This authentic and fun recipe requires you to make corn tortillas from scratch!

Crispy Fried Mexican Quesadillas

Prep Time:  30 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Serves: 4


Ingredients:

225 mL of masa harina
1/2 cup of warm water
1 Tbsp of lard or shortening
3 Tbsp of flour
1/2 tsp of baking powder
1/4 tsp of salt
6 oz Monterey Jack cheese, grated
4 Tbsps of vegetable oil
Guacamole (use recipe below on this blog) and/or Salsa
*Tortilla press


Directions:

In a large bowl mix together masa harina and water. Add lard or shortening, flour, baking powder and salt and knead together. The dough should have the consistency of a soft cookie dough. Divide into 8 ballas and cover with plastic.

Toss the cheese and cilantro together and shape into 8 compact flattened football shapes about 3 inches (7cm) long and 1 and 3/4 inches (4cm) wide and cover.

One by one make the quesadillas. Line a tortilla press with 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Gently press out a ball of dough into a 4" (9cm) circle. Peel off the top sheet, lay a piece of the cheese mixture on one side and fold over the other half, plastic included. Press to seal, peel off the plastic, set aside and cover. Repeat with the remaining dough and cheese.

Heat about 3/4 inch (2cm) of oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook 2 or 3 quesadillas at a time, turning several times until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels and keep warm while cooking the rest.

Serve with Guacamole and/or salsa.

This authentic Mexican sauce made from pumpkin seeds will deliciously dress up any chicken dish !

Pipian Rojo De Pepitas De Calabaza Y Almendras

Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Serves: 5

Ingredients:

1 thick slice of white onion (cut in chunks)
3 large cloves
1 Tbsp of vegetable oil
6 Chile Guajillos OR 3 Chile Anchos, seeded, deveined and in pieces
5 cups of chicken broth
1/2 tsp of cumin
1/2 tsp of paprika
1/2 tsp of salt
3 Tbsps of sesame seeds, toasted and finely ground
4 Tbsps of almonds, toasted and finely ground
2/3 cup of pumpkin seeds (hulled and unsalted), toasted and finely ground
**(Toast all seeds and nuts separately with no oil)**

Directions:

Saute the onion and garlic in a skillet until translucent. Add the chiles and stir until they release their aromas, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add 2 cups of chicken broth, the spices and a little salt, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the chiles are very soft.

Allow the cooked mixture to cool a little, then puree and strain back into the skillet. Add 1 cup of broth and return to the heat. Stir in the sesame seeds and almonds and continue to simmer another 8 minutes, adding more broth as needed.

Stir in the pumpkin seeds and simmer very gently for another 4 minutes, adding more broth to reach the desired consistency. **Do not overcook or use too high a heat at this stage as the fat in the pumpkin seeds may separate and cause the sauce to curdle.**

Taste and re-season if needed.

This sauce goes nicely with chicken , pork, turkey or duck but not with red meat.

Enjoy!

This spicy, authentic and simple Mexican Guacamole gives the perfect and delicious kick to any party!

Guacamole

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 0 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 Tbsps of white onion, finely chopped
1/2 of a serrano chile, seeds removed
1 large avocado
1 small roma tomato, seeded and chopped
1 Tbsp of chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp of fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp of salt

Directions:

In a molcajete, pulverise the onion and pepper.

Scoop out the fresh avocado, place in a bowl and mash.

To the avocado add the onion, pepper mixture, tomato, cilantro, lime juice and salt to the mix.

Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

This is a really unique recipe which is guaranteed to have your guests visually impressed and drooling!

Blue Soft Shell Crab BLT Sandwich

 

Prep Time : 25 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 blue soft shell crabs (cleaned).
1 cup purple cabbage, sliced very thin
1 cup green apple, about half a large apple, julienne or shredded
1/4 cup fresh chives, finely minced
1 cup carrot, about 2 medium, shredded
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp cider vinegar
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/8 tsp sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup All Purpose flour
1/2 tsp smoked sweet paprika or pimenton
1/2 tsp salt
4 soft rolls, or 8 brioche slices, lightly toasted
2 loose cups  of salad greens for sandwiches ( baby romaine or arugula etc)
Canola or peanut oil to come up to 1" in frying pan.
8 slices of bacon
1 large tomato sliced
Mayo to dress sandwich


Directions:

Whisk together buttermilk, cider vinegar, celery salt, and sugar.

In a medium bowl, combine cabbage, apple, chives and carrot.  Toss with buttermilk dressing and refrigerate.

