Spicy Thanksgiving Recipes

It's time to start planning for Thanksgiving so that everything can be ready for the big event and no last minute hassles. A little spice in your meal will heat up the event and no doubt bring rave reviews. Everybody nowdays is moving toward spicier food and holidays are great occasionss to show off your culinary prowess. There are many ways to add "heat" to your recipes, and add some zip to your turkey meals and leftovers.

Maple-Glazed Turkey with Spicy Cider Gravy
Tabasco Online

• 12 to 14 pound turkey
• Salt
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 5 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 cups chicken broth or drippings from turkey (without fat)
• 1 cp apple cider
• 1 tablespoon TABASCO brand Habanero Sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Remove giblets and neck from turkey. With skewers, fasten neck skin to back. Fold wings under. Tie legs together. Place turkey on rack, breast side up in large roasting pan. Sprinkle salt all over turkey. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of thigh. Cover turkey with a loose tent of foil. Roast turkey 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, combine maple syrup and mustard in small bowl.

During last 30 minutes of roasting, spoon maple mixture over turkey. Turkey is done when thigh temperature on thermometer reaches 175° to 180°F and drumstick feels soft. Breast temperature should be 165° to 170°F. Place turkey on large platter; cover and keep warm. Let stand 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour to make a thick paste. Gradually stir in chicken broth, cider, TABASCO® Habanero Sauce and salt until well blended. Simmer 5 minutes or until thickened. Serve gravy with turkey.

SPICE RUBBED TURKEY
Created by Martha Stewart for Bryant Gumbel of The Early Show
Serves 10 to 12

• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried Anaheim chiles, seeds removed
• 1 tablespoon dried red chiles
• 3 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 3 tablespoons coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 sixteen- to eighteen-pound turkey
• Spicy Cornbread Stuffing (recipe follows)

1. Using a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the coriander seeds and cumin seeds until fragrant, about 2 minutes. In a spice grinder, grind the oregano, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, Anaheim chiles, red chiles, paprika, salt, and peppercorns into a powder. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

2. Rinse turkey with cold water, making sure to clean neck and main cavity thoroughly. Pat inside and outside of bird dry with paper towels. The outside of bird must be dry for spice rub to adhere to skin.

3. Wearing rubber gloves, rub spice mixture thoroughly over entire bird. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Spices may be applied up to 1 day ahead. Allow bird to come to room temperature before stuffing.

4. Place rack in lower third of oven, and heat oven to 450 degrees. Stuff neck cavity with 3 to 4 cups of Spicy Cornbread Stuffing. Fold neck flap down, and secure to underside of turkey using stainless steel trussing pins or wooden skewers. Stuff larger cavity with remaining stuffing.

5. Cut a piece of kitchen twine to twice the length of the turkey. Fold twine in two, and, starting at neck, bring twine forward around body of turkey ending at legs. Tie twine to secure wings and legs to body of bird. Cross legs and tie together. Place trussed bird in a V-rack in a large roasting pan. 6. Transfer turkey to oven. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. After the first hour, rotate pan every 30 minutes until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Remove from oven, and set aside for 30 minutes before carving.

SPICY CORNBREAD STUFFING
Makes about 10 cups, enough for 1 sixteen- to eighteen-pound turkey

• 3/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 Jalapeño Cornbread, day old (recipe follows)
• 1 pound cured chorizo sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 small onions, coarsely chopped
• 6 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup homemade chicken or turkey stock, or low sodium canned
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 bunch cilantro leaves, washed well, dried, and roughly chopped
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pine nuts in one layer on a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a shallow bowl, and set aside. Cut cornbread into 3/4-inch cubes, and spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake, shaking pan periodically, until golden brown on edges, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

2. In a food processor, pulse sausage until coarsely chopped; do not over-process. Set aside.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add celery and garlic, and cook until celery is soft, about 5 minutes more. Add sausage and pine nuts, and cook for 1 minute more. Add stock, and cook until absorbed, about 2 minutes.

4. Pour sausage mixture over cornbread, and mix well. Add butter and cilantro, and mix to combine. Let cool completely before stuffing turkey.

JALAPENO CORNBREAD
Makes 1 eight-inch square
This cornbread, if used for stuffing should be made one day ahead.

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 medium jalapeños, diced, with seeds
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup sugar

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly butter an 8-inch square pan. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and pepper.
3. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, jalapeños, egg, sugar, and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Add to dry ingredients, and stir until just combined.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

ROAST TURKEY WITH SPICED RUB
From BBC Online
Serves 18-20

• 1 head garlic, cloves separated but not peeled, about 85g/3oz in total olive oil, for drizzling
• 3 tbsp caraway seeds
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 4 tbsp sea salt, plus extra for seasoning
• 2 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary (or dried is fine)
• 3 tbsp ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
• 1½ tsp ground turmeric
• 6 tbsp harissa or chilli sauce
• 6.3kg/14lb oven-ready turkey, at room temperature
• about 40g/1½ oz unsalted butter, for greasing
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 150ml/¼ pint red wine
• about 300ml/½ pint turkey or chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F

Place the garlic cloves in a small roasting tin and drizzle over a little oil. Roast for 15 minutes or until completely tender. Remove from the oven and set aside until they are cool enough to handle, then push the roasted garlic pulp out of the skin, using the back of a knife - you’ll need three tablespoons in total.

