Food goodness

Best way to use our leftover smoked turkey from Thanksgiving. Adapted from this recipe .  Sauté 2 cloves garlic and 1 chopped onion in olive oil until translucent.  Add 1t each of poultry seasoning or thyme, garlic powder, and onion powder, plus some salt & pepper. Add a few rough-chopped carrots and celery stalks. Cook for a couple minutes. Cut the meat off of 2 smoked turkey legs — making sure to avoid the gross parts — and add it to the pot. Cook 3-5 minutes. Stir in one can of white northern beans, drained & rinsed.  Add 4-5c of chicken broth and bring to boil. Boil for 10 minutes. Cover with lid and simmer 45 minutes or longer (in slow cooker on high, or in regular stovetop pot).  Serve with cooked rice or pasta.

These are so, so delicious . The sauce is also plentiful and ridiculously delicious on everything. That is all.

I've been refining this for a while now to make it easier and easier, and I think I've finally gotten there... loosely based on this recipe . 1 pound lean ground turkey or chicken sausage, or a blend of the two green/red/yellow bell peppers, finely chopped 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, undrained, plus a chopped fresh tomato or two if you have some to use up some beans, equaling about two cans -- black, kidney, white, pinto, whatever  2 c reduced-sodium chicken broth a bag of frozen corn 1 tablespoon chili powder and/or a couple adobo chiles with some sauce pepper, cumin, garlic powder In a large nonstick skillet, cook the turkey, green pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add all spices. Transfer to a 4-qt. slow cooker. Stir in everything else. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through. Serve with sour cream, cheese, cilantro, ...

Yesterday I went to a craft show at a fire hall in Lancaster Co. As I was leaving the house I said to Todd, "I bet they're going to have chicken corn soup for sale" and they did. It was really good, and I decided to try to make something similar at home today. I wanted something a little heartier, though, so I added some extra ingredients. I also wanted to use up some turkey I had in the fridge, and some turkey stock taking up room in the freezer. You could just as easily use chicken. I just made this up as I went along, so I'll do the best I can with the recipe. 2 Tbsp butter 2 med onions, diced 1 cup diced celery diced peppers, your fave kind (if desired. I used some banana peppers) 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 quart turkey stock 3 cups diced potatoes (I left skins on), divided 2 bay leaves dried thyme dried rosemary 4 turkey cutlets 1.5 cups diced carrots 1 can corn, drained 1 can creamed corn pot pie noodles, or noodles of your choice (optional) milk or cream, i...

6 bell peppers 1 lb turkey 1 1/2 cup cooked rice 1 can flavored tomatoes (I used fire roasted with garlic) 1 t worcestershire sauce 2 T ketchup 1 t black pepper 1/3 cup water Use as many peppers as you can get in your crockpot, but this is how many I can get in my 6 qt. oval crockpot. Cut the tops off the peppers, clean them out. Mix turkey, rice, tomatoes, worcestershire sauce, ketchup, pepper together. Fill peppers and put the tops back on. Put peppers in crockpot. Carefully add water to the bottom (do not pour on top of peppers). Cook on high for 4-6 or low for 8 -- you want the peppers to be nice and soft, but not falling apart, and the turkey to be cooked through.

This was really good. Next time, I think I'll add some corn starch right after we add the heavy cream, so the gravy thickens. Still, really tasty. Oh, and a note...I doubled the recipe. It fit better in the slow cooker that way. Adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking 4 pounds turkey breast, cut in chunks 1 cup chicken broth 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 onion, thinly sliced 16 ounces sliced mushrooms 1 cup half and half 1 bag frozen green beans Put the turkey into the bottom of your cooker, and pour on the chicken broth and balsamic vinegar. Add onion and mushrooms. Stir a bit to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for about 4. Stir in the heavy cream and green beans. Cover and cook on high for another 30 minutes, or until beans are thawed and heated through.

Meatballs are a favorite with the little smaller members of our household, so I'm always looking for a new way to make them. I lightened these up from the original recipe , so that it didn't cost me as many Weight Watchers points. Yes, I'm becoming that person. Still, they were good. ½ cups Minced Fresh Onion 2 cloves Garlic, Minced 20 ounces, weight Lean Ground Turkey 1 whole Egg ½ cups Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce 1/2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley 1 teaspoon Ground Allspice ¼ teaspoons Ground Nutmeg 1 whole 14.5 Oz. Can Low Sodium chicken broth 3 Tablespoons All-purpose flour ¼ teaspoons Ground Black Pepper ½ teaspoons Salt, Or To Taste ¼ cups Light Sour Cream Preheat oven to 350 F. In small skillet, heat olive oil over med. heat. Add onion and garlic, and saute 2-3 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. In medium mixing bowl, combine turkey, onions and garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, 1 T. Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 T. parsley, allspice, and nutmeg. Shape me...

