David Ross

Another Dungeness Crab recipe that is linked to that little cocktail book. Mother and Father always had a cocktail party during the holidays, and sometimes made a punch recipe from the book. Father didn't do a lot of cooking, but every year he always made his hot crab dip for the holidays. I've never forgotten that crab dip and every year it tastes just like it did some 40 years ago. It's a simple recipe of crab, milk and cream cheese. They used a lot of Worcestershire and dried mustard back in the 60's and 70's, so that's the "deviled" part of the recipe. I actually think it's better after it's chilled in the fridge overnight. It's really over the top, but we used to spread it on toast and have it for breakfast. Hot Deviled Dungeness Crab Dip- Ingredients 1 cup fresh crab meat 8 oz. cream cheese 1/2 cup milk 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning 1 tsp. dry mustard 1/4 tsp. cayenne red pepper 3 tbsp. chopped green onions 3 tbsp. toasted slivered almonds salt and pepper to taste 1/2 tsp. paprika Instructions Toast the slivered almonds- Heat the oven to 350. Spread toasted almonds on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Heat a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the milk and cream cheese and stir while the cream cheese melts. Add the Worcestershire, Old Bay, dry mustard, and cayenne and stir to combine. Add the greens onions and the toasted almonds. Add more milk if the sauce is too thick. Gently fold in the crab and mix to combine with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, and turn the hot crab dip into ramekins or a serving dish. Sprinkle with paprika and serve hot.

And lots of anchovies in the canapes.

Every year I bring out this little book from 1951 that was my Grandfather's. We always kept it out until New Year's Day. It's funny that some of these cocktails seemed lost for decades, but in recent years the cocktail seems to have experienced a resurgence.

Well although the Dungeness Crab Season was delayed off Oregon and got off late in Washington, seems to be good right now. We can get fresh Dungeness for $7.99 a pound for whole crabs. If you're lazy, you can get "crab clusters" for $15.99 a pound. They really get you on that one because all it is are crab legs and body "clusters" broken off a whole crab. I crack it myself. This is really not a salad but fresh crab with homemade mayonnaise and diced tomato and diced cucumber. I should have diced the cucumber smaller, but that's a minor fault. I use a mild oil for the mayonnaise so it doesn't overpower the crab. Ingredients For the Crab Salad Mosaic- 1 1/2 cups Dungeness crab meat 1 cup seeded, diced tomato 1 cup seeded, diced cucumber 1 tbsp. grapeseed oil For the Lemon-Thyme Mayonnaise-makes 1 cup mayonnaise 1 large egg 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice 3/4 cup grapeseed oil 1/2 tsp. chopped lemon zest 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme salt and white pepper to taste fresh thyme sprigs for garnish Make the Lemon-Thyme Mayonnaise- Place the eggs, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste in a blender. Process just until ingredients are combined, about 20 seconds. With blender running at low speed, slowly drizzle in the oil in a slow steady stream. Continue to add enough oil until the mayonnaise thickens. This will take about 2-4 minutes. Refrigerate the mayonnaise at least one hour before using to allow it to cool and the oil to set. Make the Dungeness Crab Salad Mosaic and Serve- Place the diced cucumber and tomato in a bowl and spoon in the 1 tbsp. of oil, and toss to coat. Spoon some of the diced cucumber and tomato in the bottom of a ring mold and gently press down. Place the crab in a bowl and add a spoon of the mayonnaise and toss gently to coat. Spoon a layer of the dressed crab on top of the cucumber and tomato layer. Gently remove the mold. Add a crab leg on top of the salad and spoon over a dollop of the mayonnaise. Spoon some mayonnaise on the side of the plate, then garnish with fresh thyme and serve with chips.

