November 26th, 2009
I love the smell of the turkey cooking in the home on Thanksgiving Day. I also like to have a gray and cooler day. I have tried different ways of cooking turkeys and bought the organic ones, the free range ones, the different brand ones but one of my favorites has been the turducken.
I have also have bought the turducken from a few companies but my best one has been from a company called the Cajun Grocer, from LaFayette, LA. Their website is www.cajungrocer.com. Besides being delicious, it is also a conversation piece.
A turducken is a semiboneless turkey stuffed with a deboned chicken, stuffed with a deboned duckbreast. In between each bird a Cajun dressing is placed to create 6 layers of stuffing. Different varieties of dressings are available.
As you sliced the turkey, you will get a taste of all the different birds.
Its funny when you start thinking what to do with the turkey leftovers. Sometimes I really don’t have that much leftover; maybe for one more meal. But, if you do have leftovers, here are a few recipes that you might enjoy.
Quick Curried Turkey
3 cups hot cooked white rice
1 medium green pepper
1 medium red pepper
4 cups turkey, either chopped or shredded
1 tblsp. ground curry powder
2 tsps. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 can (14 ounces) light coconut milk
1 can (24 ounces) pineapple chunks in juice, drained
2 tblsps. chopped cilantro leaves
Chopped peanuts or toasted coconut
Prepare rice according to directions.
Cut peppers. In a bowl, combine curry powder, cornstarch, ginger and salt; mix well. Add turkey and toss to coat evenly.
Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium heat until hot. Lightly spray pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add turkey and garlic. Cook and stir about 5 minutes. Remove f rom skillet.
Add peppers and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in coconut milk, pineapple and turkey and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer over low heat about 10 to 15 minutes or until sauce thickens. Add cilantro and mix gently.
Serve over the rice. Sprinkle with the peanuts or toasted coconut or both.
Note: To toast the coconut, just spread it on a cookie sheet and put it in a 350 degree oven and keep watching it because it will toast before you know it.
If you do not have enough turkey, you can substitute chicken. If the turkey or chicken is raw then add more minutes to the cooking on the skillet.
Serves 4.
Sweet ‘n’ Sour Turkey Sloppy Joes
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 red pepper, finely diced.
3 scallions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced (optional)
1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4 cups turkey, shredded or finely chopped
1 can (8ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 cup bottled barbecue sauce
2 tblsps. sugar
4 hamburger buns or soft rolls
In a medium size skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add red pepper, scallions, garlic, Italian seasoning and pepper. Cook for about 4 minutes or so.
Add turkey and cook until well heated.
Stir tomato sauce, barbecue sauce and sugar. Simmer about 3 or 4 minutes until slightly thickened.
Remove from heat and spoon into hamburger buns or rolls.
Note: If you don’t want to have the rolls then serve it with tortilla chips as a dipping/salsa sauce.
Serves 4 with rolls and a few more if used as a dipping sauce.
Note: The above recipes can easily be adjusted to be gluten free.
Have a Great Day!! Happy Thanksgiving or Feliz Dia de Accion de Gracias!!
November 22nd, 2009
When I was growing up in Puerto Rico, mojo was a side sauce for dipping sorullitos de maiz, which are like a hush puppy with cheese inside, fried plantains, and chicharrones de pollo, which are fried chicken pieces. You could really put mojo on anything, including fish, grilled chicken or meat.
A basic mojo is made of garlic, herbs, olive oil and lemon juice. But, believe me, there are plenty of variations.
I hope you enjoy the following recipe:
Shrimp with Cilantro Garlic Mojo
2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 lbs. medium size shrimp (frozen, cleaned and easy to peel)
1/4 cup green onions, chopped, some of the green part included
4 ounces tomato sauce
1 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
Put the first 4 ingredients in a blender. Push pulse until it has the consistency of pesto sauce. Set aside or if not using right away, put in the refrigerator.
Peel shrimp. In a frying pan, preferably non-stick, put butter and olive oil to heat on medium. Add the green onions and then the shrimp and stir fry them for about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and the mojo sauce and heat them up for another 4 minutes or so. You want them hot but make sure you don’t over cook them.
That’s it!!!
You can serve them over rice, angel hair noodles or wrap them in a flour tortilla, burrito style.
Serves 4 for an entree or 8 for an appetizer or tapas.
