Thanksgiving dinner @ Zayante

Apple sage turkey after 15 hours of soaking in brine

Turkey after 2 hours of roasting, with an honey almond cranberry sauce

Sweet potato bake

Jumbo sized pecan pie

The table is set!

Turtle swirl cheesecake

Chocolate cookies, finely ground	9 ounces
Butter, unsalted, melted	6 tablespoons
Cream cheese, room temperature	32 ounces
Sugar	1 ¼ cups
Eggs	5
Vanilla extract	1 ½ teaspoons
Cream	3 tablespoons
Chocolate, semisweet, chopped	4 ounces
Caramel sauce	1 cup
Pecans, whole, toasted	½ cup

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. Blend butter with cookies. 
3. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of springform pan with 3/4 –inch-high sides. 
4. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese in a large bowl until fluffy. 
5. Gradually add sugar, and beat until smooth; mix in vanilla. 
6. Bring cream to simmer in heavy small saucepan; reduce heat to low. 
7. Add chocolate, and stir mixture is melted and smooth; remove from heat. 
8. Pour half of cream cheese mixture into crust. 
9. Spoon half of chocolate mixture over by tablespoons, spacing evenly. 
10. Using tip of knife, swirl chocolate mixture into the filling. 
11. Spoon remaining cream cheese mixture over the filling, and spoon remaining chocolate mixture over by tablespoons; swirl into filling. 
12. Bake until sides are set, and center moves slightly when the pan is shaken, about 1 hour and 5 minutes. 
13. Cook pan on rake; chill overnight. 
14. Using a small knife, cut around the pan sides to loosen the cake. 
15. Release the springform pan sides. 
16. Drizzle ¼ cup caramel sauce over the top of the cake; garnish with toasted pecans. 
17. Pass the remaining sauce separately. 

Recipe from Bon Appetit, April 1996

Cumin-glazed ribs with avocado-pineapple salsa

Active: 45 minutes; Chill: 2 to 10 hours; Total: 12 hours; Serves: 4+

Ancho chili powder	¼ cup
Cumin seeds, freshly ground	¼ cup + 1 tablespoon
Salt, kosher	2 tablespoons
Pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon
Baby back ribs	5 pounds
Water
Jalapeños, seeded, thinly sliced	4
Garlic, smashed	8 cloves
Lime juice, freshly squeezed	½ cup + 2 tablespoons
Honey	½ cup
Pineapple, peeled, cored, cut into ½-inch-thick rings	1 pound
Sugar, light brown	2 tablespoons
Onion, red, finely diced	¼ cup
Cilantro, chopped	½ cup
Avocado, large, diced	1

1. In a bowl, combine the ancho powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. 
2. Set the ribs on a rimmed baking sheet, and rub with the spice mix. 
3. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 10 hours. 
4. Preheat oven to 325°F (Roast setting, if you have it). 
5. Add one-fourth inch of water to the sheet with the ribs; bake for 45 minutes, until barely tender. 
6. Cover with foil, and bake until tender, about 30 minutes more. 
7. Pour off the juices, and set aside. 
8. In a blender, puree three-fourth of the jalapeños with the garlic, ½-cup lime juice, and the reserved pan juices; blend in the honey and remaining cumin. 
9. Transfer the glaze to a saucepan, and simmer over low heat until thickened, about 15 minutes. 
10. Raise the oven temperature to 450°F. 
11. Brush the ribs with half of the glaze. 
12. Roast until well glazed, turning once, about 20 minutes. 
13. Brush with remaining glaze. 
14. Preheat a grill or the broiler. 
15. Grill the pineapple over high heat, turning once, until lightly charred, about 5 minutes. 
16. Finely dice, and transfer to a bowl. 
17. Add the sugar, onion, cilantro, avocado, the remaining jalapeños, and the remaining lime juice. 
18. Season with salt and pepper. 
19. Grill or broil the ribs over high heat, turning once, until caramelized, about 5 minutes. 
20. Cut between the bones, and serve with the salsa.

Recipe from Food & Wine Annual Cookbook 2012.

Four-cheese soufflé

Butter, unsalted	6 tablespoons
Flour, all-purpose	1/3 cup
Red pepper, ground	Dash
Milk, room temperature	1 ½ cups
Asiago, parmesan Padano & Reggiano, and gruyere, shredded	3 cups
Eggs, yolks and whites separated	6

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. Measure enough foil to wrap around a 2-quart soufflé dish with 6 inches to spare; fold foil into thirds lengthwise. 
3. Lightly butter one side; with the buttered side in, position the foil around the dish, letting it extend above the top; fasten the foil with masking tape. 
4. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter; stir in the flour and pepper. 
5. Add the milk all at once; cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. 
6. Remove from heat, and add the cheeses, 1 cup at a time, stirring until melted. 
7. In a medium bowl, beat yolks with a fork until combined. 
8. Slowly add the cheese sauce to the yolks, stirring constantly; set aside. 
9. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). 
10. Gently fold 2 cups of the whites into the cheese sauce. 
11. Gradually pour cheese sauce over the remaining whites, folding to combine. 
12. Pour into the ungreased soufflé dish. 
13. Bake for 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. 
14. Gently peel off the foil; serve soufflé immediately.

Peach-almond crisp

Topping
Flour, all-purpose	½ cup
Rolled oats	1 cup
Sugar, brown, firmly packed	½ cup
Salt	¼ teaspoon
Ginger, ground	1 teaspoon
Cinnamon, ground	½ teaspoon
Butter, unsalted, cold, cut into pieces	½ cup
Almonds, sliced	1 cup
Filling
Sugar	¾ cup
Tapioca, quick-cooking	2 tablespoons
Ginger, fresh, peeled, grated	1 teaspoon
Salt	Pinch
Peaches, pitted, diced	2 ½ pounds

1. Place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven, and preheat to 350°F. 
2. Grease a 12-inch oval or 9-by-13-inch rectangular baking dish with a 2 quart capacity. 
3. To make the topping, in a bowl, stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, ground ginger, and cinnamon. 
4.  Cut the butter into the flour mixture until it is crumbly. 
5. Add the almonds, and toss to mix. 
6. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the filling. 
7. To make the filling, in a small bowl, stir together the sugar, tapioca, ginger, and salt. 
8. Place the peaches in a large bowl, and sprinkle with the sugar mixture, and toss to coat evenly. 
9. Spread the peach mixture in the prepared baking dish. 
10. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the peaches. 
11. Bake until the topping is crisp and golden brown, and the peach filling bubbles slowly, about 50 minutes. 
12. Serve warm.