Sick Boy Turkey Soup

  One of my boys came home not feeling well from school yesterday.  So I whipped up a batch of Turkey soup from the Turkey bone broth I made after eating our turkey dinner on Thanksgiving.  This actually is a recipe from my deceased mother-in-law who was from Italy and always seemed to have a recipe for everything.   Now, translating it to English from Italian is always a challenge, but I'm always pleased once I do the work.  Here is her recipe, I'm sure she didn't go to the lengths of making actual bone broth but because I had already done that I just used the broth I had made.       

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 cups homemade or purchased Organic Turkey broth

1 1/2 cups carrots sliced and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 sweet onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup Turkey meat, either leftover or just bake a thigh or leg then De-bone and add to the soup

1 cup frozen peas

2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley added to each bowl when served

Saute chopped onions, carrots, and garlic in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add the broth, and the rest of the ingredients except for the parsley and allow to meld for at least 20 minutes on low.  Before serving add fresh parsley to every bowl and serve.  Godere! 

      

Crock-pot Turkey Recipe to Die For

Last night I had a few extra boys for dinner.  I wanted to make something warm and inviting and have the hole house smell good.  Kinda like it does on Thanksgiving Day!  I had a busy day planned and knew I didn't have time to make a REAL Thanksgiving meal so I decided to bring out the crock-pot and make my life easier.  I went to the store in search of turkey thighs but only could get turkey legs...So legs it was.  This meal is always a hit (using either legs or thighs) and making the gravy out of the cooking sauce, which is a combination of lingonberries and cranberries, which is a nice mix of sweet and sour meets gravy.  Hope you all enjoy this one as much as I do! Enjoy!

Crock-pot Turkey Legs with Rosemary, Cranberries and Lingonberries

6 Turkey legs

2 cans organic whole canned cranberries (Not jellied)

1/2 jar of Lingonberries

1 yellow onion quartered

3 pieces of fresh rosemary

Here it is in the crock-pot

Place all ingredients in a crock-pot and put on low for 8 hours.  Take liquid out of crock-pot and make a gravy using either flour or corn starch.  I used flour because none of the boys had a wheat allergy.  Then serve with mashed potatoes and whatever vegetable you would like.

Note: You can use turkey breasts or thighs with this recipe...I could only find legs at the store this particular day.  Enjoy! 

Turkey Meatloaf with Lemon Grass and Dried Mushrooms

  I know what you're thinking... I only eat meatloaf in the winter!  Yes, I agree!  In Minnesota this year it still feels like winter!  It was 54 degrees the last time I looked.  So , I made warm mashed potatoes with roasted garlic, lemon grass, and vegan butter.  And a Turkey Meatloaf that was not only pleasing to the eye, but had wonderful flavor.  I thought a gravy would have been ideal to have with this meal, but of course, both boys still requested ketchup on the side.  Whatever, I guess Mom's of teenagers are never right:)   

A side note:  With this meal I used a pantry staple I talked about a few posts ago.  A container of dried mushrooms I picked up at Costco!  I love these because sometime when you want to make a quick risotto or perhaps a sauce of some type, you can always substitute the dried mushrooms.  They do have a smokey flavor compared to regular fresh mushrooms but I found them to be handy to have around!

Some ingredients for this meal!

Ingredients:


2 tablespoons Olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (I put in Cuisinart, and chopped fine)
3/4 cup chopped yellow or orange carrots (Chopped in Cuisinart as well.)
 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup reconstituted dried mushrooms, chopped in the Cuisinart
2 sprigs of lemon grass, diced small (optional)
1 teaspoon lemon rind, diced
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 cup bread crumbs
1 lb. ground turkey, (preferably mixed light & dark meat) 
1/4 cup white wine
1 teaspoon ground sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 large egg
3 tablespoons ketchup


Method:


1) Saute onions, carrots, garlic and mushrooms in the olive oil on the stove top until onions become opaque. 

2) Pour the sautéed ingredients into a bowl large enough to hold all ingredients.  Deglaze the pan with the white wine and cook down until only 2 tablespoons remain.  Pour into bowl with other ingredients.
3) Add lemon grass, lemon rind, parsley, bread crumbs, ground turkey, ketchup, salt and pepper, mix well.
4) In a separate bowl, lightly beat an egg then add it to the bowl with all the ingredients.  Mix together well, and form into a football shape (American Football that is).  

