Showing posts with label Turkey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Turkey. Show all posts

November 29, 2015

Turkey and Pumpkin Chili


I've had my house decorated for Christmas since the first week in November.  If you think I'm crazy, that's okay - so do my friends and family.  I've just been so excited to spend our first Christmas in our new house!  I did exercise some restraint by not plugging in my outdoor lights until after Thanksgiving.  Now that Thanksgiving is over, I can finally let my inner Christmas freak out!  It's been amazing experiencing all of these "firsts" in our new home.  We have so much to be thankful for.  

After our Thanksgiving feast, we had a good amount of leftover turkey.  While I do enjoy a cold turkey sandwich, I'm always excited to come up with new ways to use it.  After cleaning out our gutters (one of the not-so-fun "firsts") yesterday in the cold, I found myself craving a hot bowl of chili.  I decided to use the turkey in the chili and add some pumpkin and sage.  It was so good!  The pumpkin and sage added a delicious depth of flavor.


December 17, 2014

Busy Weeknight American Goulash with Turkey & Whole Wheat Pasta


I'm still here and still cooking every day!  I've had quite a few things on my plate (pun intended!) this past month, so I've had zero time for blogging.  Correction.  Any time that I did have for blogging, I used to work on things like my daughters 10th birthday party, my dad's surprise 60th birthday party, Thanksgiving stuff, Christmas stuff, etc.  I'm definitely not complaining, though.  I have been blessed with so many people in my life that I love and cherish who also happen to take up a lot of my time!   

With everything that's been going on, I wanted to pause and share with you one of my easy & tasty recipes that I whip up on a crazy weeknight.  Now, I don't always use ground turkey, and I don't always use whole wheat pasta.  Sometimes, I'll use a beef/pork mixture with regular pasta; sometimes, I'll use cooked shredded chicken - it all depends on what I have on hand!  That's the beauty of this recipe.  Just toss in whatever you have!  For the tomato sauce, we used our homemade sauce from the garden tomatoes this year.  


July 8, 2014

Skinny Skillet with Turkey Sausage, Summer Vegetables & Gemelli


This savory summer skillet is satisfying, skinny and speedy.  Try saying that 5 times fast!  Turkey sausage is sauteed with fresh summer vegetables and then tossed with a little red wine, fat free milk, Parmesan, and gemelli pasta.  It's a delicious meal that is low in calories, low in fat, and ready in under 30 minutes.  That's pretty perfect for summer!

So, I've been holding fast to cooking with only organic ingredients.  I've also been trying to stick with non-GMO whenever possible.  Thankfully, we have stores like Whole Foods, Landis, and Target nearby that have a great variety of organic ingredients to choose from.  Trader Joe's is next on our list to try, so I'll keep you posted.  It has definitely been a fun and rewarding process.  As if food wasn't already always in the forefront of my mind, it has made me even more conscious about the ingredients that I'm using and the decisions that I'm making.  Yes, I've spent a little extra in grocery money, but I've actually seen some savings in it!  Instead of planning just my meals for the week, I'm also thinking about my husband's lunches.  So, instead of packing my husband the usual two days or so out of the week, I've been packing his lunch 100% of the time.  Ordering out for lunch can be so expensive!  Another savings that I can already see is with not wasting food.  Yes, we would try our hardest to not waste anything, but sometimes we'd find something way in the back of the fridge that would go unnoticed.  If I'm spending the extra cash on organic ingredients, I'll be darned if one crumb of our food goes to waste!

Fun Whole Foods Finds:  The mild turkey sausage used in this recipe is made fresh at Whole Foods.  It's $6.99/lb., but I only use 1/2 pound (two links) of it at a time, so it ended up costing $3.99 for this meal.  It has lovely hints of anise and fennel, and, even though it's labeled "mild", it has a little spicy kick to it that we just love.


November 25, 2013

Thanksgiving: How to Make Turkey Stock (Broth)


I recently had the privilege of working with Food.com on how-to's for their website.  It was a bit odd making stuffing and roasting a turkey in the middle of August, but it was a lot of fun!  

For step-by-step instructions with photos and tips/tricks on how to make turkey stock, visit the following link!


Also, check out some of my other how-to's at Food.com:
How to brine a turkey
How to roast a turkey
How to carve a turkey
How to make gravy
How to make dressing (stuffing)
How to make pie crust
How to make pumpkin pie
How to make apple pie

November 18, 2013

Thanksgiving: How To Brine a Turkey


I recently had the privilege of working with Food.com on how-to's for their website.  It was a bit odd making stuffing and roasting a turkey in the middle of August, but it was a lot of fun!  

