The Charmed Kitchen

Turkey Tetrazzini

If you are looking for another recipe for leftover turkey, you can’t do much better than Turkey Tetrazzini.  Cubes of turkey paired with pasta, mushrooms and celery in a creamy sherry sauce. The dish is finished off with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.  Comfort food at its best. While normally made with white meat, dark meat works fine in it, too.

Turkey Tetrazzini

2 T. butter or oil

1 c. chopped celery

4 oz. sliced mushrooms

4 T. flour

1 1/2 c. chicken or turkey stock

1 c. half and half or milk

1/4 c. sherry

2 c. cooked turkey, cubed

4-6 oz. broken spaghetti, cooked

salt and pepper to taste

bread crumbs

butter

Parmesan cheese- optional

Heat butter or oil in pot and add celery and cook 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook 3 minutes more. Stir in flour and mix well. Add stock, half and half and sherry bring to a simmer- stirring often. Stir in turkey and pasta. Adjust seasonings. Place mixture in oiled casserole and sprinkle the top with bread crumbs and drizzle a little melted butter over the top. Add Parmesan cheese, if you like. Place in a 350 degree oven and bake until bubbly- about 25 minutes. Serves 4.

Turkey Chili

It is that time of year, when we find ourselves waking up to leftover turkey. A lot of leftover turkey. Here are five easy and tasty ways to make the most of all that turkey. I never get tired of turkey, but if your family does not feel the same way, these recipes could come in handy.

Turkey Chili

1 large onion, chopped
2 T. oil
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans lima beans, drained and rinsed
1 can ( 4 oz.) chopped green chilies
3-4 c. cubed turkey
2-3 c. stock- turkey or chicken
3 T. chili powder, or to taste
1 T. cumin, or to taste
Generous dash of hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh chopped cilantro

Toppings: Pick what you like. Some good toppers are shredded cheese, chopped green onions, salsa, sour cream or tortilla chips

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In soup pot cook onion in oil until golden brown. Add the celery, peppers and chilies and cook 5 more minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, except cilantro and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium and simmer until flavors blend, about 30 minutes but longer is fine. I usually cook it covered for 15 to 20 minutes and then remove the lid so it can thicken. Add the cilantro right before serving. Ladle into soup bowls add add toppings of your choice. Serves 6.

Turkey Florentine

2 T. oil or butter
1 large leek, cleaned, trimmed and chopped
4 T. flour
1½ c. stock – turkey or chicken
24 oz. fresh spinach, washed
¾ c. half and half- you could use milk instead
3 c. cubed cooked turkey
Salt and pepper to taste
2 t. hot sauce- or to taste
1 c. shredded Pecorino/ Romano cheese, plus extra for sprinkling on top
Hot cooked pasta

In large skillet cook leeks in oil or butter over medium heat until tender. Stir in flour and cook until smooth, but not brown. Add the stock and cook until mixture starts to thicken. Add the spinach and continue cooking, stirring often until the spinach is wilted. The spinach cooks down a lot- you might have to add it a little at a time to have room in the pan for all of it. As soon as the spinach is wilted add the half and half and the turkey and cook until heated through and bubbly. You might need a little more stock or half and half if the sauce is too thick for your taste. Season with the salt and pepper and the hot sauce. Stir in the cheese. Serve over hot pasta. Serves 4-6.

Turkey with Herb Dumplings

1 turkey thigh, cut off the bone and cubed

1 large onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

3 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

4 c. turkey stock

4 T. flour

salt and pepper to taste

1 c. baking mix- like Bisquick- I make my own

1/2 c. milk

2 T. chopped green onion

1 T. chopped parsley

1 t. dried basil

In Dutch oven or large pot, brown turkey thigh. Add the vegetables and brown them, too, turning to prevent burning. Add stock, cover pot, and simmer until veggies are tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Combine flour with some cold water or more stock until smooth. Add to the pot and stir well. Mixture will thicken. Meanwhile combine baking mix with milk and herbs. Drop dumpling batter by tablespoonfuls over the turkey mixture in pot. Reduce heat to low, cover pot and cook until dumplings are cooked, about 20 minutes. To serve place some of the turkey and vegetables with sauce in serving bowls and top with dumplings. Serves 6.

