Thursday, March 11, 2010

Turkey Tetrazzini

This is one of my favorite meals!! I have it copies exactly like I got it from Marilyn of the Urban Homemaker.

www.urbanhomemaker.com



TURKEY TETRAZZINI

I use turkey leftover from Thanksgiving or cubed chicken during the rest of the year.
Quick and delicious!

Serves: 6-8 servings (2-1/2 qt casserole)

3 cups diced turkey pieces (or chicken)
10 oz whole grain pasta of choice or use spaghetti *
½ cup melted butter
½ cup whole wheat pastry flour or 6 TB unbleached white flour *
1-3/4 cups hot milk, low-fat if desired *
1 cup Turkey or Chicken broth (homemade is tastiest)
1/4 cup cooking sherry or white grape juice
½ tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 Cup fresh mushroom slices, sauteed in oil or butter OR 4 oz can mushroom stems and
pieces, drained
½ Cup Parmesan Cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions until just barely tender or use leftover spaghetti or
other pasta. Rinse, and drain.
2. Make the sauce by blending flour into melted butter and cook and stir over medium heat about
1 minute; remove from heat. Blend in milk and chicken broth. Return to heat; cook and stir until
thickened.
3. Blend in sherry, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and mushrooms. Combine pasta, turkey, and sauce and
place in casserole dish. Top with Parmesan Cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes
or until bubbly. Make two casseroles, one for the freezer and one to serve.

(THM version:  Use 1 1/2 - 2 tsp. glucci instead of the flour, Dreamsfields pasta instead of regular pasta, and half and half instead of milk.)

Monday, March 8, 2010

Chinese Chicken Salad

Mark and I love love love this salad!! We always serve it with crusty bread. The recipe is adapted from my Betty Crocker Cookbook.

Chinese Chicken Salad

1/2 package Ramen noodles broken up (without seasoning)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/2 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded,(3 cups)
1 small carrot shredded (1/2 cup)
1 T. sesame seed
1T chopped green onion

Dressing:
1/3 cup mayo
1 T. sugar
2 T. hoisin sauce (in oriental section of grocery)
2 T. white wine vinegar
1 T. sesame oil
1 tsp. soy sauce

I usually double the lettuce to make it all stretch farther. :o)

The Silver Palate's Corn Bread-Sausage Stuffing With Apples

This recipe is from my wonderful sister-in-law, Lucia. She is an excellent cook, and always brought the stuffing for our Thanksgiving dinners. Since she lives across the country from us now, I had to get the recipe and make it myself. I've made it for two years in a row now, and it is delicious every time. It's Mark's favorite.

The prep for it is time consuming, but well worth it!


Corn Bread-Sausage Stuffing With Apples

- makes enough stuffing for a 20-pound turkey, 12 to 14 portions -
Adapted from Silver Palate Cookbook

Ingredients

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onions
3 tart apples (Jonathan and Winesap are good), cored and chunked; do not peel
1 pound lightly seasoned bulk sausage (breakfast sausage with sage is best)
3 cups coarsely crumbled corn bread
3 cups coarsely crumbled whole-wheat bread
3 cups coarsely crumbled white bread (French or homemade preferred)
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1 1/2 cups shelled pecan halves

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2. Melt half of the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook, partially covered, until tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes, Transfer the onions and butter to a large mixing bowl.

3. Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet. Add the apple chunks and cook over high heat until lightly colored but not mushy. Transfer the apples and butter to the mixing bowl.

4. Crumble the sausage into the skillet and cook over medium heat,stirring, until lightly browned. With a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to the mixing bowl and reserve the rendered fat.

5. Add the remaining ingredients to the ingredients in the mixing bowl and combine gently. Cool completely before stuffing the bird; refrigerate if not used promptly.

6. If you do not wish actually to stuff the bird (goose or duck. for example, can make the stuffing greasy), spoon it into a casserole. Cover the casserole and set into a large pan. Pour hot water around the casserole to come halfway up the sides, Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, basting occasionally with the cooking juices from the bird or with the reserved sausage fat if necessary.