Whisk together milk and eggs in a pie plate or low bowl.  Combine cornmeal, flour, paprika and salt in a separate pie plate or bowl.

Toast rolls and keep warm in a low temperature oven. Fry desired amount of strips of bacon and set aside.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan to 325 F, or until a pinch of the cornmeal mixture sizzles rapidly when sprinkled in.

Coat crab in the egg mixture, and then the cornmeal mixture, shaking off any excess.  Gently lay them, going away from you, in the pan of oil.   Fry until golden brown, about three minutes per side.  Lower heat if browning too quickly.  Remove from oil and drain on several layers of paper towels.

Put greens on the toasted rolls, top with a soft shell crab,  2 cooked bacon strips and then a large spoonful of coleslaw and two slices of tomato. Apply mayo as desired.  Serve immediately. I like to serve with yam fries.

Original recipe is by Catie Schwalb. I have made some modifications by making it a BLT.

A Bruschetta that will warm you up during the cold winter months!

Burrata Bruschetta

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 5 mins
Serves: 4


Ingredients:

4 slices of  3/4" thick rustic country style bread
1 Garlic clove
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
16 Slices of oven-dried tomatoes
16 ounces of Burrata cheese (type of cheese made from mozzarella and cream! yum!)
Sea Salt
Pesto
Fresh Basil

Directions:

Lightly drizzle olive oil onto bread and bake under the broiler at 500F until slightly charred, toast both sides of bread. Rub the garlic clove onto one side of the toasted bread and then sprinkle with sea salt. Top each slice of bread with oven roasted tomatoes, four ounces of Burrata cheese and a sprinkle of sea salt, basil, and a spoonful of Pesto (if you don't have pesto you can use olive oil).

Delicious Honey Soy Chicken

Honey Soy Chicken Recipe

 

Photo from www.nlrockrecipes.com

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This meal takes a little bit of preparation so I usually prepare it the night before.  It's a pretty low maintenance easy meal to put together. This recipe was adapted from www.nlrockrecipes.com

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Marinade Time: Min 2 hours
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 - 4 free range organic chicken breasts

Directions:

1. Mix together the honey, soy sauce, pepper and garlic.  Pour the mixture into a large Ziplock bag.  
2. Add the chicken breasts and marinate in fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. 
3. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Place the chicken on a aluminum foil lined cookie sheet or baking pan and cook in the oven for about 30 to 45 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.
4. While the chicken is cooking pour the excess marinade into a frying pan and simmer it over low heat. Brush the marinade on the chicken about every 10 minutes as it cooks. 

Decadent Bison Lasagna!

This dish will have you coming back for more mouth watering bites time and time again, not only for the amazing taste but for the ease.

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr
Serves: 12


Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 large tin of hunts tomato sauce
2 large fresh bay leaves
1 cup of water
1 Tbsp of oregano
1 egg
1 large can of ricotta cheese
1/2 cup of  fresh Parmesan cheese
2 and 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese (or you can use monterey jack cheese).
1/2 white onion
Olive oil
9 cooked lasagna pasta noodles
Salt and pepper to taste.
1.5 lbs of bison ground meat
1/4 cup of fresh parsley

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F. Place two cloves of minced garlic in 1 tbsp of olive oil with 1/2 white minced onion, cook until translucent. Add bison meat and bay leaves to pan. Brown bison meat in large skillet on medium-high heat. Meanwhile, mix 1-1/4 cups mozzarella (or monterey jack cheese), full can of ricotta, 1/4 cup Parmesan, parsley (use 1 Tbsp of oregano for substitution) and egg(beaten) until blended.

Drain meat; return to skillet. Stir in tomato sauce. Add 1 cup water to skillet, stir until blended. Remove bay leaves from meat sauce. Place 3 cooked lasagna noodles onto bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish. Spread 1 cup meat sauce onto noodles. Then spread 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture on top, top with layers of 3 lasagna noodles. Then reapply the meat sauce and cheeses and top with 3 lasagna noodles. Place 1-1/4 cups mozzarella on top and 1/4 cup of Parmesan on top of the noodles. Cover the dish with foil.

Bake the lasagna for 1 hour, remove the foil after 45 min. Let stand 15 min. before cutting to serve.

Sometimes the simple things in life are the best.

This tantalizing and super easy recipe will have you coming back to it time and time again.

Delicious comfort food at its best. Straight from our childhood.

