Nov 12, 2008

Thanksgiving Recipes

I am hosting a cooking group at my house tonight for Relief Society…these are the recipes being handed out. Our topics are ideas for Thanksgiving Leftovers and how to make a perfect pie crust. Enjoy!


 

Don't let a food-borne illness spoil your Thanksgiving.

These tips for handling food and storing leftovers

can help ensure a healthy holiday


 

~Defrost your turkey in the fridge (one day for every 5 pounds), by submerging it in cold water (in a leak-proof bag), or in the microwave (cook immediately afterward)—not by leaving it on the counter.


 

~Follow the "2-hour rule" for leftovers. Foods that require refrigeration should not sit out at room temperature for more than two hours. After that, bacteria (which you can't smell or taste) can set in and grow.


 

~Store leftovers in shallow containers. This allows for quicker cooling once they're in the fridge.


 

~Leave some "breathing room" in the fridge – enough space for the cold air to circulate. Otherwise, food may spoil.


 


 


 

 


 

Zippy Turkey Pot Pie (Kraft Kitchens)


 

 

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup Miracle Whip or Mayo

1 Tbsp. flour

3 cups chopped cooked turkey

10 oz. frozen mixed veggies thawed

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup chopped onions

1 recipe for double pie crust

 


 

Mix milk, dressing and flour in large microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high 2 to 3 min. or until sauce is thickened, stirring after each min. Add turkey, mixed vegetables, cheese and onions; toss to coat.


 

Spoon into 9-inch pie plate with prepared bottom crust; smooth surface. Place top crust over filling; flute edge of crust. Cut several slits in crust to allow steam to escape. Transfer to baking sheet.


 

BAKE 400°F 30 min. or until golden brown.

 

Turkey Stock


 

Bones of 1 cooked turkey

5 quarts water

2 onions, quartered

1 celery stalk

1 carrot

1 dried bay leaf

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns


 

In a large stockpot, combine turkey bones, water, onions, celery, carrot, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, skimming occasionally, about 2 hours.


 

Strain into airtight containers; cool completely. Cover, and refrigerate up to 3 days, or freeze up to 6 months.


 


 

Turkey & Rice Soup


 

Use leftover turkey to make this comforting soup. Cut off any meat that's clinging to the bones and wrap it so it does not dry out. Then use the carcass to make the stock.


 

 

1 recipe Turkey Stock (above)

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 1/2 c. chopped yellow onion

2/3 cup peeled and diced carrot

1/2 cup diced celery


 

2/3 cup long-grain white rice

2 cups diced cooked turkey

1 tsp. thyme

Salt and pepper, to taste

grated parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the onion, carrot and celery and sauté, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about 10 minutes. Add the rice and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer about 15 minutes.

Add turkey, salt, pepper, & thyme. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with the parmesan cheese. Serves 6 to 8.


Thanksgiving Panini (Williams-Sonoma)


 

2 slices country-style bread, each 1/2 inch thick

 

Olive oil for brushing

1 Tbs. mayonnaise

2 Tbs. cranberry relish

2 or 3 slices roasted turkey

1/2 cup leftover cooked dressing

1/4 cup turkey gravy, warmed

 


 

Preheat an electric panini maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Brush one side of each bread slice with olive oil. Lay the slices, oiled side down, on a clean work surface. Spread the top of one slice with the mayonnaise. Spread the top of the other slice with the cranberry relish. Arrange the turkey on the mayonnaise. Top with the dressing, then top with the other bread slice, oiled side up.


 

Place the sandwich on the preheated panini maker and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions until the bread is golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut in half. Serve immediately with the warmed gravy for dipping. Serves 1.


 

White Turkey Chili (Williams-Sonoma)


 

 

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 tsp. ground cumin

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

1 lb. Anaheim chilies, roasted, peeled and diced, or 3 cans (each 7 oz.) whole fire-roasted Anaheim chilies, diced

4-4 ½ c chicken broth, warmed

1 lb. diced cooked turkey

3 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, (4 ½ c.)

2 Tbs. minced fresh oregano

1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro

1/4 cup cornmeal

Salt and pepper, to taste

Shredded jack cheese, sour cream and lime wedges for serving

 


 

Sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat until softened. Add the cumin, garlic and jalapeño. Stir in the chilies and 3 1/2 cups broth, then transfer to a slow cooker. Stir in the turkey, beans, oregano and cilantro.
Put the cornmeal in a small bowl and slowly whisk in 1/2 cup of the broth. Add to crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours. Thin the chili with more broth if needed. Serve with cheese, sour cream and lime wedges. Serves 6 to 8.

