Category Archives: CHICKEN, TURKEY, GAME HENS, DUCK, ETC. RECIPES

LEFTOVER TURKEY POZOLE WITH GREEN CHILIES AND AVOCADO CHUNKS

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Happy belated Cinco de Mayo. We celebrated last evening with Mr. C’s fabulous Margaritas and this delicious pozole. Since I am sure some of you are wondering “what the heck is pozole”, I’m going to provide you with a quick and fascinating explanation of its origin, etc.

From the benitosmexican.com site – “Pozole (pronounced po-so-le) means “hominy” and it is basically a cross between soup and stew. It is a popular and beloved dish throughout Mexico and is commonly enjoyed for events and special occasions, such as weddings, Independence Day, and Christmas. It is described as Mexican comfort food, because it warms you from the inside out.

Similar to many Mexican dishes, the name Pozole originates from Nahuatl and has a significant history. The main ingredient in Pozole is hominy, which is made from corn. Due to the belief that humans were made by the corn gods, in Mexican Aztec history corn was considered a sacred plant. Therefore, the Aztecs and other Mesoamerican peoples cooked Pozole only on special occasions.

Originally, Pozole was made from the human meat of prisoners whose hearts had been ripped out in ritual sacrifice. Thankfully, after the Spanish conquest in the 1500’s, cannibalism was banned and the meat in this dish was replaced with pork. While this little piece of dark history may be shocking, don’t let it scare you off!”

Well, there you go. Aren’t you glad you were interested enough to read about the history behind pozole. Moving on, let’s get to the real “meat” of what makes pozole a dish you might enjoy serving to your family.

Basically, it’s delicious. And it’s fairly easy to prepare. And it’s a one dish meal. (And yes, you can spell pozole with an “s” (posole) or a “z” (pozole). Either way is correct and universally accepted.)

Now I am aware that not everyone has dried hominy (pozole) just lying around. I sure didn’t until I discovered this delicious stew/soup/whatever! a few years ago. (For two other posole recipes on this site, see my Red (Rojo) Posole with Pork, and Posole (Hominy) Side Dish with Pork and Green Chile.

But next time you visit your local grocery store, with your mask and gloves firmly in place of course, pick up a bag. (I buy Los Chileros de Nuevo Mexico White Corn Posole at QFC.) Or go on line and place an order. Pozole is truly worth the effort.

So as promised, you now have another recipe for what to do with leftover turkey. And for all of you who might be concerned that this dish might be too spicy for you, not to worry. It is really pretty tame. And if you don’t have any leftover turkey lurking in your refrigerator or freezer, by all means cook up a bit of chicken and call it good!

To all – stay safe, stay sane, and keep cooking new and interesting food. If nothing else, preparing different recipes can help keep your boredom at bay. And what fun for your family to look forward to whatever adventure you have planned for them at the dinner table. Today a visit to Mexico, tomorrow perhaps Hungarian cuisine or East Indian. There is simply no end to the enticing choices available. Be creative, but above all – Have Fun! Salud  

½ c. dried white corn posole (hominy) or 2 (15-oz.) cans drained and rinsed hominy*

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

½ med. sized yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 T. Ancho chili powder

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

½ tsp. oregano (preferably Mexican), crumbled

small bay leaf

freshly ground black pepper

1 (7 oz.) can diced green chiles

1 (4 oz.) can Hatch diced green chiles

2 T. tomato paste

1 qt. chicken broth (low sodium if possible)

1 c. water

2 c. bite sized pieces of cooked turkey or chicken

2 T. roughly chopped parsley or cilantro

¼ c. thinly sliced green onions

chunks of avocado

sour cream (Mexican style is best)

Place dried hominy in a non-reactive container and cover with water; soak overnight. Next day, boil posole in salted water for approximately 2-2½ hours or until tender. Drain. 

Pour the oil into a large, heavy-bottomed covered pot and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and slowly cook until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Stir in the cumin, Ancho chili powder, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, bay leaf, black pepper, diced green chiles, Hatch chiles, tomato paste, chicken broth, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. 

Reduce heat and let the soup simmer, partially covered, for one hour. Add the hominy, cooked turkey pieces, and parsley. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve with chopped parsley, green onions, avocado chunks, and sour cream as a topping.

*Use canned hominy if in a hurry, but taste and texture are just not as good as when you start with dried posole.

LEFTOVER TURKEY SOUP WITH KALE AND ORZO

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As promised, this is a recipe for leftover turkey (slightly altered from the diethood.com site). I made this delicious healthy soup last evening and am very excited to share it with you. (And yes, of course you can substitute cooked chicken for the turkey. Or even start by sautéing some raw chicken or turkey just so you can serve this wonderful, hearty soup to your family.)

