mixture and add cranberries, water, orange juice, sugar and salt. Raise the heat to high and boil. Cook until everything turns slightly thick, about 7 minutes (watch out for spills!). Lower heat to medium, add vinegar, and cook until chutney is quite thick (about 10 minutes). It will continue to thicken as it cools. Transfer to a bowl and serve when cold, garnished with toasted nuts.
(Adapted from Santa Monica cookbook author Neelam Batra's "Chiles to Chutneys: American Home Cooking with the Flavors of India)
Alex C.'s Amazing Asparagus
Alex Cohen, L.A. Bureau Reporter
I learned this recipe from a dear friend in college -- a Russian gal named Anya Sirota. It's super easy and a nice, light dish to go along with all the superheavy Thanksgiving traditionals.
1/2 cup Balsalmic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
Use the olive oil to coat the base of a skillet. Heat on low flame and add garlic, basalmic vinegar and orange juice. Toss in asparagus, salt and pepper. Saute just until asparagus is tender. At the end, sprinkle basil on top. The vinegar-orange juice mixture will get thicker as you cook it. You can use it as a sauce to drizzle on top of the asparagus just before serving.
Jason's Altruistic Refusal
Jason Margolis, Sacramento Regional Reporter
Um, I just microwaved refried beans for the first time this week. Point being, I don't think you want my recipes.
Larry's Black Bottom Cupcakes
Larry Wood, Chief Engineer
Chocolate Mix:
- 3 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 2/3 cup cooking oil
- 2 cups water
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 2 tbsp vanilla
Mix all together in one bowl. I like to use a clear glass bowl so you can see that all of the ingredients are completely mixed by lifting the bowl and inspecting the bottom.
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 2 beaten eggs
- 6 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 12 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips
Beat eggs then add cream cheese and sugar and mix well. Stir in chips.
Use paper cupcake liners and muffin pans. Fill liner a little more than half full with chocolate mix, then drop filling on top by the tablespoonful. Add nuts if inclined. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25 minutes until you see a hint of brown on the edges of the filling. An hour after removing from the oven, the chocolate chips are still melted and gooey middle is heaven.
Suzie's Grandma Eugenia's Bibingka
Suzie Racho, Producer and Magazine Director
A Filipino sweet rice cake.
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
- 3 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 box mochiko (sweet rice flour)
- 2 tbsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix sugar and melted butter. Add eggs and mix until blended with sugar mixture. Add milk and vanilla. Mix. Add sweet rice flour and baking powder. Mix well. Pour into a 9 x 13-inch pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes.
Plus, here's a recipe from my husband's grandmother, Alice Moremen.
- 1 cup shortening (butter or Crisco)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 3/4 cup flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tbsp grated orange rind
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- Shape in rolls and wrap in wax paper.
- Chill in the fridge 24 hours or more.
- Slice thin and bake at 275 degrees for 15 minutes.
Sarah's Shamelessly Simple Swedish Apple Pie
Sarah Varney, Reporter
(with a nod to Mom Varney)
- Heat oven to 350 degrees
- Fill a 9-inch pie plate 3/4 full with peeled and sliced McIntosh apples
- Mix one teaspoon of cinnamon and one tablespoon of brown sugar and sprinkle over apples
- Mix one cup of whole wheat flour, one cup of sugar, two eggs, half cup melted butter, half cup of walnuts
- Pour over apples
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes
Voila! Serve with vanilla ice cream
Leyna's (and Her Mom's) Kona Inn Banana Bread
Leyna Lightman, Intern
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup softened butter
- 6 ripe bananas, mashed, approx. 3 cups
- 4 eggs, well-beaten
- 2 1/2 cup cake flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- With electric beater, cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
- Add bananas and eggs, beating until well-mixed.
- Sift together dry ingredients three times.
- Blend with banana mixture, but do not overmix.
- Pour into two lightly greased loaf pans. Bake for 45-60 minutes, until firm in the centers and the edges begin to separate from pans.
- Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before removing from pans. Yields two loaves.
Alex P.'s Ginger Apple Crisp
Alex Porcaro, Online Editor
Note: If you decide to "chop" the walnuts by putting them in a plastic bag which you will then whack violently against the counter with great swinging motions, and if you don't like sweeping scattered walnut bits up off every surface of your kitchen, it would be a good idea to use two sturdy bags. I'm afraid I learned this the hard way.
Topping:
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled (eliminate the salt if you use salted butter)
Filling:
- 8 or 9 big apples, peeled, cored and sliced (pick a good baking variety like Braeburn)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup flour
- 3-4 strips crystallized ginger, chopped (it'll be about 2-3 tbsp)
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Mix the dry ingredients for the topping. Blend in the melted butter with a fork until the mixture is coarse and crumbly.
- Toss the apples with the other filling ingredients until coated.
- Pour the filling into the baking dish. Cover with the topping.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, until filling bubbles and topping turns golden.
- Cool for 30 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
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