The Charmed Kitchen

Stuffed French Toast

Whenever I make this dish I remember a Winter brunch in the park with friends. It was February and cabin fever led to the idea to meet up in the park for brunch. We cooked everything over the grill or on a camp stove. It was pretty cold. We still had a great time. I made this French toast and it was a big hit. It’s even more fun when you are cooking inside. Around the holidays I seem to have more company for breakfast and brunch and I almost always make this version of French toast. You can stuff the bread the night before and keep it in the fridge until ready to cook which will save you time in the morning. 

Stuffed French Toast

 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1 t. vanilla

1/2 c. chopped nuts

1 16-oz. loaf French bread

4 eggs

1 c. whipping cream or half and half

1 t. vanilla

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

Mix together cream cheese, vanilla and nuts. Set aside. Cut bread into 10-12 1 1/2 inch slices. Cut pocket in each slice and fill with 1 1/2 T. filling. Combine eggs and whipping cream with remaining vanilla and nutmeg. Use tongs to dip the bread, taking care not to squeeze out the filling. Cook toast on lightly greased griddle until browned on both sides.  Keep toast warm in oven until ready to serve. Serve with maple syrup, warmed preserves or powdered sugar. Makes 10-12 slices.

Mini S’mores

If you find yourself cooped up with the kids this is a fun thing to make with them. Since you are working with an open flame always provide adult supervision. My niece Elia and I had fun making these a couple of days ago. Great for both rainy and snowy days, they can also be made around a picnic table on a warm summer evening.

Mini S’mores

mini marshmallows

toothpicks

candle

graham cracker cereal- we also thought tiny graham cracker bears would have worked

mini chocolate chips

Set up a candle on a sturdy surface. We placed everything in a jelly roll pan. Place marshmallows on a toothpick and hold over candle flame until toasted. Place a few mini chocolate chips on a piece of cereal. Add the marshmallow and use a second piece of cereal to secure it. Slide marshmallow off the toothpick.

Toast mini marshmallows over a candle

Turkey Lo Mein

Just thought I’d share another recipe for turkey. Seems like a lot of us have leftovers. This one uses pasta and Asian flavors for a simple dish that is ready in no time at all. Tastes pretty good, too.

Turkey Lo Mein

1 onion, chopped

 2 T. oil

1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained

1/2 c. green peas- you could also use green beans

2 c. diced cooked turkey

8 oz. angel hair pasta -I use a very fine noodle I get at the Asian market

soy sauce to taste

 Hoisen sauce or oyster sauce to taste- you could also use stir-fry sauce

 sesame oil

chopped green onions

Heat water for pasta. Heat oil in skillet and cook onion until browned. Add water chestnuts and cook 1 minute longer. While onion is cooking cook pasta. Add peas to onion mixture and stir to combine. Add the turkey and heat through.  Drain pasta and toss into turkey mixture. Season with soy sauce and what ever Asian sauce you have on hand. Drizzle with sesame oil and top with green onions. Serves 4.

Very thin Asian pasta

Turkey With Tortellini

If you are looking for another way to use leftover turkey I would suggest pairing it with some cheese tortellini. I did it last week for dinner with friends and it came out great. I used frozen cheese tortellini, leftover turkey, broccoli and a creamy tomato sauce. Simple and very tasty.

Turkey With Tortellini

1 lb. cheese tortellini, cooked and drained

2-3 c. cubed cooked turkey

2-3 c. cooked broccoli, chopped

2 T. butter or oil

2 T. flour

1 c. half and half or milk, warmed

2 c. stewed tomatoes- I used my canned tomatoes- you could substitute a 14 oz. can of tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

fresh chopped parsley

In bowl combine tortellini with turkey and broccoli and place and a lightly greased casserole. In saucepan melt butter and add flour whisking until smooth. If using oil just combine oil and flour in pan and whisk until smooth. Add  half and half and cook, stirring often until thickened and bubbly. Add tomatoes and heat through. Season to taste. Puree sauce and pour over the turkey mixture. Sprinkle with the parsley. Bake in a 350 degree oven until heated through and lightly browned around the edges- about 40 minutes.

Sweet Potatoes

I just wanted to clear something up. With all the sweet potato and “yam” recipes circulating it seemed like a good time for this post. Are you eating sweet potatoes or yams? Well, if you live in North America you are having sweet potatoes. No matter what the produce department labels them everything in the store is, botanically speaking, a sweet potato. Red, orange and yellow, big and small – all are sweet potatoes.

So where did the yam thing start? Well, many years ago the state of Louisiana had an abundant crop of sweet potatoes. They wanted to sell them in a competitive marketplace so they decided to call them yams. Just a name change in an effort to give their product an edge over the competition. You’ll often still see them sold as Louisiana Yams.

There are yams- they are larger and quite starchy. They might be found in specialty markets in the States, but they are NOT in your local grocery store. A sweet potato by other name will taste as sweet.

Candied Ginger

I posted a recipe recently using candied ginger. It was a recipe for pineapple preserves. I got so much response about the candied ginger (how to use it, where to get it) that I decided to post the recipe for making your own. I make it several times a year. I use the ginger in baking and just as a snack. It isn’t hard to make at all and keeps just about forever. It also could make a nice gift.

