Monday, November 28, 2011

Turkey Salad Sandwiches



It's the Monday after Thanksgiving and I know that all of you probably have lots of Turkey leftover..Here is a practical recipe for what you you can do with excess Turkey.


Ingredients:

3 cups fully cooked turkey, cubed

1/4 cup chopped celery

3 tablespoons mayonnaise or miracle whip

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

salt and ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.

2. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and then serve with bread, saltine crackers or over fresh greens.



If you're making a s sandwiches, serve this turkey salad spread between two slices of bread along with tomatoes, pickles and lettuce.

Enjoy!

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Lotsa Layers Lasagna


Okay, Thanksgiving is over....You probably don't want to hear about anything involving turkey right?? Good, How about Pasta, Lotsa Layers Lasagna? 

INGREDIENTS:

1 1-pound package polska kielbasa, diced into 1/4-inch cubes3 cloves garlic, minced

 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced


1 5-ounce package fresh spinach, cleaned and spun dry




1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese




4 ounces fresh goat cheese




1 cup shredded parmesan




1 egg, beaten



1 1-pound package no-boil lasagna noodles





2 15-ounce jars Alfredo sauce (or 4 cups homemade)




1 2-ounce ball fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced



DIRECTIONS:

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Makes: 12 servings

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown polska kielbasa, stirring constantly, about 4 minutes.

3. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and sauté until browned, about 4 minutes.

4. Turn off heat. Add spinach and stir, allowing the heat from the pan to wilt the spinach.

5. Make filling by mixing ricotta, goat cheese, parmesan and egg in a large bowl until combined.

6. Place 1/3 of kielbasa mixture into the bottom of a glass baking dish. Top with lasagna noodles.

7. Top lasagna noodles with 1/3 Kielbasa mixture and 1/2 of cheese mixture. Pour 1/3 Alfredo sauce over. Top with lasagna noodles.

8. Place remaining 1/3 kielbasa mixture, remaining 1/2 of cheese mixture and 1/3 of Alfredo sauce over noodles. Top with another layer of lasagna noodles.

9. Top noodles with remaining sauce. Place slices of fresh mozzarella on top.

10. Wrap baking dish tightly with foil. Bake 50-60 minutes, until bubbly.

11. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes, until excess liquid is absorbed. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!


A White wine and a nice salad are preferred to be served along with this!

Friday, November 25, 2011

Shaved Root Vegatable Salad



It's the day after Thanksgiving and you are more than likely stuffed...Here is a little something healthy that should hit the spot for you and not make you feel guilty about yesterday's over indulgence!


INGREDIENTS:


4 tablespoons hazelnuts, divided

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons hazelnut oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 medium red beet, peeled

1 medium golden beet, peeled

1 small turnip, peeled

1 carrot, peeled

2 radishes, trimmed

1/4 cup (loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley


DIRECTIONS:


Crush 2 tablespoons hazelnuts; place in a small bowl. Whisk in orange and lemon juice, vegetable oil, and hazelnut oil. Season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper.

Thinly slice beets, turnip, carrot, and radishes using a mandoline or V-slicer. Place red beet slices in another small bowl and remaining vegetables and parsley in a medium bowl. Spoon 3 tablespoons vinaigrette over red beets; pour remaining vinaigrette over vegetables in medium bowl. Toss each to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange red beets on a platter; spoon over any vinaigrette from bowl. Top red beets with remaining vegetables. Drizzle salad with any remaining vinaigrette; garnish with remaining 2 tablespoons hazelnuts.


Have some white wine with this...Enjoy.....

 A little mood music for your listening pleasure-


Thursday, November 24, 2011

Perfect Turkey! Well Okay, Almost!


Good Day Everyone.....It is Thanksgiving and what better thing to post on Thanksgiving than a Turkey Recipe?

Actually...since it is Thanksgiving and all...You should have started this already...but if you're like me at times..a Johnny come lately...Here is the near perfect Turkey recipe for you-

INGREDIENTS:


Chopped vegetables, take about half an onion, a carrot, and a half celery rib and combine them with about 1 tsp. thyme and a tablespoon of melted butter. Mix them until evenly distributed.

Oh yeah...and of course you'll need a Turkey!


DIRECTIONS:

The term "classic" is often associated to a minimally seasoned roast turkey. Many people have developed roast turkey recipes that involve cajun spices, honey glazing, lemon infusions, and other techniques that produces a turkey that sets them apart from the classic roast. Since this is our first Thanksgiving together, I thought I would start with the basics and reveal how I roast a turkey.