For step-by-step instructions with photos and tips/tricks on how to brine a turkey, visit the following link!

How To Brine a Turkey

Also, check out some of my other how-to's at Food.com:
How to roast a turkey
How to carve a turkey
How to make gravy
How to make turkey stock
How to make dressing (stuffing)
How to make pie crust
How to make pumpkin pie
How to make apple pie


November 22, 2012

Thanksgiving: How to Make Turkey Gravy


I recently had the privilege of working with Food.com on how-to's for their website.  It was a bit odd making stuffing and roasting a turkey in the middle of August, but it was a lot of fun!  

For step-by-step instructions with photos and tips/tricks on how to make gravy, visit the following link!

How To Make Turkey Gravy

Also, check out some of my other how-to's at Food.com:
How to brine a turkey
How to roast a turkey
How to carve a turkey
How to make turkey stock
How to make dressing (stuffing)
How to make pie crust
How to make pumpkin pie
How to make apple pie

November 21, 2012

Thanksgiving: How to Carve a Turkey


I recently had the privilege of working with Food.com on how-to's for their website.  It was a bit odd making stuffing and roasting a turkey in the middle of August, but it was a lot of fun!  

For step-by-step instructions with photos and tips/tricks on how to carve a turkey, visit the following link!

How To Carve a Turkey

Also, check out some of my other how-to's at Food.com:
How to brine a turkey
How to roast a turkey
How to make gravy
How to make turkey stock
How to make dressing (stuffing)
How to make pie crust
How to make pumpkin pie
How to make apple pie

November 20, 2012

Thanksgiving: How to Roast a Turkey


I recently had the privilege of working with Food.com on how-to's for their website.  It was a bit odd making stuffing and roasting a turkey in the middle of August, but it was a lot of fun!  

For step-by-step instructions with photos and tips/tricks on how to roast a turkey, visit the following link!

How To Roast a Turkey

Also, check out some of my other how-to's at Food.com:
How to brine a turkey
How to carve a turkey
How to make gravy
How to make turkey stock
How to make dressing (stuffing)
How to make pie crust
How to make pumpkin pie
How to make apple pie

October 5, 2012

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Turkey Treats


In an effort to stray from my usual "Oreo Turkey Treats" and "Candy Pilgrim Hats" as treats for the kids on Thanksgiving, I came up with these cute little chocolate covered strawberry turkey treats!  Only five ingredients paired with a little bit of patience and you will have cute, delicious turkey treats that your guests will gobble up!  

As a side note, I know it's a tad early to start posting Thanksgiving recipes.  Honestly, my mind has been in Thanksgiving mode for quite some time now mainly because I have been working with Food.com on Thanksgiving recipe posts since August.  

September 26, 2012

Turkey Wrap with Bacon, Apples & Pepper Jack


This healthy wrap is perfect for those busy days of fall.  The pepper jack cheese brings a delicious spiciness and the crisp apples add a burst of sweetness.  Oh, yeah - and there's bacon. 

September 13, 2011

Turkey, Apple and Swiss Quesadila with Honey-Dijon Sauce


If you haven't noticed yet from my recent posts, I have had school lunch ideas on my mind.  I will be switching gears for a while to fall and football recipes but I wanted to share one more school lunch idea with you first.

My little girl is in 1st grade already and I miss her so much from the minute she gets on the bus.  While I have no part in what she does at school (unless I'm helping out in the classroom that day), I feel a certain satisfaction knowing that I can at least control what she eats.  Quesadillas are a really fast, fun and flexible lunch that you can make.  Your child doesn't like Swiss cheese and apples?  Try American cheese and ham instead.  The options are endless!

November 29, 2010

Pennsylvania Dutch Turkey Pot Pie



Here in Pennsylvania-Dutch land, pot pie is traditionally made with noodles, not pie crust.  I have oodles of turkey, corn, and homemade turkey stock leftover from Christmas dinner.  Other than cold turkey sandwiches, turkey pot pie is our favorite quick way to use up those leftovers!   This is so delicious and comforting after a long day on a cold winter's night!  It's also very easy to make.  If you're feeling ambitious, making your own noodles is super easy and totally worth it!  Follow the instructions below.  You won't be disappointed!  


