Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

I love making this soup with the leftover turkey after Thanksgiving!

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

3 Tb butter
1 medium leek sliced (white part only)
3/4 C celery, chopped
3/4 C carrot, chopped
4-8 C turkey stock
1 1/2 C cooked turkey
1 C cooked wild rice (i like uncle ben's seasoned wild rice)

Cook leek, celery, and carrot in butter about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add stock and cook until veggies are tender. Meanwhile, cook rice according to package directions. Once veggies are done, stir in turkey and rice and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Turkey stock

1 turkey carcass, 12-15 lb turkey cut into pieces
2 carrots, scrubbed and quartered
1 stalk celery quartered
1 medium onion quartered
1/2 twp whole black peppercorns
10-14 C water, to cover

In a large stock pot, combine ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer two hours, skimming foam as needed. Strain. Discard solids and skim fat from top of broth. Keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days or in the freezer 3 months.

Eggnog Cupcakes

Eggnog Cupcakes

1 package yellow cake mix
1 1/2 cups eggnog
4 tablespoons melted butter
4 eggs
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 and grease and flour pan or line with cups. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and fill cups 2/3 full. Bake 8-10 minutes for mini cupcakes or 12-14 minutes for regular size. Cool on rack before frosting.

Eggnog Frosting

1 cup eggnog
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar (or 2-3 cups confectioner's sugar for sweeter frosting)

Heat eggnog and flour in small saucepan and stir continuously until mixture thickens. Remove from stove and cool completely. Cream together butter, shortening, and sugar until fluffy. Slowly mix in cooled eggnog mixture and continue to beat until desired consistency.

Pumpkin-Pecan Tassies

These scrumptuous little treats are easy to make and are a perfect dessert to take for a potluck or family dinner. Of course you will have to resist eating them all before they make it onto a serving platter!

Pumpkin-Pecan Tassies

2 refrigerated unbaked pie crusts
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (i just like 1/2 tsp. cinnamon)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup half-and-half, cream, or milk
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted

(chocolate chips and whipped cream optional)

1. Let pie crusts stand according to package directions. Preheat oven to 350. Unroll pie crusts. Use a 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter to cut 12 rounds from each pie crust. Gently place rounds in 1 3/4-inch muffin tins and press into bottom and sides to form pie shells.

2. For filling, mix pumpkin, sugar, spice, and salt. Add egg and stir till combined. Gradually add half-and-half and stir till combined.

3. For topping, stir together pecans, brown sugar, and melted butter.

4. Spoon 1-2 teaspoons of filling into each pastry cup. Top each with pecan mixture. Bake in pre-heated over about 35 minutes or until filling is set and crust is golden brown. Remove tassies from muffin tin and allow to cool on a wire rack. Serve plain or with whipped cream!

I like to make some tassies without the pecan topping, some with chocolate chips on top, and some with both to provide variety and to accomodate those crazy people who dont like nuts. Also, I roll out the extra pie crust and cut little leaf shapes and use them to garnish some of the tassies.