Thanksgiving dinner

Onions Stephanie

 Tender Pearl onions are the centerpiece of this dish, while the sherry and parmesan cheese provide the accents. This simple vegetable dish will be an unexpected yet elegant addition to your menu.

- 1 1/4 lbs. Pearl onions
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup cooking sherry
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

  To peel, place onions in boiling water for 3 minutes. Plunge onions into cold water. Cut off each end of pearl onion and remove skin.

 In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, boil peeled onions for approximately 10 minutes, or until almost tender. Remove from heat and drain. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the drained onions in saucepan. Add butter and cool over low heat about 8 minutes, stirring gently, until tender. Add sherry and cook rapidly for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese just before serving

  Makes 6 servings with 6.5 net carbs per serving.

Punpkin cheescake
More than a stand-in for pumpkin pie, this cheesecake will please the palate of even the staunchest traditionalist. The flavors of the cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger shine through, while the cream cheese gives this dessert its kick. The whipped cream provides a fanciful garnish and a deliciously light contrast to the dense cheesecake. Enjoy it without a twinge of guilt!

Cheesecake:
- 3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese
- 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin purée
- 3/4 cup Splenda
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 eggs (room temperature)
- Vegetable cooking spray
Whipped Cream:
- 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
- 5 tablespoons Splenda
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish:

- Cinnamon sticks
- Ground nutmeg

Prepare cheesecake:
  Preheat oven to 325?. Spray bottom and sides of 8” round cake pan with vegetable cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with a round of parchment or wax paper. Spray paper with vegetable cooking spray; set aside.

 Using an electric mixer on medium speed beat cream cheese until smooth. Add Splenda, pumpkin purée, vanilla, cinnamon and ginger; beat until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until just combined.

 Pour batter into prepared pan. Place cake pan in a deep roasting pan and carefully pour enough boiling water in roasting pan to reach halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake 42 to 45 minutes, until cake is just set in center. Turn off oven, open oven door and let stand in oven 15 minutes. Remove cake pan from water bath and transfer to a wire rack; cool completely. Run a knife around edge of pan, cover and refrigerate until chilled (4 hours or overnight).

  To remove cheesecake from pan, again run knife around edge of pan. Dip bottom of pan into hot water for a few seconds to loosen. Place serving platter over top and invert. Remove pan and peel off paper.

  Garnish with whipped cream, cinnamon sticks and ground nutmeg.

Prepare whipped cream:
Place mixing bowl and beaters in freezer for 15 minutes. After bowl and beaters are thoroughly chilled, beat whipping cream until thick. Continue beating, slowly adding Splenda and vanilla extract, until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until needed.

  Garnish cheesecake with whipped cream, cinnamon sticks and ground nutmeg.

Makes 8 servings with 5.3 net carbs per serving.

Fall Vegetable Medley

A beautiful palette of fall colors is reflected in this delicious medley of acorn squash, broccoli and cauliflower. Not only do the tastes and textures of the vegetables blend well, but the dish will make your table that much prettier.

- 1 Acorn squash
- 8 broccoli flowerettes
- 8 cauliflower flowerettes
- Butter
- Salt

Cut acorn squash into round slices 3/8” to 1/2” thick. Remove seeds. On a heatproof dish covered with waxed paper, microwave slices on high power for 3-4 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Do not stack slices when cooking the squash. Wash and slice off broccoli and cauliflower flowerettes. Insert a vegetable steamer into a large saucepan. Pour water into the bottom of the saucepan to the point where water level is just below steamer. Place flowerettes into steamer and bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to low and steam until vegetables are tender but not mushy. Arrange broccoli and cauliflower in center of each squash slice. Add a pat of butter and a dash of salt to each slice. Serve hot. Makes 8 servings with 3 net carbs per serving.

Cranberry-Walnut Relish
No Thanksgiving dinner would be complete without the cranberries. This relish is a variation of the traditional recipe, with Splenda substituting for sugar. The walnuts add texture to the dish, which will nicely complement the main attraction: the turkey.

- 1 small navel orange
- 12 oz. fresh cranberries, rinsed
- 3 tablespoons water
- 3/4 cup Splenda
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Grate orange, setting aside orange rind. With a small, sharp knife, peel off pith (the white part under the rind), as well as white membranes between orange segments. Cut orange into 1/2” pieces. In a food processor, place cranberries, water, walnuts, orange pieces, orange rind and Splenda. Pulse several times until mixture has coarse texture. Chill 2 to 3 hours to allow flavors to blend. Can be made up to 3 days in advance. Makes 6 servings with 7 net carbs per serving.

The Art of Carving You’ve roasted the turkey to a golden brown and you’re about
to serve dinner. How do you get the meat off the bird and arranged on the platter without it looking as though it fell victim to a chainsaw massacre? Carving a turkey may be a bit of a lost art, but it’s one that you can easily recapture. Perdue Farms provides these
tips, which will allow you to perform the traditional ritual in front of your family and have a beautiful platter of sliced turkey on your Thanksgiving table. The only tools you’ll need are a carving knife (sharpen it first for clean slicing), a carving board and a bit of nerve.

