Turkey Pot Pie

And one more cure for turkey boredom...

• 1-2 cups shredded turkey breast
• cooked/frozen peas
• cooked/ frozen corn
• cooked carrots
• cooked potatoes
• turkey gravy
• Stuffing cubes
  
• Trader Joe's Puff pastry sheets
• Sage and thyme to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 egg, beaten
  

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.

Place all in a sauce pan and heat over med high. Place in a oven-proof mini crock (I used some traditional onion soup crocks - an awesome Goodwill find!). Top with the puff pastry cut to size. Brush the pastry with the egg, and place in oven for 10-15 mins until pastry is brown.

Turkey Chili

A certain cure for leftover turkey boredom...




This is a variation of this recipe:

• 2 cups chopped onion
• 4 garlic cubes
• 1 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 (35 oz) cans whole tomatoes, crushed
• 2 (15 oz) cans kidney beans, drained
• 2 bacon strips chopped
  
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 3/4 cup chicken or turkey stock
• 2 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp dried hot red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp salt, plus more if desired to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 to 4 cups of shredded, cooked turkey meat
• 3-4 pineapple chunks
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
  

• Shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onion, sour cream for optional garnish.

1 In a large, cast iron pot, cook the onion and green pepper over medium high heat, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for a minute or two more. Add a bit more olive oil if needed.

2 Add tomatoes, tomato paste, stock. beans, oregano, salt, pepper, bacon, pineapple, pineapple juice and cooked turkey meat. Bring mixture to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for an hour.

3 Salt to taste.

The chili may be made in advance and chilled for 2 days, or frozen for 2 months.

Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped red onion, and or sour cream.

Makes about 12 cups. Serves 8.

And the leftovers begin.

I wonder how many meals I can possibly make from leftover turkey? Thinking of all the variations reminds of the rundown of all the meals that Mr. Parker wouldn't have, thanks to the Bumpuses' dogs...

The heavenly aroma still hung in the house. But it was gone, all gone! No turkey! No turkey sandwiches! No turkey salad! No turkey gravy! Turkey Hash! Turkey A La King! Or gallons of turkey soup!

Turkey a la King sounds like a heart-attack platter. Really heavy, creamy and saucy, and it doesn't sound appetizing enough to even Google. I could be wrong, it's just a hunch.

So far I've enjoyed an open-faced turkey sandwich...and I think I will freeze some for a nice turkey potpie. Turkey croquettes are a fave, but I have no stuffing or mashed taters, and they are pretty fattening. A turkey BLT sounds right up my alley though...

Any thoughts, foodies?

Arroz con Pollo

...(Rice with chicken, if your Spanish is rusty.)

This is a variation of a Tyler Florence Recipe. Ay dios mio! Was it ever good, and it made a TON of food. Next time I will cut the cayenne in HALF because it was rather caliente for my delicate taste buds. I will make my variations BOLD.

• 2 boneless breasts and 4 bone-in thighs with skin on
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 TB ground cumin
• 1 TB tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (this is about right...I think I used a whole tsp)
  
• 1 pound chorizo, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 Spanish onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (I used my garlic cubes)
  
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups long grain white rice(Carolina brand)
  
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes with liquid (crush by hand)
  
• 1 QT chicken broth (I used a free-range box of broth from Trader Joes)
  
• 1 cup pimento stuffed green olives

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry. In a small bowl, blend 2 tablespoons oil, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, paprika and cayenne. Rub each piece of chicken with the spice paste and let sit for at least 20 minutes for the flavor to develop.

In a heavy, cast iron enamel pot with lid, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Fry the chorizo over medium heat until it is crispy and renders its fat. Remove the chorizo with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Place the chicken in the pan, skin side down, and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes Remove from pan and set aside. Make a sofrito by sauteing the onion, garlic, bell pepper and bay leaves; cooking until the vegetables are very soft and almost dissolved. Stir in the rice so the grains are well coated with the sofrito.

Add the tomatoes and broth, season with salt and pepper. Return the chorizo and chicken to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and let simmer for 5 minutes. (Rice will settle, so make sure rice is NOT sticking to the bottom because it will burn.) Cover and transfer pot to oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is done and the rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid. Scatter the olives on top of the chicken and rice before serving.