Ingredients:
Serves 4 - 6
  • 7 cups turkey broth (or chicken or vegetable broth), or as needed to desired thickness
  • 2 tbsp butter 
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped 
  • 1/4 c onion, diced 
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced 
  • 4 potatoes, peeled and cut bite size
  • 6 oz pot pie bows, uncooked 
  • 1/2 c corn
  • 1/2 lb cooked turkey, shredded or chopped 
  • 1/4 tsp pepper, or to taste
  • Salt, to taste 

Directions:

Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over high heat.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat.  Once hot, melt the butter.  Add the carrots, celery, onion, and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the garlic clove and cook for 1 minute longer.

Pour the contents of the skillet into the boiling broth.  Add the potatoes to the mixture and cook for 10 minutes.  Stir in the pot pie bows, and cook until al dente, about 15 minutes.

Turn the heat down to low.  Stir in the corn and cooked turkey.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  If you would like a thinner consistency, stir in some additional broth.  If you'd like an even thicker consistency, continue to simmer on low heat until your desired consistency is reached.

Enjoy!




Homemade Pot Pie Pasta Ingredients:

  • 2 c all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp reserved turkey fat, or other fat 
  • 1 c chicken broth, or as needed (see below directions)
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the flour and chicken fat with a fork, until well blended.  This will take a couple minutes and the flour will resemble course crumbs.  Add 3/4 to 1 cup of the reserved chicken broth (3/4 c worked perfectly for me) to the mixture and the salt.  Blend into a ball and knead slightly.

Lightly dust your work surface with flour.  Roll out the dough into a very thin layer.  Cut the dough into 2" x 2" squares.  Shape the pasta, as desired using wet fingers.

The pasta should be boiled for approximately 10 minutes.



October 28, 2010

Turkey Meatballs with Pasta and Vodka Sauce

Yesterday was a pretty crazy day. I literally spent about five hours running errands for... what is it about my daughter and biting her tongue all the time?!?! I mean, it happens like every other day! Sorry, I got sidetracked. Let's start over. Yesterday was my husband's 30th birthday (happy birthday, baby!) and we were having guests over for dinner. He asked me to make chicken parmigiana for his birthday dinner. I had about 2 cups of the tomato sauce I made leftover, so I thought I would use that to make some vodka sauce. I love vodka sauce so much and it has been so long since I've had it. I had some ground turkey because it was on special at my grocery store, so I thought turkey meatballs would be a nice addition to the sauce. My husband has never had vodka sauce nor has he had turkey meatballs. When I got the "what's for dinner" question this afternoon and I told him, he wasn't too sure about either, especially the turkey meatballs. Why? Because, he said, "It's turkey and not beef." lol Good answer. My husband is so good, though. He is willing to try something new for me and give me his honest opinion about it. Well, let me tell you that when he ate those turkey meatballs, he said, "These are surprisingly good." WOOT! Yet another use for turkey to add to my list! His opinion of the vodka sauce, however, was not as good. "It's just not my cup of tea." I, on the other hand, thought the sauce was great and my daughter liked it as well. If you're a vodka sauce fan, you'll like this recipe.

Note: In case you didn't already know, it is always a good idea to taste as you cook, especially with the sauce in this recipe. For the sauce: Before you throw in the cream and Parmesan, taste the sauce. If it tastes too strongly of vodka, you need to cook the sauce longer to cook the alcohol off more. Another good idea is to taste meat before you fry it (no, not raw, silly!) When I'm ready to fry any meat, I take a very tiny pinch of it, throw it in the preheated pan and cook it. I taste it and decide if it needs more salt, pepper, garlic, etc. It only takes a couple of minutes at the most and is so worth it, especially when you are trying something new. Because we all know, good food is relative to the person.

Ingredients:

Vodka Sauce
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 cups crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp white sugar
  • salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 c vodka
  • 1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
  • 1/8 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 c heavy cream
  • 1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
Turkey Meatballs
  • 1/2 lb ground turkey
  • 1 small egg
  • 1/4 c Italian-style bread crumbs, plus more for coating (optional)
  • 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
  • 1/8 tsp onion salt
  • Salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 c vegetable oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
Directions:
  • Make the sauce. Heat oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, stirring and cooking until fragrant; about 1 minute.
  • Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook until heated through.
  • Pour in the vodka and cook until reduced, about 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the parsley, basil and oregano.
  • Pour in the heavy cream and stir in the Parmesan. Simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, form and cook the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, egg, bread crumb, worcestershire sauce, onion salt, salt and pepper. Form into meatballs.
  • Optional: Coat each meatball with additional bread crumb.
  • Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the meatballs on all sides, until cooked through and no longer pink.
  • Add the meatballs to the sauce and stir.
  • Serve over cooked pasta.
  • Enjoy!