Zucchini Bread

Prep Time : 10 mins
Cook Time: 40-60 mins
Serves: 2 loaves


Ingredients:

3 cups of flour
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of baking powder
3 tsps of ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup of vegetable oil
2 and 1/4 cup of white sugar
3 tsps of vanilla extract
2 cups of grated zucchini
* optional- 1 cup of chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and *nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.

Easy Fried Chicken without the need of a deep fryer

Southern Fried Chicken

Prep Time: 2 mins
Cook Time: 10-15 mins
Serves: 2


Ingredients:

2 pieces of free range chicken (preferably boneless/skinless breasts). Cut each breast into 3 pieces.*
1 free range egg, beaten in a bowl
1/2 cup of flour
1 Tbsp of all purpose seasoning salt
1 Tbsp of black pepper
1 tsp of cayenne
Canola Oil

Directions:

Place flour and all the seasoning in a bowl. Place egg in a separate bowl.
Dip Chicken into flour, then egg, then flour again. Fill large wok pan half way full with oil.
Heat oil to medium heat and fry for 10 to 15 mins (when chicken juice runs clear when cut in the middle). This can be served alone or typically is served with collared greens or waffles.

Enjoy your delicious chicken ! It is that easy.

The best Southern prawns we have ever tasted and we mean EVER!

This food is purely decadent! It is not low fat but is worth every calorie as the flavours are amazing. It truly is a food explosion in your mouth! This is also a very quick meal to make in a hurry.

Tabasco Prawns with Grits

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time : 15 mins
Serves: 4


Ingredients:

1/2 pound of butter
1/2 cup of chopped green onions
1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp of liquid crab boil
1 Tbsp of Cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp of Red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp of Salt
1 Tbsp of Black pepper
1 Tbsp of Thyme
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 lemon
Hot sauce (Frank's Red Hot)
Tabasco sauce  (1 tsp or to taste)
1 pound of large prawns or shrimp, shell on is OK (*best to remove tails and shell)
*optional chives as garnish


Directions:

Take the  butter, cut into thirds and melt in a large saucepan over medium heat until melted. Next add the green onions, Worcestershire sauce, crab boil, cayenne, red  pepper, salt, black pepper, thyme, garlic, bay leaves, Tabasco and hot sauce about 5 shakes.

Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice in and then drop the lemon halves into the pan. Bring to a boil, but there should be no smoke. Add the shrimp  in a flat row on top. Cook until pink about 2 minutes per side. Pour everything onto a plate and serve on top of grits (recipe below).


Grits

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 5 mins
Serves: 4 


Ingredients:

2 cups of chicken broth
1 cup of whipping cream
1 Tbsp of butter
150 mL of corn meal


Directions:

In a large pot, bring broth, cream and butter to a boil. Stream in corn meal and cook on medium high until thick (about 5 minutes). Serve under prawns with sauce drizzled on top. *Optional addition would be to add spiced butter as a topping or chives.

The Southern way to cook Donuts!

Beignets

 

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Servings : 2 and 1/2 dozen


Ingredients:

1/2 cup of boiling water
1 Tbsps of shortening
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 cup of evaporated milk(must be evaporated do not use regular milk)
1 package of yeast (or 10-11 mL)
1/4 cup of warm water
1 egg beaten
3 and 3/4 cups of flour
**cinnamon is optional


Directions:

Pour boiling water over shortening, sugar and salt. Add milk and let stand until warm. Dissolve yeast in warm water and add to milk mixture with the beaten egg. Stir in 2 cups of flour. Beat Add enough flour to make soft dough. Place in a greased bowl, grease top of dough, cover with waxed paper and a cloth, chill until read to use. Roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into squares and fry (a few at a time) , in deep  hot fat (360F), brown on one side, turn and brown on the other side.
Drain on absorbent paper towels. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and cinnamon.

This recipe is so delicious! You have to make this easy, breezy cake recipe!

Greek Honey Cake

Ingredients for Cake:

1/4 cup of butter
3/8 cup of sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup of flour
1 tsp of baking powder
1/8 tsp of baking soda
1/4 tsp of cinnamon
1/8 tsp of cloves
1/4 tsp of nuts, chopped
1/4 tsp of buttermilk
*Optional whipped cream for topping


Ingredients for Honey Syrup:

1/4 cup of honey
1/4 cup of water
1 and 1/2 tsp of lemon juice
1 tsp of lemon zest


Directions:

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and mix well. Combine the dry ingredients and half the nuts. Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture alternating with the buttermilk (three additions of flour, 2 additions of buttermilk). Sprinkle with the remaining nuts. Pour into a greased 8'' round pan and bake at 350 F for about 20 minutes. Allow to cook in the pan.
Prepare the syrup by combining the ingredients in a small saucepan and simmering for 5 minutes. Slowly spoon the syrup over the cooled cake. Allow the cake to stand for several hours to absorb the syrup. Cut into 6 wedges and serve with whipped cream.