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.

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.

Turkey Florentine

Turkey with Herb Dumplings

Turkey Lo Mein

Turkey with Tortellini

Rather than posting a recipe today, I wanted to share a fun Thanksgiving memory with you. Through most of my younger life, Thanksgiving was spent with my family and my Aunt Tillie and Uncle Art’s family. My mother and my Aunt Tillie were sisters. They were as close and loving as sisters could be. We took turns at each others homes, and shared the cooking duties.

There was a friendly rivalry every year to come up with a special dessert or to have a new side dish. The biggest part of this challenge though, was to get a really big turkey. My mother was convinced that a big bird was tastier than two small ones. Aunt Tillie agreed. So every year it was the quest of the host family to score a really large turkey.

My mom and dad would go to the local butcher to order the bird weeks in advance. I am sure Tillie and Art did the same. They always seemed to end up around 25 pounds, give or take. My dad and uncle kept track. Last year was 26 pounds and 4 ounces, but two years before, closer to 27 pounds. I swear, these birds had to be part ostrich.

The ultimate goal was to get a 30 pounder. It had eluded them all, until one year. Uncle Art had found a new guy. A turkey guy, who promised him the 30 pound bird of his dreams.  We knew days before the big day, that the really big bird dream was going to happen. Then my mom got a phone call from Aunt Tillie.

My uncle had picked up the beast. He proudly brought it home. He looked at it, lovingly at first. Then he looked again. This was not Uncle Art’s first turkey. He felt something was wrong. Remember, this was something they had all dreamed about finding. Finding it first was cause for bragging rights, for sure. He was convinced that he had been duped, that the bird fell short of its promised weight. He told my aunt about his suspicions and they weighed the bird. It was too big for their kitchen scale, so my uncle weighed himself on the bathroom scale and then weighed himself again, this time holding the turkey.

Uncle Art had been right. He was short at least a couple of pounds of the promised 30 pounds. He went back to the turkey guy, irate. The man was defensive at first, but weighed the bird again. It weighed in somewhere in the area of 28 pounds. The man gave him some money back and lacking a bigger bird, Uncle Art brought it back home.

As I recall it was a perfectly lovely bird, cooked to juicy perfection. To my Uncle Art it was both a failure and a success. On one hand, he had not gotten the 30 pound bird he was hoping for. He did, however, take pride in the fact that he spotted it. That in the world of turkeys, he could see the difference between a 28 pound and a 30 pound bird.

I believe, some years later, a 30 pound bird was found. The story that year, around the Thanksgiving dinner table, was not so much about the 30 pound bird before us, but about the one that nearly was.

I hope you all have a great day, spent with those you love. I also hope you make memories to make you smile, when some of those we love are no longer here.  Love and best wishes to all.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Pumpkin Roll

This is a favorite dessert of mine this time of year. I made it recently, but switched the filling from my usual one. It was a big hit at a recent dinner with friends. The filling swap was kind of an accident. I made a custard filling for a different dish and used it for my filling, just adding cream cheese and a bit more sugar.  It was really worth the extra effort. Rather than baking the pumpkin rolls in two smaller jelly roll pans I baked it in my largest pan, then divided it into two rolls after filling. It seemed so much easier. Plus, I had two desserts for the effort of one. I had one for a dinner with friends and one for a dinner party at my house the next day.  The pan I used was 17×12 inches. Here is the recipe. Even though the recipe calls to bake the cake first, the filling needs cool down time, so you might want to make it first. You’ll still need to let the cake cool down, but that does not take all that long.