This is my Mother's recipe. I forgot she also included crab, usually fresh Dungeness if it was available. The season in the NW usually starts by the Holidays. I also forgot that she used margarine, another ingredient that a lot of housewives used back in those day. I'll use butter. It's also interesting that she sauteed the green onions in the margarine first. I usually just add the green onions, but I'll try this and see if it makes a difference. 1/4 c margarine 1/3 c sliced green onions 1/4 c flour 1 tsp salt 1/8 tsp white pepper 1 c half and half 1 c milk 2 TBSP lemon juice 2 TBSP pimento 1 c shredded cheese 1 c water chestnuts 1 c shrimp 6 oz crab (I take out crab and add another 1/2 c shrimp) Makes enough for 6/8 people depending upon What else you serve Sauté green onions in margerine until tender Blend in flour, salt, pepper Add half and half and milk Cook while stirring constantly until thick and Smooth Stir in lemon juice, seafood, water chestnuts, Rice and pimento and 1/2 cheese Spoon into casserole dish If like to sprinkle cheese on top Bake 350 degrees for 25-30 min

It's a tradition on Christmas Eve to make my Mother's shrimp casserole and serve it with hot rolls. The recipe is typical of the 50's and 60's, cooked rice blended with a cream sauce, then shrimp and water chestnuts added. I think cooks back then had it right, canned water chestnuts add both flavor and that unique crisp texture. Then she topped it with grated cheddar, which was my Father's favorite part of the dish. Served piping hot. I may add fresh buttered breadcrumbs on top, but that's the only variation. Oh, I just remembered, a good amount of Worcestershire in the rice. That was another sauce used in cooking a lot back then. Christmas morning was usually a breakfast casserole of eggs with sausage. I was planning on that, then I thought, what would be my favorite breakfast this year. So I'm making waffles based on the Carbon's Malted Waffle Mix. That's the mix that's been made for decades. You can make a similar batter at home by adding egg whites that are beaten to soft peaks and some malted milk powder. So waffles it is.

What got into me this season? I normally don't bake much, just do a few candy recipes every year and maybe a tart or two, the regular mince pie always. Today I pulled out a favorite recipe from one of the old cook "booklets" that comes out during the Holidays and catches your eye at the supermarket checkout. I think this was a Betty Crocker booklet about 1990 vintage. My family and friends like to cook for the Holidays, and they don't mind experimenting, but they aren't really the types of cooks who would go to the trouble of making their own sweet dough. So this recipe starts with Pillsbury boxed Hot Roll Mix. It's actually very good and rises really well every time. I use it for dinner rolls and cinnamon rolls. So now they can make something that would surprise them at how easy it is, and hopefully find it's every bit as good as the expensive coffee cake from the bakery. Pecan-Praline Coffee Cake Braid- Ingredients 1 box Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix substitute with fresh sweet roll dough 3 tbsp. sugar 1 cup hot water 1 egg, room temperature 3 tbsp. softened butter 1/2 cup flaked coconut 1 cup chopped pecans 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 2 tbsp. milk 8 tbsp. butter, melted 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. ground cloves 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 4 tbsp. butter, melted Instructions Prepare the sweet dough roll using the recipe on the side of the Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix. Place the dough mix, yeast packet, and sugar in the bowl of a mixer and mix to combine. Stir in the hot water, butter, and egg and beat the dough at low speed until it forms a dough ball. Turn the dough onto a floured counter and cover and let rest 5 minutes. In a bowl combine the coconut, pecans, brown sugar, milk and melted butter and stir to combine. Flour a counter and start to spread the dough out into a rectangle. Use a pie dough roller and roll the dough out to about 1/4" thickness and a rectangle about 14 x 10 inches. Spread the coconut and pecan mixture in an even layer on top of the dough. Roll the dough up starting on the long end, into a log. Use your hands to form the dough log into an even shape. Cover the dough with a cloth and let it rest 5 minutes. Cut the dough down the center lengthwise, giving you two braids of dough. Place the dough braids on the parchment on the baking sheet with the filling sides up. Now gently braid the two pieces of dough together to form one dough braid. Cover the dough again with a towel and let it rise for one hour. At this stage, you can let the dough rise overnight. Don't worry, it won't over-rise. Heat the oven to 350. Bake the Pecan-Praline Coffee Cake Braid for 30-35 minutes until it's golden brown and you can see the praline bubbling. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and move the parchment and coffee bake on a rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Cut the coffee cake into thick slices and serve warm. Recipe Notes We like Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix in the box because it's easy to use and rises perfectly every time. Just add sugar, softened butter, egg and hot water to make a sweet dough, then roll out and follow our instructions. The Pillsbury mix makes enough dough for this recipe. You can use a fresh sweet dough out of the can, but it won't be enough for this recipe. Use any type of nut you prefer-walnuts, hazelnuts, even cashews will all work deliciously in this recipe.