As I already stated, this is a really, really tasty soup. And it’s a one dish meal. And isn’t that a welcome change from having to prepare a meat dish, a starch, and a salad or green veggie. Especially right now when you might be trying to work from home, monitor and assistant your kids while they do their homework, keep in daily contact with aging parents or friends, plus take care of all the other myriad details (including 3 meals a day) of everyday life while remaining patient and cheerful at the same time! (It’s the patient and cheerful part that would be my downfall if I still had the same level of responsibility as described above.) But there are many people for whom this list of duties (and probably more) represents their current job description. And I tell you true, my hat is off to any of you for whom this is your new reality. Talk about unsung heroes!  

So if you too would welcome a one pot meal, this is the recipe for you. It’s simple to prepare, and contains mostly every day pantry and refrigerator ingredients.

So as always, stay happy, stay healthy, and stay tuned. Another leftover turkey recipe to come. (Well, if it turns out that is!) Cheers!

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 T. unsalted butter

½ med. sized onion, chopped

1 carrot, cut into thin rounds

2 celery stalks, diced (include the leafy parts whenever possible)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. fresh chopped parsley

1 bay leaf

¼ tsp. kosher salt (if the turkey has been brined and a bit salty already, do not add salt)

freshly ground black pepper  

¼ tsp. dried thyme

½ tsp. dried oregano leaves, crushed up a bit in your hand if the leaves are large

1/8 tsp. dried rosemary

1 T. tomato paste

1 can (14-oz.) diced or crushed tomatoes (Italian preferably)

4 c. low sodium chicken broth, or more if you like your soup “brothier” (not in the dictionary, but I like the word)

2 c. chopped leftover turkey meat

½ c. orzo pasta

2-3 c. (loosely packed) chopped kale

freshly grated Pecorino-Romano, Parmesan, or Asiago cheese, opt. 

Heat oil and melt butter in a large covered Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the parsley, bay leaf, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, rosemary, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and chicken stock.

Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the chopped turkey, orzo, and kale. Simmer until the orzo is tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning. Remove bay leaf and serve. Pass the grated cheese.

HERB AND LEMON BASTED TURKEY BREAST WITH COGNAC PAN GRAVY

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I transferred the gravy to this small pan to get a better picture. The things I do in the name of fine photography! Commendable, right??

After Thanksgiving last year (which BTW seems like ages ago), I purchased 2 half turkey breasts which were on sale. I baked up one of the breasts (Herb Roasted Half Turkey Breast with Pan Gravy) at the time and stuck the one I fixed yesterday into the freezer. Both preparations are really delicious and both perfect for a small group at Thanksgiving table or for people like Mr. C. and me, for whom turkey sandwiches are the next best thing to Cheetos. Also leftover turkey is perfect in soups and other delightful dishes. (There will be recipes forth coming.)   

While I was drifting off to sleep last night, after having earlier partaken of this fabulous turkey, I couldn’t help but wonder what Thanksgiving would be like this year with the coronavirus pandemic probably still in full swing. Just Andy and me still social distancing ourselves from our loved ones? Still not able to visit with or hold our newest great grandchild? Not being able to bake a French Apple Pie for our dear friend Jim? Etc. etc. All these thoughts tumbled through my head as I was trying, valiantly, to put all thoughts of the real and potentially devastating effects this pandemic has and potentially could bring to our world. Eventually I drifted off.

But this morning, still kind of reeling from my concerns about what our future could look like, I performed all of my morning rituals – read the paper (on line), drank my coffee, showered, fixed breakfast, then sat down to read my email and Facebook. And a very good and lovely woman I know (Pat J.) had posted this quote from Arundhati Roy. “Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next. We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it.”

Reading this was just what I needed this morning. It actually gave me hope. Instead of worrying about what I might be losing, I should focus on the many gains that might come from people uniting against a common enemy. And thanksgiving took on a new meaning for me.

So what if it’s just Andy and me at table on Thanksgiving Day. We still have so much to be thankful for. We have each other, we have this wonderful new great grandchild to love and cherish even if we can’t pick him up right now, and we have a terrific family and dear friends that we can hopefully lavish baked goods on for many more years to come. Just maybe not this year. (And yes Jim, you and Margo will be the first to get an apple pie and cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning if and when it is safe to do so.)

So to all, stay positive, keep cooking, and count your blessings. Happy thanks giving.

1 (about 3-3 ½ lb.) half turkey breast (not boneless)

¼ c. (½ stick) unsalted butter

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. granulated onion or onion powder

1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. dried sage

½ tsp. paprika

¼ tsp. dried thyme

freshly ground black pepper

3 c. chicken stock, divided, or more as needed

flour

milk or part water, if the gravy is too rich

1-2 tsp. cognac

About an hour before you plan to put the turkey breast in your oven, remove it from your refrigerator, wash it very thoroughly, remove any fat or extraneous tissue, etc. from the meat, and dry it well with paper towels. Loosen the skin from the meat. Don’t remove the skin, but just separate it from the meat. Place the meat, skin side up on a meat rack set in a low sided baking pan.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the butter and whisk in the lemon juice, granulated garlic, granulated onion, rosemary, salt, sage, paprika, thyme, and black pepper. Set aside.

