Thanksgiving Cornbread Stuffing with Apples, Chorizo & Goat Cheese

Nothing compliments a delicious Thanksgiving turkey better than a good homemade stuffing. No store bought stuffing allowed here, especially when it is very easy to make your own. There are so many different ways to make a good stuffing, but the following recipe is one of my favorites. It is much more exciting then your traditional stuffing.

I would like to clarify something first before we begin. This recipe is called a stuffing, but it is actually a dressing. A stuffing is something that is actually stuffed into the turkey during the cooking process, while a dressing is made separately. I prefer to make this recipe separately as I feel it is safer. If you cook anything inside a turkey you run the risk of getting sick. This is because anything cooked inside a turkey may not reach a hot enough cooking temperature to safely kill harmful bacteria. Why take the risk when you can make a delicious stuffing, or dressing, separately….. Let’s begin…

INGREDIENTS

2 Cooking Apples (Granny Smith, Golden Delicious) Cored and Diced
1 6 Ounce Bag of Dried Cranberries
1 Large Onion Diced
1 Tablespoon of Garlic Minced
2 Carrots Chopped Finely
3 Celery Stalks Chopped Finely
2 Tablespoons of Freshly Chopped Parsley
2 Tablespoon of Freshly Chopped Thyme
4 Tablespoons of Unsalted Butter
Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper to Taste
6 Ounces of Goat Cheese
1 1/2 - Plus a bit more if needed
3/4 Cup of Chorizo Diced
3/4 Pound of Day Old Cornbread

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1 - Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Melt the butter in a large sauteed pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery and apples and cook until tender but not browned, about 5 minutes.

STEP 2 - In a separate saute pan, cook the chorizo sausage over medium heat until the chorizo gets crispy and most of the fat is rendered. Drain.

STEP 3 - Add the chorizo, cornbread, goat cheese, parsley, thyme and chicken stock to the saute pan with the apples and veggies. You want this mixture to be quite wet. If it is dry, add a little more chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

STEP 4 - Add this mixture into a medium sized baking dish and bake uncovered until golden brown and heated through, about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

How to Grill the Perfect Filet Mignon

Cooking filet mignon can be a nerve wracking experience for any home chef. People become so frightened when it comes to grilling filet mignon. It is after all a very expensive cut of meat and if you don’t know what you are doing, you could easily ruin it. But really folks, it isn’t rocket science. The trick to cooking the perfect filet mignon is to not overdo it. It really doesn’t need to grill that long at all. There is nothing worse than an overcooked steak.

Step 1 - Seasoning

The first step is to season your filet. It doesn’t take much. Just a little salt and pepper. Some chefs recommend that you do not add salt until after the steak is done as it can dry the steak out. I don’t like to take any chances, so I choose to salt the steak after it comes off the grill. I recommend using a coarse salt like kosher. After you season the filet mignon, just leave it out on the counter and allow it to come to room temperature, about 45 minutes or so.

Step 2 - Heat the Grill

While your filet is coming to room temperature, preheat your grill. The best way to cook a tender steak like filet mignon is searing it by direct heat. So you want to get a really hot flame going on your grill. You can tell if the grill is ready by using the hand test. Hold your hand a couple of inches above the grill. If you can’t hold it above the grill for 2 seconds, then it is ready!

Step 3 - Start Cooking

When your grill comes to temperature you are ready to cook. When placing your filet mignon on the grill, use tender care. Do not pierce the filet with a fork or anything sharp. This will cause the juices to run out of the filet while you are cooking it. Instead, use tongs to grab the filet.

How Long do you Grill Filet Mignon?

Sear the filet for 4 minutes on both sides and flip the steak only once during the grilling process.

There are two techniques that I am aware of, that will accurately tell you the doneness of your steak. The first choice is to use an instant read thermometer, which is the most accurate method. The only downside of this method is that when you pierce the meat, all of those wonderful juices that give you that great flavor can leak out. So I avoid the instant read thermometer and use the touch method, which does take practice.