Thanks! Later today I'm also posting another Holiday morning bread, Pecan-Praline Coffecake Wreath. It's really easy, using Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix to make the sweet dough, then rolling out like cinnamon roll dough. The filling is brown sugar, butter, pecans and coconut with lots of spices. You cut the dough log in half horizontally, then wrap those two logs together like a wreath. Man is it good, but I'm giving most of it away to friends.

I've always loved their seasoning. Very good on beef roast.

I love those and I think I'll make them. Mother made them every Holiday season but until you reminded me, I forgot about the recipe. Thanks for posting!

i'm also making my sticky toffee pudding. I usually serve it with rum raisin sauce but this year it's either brandy raisin sauce, or hard sauce.

Yes I remember Elmer's. My folks lived in Salem and Elmer's was their favorite breakfast spot. In fact, I remember Elmer's had a Dungeness Crab Eggs Benedict dish on their menu. Pretty amazing to see that on their menu.

I couldn't bring myself to do what I wanted to this morning for breakfast. Use the crab and bechamel sauce to top a toasted English muffin. Then add a poached egg and spoon over some Hollandaise. I mean I knew how guilty I would feel and how my body would say both yes and no. But I may indulge next week between Christmas and New Years.

Now that our Dungeness Crab fishery is open in both WA and OR, I've got more recipes to share. I looked back in my archives and I first posted about this Dungeness Crab au Gratin here at eGullet many years ago. Every year I make it I'm immediately transported back to when I was a kid and my Father made a similar dish he called Hot Dungeness Crab Dip. But caution as this dish is really, really rich-crab, butter, cream, milk and cheese, yet it's so delicious. After any leftovers cool overnight, it's even better. And you can toss leftovers with pasta, macaroni or served on bread for breakfast! We're lucky right now because the Holidays and first of the season crabs bring the prices down to between 5.99-7.99 a pound. Dungeness Crab au Gratin- Ingredients For the Crab and Breadcrumbs- 2 1/2 cups fresh Dungeness crab meat Substitute any variety of crab 2 tbsp. chopped green onions 4-6 slices white bread, crusts cut off 2 tbsp. melted butter For the Bechamel Sauce-makes 2 1/2 cups sauce 6 tbsp. butter 6 tbsp. all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups whole milk 1 cup heavy cream 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning 1/2 cup Shredded Italian cheese blend Substitute with Swiss or Gruyere cheese 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice dash of nutmeg salt and black pepper to taste For the Toasted Baguette Slices- 1 French baguette 4 tbsp. melted butter Instructions Make the toasted baguette slices- Heat the oven to 375. Slice the baguette into 1/4" thick slices. Dip one side of each slice in the melted butter. Place the baguette slices on the cookie rack and bake until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Crack the crab and make the breadcrumbs- Crack the crab and place the meat in a large bowl and add the green onions. Place the shells in a plastic bag and freeze to use later in soups, stocks and sauces. Cut the crusts off the slices of white bread. Break the bread into pieces and place in a food processor. Pulse the bread until it's broken into crumbs. Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl and drizzle in the melted butter, tossing to combine. Keep the breadcrumbs covered in the fridge for up to one week. Make the bechamel sauce and bake the gratin- Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan and heat over medium heat. In another saucepan, melt the butter. When the butter is melted, add the flour and stir. The flour will bind into the butter and start to bubble. Slowly add the warmed milk and cream to the flour and mixture, stirring to combine. Continue to add the milk and cream, stirring, to make a smooth, creamy sauce. Stir in the Worcestershire, Old Bay, cheese, lemon juice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper and stir again to combine. Heat the oven to 375. Slowly pour the bechamel into the bowl with the crab and green onionsand gently toss to combine. You'll use about 2 cups of the bechamel sauce to make a thick-style casserole. Spoon the crab mixture into the casserole, then sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top. Bake the gratin in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the gratin is bubbling and the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Serve the Dungeness Crab au Gratin hot from the casserole dish with the buttered baguette slices.

