Ten Hundred Million Years

Rosi has a typically childish notion of time. That is to say, she really has no concept of how long an hour, a day, or a year is. When something hasn't happened soon enough to please her (generally the instant she suggests it), she'll complain that it's been hours or days or even "ten hundred million years" since she first asked and she can't possibly wait any longer.

After she made such a comment the other day in the car, I explained to Adam my theory as to why time moves so much faster for Rosi than for the rest of us: in her universe, everything revolves around her. Since she's so much smaller than the sun, it all goes by that much quicker.

Meanwhile, it's been positively forever since my last post. We've been doing our best to keep ourselves occupied here, so let me give you a bulleted list of what we're up to these days.

• I've been spending a lot of time cooking, thinking about cooking, reading about cooking, writing about cooking (I have 60+ recipes posted over at Low-Carb Real Food), and trying to take half-decent pictures of my food. And when I'm done with all that, I spend a few minutes eating and then the kitchen has to be cleaned up all over again. Cooking three meals a day at home makes for a lot of dishes!
• Ever since I made the doll for my contest winner a couple of years ago, I've been wanting to make another and work out my own pattern. I even went so far as to buy yarn for the project a few months back. Then I got caught up doing other things, and I've only gotten back to it the last week or so. As best I can figure, I'm about halfway done. I've also run out of stuffing, so I need to make a run to the store before I can finish any further. Originally, this doll was meant to be for Rosi, but she'd been begging for another doll who would close its eyes when lying down. We found one for 25¢ at a garage sale over the summer and it's been well loved by both the kids. Since Rosi has a new-to-her doll, I decided that once I finish this one, it will be for Ian. I'm shooting to make it a birthday gift, which means I have about 2½ months to complete the doll and make it some clothes.
• I've been homeschooling Rosi to a greater or lesser degree for about two years now. We've tried a few different educational philosophies, but the one we keep returning to is unschooling, or interest-led learning. I really felt like I was trying too hard last year, pushing her when she didn't need any pushing. This year, I decided we really needed some support and community in the homeschooling arena. A couple of weeks ago, we joined a local homeschool group. we've gotten together with them for a couple of activities already and it's been a lot of fun. I'm really excited about what's coming up in the next several months. Rosi is too. It's been difficult for her to maintain friendships when she doesn't see kids at school everyday. A few of our neighbors have kids, but most of them are younger. The one friend her own age that she'd made in our building moved out several months ago. We also haven't had a regular church we've been attending, so that hasn't been a viable avenue for ongoing friendships either.
• And speaking of churches, we actually visited one this morning that we'd all like to go to again. The people were welcoming, the message was solid and timely, the music was good, and I was really happy with the way they handled communion. I've been less than impressed with the way children are so often overlooked when it comes to communion. I understand that families and denominations have differing beliefs about who can take communion. But, in practice, I am very uncomfortable with the way my kids have been treated when we've visited some churches and have brought them up for communion. It is very rare to find a communion "policy" noted in the bulletin or announced during the service. At the church we worshiped in this week, however, the pastor invited the congregation to participate and noted that each family should determine whether their children should receive the bread and wine. One of the things I loved most about our church in Illinois was the recognition that we all don't agree on a lot of theological points--and that's okay. The Church is big enough for people to hold different ideas about baptism or communion or speaking in tongues. Those issues are not actually central to the Gospel and they shouldn't be treated as if they were. I'm excited to find someplace that makes a point of that right in the service.
• Ian is having his own version of interest-led learning. You might call it "toilet unschooling." For the past month or so, he's been pretty frequently asking to use the toilet. He's also gotten really remarkable in the way he can undress himself and take a diaper off, even when he's snapped into a bodysuit. So, I've mostly given up on trying to keep him dressed. I insist that he wear a diaper when we're out or while he's sleeping, but most of the time he spends the majority of his day running around the house without any clothes on. He uses the toilet more than not, and for those times when he doesn't quite make it, I keep a spray bottle of cleaner and a roll of paper towels handy. As an added bonus, I figure he's probably saved us about $15 in diapers so far.

Well, that's not everything we've been up to, but that's probably enough for one post. I will try to start updating with a little more frequency again. Maybe I can manage to post more like once a week rather than once a month. For now, I'm going to go catch up on some sleep!

Real Food (PSA)

I started a new blog dedicated to low-carb recipes that use real food ingredients, rather than artificial substitutes.

