Turkey Soup with Orzo and Quinoa

If you still have turkey leftover, you need to either throw it out, freeze it, if you haven't already, or make this soup today. I know a lot of you are sick of talking and thinking turkey, but this is worth sharing. It is healthy and hearty. I just happened to freeze a leg and thigh plus the pan drippings from my bird just to have on hand for this soup. I made it last year, not really expecting much, just playing around with stuff I had on hand. It was a big hit, so I prepared for it this year. I have made this with bone in chicken as well. It is delicious either way. No more turkey talk after this post. I promise!

If you are starting off with uncooked chicken or turkey place in pot and fill with water, season with salt and pepper and cook until tender and falling off the bone.

Put your leftover turkey, skin and all, in a 5 quart or larger pot and fill with water.
Bring to a boil and redude heat, allow to cook covered for an hour or longer.
Remove the turkey and strain the broth in a colander.
Remove any meat left on the turkey bones and put back into the strained broth.
Saute some onion, celery, garlic and carrots in butter until partially cooked.
Add this to the broth.
Season with sage, parsley, rosemary, salt and pepper. I also add some celery leaves for flavor.
Cook for at least 30 minutes.
You may need to add some more water or broth along the way as it cooks down. I usually add a little chicken broth.
During the last 15 minutes of cooking time add 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa and about 8 ounces of uncooked orzo and increase temperature to a low boil for about 10 minutes.
This may be adjusted according to how much broth you have. I use a 5 quart pot and this amount is just right.
Once the orzo is cooked pour a little cool water or broth in the soup to stop the cooking process. This prevents the orzo from over cooking.
Simple healthy and hearty. A good way to say farewell to your Thanksgiving turkey!
Enjoy!

Homemade Bourbon Whipped Topping

My good friend, Susan, owner of  laissezsuzanne.blogspot.com, made this to accent the pumpkin pie we had for Thanksgiving dinner. It is absolutely fantastic! It was also delicious on my Fudge Pie. This stuff is so good it will compliment fruit, pound cake, a steaming cup of cocoa or coffee. The possibilities are endless. I am going to play around with this recipe and see what kind of wonderful combinations I can come up with. Not that there's anything wrong with the original, it is superb just the way it is. I copied this straight from her blog. you should give this a try. Even on a store bought pie, if desired. I can't wait to make this. A good excuse to make another pie, I say!

Enjoy!

 

Stick a metal mixing bowl & whisk & heavy cream in the freezer. Pull items out in about 20 minutes, before the cream freezes. Whisk 1 cup of cream until stiff peaks form (and yes, you can do this by hand, in a couple of minutes. You have more control over the whipping & are less likely to turn the cream to butter).

Whisk in 2 Tablespoons Real Vermont maple syrup, 1 Tablespoon good Bourbon or Tennessee Whiskey (I'm using Jack Daniels this year; traditionally I use Bulleit), & 1 teaspoon of good quality vanilla.

Plop a dollop of this on your store-bought pie, & no one will notice or care that it came from the freezer. 

Turkey Tetrazzini

Got leftover turkey you don't know what to do with? Here is an easy idea. It is delicious and your family won't mind eating these leftovers. If you just can't bear the thought of another turkey sandwich, here's a  good alternative.
Enjoy!

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream (heavy)
1 pkg spaghetti (7 oz) cooked and drained
2 cups cooked cubed turkey or chicken
1 small jar mushrooms
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (or more if you like)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat butter on Low in a 3 qt. saucepan until melted.
Stir in flour, salt, pepper until blended.
Continue cooking over Low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly.
Remove from heat.
Stir in broth and whipping cream.
Increase heat and heat to boiling, stirring constantly.
Boil and stir for 1 minute.
Stir in spaghetti and mushrooms.
Pour into a greased 2 qt. casserole dish.
Top with parmesan cheese and bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.

Greg's Venison (Deer)

I'm switching gears a little bit here. It is deer hunting season in Tennesse right now. I have some relatives who enjoy this sport and have been very successful in coming up with some delicious ways to prepare it. Venison is a very lean meat, and that sometimes creates a problem with becoming too dry during the cooking process. The gamey taste can also be a turn off to some. Well, lucky for you. my brother in law, Greg, has a fool proof way to cook your deer. He is an avid hunter who doesn't mind sharing the kitchen duties with his wife of 38 years, my sister Gale.
They are like a well oiled machine in the kitchen together. They each just know what to be doing at the right time, creating the perfect duo. At any given time you may see Greg washing the dishes, chopping vegetables, whatever needs to be done. I realize there are lots of men who help in the kitchen, and I applaud all of you. Greg is just as comfortable in the kitchen as he is in the woods hunting. I know this recipe isn't for everyone, but hunting is deeply seated in my family heritage, like a lot of other people from rural areas of the country. I  think this recipe is worth sharing, for those of you who may want a new idea for venison. I suppose you could substitute beef if desired.
Enjoy!

Start with 2lbs. deer steak or tenderloin. Dredge in seasoned flour. I use McCormicks season salt and lemon pepper. I don't measure. I just shake it in until I think its enough. Fry deer in hot oil until browned on both sides. It does not need to be fully cooked. Put in a large casserole dish. I use a large corningware dish. Mix two envelopes Lipton Beefy Onion soup mix with two cups water. Pour in casserole until it comes up level with the deer, add more water if necessary. Cook at 325 degrees at least two hours, you may cook it longer. Stir about every thirty minutes while it is cooking. The meat will be very tender and you will have a rich brown gravy. Serve over hot biscuits or rolls.