This recipe is for a 10 to 14 pound turkey. I will update for larger turkeys later. (I rushed this recipe out after roasting a turkey in the wee hours of the morning, so everyone could get a head start on planning for their turkey dinner. I'll correct any mistakes I may have made after the weekend.)

Before you even think about roasting the turkey, you'll need to budget enough time to thaw, brine, and dry the turkey. If you're purchasing a frozen turkey, allow at least 5 hours per pound of thawing time in the refrigerator. After the turkey has thawed, treat it as if it were fresh (for the purposes of this recipe). Remove the giblets and the neck (found inside the chest cavity). Prepare a brining solution of 1 cup table salt to 1 gallon water in a nonreactive container and soak the turkey in the solution in the refrigerator for four hours. (If your turkey has been infused with a solution, then reduce the salt content in your brine or soak it in a container filled with water.) Pour out the brining solution and rinse the turkey. One convenient way to do this is to position a rack in the sink and place the turkey on the rack to rinse. After the turkey has been rinsed, let it dry by placing it on a rack on a sheet pan in the refrigerator overnight (or for eight hours). Alternatively, use a blow drier on cool setting (no heat) to blow over the skin of the turkey until dry. This is why I said that you should have already been past this part....Think of this as advice for next year!

Now that the turkey is ready to go, preheat your oven to 400°F. Chop up two medium onions, five carrots, and two celery ribs. Also melt 3 tablespoons butter and set aside 2 tablespoons dried thyme (or two sprigs of fresh thyme). Quantity and even chopping is not that important for this recipe, so feel free to prepare these steps quickly to save time.

From the chopped vegetables, take about half an onion, a carrot, and a half celery rib and combine them with about 1 tsp. thyme and a tablespoon of melted butter. Mix them until evenly distributed.

Throw the prepared vegetables (from the previous step) inside the turkey. Now, tie up the turkey's wings and legs so they will cook evenly. Take a 5 foot (1.5 m) long piece of kitchen twine and tie the drumsticks together. Loop the twine around the turkey and over the wings. At the head of the turkey, tie a knot over the flap of skin to hold everything in place.

Place the rest of vegetables and thyme in a roasting pan. If you don't have a roasting pan, you can use a disposable aluminum foil roasting pan from the supermarket. Pour one cup water into the pan and place a V Rack into the pan. Brush breast side of the turkey with butter. Place the turkey on the V rack with the breast side facing down. Brush the back with butter. Place in a 400°F oven.

We're roasting this turkey upside down (usually turkeys are roasted breast up) to cook the breasts at a slower rate. Starting breast side down, gives the legs a head start on cooking. This is desirable because drumsticks and thighs need to be cooked to a higher temperature (about 170°F) in order to remove any trace of pink flesh. The breasts would become very dry and unpalatable if cooked to temperatures as high as the legs.

After 45 minutes, remove the turkey from the oven and baste it with the juices from the roasting pan. I've tried to come up with an easy way to do this without a turkey baster, but I was unable to. Use a turkey baster to reach in between the rungs of the rack and suck up some juices and squirt it over the turkey. Then rotate the turkey onto its side (with a leg sticking up) and brush some more butter on. Return to oven for fifteen more minutes, then baste again and rotate onto other side. Roast for fifteen minutes. Roasting the turkey on its sides lets the sides brown (for better presentation). If you don't care about even browning, you can skip these two rotations and just prolong the breast down roasting by thirty minutes. (You may want to baste once after the 45 minute mark, though.)

Now, rotate the turkey so it is breast side up. Baste again and brush on the remaining butter. Roast for thirty more minutes and then start to check the temperature every ten minutes. The turkey is done when an instant read thermometer thrust into the breast reads 165°F. The deepest part of the thigh should read between 170°F to 175°F. Remove the turkey and allow it to rest for twenty or thirty minutes.

You know...As I write this in the wee hours of the morning...You may still have time to do all of this....If not...Pour yourself a glass of wine and call Boston Market...They cater an entire Thanksgiving Dinner!

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!







Monday, November 21, 2011

Apple Cranberry Crisp



With Thansgiving coming in just two days...You might want to think of a different dessert to serve your guests.
Here is one of my favorites...Apple Cranberry Crisp-

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and thinly sliced

3/4 cup cranberries

1/4 cup white sugar

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/3 cup quick-cooking oats

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.) Butter an 8 inch square baking dish.

2.In a large bowl, mix together apples, cranberries, white sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Place evenly into baking dish.

