Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Leftover turkey potpie

This is the Thanksgiving equivalent to the kitchen sink burrito. You can use a bunch of your leftovers, and it really is easy. Everything should be cooked, and unfrozen.

preheat oven to 375

cut up turkey - white or dark meat
cooked veggies (peas, carrots, corn, broccoli, green beans, creamed onions..... almost anything will work except squash)
3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour (does not need to be wheat, and you can sub cornstarch - you will need MUCH LESS cornstarch)
1 cup milk (does not need to be dairy - but should be UNSWEETENED. I have used Coconut Dream and Soy Dream)
1 cup turkey broth
pie crust (alternatively, you can make without crust, and serve as a stew)

put turkey - however much you have - in the bottom of an oven-safe pan. I bake this in a dutch oven, but it can be baked in any sort of pan, whatever size you need - or have. Add veggies.

In a sauce pan, melt butter. Stir in flour until it is all coated and forms a paste. Add milk, slowly, while whisking, over medium-high heat. You want it to be simmering (bubbling) but not at a rolling crazy high boil. Once the sauce has thickened - and is almost paste-like, add the broth slowly, continuing to stir with the whisk. You want this sauce to end up the consistency of very heavy cream. Once you have it where you want it, pour over the turkey and veggies, put the pie crust on top (or skip the crust, but maybe cover with a lid or some foil) and stick it in the oven for about 45 minutes.


Cheddar Bay biscuit puffs

I had a recipe for Cheddar Bay biscuits, but of course I didn't have any of the ingredients, so I had to make some adjustments. I baked them in mini muffin tins, next time I might use paper muffin cups because they were very flaky and a little difficult to get out.

3 cups Bisquick
1 cup water with
1/2 cup butter - melted and added to water first to cool the hot butter
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

stir until all ingredients are moist and fluffy
divide into mini muffin tins
bake for 10 minutes at 350



Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Quick and Easy Pumpkin Ravioli

1 package won ton or mandoo wrappers
1/2 cup pumpkin (or other squash) puree
1/2 cup ricotta
2 Tablespoons parmesan
1 tsp garlic puree
1 egg
small cup of water, 1/4 cup of flour for counter
butter and garlic and/or extra parmesan for topping.

Mix pumpkin puree, ricotta, parmesan, garlic and egg together thoroughly.

Clean counter area thoroughly, then dry and dust with flour. Spread out a row of won ton wrappers.

Place a small spoonful of filling towards one corner of the wrapper, leaving at least 1/4 inch of dough around the edge exposed for sealing.

Dip your finger (or a pastry brush) in water and trace around the filling, then fold the other half of the wrapper over to create a triangle or half circle, and press all around the edge, sealing shut. (Can also use a small juice glass pressing down lightly to get a good seal - don't press too hard or it will go right through the dough!)

When you have a row of ravioli ready, drizzle a small amount of olive oil in the boiling water and drop the ravioli in one by one, carefully. Put in enough to cover the bottom of the pan, but this is a process that takes time - you need to cook one serving at a time or they will stick together. Don't try to cook 2 dozen ravioli at once!

Once the bottom of the pan is covered with raviolis, turn the heat down to low and stir the water gently to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan. You do NOT want the water to be at a rolling boil. A low simmer is fine. Watch the ravioli - when they start to float they are almost done (it can happen very quickly!) After about 2 minutes they should be cooked, and will need to be plated - and eaten - right away.

Top with parmesan, or some browned butter and garlic, and fresh ground pepper.

Friday, November 22, 2013

leftover turkey: Turkey Enchiladas with 5 minute enchilada sauce

recipe makes 6 turkey enchiladas


Enchilada Sauce

14oz can of stewed tomatoes (NOT Italian tomatos with oregano and basil)
1 packet of Taco Seasoning
1 tsp of cumin (or more, to taste)
1 cup of broth - chicken, turkey or veggie

Put all in a blender and blend thoroughly (I left mine going for a few minutes on high)

six 8" tortillas, set to the side to warm to room temperature

2 cups finely chopped leftover turkey meat - light or dark meat, it doesn't matter. Make sure all bones and cartilage are removed before chopping!
14oz can black beans DRAINED
1/2 cup of shredded cheese for filling
1/2 cup shredded cheese for topping

mix well

place a pile of this filling across the tortilla, and roll tightly, careful to keep the filling from falling out the ends. Place snugly next to each other in a 9" square pan
Pour enchilada sauce over the top ad cover with foil

350 for 20 minutes, remove foil, cover with cheese, bake another 10 minutes, turn off oven
let sit in warm oven or out, for another 5-10 minutes