A traditional Holiday food in the Pacific Northwest is Dungeness Crab. We sort of go by the December 1 date as the marker for when the season opens, but in recent years it's been a moving target. These crab legs are from off the coast of Washington. The season in Oregon is still closed due to tides and regulations. The restrictions are pretty tight, but I appreciate that because it helps the Dungeness fishery be sustainable and protects consumers at the same time. The best recipe for how we like Dungeness crab really isn't a recipe. Just fresh crabs steamed, chilled, then served with clarified butter. We don't crack them ahead of time other than to hit the shells with a mallet to break them and make it easier to pick out the crab. If you haven't ever tasted a Dungeness, it's meaty and very sweet and rich.

I haven't tried it myself but I think it might work. It would just take time to let them naturally defrost on the counter to bring the yeast back to life. I have baked them and then frozen some to eat later. Thawed and then heated back up in the oven. The roll itself isn't quite as good, but the caramel is just as delicious and I think that's what people love the most.

I created this sticky roll recipe years ago and have never changed the recipe. I remember when my nephew was about 5 he became really intrigued by this recipe which I always thought was funny. Every time I saw him he asked if we could make my caramel rolls. He grew to be a 6' 6" college basketball player and I also thought that was funny. This big guy still asking for caramel rolls. His son, my Grand Nephew, is not 15 months and I can't wait to make these rolls with him. (If I don't let his parents know he'll be knocked over by how sweet they are). Easy to make the only hard part is waiting for the two different stages of dough rising. I took some to the local gym the other morning to give to my early workout buddies. They loved them, but it was kind of odd handing these out before they worked out! Beware please. They are really decadent and sweet so you may have to eat one in about 4 different times during the day! Ingredients For the dough and filling- 3/4 cup warm water, 105-110 degrees 1 envelope dry yeast 4 tbsp. softened butter 1 large egg 1 tbsp. dry milk powder 2 1/2 cups bread flour 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 6 tbsp. melted butter 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/8 tsp. ground cloves 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg For the caramel and nuts- 10 tbsp. butter 1 cup dark brown sugar 2 tbsp. light corn syrup 1 cup chopped pecans Instructions Make the dough- Pour the warm water into the bowl of a heavy mixer with the dough hook attached. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and stir to combine. Allow the yeast to start to activate and bubble, about 5 minutes. Add the softened butter, egg, dry milk, 2 cups of the bread flour, salt and pepper. Attach the dough hook and begin to combine the ingredients. The dough will be soft and sticky. Add additional flour just until the dough forms a very soft ball. Knead in the mixer until soft and elastic, about 8 minutes. Spray a large plastic tub with cooking spray and turn the dough into the tub. Loosely place the lid on the tub and place the dough in a warm place to rise and double in size. The dough should double in size in about 3 hours. Flour a work surface and turn the dough out of the bowl. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 10" x 14" and 1/3" thick. Brush the dough with the melted butter and sprinkle with the dark brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Beginning at the long edge, slowly roll-up the dough into a log. Pinch the ends of the dough log to seal the edges. Cut the dough log into 8 equal size rolls. Make the caramel and bake the rolls- Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and melt. Once the butter is melted, stir in the brown sugar and corn syrup. Let the caramel come to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes. Pour the caramel into the baking dish and sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top. Place the sliced rolls on top of the pecans and caramel. Cover and let the rolls rise again until doubled, about one hour. Heat the oven to 325. Bake the rolls just until they start to turn golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove the baking pan from the oven. Use a spatula to place the rolls on top of the cookie rack placed over a baking sheet. Spoon any caramel and nuts left in the baking panover the top of the rolls. Serve the rolls warm while the caramel is still hot and sticky. Recipe Notes These Caramel-Pecan Sticky Rolls are easy to re-heat the next day. Put them in the microwave and give about 30 seconds to re-melt the caramel. Or wrap in foil and re-heat in a 350 oven for about 20 minutes.

