Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

For reasons beyond my comprehension, my favourite NFL team is the New York Jets. As a distraction while watching them get their asses handed to them again, I carved our jack-o-lantern for Halloween. As a treat to my wife and son for high-jacking the living room TV to watch that debacle, I made them some roasted pumpkin seeds.

Ingredients

pumpkin
salt
seasoning

• Get to the seeds inside the pumpkin by either cutting the gourd into pieces, or by cutting a hole in it so you can reach in and take them out. Clean the seeds of any excess pumpkin innards under running water.
  
• Place the seeds in a pot and sprinkle them with about a tablespoon (15 g.) of salt.
  
  Cover the seeds with water, bring to boil, and let simmer for 10 minutes. Drain the seeds in a colander and dry lightly them with a paper towel.
• Spread the pumpkin seeds onto a baking sheet and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil (as I was out of olive oil, I used canola oil instead).
  
  Sprinkle your flavour popcorn seasoning on top (I used Old Bay), and roast the pumpkin seeds at 400°F (204°C) for 10 minutes, or until they have reached your preferred level of toasted-ness. Let the pumpkin seeds cool before eating.
  

Want a Moist Turkey? Brine it!

With Thanksgiving around the corner, the goal of whoever is cooking the turkey is to make sure the bird is moist and tender. This can be done by brining your poultry, a simple method of marinating the bird in a salt solution infused with aromatic herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables. The salt changes the structure of the muscle tissue in the meat which allows it to swell and absorb water and flavourings which results in tender meat once cooked. Here's the method I used when I brined the turkey for the Franklin family meal last Christmas:

Ingredients

cold water
1/2 cup (125 g) Kosher salt
1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar
2 cups (473 mL) boiling water

NOTE: The brining process takes time, so if you plan to do this, consider starting the day before you plan to cook the turkey. If the turkey is frozen, thaw it according to the package directions before brining.

1. In a pan on the stove, dissolve the salt and brown sugar in 2 cups of boiling water (or vegetable stock). Allow the mixture to cool in either the freezer or overnight in the refrigerator, depending on your time constraints.
2. Pour the brine solution into a food-grade container large enough to hold the turkey, and enough cold water to cover the bird. Add your favourite dried spices (i.e. a tablespoon of sage, oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil, cinnamon) and seasonings (i.e. peppercorns, garlic cloves). Feel free to substitute some of the water with cold tea, lemon or orange slices, fruit or vegetable juices, cider, wine or beer.
3. Untie your turkey, and remove the giblets from the neck cavity and the neck from the body cavity. Trim away any large areas of fat or excess skin around the body cavity, and cut off the tail. Wash the bird inside and out under cold water, rinse the bird thoroughly. Place the turkey into the brine, adding more water if necessary to completely submerge it. If the turkey keeps floating up, find a way to weigh it down.
4. The turkey and brine solution must be kept below 40°F/4°C  during the brining, so stick your container in the fridge, or somewhere cool, like in the basement, for at least ten hours.  About halfway through the brining process, turn your poultry over to ensure an even brining throughout. Ice packs or reusable gel packs may be used to maintain the brine's cold temperature, but do not put ice directly into the solution as this will dilute the brine.
5. Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse it inside and out under cold water, and dry the bird thoroughly using a kitchen towel. Allow to come up to room temperature for an hour before you plan to roast it to ensure proper and safe heat penetration. Then cook the turkey as normal.