Archive for November 2009
Greek Seasoning
November 28, 2009 | 
Author Makes a lot
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/4 teaspoon dried minced garlic
Combine all of the above and mix well. Store in a spice jar.
Tips Tricks & a Recipe – CRANBERRIES
Today’s focus is on CRANBERRIES
Grown in marshes and harvested in bogs, cranberries are beautiful as well as nutritious. This indigenous American berry is full of all kinds of good stuff including vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, iron and folate, wow!
Here’s a TIP:
Because they’re available now, get your fresh cranberries while you can, stick them in the freezer and use them up throughout the year! Why should cranberries be a holiday food only?
Here’s today’s TRICK:
Cranberries will help protect your urinary tract against infections. It’s the phenols and antioxidants that make it so powerful. But the sugar undoes this powerhouse, so unsweetened is your best bet!
And your RECIPE:
And your RECIPE (from our Low Carb Menu-Mailer) HINT: if you don’t want to use turkey, use chicken instead!
Cranberry Turkey Burgers
Serves 4
1 pound ground turkey (or use ground beef)
2/3 cup dried cranberries (if unavailable in your grocery, omit)
1/3 cup quick cooking oats
1/3 cup green onion, chopped fine
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2/3 teaspoons ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Ground pepper to taste
Preheat oven broiler or barbecue to medium high. If using barbecue lightly grease grills.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly and form into four patties. Grill on medium high for 5-7 minutes per side or until meat is no longer pink in center. Serve immediately.
Per Serving: 205 Calories; 10g Fat; 21g Protein; 7g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 90mg Cholesterol; 110mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain (Starch); 2 1/2 Lean Meat.
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Tags: Cranberries, Cranberry Turkey Burgers | 
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You Gotta Cook
I grew up in the 70’s where wide bell bottoms, Richard Nixon and Charlie’s Angels reigned supreme. And even though Helen Reddy was singing, “I am Woman, Hear Me Roarâ€, most homemakers of that time weren’t exactly burning their bras…they were figuring out the art of juggling a home and a career and were more interested in not burning dinner!
You could say I was one of the original latchkey kids from that era. My mom worked fulltime most of my childhood, except when we were really young. She was organized and disciplined. In her words, she ran a “tight shipâ€. Dinner was never a question mark. My dad, brother, sister and I were never left to our own devices to figure out what to root around in the kitchen for dinner; there was a plan and we stuck to it. As I got older, I was expected to start dinner before my mom got home.
My sister and I took dance lessons, piano and my brother played baseball. Later on, I had cheerleading practice to add to the busyness. But the question of what was for dinner never went unanswered. The answer was posted on the refrigerator in the form of menu. Why? My mother planned our meals.
Hectic and busy is here to stay in today’s economy. The standard is a two working outside of the home parents. The norm is lessons, sports and crazy schedules for everyone. Having dinner be the dreaded question each day doesn’t make a lick of sense. The answer of course, is a plan; a menu like my mother posted on our refrigerator week after week.
I need to go back to Memory Lane here for just a minute. Even though my mother worked fulltime, I still learned to cook. My mother didn’t think she got a pass at not teaching me because she held a fulltime job outside of the home. To her, cooking was as integral as brushing your teeth; it is something you do to care for yourself and eventually, others in your home. Cooking was mandatory.
That is my message today. Cooking is essential to healthy living. Planning is critical for making it happen. And yes, it’s mandatory. There is no reason not to cook; it’s just a matter of making friends with a plan, getting to know your major appliances and jumping in.
Don’t be intimidated! Besides the necessity factor, cooking can be fun (scout’s honor!). This is why I do what I do; to help turn a chore into a joy and make your cooking an adventure! Yes, it can happen! Come join me and see what I mean…you know where to find me!
Turkey Carcass Soup
If you don’t take care of the bones in short order after the turkey is history, open the trashcan and give them a proper burial. They have been good to you and your family and have fed you well. I freeze the carcass as soon as I’ve picked off the last of the meat to avoid the should I use it or dump it quandary.
To make delicious Roast Turkey Carcass Soup beyond your wildest dreams, follow these simple directions.