So right. I add a panade to my meatballs. Makes them incredibly tender and juicy. It's sort of a revelation when I tell folks about the difference between milk-soaked bread and those awful dry breadcrumbs in a can.

This is a cookie I created this year for a Holiday contest. Well, as far as the contest goes it was a dud, but everyone that's tasted these love them. It's a take on the classic Mexican Tea Cookie. Mother made the basic recipe for the Holidays-little balls rolled in powdered sugar. I wanted to add more Mexican style ingredients, so I boosted the cinnamon in the cookie and frosted them with a dulce de leche buttercream. Wow this is one good cookie but use caution, they are very rich and sweet. I'm going to make them again, but this time I'll do them like a sandwich cookies with the dulce de leche in the middle between two cookies. For the Cookies- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cups finely chopped pecans 1 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1 cup softened butter 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 large egg 1 tsp. vanilla extract Powdered sugar for dusting 2 tbsp. finely ground pecans for garnish substitute walnuts 1 tbsp. gold cookie glitter crystals for garnish For the Dulce de Leche Buttercream- 8 oz. Mexican Dulce de Leche 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter 2 cups powdered sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tbsp. heavy cream Make the Cookies- Preheat the oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Add the flour, chopped pecans, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon to a large bowl and stir to combine. Then in the bowl of a mixer, add the butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar and beat until the butter is combined and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and combine with the butter. With the mixer on slow, gradually add the flour mixture and blend into the butter to make a soft cookie dough. Dust the counter with flour and roll out the cookie dough to 1/4 ” thick. Use a round 2 ½” cookie cutter and cut the cookies. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, just until the edges start to brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and place on a cookie rack to cool. While the cookies cool, make the buttercream. Make the Buttercream and frost the cookies- Add the butter to a mixer. Slowly add the powdered sugar while mixing at low speed. When the butter and sugar are combined, add the vanilla and cream and mix until combined. Add the dulce de leche and continue to mix to create a creamy buttercream frosting. Add more heavy cream if the frosting is too thick. Dust the tops of the cookies with powdered sugar. Pipe a rosette of the buttercream on top of each cookie. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with some of the ground pecans and goldglitter crystals.

I got a tip from a British cooking show I saw on YouTube last night. The Chef added just a little fresh breadcrumbs to the sausage. He said it wasn't enough to be considered a filler like a meatloaf or meatballs, but the bread crumbs helped the fat and oil in the sausage rather than seeping out and making the inside of the pastry mushy. I'll give it a go and see if that technique works.

As my friend Helen, who lives in Kendall, UK, would say about my family and friends, "some of them eat like they haven't seen food for days"

I agree! I usually only drizzle over a few spoons but I have family and friends who pour it on. They like the olive oil to mix with with the other ingredients as a sort of olive oil dip for their bread!