Pumpkin Roll

6 eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 c. sugar, divided
1 c. flour
1 c. cooked, pureed pumpkin
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. baking powder
1 t. ginger
½ t. nutmeg
½ t. salt
Filling
2 eggs
½ c. granulated sugar
½ c orange juice
½ c. pineapple juice
2 T. flour
juice of half a lemon
1 c. whipping cream, whipped
2 cups powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 t. vanilla
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 1 large jellyroll pan (17×12) and line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper and set aside. In large bowl beat egg whites until soft peaks form. While beating, add ½ cup of the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time. Beat until peaks are firm and glossy. In small bowl on low speed mix together flour, pumpkin, spices, baking powder, salt, remaining sugar and egg yolks. Gently fold flour mixture into egg whites. Spread batter in prepared pan and bake 13-15 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly. Meanwhile, prepare a tea towel by laying on a clean surface and dusting generously with powdered sugar. When cake is done immediately turn onto prepared towel and remove wax paper. Starting at wide end roll up cake in the towel and allow to cool.
Prepare filling by combining eggs with granulated sugar, juices and flour, in a saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Mixture should coat a spoon. Cool and chill. Fold cooled mixture into whipped cream. In mixing bowl beat cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Fold in whipped cream mixture and chill until ready to use.
To finish cake, carefully unroll and remove towel. Spread filling on the cake and re-roll. Cut into two cakes. Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill. Makes 20 servings and can be frozen.

Cindy’s Squash Pie

At first glance you would think my sister made a pumpkin pie. It looks like pumpkin pie. It also tastes a lot like pumpkin pie. When I was a kid, and tasted this pie for the first time,  it was the first time I liked “pumpkin” pie   My sister has been making this squash pie recipe for years. I love it. It is part of our Thanksgiving tradition. Cindy made it clear, from the beginning,  that she used cooked butternut squash for her pie and not pumpkin. She liked the flavor better. I can’t argue with her success. The pie is yummy. Of course, you could use pumpkin or other winter squash, if you like. I use Hubbard sometimes. The recipe has the right mix of spices and just enough sugar without being too sweet. What ever squash you use, I am sure this pie will be a hit with your family, too.

Cindy’s Butternut Squash Pie

1 (9″)unbaked pie shell brushed with 1 egg white
2 eggs slightly beaten
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups (1lb) cooked, butternut squash (mashed or pureed)
3 Tbsp molasses
1 can evaporated milk (12 oz can)

Combine filling ingredients and pour into shell. Bake at 400 degrees for 55-60 min., or until custard tests done.

Cindy added: I find this to be a very generous recipe; could make 2 smaller pies or just bake the extra custard in a baking cup. I suppose it could be frozen and used in another recipe, but I’ve never tried to freeze the raw filling, so I don’t know.
This can be used with pumpkin, too.

Cookie Turkey

Every year, I spend the day before Thanksgiving making some special treat or craft with my niece, Elia. Last year we made these cookie “turkeys”. She liked making them so much we are making them again this year. They are really easy to make, and since there is no baking involved, you don’t tie up the oven if you need it for other things, like maybe a real turkey. Here are the ingredients you will need.  We did them sort of assembly line fashion, because Elia wanted one for each person’s place at the table.

Cookie Turkeys

chocolate sandwich cookies

candy corn

mini peanut butter cup

malted milk balls

candy pumpkins

melted chocolate

To start, place a cookie on your work surface. Affix a peanut butter cup, for the body. with a little melted chocolate. Place a malted milk ball on top of the peanut butter cup, using a little more melted chocolate to make the head. Once the chocolate hardens a little break off the tip of a candy corn and affix with chocolate to make the beak. Stick a few candy corn between the cookies- into the frosting layer- for the tail. Open up a cookie and use a little more chocolate to stand up your turkey on the frosting surface- Elia wanted them to be standing on snow. Or you can use a whole cookie, if you prefer. Place it off center, so you have room for your pumpkin. Let it harden for a minute, then add a candy pumpkin, using another drop of melted chocolate.