Two months ago now, I went low carb. I started slowly, not really counting carbs, just cutting out breads and sweets and limiting my fruit consumption. After a couple of weeks, I started keeping a food journal and adding up my daily carb count. I'm not following any particular diet plan, but I do try to keep my carbs between 20 and 40 net grams per day.

As I started looking for new ideas online, I was disappointed to see how many uninspired low-carb recipes are out there. So many of them seem to rely heavily on artificial or specialty (read, pricey) ingredients. I don't like fake foods and we can't afford expensive ones. Figuring I'm surely not alone, I decided to share some of the recipes I've adapted or created. The dishes are low carb, low sugar, and most are completely grain free.

If you're interested in real food for real people, take a look and see what you might like to make.

You have reached the conclusion of this public service announcement. Thank you for your time.

I Promised Cookies

We have a favorite new breakfast treat in the Gray household: COOKIES!! I feel like the Proverbs 31 woman; my children rise up and bless me, or at least they don't complain about breakfast and even want seconds.

And before you start thinking I've turned into a pale, not-so-funny Bill Cosby, let me assure you, these are cookies you can actually feel good about serving your children for breakfast, afternoon snack, or just about any time they ask!

Breakfast Cookies
½ c applesauce
1 banana, mashed
2 c oatmeal
¼ c raisins
¼ c sliced almonds
1 T butter
2 eggs

1. Beat together all ingredients
2. Scoop mixture into ⅓ c portions and shape into cookies
3. Place cookies on a well-greased baking pan
4. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes or until edges are a deep golden brown
5. Remove immediately to a wire rack and let cool briefly before serving

Makes 8 large cookies.

Breakfast Bars
My family actually prefers breakfast bars to individual cookies. Instead of scooping out portions in step 2, simply press the mixture into an 8" x 8" square or 9" round baking pan and bake at 325°F for 35-40 minutes. The recipe is easily doubled to fit a 9" x 13" pan.

You can also substitute just about any fruit sauces, dried fruits or nuts to suit your taste or what you may have on hand. I've found this to be a very versatile recipe.

The Worst News for Chickens Since Col. Sanders

I was served this wonderful breaded-chicken dish at a friends' house one evening. When I raved about it, they directed me to Rachel Ray's website for the Cheddar-Crusted Chicken recipe. I had Adam make some for me posthaste. Yummy. But, since I can never leave well enough alone, I had to play, making the recipe just a little bit tastier. I also came up with a great variation for a Parmesan breading, which I've posted below.

Oven-fried Cheddar Chicken Fingers
serves 4-6

2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken (about 4 breasts)
3 c salted baby pretzels
4 oz cheddar cheese, grated or cubed
1 t thyme
¼ t pepper
1 egg
2 T water
¼ c flour

1. Slice chicken into fingers (approx. ½” x 1½”).
2. Grind together pretzels, cheese, thyme, and pepper until they resemble coarse bread crumbs. Place in a shallow bowl.
3. Beat egg and water in another shallow dish. Pour flour into a third dish.
4. Dredge chicken through flour, egg, then pretzel mixture.
5. Place fingers ¼" apart on a greased cookie sheet.
6. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until juices run clear.

Variation: Chicken Parmesan Fingers

Substitute

• 1½ c dry breadcrumbs for baby pretzels
• 2 oz Parmesan cheese for the cheddar cheese
• ½ t oregano for one-half the thyme

Add

• ½ t salt

Serve warm, with marinara sauce for dipping.

Not Quite Auntie Anne's

I love Auntie Anne's pretzels. I have could eat them as a whole meal. Sadly, while they aren't terribly expensive, they're not something we can afford to keep in our regular monthly food budget. And during months like these, when the food budget is already overburdened with stocking up for postpartum meals, even a special treat is out of the question. So, I made my own. The original recipe knock-off I found was created by Todd Wilbur of Top Secret Recipes. While his was pretty tasty, I humbly submit that mine is even better.