When ready to bake the breast, slather it with half of the butter mixture making sure some of the butter gets between the skin and the meat.  

Pour 2 cups of the chicken stock in the bottom of the pan. If needed, during the time the turkey is in the oven, add the additional 1 cup of stock to maintain liquid in the baking pan at all times.  

Transfer the pan to a pre-heated 425 oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and slather the remaining butter mixture over all. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and continue to roast turkey breast for 45-60 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breast registers 160 degrees. (Don’t worry, the temperature will continue to climb while the turkey breast rests).  

When the turkey breast is done, transfer to a platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest at least 30 minutes before slicing. Retain the liquid and brown bits in the bottom of the pan for gravy.

To make the gravy: Place the roasting pan on the stove after the turkey has been removed. Turn the heat to very low and begin making your gravy immediately. (Good gravy flavor and consistency require time to develop.) Do not remove any fat from the pan and do not strain the liquid. Whisk in enough flour to absorb the fat. Let burble for a couple of minutes. (This process takes time, so be patient.) Slowly whisk in milk or water until you reach the desired thickness you like. Taste the gravy. Add a bit of salt and/or pepper, if needed.

Turn heat as low as possible and let the gravy simmer away for the next 30 minutes or so, whisking periodically. (You will probably need to add more milk or water during this time.) Also, after the turkey is sliced and plated, don’t forget to add the juices that have accumulated on the platter to the gravy.

Just before serving (and gravy should be the last item plated), taste the gravy and make any final adjustments to the seasoning. Stir in the cognac and serve piping hot.

TURMERIC-BLACK PEPPER CHICKEN WITH ASPARAGUS (OR GREEN BEANS, IF YOU DON’T HAVE ASPARAGUS)

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My sister-in-law Katie sent me this recipe that she found in the New York Times. She prepared it with asparagus and she and her husband Rick loved the dish. So, of course I had to make it too. But I didn’t have any asparagus. But I did have green beans. Lots of green beans. In fact we had been eating so many green beans in the last week that I was reluctant to serve them to Mr. C. (again) last evening. (We get a by-weekly veggie and salad box from a local farm. And one of the items in the mix was a pound of beautiful organic green beans. I had also ordered a few extra veggies to be delivered at the same time. And you guessed it. One of the items I had requested was a pound of green beans.) So you see, we were replete with beans.

But I decided to fix the dish anyway. And I am so glad I did. Of course I made a couple very simple changes. I used a bit more veggie oil than directed. I took the chicken out of the pan when it finished cooking, then added it back to the pan just before adding the sauce. And I added a teaspoon of cornstarch to the sauce to thicken it up a bit. But that’s it.

For a dish with so few ingredients, it was absolutely delicious and tasted very complex. And exotic. And loving to cook from world cuisines, this was right up my alley. But to which country or region should I offer my thanks and praise? After a short bit of research and a good dose of guess work, I decided that this dish, or one very similar to it must have its origin in India. But don’t quote me on that. I just love Indian food, so it only made sense to me that it would be just another wonderful Indian dish.

After I made this dish last evening, I went to the source recipe and read some of the reviews. Almost universally, the people who wrote reviews added additional ingredients to the recipe. And yes, I often do that too. In fact I did add a teaspoon of cornstarch. So no offense intended towards anyone who made this dish their own.

But I am going to recommend that you not add any additional spices or veggies or change amounts. Just follow this very simple recipe as written. The flavor is lovely, and part of the charm is in its simplicity. (I didn’t have to slice even one veggie!)

So thank you again Katie for sending me this recipe. It was perfect served with brown rice, as you suggested, and a simple salad.

To all of you who are cooking for yourself or your families, I salute you. As much as I enjoy cooking, it’s still work. I too get tired and I’m only cooking for the two of us.

So stay positive, cook what you like best, and be creative. Try new recipes. And invent recipes using ingredients you have in your pantry or cupboard. As I was drifting off to sleep last night I was thinking about the turmeric I had used in this dish. I realized that the turmeric was at least 20 years old, probably more. Had to be. I remember buying a large bag of it at the Cost Plus World Market in Bellevue when I was working in downtown Bellevue. I obviously haven’t been using a lot of turmeric. But I can tell you after making this dish, I am going to be cooking with it a lot more in the future. Maybe I can even use it up before I go to that big stainless steel kitchen in the sky. (And no, you don’t have to throw dried herbs and spices away after a year. They actually have a shelf life of “indefinitely”! However, you might have to use a little more than listed if your herbs and spices are well aged.)

As always, peace, love, and happy kitchens to all.

