From The Blog

Good Food for Good Times

Roasted turkey garnished with cranberries on a rustic style table decorated with pumpkins, gourds, asparagus, brussels sprouts, baked vegetables, pie, flowers, and candles.

At Allied Healthcare Federal Credit Union, we are committed to your financial healthcare for life. Our members are healthcare workers; surgeons, nurses, dentists, chiropractors, home care specialists, engineers, environmental service members, hospital cafeteria folks and care providers of all kinds and there’s one thing, besides helping people, that we all have in common. We have to eat. Actually, scratch that, we get to eat—three times a day, in fact! It’s one of the few things that bind us all together. Eating is multi-generational, multi-cultural and multi-geographical. As Toni Tipton-Martin writes in her prize-winning cookbook Jubilee, “When we sit down to eat, cast-iron abides with bone china, crystal, and damask, and iconic Southern and international dishes are served alongside one another and seem right at home. I commingle Mexican migas with flaky Southern biscuits at breakfast. Asian-style coleslaw is the side dish everyone insists I bring to the cookout. A dash of chili powder is the secret to my savory red beans, a trick I learned from my Aunt Jewel. I serve tortilla soup, crab cakes with chipotle mayonnaise, beef tenderloin with chimichurri sauce, roast turkey rubbed with chiles, Asian-spiced back ribs, and guacamole—often.”

Now that you’re good and hungry, there is no better time for a good meal than at the holidays, a time that brings people together just like food does. Below are some of our favorite recipes that will have your kitchen smelling good from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. Let’s Eat.

Thanksgiving

On Turkey Day, there’s no question who is the star of the show. Anxiety over cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving has been a central part of sitcom plots and the nightmares of many a party host but there’s no reason to fear the bird. Just remember that you should plan for about 1 pound of turkey per expected guest and invest in a reliable meat thermometer and your gobbler will be a hit.

Classic Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

Ingredients

  • 10-14 pound whole turkey
  • 1 1/2 cups turkey or chicken broth
  • 1/2 olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried or ground oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried or ground thyme
  • 3 tablespoons Cajun or All-Purpose seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Foil

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Pat turkey dry. Remove all of the contents from the inner cavity. This usually includes the liver, gizzard, heart and neck. These parts can be used as part of a gravy or for other dishes or discarded. It’s not for everyone but for those of us who think that the neck is the best part of the turkey, here are a few recipes that will help you make good use of it.
  3. Pour the broth into the bottom of a roasting pan and place the turkey on top.
  4. Drizzle the turkey with olive oil.
  5. Season the entire turkey and rub the spices into the skin.
  6. Place the turkey in the oven for 30 minutes on 425 degrees. After 30 minutes adjust the temperature to 325 degrees to crisp the skin.
  7. The turkey will take 2-5 hours (depending on size) to cook based on the size. This is where a good meat thermometer comes in handy. You’re looking for a temperature of 180°F in the thigh and 180°F in the breast. If you notice that the broth is low, top it off with more.
  8. Allow the turkey to rest for a minimum of 20 minutes prior to slicing to allow the juices to settle.
  9. Serve to happy guests.

Salt and Pepper Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 5 lbs of piper potatoes, peeled and halved
  • 2 celeriacs, peeled and quartered
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • salt and black pepper

Directions

  1. Cut the potatoes and put them in a large pot. Cover with water and add 1 tbsp salt. In a smaller pot, cover the celeriac with water. Add 1 tsp of salt. Bring both pots to a boil and then turn down the heat a little. Boil until the potatoes are tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Do the same for the celeriac, though they should cook a little faster.
  2. Use a slotted spoon to lift the potatoes out, push through the ricer or mash with a fork, and into a large bowl or casserole, reserving the cooking water. Continue until all the potatoes and celeriac are mashed.
  3. Now add the cooking water back to the potatoes one ladleful at a time until the mixture loosens up a little. Add ¾ of a stick of butter, cut into small pieces. Taste for salt. Add a generous amount of black pepper. Stir gently and add the remaining butter, without stirring it in. Cover with foil or a lid and keep warm.

Christmas

All families celebrate Christmas differently; many don’t celebrate it at all but regardless of how you spend the end of December, make sure there’s something good on your plate.