Pretzel Dough
2¼ c all-purpose flour
1½ c whole wheat flour
2¼ t yeast
¼ c sugar
1½ t salt
1 c very warm water (approx. 120°F)

1. Stir together dry ingredients
2. Add water and stir together until well mixed
3. Knead until smooth and elastic (5-10 minutes)
4. Cover and let rise one hour or until doubled in size
5. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces
6. Roll each into a rope at least 2 feet long and twist into desired shape

Salt Bath
2 c warm water
2 T salt

1. Dissolve salt into water
2. Dip each pretzel into bath and shake to drain off excess water
3. Place pretzels ½-1" apart on a greased baking pan
4. Bake in a preheated 425°F oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown

Toppings
2 T melted butter
     -AND-
2 t coarse salt
     -OR-
¼ c brown sugar
1½ T cinnamon

1. Brush warm pretzels with melted butter
2. Sprinkle with coarse salt or dredge in cinnamon sugar

I Just Made the Yummiest Soup!

I've made a similar soup before and thought I'd just change it up a little. I had no idea it would be this good. I'm glad I made a double recipe!! Leftovers, mmmmmmmm ...

Potato-Bacon Chowder
serves 4-6

4 strips thick-sliced bacon
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 small carrot, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 T flour
3 c chicken broth
2 medium potatoes, diced
¾ c corn
¼ t thyme
1/8 t oregano
¼ t salt
1/8 t pepper

1. Fry bacon until crisp. Drain and crumble, reserving 1 T grease.
2. Place onion, celery, and carrot in a saucepan with the reserved bacon grease. Heat at medium-high, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent.
3. Add garlic and cook for one minute more.
4. Stir in flour until fully absorbed, then add chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
5. Add potatoes, corn, crumbled bacon, and spices. Reduce heat to medium.
6. Simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.
7. Eat with a great big smile on your face!

Homemade Chicken Soup for the Sick

I have joined the ranks of the sick. Again. Ugh. I figured chicken soup would make a good lunch, but really had no desire to defrost chicken or chop vegetables all morning. They say necessity is the mother of invention. I say lazy people come up with the most efficient way to do things. Actually, that’s not even mine. I stole it from Frank Bunker Gilbreth, Sr., professional motion-study expert.

Meanwhile, here’s a good-for-you meal that’s still manageable, even when getting out of bed is a struggle. This recipe is based on what I have on hand in my kitchen. If your staples are a bit different, by all means, substitute whatever makes it easiest for you!

1 medium onion
3 garlic cloves (or 1 T minced)
2 t oil
½ lb frozen mixed veggies (about 1½ c)
½ c dry brown rice
½ t oregano
½ t sage
salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
5 c water
2 bullion cubes
1 frozen chicken breast (about ½ lb)

1. Chop onion and mince garlic.
2. Sauté in oil until soft (about 5 minutes).
3. Add frozen veggies and rice. Cook until veggies have melted.
4. Season and add water. Bring to a boil.
5. Add bullion cubes and frozen chicken breast.
6. Simmer for 1-1½ hours, stirring occasionally, and adding more water if necessary.
7. Use spoon to break up chicken breast into bite-size pieces before serving.

Peach Crepes

Peach season has arrived. Even if you don't live in Georgia, you can find fresh, ripe peaches this time of year at a very reasonable price. The question is, once you have the bushel basket on your counter, what are you going to do with all of them?

I had a few about ready to go the other morning and I decided they'd make a yummy crepe filling. My daughter enjoyed them so much, she ate four, then asked for more! Adam ate his for dessert that night after dinner.

Crepes
2 eggs
¾ c milk
½ c water
1 c flour
3 T oil

Filling
4 ripe peaches, pitted, peeled, and sliced
1/3 c brown sugar
¼ c water
1 t cinnamon
½ t nutmeg

1. Beat all crepe ingredients together until thoroughly blended.
2. Let stand 10 minutes or while preparing the filling.
3. Combine filling ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
4. Simmer, stirring occasionally until syrup has thickened enough to leave a trail when scraping a spoon across the bottom of the pan.
5. Pour by generous 1/8 cupful (2 T) into a small frying pan.
6. Tip pan to spread batter to the edges.
7. Cook on first side until no liquid is left on top.
8. Lift pan, allowing crepe to slide halfway out; flip crepe over.
9. Cook another 30 seconds.
10. Divide filling among crepes, roll, and serve warm.

Nutrition Facts Serving Size 3 filled crepes (289 g) Serving per Recipe 4½
Amount per Serving Calories 289 Calories from Fat 115
	% DV
Total Fat 13.0g Saturated Fat 2.5g Monounsaturated Fat 8.0g Polyunsaturated Fat 1.5g Cholesterol 111mg Sodium 48mg Total Carbohydrates 36.5g Dietary Fiber 3.2g Sugars 13.5g Protein 8.5g	20% 13% 37% 2% 12% 17%

Food Funnies

If you've read this blog for any length of time, you know I enjoy cooking and I like to get creative with my food. There are times, however, I think folks get a little too creative as they are trying to come up with new recipes.