Greek Prawns

Prawns with Feta and Tomato Sauce

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp of oil or butter
1 small onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
1 cup of canned tomatoes
2 tsps of tomato paste
1 Tbsps of dry white wine
3 Tbsps of chicken stock
1 lb of prawns , shelled and deveined and tails removed
1 Tbsp of olive oil
1 large green onion chopped
1/2 tsp of grated lemon zest
1/4 tsp of lemon pepper
2 tsps of fresh herbs (parsley, oregano, thyme) chopped
2 oz (60g) of feta cheese, crumbled


Directions:

Heat oil or butter in skillet. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, wine and stock. Simmer briefly then puree until smooth.
Cook prawns in olive oil until they change colour, along with green onions, lemon zest and lemon pepper. Stir in tomato sauce and herbs and cook until heated through.
Serve sprinkled with feta cheese.



 

Quick, easy and delicious

Greek Salad

Prep Time: 15 mins
Serves:5

Ingredients:

2 large tomatoes, at room temperature
1/2 green pepper
1/2 medium onion
1/2 of English cucumber
2 Tbsps of olive oil
1 Tbsps of fresh lemon juice
1/ tsp of dried oregano
salt to taste
1/4 lb of feta cheese
Kalamata olives

Directions:

Wash all vegetables and wipe dry.
Cut tomatoes into wedges and then into a half. Cut green pepper into 1'' silvered pieces. Cut onion in half and then slice. Slice and quarter cucumber. Place all veggies into a bowl and add the olive oil, vinegar, oregano and salt. Mix well.
Crumble feta cheese and add to the top of the salad along with Kalamata olives. Serve with plenty of crusty bread.

Easier than it sounds...and just as tasty as you think.

 

Spanokopita with Tzatzki Sauce

Cook Time:
Prep Time:
Serves: 4

Ingredients for Spanokopita:

1 pkg of frozen chopped spinach, well drained (squeeze all the water out)
1/3 cup of fresh dill, finely chopped
4 green onions, chopped finely
1 and 1/2 cups of feta cheese, grated
1/4 tsp of pepper
1-2 eggs
Phyllo pastry
Olive oil or melted butter

Directions:

Combine spinach, dill, green onions, feta cheese and pepper and mix well. Mix in 1 egg, and if mixture seems dry, mix in the second egg.
Cover the phyllo pastry with a damp towel. Layer 2 sheets of phyllo together, brushing the first sheet with oil or butter. Cut the pastry in half crosswise, then each half in three to make 6 strops. Place about 2 tsps of filling on the end of each strip and roll up flag style. Brush all over with oil or butter and place each triangle on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. At this stage you may freeze them if you don't plan to cook them immediately.)


Ingredients for Tzatziki Sauce:

1/2 of a small cucumber
1 cup of Greek yogurt (plain)
1 clove of garlic, pressed
1 and 1/2 tsp of olive oil
1 and 1/2 tsp of fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp of fresh dill, finely chopped
Pepper
Salt

Directions:

Grate the cucumber, sprinkle with a little salt and place in a sieve to drain away the liquid that the salt will draw from the cucumber. Combine the yogurt, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and dill and mix well. Mix in the drained cucumber and chill covered until needed.

A tasty way to cook rice in the oven

Baked Greek Style Rice

We didn't even know you could cook dry rice in the oven until we were given this recipe in a cooking class. The rice really is full of flavour from soaking up the broth and onions.

Cook Time: 25 mins
Prep Time: 10 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

2 Tbsps of olive oil
1 small cup of onion, finely chopped
1 cup of white rice (dry)
1 clove of garlic pressed
1 and 3/4 cup of boiling chicken broth
1 tsp of dried leaf oregano


Directions:

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and gently saute until the onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes Add the rice and cook and stir to get all the rice covered by oil. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Remove the pan from the heat and put the ingredients into an oven proof dish. Pour over boiling broth and oregano, quickly stir, cover with a lid and place in a 350F oven for 25 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked. During the cooking, check the rice periodically to make sure the oven temperature is correct and the rice has sufficient liquid in it.