Heat a heavy-based frying pan and roast the caraway and cumin seeds for a few minutes until aromatic. Place in a mini blender or coffee grinder with the salt, oregano, rosemary, pepper and turmeric. Grind to a powder and then tip into a bowl. Add the garlic pulp and harrisa or chilli sauce and mix well to combine. Using both hands, rub the mixture all over the skin of the turkey and well into the cavity. Leave to marinate at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or better still for up to 24 hours in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 230C/450F. Lay a large sheet of foil over a large roasting tin lengthways leaving enough at each end to wrap over the turkey, then lightly butter the foil. Repeat this exercise with another sheet of foil, this time across the roasting tin. Lightly butter once again. Place the marinated turkey, breast side up in the centre of the foil and then wrap up loosely to enclose, giving a tent-like effect. Place the turkey in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 200C/400F and roast for another 2½ hours or until completely tender and cooked through. About 30 minutes before the end of the estimated cooking time, fold back the foil, baste well and return to the oven until cooked - just make sure that the ends of the drumsticks are still covered or they may burn. Lift the cooked turkey on to a serving dish, cover and leave to rest in a warm place for about 20 minutes to allow the juices to settle and to ease carving. Skim all the fat from the cooking juices, place directly on the hob and then stir the flour into the pan’s residue. Cook for a minute or so, stirring over a low heat until golden. Gradually pour in the wine and then stock, stirring all the time until smooth after each addition. Bring to the boil, and let bubble for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Season to taste. Carve the turkey into slices and arrange on serving plates with some of the gravy, potatoes, cranberry relish and a selection of seasonal vegetables.

CHILI'S CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP
From Copykat Recipes
Recipe can be halved.

• 1/2 C. Vegetable oil
• 1/4 C. Chicken base
• 3 C. diced Yellow Onions
• 2 tsp. ground Cumin
• 2 tsp. Chili Powder
• 2 tsp. granulated Garlic
• 1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper
• 2 C. Masa Harina
• 4 qt. Water (divided)
• 2 C. crushed Tomatoes
• 1/2 lb. processed American cheese, cut in small cube
• 3 lb. cooked, cubed chicken

Add remaining 3 quarts water to pot. Add tomatoes; let mixture return to boil stirring occasionally. Add cheese to soup. Cook stirring occasionally, until cheese melts. Add chicken; heat through. Makes 1 1/2 gallons or 16-20 servings.

Turkey and Corn Fajitas
posted on the Southern Cuisine forum at about.com

• 1 ear fresh corn
• 1 medium onion, sliced into thin rings
• 1 small green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 2 cups shredded cooked turkey
• 4 8-inch flour tortillas
• 4 tablespoons nonfat sour cream

Remove husk and silk from corn. Rinse and wrap in heavy-duty plastic wrap. Microwave on HIGH 3 minutes; set aside. In a 2-quart glass measure or casserole dish, place onion, bell pepper, garlic, oil and cumin. Cover with plastic wrap, leaving a vent, and microwave on HIGH 5 minutes. Cut corn from cob and add to onion mixture along with salsa and turkey. Re-cover and microwave on HIGH 4 minutes, or until steaming hot.

To heat tortillas, wrap in a damp paper towel; microwave on HIGH for about 40 to 60 seconds, or until hot. Divide turkey mixture equally among tortillas and top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Turkey Enchiladas
From Sue, Southern Cuisine at about.com

• 1/2 pkg light cream cheese
• 1 Tablespoon water
• 3/4 tsp ground cumin
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 4 cups cooked turkey or chicken...skinned and diced
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans toasted
• 12 6-inch flour tortillas
• 1 10 3/4-oz.can reduced sodium codensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 8-oz carton reduced calorie diary sour cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1 or 2 Tbls pickled jalepeno's finely chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Snipped cilantro or parsely
• chopped tomato and green sweet pepper

* In a small skillet cook onon.covered, in a small amount of water til tender...drain.
* For enchiladas, spray a 13x9x2 inch baking dish with nonstick coating. In a small mixing bowl stir together cream cheese, water, and salt to taste. Stir in cooked onion, turkey or chicken, and toasted pecan.

* Spoon about 1/4 cup turkey mixture onto each tortilla, roll up. Place seam side down, in the baking dish. For sauce, in a medium mixing bowl combine soup, sour cream, milk and chili peppers, pour over enchiladas.