Salsa Verde:

• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup blanched almonds, toasted
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 lime, juiced

To prepare the Salsa Verde: In a food processor, blend together all ingredients to form a loose paste. Garnish Arroz Con Pollo with Salsa Verde before serving.

Winter in West Chester

Having some fun with Picnik.com, a photoediting software that is loads of fun. Slow to process, but lots of great effects.

I woke up to a sick kid, and a winter wonderland. Had to stop and appreciate the beauty between trips to the washer to clean pukey sheets.

Here was my view from the balcony...

1960's effect

Orton-ish effect with art stamps

Pesto-Crusted Salmon with Romanesco and Parmesan Brown Rice

I finally found a place for my oddball veggie. It was good! Kind of feels like cauliflower to the bite, but has a stronger taste. Pesto salmon is so tasty. Just spread your favorite pesto atop a salmon fillet and bake for 25 mins at 400 degrees. Quick, easy. YUM.

Food Fun

It's hard getting a kid to eat. So you have to resort to things like this.

Odd find at the Grower's Market

Have you ever seen Romanesco broccoli? I hadn't, and I like to think of myself as pretty well-rounded when it comes to food. I vowed to try new things, but this has been sitting there for 2 days now, and I can't seem to figure out what I want to do with it.

Italian Breakfast

I love my new espresso pot. It's foolproof for retards like me who have trouble making a simple pot of coffee, and it makes just the right amount. It's also a way for me to escape back to Italy - even on busy mornings - to enjoy what I call the Italian breakfast.

A typical breakfast in Acquavella would be an espresso with a cookie, or biscotti in the early morning. Followed by a 5 course feast by 12 noon. No wonder breakfast is so limited.

Berry's Fall-Apart Pot Roast

My girlie, Berry, was nice enough to share her yummy pot roast recipe with me. I'd rather not trust the internet to a dish that takes so long to make. That's where I turned to tried and true recipes from friends like her...

I think I want to start posting my recipes here as well as OSF. They had a server glitch recently, and ALL my recipes were lost. I had to rely on Google cache to retrieve them and repost ALL od them again. So to save myself another mini-freakout, I will paste recipes here too.

RECIPE:

• 2-3 lb beef chuck
• 2 onions (1 minced, 1 chopped course)
  
• 2 (approx) cups water
• 5 red baby potatoes (peeled and halved)
  
• 2 cups baby carrots
• (parsnips optional)
• 2 celery stalks
• salt
• pepper
• garlic paste
• EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
  

Gravy:

• 1-2 tsp Kitchen Master
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons cold water

Spread the beef with the garlic paste and season well with salt, pepper.

In a cast iron enamel pot, coat the bottom of the pot with EVOO. Heat over med-high, and add the beef. Brown both sides well, then turn fattiest side down.

Turn heat to LOW. Add 1 1/2 cups of water. Add 1 onion, minced. Let cook on LOW heat for 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 hrs.

(Be sure to add more water if it's getting low, there should always be about 2 inches.)

Add potatoes. carrots, onions (and parsnips). Leave on LOW for another 1 1/2 hours.

If potatoes are not done, leave for another 15-20 mins.

Remove meat and veggies from the pot. Add kitchen master. In a glass, mix flour and water into a slurry. Turn pot up to med-high and start whisking, adding the flour/water a little at a time. Make more if needed.

Keep whisking until desired thickness.

Carve meat, and serve with veggies, drizzle with gravy. You may end up with much more gravy than you need for the dish. Freeze for another time!

A wink and a nod to the FOP (and a lesson in etiquette).

I'm driving in WC on Monday and on my way to Giant with Daughter. I come to a five point intersection (mind you...I am from DE, just moved to PA and I'm not familiar with all the roads yet) and the red light looks like it's for the street to the left of me, but I am turning right. No signs to be seen, and no cars in sight. So I turn.

*Woooooo! Whiiiirrrrr* (red and blue lights flashing)

Me: CRAP!
Daughter: What, mama?
Me: A police officer wants to talk to Mommy.
Daughter: Why?
Me: I think I made a mistake.