Add "meatballs" to "tuna noodle casserole" and "mushrooms of all kinds" on the list of foods I never thought I'd like but now I love. Original here . I stir-fried a bunch of vegetables separately and tossed them with the leftover dipping sauce. 1/4 cup panko crumbs 1-1/4 lbs 93% lean ground turkey [I used ground chicken] 1 egg 1 tbsp ginger, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 3 scallions, chopped 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce 2 tsp sesame oil Dipping Sauce 4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce [I think I doubled this because it didn't seem like enough sauce] 2 tsp sesame oil 2 tbsp fresh lime juice [I just squeezed a whole lime] 2 tbsp water 1 chopped fresh scallion Preheat oven to 500°F. Mix ground turkey, panko, egg, salt, scallions, ginger, cilantro, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 2 tsp oil and mix with your hands until combined well. Shape 1/4 cup meat mixture into a ball and transfer to a baking dish. Repeat with remaini...

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Everyday Foods . I happened to catch an episode of Everyday Foods on PBS about a week ago and this was one of the dishes featured. Michael and I really liked it and very happily ate the leftovers for lunch for the next 2 days. Serves 6. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced Coarse salt and ground pepper 2 shallots or half of a small onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup cup shredded gouda cheese (4 ounces) (Martha used Fontina but I used what I had on hand) 1 slice day-old bread, cubed -or- 2 handfuls of panko 1 handful of rolled oats 1 large egg 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves (I used dried sage) 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (93 percent lean) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Cook mushrooms, stirring once or twice, until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside. Return skillet to medium and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add shal...

From: Pioneer Woman Ingredients 3 cups Apple Juice Or Apple Cider 2 gallons Cold Water 4 Tablespoons Fresh Rosemary Leaves 5 cloves Garlic, Minced 1-½ cup Kosher Salt 2 cups Brown Sugar 3 Tablespoons Peppercorns 5 whole Bay Leaves Peel Of Three Large Oranges Preparation Instructions Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cover. Allow to cool completely, then pour into a large brining bag or pot. Place uncooked turkey in brine solution, then refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours. When ready to roast turkey, remove turkey from brine. Submerge turkey in a pot or sink of fresh, cold water. Allow to sit in clean water for 15 minutes to remove excess salt from the outside. Discard brine. Remove turkey from clean water, pat dry, and cook according to your normal roasting method.

I just finished up hosting our first Thanksgiving dinner at our house. We did it early so that we can actually take a vacation next week while everyone else is stuffing themselves silly. I've never cooked a whole bird of any kind, so I did a bit of research first, and this is what I went with. I actually used PW's brine, which I will post next, but I used Alton's method for roasting the turkey. If you're going to use this method, I would recommend watching the YouTube video "Romancing the Bird" to watch how he does it, because the crucial "Turkey Triangle" is not mentioned in this post , but is required if following this method. For the aromatics: 1 red apple, sliced 1 onion, sliced 1 cinnamon stick 1 cup water 4 sprigs rosemary 6 leaves sage Canola oil Directions Click here to see how it's done. 2 to 3 days before roasting: Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F. Make your brine, using your favorite...

There is nothing in this recipe that is even remotely related to chop suey or Chinese food in general. In fact, I have no idea why they call it chop suey. To me it's sort of like homemade hamburger helper. All I know is that it was quick, used one pot, was not expensive, and the kids gobbled it up. So that's a winner, in my book. Adapted from Cheapy, Healthy, Good 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided 1 3 lbs ground turkey ½ lb (2 c.) uncooked elbow macaroni ½ cup minced onion ½ cup chopped green pepper and/or celery (I used both, and probably used a little more than half a cup) 2 8-oz cans tomato sauce 1 cup water 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teapsoon pepper 1-1 ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1In a large nonstick skillet or saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add turkey, onions, and peppers/celery. Cook until browned, breaking it up with the back of a spoon as you go. Add macaroni and cook another minute or so. Add tomato sauce, water, salt, pepper, and Worcestersh...

Or, Homemade Hamburger (turkey/soy crumbles) Helper Adapted from: Annie's Eats 1¼ lbs. ground beef or turkey or veggie crumbles 12 oz. medium shells pasta (or another short pasta shape) 1 medium onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 medium tomatoes, diced (or one 14 oz can diced tomatoes, drained) 4 tbsp. taco seasoning 3 oz. cream cheese ½ cup sour cream Salt and pepper shredded cheddar (optional) Directions: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water. Set aside. Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat until almost cooked through. Drain off most of the grease. Add the chopped onion to the skillet. Once the beef is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved...

I'm not feeling great, so a bowl of hot soup and a slice of homemade bread sounded really good tonight. So that's what I made. The original recipe is from Ina Garten, but I found it here , adapted. And then I adapted it to fit our tastes, and based on what I had in the house. So good. All four of us devoured it. For the meatballs: 3/4 lb. ground turkey 1/2 lb. ground Italian sausage (turkey Italian sausage would work, too) 2/3 cup fresh white bread crumbs 2-3 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 3 tbsp. milk 1 egg, lightly beaten Kosher salt and black pepper For the soup: 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 cup minced yellow onion 1 cup 1/4-inch diced carrots 3/4 cup 1/4-inch diced celery 8 cups chicken broth (I used homemade) 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 cup small pasta 2 Parmesan rinds 1 10-oz box frozen whole spinach Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, Italian sausage...