¼ c. water

3 T. honey

¾ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

kosher salt

1 tsp. cornstarch

2 T. all-purpose flour

1½ tsp. ground turmeric

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 T. canola oil

12 oz. fresh asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced on an angle or fresh green beans, sliced lengthwise (carefully) and then cut into shorter lengths

1 tsp. unseasoned rice vinegar  

½ lime, cut into wedges, opt.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir the water, honey, pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, and cornstarch together. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, turmeric, and 1 teaspoon of salt together. Add the chicken and toss until coated.

In a medium (10-inch) nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium high. Add the chicken and cook until the turmeric is fragrant and the chicken is golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side or until the chicken is completely cooked. Remove the chicken to a small bowl.

Add the asparagus, season with salt, stir to combine and cook until crisp tender, 1 to 2 minutes. (If you use beans, the cooking time will be longer. You want beans to be just done.)

Add the cooked chicken to the pan, and then the honey mixture. Cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the vinegar. Adjust seasoning. Great served with brown rice and fresh lime juice dribbled over the top.

SMOTHERED FRIED CHICKEN

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I wanted comfort food last evening. Even though we here at Chez Carr are among the lucky ones, it is still very difficult to realize that our lives have dramatically changed, probably never to return to “normal”. (Normal is now a moving target.) For many retired adults like ourselves, who felt that we were reaping the rewards of hard work, sacrifices made for our kids, monetarily supporting our community, and leading as benevolent lives as possible, we too are having the rug pulled out from under us. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not asking you to feel sorry for me. I’m doing a good enough job of this by myself thank you very much. No, I just wanted you to know that this crisis has affected everyone. There isn’t a rational and informed person alive whom I’m sure hasn’t realized that the economic impact of this pandemic has shattered many people’s dreams. And to all of you for whom shattered dreams is a reality, I offer my heartfelt sympathy. And for those of you who have lost loved ones, I can’t even begin to express how sorry I am for your loss. Now, what can you and I do about making life for ourselves and those around us better.

Well I guess the first step is to realize we are not alone. We are not the only ones hurting. And then – well get our butts in gear and do something to make our own life, and that of our families a little better. And of course you know where this is leading. Cook something yummy. And although I almost always advocate eating healthy, I have to admit that for dessert the other evening we had Cheetos. And if Cheetos aren’t dictionary perfect comfort food “food that provides consolation or a feeling of well-being, typically any with a high sugar or other carbohydrate content and associated with childhood or home cooking”, I need to go back to first grade!

So if you too would welcome a nice old helping of comfort, this chicken recipe is the one for you. It’s simple to prepare. And very, very tasty. And I must confess that after having a big old helping of this chicken, mashed potatoes, and a healthy cucumber and tomato salad, I felt a lot better about life in general. (I believe chicken gravy actually coaxes our body into making more endorphins. Not scientific fact, but it sure works for me!)

As always – stay positive, stay busy, and keep cooking. If nothing else, working in the kitchen takes your mind off the world for a little while. Who can worry about this crisis when they are trying to sauté veggies, bake bread, set the table, answer the phone, not step on your pets delicate paws, and keep kids entertained at the same time? Peace and love to all.

½ c. buttermilk

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3 pieces each

½ c. + 3 T. unbleached all-purpose flour, divided

1 tsp. paprika

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. poultry seasoning

½ tsp. onion powder

½ tsp. granulated garlic

¼ tsp. dried thyme leaves

tiny pinch cayenne pepper, opt.

2 T. butter

1 T. veggie oil

2 c. chicken broth

1 c. whole milk

Pour the buttermilk into a bowl. Add the chicken pieces. Stir until all of the chicken is coated with the buttermilk. Cover the bowl and place in your refrigerator for at least an hour.

Meanwhile, whisk the ½ c. flour, paprika, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, onion powder, granulated garlic, thyme, and cayenne together in a shallow container. (I use an 8-inch round cake pan.)

After the chicken has been luxuriating for an hour or so in the fridge, dredge each piece in the flour mixture. Heat the butter and oil in a shallow, oven proof, covered fry pan. (I use my Le Creuset braiser. It’s really just a shallow Dutch oven, and it’s perfect for this type of recipe.)

When the butter and oil are hot, add the chicken pieces. Fry over medium heat until golden brown. (They do not have to be done. They will finish cooking in the oven.) Remove from pan and set aside.

Whisk the chicken broth, milk, and remaining 3 tablespoons of flour together in a small bowl. Add to the fry pan, and stir until all the brown bits have been lifted off the bottom of the pan and the gravy is starting to thicken. If it seems too thick, add a bit more milk.  Add the chicken back to the pan, cover, and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the chicken is fork tender.

Remove from oven and serve with mashed potatoes, steamed rice, cooked quinoa, or whatever your big old heart desires.   

