Today's Special: Turkey Recipes

With Thanksgiving less than two weeks away, I'm sure you're all getting your brains and bellies ready for some turkey. Whether you'll be cooking a turkey or just eating it, here are some recipes I've tried out that are definitely worth your time.

Good Eats Roasted Turkey

This was my first real turkey and I have to say it turned out really well! I think the brining made a huge difference in how moist the meat turned out, so don't skip that part! There are a couple changes I think would make this recipe even better. I don't know that I'd spend the money on the candied ginger the brining calls for as I don't think it really affected the flavor. Also, the recipe has you start at 500°F then you cover the whole turkey with tin foil and finish it at 350°F. The only problem with finishing it out this way is the tin foil basically steamed the skin so it wasn't crispy anymore. Next time I would remove the foil maybe 15-20 minutes at the end of cooking and bump the temp back up to 500 deg. to crisp up the skin and give it just a bit more color.

Turkey Stock

This was also the first time I've ever made my own stock. To do this, I picked the turkey carcass clean and saved it in the fridge until the next day when I could make this. I also saved the raw turkey neck from the turkey cavity. This was very simple to do and although it took a while to cook, it was something I didn't have to sit there and watch. For those of you who have never made stock before, it will solidify (unlike the store-bought stuff), so don't be all freaked out thinking you did it wrong. It'll turn back into a liquid as soon as you heat it up again. This made approximately 6 cups, so not a ton, but definitely a great thing to have on hand!

Turkey Soup

I made this soup once before with Seth's wild turkey. It was just as good this time around and maybe even better having used the fresh turkey stock I'd just made. The recipe says to add salt to taste... I added at least 2 tsp. This is one of my favorite soup recipes.

Turkey, Brie, and Apple Grilled Sandwich

Ok I know I probably don't need to say anything about this sandwich given the name of it (and hello, look at the picture.... Mmm) but this was so good! The recipe says to use apricot jam (or a couple other types), and I tried it that way. It was good with the apricot jam, but I thought it was even better using Dijon mustard. And don't be stingy with the apple... cut nice thick slices or you won't be able to taste it.

If you have any turkey left at this point I would be very surprised. If so, lucky you! You can eat more of this stuff! Now some of you are probably like, "Yeah this is great and all, but I don't have to cook a dang turkey. I'm on pie duty." What's that you say? PIES? Pies just happen to be my specialty. Don't believe me? Check these babies out.

Today's Special: Butternut Squash Apple Soup, Garlic Soup, Beef with Snow Peas, Sausage, Mushroom, & Spinach Lasagna, and Homestyle Macaroni & Cheese

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

New Recipe. A couple weeks ago I made some butternut squash gnocchi and had a ton of squash left over. So, I froze it. And used it for this recipe! I honestly just made this to use up the extra squash and didn't have super high hopes for it. BUT, I really liked this a lot! The recipe says to use salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg to "season to taste." I HATE IT when recipes say that without giving you a starting point as to recommended amounts. But, I delved in and seasoned and tasted away and the final product was just what I was hoping for... a nicely seasoned soup that didn't taste sweet. I think it's hard to use cinnamon and nutmeg as a savory ingredient... usually they give more of a dessert quality to a dish. So, in order to help you make this, I will give you the amounts I used for the seasonings: 1/8 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 2 1/2 tsp. salt. You may want to start with 2 tsp. salt, just to be safe. So anyway, this recipe was definitely a winner and it's ORANGE! Perfect for Halloween dinner! (I totally didn't plan that.)

Garlic Soup

New Recipe. I didn't realize how much time this was going to take to make... at least an hour I think. But, the end product was really good. I think I like this more than the garlic soup I've made in the past... more flavor and a thicker consistency. I used half and half instead of the heavy cream and it was still really delicious. This was good as a light dinner with salad and french bread. It didn't make a whole lot... maybe enough for 4 people... maybe. This would also be good in place of a dinner salad... if you are one of those ambitious people who have several courses to a meal (I'm not). Oh, I also used Jarlsberg cheese instead of Gruyere because I couldn't find any of that.

Beef with Snow Peas

New Recipe. If you're looking for a fast recipe this week, this is your winner! It took me maybe a half hour and that included all the prep work and cooking the brown rice (pressure cookers are awesome!). The sauce was perfect and the beef and snow peas were so delicious! The extra addition of crushed red pepper made it that much better. This is the first Asian-y beef  recipe I've made that has turned out to my liking. I really haven't had much success with this category of food... it's very rare for me to make something and actually like it as much as the stuff I get at restaurants. It's nice to have found another winner!