Adam and I belong to an electricity cooperative. I'm not sure exactly what that means, except it seems to make our electric bill lower. The co-op sends out a monthly magazine describing what's going on around the area, how to make the most of your membership, safety tips, and, of course, seasonal recipes.

Month after month, we've looked forward to the arrival of our magazine for a look at these recipes. We've never made one. That's not the point. These dishes are singularly unappetizing. Reading through the list of ingredients is like passing a horrific traffic accident: You hope that everybody's okay, but you can't take your eyes off the mangled car parts.

Being the generous man he is, Adam thought he should share these recipes with the rest of the world. If you, too, would like to read about some truly spectacular kitchen disasters, check out his new blog, Dishes to Die From. Not only does he offer atrocious recipes, but amusing commentary on just what makes them so unpalatable.

For those whose stomachs are easily upset, you might want to make sure to schedule your visit far away from meal times. Just in case.

Perfect Hard-boiled Eggs

Hard-boiled eggs are a wonderful food. Easily portable, high in protein, and good on their own or as part of a larger dish. I've even eaten hard-boiled eggs on pizza (and it was pretty good).

Unfortunately, when the eggs are hard to peel, this yummy, easy food becomes an absolute pain in the neck.

There is, however, a right way to boil eggs. Who knew?

1. Arrange eggs in pan so they are not touching.
2. Cover with cold water.
3. Bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Remove eggs from pan and place in a bowl filled with ice water.
6. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
7. Remove from water, dry, and peel or store.

Using this method, even my 4 year old can easily peel her own eggs without losing most of the eggwhite with the shell.

Happy boiling!

Cheating on Dinner

You may get the idea if you read my blog regularly that Adam and I make nearly all of our meals from scratch using fresh vegetables and wholesome staples. While that would certainly be ideal, that's hardly our every-evening routine.

I must admit, I don't post too many recipes which use prepared ingredients, because ... well, that feels like cheating to me. "Real" cooking should be done with fresh whole foods. But, when actual reality interferes with the notions I hold in my head (which, incidentally, is all too regular an occurrence), I do use frozen veggies, jarred sauces, and other culinary shortcuts.

This evening was one of those days. So, I made one of our old stand-by dinners. For the rest of you who live in the real world, and don't have the time, energy, or inclination for "real" cooking, let me share my cheat-sheet.

Chicken Fried Rice

• several T peanut oil (or olive, canola, vegetable, whatever ... even butter works in a pinch)
• ½ lb frozen peas and carrots or mixed vegetables
• ½ lb chicken, cooked and diced (I used a frozen chicken breast, defrosted and cooked in the microwave)
• Some salt
• Some pepper
• Some Chinese 5-spice powder (or, if we're out of that, plain cinnamon works, too)
• 1 egg
• Soy sauce
• 3 c cooked rice

1. In a large pan, heat oil over medium high.
2. Add frozen veggies and cook until they start to look appealing.
3. Add diced chicken, season to taste (usually 3-4 shakes each of salt and pepper and a few good sprinkles of 5-spice powder is good for us), and mix well.
4. Clear a space in the center of your pan, adding a little more oil if needed. Crack egg and stir quickly, avoiding the chicken and veggies as much as possible (a few will get mixed in, but that's okay).
5. Once the egg is cooked through, mix everything in the pan together with a few squirts of soy sauce and the rice.
6. Once everything is all mixed up, turn off the heat and serve with additional soy sauce.

Notes: You can substitute pork for the chicken to make pork fried rice, or leave the meat out entirely for veggie fried rice. I usually add a second egg if I'm going the veggie route.

Vegan Red Beans and Rice

I have a note with this recipe that I based it off one by Emeril Lagasse. I just went to look at his recipes on the Food Network site and can't seem to find which one I started with! In any case, no matter it's history, this is a yummy dinner. I think it tastes just like the meat version. Adam doesn't quite agree, but he finds it good in it's own way.

