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What America Eats
for the Holidays

Turkey With Apricot-Chestnut Stuffing
Quick and Easy Pumpkin Cake
(Family Features) - Much has changed since 1981, but one thing remains the same
turkey tips and holiday help are only a phone call away. This
holiday season the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line (1-800-BUTTERBALL)
turns 25. Since its founding, yearly calls have multiplied from
11,000 to more than 100,000, and the staff has grown from six
home economists to more than 50.
"After answering calls from millions of families over the last 25
years, we have heard every turkey question imaginable," said Mary
Clingman, director of the Talk-Line. "Through the Talk-Line, we
have shown people how easy it is to cook a tender, juicy turkey.
It's a great feeling to know we've improved their holidays."
This season, the Talk-Line will be back in action on November 1.
For more information on the Talk-Line, great time-saving turkey
tips and holiday recipes, or to e-mail a question to the experts,
visit www.butterball.com.
On Call ...
Butterball Celebrates 25 Years of Talking Turkey
Get Ready, Set ... Success!
Taking a few quick and easy preparation steps before your
turkey goes in the oven will enhance the cooking process and
ensure a more enjoyable turkey.
- Cut Down Cleanup: Prepare for easy cleanup later by spraying
your turkey pan with PAM No-Stick Cooking Spray before you start
cooking. You'll find yourself spending more time with family and
friends, and less in the kitchen!
- Chill Out: Make sure the turkey is thawed completely. Allow one
day of refrigerator thawing for every four pounds of turkey.
- Keep Safety First: For optimal food safety, cook raw ingredients
for the stuffing and place stuffing in the turkey just before
roasting.
- Simply Spray: Just before roasting, use no-stick cooking spray
on the roasting rack and all over the turkey to achieve a golden
brown color.
End on a Sweet Note
When the Talk-Line experts are finished talking turkey and head
home to enjoy their holiday meals, their second favorite part of
dinner (after the centerpiece turkey) is dessert and they don't
stop with the traditional treats! One fun and delicious way many
families "top off" their desserts is by using Reddi-wip Original
Whipped Light Cream, which is made with real cream and has long
been a favorite way to create great holiday memories.
Here are some other creative ideas that go beyond the usual
dessert choices ... and are sure to satisfy everyone's sweet
tooth!
- Think Drinks: The meal doesn't have to end with pie or cake.
Encourage guests to linger after dinner with flavored coffee
drinks or hot chocolate for kids topped with whipped cream.
- Lighten Up: For family members seeking a lighter option, serve
an alternative dessert that's lower in calories and delicious,
like parfaits with low-fat granola, fresh fruit and vanilla
yogurt.
- Kid-Friendly Fondue: Let the kids get creative and have fun by
dipping fruit into melted chocolate or Reddi-wip Chocolate
Whipped Light Cream.
Turkey With Apricot-Chestnut Stuffing
Prep Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
Makes 16 servings (6 ounces turkey and 1/2 cup stuffing each)
PAM Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
1 loaf (16 ounces) sourdough bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3 medium onions, chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
1-1/2 cups chopped celery
4 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 cups coarsely chopped chestnuts*
1-1/2 cups chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins
2 cups Butterball Chicken Broth
1 Butterball Turkey (16 pounds), thawed if frozen
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray large shallow baking pan with no-
stick cooking spray; spread bread cubes onto bottom of pan. Bake
15 minutes, or until lightly toasted, stirring once. Set aside.
- Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add almonds;
cook and stir 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove with
slotted spoon; set aside. Add onions and celery to remaining
butter; cook and stir 5 minutes, or until vegetables are crisp-
tender. Stir in poultry seasoning and salt.
- Place bread cubes, vegetables, chestnuts, apricots, currants
and almonds in large bowl; mix lightly. Add broth; mix well.
- Reduce oven to 325°F. Remove neck and giblets from body and
neck cavities of turkey; refrigerate for another use or discard.
Drain juices from turkey; dry turkey with paper towels. Fill neck
cavity with some stuffing. Turn wings back to hold neck skin
against back of turkey. Fill body cavity with remaining stuffing.
Spray flat roasting rack in shallow roasting pan with cooking
spray. Place turkey, breast up, on roasting rack. Spray turkey
with cooking spray. Place small pieces of aluminum foil over skin of neck
cavity and over stuffing at body cavity opening to prevent
overbrowning during roasting. Note: Place extra stuffing (if any
remains) in casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray; stir in an
additional 1/4 cup broth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to
bake. Bake covered at 325°F 30 minutes or until hot.
- Roast turkey 4-1/2 hours, or until meat thermometer reaches
160°F when inserted in center of stuffing and reaches 180°F when
inserted in deep in thigh, covering breast and top of drumsticks
with aluminum foil after 3 hours to prevent overcooking breast.
Let turkey stand 15 minutes before removing stuffing and carving.
*If using fresh chestnuts, one pound will yield about 2-1/2 cups
of peeled nuts. To roast fresh chestnuts, cut an X with the tip
of a knife on the flat side. Heat oven to 425°F. Place nuts in a
shallow pan and roast 20 minutes. When just cool enough to
handle, peel off shell and dark skin covering nut. If using
canned chestnuts, a 15-ounce can or jar will yield 2-1/2 cups
peeled nuts.
Quick and Easy Pumpkin Cake
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 2 hours
Makes 12 servings (1 piece each)
PAM for Baking No-Stick Cooking Spray
1 package (18.5 ounces) yellow cake mix with pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup (6 ounces) Egg Beaters Egg Product
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup nonfat sour cream
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Reddi-wip Original Whipped Light Cream
Ground cinnamon (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 13 x 9-inch baking pan with no-
stick baking spray.
- Combine cake mix, pumpkin, Egg Beaters, water, sour cream, 1
tablespoon cinnamon, the nutmeg and ginger in large bowl. Beat
with electric mixer on low speed just until moistened. Beat on
high speed 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake 40 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes
out clean. Cool. Cut into 12 pieces. Top each piece with whipped
topping just before serving and sprinkle with additional
cinnamon, if desired.
For more holiday recipes and information about Butterball, PAM,
Reddi-wip and Egg Beaters, visit www.conagrafoods.com.
SOURCE: Butterball
Pam
Reddi-wip
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