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.

super easy stromboli

This is my new favorite recipe! I first tried it when my friend Laura made her "pepperoni bread" and I have played with the recipe a little until its just the way i like it...easy! As with most of my recipes, there are several variations to try. The one pictured (sorry its a cell phone pic!) is filled with chicken and pesto. This recipe is for one loaf, though I always make at least two loaves because it disappears so fast!

Super Easy Stromboli

1 (1 lb.) loaf frozen bread dough, thawed. OR 1 pkg. Pillsbury italian loaf. OR scone dough from your grocer's bakery (this is my preferred option)
1 egg, beaten
1 C shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 C shredded parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp. italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic salt
4 oz sliced pepperoni, salami, ham, turkey, cooked chicken, or whatever

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (if using pillsbury dough, 350). Lightly grease baking sheet or line with parchment paper. Roll dough into large rectangle and brush with beaten egg within 3/4 inch of edges. (if making chicken and pesto, spread 1 tbls. of pesto over egg). Arrange pepperoni over the dough. Add mozzarella and parmesan then sprinkle with italian seasoning. Roll up the dough like a jellyroll pinching the edges to seal, and place seam side down on baking sheet.
Mix garlic into egg mixture and paint over the top and edges of the roll. Bake for 30 minutesor until golden brown. (pillsbury dough usually only takes about 20.) Let roll rest about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

For more variation, use a combination of meats or add grilled onions, peppers, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, or whatever. Also, try dipping slices in marinara sauce! On the odd chance that there are any left overs, you can freeze slices and re-heat like a hot pocket for a quick lunch.

Southwest Chicken Salad

My friend Lori made this salad for me this week for lunch. It was so delicious I had to come home and make it again! Thanks for sharing the recipe with me, Lori!

Dressing
1/3 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

4 Tbsp sugar

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Salad
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

frozen corn to taste - thawed and drained

1 medium sweet red pepper, julienned

1/2 medium jicama, julienned

1/3 cup sliced green onions

6 cups torn romaine lettuce

1 1/2 cup grilled chicken strips

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the first 8 ingredients; shake well and set aside. In a bowl, toss beans, corn, red pepper, jicama, and onion. Add lettuce; mix well. Pour dressing over mixture; toss. Top with chicken.

FAVORITE FROSTING

Usually when I have a piece of cake or even a cookie I end up scraping off most of the frosting because its too sweet or waxy. Finally I've found a light, fluffy frosting with the perfect balance of sweetness! For those of you at work, this is the same pink frosting I used on my cake last week.

FAVORITE FROSTING

1 Cup milk
5 Tablespoons flour
1 Cup white sugar (not powdered sugar!)
1 Cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a small saucepan heat milk and flour over low heat, stirring constantly. Heat until mixture thickens about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool completely.* Refrigerate if necessary. Cover to prevent skin from forming.

Once milk has completely cooled, cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla until fluffy. Sir in cooled milk mixture and beat until spreading consistency and the sugar has completely dissolved.

*if milk does not cool completely it can melt the butter and cause the frosting to separate. not pretty!

Pizza Crust Fantasico

My recipe this week is is for pizza dough. I've finally found a recipe that makes the chewy/crusty dough that I like without being too heavy or biscuit-like. The tomato gives it a nice rosy color and it can be rolled out thin, or left thick and chewy! Get creative by adding parmesan, fresh basil, sun-dried tomtato, or whatever you like!

Pizza Crust Fantasico

1 1/2 C warm water
1 T honey or brown sugar
1 3/4 t active dry yeast
2 1/2 C all purpose flour
3/4 C whole wheat flour
1/4 C corn flour (not corn meal)
1 t salt
2 t Italian seasoning
1/2 C tomato sauce or pizza sauce
2 T olive oil

1. Dissolve honey and yeast in warm water and let stand 10 minutes until foamy.

2. In large bowl mix flour, salt, and seasoning. Stir in yeast mixture, tomato sauce, and olive oil. Mix until dough starts to come together then turn onto floured surface. Knead until dough becomes smooth and supple about 8 minutes. (note: dough is a bit sticky so keep surface and hands lightly floured.) Form into ball.

3. In another large bowl, pour 1-2 T olive oil to coat bottom of bowl. Place dough ball in bowl and turn to coat all sides. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and then a dish towel and place bowl in warm spot. Allow dough to rise and double about an hour.

4. Pre heat oven to 450. Punch down dough to distribute air bubbles. Divide dough in half for 2 large crusts or or more sections for smaller crusts. Roll sections into balls and cover. Let rest 10 minutes.

5. Sprinkle baking stone or pizza pan with cornmeal or flour. Roll dough into rounds or gently use back of hands to stretch dough to desired thickness and size. Place on stone. Lightly brush olive oil across pie to within 1 inch or edges. This keeps the sauce from making the dough soggy. Top with pizza sauce and whatever toppings you like. Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes depending upon thickness and desired crispiness!