First, pull the carcass apart, throw it in a roaster and fling some quartered onions, carrots and celery in there, and about 8 whole cloves of garlic. Drizzled this mess with some olive oil and toss it in the oven at 425 for about 45 minutes. Pull the roaster from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Then put the roaster on the stovetop, add cold water (about 3/4 of the way up in the pan) and boil the whole thing right there (uncovered) for another hour (obviously we’re talking about METAL pans here!!). Strain it, put in the fridge overnight, take off the top layer of grease and now this incredibly wonderful broth is ready for some action.
Roast Turkey Carcass Soup
Serves many
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Roast Turkey Carcass broth (see above directions to make)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of thyme (depending on taste and quantity of soup)
1 bag (10.5 oz.) extra wide egg noodles
In a soup pot, heat the olive oil till hot over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook 5 minutes till soft and translucent. Add the carrots and celery and cook another five minutes stirring occasionally. Salt and pepper well to taste.
Now add the Roast Turkey Carcass broth you just made. Bring everything to a rolling boil; don’t cover the soup. Add the thyme and the egg noodles and serve when the noodles are al dente.
Thanksgiving Leftovers
I had requests mid-November for my fabulous turkey leftover recipes. Gee, we haven’t even had Thanksgiving yet, I thought to myself. But then again, I was pleased people were thinking ahead. And what’s not to like about the Ultimate Leftover? These tried and true recipes are the best way to handle the plentiful leftovers that are certainly hanging out in your fridge. If you’re lucky enough to have a lot of everything, try Alice Johnston’s Fabulous Thanksgiving Pie.
Then again, if you’ve had enough Thanksgiving and are looking for new flavors for your copious leftovers, try the other two recipes.
Alice Johnston’s Thanksgiving Pie
Serves 4 to 6
Leftover gravy, heated
Leftover turkey, chopped
Leftover stuffing/dressing (whatever you call it at your house)
Leftover mashed potatoes
Leftover veggies
Leftover cranberries
Preheat 375 degrees.
In an 8 to 9 inch pie pan, press the leftover stuffing into a bottom to make a pie shell of sorts. Next, make a layer of potatoes, then veggies. Add the chopped turkey to the heated gravy and mix well. Pour that turkey mixture into the middle of your pie and put it in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or so until completely heated through. Serve with leftover cranberries.
Beanless Turkey Chili
Serves 4
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 red bell pepper, chopped (seeded and deribbed)
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (seeded and deribbed) peppers are OPTIONAL
1-2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (28-oz.) can tomatoes, broken up
4-5 cups cooked turkey, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of one lime
In a large saucepan or skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion, garlic, celery, peppers and seasonings over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes. Simmer gently for 20 minutes. Stir in cooked turkey and cook until heated through. Before serving, add lime juice and fresh cilantro and stir gently.
Per Serving: 283 Calories; 8g Fat; 31g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 82mg Cholesterol; 273mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain (Starch); 4 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 1 Fat.
Serving Suggestions: Serve in bowls and top with shredded cheddar cheese and blop of sour cream. Serve with a big green salad and cornbread muffins.
If you don’t have that much turkey left, you can add a can of drained white beans and one cup drained canned corn and it becomes more of a chili.
Barbecued Turkey Pasta
Serves 6
1 pound fusilli or other medium pasta shape, uncooked
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups leftover turkey, cubed
1 small green bell pepper, sliced thin
1 small red onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce (your favorite)
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup grated Provolone cheese
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Prepare pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add turkey and sauté, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown on all sides, about 1 minute. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic and cook until pepper turns bright green, about 1 minute. Now add your favorite spaghetti sauce and barbecue sauce and heat just to a simmer. Remove from heat.
Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of water and return pasta to the pot (this is Naked Chef trick if you watch Food Network). Add turkey mixture and cheese to the pot. Stir over a low heat until pasta is coated with sauce. Add enough of the reserved cooking water, if needed, to make the sauce lightly coat the pasta (you don’t want it too thin, however). Serve up the pasta in bowls and top with green onions and chopped cilantro.
Per Serving: 530 Calories; 11g Fat; 43g Protein; 61g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 84mg Cholesterol; 487mg Sodium. Exchanges: 4 Grain (Starch); 4 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Serving Suggestions: A big spinach salad and whole grain rolls.
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