Some of you may know of this Holiday salad. I've been making different versions of it for years. Going back to when I was growing up, we never had a green salad for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Thanksgiving and Christmas always started with a shrimp and fresh Dungeness Crab cocktail. The salad was Mother's special frozen concoction of cream cheese, cranberries and I think some type of gelatin. I prefer a green salad for the fresh, clean flavors and it seems a less heavier alternative to the salads of the past. It's really versatile and you can use apples instead of pears, use hazelnuts or walnuts in place of the pecans. I like bleu cheese, but I think goat cheese would also work well. Maybe a soft triple cream might be good. And I like this style of salad if we're serving beef or a roast duck. Ingredients- 4 cups mixed baby salad greens 2/3 cup dried cranberries 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1 cup raw hazelnuts, unsalted 1 large red bosc pear, cut in half, cored and thinly sliced 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 3/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese 1 cup extra virgin olive oil black pepper to taste Instructions- Toast the Hazelnuts- -Heat the oven to 375. Spread the hazelnuts on a cookie sheet. Roast the hazelnuts until they start to turn golden, about 7-8 minutes. Remove the hazelnuts from the oven and spread on a kitchen towel. Cover with another towel and rub the hazelnuts between the towels to remove the skins. Roughly chop the hazelnuts. Glaze the Dried Cranberries- -In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the balsamic vinegar and the dried cranberries. Cook until the vinegar is reduced by half and the texture of runny syrup, about 10 minutes. If the balsamic gets too thick, add a little water and stir. The glazed cranberries will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to two weeks. Slice the Pears and Assemble the Salad- -Cut the pear in half and scoop out the core. I leave the pear unpeeled but it’s your choice. Use a paring knife to cut out the middle stem. Cut the pear halves in half, leaving you with4 pear quarters. Cut the pears into thick slices, (I use a mandoline to slice the pears). Place the pear slices in a bowl and gently toss with lemon juice to keep from browning while you finish the salad. -Place the mixed baby salad greens in a large serving bowl. Add the glazed cranberries, toasted hazelnuts, sliced pear and bleu cheese. Drizzle in the olive oil and gently toss to combine the ingredients. Season with black pepper.

Another main dish Mother did for Christmas was turkey. I was remembering the Thanksgiving turkey from just a few years before, but looked forward to it again on Christmas. She changed the sides for Christmas. We still had dresssing, mashed potatoes and rolls, but she made delicious little pearl onions in cream sauce and instead of corn, and brussels sprouts, green beans sauteed in butter with almonds. I still make turkey for Christmas, (as do all my friends in the UK), and save the prime rib or ham for New Years dinner. This year I used a recipe from America's Test Kitchen, "Turkey en Cocotte." It's basically a turkey breast slow-cooked in a Dutch oven. I changed the recipe to include more vegetables and stock to make from gravy. And instead of crowding the plate with sides, just served the turkey in thick slices with the gravy and mashed potatoes. This dish was made a few days after a disappointing Thanksgiving turkey at friends. One fellow smoked a whole turkey, but it went off. It was dry and overly smoked. Worse, he chopped it into bits so it was basically shards of dry turkey meat! This recipe is so moist, tender and delicious I'll make it again during football bowl game season to try and impress friends. I'm not sure I'll roast a whole turkey again after finding and tinkering with this recipe. For the turkey- 1 6-7lb. bone-in turkey breast trimmings from the turkey breast salt and pepper 2 tbsp. oil 1 medium onion, chopped 3 carrots, peeled and diced 3 ribs of celery, diced 6 cloves garlic, smashed 1 bay leaf 3 sprigs each of fresh thyme, sage and rosemary 1 tbsp. black peppercorns 1 cup turkey stock For the Herb Gravy- 2 tbsp. flour 2 cups turkey stock add additional stock to thin the gravy salt and pepper to taste Instructions Brown the turkey and braise in the Dutch Oven- Place the oven rack on the lowest setting. Remove the other racks to allow space for the Dutch oven. Trim excess skin from the turkey breast. Using kitchen shears, cut off the lower rib bones. Cut and break off the bone on the large end of the turkey. You can leave the turkey untrimmed, but trimming allows it to sit upright in the Dutch oven. Season the turkey breast with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in the Dutch Oven over medium heat on the stovetop and brown the turkey breast on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the turkey breast to a plate while you cook the vegetables. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, sage, rosemary, and peppercorns to the Dutch Oven and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Pour in the 1 cup of turkey stock and turn off the heat. Place the turkey breast on top of the vegetables in the Dutch oven and cover the pot with aluminum foil. Place the lid on top of the foil and press the foil around the edge of the lid to create an air-tight seal. Place the pot in the oven and slow-braise for 2 hours or until the turkey breast registers 160 on a meat thermometer. Remove the Dutch oven and place it on the stovetop. Take the turkey breast out of the Dutch oven and place it on a cutting board. Tent the turkey with foil to keep it warm while you make the herb gravy. Heat the stovetop to medium and start cooking down the pan juices with the vegetables. After about 10 minutes, most of the liquid should be evaporated. At this point, stir in the flour to make a roux. When the flour is browned, start slowly adding the turkey stock, 1/2 cup at a time. As you add the stock, the mixture will become thick. Continue to slowly add stock and stir, scraping up any bits at the bottom of the Dutch oven. Once the gray is silky and smooth, strain it to remove the vegetables. This step may take two people. The Dutch oven is heavy, so start by placing a strainer over a small saucepot. Have someone lift the Dutch oven and pour the gravy through the strainer to remove the vegetables. Keep the gravy warm over low heat. Remove the skin from the turkey breast. Carve each turkey breast off the bone, then cut the turkey breast into thick slices and serve with the gravy. The leftover turkey is delicious in open-face hot sandwiches with gravy.