  

CREAMY CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM SKILLET DISH

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Chicken just ready to come out of the pan
Sauced and ready to be served

I made this dish for dinner last evening. It was sensational. Easy to prepare and definitely guest quality. Of course because of the coronavirus we are currently unable to have guests over for dinner. But as soon as we can once again socialize without masks and be within 6 feet of each other, you can bet your last roll of toilet paper that I will be making this dish for friends. It is exactly that delicious.

I found the bones for this recipe on the Saving Room for Dessert site. Thank you Tricia for posting such a wonderful recipe. I changed things up a bit to reflect my own taste preferences, but also to accommodate what I had on hand. Like I said in a previous post, I’m really trying to avoid unnecessary trips to the grocery store.

So if you have all or at least most of the ingredients listed below in your home right now, I would say don’t hesitate. Make this dish ASAP. I served it with white rice. Not my first choice, but I had served a pasta dish the night before, and we had no white or gold potatoes available. We had a purple variety, but I didn’t think a purple potato mash would look very appealing alongside the chicken. And I always take presentation into consideration. Well that and it’s really easy to slam rice and water together in a rice cooker. And frankly I had already spent a bunch of time in the kitchen yesterday. I had started some sourdough bread and made an apple crisp for our dessert. And no, we don’t usually have dessert.

But these are desperate times. And as the expression attributed to Hippocrates goes – “desperate times call for desperate measures”. In his work Amorphisms he wrote: “For extreme diseases, extreme methods of cure, as to restriction, are most suitable.” Very applicable to what is happening right now throughout the world.  

So with Hippocrates’s very relevant words running freely through my consciousness, I’ve decided to adopt, at least for the present, (and with abject apologies to the dead Hippocrates) the following addendum: “And when restricted to one’s own domicile is mandated for the good of all, a daily end of dinner treat is to be encouraged.”

Stay healthy dear friends. Stay positive. And keep cooking.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts  

½ c. all-purpose flour

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp. granulated garlic

8-oz. button mushrooms, cleaned and thickly sliced

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter, divided

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

¼ c. thinly sliced onion

1½ c. chicken broth

½ c. dry white wine

½ c. whole milk

½ tsp. fresh thyme leaves

½ tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water or broth

1 T. chopped fresh parsley, opt.

(Sorry about all the space between the ingredients. I have yet to figure out how to create a list after the latest “upgrade”. Grrrrrr)

Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Cut each breast in half diagonally into 2 thinner cutlets. Then cut each piece in half. (Will have 8 pieces if you have done this step correctly.)

In a shallow container (I use an 8-inch cake pan) combine the flour, salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. Set aside.

Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the olive oil to a large skillet. Heat over medium until the butter is melted. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture, coating both sides, shaking off the excess flour. Add the coated chicken to the skillet and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook another 3-5 minutes. When the chicken is done, remove to a plate and cover to keep warm. Repeat until all chicken is browned.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pan and heat until melted. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until well browned. Add the onion to the pan and cook until softened. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant.

Meanwhile whisk the chicken stock, wine, milk, thyme leaves, chopped fresh rosemary, and Dijon mustard together in a medium sized bowl. Add to the pan after the garlic has cooked for 30 seconds. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the dissolved cornstarch. Bring the sauce back to a light simmer and add the cooked chicken. Heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce is thickened and the chicken warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with parsley and serve with rice, potatoes, or noodles.

ITALIAN CHICKEN PASTA WITH PANCETTA AND KALAMATA OLIVES

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In keeping with my enduring love for fast and easy recipes, I offer up this recipe for a fairly healthy chicken pasta dish. The recipe is very loosely adapted from a recipe for roasted chicken that I found on the Epicurious site. The cooking method is completely different, but the combination of ingredients is more or less true to the original recipe.

What we found when we dined on this dish last evening, was that we really loved the combination of flavors. The tiny bit of heat from the crushed red pepper flakes worked very well with the fresh thyme and rosemary. And of course garlic and Kalamata olives have always been meant for each other. The chewy crispness from the pancetta provided just the right amount of texture and flavor. While the al dente pasta tied all the flavors together. As for the chicken, well basically it was just along for the ride and to provide us with some low fat protein. But after all was said and done, we decided this dish rocked.

So if you too want a simple pasta dish that takes very little time to prep and cook, give this recipe a try. I promise you won’t find it boring. But do yourself a big favor. Have all of your ingredients ready before you even think of setting your fry pan on the stove. You can even go so far as to have a pan with boiling water ready to accept your dry pasta into its warm and salty embrace. Just sayin’. I have always found that the best way to make sure I enjoy my time in the kitchen, is to always read a recipe through and prep as much ahead as possible. Then I can relax and let the natural flow of the ingredients gradually lead me to the final product.

I can remember talking with a young friend just after he started cooking for himself. He envisioned himself a budding gourmet cook. As he was happily following a new recipe, the next ingredient listed was a quarter cup of Béarnaise sauce. Béarnaise sauce! Really? At which point he gave up and went to McDonalds. He learned a valuable lesson that day, as did I. When all else fails, there’s always McDonalds. But of course, the more valuable lesson. Reading a recipe through before you start is not a waste of time. After all, think of the time it takes to drive to McDonalds!