October 6, 2010

Rosemary Turkey and Spinach Crustless Quiche




Wednesdays are my "slow" work days, when I find myself doing things that I normally have no time for before my daughter gets home from kindergarten. For instance, I am going to start going in every other Wednesday to volunteer in her kindergarten class for an hour starting next week. SO excited for that! Today, I found myself craving quiche. It has been forever since I made a quiche and I don't know why I've waited so long. The house smells wonderful in the process, it is super easy, extremely delicious, healthy and makes for great leftovers! I also get to check off an item from my to-cook list! 

August 12, 2010

Turkey and Bacon Club Sandwich

Growing up, every time my family would go out to a diner, my dad would always order a club sandwich. I never understood why he would order the same thing every time, so I decided to order one to see what the fuss was about. I fell in love. Anytime I find myself in a diner, I still order a club sandwich to this day. Making this yourself is hard to mess up, easy to make and it tastes much better than any club sandwich a restaurant would serve.


Ingredients:
Yields two sandwiches
  • 6 slices wheat bread, toasted
  • 1/2 lb honey smoked turkey breast from the deli
  • 10 slices bacon, fried
  • 4 slices American cheese
  • 1 tomato, thinly sliced
  • Mayonnaise
  • Romain Lettuce
Directions:
  • Spread mayonnaise over one side of a piece of toast. Place tomato, lettuce, bacon, turkey and cheese on top of the toast.
  • Spread mayonnaise over both sides of another piece of toast and set it on top of the sandwich. Repeat again with tomato, lettuce, bacon, turkey and cheese. Spread mayonnaise over one side of another piece of toast and place on the top to complete the sandwich.
  • Repeat the first two steps again to make a second sandwich.
  • Slice in half with a sharp knife. Insert a frill toothpick into each center.
  • Serve with chips and a pickle and enjoy!

July 28, 2010

Italian Pinwheels with Turkey, Green Pepper and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Cooking and baking have definitely been good medicine for me recently. I had a little spare time today before my husband came home from work and I thought that it would be the perfect time for me to try out this cute appetizer I found over at My Kind of Cooking. I changed it up a tad to appeal to my current taste bud cravings. These are so simple and so tasty!



Ingredients:
  • 10-inch flour tortillas
  • Cream cheese
  • Marinated sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
  • Sliced honey smoked turkey breast from the deli
  • Green pepper, chopped
  • Italian seasoning, to taste
  • Garlic powder, to taste
Directions:
  • Spread 1 oz of cream cheese per flour tortilla evenly.
  • Season with Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
  • Top with sun-dried tomatoes, turkey breast and green pepper.
  • Roll each tortilla into a long log.
  • Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into 1/2-inch slices.
  • Enjoy!


March 1, 2010

Turkey and Mozzarella Rye Panini

Rye bread has actually replaced my love of whole wheat bread recently. My daughter and I made turkey and mozzarella rye paninis for lunch and it was delicious. Warm and crunchy and cheesey... the perfect lunch!


Ingredients: 
  • Rye bread
  • Cooked shredded turkey breast
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Chopped onion
  • Chopped green pepper
  • Butter
Directions:

  1. Butter one side of each piece of bread.
  2. Place turkey, chopped vegetables and cheese on one side of bread and top with other side.
  3. Grill butter side down on each side until golden brown. Serve and enjoy!

July 1, 2009

Herb Roasted Whole Turkey Breast



Can you believe we have less than one week until Christmas?!  I hope you all have your gift shopping at least nearly completed and that your dinner menus are planned.  As for me, my gifts are wrapped and under the tree, except for the presents from Santa, of course.  

I love roasting turkey breasts because my family tends to shy away from dark meat and it cuts down the cooking time compared to a whole turkey.  This rub is delicious and the turkey turns out moist and tender.  You can also use this recipe on a whole turkey if you'd like.  Don't forget to save the pan drippings, neck, giblets, skin and carcass to make turkey stock!

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