5) Place on baking pan lined with parchment paper to keep from sticking.  Bake for 50 - 60 minutes, or until thermometer inserted in the center registers 175.  Let stand for five minutes and serve! 

Turkey Avocado Wraps with Vegan Lemonaise

Why did you use Vegan Lemonaise if you have Turkey bacon on the wrap, you say?  Well, I was making myself a wrap as well and didn't want to get out different ingredients for everyone.  So... this is what I made for the whole family.  I left out the Turkey on mine.  It was really good.  Of course, I think anything that contains ripe Avocados is pretty amazing! 

Ingredients:

4 wheat free wraps, of your choice

1 pk. turkey bacon

8 romaine leaves, (2 per wrap)

4 large spinach leaves, (1 per wrap)

2 ripe organic tomatoes, sliced

1 ripe avocado, (pitted, and sliced)

8 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise, (2 tablespoons per wrap)

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, Optional (mixed with 8 tablespoons of vegan mayo if you want a light lemon taste)

Freshly ground Salt and Pepper to taste, on each wrap

Method



1) Mix vegan mayonnaise with lemon juice if you want to have a lemony flavor (optional).  If you don't go ahead and place 2 tablespoons of vegan mayonnaise on each wrap.

2) Simultaneously, have the turkey bacon on the stove (make like you would regular bacon). 

3) When complete start layering the wraps.  Start with lettuce, spinach, turkey bacon, avocado, and tomato.  Salt and pepper, then roll to make a wrap.  Use toothpicks to hold together for serving.  Enjoy! 

Turkey and Rice Burrito with Mexican Potato Salad

This is a fabulous meal that features the Jicama (aka, Mexican potato), at it's best!  I love having Jicama around the house because the boys love it and eat it like fruit, little do they know it's a root vegetable!   Jicama tastes a little sweet, has the texture of a crisp water chestnut and keeps in the refrigerator for approximately 2 weeks in a tightly sealed plastic bag!  They also contain a fair amount of the vitamins C and potassium.  So buy some Jicama and start eating...they are also low in calories which is always a bonus!

SERVES 4
MEXICAN POTATO SALAD

1 Jicama, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch sticks
1/2 cup small spinach leaves, cleaned
4 baby kale leaves, cleaned (Optional)
4 large Romaine leaves, or other lettuce of your choice, cleaned & cut into strips
10 baby tomatoes, sliced in half
1 avocado, pitted and sliced

Add all ingredients to a bowl and top with dressing below

DRESSING FOR MEXICAN POTATO SALAD

2 tablespoons, olive oil
1/2 teaspoon grated lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoon of lime juice
2 tablespoons cilantro, roughly chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

Place this dressing on top of Jicama and lettuce listed above.

Thought you might want to see what a Jicama looks like prior to cutting it up!

TURKEY and RICE BURRITO

1 lb. ground turkey
2 green onions, sliced
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
Splash of white wine or 2 tablespoons water to de-glaze pan
Brown rice, made according to package directions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, added to the rice after cooked
Grated cheddar or hot pepper jack cheese
4 large tortillas, (NOTE: You can buy a wheat free variety)

Method

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2) After browning the turkey, add the green onions and cumin and continue browning for 2 minutes longer.  At this point the pan should be pretty dry.  Add water or a little white wine to deglaze the pan.
3) Simultaneously, make the rice according to package directions, when finished drain and add the chopped cilantro, mix well.
4) Lay out a tortilla in a piece of non-stick foil!  Layer rice, cooked turkey mixtuxe, and top with cheese of your choice.  Wrap up tightly and place in oven for 10 minutes.
5) When the burrito is finished top each with the Mexican potato salad and topping such as sour cream and fresh salsa.  ENJOY!

This is a wonderfully crisp and healthy meal!  ENJOY!

The wonderfully inspired flower arrangement that made the meal look even better:)

Printable Version

Turkey Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich

Today's little burst of winter made me long for the days of summer...again!  In fact, I don't want to see SNOW for a VERY, VERY long time.  So... when it came to making dinner tonight I pretended it was a warm sunny day and made BLT's for the boys!  Of course, I made these a little healthier by using turkey bacon, instead of regular bacon and Lemonaise instead of mayonnaise.  They loved it and never mentioned that it tasted any different!  Yippee, I successfully tricked them again!