Glazed Ham

  • 8 lb bone in spiral cut ham
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup apple cider
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch of nutmeg

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Coat a baking pan with cooking spray.
  2. Add the butter, brown sugar, honey, apple cider, cinnamon and nutmeg to a pot. Place the pot over medium heat.
  3. Bring the pot to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes or until glaze is syrupy.
  4. Place the ham in the pan and pour half of the glaze over it. Cover the ham with foil. Reserve the remaining glaze for later user.
  5. Bake the ham for 2 1/2 hours. Uncover the ham.
  6. Pour the remaining glaze over the ham. If the glaze has started to harden, you can microwave it for a few seconds to loosen it back up.
  7. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
  8. Place the ham in the oven. Bake for another 15-20 minutes or until glaze is caramelized and browned.
  9. Transfer the ham to a serving platter and garnish with fresh herbs and cranberries. Spoon pan drippings over the ham. Slice the ham and serve.

Meatballs

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 envelope onion soup mix
  • 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
  • 1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)

Sauce

  • 1 can (14 ounces) whole-berry cranberry sauce
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
  • 2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, combine first five ingredients. Add beef and mix lightly and thoroughly. Shape into one-inch balls.
  2. Place a third of the meatballs on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with waxed paper; microwave on high until cooked through for two or three minutes. Drain on paper towels. Repeat twice with remaining meatballs.
  3. In a two-quart microwave-safe dish, mix sauce ingredients. Microwave, covered, on high until heated through for three or four minutes stirring halfway. Gently stir in meatballs. Microwave, covered, on high until heated through for one or two minutes.

Cornbread

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ⅓ cup neutral oil or melted butter
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup milk

Directions

  1. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan or cast iron skillet well and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine well.
  3. Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and add your oil or butter, milk, and egg. Stir just until the mixture comes together and there are only a few lumps remaining.
  4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup salted butter softened
  • 1 cup white (granulated) sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 2 cups chocolate chips (or chunks, or chopped chocolate)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a separate bowl mix flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder. Set aside.
  3. Cream together butter and sugars until combined.
  4. Beat in eggs and vanilla until fluffy.
  5. Mix in the dry ingredients until combined.
  6. Add 12 oz package of chocolate chips and mix well.
  7. Roll 2-3 TBS (depending on how large you like your cookies) of dough at a time into balls and place them evenly spaced on your prepared cookie sheets. (alternatively, use a small cookie scoop to make your cookies).
  8. Bake in preheated oven for approximately eight to 10 minutes. Take them out when they are just barelystarting to turn brown.
  9. Let them sit on the baking pan for 2 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

New Year’s

When starting off a new year, it’s important to ensure some good luck. All across the world, food has been a way to make sure that the upcoming year will be better than the last. In Spain, people eat twelve grapes at the stroke of midnight, one for each toll of the clock. In Mexico, tamales are important good luck charms on New Year’s Day, in Japan, it’s soba noodles. If you need a little good luck for 2023, look no further than these recipes.

Black-Eyed Peas

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • 6 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 2 ounces (about 4 strips) smoked bacon, cut into ½ inch cubes
  • 7 cups water
  • 5 bay leaves

Directions

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the bacon and cook until browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the salt, garlic salt, garlic powder, pepper, cayenne, onion, garlic, and bacon and cook, stirring, an additional 4 to 5 minutes, until the onion begins to soften and the entire mixture is coated with spices. Add the water and bay leaves, bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat, and simmer gently for about 1 ½ hours.
  2. Drain the soaked beans and add them to the pot. Cook for 1 to 1 ½ hours more, until it begin to soften. At this point, the mixture should still be a little loose or watery. With the back of a spoon, mash some of the beans against the side of the pot.

Good Luck Greens

Ingredients

  • 6 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
  • 4 bunches collard greens, stems discarded and leaves cut into strips (about 20 cups)
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

  1. Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, five to seven minutes; transfer to a plate. Add the shallots to the drippings in the pot and cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
  2. Add as many collard greens to the pot as will fit, season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, and cook, tossing frequently and adding more collard greens when there is room, until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and sprinkle with the bacon.
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