  • 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ – ⅓ c. finely chopped pancetta
  • 2 lg. or 3 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
  • 2 lg. garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • ¾ c. dry white wine
  • 14-16 Kalamata olives, halved
  • 5-6 oz. al dente pasta (I used spaghetti broken in thirds before cooking)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add the pancetta and cook until crispy. Remove pancetta to a small bowl using a slotted spoon. Add the chicken to the pan and sprinkle with the thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Turn the chicken pieces when first side starts to brown. Cook the chicken only until cooked through. Remove to the same bowl with the fried pancetta.

Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the wine and add the halved Kalamata olives. Simmer until about half of the wine has evaporated. Remove from heat if necessary to allow pasta to finish cooking. (You never want your pasta to have to wait for your sauce. If anything waits around, it should be the sauce.)

When the pasta is al dente, carefully lift it into the sauce using a pair of tongs. Add the cooked chicken and pancetta; stir until all the pasta is well coated. (If you had to take the sauce off heat to wait for the pasta, place the pan over heat at this point.) When all the ingredients are warm and happily co-existing, serve immediately.

(And no. I didn’t forget the Parmesan cheese! Really not needed in or on this dish.) But what is nice with this pasta dish is Caesar Salad. And since I just happen to have a really good recipe, I decided to share it with you today.

(Is that a drum roll I hear in the distance signifying this momentous event? Nah, it’s just the men next door working on the foundation of our good friends Mark and Vicki’s new home. But I’ll consider it a drum roll just the same. Enjoy)

CAESAR SALAD

Caesar Salad Dressing:

  • 1 lg. garlic clove, finely minced
  • 6 anchovy fillets or 1-2 tsp. anchovy paste
  • 2 T. fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 3 T. sour cream
  • ¼ tsp. seasoned salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

Combine garlic and anchovy fillets or paste in a small bowl. Mush them together with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and whisk to blend thoroughly. Use immediately or refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before mixing salad.

Oven Baked Garlic Croutons:

  • 1 T. unsalted butter
  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil   
  • 1 med. garlic clove, finely minced
  • ½ tsp dried parsley
  • pinch kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 c. bread cubes (I use cubes cut from a crusty Italian baguette)

Heat the butter, olive oil, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper in a medium sized frying pan. When starting to burble, remove from heat and stir in the bread cubes. Transfer to a small low sided baking pan and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 15 minutes, or until the bread cubes are crisp and starting to brown. Turn the cubes once during the baking time. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before using or storing in an airtight container.

Caesar Salad:

Romaine Lettuce (as much as you need) – cut, washed and spun dry (you really want to start with dry lettuce so that the dressing adheres to each leaf)

Caesar Salad Dressing (just enough to coat the leaves, but not so much that the salad appears and tastes “wet”)

Grated Parmesan Cheese (I have found that using less than you think you need is probably just about right. Too much Parmesan overpowers the other flavors and makes the salad too rich.)

Oven Baked Garlic Croutons (as few or as many as you like)

1 Lemon, cut in wedges, opt. (but nice)

Place the prepared romaine lettuce in a salad bowl. Add the dressing and toss thoroughly. Add the Parmesan and croutons and gently mix in with the dressed romaine. Serve immediately. Pass lemon wedges.

CHICKEN EGG DROP SOUP WITH DICED CHICKEN PIECES AND CHICKEN POTSTICKERS

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So OK, I couldn’t decide whether to make regular old fashioned chicken noodle soup, or chicken egg drop soup, or chicken soup with potstickers instead of egg noodles the other day. What I did know for sure was that I wanted to use up the half package of frozen chicken potstickers that had been in my freezer longer than I care to admit! (You know how that goes.) I also wanted to use up the small package of frozen innards I had purchased before Thanksgiving in preparation for the turkey stock I was going to make, but never did! (Again I’m sure you know about best laid plans, etc. etc.)

What I didn’t expect was that this mishmash chicken soup was going to taste so delicious. And a meal unto itself! Just a big old bowl of steaming goodness. Didn’t even require saltines or oyster crackers. And I always want saltines or oyster crackers with chicken noodle soup. But the soup simply didn’t need embellishing in any way. And it had been fairly quick and easy to prepare. (I always give myself points for these important aspects of getting a meal on the table.)

So during this somewhat dreary and flu ridden part of the year, whip up a pot of this soup. It’s hearty without being heavy. It’s likely to be enjoyed by every member of your family, and it’s full of nutritious ingredients. Can you realistically ask more from a soup than this? I thought not too. Enjoy! And stay healthy.