1½ c dry red beans
6 c vegetable broth (optional)
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 T oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
2½ t salt
½ t thyme
½ t black pepper
¼ t cayenne pepper (or more if you like it hot)
1 bay leaf
2 c dry rice

1. Soak beans overnight. Drain and simmer in broth or water for 1 hour. Set aside.
2. Sauté onion, pepper, and celery in oil until soft.
3. Add garlic, salt, thyme, and peppers, cooking one minute more.
4. Add beans and cooking liquid along with bay leaf. Add water if needed to cover the contents of the pan.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 2-3 hours. Stir occasionally and add more water if mixture becomes too thick.
6. Cook rice with 4 c water.
7. Serve bean mixture atop rice.

Hellish Dates

I never watched reality shows before I met Adam. He got me started on American Idol, which we watched faithfully for about three seasons before our schedule interfered. He also got me started on Hell's Kitchen.

Last spring, we decided we were watching too much television and we needed to give it up. Ironically, that was the week after Easter. I felt like we spent too many hours simply vegging out in front of the TV and not enough on productive pursuits and interactive involvement as a couple and as a family. So, we threw out our rabbit ears and limited ourselves to watching DVDs.

I knew Adam would be missing the final few episodes of the season for Hell's Kitchen, and I was somewhat bummed on his behalf. I didn't mind watching a carefully selected show or three, it was the mindless evenings we wasted staring at whatever was on that bothered me. About that time, I discovered Hulu. Actually, I'm pretty sure I read about it on a blog somewhere as part of Works for Me Wednesday. I checked out the site and saw that they had episodes of Hell's Kitchen. I e-mailed the link to Adam, telling him I knew he'd really like to see how it all turned out.

He watched the rest on the season online and even began watching a few other shows. Meanwhile, the summer passed and football season started. We repealed the moratorium on television watching and we bought a new set of rabbit ears. We watched football on Sundays (when it was on, *sniff*), but we still don't watch much else on our TV besides movies. Then the new season of Hell's Kitchen came on couple of months ago.

I missed the first episode or two, but one night as Adam was about to start the show, he asked if I'd like to watch it with him. I said, "Sure," and we started watching the rest of the season together. It's become sort of a weekly togetherness ritual for us. On one of the nights that Adam gets home a bit earlier, we put our daughter to bed, snuggle up on the couch in front of the laptop and watch Gordon Ramsay yell at the hapless would-be executive chefs. It's the closest we get to a date night every week.

This isn't the sort of tradition I would have necessarily thought to start, but it's been really fun. We can watch whichever evening is convenient for us, and, best of all, it's free! If we wanted, we could even go all out and eat homemade gourmet popcorn while we watch. Actually, that sounds good. I might have to make some this weekend.

Fresh Asparagus Omelet

Nothing says spring like fresh asparagus! I meant to take a photo of this dish, but by the time I was reaching for the camera, my family had eaten it all!

1 full bunch fresh asparagus, chopped into ½”-1” pieces
1 t butter or oil
1 medium onion, diced
8 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
6 oz goat cheese, crumbled

1. Steam asparagus with 1 cup water for five minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Sauté onions in butter or oil over medium-high heat until translucent.
3. Beat eggs with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Pour into well-greased 10” cake pan or soufflé dish.
5. Gently mix in asparagus and onions.
6. Sprinkle with goat cheese crumbles.
7. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 minutes or until the center is set.
8. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Breakfast or Breakfast for Dinner

I don't remember ever eating breakfast casseroles when I was a kid. I first had this one a couple of years ago. It was so delicious I asked my friend for the recipe. Since then, I've discovered it's a very versatile dish. This version is my stand-by, though, since we nearly always have the ingredients around.

2 slices of bread, any variety
½ lb bulk sausage
1 small onion
1 c spinach, well packed
5 eggs
1 c milk
1 small potato
½ c shredded or crumbled cheese

• Cut bread into ½” cubes.
• Brown sausage and drain well, reserving 1t grease.
• Dice onion. Cook in reserved grease over medium-high heat until translucent, adding spinach for the last 2-3 minutes.
• Beat together eggs and milk.
• Shred potato into bottom of 8 x 8 baking dish.
• Layer half the spinach, onions, bacon, and bread. Repeat with remaining half.
• Pour egg mixture over layers. Press bread cubes into egg mixture until fully soaked.
• Spread cheese over top of casserole.
• Bake uncovered at 350° 50-55 minutes, until center is set and edges are browned.

Soup ... Nuts!

