Krystal 93 is counting down to Thanksgiving with our friends at Summit Rotary, bringing you favorite recipes from the unofficial Rotary Cookbook.
No time to cook, or short on cash? Summit Rotary will host its 18th annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner at Silverthorne Pavilion from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. All are welcome to feast on a traditional spread from the chefs at Keystone Conference Center, supported by an Epic Promise grant through Vail Resorts. Last year Rotarians served more than 500 locals!
Do you want to share a favorite holiday recipe? Send it to us via news tips!
Apple Brine
This recipe comes from Andrea Brown, of Silverthorne. She trained at Johnson and Wales in Denver before moving to the High Country, and she swears by an apple brine to keep your holiday bird moist and packed with flavor.
Ingredients
2 cups apple juice
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup kosher salt
3 cups cold water
2-3 quartered oranges
3 tablespoons peppercorns
6 large garlic cloves
OPTIONAL: Fresh ginger, 15 cloves, 6 bay leaves
Directions
- Defrost the turkey completely.
- In large freezer bag or bucket, mix all ingredients until salt and sugar dissolve.
- Submerge turkey in brine and keep cold for at least 24 hours, shaking it every 12 hours.
- Remove turkey from brine. Pat dry, no need to rinse. Discard brine.
- Stuff turkey with quartered oranges and lemons.
- Roast at 350F for 13-15 minutes per pound. Internal temp should be 165F.
Andrea’s side hacks
Andrea is all about working smarter, not harder, especially during the holidays when family and friends are in town. Less time in the kitchen means more time with loved ones!
She recommends a few simple hacks for your favorite sides, like preparing fresh cranberry sauce the day before your feast. You can do the same with traditional green bean casserole, chilling the dish before baking it with fresh crispy toppings added just before it goes in the oven.
She also recommends whipping your mashed potatoes with butter and heavy cream, saying, “the more butter, the more better.”
Peanut Butter Pie
This sumptuous dessert comes from past Rotary president Wendy Myers. It is a “simple, delicious and easy” family recipe, brought to Summit from New York when Myers’ mother moved to Colorado.
The younger Myers has been baking it at 9,000 feet since the ‘70s, no high-altitude adjustments required!
Ingredients
1 premade pie shell
1 ½ cups maple syrup
3 eggs
½ cup sugar
¾ stick melted butter
1/3 cut smooth peanut butter
¼ tsp. salt
2/3 cup chopped, unsalted peanuts
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- In a bowl, beat together maple syrup, eggs, sugar, melted butter, peanut butter and salt.
- Stir in chopped peanuts
- Pour mixture into pie shell and bake for 55 minutes.