One of my favorite Holiday appetizers is based on our discussion of Gels, Jell-O and Aspic https://forums.egullet.org/topic/143597-cook-off-61-gels-jell-o-and-aspic/ and the Oyster with Bloody Mary Aspic. Friends and family don't understand why I take the time to make these when they can now go to the market and buy a "fresh" oyster in a shot glass that has some spicy tomato juice in there. And how long ago was that oyster put in said glass I ask them? I've tweaked the recipe a bit, but you start with making a tomato spice base then turn that into an aspic. The aspic then garnishes a fresh oyster. It's full of flavors like celery, black pepper, and of course Vodka and just a few little spoons on top of a fresh oyster and maybe a squeeze of lemon. I live in the Pacific Northwest and we have fresh oysters available year-round. Although I'm on the east part of Washington, we get fresh oysters from Puget Sound flown over daily. I like the tiny oysters like the Kumamoto. Tomato Base Ingredients- 1 cup V8 juice 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/3 cup chopped celery 1 tbsp.brown sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1/4 tsp. paprika 1/4 tsp. dried red pepper flakes 1 bay leaf 1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning 3 whole cloves Aspic Ingredients- 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin powder 1/2 cup V8 juice 1/2 cup bottled clam juice 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup diced celery 1/2 cup vodka 1/3 cup chopped cilantro 1 tsp. black pepper 1/2 tsp. salt 2 tbsp. finely chopped jalapeno For the Oysters- 18 fresh live oysters in shells celery leaves for garnish rock salt for serving Instructions Make the Tomato Base- Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Finish the Aspic and Open the Oysters- While the first mixture is cooking, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Strain the hot tomato base into the bowl with the aspic ingredients. Pour the aspic into small ramekins or spread on a cookie sheet. Chill the aspic for at least 4 hours. Use a kitchen towel for opening the oysters. Hold the oyster in the towel in one hand, and use an oyster knife in the other hand to open the oyster. Scrape the oyster away from the shell. Add a spoon of the Bloody Mary Aspic on top of the oyster and garnish with a celery leaf. Spoon the rock salt into a serving dish and place the oysters on top and serve.