Commonwealth Caterers Blog

HAPPY THANKSGIVING...

    From Commonwealth Caterers

Thanksgiving wishes
 
for simple pleasures,

warm memories,

and much to be thankful for always!!

Pumpkin Cheesecake...

The flavor of pumpkin pie in a creamy cheesecake!!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin or fresh cooked
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a medium bowl, mix together the crushed gingersnap cookies, pecans, and butter. Press into the bottom, and about 1 inch up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake crust 10 minutes in the preheated oven (do not brown). Set aside to cool.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the room temp cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla just until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time, blending well after each. Set aside 1 cup of the mixture. Blend 1/4 cup sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the remaining mixture.
3. Spread the pumpkin flavored batter into the crust, and drop the plain batter by spoonfuls onto the top. Swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect.
4. Bake 55 minutes in the preheated oven, or until filling is set. Run a knife around the edge of the pan. Allow to cool before removing pan rim. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

Cranberry Pecan Stuffing ......

The dried cranberries and pecans give a fruity touch

to the traditional stuffing, perfect for Thanksgiving.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon dried sage, crushed
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 6 cups dry bread cubes
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chicken broth

~

Preparation:

Cook celery and onion in butter in a small saucepan until tender.

Remove from heat. Stir in sage, parsley, thyme, and pepper.

Place dry bread cubes in a mixing bowl. Add celery mixture, pecans, and dried cranberries.

Add the chicken broth, tossing to moisten. 

This will stuff one 6- to 8-pound turkey.

If stuffing is baked in the turkey the internal temperature of the stuffing should reach 165 degrees F.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Traditional Thanksgiving Mulled Wine

    Mulled wines have been warming people for centuries, now they are a festive holiday traditon.  Simply they are wines that have been sweetened, spiced and slightly heated - offering a delightful alternative at holiday gatherings or on a cold fall evening.

There are all sorts of red wines that are be good for making mulled wine.  A full-fruited red that costs around $10 will be your best bet for mulling.  Experiment to find your favorite.    

Making Mulled Wine

There are many variations of mulled wine. The basic recipe involves a bottle of wine, two or three cinnamon sticks, fruit slices, some cloves and about a cup of white or brown sugar. The sugar helps mellow out the tangy flavor the wine gets when heated. You can use less or omit it altogether if you like the taste without it.

The most important thing when making mulled wine is to never let the mixture boil. If it boils, it’s all over. The subtle combination of flavors is ruined by boiling, so keep an eye on the pot and leave it on low heat  -  the best way I have found is to use a crock on low to keep it at the perfect temperature all evening. 

Making mulled wine is actually very easy. Combine your wine with your fruit and spices -heat until the mixture is warm to the touch. Add your sugar, stir well, and simmer.  Pour into mugs.  Garnish the mugs (little glass mugs are traditional, but coffee cups work, too) with additional cinnamon sticks or orange slices for a traditional touch.

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Clarence’s Mulled Wine Recipe

    from the movie It’s a Wonderful Life

• 2 bottles red wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 sticks cinnamon
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 orange
• 1 lemon

Zest the fruit, avoiding the white pith. Put this, the sugar, cinnamon and cloves into the water. Bring this to a slow boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Now add the wine. Add in the actual orange and lemon fruit part, sliced up. Warm this on low heat for 40 minutes (do NOT boil). Enjoy!

 

Thanksgiving ....

It is almost Thanksgiving  .... 

everyone has their family favorites for the big day

but if you are looking for some new ideas or a twist on an old favorite

- please stop back frequently in the next two weeks

we will offer lots of festive recipes for you to try!!

Today let's start with a soup appetizer  ....  this is my son's favorite!!

 

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND LEEK SOUP

4 1/2 lbs. butternut squash, halved lengthwise 5 tbsp. unsalted butter 4 lg. leeks (white and tender green), chopped 7 sprigs of fresh thyme    5 cups chicken stock  1 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper 1/2 cup sour cream 3 tbsp. chives, chopped   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the squash, cut-side down, on a baking sheet and bake until tender, about 40 minutes. Let cool slightly. Using a spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds. Scrape the squash from the skin. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan melt the butter over low heat. Add the leeks and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally until soft and lightly browned, about 40 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs. Stir in the stock and the squash. Simmer over moderate heat for 20 minutes. In a blender or food processor, puree the soup until smooth. Pour the soup back into the pan and season with the salt and pepper.  Garnish each bowl with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 1 teaspoon chopped chives.  Enjoy!