A tradition Cajun dessert from good ol' New Orleans

Delicious Banana Foster

Servings: 4
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

4 bananas
1/2 cup of butter
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/4 tsp of cinnamon
1 cup of fresh orange juice
1/2 cup of whipping cream
**optional alcohol which will be flambeed such as rum or cointreau

Directions:

In a large non stick fry pan, melt butter. Add sugar, cinnamon and orange juice. Boil until reduced by half. Add whipping cream and reduce by half. Then add sliced bananas and heat until bananas are hot. Serve with ice cream or alone and if you like with french toast, crepes or waffles as we have done.

Cajun Cookin' made easy and delicious

Cajun Chicken with homemade Cajun Spice ( blackened Chicken)

**Make your own spice rub from scratch, saves you sodium and money!**

Makes: 2 Servings
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 10 mins


Ingredients: 

2 and 1/2 Tbsps of paprika
2 Tbsps of All purpose seasoning
2 Tbsps of garlic powder
1 Tbsp of Pepper
1 Tbsp of Cayenne
1 Tbsp of Oregano
1 Tbsp of Thyme


Directions: 

Mix all spices together in a bowl and this will make 2/3 cup.

In a  frying pan, heat some oil.
Take about 1 tsp of your cajun seasoning and season chicken with it. Sautee your chicken until one side is brown and then flip and do the other side. Serve with  either creole veggies(veggies sauteed with the same spice rub and tomatoes in a fry pan) and a rice pilaf or with asparus and mashed potatoes with creole butter as we did.


Easy peasy and delicious!

How to make Creole Butter:

Ingredients:

1 lb. soft butter
1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper
2 tsp. Ground black pepper-fresh
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Chili flakes
2 tsp. worchestershire sauce
2 oz. beer
 

Directions:

Beat all ingredients together in a bowl,
then  serve and refrigerate the rest.

A succulent way to cook fish

Almond Crusted Sole

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Serves: 4

• 
  
• Ingredients :
• 
  
• 4 Pacific sole fillets (6 oz. each)
• About 1/2 tsp of salt
• About 1/2 tsp of  freshly ground black pepper
• 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided 
• Fresh lemon wedges
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese 
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon zest

Directions:

1. 1. Preheat oven to 475° with a rack set at the top level. Sprinkle both sides of fillets with 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper, then set on a baking sheet lined with foil. Brush tops of fillets with 2 tsp. olive oil and squeeze a little lemon on top.
2. 2. Combine panko, parmesan, nuts, parsley, zest, remaining 1 tsp. olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Evenly cover fillets with almond mixture. Bake until fish is opaque in center, 6 to 8 minutes. Serve with fresh lemon juice drizzled on fish.
3. 
   

Delicious Thanksgiving fare! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Turkey with delicious Sage butter, Rapini and Rice stuffing! 

Cook Time:** For a 12 pound turkey about 4 hours (20 mins a pound)
Prep Time: 40 mins
Servings: 12



Tip: Rubbing butter under the skin of the turkey before roasting helps to keep the meat from drying out and adds great flavor to the pan drippings!

Ingredients: 

• Turkey:
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 1 tablespoon dried sage
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (12- to 16-pound) turkey, neck and giblets removed
• 1 lemon, halved
• Stuffing:
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 packed cups roughly chopped rapini, thin stems and leaves)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese      

Directions:

For the turkey: Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a small bowl, mash together butter, sage, pepper and salt; set aside. Rinse inside and outside of turkey well and pat dry; arrange breast side up in a rack set inside a roasting pan. Gently work fingers under the skin around the breast and legs of the turkey, being careful not to tear the skin. Stuff sage butter under skin, spreading it evenly across the breast and around the legs and thighs. Squeeze lemon halves over the turkey, then arrange the rinds in the cavity. Roast turkey, basting it every 30 minutes and tenting with foil if it gets too dark, until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F, about 2 hours. Remove from oven and set aside to let rest for 20 minutes.

For the stuffing: During the last hour the turkey is roasting, grease an 8- x 8-inch baking pan; set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium hot over medium high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in broth and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until moisture is absorbed and rice is just tender, about 20 minutes. Remove pot from heat and set aside to let rest for 5 minutes; discard bay leaf and fluff rice with a fork.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, pepper and salt. Add cooked rice, rapini and cheese; toss to coat. Transfer rice mixture to prepared pan and bake until hot and just golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Carve turkey and serve with rice stuffing and pan drippings to drizzle over the top.