Elia hard at work

She made quite a few

My place at the table

Nisu Bread

This wonderful recipe came from the Finn grandmother of two good friends. It is a soft, slightly sweet bread, made special with the addition of cardamom. Cardamom is a spice that has a rich, sweet flavor and fragrance.  You can purchase it ground or whole, in pods. Cardamom is often used in baked goods and adds a nice flavor to frosting and glazes. It is also used to flavor coffee. This bread is lovely just toasted and makes great French toast.

Nisu

½ c. warm water
2 packages active dry yeast
2 c. milk
½ c. sugar
2-3 t. ground cardamom
1 t. salt
6 T. butter
6-7 c. flour, preferably bread flour
2 eggs

Dissolve yeast in water and set aside. Place milk in large bowl and add the sugar, cardamom, salt and butter. Heat in microwave until liquid is very warm. Butter might not be completely melted. Stir mixture until sugar is dissolved. Place 2 cups of flour in a mixing bowl and add the milk mixture, eggs and yeast mixture. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add 1 cup more of the flour and beat 2 minutes more. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until dough is firm and smooth, about 10 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl and turn dough to coat. Cover with a towel and allow to rest until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch dough down and divide into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into a loaf and place in greased 9×5 inch bread pans. Cover and allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 30 minutes or until golden and loaf sounds hollow when tapped lightly. Makes 3 loaves.

If you want a different appetizer for this holiday season- why not make a dip from squash? You might not thing about using winter squash as an appetizer, but this dip could just change your mind. The natural sweetness of the squash works well the other ingredients. You can use any number of squash for this recipe, or pumpkin. A couple of acorn squash or a good sized butternut squash both work, too. You want 3-4 cups of cooked squash to start with. You can even use frozen squash. Serve the dip warm, with crusty bread, crackers and smoked meats.

Winter Squash Dip

3-4 c. cooked winter squash
1 c. sour cream or Greek yogurt
½ c. diced sweet onion
¼ c. mayonnaise
2 T. honey
1 T. chopped fresh parsley or 1 t. dried
2 t. oregano
1 t. chili powder
1 t. cumin
1 t. dried minced garlic
½ t. paprika
dash hot pepper sauce
salt to taste
Crusty breads and smoked sausage

Bake squash, cut side down in a shallow baking dish with ½ -inch of water in pan. Bake at 350-degree for 45 minutes, or until squash is tender. Cool enough to handle and spoon out pulp. Mash until smooth. Add all ingredients, except bread and meat and stir until blended. Heat before serving. Serve with breads and sausage (heated). Makes about 4 cups.

Spiced Pear Oatmeal Muffins

I had some ripe pears and wanted to do something with them. Since I have company coming in from out of town, I thought muffins. It’s always nice to have an easy breakfast option on hand. I started with a basic muffin recipe, and added some diced pears, cinnamon, orange zest and a cinnamon sugar topping, to make them special.  I was happy with how they turned out. Not overly sweet, moist and tender.  Here is the recipe.

Spiced Pear Oatmeal Muffins

1 ½ c. flour
1 c. rolled oats
1 T. grated orange peel
2 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
½ t. salt
½ t. baking soda
1 egg, beaten
1/3 c. honey
1/3 c. oil
¼ c. orange juice
1½ cups of peeled, diced pears – 2 or 3 pears should do it
2 T. melted butter, optional
cinnamon sugar, optional

Combine flour with the dry ingredients. Set aside. Combine egg with the honey, oil and juice. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until flour is just moistened. Fold in pears. Batter will be thick. Divide batter among 12 greased muffin cups. Bake in a preheated 375- degree oven for 20-25 minutes. While the muffins are warm, dip tops in melted butter and then dip in the cinnamon sugar, if you like. They are tasty, with or without the cinnamon sugar topping, but I like to add this last step. Makes 12.

As always, I had such a fun time on today’s show. Here I am- making side dishes for Thanksgiving- and other holidays. Natalie is so sweet, and great to work with. The tart was a lot of fun- but after the show the crew went crazy for the Brussels Sprouts Salad. Thanks to the everyone at Fox 8 for making my time there such a pleasure.