* Bake covered n a 350 degee oven about 40 minutes or til heated through. Bake covered for 40 minutes or till heated through. Sprinkle enchiladas with cheddar cheese. Bake UNCOVERED for 4 to 5 min. til cheese is melted. Topped with snipped cilantro or parsley, tomatoes, and green pepper. Makes 12.

Turkey Nachos
Butterball.com
For something new and different with the leftover turkey, these terrific tasting nachos tap into the Tex-Mex food craze and make for crowd-pleasing nibbling.

• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cups coarsely chopped cooked turkey
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• bag (10 ounces) large-size white, yellow, or blue tortilla chips
• 1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
• 1 jar (16 ounces) prepared salsa
• Sour cream and fresh cilantro sprigs to garnish (optional)

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
• 1 1/2 tespoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans rinsed and drained
• 2- 1/2 cups chopped cooked Butterball® turkey*
• 1 can (16 ounces) canned pumpkin
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes undrained
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup cream sherry

1. Heat oil in large saucepan or 4-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, yellow bell pepper and garlic; sauté 8 minutes or until soft. Stir in oregano, cumin and chili powder. Cook 1 minute longer.
2. Stir in black beans, turkey, pumpkin, tomatoes with liquid, broth and sherry. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 45 minutes.

*Dark turkey meat works well in this recipe.

Four Seasons Enchiladas
Allrecipe.com
Submitted by: Janice Elder

" Nice and spicy use for leftover turkey in a form that even the children will enjoy. Quick and healthy too! Great topped with black olives, green onions, and tomatoes! Leftover ham would also be excellent in this dish. "

• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cups cooked, chopped turkey meat
• 8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
• 1 (16 ounce) can salsa
• 1 (16 ounce) can chili beans, undrained
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a mixing bowl, blend together chilies, cream cheese and cumin. Stir in chopped turkey.

Place the tortillas in a microwave oven. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute, or until the tortillas are softened.

Spread about 2 heaping tablespoons of mixture on each tortilla and roll it up. Place the rolled tortillas, seam-side down, in single layer in the prepared baking dish. In a bowl, combine the salsa and beans and spoon the mixture over the enchiladas. Top the pan with cheese. Bake in preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven for 20 minutes; or until hot and bubbly. Makes 5 servings

CHILAQUILES YUCATAN

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 15 corn tortillas torn in pieces
• vegetable oil for sauteing
• meat of your choice, Pork, beef or ham or chicken cubed
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
• chicken base or bouillon
• 1 cup chopped green chile
• 1 cup tomatoes with juice
• salt
• dash of oregano
• dash of cumin

In a large skillet, saute the corn tortillas til slightly crisp. Set aside.

In another skillet saute the meat of your choice till cooked through, add onions, garlic, tomatoes, and green chili. Mix base or bouillon with one cup of water and add to the meat mixture. Cook till liquid is slightly reduced, then add to the corn tortillas, mix well add water if necessary to make liquid level rise above tortillas. It should be visible around the edge of the skillet. Let this mixture cook over low heat till liquid is absorbed.

Cover the surface with cheese and continue to cook additional 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from heat, allow to cool and refrigerate. We unmold the mixture onto pizza pan and cover and refrigerate. When we get ready to serve it we cut into appropriate portions, heat in microwave for 2 minutes and serve with salsa, fresh fruit, Cuban custard and muffins. All of my guests have asked for this dish by name when they are returning for another visit.

You may omit the meat for a vegetarian dish. This keeps well and can also be served whole as a buffet dish, and everyone can help himself or herself.

Spiced Sweet Potatoes
Tabasco.com

• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sweet orange marmalade
• 1 1/2 teaspoons TABASCO brand Habanero Sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Heat potatoes and enough water to cover to boiling in 3-quart saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Drain.

Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, orange marmalade, TABASCO® Habanero Sauce and salt. Toss TABASCO® mixture with sweet potatoes in 2-quart casserole. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until potatoes are lightly browned.

Makes 6 servings.

Texas Cranberry - Jalapeño Relish
Jalapeños and cilantro spice up traditional cranberry relish in an unmistakably Lone Star way!

• 1 package (12 oz) fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 whole lime
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 to 2 jalepeño peppers seeded and minced
• 1/4 chopped cup fresh cilantro

1. Place cranberries in food processor fitted with steel blade; process until coarsely chopped. Transfer to bowl. 2. Cut lime with peel, into small chunks. Process until finely diced. Add to cranberries along with sugar and jalapeño. Mix in cilantro. Refrigerate relish several hours to allow flavors to mellow and blend. Serve chilled or at room temperature as relish to accompany roast turkey.

Yield:Makes about 2 1/2 cups.
Recipe developed by Sarah Leah Chase for the Butterball® Turkey Talk-Line