Honey Bun Cake

Believe it or not, I do have some healthy stuff that I cook. One would not think so when viewing this blog! I am thinking holiday food right now, so bear with me. This recipe came from an old cookbook I purchased from a church fundraiser many years ago. There are several variations of this recipe. I have only tried this one. It is always a hit, and very simple. I know it is filled with fattening stuff, but with a name like"Honey Bun Cake" it is to be expected! I always get requests for this recipe, as a matter of fact, I hadn't even thought about sharing this until a dear friend who I consider an honorary daughter, Jessica, asked for the recipe. It travels well if you need something to trek across the state with this holiday season, and is fantastic with a cup of your favorite coffee. Give it a try, just make sure you got some people to help you eat it. The temptation to eat another piece is going to be over whelming! This one is in honor of Jess, you asked and I delivered.
Enjoy!
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

1    box yellow cake mix
4    eggs (I have used 3 eggs and you can't tell the difference)
3/4  cup vegetable oil
8    oz sour cream
1   cup brown sugar
1  tbsp cinnamon
2  cups confectioner's sugar
4  Tbsp  milk
1   tsp vanilla

Mix the first four ingredients by hand. Spread half of the batter in a greased and floured 9x13 pan. you can just use cooking spray if you like.
Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a seperate bowl. Sprinkle over the batter in the pan.
Top with the remaining batter, easiest by spooning it on. It does not have to completely cover the brown sugar mixture.
Bake for about 40 minutes.

Icing:
Mix the powdwered sugar with the milk and vanilla, you may need a little more milk to get the consistency right.
Poke holes in the hot cake with a fork and pour icing on top while still hot.

Chicken and Dressing

Just in time for Thanksgiving I offer you a southern tradition, cornbread dressing. This recipe is from my sister, Gale. She usually gets recruited to make the dressing for the family functions, although all of my sisters can cook up some tasty dressing, Gale's is always delicious and moist. No need for gravy to juice this stuff up. It has a perfect consistency and is packed with flavor. I highly recommend picking up some fresh sage to add to the dried rubbed sage. Fresh sage is so aromatic and flavorful, it enhances the dish tremendously.
This recipe is a guideline. Dressing is one of those things that once you make it the first time, if it isn't perfectly suited to your taste buds, you can tweak it the next time. Everybody has a slightly different combination to make theirs unique. Here's a really fantastic way to begin, it don't need anything to improve it in my opinion, only a plate and a fork!
Enjoy!

 Boil 4 chicken leg quaters and one breast in a large pot full of water. I also add celery tops and some onion, salt and pepper to taste. You will use this broth plus you may need some canned broth.

10 cups cornbread
6  left over biscuits or dinner rolls or you can use 6 pieces of loaf bread
1  sleeve of saltines crushed
1  medium onion chopped
2  ribs celery, finely chopped, you may use more if you wish
2 Tbsp seasoned salt
1 Tbsp  lemon pepper
2 Tbsp black pepper
3 Tbsp rubbed sage, I like to use some fresh sage and parsely if I have it. You may also want to use more or less sage to your taste.
4  eggs beaten
12 to 15 cups of broth, depending on how moist you like your dressing.
Mix all ingredients except eggs. Taste and adjust seasonings. (very important)
Add eggs and chicken meat you have removed from bones.

This is enough for an 11" by 13" cake pan and a 2 qt corning ware casserole dish. You may want to halve the recipe unless you are feeding a crowd.
 If you wish you can use a larger flatter pan instead of 9x13. I prefer my dressing cooked in a shallow pan to prevent the center from being too mushy. (my tip, sorry Gale!)
Cook in a preheated 350 degree oven until edges a browned and center is set, usually about 30 minutes in an undisturbed oven.Too many door openings affects cooking time.

Crock Pot Oatmeal

This is a simple way to get a hearty breakfast anytime with little effort. Imagine waking up to a delicious breakfast waiting on you! All you have to do is grab a bowl and dig in. I suggest this for Thanksgiving morning. Growing up in Tennessee, dinner was in middle of the day and that evening meal is supper. My mother always got up before dawn on Thanksgiving to start preparing her meal so it would be ready by noon, that was when dinner was served. She would have thought anything later was unheard of! She always had a meal that would impress even the most experienced chefs. They don't have nothing on my Mama when it comes to cooking anything southern style. She always managed to put together a fantastic meal, and get it done! She would have loved this recipe. If it had been around when we were young, she wouldn't have had to fix breakfast for eight hungry people before she started her "dinner" cooking! So I offer you this wonderful breakfast idea for Thanksgiving, or any time for that matter, in the spirit of my beautiful, awesome mom, Amy. I just wish I could have some of her good food right now. She was the expert on everything good!
Enjoy!

4  cups milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp melted butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups old fashioned or steel cut oats (not quick cook)
2 cups apple, chopped
1 cup raisins
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Coat the inside of a 3 to 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker and mix well.
Cover and cook on Low overnight,  do not exceed 7 to 8 hours, depending on how fast you crock pot cooks, this may need to be adjusted. Don't over cook.
Stir and serve. The leftovers can be refrigerated.
Simple, huh? Enjoy!