Remember to make the recipes your own so if you feel you need more lemon or more tomato sauce or less garlic, please go for it and enjoy.
See you soon…
October 3rd, 2009
Spinach Balls (Thanks to Louise)
2 10 ounce packages chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cups herb stuffing mix
1 cup firmly packed freshly grated Parmesan cheese (5 oz. wedge)
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 small green onions, finely chopped
3 eggs
dash of nutmeg
mustard sauce – see below
Combine all ingredients, except sauce, in a large bowl and mix well. Shape into 1″ balls. Cover, refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set balls on ungreased baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with the following mustard sauce.
Mustard Sauce
1/2 cup dry mustard
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
Combine mustard and vinegar in a small bowl. Cover and let stand 4 hours at room temperature.
Note: I would make the sauce ahead of time and then proceed to make the spinach balls if you are planning on serving them on the same day.
Chicken Tortilla Soup (Thanks to Cindi)
2 14.5 cans diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth (I use the low sodium for dietary reasons)
1 1/2 diced cooked chicken
2 tsp. chili powder
1 box of Zatarain Red Beans and Rice (prepared-takes 30 minutes)
Monterey Jack cheese, chopped jalapenos and tortilla chips for garnish
Combine the cans of diced tomatoes with the chicken broth in a large saucepan and boil.
Sprinkle the diced cooked chicken with the chili powder and mix well. Add into saucepan, along with the prepared rice mix. Heat through.
Scoop into bowls and top with the garnishes.
Note: I like foods with a little heat. For the garnish, put in the tortillas first, then the shredded cheese and then the jalapenos. Or, put the garnishes on the side and everyone can just add their own. This recipe can be doubled easily for a big crowd. All you need to add is a colorful salad. Very easy!!
Can you believe that I did not have any Key Lime Pie in Florida? Well, with the above soup, you can have a sweet ending with the following recipe.
Key Lime Pie
Crust:
1 package Keebler, cinnamon graham crackers
3/4 stick butter, melted
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Crush graham crackers. Combine with melted butter. Press into a 9 inch pie pan. Bake 5 minutes to set. Cool.
Filling:
5 egg yolks
2 cans Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cups Key lime juice
Beat egg yolks. Combine with condensed milk. Add lime juice. Beat all ingredients together. Pour into the 9 inch pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool. It will serve 8.
Note: To serve you can use Cool Whip. They have it even sugar free. Or, you can make your own, which is best. Just use whipping cream (I use Lewes cream in Delaware) and whip it until peaks form. You may grate some of the lime in it while whipping and even add a little sugar, but you won’t need it.
Regarding the key lime juice. The best is the fresh one; no question. Usually at the grocery store you can get a bag filled with the small key lines. I would imagine that in Florida, you might even have a tree. If you don’t have anything fresh, then use the juice in a bottle.
I hope you like these recipes. See you later.
September 19th, 2009
Unbelievable weather. Crisp and clear. All my beach towns are packed. I told you before, there are so many events going on.
Hope you made it to the beaches.
I say cheese because the following recipes will be very good if you are having people over to watch the football games or to take advantage of an equally beautiful night.
Better Cheddar – Great recipe. From Carol
1 lb. New York sharp cheese, crumbled
1 cup walnuts, chopped
6 scallions, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
To crumble cheese, first cut it in small chunks then put in a food processor or blender until it crumbles.
Serve with crackers or breadsticks.
Cheddar Raspberry Spread – You will think it is a strange combination, but I love it. From Debbie
2 cups white Colby cheese, shredded
1/4 cup scallions, chopped, including bulb and green
2 tblsps. mayonnaise or slightly more, if needed
1/2 cup good quality raspberry jam
Toss cheese and scallions. Moisten with mayonnaise to spreadable consistency.
Line shallow bowl with plastic wrap and pack cheese mixture firmly into bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Unmold on a serving platter and top with jam. Serve with plain crackers.
Old Kentucky Beer Cheese – From Louise
1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese
1 clove garlic, mashed
1 1/2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dry mustard
Tabasco to taste
1/4 bottle beer or more if needed
1 tsp. salt to taste
Bring cheese to room temperature. Cut into cubes and process in electric mixer or food processor until perfectly smooth.
Add garlic, Worcestershire, mustard and Tabasco. Blend well.
