Southwestern Turkey with Garlic-Ancho Chili Paste, and our Giveaway Winner!

Our Guest Baker Duo is working on another kind of duo this weekend at the Coastal Dance Rage dance convention in Pasadena.  For six hours a day Liv, Molly and their dance team have been learning hip hop, contemporary, tap, jazz and ballet from some of the big names in the industry.  tWitch and Nappy Tabs (Napolean & Tabitha) seem to top the list in popularity with their So You Think You Can Dance status, but the level of instruction has been overwhelmingly impressive and both girls worked hard enough to get noticed and received scholarships to the convention next year.  Luckily we had a fresh batch of Liv & Molly's Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins to help fuel their energy starved bodies.  This afternoon they worked together to come up with a random equation to pick our Giveaway winner!  Seems that 6 random numbers added together divided by 2 and then divided by 4 comes to the winning number 9, which equates to Taylor at Greens and Chocolate.  Congratulations Taylor!

Liv & Molly pose with SYTYCD star tWitch!  Quite a presence in the class.  His energy was absolutely contagious.  Watching him get out on the dance floor and simply dance among the girls was amazing!

Liv gets a squeeze from Napolean (of Nappy Tabs - Napolean & Tabitha!)

Napolean's other half, Tabitha (Tabs).  Both choreograph for SYTYCD. 

Molly receives her scholarship from Ian Eastwood (ICON)! 

Almost done with our weekend we are headed home in preparation for our Thanksgiving week.  This year is a traditional menu for us, however we have done alternative menus in the past - one including a Southwestern Turkey with a Garlic-Ancho Chili Paste which provided an extraordinarily tasty bird.  In combination with our Chipotle Lime Sweet Potatoes, cornbread and a Southwestern salad we had a non-traditional but wonderful holiday.  Unfortunately I don't have photos of my non-traditional bird, but I wanted to share the recipe for anyone who may be looking for something a bit different this holiday.  Found on Epicurious, I have only used the paste portion of the recipe, but we liked it so much we have used it numerous times, always with perfect results.

Southwestern Garlic-Ancho Chili Paste

adapted from Epicurious

3 head of garlic

3 large dried ancho chilies, rinsed, stemmed, seeded, torn into pieces

1/2 cup corn oil

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 

1/2 teaspoon honey

Preheat oven to 350°F. Separate heads of garlic into individual cloves (do not peel). Pierce each clove once with toothpick. Scatter garlic on baking sheet; roast until tender and beginning to brown, about 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Peel garlic, cutting hard tip off each clove. Pack enough garlic into 1/2-cup measuring cup to fill (about 40 cloves); reserve any remaining garlic. Blend 1/2 cup garlic in processor to form course puree.

Meanwhile, place chilies in small saucepan. Add enough water just to cover. Simmer over medium-low heat until chilies are soft and most of water evaporates, about 15 minutes. Add chili mixture, oil, cumin, and honey to garlic in processor. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 week ahead). Cover paste and garlic; chill.

Rub paste over turkey and under skin where you can.  Cook as usual.

tWitch and the Dance Moms!!!