The soup didn't turn out so well. My daughter did a great job of cutting the carrots and celery. She only needed slight direction in keeping the pieces of similar size. I cut the onions and garlic myself. We got everything into the pot, seasoned and simmering. Then my unofficial ADD kicked in. I mistakenly left the jars of thyme and bay leaves on the counter rather than putting them back up in the cupboard. I'd set the timer so that I would remember to stir the soup after about 15 minutes. When it went off, I discovered my daughter had been adding her own signature touch to the dish: the rest of the bottle of thyme. I sent her to her room while I dumped dinner attempt #1.

I decided not to try for another soup, but to just make some pasta and cheese. I set the water to boil and left the kitchen to sit back down. My daughter decided that another visit of her own to the kitchen was in order. While I was watching watching a movie and browsing the internet, she was smearing Karo syrup around on the kitchen floor.

And right now, it's still there. I haven't decided how best to clean a quarter-inch-deep puddle of corn syrup off the vinyl tile. Any ideas?

Chocolate Pancakes

Monday's a good day for chocolate, right?

4 eggs
1½ c milk
2 T oil
2 c flour
¼ c sugar
¼ c cocoa powder
2 t baking powder
½ t salt

1. Beat eggs in milk and oil.
2. Stir together dry ingredients.
3. Mix wet ingredients into dry until smooth.
4. Pour by 1/3 c measure onto greased griddle over medium high heat.
5. Cook on one side until bubbles burst at center of cakes, then turn.

Makes 12-15 pancakes.

Variations and serving suggestions:
Add ½ c chocolate chips or chopped walnuts to batter
Top with sliced fresh strawberries

Bread Bowls

For years, Adam and I have enjoyed the bread bowls at Panera. He decided to try making some on his own for a chili I made one evening. Since he doesn't like sourdough (crazy man), he used a french bread base. They turned out quite well that night and we've used this recipe ever since.

click photo for larger image       

6-7 cups flour
2 t salt
2¼ t yeast (1 package)
2 cups very warm water
cornmeal

1. Mix together 6 c flour, salt, and yeast.
2. Stir in water and mix until blended, adding up to 1 c more flour if needed to make dough workable.
3. Knead 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
4. Place in a greased bowl, covered with plastic. Allow to rise 2 hours or until doubled in size.
5. Punch down dough and divide into 6 pieces.
6. Shape into rolls and place on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Let rise an additional 10 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 400°F with a shallow pan of water on the lowest rack.
8. Bake rolls 18-22 minutes or until crusts are golden.
9. Remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool 15 minutes.
10. Cut into tops of rolls at a slight inward angle to about ¾ down. Pull to remove top and center of roll.
11. Scoop out additional bread if you wish, taking care not to break through the crust.
12. Fill with soup or chili and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts Serving Size 1 bowl (130 g) Serving per Recipe 6
Amount per Serving Calories 466 Calories from Fat 12
	% DV
Total Fat 1.5g Saturated Fat 0g Monounsaturated Fat 0g Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 818mg Total Carbohydrates 97.5g Dietary Fiber 4g Sugars 0.5g Protein 13.5g	2% 1% 0% 34% 32% 15%

11 Other Things to Do with Leftover Turkey

Besides reheating turkey and dressing for the next week, here are some ideas you can use to be a little more creative in finishing up the too-large turkey your family didn't eat on Christmas Day. Some of these ideas would work well with leftover ham or other meats as well.

1. Turkey Vegetable Soup
Saute a couple of carrots, a small onion, a few celery stalks, and a bell pepper (all diced) in butter or oil until softened. Add diced turkey and enough chicken or turkey broth to cover all the ingredients. Simmer 20 minutes to 1 hour. To make a cream soup, add a tablespoon or two of flour to the softened vegetables before adding broth and add a bit of cream to the soup at the end of cooking.


2. Bone Broth
Angela has an excellent broth-making tutorial on her food blog, Restricted Gourmet.


3. Turkey Salad
Simply add diced turkey to a green salad, or mix shredded turkey with a little mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper, celery, onion, apples, walnuts, or whatever you normally put in a chicken salad.


4. Turkey Rice Casserole
Make Wild Rice Casserole, substituting about a cup of diced or shredded turkey for the ground beef.