3.In the same bowl, combine oats, flour and brown sugar. With a fork, mix in butter until crumbly. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle over apples.

4.Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until topping is golden brown, and apples are tender.


Have with a nice cold glass of milk...after your company has gone home...Wink wink!  Enjoy!

Friday, November 11, 2011

Suasage Potato Bake



Just hearing the title of this dish, before I even knew what it was sounded simply delicious to me...So Delicious that I had to share this recipe with you all and pray that if I can't find a place that serves this...At least I'll be able (as will you) to fix it myself.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 pound bulk pork sausage

3 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 jar (2 ounces) diced pimientos, drained

3 eggs, lightly beaten


1 cup 2% milk

2 tablespoons minced chives

3/4 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano

Additional minced chives, optional


DIRECTIONS: (6 Servings  Prep time : About 20 minutes. Bake time: 55 minutes plus standing time . )

In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.

Arrange half of the potatoes in a greased 8-in. square baking dish; sprinkle with salt, pepper and half of the sausage.

Layer with remaining potatoes and sausage; sprinkle with pimientos.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, chives and thyme; pour over pimientos.

Cover and bake at 375° for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until lightly browned.

Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Sprinkle with additional chives if desired. Yield: 6 servings.


Enjoy!

Monday, November 7, 2011

Chicken Fried Turkey Cutlets



Look! Don't even ask...Just trust me that this is good and copy this recipe-


INGREDIENTS:


1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon(s) poultry seasoning, or 1/4 teaspoon each dried thyme, sage, and marjoram

1/8 teaspoon(s) cayenne pepper

1 large egg

1 large egg white

1 tablespoon(s) water

1 1/2 cup(s) fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs (see Tip)

4 (1 to 1 1/4 pounds) turkey breast cutlets

2 tablespoon(s) canola oil, divided

1 slice(s) bacon, chopped

3/4 cup(s) reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

1/2 cup(s) brewed coffee

1/2 teaspoon(s) sugar


DIRECTIONS:

1.Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Place a baking sheet in the oven.

2.Combine flour, poultry seasoning (or thyme, sage, and marjoram) and cayenne in a shallow bowl; reserve 1 tablespoon of the mixture in a small bowl. Whisk egg, egg white and water in another shallow bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a third shallow bowl.

3.One at a time, dredge the turkey cutlets first in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess, then dip in the egg mixture to coat. Coat on both sides with breadcrumbs, pressing to help the crumbs stick.

4.Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, add half the cutlets and cook, turning once, until golden brown on the outside and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the cutlets to the baking sheet in the oven. Return the pan to medium heat and repeat with the remaining oil and cutlets.

5.Add bacon to the pan and cook, stirring, until browned and crisp, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Sprinkle with the reserved 1 tablespoon seasoned flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Stir in broth, coffee and sugar and cook, stirring, until thickened, 2 to 4 minutes more. Serve the cutlets with the gravy.


TIPS & TECHNIQUES:

To make your own fresh breadcrumbs, trim crusts from whole-wheat bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice of bread makes about 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs.



Serve with Red Wine...Enjoy!

A little cookin music-

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

The Cuban


A friend of mine has recently made me aware of an incredible sandwich.....I'm amazed that I had never heard of it prior to now...It's called the Grilled Cuban and it is delicious...So delicious that I had to share it with you fine people who read this blog...


INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 loaves Cuban bread

yellow mustard

mayonnaise

1/4 lb baked ham, sliced thinly

1/2 lb roast pork, sliced thinly

1/4 lb swiss cheese, sliced thinly

1/4 lb italian salami, slice thinly

dill pickle slices


DIRECTIONS:

This being a sandwich, it can't be that difficult to make!

Cut Cuban bread into 6 8-inch pieces.

Split bread lengthwise.

Spread mustard on six halves of the bread.

Spread mayonnaise on the other six halves of the bread.

Layer ham, pork, Swiss cheese, and salami on the mustard halves of the bread.

Layer pickles on top of salami; top with mayo halves of bread.

Can be eaten cold, but tastes better "hot pressed".

To press: Heat a counter top grill (like a George Foreman grill) and place sandwich between the plates.

Press down hard on the sandwich, squeezing the halves together tightly.

Grill until the bread is toasted to a light brown on the outside and the cheese is melted.

Alternate method: Heat a heavy pan on top of the stove on medium heat.

Place sandwich in pan and press down with another heavy object (a brick wrapped in foil is good).

Toast sandwich until light brown on one side, then turn over.

Replace brick on toasted side.