Nested Eggs (Williams-Sonoma)


 

3 to 4 Tbs. unsalted butter

2 large yellow onions, finely chopped

4 large celery stalks with leaves, finely chopped

2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 to 3 Tbs. olive oil, if needed

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 Tbs. rubbed sage

1 tsp. dried thyme or 1 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

About 2 lb. cooked turkey, cut into 1/2-inch
  cubes (5 heaping cups)

About 1 cup chicken or turkey stock

12 eggs


 

Preheat an oven to 350°F. In a large, heavy, ovenproof fry pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Sauté the onions and celery until they begin to soften. Add the potatoes and a little olive oil if needed to prevent sticking and sauté, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes.


 

Add the parsley, sage, thyme, salt, pepper and turkey and continue cooking, stirring often, until heated through, about 4 minutes.

Add the stock to the pan and bring to a boil. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the potatoes are soft and browned, about 20 minutes.


 

Remove the pan from the oven and, using the back of a tablespoon, make 12 indentations or "nests" in the turkey mixture. Break an egg into each nest. Season the eggs with salt and pepper. Return the pan to the oven and continue to bake until the eggs are set, 6 to 8 minutes more.

To serve, bring the fry pan to the table and, using a spatula, transfer the nests to individual plates. Serves 12.


 

Turkey Croquettes (Williams-Sonoma)


 

1 Tbs. unsalted butter

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 tsp. chopped fresh sage

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 cup chopped cooked turkey

3 eggs

1 Tbs. milk

1 cup plus 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour

2 cups bread crumbs

2 cups cold mashed potatoes

Canola, olive or other vegetable oil for deep-frying

Turkey gravy, warmed, for serving


 

Sauté onion & celery in butter over medium heat soft and translucent. Add the sage and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in turkey. Cool to room temperature.

In a shallow bowl, combine 2 eggs and milk and whisk to blend. Place 1 cup flour and the bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In another bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, the remaining egg and the 2 Tbs. flour and fold until blended. Have a bowl of cold water nearby. Get your hands wet but not dripping with water. Place about 2 Tbs. of the mashed potato mixture in one hand and flatten into a thick disk. Add about 2 tsp. of the turkey mixture and form the mashed potatoes into a ball, sealing the turkey mixture in the center. Roll the ball in the flour, then in the egg mixture and finally in the bread crumbs. Set the croquette on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a heavy deep-fry pan to 365°F. Carefully place 3 or 4 croquettes in the hot oil (do not crowd the pan) and cook, turning as needed, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat with the remaining croquettes. Serve hot with gravy. Makes 12 to 15 croquettes.

Pioneer Turkey Bake (Lion House)


 

2 cups cooked cubed turkey

1 6-ounce package wild rice mix

½ cup chopped celery

2 Tbsp chopped onion

1 4-ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained

1 can (10 oz) cream of chicken soup

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 ¼ cups water

¼ cup slivered almonds


 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine turkey with wild rice mix (include contents of seasoning packet) and remaining ingredients. Pour into 1 ½ quart casserole. Bake covered for 45 minutes. Makes 6 servings.


 

Hot Turkey Salad Supreme (Lion House)


 

2 cups diced cooked turkey

2 cups chopped celery

½ tsp salt

2 Tbsp minced onion

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 cup mayonnaise

¾ cup grated cheese

1 cup crushed potato chips

½ cup slivered almonds

Lettuce leaves

Lemon wedges and parsley sprigs for garnish


 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix turkey, celery, salt, onion, and lemon juice. Fold in mayo and spoon into greased casserole dish. Sprinkle grated cheese on top, then crushed potato chips, and finally, slivered almonds. Bake for 15 minutes. Don't overbake or sometimes mayo will break down. Serve on lettuce leaf and garnish with lemon wedge and parsley. Serves 6 to 8.

Grandma Black's Perfect Pie Crust (Emily Bishop)

Makes 4 single crusts or 2 double crust pies


 

 

1 egg

Cold water

2 Tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice

2 ½ cups flour

1 cup shortening

1 tsp. salt

 


 

Break 1 egg into a measuring cup and fill the cup up to ½ cup mark with cold water. Add 2 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice to the cup. Stir with a fork until mixed well.


