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.)

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.

Yummy Yams

This is the yam recipe that my mom made for Thanksgiving every year. It is my favorite part of the meal! Mmmm... almost like pumpkin pie - so yummy!

Yummy Yams

2 1/2 - 3 lbs. yams (or sweet potatoes) cooked and peeled (I steam them until a fork pierces them easily.)
2 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tsp. each of salt and cinnamon
up to 1 cup of orange juice
1 cup pecan halves

Mash yams. You should have about 6 cups.

Beat in eggs, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, salt and cinnamon. (I use my hand mixer)

If it seems dry, add OJ until moist and fluffy (You can add a few Tablespoons for flavor if it doesn't need it for moisture. Mine doesn't need it usually because steaming the yams makes them moist.)

Put in 1 1/2 or 2 quart casserole dish, refrigerate if you wish.

Before baking, arrange pecan halves on top, sprinkle with remaining brown sugar, pour on melted butter.

Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Serves 12.

Marie Callender Cornbread

Brittany came home from her junior high home economics class with this recipe. I'm so happy she shared it with me! It is my favorite cornbread recipe by far - very moist and yummy. My favorite is to eat it with honey butter.

Marie Callender Cornbread

Beat together well:
1 cup melted butter
1 1/3 cups sugar
4 eggs
Add:
2 cups buttermilk (I always use fresh milk with 1T. lemon juice.)
1 tsp. salt
Stir in until moistened:
1 1/4 cup cornmeal
2 3/4 cup flour
1T baking powder

Bake in greased 9x13 pan at 375 for 30-35 min.

Festive Tossed Salad

This recipe was given to me by my mother-in-law. It is a favorite to make for work parties, where everyone asks for the recipe.

Festive Tossed Salad

serves 8-10 people

1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
2-3 tsp. poppy seeds

10 cups torn romaine lettuce
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese
1 medium apple cored and cubed
1 medium pear cored and cubed
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 - 1 cup chopped cashews

Combine first 5 ingredients in a blender. Cover and
precess until blended. With blender running,
gradually add oil. Add poppy seeds and blend.

Combine salad ingredients. Drizzle with desired
amount of dressing. Add cashews.

Enjoy!!

To-Die-For Blueberry Muffins

These are a like bakery muffins - so very yummy!!

To Die For Blueberry Muffins


4 1/2 cups flour
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 cup milk
3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

for topping:

1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, cubed
1 cup flour
4 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease muffin cups.

Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.  Mix oil, egg and milk

and add all at once to dry mix.  Stir to moisten.  Fold in berries.
Fill muffin cups right to the top.  Mix together ingredients for topping
and sprinkle on each unbaked muffin.

Bake for 20-25 minutes