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Holiday With a Twist
Honor tradition with new ideas and flavors 
(Family Features) - Holiday Season 2006: Give new life to your holiday menu this year with tasteful touches to traditional fare and bring a festive attitude to this cherished event.
A beautifully browned bird is the centerpiece. But this year it sports a blast of big flavor. The secret? All-natural and versatile seasoning blends, which add contemporary flavor twists throughout the menu. The juicy, succulent turkey is cooked to perfection when you use a disposable cooking timer, which makes roasting a guaranteed success. As a complement to the meal, consider pouring food-friendly wines that are vibrant and pleasing.
Try out this holiday menu, which is festive, contemporary and promises to be memorable.
Fixing the Foolproof Feast
Hosting dinner should be fun and festive. Plan ahead and enjoy celebrating with those you love.
Slow Roasted TurkeyMakes: 10 to 12 servings Wine suggestion: Serve with a Rioja red. 1 (10- to 12-pound) turkey with Pop-Up timer 36 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half 3 tablespoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Poultry Magic and 2 tablespoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Meat Magic (or 5 tablespoons of either blend) 1 medium onion, peeled, quartered and separated 2 celery ribs, cut in half crosswise 1/2 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 2-inch strips 2 large carrots, scrubbed and cut in half lengthwise Combine the two Magic Seasoning Blends in a small bowl and mix well. Remove, but do not discard, large, fatty deposits found inside flaps by breast and tail cavities of turkey. In a 10-inch skillet, render turkey fat over high heat. Discard all but 1 tablespoon and return to skillet. Add garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of Magic Seasoning Blends. Sauté until garlic just begins to turn brown and soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and drain. Blot with paper towels to remove any remaining fat. Set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 325°F. Work fingers between breast meat and skin to form pockets. Place cooled sautéed garlic evenly inside these pockets. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of Magic Seasoning Blends inside breast cavity, then place vegetables inside the cavity. Position carrots last because they're easiest to put in. Sprinkle the remaining Magic Seasoning Blends evenly over outside of turkey. Place turkey in large roasting pan and roast uncovered until tender and golden brown, about 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours. Turkey is ready when indicated by Volk disposable cooking timer (or internal temperature of 170°F). Remove turkey from oven; reserve pan drippings for Spiced Fig and Pear Gravy. Let turkey stand for 15 to 20 minutes before carving. Visit www.culinary.net/recipes/dipsspreadssauces/3971-spicedfigandpeargravy.html for gravy recipe. 
Candied Butternut SquashMakes: 12 servings 1 teaspoon Chef Paul Prudhomme's Vegetable Magic 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 1/4 cups water 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 12-ounce package butternut squash, 1/2-inch dice In 1-quart saucepan, combine Vegetable Magic, lemon juice, water, sugars, butter and vanilla. Cook over medium heat until liquid is somewhat thick, about 12 minutes. Add squash and cook until squash is fork-tender, and liquid is thick and syrupy, about 12 minutes more. 
Chipotle Corn Bread MuffinsMakes: 8 large muffins 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup yellow corn meal 1 1/2 tablespoons chipotle chile, ground 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon Chef Paul Prudhomme's Pork & Veal Magic 3/4 cup apple juice 2 cups corn kernels 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled 1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 8 cups of large muffin tin with vegetable oil cooking spray or place paper liner in each cup. In large bowl, mix together flour, corn meal, chipotle, baking powder, sugar, baking soda and Pork & Veal Magic. Stir in apple juice, corn, eggs, butter and cheese and blend just until dry ingredients are moistened; do not overblend. Spoon batter into cups and bake just until muffins are lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven; serve warm. 
Rice Pudding With Cranberries and RaisinsMakes: 9 servings 5 cups milk 1 cup long-grain rice 1/4 cup dried black currants 1/4 cup raisins 1/2 cup dried cranberries 2 large eggs 1/4 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon In 4-quart pot over medium heat, heat milk just until bubbles form around edge of pot. Stir in rice, cover and cook, stirring gently every 5 minutes to keep rice from sticking. Cook until rice is tender and sticky, about 25 to 30 minutes. Watch carefully so mixture does not burn or boil over. Remove from heat; stir in currants, raisins and cranberries. Set aside. Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients until well combined; stir into rice mixture until ingredients are evenly distributed. Pour batter into 8- by 8-inch baking pan or casserole dish. Bake until top is lightly browned and knife inserted into middle comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly before serving. SOURCE: Volk Enterprises / Rioja Wines from Spain / Chef Paul Magic Seasonings
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