4 slices bread, I used wheat free but you pick what is good for your family
6 slices turkey bacon
4 romaine leaves, washed and dried
1 tomato, sliced
3 tablespoons lemonaise (or mayonnaise if you prefer)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

1) Place the turkey bacon in a skillet and cook on the stove top until lightly browned on both sides. Remove and allow to sit on paper towels until bread is prepared.
2) Meanwhile, toast the bread in a toaster until lightly browned and place 1 1/2 tablespoons of the lemonaise on one slice of bread per sandwich.
3) Layer the lettuce, turkey bacon, tomato on the lemonaise lined bread and salt and pepper to your liking.  Top with another slice of toasted bread and serve at once.  Yummy!

Printable Version

Turkey Soup

What did you do with the carcass after you ate the turkey?  Well, why not make soup?  Here is a recipe which originated from my good friend Barbie!  I'm sure she wouldn't mind me sharing?

Step 1:
1 Turkey carcass
Water to cover
1 onion, diced in chucks

Boil carcass and onions for an hour or so until all the meat falls off the bone.  Remove from heat and strain making sure to get all the bones out while at the same time keeping as much turkey and broth as you can salvage.

Step 2:

1 large onion, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup celery, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Leftover white wine (Optional)
All leftover Gravy from Thanksgiving dinner
All leftover stuffing from Thanksgiving dinner
Add any leftover turkey, diced into bite size pieces
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Method:

1)  Saute onion, carrots and celery in olive oil until lightly golden.
2)  De glaze the pan with leftover wine if you have it.  If not, add the broth from above boiled carcass, leftover turkey, gravy, and stuffing.
3)  Bring to a boil then lower the temperature to an occasional bubble.
4)  Serve with egg noodles or without!  This will be it for the turkey...Yippee!!!!

Warm Amsterdam Cheese and Turkey Sandwich with Baked Cranberries

Remember the Baked Cranberries I made for Thanksgiving?  Well, here is a warm sandwich I made for my husband today using the cranberries in the sandwich.  This was really yummy and I also used up some more of the leftover turkey we have as well...Yippee!

2 Slices Whole Grain Bread
3 Thinly sliced pieces of Old Amsterdam Cheese
2 slices of Turkey Breast (I used leftovers from Thanksgiving)
1 Tablespoon of  Baked Cranberries (Previously made, or use canned cranberries)
1 Piece of Romaine lettuce
3 pieces of Italian parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons Smart Balance Mayonnaise with Omega Plus

Method

1)  Place the Turkey and slices of Cheese on the bread.  Heat either on a panini machine or just use a plan old frying pan and warm on both sides until the cheese has melted.
2)  Next, open sandwich up carefully, and place mayo, lettuce, parsley, and cranberries.  Put back together and serve ASAP.
3)  Enjoy!  The cheese has a rich and robust flavor which really melds well with the turkey...LOVE IT!

Tuscan Turkey Sandwich with Lemonaise

The kids did not have school today which meant me making lunch for the gang.  So I made bagel sandwiches with a 'Lemonaise' rather than Mayonnaise for a lighter 'flair'.  This is really yummy, you should try this if you can't have dairy...a great alternative!

4 bagels (your choice)
2 slices "Boar's Head Tuscan Turkey" per sandwich (8 slices total)
1 Tablespoon Lemonaise "The Ojai cook brand", per sandwich, (4 tablespoons total)
1 leaf of Romaine lettuce per sandwich (any other greens you feel like adding is always a benefit)
1 slice of tomato per sandwich (4 slices total)
1 slice Gruyere cheese per sandwich (Omit this is you can't have dairy)
Salt and Pepper to taste


Method:

Layer the ingredients in an eye pleasing way and serve. Beautiful, served with sliced peaches on the side. Serves 4.

Turkey Tortilla Salad

Last night, I made the Cranberry Turkey crock pot meal and ended up with leftover turkey.  So, tonight I thought I would shred the leftovers and make a quick refried bean and turn it into another meal.  It was not only wonderful but incredibly easy!

Serves 4
8-10 Tortilla chips
2 cups shredded turkey breast or legs (I used leftovers from last nights meal)
1 can drained and rinsed Pinto beans
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 green onions (chopped)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon salsa (your choice)
1 large tomato, chopped
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese/or a mix of Monterey jack and cheddar (what you have on hand)
1 head of romaine lettuce, shredded
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 can black olives, sliced (Optional)
1 avocado, cut into thin slices
1 tablespoon sour cream per plate (Optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and add the minced garlic clove and green onions.  When soft (2 minutes) add the can of pinto beans and 1 tablespoon of salsa and stir (2 more minutes).  When warm start mashing with a potato masher, for about 3 minutes.