 

In a mixing bowl, cut the shortening into the flour and salt using a pastry blender or fork. The resulting mixture should have fat lumps no larger than peas. Stir the egg mixture, a little at a time, into the flour mixture, just until mixed (do not overwork).


 

Divide mixture into 4 balls. Wrap in plastic wrap and flatten into discs…chill for at least 30 minutes. Roll out dough, rolling from the center of the crust out, not back and forth. The size of the dough round should be about four inches wider in diameter than your pie pan. Fold it in half or roll it around your rolling pin to lift it into the pie pan. Gently press the dough down into the bottom edges of the pan. You can use kitchen shears or a paring knife to trim the crust. Leave a ¾-inch overhang to make a decorative fluted edge or trim it to a half-inch if you're adding a top crust.


 

Single Crust: Prick the crust with a fork on the sides and bottom to help keep it from bubbling or shrinking too much. Bake single crusts for about 10 minutes at 425°.


 

Double Crust: Chill for another 20-30 minutes before filling. This will prevent the dough from shrinking before baking. You can also brush the bottom and sides of the unbaked bottom pie crust with lightly beaten egg white or melted jelly. This will help create a seal to keep the crust crisp. Be sure to rub cold water on the edge of the bottom crust so it will adhere to the top crust. Tuck the edges of the top crust under the lower crust and press together lightly. Create a fluted edge. Cut decorative vents in the top to allow steam to escape and prevent the filling from overflowing.


 

Cut a long strip of aluminum foil and secure around the edge of the pie crust to keep the crust from getting too dark. Bake double crust pies for about 15 minutes at 425°, then 35-45 minutes at 375°.


 

How to make a lattice-top pie crust


 

  1. On a lightly floured surface, roll reserved dough out to a ¼-inch thickness. Roll it in a circle, as though preparing a double-crusted pie.


     

  2. Carefully cut the dough into strips approximately ¾-inch wide. You can use a sharp knife, pizza cutter, or scallop-edged pastry wheel.


     

  3. When you're ready to weave, moisten the rim of the bottom crust with a small amount of water. Start with the longest strips and lay the first two in an X in the center of the pie. Arrange them at 90 degree angles or 45-degree angles. Alternate horizontal and vertical strips, weaving them in an over-and-under pattern. Use the shortest strips for the edges of the lattice.


     

Trim away excess dough and crimp the ends of the strips firmly to the lip of the bottom crust. Brush the top with an egg wash (an egg beaten with a tablespoon of water or milk) for a golden, shiny crust. Dust the top with cinnamon-sugar, if desired.

Nov 2, 2008

The Day After

So this is what Ella looked like Saturday afternoon...a perfect "day after Halloween" shot.

Should I worry what was in this sucker to knock her out like that?


Ammon learned to crawl this week! He's also getting stronger at standing...time to babyproof!


Two little mermaids on Halloween...


Oct 31, 2008

Nightmare Express...Happy Birthday!

Wednesday was Mark's 35th birthday! I fixed his favorite soup (I'll put the recipe at the end of this post) and of course pumpkin cake...we had dinner with his family, opened presents, then headed over to the halloween train in Lindon...the Nightmare Express! I don't really have pictures of the train (we were too busy enjoying it!) but it's a little train that runs all around the neighborhood, and they make these awesome spook alley scenes in all the tunnels...it's so fun! All the "helpers" are in costume, and while you wait your turn you get to watch Nightmare Before Christmas on the big screen in this huge garage. It's just scary enough to put you on edge, but not so scary to make the little ones cry...So fun! Here are some of us while we were waiting in line...

Kristen & ChrisGrandma "Cruella DeVille" and Grandpa her puppy
My little monkey Ammon

