Jean’s Cuisines - NOV/DEC/JAN 2025-2026
As the orange and yellows colors of autumn transition to white blankets of snow, it's time to cozy in by the wood stove and let the warmth shake the cold from our bones. In our home, most evenings, our kitchen is filled with smells of baking bread, simmering soups, smoked meats, savory potatoes and sweet treats. It’s a time when many traditions of the changing of seasons and holiday cheer take place. Many of our traditions came not by precedent, but out of necessity due to a few kitchen mishaps early into raising our family. Because of a turkey ‘incident’ on our first Thanksgiving, we began frying and then transitioned into smoking them. For almost twenty years we’ve hosted Thanksgiving for friends and family. It’s a cherished time where we gather, share and most importantly are together. Our children have become fluent in our traditions, from the brining to the carving: everyone has a part. Our sons have smoking meat down to a fine science, and our daughter is my right-hand girl for baking. We share these traditions not only during the holidays, but also through the winter months; baking our favorite appetizers for football games, preparing side dishes and rolls for dinner, and juicy meats to accompany almost every meal. It’s a season of sharing our traditions; here's some of our favorites to pass on to you.
Sweet Potato Souffle
Souffle:
½ cup butter (1 stick) at room temperature
2 cans (15 oz. each) sweet potatoes
2 large eggs
1 ½ tsp vanilla
½ cup heavy cream
Pinch of salt
Topping:
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup butter (⅓ stick), softened
Dash of Cinnamon and Nutmeg-optional
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain the sweet potatoes into a bowl, add the additional ingredients, blend well. Pour the mixture into a greased baking dish.
For the topping: In a medium bowl, mix the pecans, brown sugar, flour and butter until thoroughly combined and crumbled. May add a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg into the mix. Sprinkle evenly over the sweet potato mixture. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown. Let it cool before serving. Add whipped cream with a sprinkle of nutmeg on the top for an extra dash of flavor.
Arik’s Smokey Dry Rub
Ingredients:
¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp Kosher salt
2 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp onion salt
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
Directions:
Stir together all the ingredients. Keep in an airtight container for up to a month.
Smokin’ Bird Brine
Ingredients:
1 lb. brown sugar
2 cups Koster salt
2-3 gallons water
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
2-3 garlic heads, broken in cloves
½ cup black pepper
3-4 sprigs of thyme
3-4 lemons, quartered
2-3 oranges, quartered
Apple juice
Arik’s Dry Smokey Rub
Directions:
In a five-gallon bucket combine all the ingredients. Add two whole chickens or one turkey. Cover and brine for 24 hours, keep at a temperature of 40 degrees or below – if need, add ice to stay cool. When ready, pull bird from the brine, let it drip over the bucket and place on a cooking sheet.
Separate the outer skin from the breast meat, get under as much skin as possible and sprinkle the smokey rub between the skin and meat. Lay the skin back along the meat. Coat the outer layer of the bird with rub until it’s completely coated. Heat a smoker to 275 degrees, add the bird, and let it smoke for 3 ½ - 4 ½ hours, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Once reached, place it on a baking pan, with edges, for about 5 minutes. Pour enough apple juice in the pan to cover the bottom and tent the bird with aluminum foil. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and let the bird continue to warm and soak up the apple juice for about 20 more minutes. Remove and serve. The meat should be juicy and able to easily pull apart.
Anytime Cresent Rolls
Ingredients:
⅓ cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup milk
3 ½-¾ cups bread flour
⅓ cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 package of yeast, 2 ½ tsp
Optional: 1 dollop of sourdough starter
Directions:
In a bread machine, combine the wet ingredients, then add the dry. Set to the dough setting. Roughly 1 ½ hours to mix, knead and rise. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out. Using a pizza cutter and slice it into equal sections and roll it into croissants. Place on a sprayed pan and cover, place on the stove top by the vent to let the oven’s heat help them rise a little more. Bake in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes or until they have a light golden top. Remove and serve with honey or jam.
Note: this recipe is also great for bread braids, cinnamon rolls and mini loaves.
