Creative Cooks

Meatballs With Spicy Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:
- Meatballs
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup onion, small dice
½ cup celery, small dice
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon sage
½ teaspoon thyme, ground
1 slice white bread, crusts removed
1 tablespoon milk
12 ounces ground turkey
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon pepper, black cracked

- Spicy cranberry sauce
5 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed
½ cup water
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons diced jalapeno, seeded or unseeded

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat, add onion, celery and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent, about five minutes. Stir in sage and thyme, cooking one minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Pour milk over the slice of bread in a bowl and let soak for a few minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Spray with cooking oil.

4. Mix turkey, onion mixture, salt and pepper in bowl. Squeeze out as much milk as you can from the bread and tear it into pieces over the turkey mixture.

5. Add lightly beaten egg white and with your hands, blend the meat mixture.

6. Use a 1 ounce scoop to make 15 meatballs.

7. Place on prepared baking sheet and place in 400 degrees oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm with spicy cranberry sauce.

Sauce:

1. Heat water and sugar in a sauce pan over medium high heat until boiling.

2. Add cranberries and jalapenos, bring back to boil, reduce heat and simmer until the cranberries have burst, about 10 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and cool. Serve at room temperature.

VANILLA BRINED TURKEY
Makes one 16 to 20 pound turkey

Ingredients:
1 16 to 20 pound turkey, giblets removed, cleaned and pat dry

- Vanilla brine:
3/4 cup kosher salt
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup old hickory smoked salt
2 tablespoons ground white pepper
1 tablespoon ground cardamom
2 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
1/2 gallon vegetable stock
1/3 cup pure vanilla extract
1/2 gallon heavily iced water

- Vanilla bourbon butter
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sweet bourbon
salt and pepper to taste

- Aromatics
1 green apple, halved
1 yellow onion, halved
1/2 bunch thyme
1/2 bunch rosemary
1 cinnamon stick

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Place the first eight ingredients of the brine in a large pot and simmer until the spices dissolve. Allow to cool completely.
3. Pour the cooled stock mixture into a large storage container and stir in the vanilla and ice water.
4. Completely submerge the turkey into the liquid breast side down and brine for 10 to 16 hours, stored in a cool, dry place.
5. While the turkey is in the brine, make the vanilla-bourbon butter: Place the ingredients into a bowl and whisk together until completely combined. Set aside.
6. When ready, remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry.
7. Stuff the cavity of the turkey with the aromatics and rub the skin, both under and over, with the vanilla bourbon butter.
8. Season the turkey with salt and pepper.
9. Tie the legs together tightly, tuck the wings under the back, and transfer the bird to a roasting pan.
10. Place the turkey into the oven and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, allowing the skin to brown.
11. Remove the turkey from the oven and cover the breast with foil to prevent burning.
12. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to roast the turkey for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, basting every 30 minutes.
13. Remove the foil from the breast 30 minutes before the turkey is ready to come out of the oven, and continue to roast until an instant read thermometer reads 161 degrees.
14. Remove the turkey from the oven, loosely covered with foil and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.