Steph the devil, Holly the indian, Ella the mermaid
By the way what is it with kids and dressing up as so many different things in one year? Today for Halloween I think they are on their third or fourth costume. Good thing we have a lot of dress-ups around the house! this morning before school I was scrambling to find things since Josh decided to be a pirate and Holly decided to be bat girl. For the ward party the girls were dinosaurs & Josh was an army dude. Then we had an indian & mermaid at the train, princesses another time, Tinkerbell for dance class...I'm just waiting to see what they'll be for tonight!? When I was a kid we did one costume per year...is that too much to ask?
Albondigas Soup with Cilantro Pesto
(Albondigas means "meatball" in Spanish I think. I've heard this is the national soup in Mexico. BUT I think it's way faster & easier to skip actually making the meatballs and just doing it as follows and it still tastes the same...yummo!)
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 white onions, diced
1 large zucchini, diced
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 garlic clove, minced
6 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups water
1 lb. ground beef
3/4 cup white rice
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
In a large soup pot over medium heat, saute the onion in oil until soft. Add the zucchini, tomatoes, carrots, and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and water, stir well and bring to a boil. Add the ground beef, rice, and seasonings. Simmer uncovered until meat & rice are fully cooked, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile make the cilantro pesto:
Cilantro Pesto
1/2 cup coarsly chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 2 limes
2 Tbsp. water
1 fresh mint sprig, stemmed and chopped (optional)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
Blend all together.
Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with a spoonful of cilantro pesto; serve at once.

Pumpkin Carving

Monday night for family night we carved (and colored) our pumpkins...always an adventure! I don't know if Ella was going for a scary look but I think she got it! Of course we saved all the seeds and roasted them - YUM!
Did Mark really eat that?

Kiddos

Holly & Ella in the playroom & Ammon chillin' in a box...he's now 9 months old! (please ignore the yucky noses in both these shots...we've had colds!)

Pirates!

Earlier in the month when the kids were playing pirates...this is one of those rare moments when they were all having fun together...becoming less frequent now that Josh is getting older and not always willing to play with girls. I'm glad we caught it on camera!



Oct 24, 2008

HSM3


I can't remember the last time I actually went to a movie on the day it opened...but today I took my girls and Ammon and we hit the theaters at 11:30 this morning for High School Musical 3! I was a little worried that with all the hype it might not meet expectations or be as fun as the first two, but it didn't disappoint! I totally loved it. Of course I'm a cheesy "song and dance" kind of girl, but if you liked #1 & #2 I'm sure you'll enjoy #3 just like we did. I was also a little nervous that I wouldn't like the ending, but I was left with a smile on my face...that's all I'll say. Thanks Jessica & friend & kiddos for coming with us...we had a lot of fun! I can't wait for it to come out on DVD :-) By the way, if you like the music, you can go to kosy.com, to their "on demand" page, and stream the entire soundtrack for free...awesome! Oh, and if you don't think I'm cheesy enough already, I noticed that kosy is counting down to Christmas music...hooray!

Oct 23, 2008

Salsa!

As requested...

Mareid's bottled salsa:

1/2 bushel tomatoes...scald, peel, & cut
8 medium onions, chopped
8 large bell peppers, chopped
9 jalapeno peppers, chopped (with seeds)
8 Anaheim peppers, chopped
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
5 Tablespoons sugar
5 Tablespoons salt
1/2 cup vinegar

Combine all in a large pot and simmer 2-3 hours, until desired thickness. Bottle in pint jars & process 20 minutes. Makes ~ 24 pints.

OR...........

My preference is to just bottle whole tomatoes and tomato juice, and then in the winter I make this recipe:

Pantry Salsa:

1 quart bottled tomatoes
1 quart tomato juice
3 Tbsp. dry minced onion
1 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. pepper
1 can diced green chilies
1 tsp. dry hot chili peppers

Mix together in large saucepan and simmer 30 minutes or longer. Great served warm or cold.

ENJOY!

Oct 13, 2008

Applesauce


I just grabbed some apples at the orchard and am getting ready to bottle applesauce...I thought I'd share the "how to" for those interested. My family devours this stuff and I'll give you fair warning that once you have it homemade you'll never be able to eat the storebought stuff again!


An average of 21 lbs apples yields 7 quarts applesauce.


1. Wash, peel, core, and slice apples. (Tip...I don't peel mine and you'd never know!)


2. Place apples in a large stock pot. Add 1/2 cup water.


3. Stirring occasionally, heat quickly until tender.


4. Press through a sieve or food mill or puree in a food processor. (Tip!!! Leave the apples in the stock pot and just use a hand stick blender (aka immersion blender) to get your desired consistency...works sooooo fast and sooo easy! You can also add water if it's too thick)


5. If desired add 1/8 cup sugar per quart of sauce (I never do this...sometimes I add cinnamon)


6. Reheat sauce to boiling. Stir thoroughly and make sure mixture is uniformly hot.


7. Fill jars with hot sauce, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Adjust lids and process. Here in Utah that means 30 minutes for quarts.


ENJOY!!