Sausage, Mushroom, and Spinach Lasagna

New Recipe. Now, I am really picky with my lasagna. Usually I only like the kind I make with my sauce recipe and my mom's lasagna recipe from when I was a kid. But I thought I'd try this one out because #1 It looked a lot healthier and #2 Who doesn't love sausage, mushrooms, and spinach? I made this exactly as written using the Italian flavored ground turkey, but I also used an oven-ready pasta. I was a little worried about the pasta not getting cooked through and/or the lasagna being too dry. Oh, I also added 2 cloves of garlic to the turkey mixture. So, this actually turned out really good. I didn't think it tasted healthy at all and the oven-ready pasta worked just fine. It wasn't the fastest meal ever because of the hour long bake time, but it was well worth the effort.

Homestyle Macaroni and Cheese

Old Favorite. Have I said how much I love this stuff? Seriously the best homemade mac and cheese I've had by far. Ok wait, I lied. Rachel made some for us once and it rocked too. But other than that... every other homemade mac and cheese I've made or eaten pretty much sucks. The Dijon mustard in this is what gives it an extra punch of flavor. It only calls for 1 tbsp., but I usually double that because I love it so much.

Today's Special: Beef Bourguignon, Autumn Chicken Stew, Fish Sticks, Squash Gnocchi, Cheesy Chicken & Rice, and Cinnamon Bread

Beef Bourguignon- New Recipe. After making this recipe I can now claim I've flambéed something. Check that off my list of things to do before I die! I have to admit it was a little scary, but all turned out well and I didn't burn any of my hair off. This tasted like a fancy beef stew. Actually Seth and I called this "Alcoholic Beef Stew" because of all the liquor involved... a full bottle of wine and 1/2 c. cognac. Wow. I think next time I'll try making Julia Child's recipe so I can compare. Anyway, two thumbs way up for this one.

Autumn Chicken Stew- New Recipe. I love making seasonal recipes for obvious reasons.... ingredients that are not only cheaper than usual, but tastier as well. It's a win-win situation. The only reason I was skeptical of this recipe was the addition of not one, but two granny smith apples. I thought the resulting flavor would be too sweet for a "stew." Nay nay. This was some good eatin'. Seth thought the apples were potatoes. And he  raved about how much he loved the parsnips (a close cousin to the carrot) and I agreed. Why are parsnips not a common cooking component? Ok ok I know I'm getting carried away with the alliterations. Let's just cut to the chase. This was awesome. You should make it.

EatingWell Fish Sticks- New Recipe. Ok I could not make fish sticks without referencing this episode of South Park. With that out of the way, these were incredibly easy to make and tasted really good. Seth especially really liked these. This was also my first time using Panko bread crumbs which are supposed to be crunchier than regular bread crumbs. I think it worked! I couldn't find the whole wheat Panko bread crumbs, so I just used 1 cup of the regular ones. Oh and don't forget the tartar sauce!

Chickpea, Spinach, & Squash Gnocchi- New Recipe. Doesn't this look so beautiful with all those fun colors? Sadly, the beauty of this dish was only skin deep. It was heart breakingly bland and there wasn't much depth to it. Oh well, guess I don't have to chop up all that squash again.

Cheesy Chicken & Rice- Repeat. This isn't a gourmet meal by any means, but it requires very little prep and it tastes pretty good! Spend five minutes putting it all into a pan, throw it in the oven and do something else for an hour while you wait for it to cook. Oh, and don't forget to cover this with tin foil, otherwise your rice will be crunchy. (Yes I've made that mistake before...)

 

Bonus: Cinnamon Bread

I'll admit I'm a rookie when it comes to making bread. I honestly just guess my way through it. But I love homemade bread. I'm usually just too damn lazy to make it because let's be honest... it's very time consuming. I decided to try this recipe because it looked awesome and because there were step by step instructions on the Pioneer Woman's blog complete with pictures. How could I screw it up if there were pictures? I couldn't!

So I made this bread one Saturday morning when I woke up at the butt crack of dawn because my body is now used to my early to bed early to rise dork schedule and I can't sleep in past 7am even if I want to. The one thing I really hate about bread recipes is I always have to add a ton more flour than it says to get the right texture and it sort of freaks me out. This recipe said to add 1/4 c. extra flour after kneading for a few minutes if it was too sticky. I ended up adding probably a cup or more.

So I finally got the bread all made and it turned out ok. However, I don't think I rolled it tight enough so it was kind of floppy after slicing. Also, I overcooked it a tad, so after it cooled it was dry. I was a little disappointed. BUT... I sliced it all up and froze it and I plant to unthaw it this weekend and make it into cinnamon french toast! That should save it! At any rate, it looks beautiful. Kinda makes me want to bake bread more often.

Today's Special: Pioneer Woman Extravaganza (aka You're Going to Need a Gallon of Heavy Whipping Cream)

This week I decided to try out a bunch of delicious looking recipes I've seen on the Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen blog. They're definitely not as healthy as the recipes I usually make, but some of them are worth an extra run around the block.

Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen Recipes

Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. Groan.- OK, if you're going to use the word "groan" as part of your recipe name, it better be damn good. And this was just average. I mean it was good, but didn't warrant the "groan." Maybe it was a case of my expectations being too high? All I know is, I'm glad I bought the pre-roasted (cheaper) red peppers instead of doing all the work and paying the extra money to do it myself.

The Mushroom Soup- Of all the new Pioneer Woman recipes I made this week, this was by far my favorite. Very quick and easy to make and it was delicious! Nice mushroom flavor and the other ingredients complimented it nicely, especially the Parmesan.

Butter Chicken- This recipe had the most rave reviews from all the PW recipes I tried, but to me it was just so-so. Nothing special. Maybe it'd be better the next day, or maybe the sauce and such would go better on pasta than on rice. All I know is, I had a butt load of sauce leftover and I didn't save it for later.

Jaden's Beef with Broccoli- This turned out pretty good. I think I should've thickened the sauce up more after adding the broccoli, but I was too hungry to bother. This was a fast dinner, but it didn't have quite as much flavor as I'd thought there'd be from the marinade and sauce. This was good, but forgettable. On a positive note, I tried basmati rice for the first time with this meal and it turned out awesome!

EatingWell.com Recipe Intermission

Chicken Fried Steak with Mashed Potatoes- New Recipe. This was EatingWell's version of healthy-ish Chicken Fried Steak so I was more than a bit skeptical as to how it would taste. I thought this was awesome and turned out great, even though I completely forgot to add the cornstarch to the breading mixture. It was just as good the next day as leftovers. Mmmm.

Chili-Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus and Lemon-New Recipe. I thought this tilapia turned out really well  although I think I went a little heavy on the spice layer (I scraped a bit off). The asparagus was good, but the lemon was a bit overwhelming. I'd cut back on the lemon juice next time.

Pioneer Woman Dessert Bonus

Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes for Two- I wanted to make a dessert using the fresh pineapple I bought and found this on the PW website. It was very easy and turned out really good. Mine doesn't look as pretty as the one on the recipe because my pineapple slices were bigger and I didn't have any pecans. Not bad for an impulse dessert though.

Today's Special: Fruits and Veggies

Seared Salmon with Magical Butter Sauce- New Recipe. Ok, so I made this last week, but somehow I forgot to post about it. But, technically I made it this week too, so there. I keep a bag of frozen salmon fillets in the freezer at all times these days. Seared salmon makes for a delicious, fast, fancy-ish meal and this Magical Butter Sauce just adds to the awesomeness. The butter sauce is made using 1/3 c. butter, 2 tbsp. jam (your choice), and 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar. Last week I made 2 kinds: boysenberry and apricot. The apricot turned out a little bland but the boysenberry was surprisingly really good. This week I made boysenberry again and mango. Mango slightly edged out the boysenberry, but it was a close call. This sauce works really well on lots of stuff (i.e. salmon, chicken, veggies) and the sky is the limit on flavors. I was worried it would be too fruity and sweet but it wasn't at all. Plus, who doesn't like to dip their food in butter? Feel free to serve the sauce in little cups to dip into or pour directly on the chosen recipient (recipient=food, not a person, unless you're into that sort of thing). If you click on one link in this post, click on the one for Magical Butter Sauce, you won't be disappointed.

Pioneer Woman's Favorite Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup with Salsa Verde- New Recipes. The Pioneer Woman did a whole post special on grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup one day and I thought it sounded delicious. Seth happened to walk by when I was looking at the page again and commented on how delicious one of the sandwiches looked. That sealed the deal. This grilled cheese sandwich was a huge hit... Seth ended up eating two. I loved the addition of green chilies (I had to use the diced ones because I couldn't find whole chilies at the store and I was too lazy to roast my own!). If you're not a big fan of tomato soup, these sandwiches were substantial enough on their own. But, the tomato soup did turn out really well. It was very fresh tasting but not bland like a lot of other tomato soups of this style. I think the salsa verde added a lot to the flavor and looked really beautiful. I ended up having to use quite a bit more olive oil than the recipe stated so the basil/parsley mixture would liquify into a "thick sauce." Both of these recipes were winners. (p.s. I still want to try the Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto & Mozzarella and Turkey, Brie and Apple Grilled Sandwich)

Creamy Chicken Asparagus Soup- New Recipe. Wow this soup was awesome! Not too heavy... a mix between a cream soup and a broth... just perfect. I think this is a new staple. Even better the next day and this recipe makes a ton!