1. Add Olive oil

2. Add garlic and green onion

 

3. Add Pinto beans and salsa

4. Mash all together

 










2. In a small bowl place the cold shredded turkey and stir in the 1 teaspoon cumin, place aside.

Turkey mixed with cumin

3. Shred lettuce and place in a bowl.  Drizzle on 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon lime juice.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.

4.  Lastly, place 8-10 tortilla chips on a plate, top with 1/4 of the turkey and pinto beans and place in microwave for 1-2 minutes.  Then promptly remove and top with 1/4 of the shredded cheese and put back in microwave for another 1 minute (until cheese is melted).  Repeat for the other 3 plates.
5.  Next, place the desired toppings such as lettuce, olives, salsa, sour cream, and avocado. If you have a cute boy around watch out he might eat all the olives:) Then serve at once!

My son eating all the olives!

Wonderful!   





 

Sunday Cranberry Turkey Crock Pot with Dry Sherry Gravy

I love quick meals but something about Sunday's makes me long for the days my Grandma would make amazing Sunday dinners.  So... I thought to myself,"why not make an easy "Sunday" meal that has the feel of something that took forever, but actually doesn't!"  Oh...and I should mention this turned out fabulous, the house smelled wonderful and was so inexpensive.  What an extra bonus!

Crock pot Ingredients:
2 Turkey legs, bone in (purchased at Cub Foods $2.05)
2 Turkey thighs, bone in (purchased at Cub Foods $1.98)
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1 large onion, cut into 1 inch chucks
1 tablespoon butter, or Earth Balance butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch of rosemary sprigs tied together
1 pinch of chicken bouillon cube (picture below)
1/4 cup dry sherry (optional, you could use a little chicken broth or water this just adds more flavor)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

1) Warm olive oil in saute pan and add chopped onion, brown slightly (4-5 minutes).

2) Place sauteed onions and can of cranberry sauce in crock pot and stir to mix together.

3) Next, salt and pepper the turkey legs and thighs.  Brown them in the same pan you sauteed the onions add the 1 tablespoon of butter if needed.  Once legs and thighs are browned on both sides place in the crock pot with the onion and cranberry mixture.  Place the sprigs of rosemary on top at this time.

4)Next deglaze the saute pan with the dry sherry (or your choice).  Then drizzle over the turkey legs and thighs in the crock pot.

5) Then add the pinch of chicken bouillon cube.  Just a pinch!

6)  Allow this to cook in the crock pot for 5 hours on high.  Meat will be so tender it will just fall off the bone!  Amazing!

The Turkey Leg served with garlic mashed potatoes and Dry Sherry Gravy!



The Turkey Thighs served with garlic mashed potatoes and Dry Sherry Gravy!

To Make the Gravy:

Drain as much of the liquid from the crock pot without removing the turkey (to keep it warm).  Place in a small saute pan (making sure you strained the large bits of onions and cranberries out).  Turn heat on medium-high and pour in 1/4 cup Dry Sherry.  Meanwhile, mix 2 tablespoons of corn starch with 3 tablespoons cold water in small cup or container. When turkey liquid is beginning to boil pour the cornstarch mixture in and continue to stir until it thicken to your likeness!  Ready to place over the meat, potatoes or whatever else you want to serve.



Fresh Lemon Crock Pot Turkey Thighs

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove of garlic

1 grated lemon rind

2 large Turkey thighs (bone in)

1 can of mushrooms (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Put Turkey thighs in crock pot and place all ingredients in over top of thighs. Do NOT add water,

it will make juice of its own along with the olive oil. This is wonderful; the turkey just falls off the

bone.

Make it work:

You can also use Turkey Breasts in place of the turkey thighs. If I have left over white wine in the house I poor a little (¼ cup) in as well.

Fresh Turkey Burgers with Lemon

1½ tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup chopped parsley

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ pepper

½ cup parmesan cheese, grated

½ cup bread crumbs

1 lb ground turkey

1 egg

Zest of one lemon rind

Method:

1. Heat oil in skillet to medium-high heat
2. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl and make into patties.
3. Put into skillet and cook until inside temperature reads 165.
4. Serve on buns or focaccia bread with a squeeze of lemon juice over the turkey burger and top with mayo.

Make It Work

These burgers would taste wonderful with a fruit salad, even canned fruit would do. Our children like canned mandarin oranges, canned mango, and canned pineapple. Also, this would make great meatballs minus the lemon rind.