  • 1 qt. chicken stock
  • 3 c. water
  • 3-4 small boneless skinless chicken thighs or 1 large or 2 small boneless, skinless chicken breast or any combination of chicken pieces you happen to have on hand
  • small pkg. chicken or turkey innards (hearts, livers, gizzards), optional but really adds to the flavor of the broth  
  • 1 lg. carrot, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
  • 1 lg. shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4-5 green onions, sliced and divided
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 T. minced fresh parsley
  • 2-3 fresh sage leaves, minced or ¼ tsp. dried sage
  • 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves or ¼ tsp. dried thyme leaves
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly grated black pepper
  • 10 oz. (or so) defrosted chicken potstickers (I use Crazy Cuisine brand frozen potstickers)
  • 1 T. cornstarch
  • 1 T. water
  • 1 T. Tamari or soy sauce
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • ½ tsp. toasted sesame oil

Place the chicken stock, water, chicken pieces, innards, carrot, celery, shallot, garlic, the white and light green parts of the green onions (save the dark green parts for later), bay leaves, parsley, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large covered pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for an hour. (After about 20 minutes, check to see if the chicken is done. If so, remove to a plate and allow to cool before cutting into small bite sized pieces.)

After simmering the stock, taste the broth. If it tastes like it could use a few more minutes for the flavors to meld, go for it.

When you decide you’ve been patient enough, remove and discard the innards and bay leaves. (If you love innards, of course you can chop them up and add them to the soup when you add the cooked diced chicken meat.) Bring the broth to a boil and add the defrosted potstickers. Boil for 3-4 minutes or until they are tender. Reduce heat, taste, and add salt and pepper if required.

While the potstickers are cooking, whisk the cornstarch, water, and Tamari together in a small bowl. Add to the soup along with the diced cooked chicken. Bring to a boil stirring all the while.

Drizzle the beaten egg into the soup in a slow stream. Use a large spoon to very gently stir the soup. Stir in the sesame oil and the remaining sliced green onions. Serve immediately.

 

TURKEY CURRY SOUP

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So, this the real deal. Easy to prepare. Tastes like a million bucks. And, you can have dinner on the table in a really short amount of time. I get that! The older I become, the more I appreciate not spending a lot of time in the kitchen. Wait – that’s not completely true. I just spent the last 4 days making 8 kinds of cookies, 8 Christmas Berliner Stollen, 2 kinds of rolls (for a jazz gathering), 3 kinds of fudge, and getting the packages prepared and sent as necessary! So, who am I trying to kid? But in my own defense – it’s Christmas time! And my 4 adult children, whom I truly believe would forgo their Christmas presents (I’m pretty sure) in a New York minute, still appreciate their packages of mommy made cookies and candy. (If not – they need to tell me now so as I get even older I don’t kill myself in the process!) But I digress…..

This is the prefect soup for a cold and wintry December supper. And with all the other things that Mrs. Santa has to do (self-inflicted I might add) during this season of happiness and joy (for whom one wonders), every little bit of help is appreciated (she says with confidence) to help Mrs. Santa with her appointed tasks. And you bet I get it! Mr. Claus gets all the credit for a Christmas well done! But from my perspective, it’s Mrs. Claus who does most of the hard work! But again I digress…..

Anyway. Make this soup. It is really delicious and easy as can be to prepare. And really, who cares if you don’t have any left-over turkey. You can use left-over chicken or even the chicken from one of those yummy rotisserie chickens from Costco or your local grocery store. And of course the chicken or turkey broth doesn’t have to be home-made. It’s winter and no-one from the food channel is watching! (They are too busy showing us how to frost and artistically decorate   cookies that take only 20 minutes per cookie to embellish!)

So treat yourself and your family to a soup that smacks of what’s truly wonderful about this season. Being at home together, sitting at table together, talking about all the fun to come, and remembering why we love and cherish each other. Merry Christmas everyone.

And thank-you Elise Bauer from Simply Recipes for the bones of this recipe. Your site is wonderful.

2 T. unsalted butter

½ med. sized onion, chopped

1 c. chopped celery

1 c. chopped carrot

4 tsp. Indian yellow curry powder, or more to taste

4 c. of turkey or chicken stock  

1/3 c. raw white rice or ¾-1 c. cooked rice (I use cooked brown rice)

1 tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 bay leaves

2 c. chopped cooked turkey meat (more or less doesn’t matter)

½ c. sour cream, plus more for table

2 T. chopped parsley, garnish  

Melt butter in a heavy covered pot. Add the onions, celery, and carrots; cook until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook for a minute or two.

Add the bay leaves, stock, rice (if you are using uncooked rice), salt, and pepper.  Bring the stock to a boil, reduce heat, cover the pan, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender. Stir once or twice during this time.

Add the turkey to the soup along with the cooked rice (if you are using cooked rice). Return soup to a simmer and stir in the sour cream. Adjust seasoning. (You will probably need to add more salt.)  

Serve garnished with chopped parsley. Pass additional sour cream.