Um, yum. Really, that's all. We all devoured this. from Alton Brown (really, can you go wrong with an Alton Brown recipe?) 2 quarts vegetable broth 1 turkey carcass 1 10-ounce box frozen vegetable medley 1/2 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked 2 cups turkey meat, cubed or torn into small pieces 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning 2 teaspoons dried thyme (oops, I forgot this. It was totally fine without) Kosher salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Put the broth and carcass in an 8-quart pot over low heat and bring to a simmer. Cook and cover for 1 hour. Remove the carcass. Add the vegetables, rice, turkey meat, Old Bay, and thyme to the pot and simmer for another 20 minutes.

If you're not brining your turkey at Thanksgiving/Christmas/insert holiday here, I make a plea to your cooking sensibilities that you give this a shot next time you need to roast/fry/smoke some poultry. So, so good. Ernie fried the bird this year, and it was moist and flavorful and generally wonderful all around. adapted from Emeril 1 cup salt 1 cup brown sugar 2 oranges, quartered 2 lemons, quartered 6 sprigs thyme 4 sprigs rosemary 2-3 sprigs sage (note: I bought one of those little containers of Poultry Seasoning fresh herbs...and just dumped the whole thing in the brine) 1 (10 to 12-pound) turkey Mix the salt and sugar in 2 gallons of cold water. Add rest of ingredients, then pour over turkey. Let sit overnight in the fridge. Then drain, rinse, pat dry, and cook the way you'd like.

Cincinnati chili is Gaby's favorite kind, so when I saw this recipe I knew we'd be having it. She pronounced it "the best ever" and then proceeded to eat so much she was almost sick. It was pretty good. adapted from a Sept. 2009 Cooking Light recipe 4 ounces uncooked spaghetti Cooking spray 1 pound lean ground turkey 1 1/2 cups prechopped onion, divided 1 cup chopped green bell pepper 6 cloves minced (or pressed) garlic 1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice 1 1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 1 (14.5-ounce) can tomato sauce 2 1/2 tablespoons chopped semisweet chocolate 1/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; set aside. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pa...

This is adapted from Rachel Ray's "30 Minute Get Real Meals," which I've had for years and clearly paid no attention. Since I now am supposed to watch salt, carbs and cholesterol, I pulled it out. We all liked this, even Gaby, and it made enough for us to each have dinner, put one portion away for lunches, and then freeze enough for another dinner in a few weeks. Ernie and Gaby ate theirs over rice, and topped with a ton of cheese. I had mine with a little bit of low-fat cheddar cheese, and a small bag of Fritos (no cholesterol in Fritos). Again, this is low-carb, not no carb. And if you are concerned about salt, etc., read the back of the cans for salt content. It took me an hour and a half to shop the other day because I read all the labels. 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1 package ground turkey 2 Tbsp. chili powder (original recipe called for 3, I toned it down for Gaby) 1 Tbsp. no-salt grill seasoning 1 Tbsp. cumin 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce omitted: 2 Tbsp. hot...

This is adapted from Simply Recipes , based on what I had in the house, and what I instinctively knew we would like/dislike. Her directions to use mint in the meatballs is intriguing, but not something that would go over well in our house. This was easy to put together (especially for Gaby), tasty, and was soothing on my very sore throat. 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 2 large garlic clove, minced 3 quarts of chicken stock or beef stock OR water OR a mixture of both (I used a mixture of both) 1/2 cup of tomato sauce 1/2 lb of string beans, strings and ends removed, cut into 1 inch pieces 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced 1/3 cup of uncooked white rice (although I see no reason why brown wouldn't work here) 1 pound ground turkey 1/4 cup of chopped parsley 1 raw egg 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper A dash of cayenne (optional) 1 1/2 cup of frozen or fresh peas 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, crumbled, or 1 Tbsp fresh chopped oregan...

Another one from Madhur Jaffrey's Quick and Easy Indian Cooking. This is REALLY good -- it tastes like actual Indian food. 3 T vegetable oil 1-inch stick cinnamon 4 cardamom pods 2 bay leaves (I omitted -- why don't we own any bay leaves) 1 small onion, peeled and chopped 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 2 t finely grated ginger 1 1/4 pounds ground chicken or turkey (I used leftover shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken I'd bought at the supermarket... it worked fine) 6-7 oz. fresh or frozen peas, lightly cooked 1/4 t ground turmeric 1 t store-bought garam masala 1/4 t cayenne 1/2 t salt 2 T fresh lemon juice freshly ground pepper Put the oil in a wide pan and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, put in the connamom, cardamom, and bay leaves. Stir for a few seconds. Put in the onion. Stir and fry until the onion pieces turn brown at the edges. Put in the garlic and stir for a few seconds.Put in the ginger and stir for another few seconds. Now put in the c...