5. Turkey Fried Rice
Stir fry a couple cups of mixed vegetables: diced carrots, diced onions, peas, and a minced garlic clove or two. Add salt, pepper, and Chinese five spice powder or a dash each of cinnamon and ginger. Scramble two eggs (I usually do this in the center of the pan with all the vegetables--it doesn't matter if a few mix in, but you don't want egg-coated veggies). Add a handful of diced or shredded turkey and a few cups cooked rice. Sprinkle with soy sauce and let it all sizzle in the pan for a few minutes until heated through.


6. "Pulled" Turkey
Add a small diced onion and a few minced garlic cloves to a couple cups of shredded turkey (if turkey doesn't shred easily, let it simmer for 20 minutes in broth and cool before shredding). Cover with a cup of mustard; half a cup each brown sugar and vinegar; a tablespoon each butter, lemon juice, and paprika; and a teaspoon each salt, pepper, and cayenne. Mix well and serve on soft squishy sandwich buns.


7. Turkey Pot Pie
Using the Cream of Broccoli Soup recipe, substitute diced mixed vegetables (carrots, onions, peas, celery) for the broccoli. Make sure the soup is really thick before blending. Add a cup of diced or shredded turkey after blending the soup. Pour mixture into a double pastry crust and bake at 425°F for 30-40 minutes. Let cool another 10 minutes before serving.


8. Creamed Turkey on Toast
Make a white sauce using equal amounts melted butter and flour (about a quarter of a cup) with a dash each salt and pepper. Add a couple cups of milk, a cup of diced or shredded turkey, and a handful of cooked peas. Let boil one minute. Serve over toast, rice or biscuits.


9. Molded Turkey Salad
Let me preface this by saying I've never made a savory gelatin mold. But, if you're getting desperate to use up the turkey, this might be just what you're looking for.

Dissolve a package of cranberry, orange or raspberry gelatin in 2 c boiling water. Stir in a teaspoon of salt and a quarter cup of broth. Let chill until gelatin begins to harden (1-2 hours in the refrigerator). Add a couple of celery stalks and a small onion (both minced or shredded) and two cups finely diced or shredded turkey. Return to refrigerator and let set completely (another 2-4 hours).


10. Turkey Potstickers
Blend together in food processor (or finely chop together) a cup of diced turkey, a couple of whole water chestnuts, a couple of mushrooms, a couple of green onions, and a teaspoon of soy sauce. Mix with one beaten egg. Drop by tablespoonfuls into wanton skins and press edges together with a fork to seal. Arrange a single layer of potstickers in a frying pan. Add a cup of water, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Drain any remaining water and add a couple of teaspoons of oil. Fry potstickers until golden and crispy on both sides.


11. Turkey Sandiches
Layer slices of turkey, cranberry sauce, lettuce, and fried onions between slices of your favorite sandwich bread.

Tomato Herb Focaccia

I found an illustrated recipe for Italian Focaccia online. Unfortunately, even the "oven-sized" proportions the recipe writer suggests are a bit too much for our kitchen. Here's my version, with some added whole grain for texture and nutrition.

2 c flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1½ t yeast
¾ c very warm water (about 120°F)
½ c oil, divided
½ t salt
2 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 T fresh basil, finely chopped (or 2 t dried)
1 T fresh oregano, finely chopped (or 1 t dried)
½ t coarse salt

1. Combine dry ingredients; stir in water and ¼ c oil.
2. Knead until smooth, 10-15 minutes.
3. Cover dough and let rise 1-2 hours, until nearly tripled in size.
4. Meanwhile, set tomato slices to marinate in remaining oil and herbs.
5. Gently press and stretch dough into 9 x 13 pan sprinkled with cornmeal.
6. Press dimples into top of dough using fingertips or a small spoon. Let rise 15-30 minutes more.
7. Preheat oven to 450°F. Set a shallow pan of water on lowest rack.
8. Arrange tomatoes atop focaccia; drizzle with marinade and sprinkle with coarse salt.
9. Bake focaccia 20-25 minutes or until golden.
10. Cut into 24 strips.

Nutrition Facts Serving Size 2 piece (32 g) Serving per Recipe 12
Amount per Serving Calories 111 Calories from Fat 4
	% DV
Total Fat 0.5g Saturated Fat 0g Monounsaturated Fat 0g Polyunsaturated Fat 0g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 1mg Total Carbohydrates 23.5g Dietary Fiber 2g Sugars 0g Protein 3.5g	1% 0% 0% 0% 8% 7%