Bonus: How to Cut Up a Pineapple

Apparently pineapple season is upon us. Don't be intimidated by that pickly looking exotic fruit. It's easier to cut up than it looks. Just as easy as a cantaloupe I'd say... maybe even easier!

First get your pineapple, a sharp knife and a cutting board.

Cut off just under an inch from the bottom.

Cut off about an inch from the top (below the leaves).

Carefully slice off the rind all around the sides.

Slice pineapple into disks approximately 1/2" thick (or whatever thickness you prefer).

Remove hard center by cutting around it with a paring knife or use a small round biscuit cutter.

Keep the pineapple rings as shown if you like, or continue on to make smaller pieces...

Cut each slice diagonally several times (like a pizza) to create even chunks.

Now add to your favorite recipe or eat as-is! Delicious!

Today's Special: Not Exactly Healthy but it's Delicious!

Sunday: Coffee-Braised Pot Roast with Caramelized Onions-New Recipe. This was the best roast I've had in a long time. It was perfectly tender and moist and it still had that crunchy/chewy delicious outer crust. I had to thin out the braise liquid at the end of cooking to make the gravy as there wasn't much liquid left and it was really strong tasting and salty. I probably added at least a cup or so. This recipe may force the crock-pot out of the kitchen for a while.

Monday: Shredded Beef Chimichangas- Whenever I make a roast I buy an extra large one so I can use the leftovers to make chimichangas. I don't really have a recipe for these... it's just something I made up. All you do is shred what's left of the roast, mix it with enough green enchilada sauce (or red if you prefer) to moisten the mixture and make it more cohesive and then if you like more heat, add a small can of green chilies. Wrap the mixture up burrito style in a large tortilla and fry in about a 1/2 inch of oil or so, flipping as each side becomes golden brown. I like to top mine with shredded lettuce, salsa, guacamole & sour cream. So good and super fast!

Tuesday: Brie Stuffed Meatball & Red Wine Mushroom Sauce Subs- New Recipe. I got this recipe from Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen blog. I saw the name of the recipe and knew I had to try it. I felt like I was going to have a heart attack after eating this, but man, it sure was good!

Wednesday: Chicken Pot Pie- Old favorite. I read on Annie's blog that she was making chicken pot pie this week and it made me realize I hadn't made it for a while. This is one of my favorite recipes.

Chicken Pot Pie

Crust

1 1/3 c + 1 tbsp. shortening (cold)
3 2/3 c flour
1 1/4 tsp. salt
9-11 tbsp. cold water

Cut shortening into flour and salt until it forms particles the size of peas. Sprinkle in water 1 tbsp. at a time, tossing with a fork until flour is moistened. Gather mixture into a ball and split into two evenly sized balls.
Flatten one of the balls into a 4" disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Roll out the other ball on a floured surface until it is big enough for a pie plate or 8x8 square baking dish. Carefully lay crust into pie plate.

Filling

1 package (10-16oz) frozen peas and carrots
1/3 c margarine or butter
1/3 c all-purpose flour
1/3 c chopped onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped (optional)
1 3/4 c chicken broth
2/3 c milk
2 1/2-3 c cooked and shredded chicken

Pour veggies into a colander and rinse in water to thaw. Drain. Heat butter in 2 quart sauce pan over medium heat until melted. Stir in flour, onion, salt, pepper and rosemary (if using). Cook for 1 minute. Add milk and broth. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in chicken and veggies.

Preheat oven to 425 deg. F. Pour filling into prepared pie crust. Remove second pie dough disk from refrigerator and roll out of a floured surface until large enough to cover pie plate. Drape over top of filling. Seal edges together and flute. Cut four slits in top of crust. Bake for about 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.

Thursday: Greek Gyro Pizza (Tzatziki Sauce)- New Recipe. A few weeks ago we had a Band Hero party with some friends. Seth and I were in charge of the pizza, so we ordered a few from The Pie, including their Greek Pizza. It was basically a gyro on a pizza crust. And it was so delicious! I figured I could make it myself, so I did! I just used the tzatziki sauce recipe above as the base sauce, mozzarella, pre-cooked gyro meat (from the butcher shop), thinly sliced red onions and tomatoes, and feta cheese. It turned out really good and we even had enough gyro meat left over for regular gyros. I'd definitely make this again.

Friday: Shrimp & Cheddar Grits- New Recipe. I wasn't really looking forward to this recipe... mainly because I'd never actually had grits before and wasn't sure it would turn out right. This was incredibly easy to make and the grits were awesome! I'm going to have to experiment with grits more I guess!

Bonus: Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bread- New Recipe. This recipe also came from the Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen blog. I had a bunch of ripe bananas to use up and this fit the bill. The recipe can either make two regular loaves, or you can make one loaf and use the rest to make muffins... which is what I did. Great addition to the breakfast plate or as a sweet snack!