Add the beer, a little at a time while continuing to beat the cheese until mixture is good firm spreading consistency. Too much will make it too fluffy. Stir in salt and refrigerate.
Serve on small slices of rye or pumpernickel bread or small crackers.
Cheese will look pretty if put in a small crock.
Olive Canapes – These are great and the recipe comes from Macon, Georgia.
1 cup chopped ripe olives
1/2 cup sliced green onions
2 cups grated sharp cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. curry powder
6-8 English muffins – split
Mix ingredients well and spread on English muffins. Cut muffins into quarters. If you want you may do them ahead of time and place them on a cookie sheet and freeze them and then store them in plastic bags.
Either way, bake them at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted. Serve them hot.
Sausage Ball Hors D’oeuvres – Love these too and easy to make.
1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lb. hot sausage
1 cup Bisquick
1 egg
Mix all ingredients together thoroughly and form into small balls (marble size or a bit larger).
Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until done.
These may also be frozen before cooking and taken out as needed. Put the sausage balls on a cookie sheet to freeze and then place in plastic bags. The reason you put them on a cookie sheet to freeze is so that they don’t stick together.
So, that is it. Anyone asks you to come over, you can offer to take any of these appetizers. And, you will be ready if anyone drops by, as well.
September 13th, 2009
Monday Night Football originally aired on ABC and it ran from 1970 until 2005. After 60 Minutes on CBS, it was the second running prime time show in the U.S.
It was one of the highest rated; mostly male viewers. Then Monday Night Football moved to ESPN in 2006. It can be seen in Canada, in most of Europe, in the UK and in most of Australia. There is even a Spanish language version on ESPN Deportes and on ESPN International in Latin America.
It is a big night for all viewers interested in American football and many gather to cheer their teams. It is a weekly get together with different houses hosting parties on Monday nights.
I am including some recipes that will make your Monday nights easier to enjoy when all those foodies arrive at your door.
The following is a recipe from Carolyn Roehm, who writes books on the proper way to entertain. It is almost like a fondue because you dip crusty bread in it. Not as deep, though.
Pecorino Cheese Baked with Honey and Walnuts
1 lb. Pecorino Toscano (if not found, just buy the Pecorino)
1/2 cup Honey
15 Walnut Halves
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Put honey and walnuts in a small bowl. Slice the pecorino 1/2″ thick and placed in a baking dish, slightly overlapping. Bake for about 5 minutes but check it because it should be slightly runny. Pour honey and walnut mix over the cheese. Serve with crusty bread.
For a large crowd double it and adjust baking time.
The following 2 recipes came from a Florida book called Recipes to Remember.
Meatballs With Burgundy Sauce and with Sweet/Sour Sauce
2 lbs. ground beef
1 cup soft bread crumbs
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup Burgundy wine
2 tbsps. sliced green onion
1 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
Mix all ingredients with fork. Shape into 1 inch balls. Brown and cook in large skillet. Drain. Refrigerate meatballs until time to serve. Heat and split them in two chafing dishes and pour Burgundy Sauce and Sweet/Sour Sauce over them.
Servings: 4 dozen meatballs
Burgundy Sauce
4 tbsps. sliced green onions, 1 cup margarine and 1/2 cup of Burgundy wine.
Cook green onions in margarine until tender. Add burgundy wine and simmer 5 minutes. Pour over hot meatballs.
Sweet/Sour Sauce
Combine 1 jar (10 ounce) chili sauce with 1 jar (8 ounce) grape jelly.
Heat in saucepan. Pour over hot meatballs.
At this time of the year, recipes with pumpkin will start to show up. This recipe came from Joan and it is a very good dessert.
Pumpkin Bars
Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
1/2 cup melted butter
4 eggs
1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin
1 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 tsps. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 – 1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup soft margarine
Remove 1 cup from cake mix; set a side. Mix together remaining cake mix, melted butter and 1 egg. Pat into a 13″ x 9″ pan; set aside.
Mix pumpkin, remaining eggs, evaporated milk, pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar; pour over first layer in pan.
Stir together reserved cake mix, sugar, cinnamon and soft margarine; sprinkle over pumpkin layer.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 – 50 minutes. Cool, cut into bars and serve.
Note: Information on Monday Night Football was taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monday_Night_Football#Overview
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