 

HERB ROASTED HALF TURKEY BREAST WITH PAN GRAVY

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Sometimes roasting a whole turkey just seems like way too much work, especially if you are not feeding the masses. Or if all you really want is a nice simple turkey dinner with a bit of leftover turkey for sandwiches the next day. Or when you go to your local grocery store and half turkey breasts are on sale. Which is what happened for me a couple days ago. And since I had not hosted Thanksgiving this year, leaving us without any leftover turkey to call our own, I jumped at the chance to rectify this situation. So armed with 2 packages of half turkey breasts in my grocery shopping bag, one for the freezer and one for our oven, I went about developing this recipe.

I had dry rubbed a turkey breast a few years ago, but the herb/salt rub recipe I used at the time left a lot to be desired. So I started over using a variation of the dry rub I use when preparing a whole turkey and went from there.  And it turned out just swell. And really easy. And provided us with just the perfect little turkey dinner with leftover meat for turkey sandwiches. Just according to plan. Even the gravy for our mashed potatoes was delish. Rounded out the meal with some steamed broccoli and we enjoyed a wonderful turkey dinner with very little prep time involved. And we have leftover turkey for sandwiches. (Can’t mention the leftover turkey too often because at our house, turkey sandwiches are tantamount to heaven in sandwich form!) White bread, lots of mayonnaise, freshly ground black pepper, lots of thinly sliced turkey, and a little more mayonnaise for good measure. If that ain’t heaven, I don’t have a clue what is! Anyway……….

If you want an easy way to prepare a turkey breast, give this recipe a try. Dry rubbing is really the way to go. And if you are the lucky cook who gets to host the next holiday meal and are looking for a great recipe for roasting a whole turkey, give my Herb Salted Turkey with Cognac Gravy on this site a try. It too is easy to prepare and the results are perfect every time. And the gravy you will get from roasting your turkey this way. Suffice it to say, it simply could not be more delicious. Of course the wee bit of cognac stirred in just before serving certainly doesn’t hurt. But you must have a great flavor base to start with, or you might as well drink the cognac straight out of the bottle and throw the rest away! Not going to happen if you take your time and pay attention while your gravy is simmering away to perfection.

So whether you choose to roast just a turkey breast or a whole turkey, I’ve got you covered. So enjoy your time in the kitchen. And remember. Turkey is not just for Thanksgiving. It can be enjoyed any old time of year. Gobble gobble!

½ tsp. dried rosemary leaves

½ tsp. dried sage leaves

½ tsp. dried thyme leaves

8 black peppercorns

1 small bay leaf

1 T. kosher salt

2 tsp. brown sugar

½ tsp. lemon zest

1 (about 3-3½ lb.) half turkey breast (not boneless)

1 T. butter, melted

chicken stock

flour

1 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet

freshly ground black pepper

1-2 tsp. cognac, opt.

Grind the rosemary, sage, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaf together and place in a small bowl. (I use my mortar and pestle.) Stir in the kosher salt, brown sugar, and lemon zest.

Place turkey, skin side up, on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Pat herb and spice mixture under the skin and all over both sides of turkey breast.

Chill, uncovered, at least 12 hours and up to 2 days. Remove turkey breast from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature 2–3 hours. Slather the top side with the melted butter. Pour 1 cup chicken stock into baking sheet.

Place the turkey breast on the middle rack in preheated 450 degree oven.  

Roast turkey breast until skin is mostly dark golden brown all over, about 30 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees and continue to roast turkey breast, adding another cup of stock as needed to maintain some liquid in baking sheet. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breast registers 150 degrees (don’t worry; the temperature will continue to climb while the turkey breast rests), 30-40 minutes longer. Skin should be deep golden brown and crisp.

Transfer turkey breast to a cutting board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour before slicing. Retain the liquid and brown bits in the bottom of the pan for gravy.

Place the roasting pan on the stove after the turkey has been removed. Turn the heat to very low and begin making your gravy immediately. (Good gravy flavor and consistency require time to develop.) Do not remove any fat from the pan, do not strain the liquid, do not do any of the things most cook book writers tell you to do to make good gravy (except me, that is!)

Whisk in enough flour to absorb the fat. Let burble for a couple of minutes. (This process takes time, so be patient.) Slowly whisk in turkey or chicken stock until you reach the desired thickness you like. Add the Kitchen Bouquet (gives the gravy great color) and some freshly ground black pepper. Taste the gravy. Add a bit of salt if needed.

Turn heat as low as possible and let the gravy simmer away for the next 30 minutes or so, whisking periodically. (You will probably need to add more stock during this time.) Also, after the turkey is sliced and plated, don’t forget to add the juices that have accumulated to the gravy.

Just before serving (and gravy should be the last item plated), taste the gravy and make any final adjustments to the seasoning. Stir in the cognac and serve piping hot.

Note: This recipe doubles nicely if you want to roast a whole turkey breast. Just double all the ingredients.