Candied Ginger

1 lb. fresh ginger root

¾ c. water

¾ c. sugar, plus extra for rolling

Remove peel from ginger using a peeler  or a sharp knife. Slice ginger into 1/4 -inch slices and then cut the slices into 1/4-inch thick strips. Place ginger in a pot with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute, drain, and rinse under cold water. Repeat process 2 more times. Return to pan with fresh water and boil 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Bring ¾ c. water and ¾ c. sugar to boil in sauce pan. Boil 2-3 minutes and then add the ginger. Simmer, stirring occasionally until all but a spoonful of the syrup is left. This should take about 10 minutes. On a wax-paper lined baking sheet sprinkle 1 cup of sugar and arrange the ginger on top of the sugar. Toss the ginger around until cooled adding more sugar if needed.  Place ginger on a drying rack for 24 hours before storing. Makes 3/4 pound.

Select firm, fresh ginger

Cut into 1/4-inch thick strips

Ginger cooking in water

Simmer in water/sugar mixture until most of the liquid is gone

Toss in sugar to coat

Place on cooling rack to dry for 24 hours before storing

Turkey Chili

Since a lot of you will be dealing with leftover turkey in the near future I thought I’d share this easy recipe with you. I had some leftover turkey and just made a pot of it. Great meal for a chilly day.

Turkey Chili

1 large onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, sliced

1 (4 oz.) can mild green chilies, drained and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. oil

2-3 c. turkey broth

4 c. turkey meat, chopped

2 cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 T. chili powder

1 t. cumin

1 t. oregano

cayenne pepper to taste

salt to taste

Toppings

fresh salsa

sour cream

shredded Monterey Jack cheese

shredded cheddar cheese

chopped green onions or fresh chives

 In large kettle cook onions, celery, chilies and garlic in oil until onions are tender. Add  broth, turkey, beans and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes. Serve with toppings of your choice. Serves 6-8.

I don’t know who discovered vanilla beans but I am grateful that they did. I don’t know where my cooking would be without it. I have taken to making my own vanilla extract. It is really simple to do. Vanilla beans + vodka + time  equals vanilla extract. OK, there is a little more to it than that but not much. You can buy vanilla beans in bulk online. I’ve had good luck lately with Ebay. There are different grades- you don’t need to get the most expensive beans for extract but they have to be fresh- pliable and fragrant. I prefer to order a pound at a time and get my extract needs taken care of all at one time. Of course, you can buy in smaller amounts.  I use Madagascar beans.

Vanilla Extract 

1/4 lb. (4 oz.) vanilla beans

1 qt. vodka- 80 proof*

Cut beans into 1/2-inch pieces and place in a clean jar. Add the vodka and close the jar. Shake the jar every couple of days-or more often for about a month. Longer is better if you can wait. Strain and enjoy in any recipe calling for vanilla.

* You don’t have to limit your alcohol choice to vodka- bourbon can be used and makes a great extract, too. I’m not a bourbon drinker myself so I ask the clerk at the liquor store for guidance with brands.

Chop into 1/2-inch pieces

Place in a clean jar

Cover with vodka

Shake jar often

Cranberry Bounce

I love cranberry season and find myself using them in all sorts of recipes. For years I have been making a liqueur called Cranberry Bounce. I got the recipe from my sister a long time ago. Cranberries, sugar and vodka. What a great combination. It’s simple to make and it makes a nice gift, too. The color is absolutely beautiful. The sweet/tart finished product can be enjoyed by just sipping, on the rocks or mixed with club soda. 

Cranberry Bounce

1 lb. fresh cranberries (most bags are 12 oz.)

2 c. sugar

4 c. vodka

Grind berries fine in food mill or food processor. Place in large jar and combine with the sugar. Let stand, covered until sugar is dissolved completely, several hours or overnight. Add vodka and let steep 1-3 weeks, stirring occasionally. Strain and filter. Makes 5 cups.

Note: Fruit can be saved in fridge and used, sparingly, in desserts, fruit salads and on cake or ice cream.

Basil Tomato Soup

Sometimes people ask me why I can so many tomatoes. There are several reasons. Canned tomatoes are very versatile. They can be turned into sauce or used in soup, chili, stew etc… Plus they taste amazing. Whenever the snow is flying and I open a jar of my canned tomatoes the aroma reminds me of a warm summer day. They are full of vitamins and minerals and when they are in season they are so abundant I can’t stand to see a single one go to waste. I find them very handy when I need something for dinner. Give me a jar of tomatoes and a reasonable pantry and I can make any number of things. A couple of days ago I decided to have friends over for dinner and I needed a first course. I wanted soup and used my canned tomatoes for inspiration. The end result was quite wonderful. I have already had requests from several of the guests for the recipe. So here it is…

Basil Tomato Soup 

2 onions, peeled and chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

1 rib celery, washed and sliced

1 qt. stock- any kind will do- I had turkey stock so that is what I used

1 qt. canned tomatoes- or a 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes

2 T. basil paste*

salt and pepper to taste

1 c. diced ham- I used turkey ham because that’s what I had

Combine onions and other veggies in a pot with the stock and tomatoes and cook, covered until veggies a re really tender- about 30 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot or puree, in batches, in a blender until smooth and return soup to pot. If using a blender be careful blending hot liquids. Cover the top with a towel and only do small amounts at a time.  Add the basil paste and ham and adjust seasonings. Simmer until heated through. Serves 6-8.

* Basil paste is available in many grocery stores. I make my own. I place fresh basil in a blender or food processor and add olive oil until the mixture is a paste consistency. Then I freeze the mixture in ice cube trays. Olive oil will freeze solid. Once frozen I remove the “cubes” and store in the freezer in freezer bags. They are ready whenever I need them.  If you don’t have fresh basil or basil paste 2 t. dried basil could be used.