Serve with potato chips and a cold soda.









Enjoy!

Food Safety Tips
Protect yourself against food-borne illnesses.


1. Use a "refrigerator thermometer" to keep your food stored at a safe temperature (below 40 degrees fahrenheit).

Cold temperatures slow the growth of bacteria. Ensuring that your refrigerator temperature stays at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder is one of the most effective ways to reduce your risk of food-borne illness. You can buy a refrigerator/freezer thermometer at appliance stories, home centers (i.e. Home Depot), and kitchen stores including online ones, such as Cooking.com.

2. Defrost food in the refrigerator, the microwave, or in cold water... never on the counter!

Perishable foods should never be thawed on the counter for longer than two hours because, while the center of the food may remain frozen, the outer surface may enter the Danger Zone, the range of temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees fahrenheit, in which bacteria multiply rapidly. If you’re short on time, use the microwave or you can thaw meat and poultry in airtight packaging in cold water. Change the water every half-hour so it stays cold and use the thawed food immediately.

3. Always use separate cutting boards for raw meat/poultry/fish and cooked foods/fresh produce.

Bacteria from uncooked meat, poultry, and fish can contaminate cooked foods and fresh produce. An important way to reduce this risk is to use separate cutting boards for raw meat/poultry/ fish, and cooked foods/fresh produce.

4. Always cook meat to proper temperatures, using a calibrated instant-read thermometer to make sure.

One effective way to prevent illness is to use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat, poultry, and egg dishes. The USDA Recommended Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures are as follows:

* Beef, veal, and lamb (steaks and roasts), fish - 145 degrees fahrenheit

* Pork and ground beef - 160 degrees fahrenheit

* Poultry - 165 degrees fahrenheit.

Cook meats like roasts and steaks to lower temperatures, closer to medium-rare, so that they retain their moisture. It is recommended that those who are at high risk for developing food-borne illness (i.e. pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborns, young children, older adults, people with weakened immune systems, or certain chronic illnesses) should follow the USDA guidelines.

5. Avoid unpasteurized/raw milk and cheeses made from unpasteurized milk that are aged less than 60 days.

Raw milk is milk from cows, sheep, or goats that has not been pasteurized (heated to a very high temperature for a specific length of time) to kill harmful bacteria that may be present. These bacteria, which include salmonella, E. coli and listeria, can cause serious illness and sometimes even death. The bacteria in raw milk can be especially dangerous to pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses. Raw milk cheeses aged 60 days or longer are okay, since the salt and acidity of the cheese-making process make for a hostile environment to pathogens.

6. Never eat "runny" eggs or foods, such as cookie dough, that contain raw eggs.

Even eggs that have clean, intact shells may be contaminated with salmonella, so it’s important to cook eggs thoroughly until both the yolk and the white are firm. Casseroles and other dishes containing eggs should be cooked to 160 degrees fahrenheit and you can use an instant-read food thermometer to check. Eggs should always be cooked fully and those who are at high risk for developing foodborne illness (pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborns, young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems or certain chronic illnesses should follow the USDA guidelines. If you can’t resist runny eggs or sampling cookie batter, use pasteurized eggs. They’re found near other eggs in large supermarkets.

7. Always wash your hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds before handling food and after touching raw meat, poultry, or eggs.

You can pick up a lot of bacteria out in the world, so it’s important to always wash your hands before you eat or prepare food. You should also wash your hands after touching any uncooked meat, poultry, fish, or eggs, as the bacteria from these foods can contaminate cooked foods and fresh produce. Use soap and warm water and wash thoroughly for at least 20 seconds.

8. Always heat leftover foods to 165 degrees fahrenheit.

The USDA recommends heating all cooked leftovers to 165 degrees fahrenheit in order to kill all potentially dangerous bacteria.

9. Never eat meat, poultry, eggs, or sliced fresh fruits and vegetables that have been left out for more than two hours or more than one hour in temperatures hotter than 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you leave perishable foods out of the refrigerator or freezer for more than two hours they may enter the Danger Zone—the unsafe temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, in which bacteria multiply rapidly.

10. Whenever there’s a food recall, check products stored at home to make sure they are safe.

You should discard any food that’s been recalled because it’s associated with the outbreak of a food-borne illness. But, according to a survey conducted by Rutgers University during the fall of 2008, only about 60% of Americans search their homes for foods that have been recalled because of contamination. For more information on food recalls, visit the website Recalls.gov






Cavier & Vodka
Courtesy of The Lady (Bug) of the Household