- Let the turkey rest: After it comes out of the oven, remove the turkey from the roasting pan and place it on a carving board. Cover it loosely with foil to keep it warm, and let it rest for 15-30 minutes. This allows the meat to firm for carving and to retain its juices.

-Cut off the legs: Cut through the skin where the leg is attached to the breast. Pull until the thighbone pops out of its socket. Slice off this whole portion, including the back meat around the corner, over to the spine. Then, on the carving board, use a knife to separate
the drumstick and the thigh, then the thigh and the back meat. Serve these items whole, or carve the meat off the bones, working parallel to each bone.

- Cut off the wings: Cut through the skin where the wing is attached to the breast. Again, pull until the wing comes out of its socket, and then slice off the wing. Serve the wing whole, or slice the meat from the bones on a carving board.

- Carve the breast: Begin slicing parallel to the bone, making thin, vertical slices, and remove them from the ribs of the carcass. Slice each of these in half or thirds if desired.

Regardless of the season, it’s important to handle poultry safely. Following are some common food safety questions that Perdue’s consumer hotline experts receive during the Thanksgiving season. You can call them with further questions at 1-800-4PERDUE.

Q: To make sure it’s safe, what qualities should I look for when buying a turkey?

A: Buy from a store you trust, and rely on trusted brands. Whether you favor Perdue or
another company, make sure you choose a brand you know will be fresh, clean and flavorful. If buying a frozen turkey, make sure it is clean, packaged tightly and rock-solid to the touch. If buying a fresh turkey, make sure it is clean, cold, well-wrapped, sealed tightly without rips or leaks and sold from a refrigerated poultry case. Pick up your turkey toward the end of the shopping trip, so it stays cold for as long as possible.

Q: How should I safely thaw a frozen turkey?

A: Thaw a turkey in the refrigerator, not on the counter. A small turkey may take two to three days, while a large turkey may take up to four or five days. If you need it to thaw more quickly, you may immerse the turkey in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes, or you may use a microwave, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Always cook thawed poultry immediately.

Q: Before roasting, do I need to wash the
turkey?

A:We do not recommend washing, or even rinsing, a Perdue bird. If you prefer to rinse it, do so with cool water, drying it gently with paper towels. You should without question wash any knives, plates, cutting boards or countertops with soap and hot water if they’ve been in contact with the raw bird.

Q: How long should I cook a turkey? What internal temperature should I watch for?

A: How long to cook a turkey depends on the method you’re using. In the oven at 325°, allow 10 to 12 minutes per pound for an unstuffed bird. Perdue recommends cooking the stuffing outside of the bird. Stuffing should reach a temperature of 165°, and the turkey should reach 180° in the thickest part of the thigh, not touching the bone. Several types of meat thermometers are available: pop-up, digital, instant-read and disposable. It is not safe to cook a turkey at an oven temperature lower than 325° F.

Q: How long should my roasted turkey sit out after I serve it?

A:Your turkey should not sit out for longer than a total of two hours, so let it rest for 20 minutes, carve it, serve it and then refrigerate it after the main course.

Q: How should I best store and reheat turkey leftovers?

A: Cooked turkey may be stored in the refrigerator for three to four days. However, if it is sitting in broth or gravy, it should be stored only one to two days. It’s a good idea to divide leftovers into small portions to speed chilling or freezing and later reheating. When reheating leftovers, make sure they reach a temperature of 165°.

Salad:
- 6 oz. mixed baby greens
- 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
-1/2 teaspoon Splenda
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper

Croutons:
- 4 slices Atkins Country White Bread
- 4 oz. Brie cheese
- 2 cloves garlic

Spicy Pecans:
- 1 large egg white
- 1/2 teaspoon water
- 2 tablespoons Splenda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon five spice powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 cup pecan halves
- Vegetable cooking spray

Prepare nuts:
  Preheat oven to 325°. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with
vegetable cooking spray.

  In a large bowl, mix egg white, water, Splenda, salt, five spice powder, ginger and chili powder. Add pecans and mix until evenly coated.

 Spread nuts into a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, approximately 20 minutes. Set aside.

Prepare croutons:

 Preheat oven to 400°. Place bread on a baking sheet and bake approximately 10 minutes, until golden brown. Turn slices of bread over and bake an additional ten minutes,
or until golden brown. Turn off oven and leave bread with door ajar 15-20 minutes,
or until bread is thoroughly dried.

 When bread has cooled, rub garlic on one side of each slice. Spread cheese on the opposite side of 2 of the bread slices. Top with the remaining two slices of bread, sandwich-style. Cut off the crusts of each sandwich, discarding the crusts. Cut the remaining sandwiches into 1/2” cubes.

Prepare salad:

  Measure the vinegar into a large bowl. Slowly add oil, whisking until slightly thickened. Add Splenda. Add baby greens and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

 Divide the dressed greens among 6 individual plates. Top with croutons and nuts.

 Makes 6 servings with 4 net carbs per serving.

Article thanks to CarbLite Magazine
Photography by Tom Petroff
Food and Prop Styling by Donna Lafferty
Additional Food Styling by Cyndy Laderhausen