Here is a great technique that I learned on a cooking show and it is the only method I use now.
Take your index finger and gently touch it to your thumb. Don’t push your fingers together hard. Now push down on the fleshy part of your hand. It should feel soft and mushy. That is a close representation of how a rare steak feels when you push down on it. Now do the same thing with your middle finger and you have medium rare. The same with your index finger and you have medium . Lastly, the same with your pinky finger and you have well-done.

Step 4 - Let it Rest!

After the steak has cooked to your desired doneness, remove it to a plate and let it sit for 10 minutes. Resist the urge to cut or poke the meat to check it! If you do, your meat will be ruined. By letting it rest for 10 minutes, you are allowing the juices to become evenly distributed throughout the entire steak. Enjoy!

Video on Grilling a Filet Mignon

Below is an excellent video from Grilling Master Steven Raichlen.

Roasted Butternut Squash Stuffed with Sausage and Apples

Butternut squash is part of the winter squash family. It has a wonderful nutty and sweet flavor. Roasting butternut squash can really bring out this fantastic flavor even more. Butternut squash is very similar in flavor to pumpkin, which is why in Australia it is referred to as “Butternut Pumpkin”. It is no surprise how this squash is often substituted in recipes that call for pumpkin. Not only is this squash very tasty, but it also has a ton of health benefits. It is loaded with vitamin A and is a good source of fiber, magnesium and potassium. It is has no fat, cholesterol or sodium either.

The following recipe is one of my favorite ways to eat squash. This recipe will also make a wonderful Thanksgiving Day side dish that you can make ahead of time the day or night before.

Roasted Butternut Squash Stuffed with Sausage and Apples

Ingredients:

- 2 Butternut Squash, Halved Lengthwise (Seeds Removed)
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Pound of Sweet Italian Sausage Removed From Casing and Crumbled
- 2 Macintosh Apples Peeled, Cored and Chopped
- 1 Large Onion Chopped
- 1 Clove of Garlic Chopped
- 3 Tablespoons of Butter (2 Tablespoons Softened, 1 Tablespoon Cut Into Small Pieces)
- 2 Tablespoons of Packed Dark Brown Sugar
- 1/2 Teaspoon of Ground Dried Sage
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to Taste

Directions

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Step 2 - Lightly oil a large baking dish. Place butternut squash, cut side up, on baking dish. Brush the squash with olive oil. Cover with foil and roast until the squash is tender but still holds its form. Remove squash and set aside to cool, but keep the oven on.

Step 3 - In a medium sized skillet over medium heat, saute sausage. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. When sausage is no longer pink, add the apple, onions, garlic and cook, stirring until the apples are slightly tender but still have some crisp to them. Remove from heat.

Step 4 - Scoop out most of the flesh from the butternut squash leaving a 1/4 inch shell.

Step 5 - Gently stir the squash pulp into the sausage and apple mixture. Mix in 2 tablespoons of softened butter, 1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar, the sage, salt and pepper.

Step 6 - Stuff the squash halves with the sausage and apple mixture and dot the mixture with a tablespoon of brown sugar and the butter pieces. Bake in the oven, uncovered, until the top is brown and crusty, about 25 minutes. Let the stuffed squash cool for several minutes before serving.

Simple Healthy Salad Recipes

Looking for some delicious and simple healthy salad recipes? I know how boring the same old ordinary salad can be. Sometimes the tossed garden salad just doesn’t cut it. Not to worry, I have collected some wonderful video recipes from YouTube on how to make a few excellent salads that are sure to please your palate.

Tomato Salad Recipe with Basil, Feta and Tomatoes

This tomato salad recipe with basil and feta is a delicious side dish and great to take-along to a party or gathering. With a loaf of crusty French bread tomato salads are a fresh and summery meal. Tomatoes in a salad are a beautiful and yummy way to bring your garden to the table.

Bean Salad Recipe - A Fresh, Healthy and Spicy Bean recipe

Bean salad is a great way to get the health benefits from beans. Beans are a good source of protein, they’re full of fiber and are said to “pull” cholesterol out of your body.

Fattoush Salad Recipe

Step By Step On How To Make a Great Fattoush Salad Recipe

Southwest Salad Recipe

Simple and healthy Southwest style Salad

Sprouted Moong Salad Recipe by Manjula

Here is a healthy and colorful Indian salad recipe.