Nice officer gets out of his car, but my registration/insurance is in my trunk because those document holders that come with cars these days are too big for the glove compartment. As he's walking to my car, I'm already opening my door, but now I'm having flashbacks of COPS episodes where officers think they are getting attacked when drivers open their doors. He didn't seem concerned, but I explained my docs were in the trunk. He was already waving at Daughter and making funny faces.

He asked if I knew why I was pulled over. I explained that I didn't quite know what to do at that light, but I'm pretty sure I knew now. He said, "Fair enough..."

I handed him my documents and (CRAP AGAIN!) I still have a DE license, along with PA plates and PA registration and insurance. Nice move, Blondie. I told him I planned to get my PA license this week, and he was fine with that too. Huh?

He went back to his car, and Lilly wasn't even fazed. Her Tom & Jerry DVD was more interesting than Mom getting in trouble.

He came back pretty quickly, and began to make small talk. "Who do you know on the job?" I'm always confused by this question at first, because I forget about my FOP badge on my plate. I snapped to, and said, "Oh I know quite a few Delaware officers. That's where I'm from, originally." He asks for names, and I spew them out. He says, "I know those guys!", then asks how it was living on Silverside Rd. He knew that area, because he used to work nearby.

Now he starts telling me of FOP "etiquette". I had no idea there was such a thing. Apparently, 1 out of 10 police officers will take offense if you have an FOP badge on your plate, and not actually in the FOP. He explained how he and most officers couldn't care less, but I could possibly get that jerk one day who actually does get all miffed about it. I said that I donate every year to the Order, but that won't matter to the "respect-my-authorit-tie" officer.

So there you go. A word to the wise. 9 times out of 10, an FOP badge will save your ass. It has for me. He let me go!

Rosemary Chicken with Potatoes, Tomatoes, and Olives.

I feel like pizza tonight...

Had another craving for the Dueling Pizzas. This time, broccoli/ricotta and pepperoni!

My Food Photos

Zibbs had a question about how I get such good photos of my food...I'm happy to share!

There is no real trick, nor is there an uber-expensive camera in use here. I have a Canon Digital Elph SD750. The setting usually consists of natural daylight, and food on a white plate, sitting on the counter near the window. I set the camera to the macro setting (that little flower icon above) and NO flash. Then I take about 5 - 10 pics, until I get a few I really like. Using macro needs a really steady hand, so I usually lean the camera on a glass or the counter. Hold the button down half-way to focus, then you can watch your subject come into focus as the background fades to a blur. Then push all the way down to take the pic.

Taking pics of really hot food is kind of impossible, because you have to get really close for the use of macro, then your lens steams up. Let it cool a bit before taking pics.

I really do want to get a high quality digicam someday just for this purpose. But I hesitate because I really do get pretty good results with my point & shoot. Don't you think?

Hangover breakfast.

What a waste of a Saturday. After 1 too many lemon drops, I was left feeling like a shivering, clammy mess. Add to that, the guilt that I put on myself for feeling useless, like I'm letting myself down. I had plans for Saturday (my weekly trip to the farmer's markets, and a clothing sale) and I blew it.

I couldn't schlepp myself out of bed til about 11:30, then I managed to brush my teeth. Just the motion made me hurl. Mkay, that was counter-productive. Then I figured I had to get something into my system. I needed substance. So I walked to Bagel Crust and got a bacon/egg/cheese.

Walked home (barely), took 2 bites and that sent me straight for the toilet again. Forget that.

I didn't eat til about 7:30 that evening, and even then, I could only stomach some soup and crackers.

Sunday came and I still wasn't 100%, so I made this and it seemed to hit the spot. :)

!@#$%^!! Update - What would YOU do?

You ask, you get.

I took a look at my car after it was washed, and I noticed the paint was "spidered" across the length of the bumper, and dirt was getting caught in the cracks. I called my body shop (who says MY body shop?! Me, since this is my third rear-ender in a year!!) and they said I should come in.

My main concern is this getting worse over the course of my 2-yr lease. So I emailed Crash and told him of my findings, and that I'd be paying the body shop a visit. He said "No problem". He's been great thus far...

So on my way back from voting yesterday, I would pass the shop. So I called. They know me there, you know. All work halted for the chance to laugh at my luck again. "Sure, Kim! C'mon by! (chuckle, chuckle)".

So I do, and they said it should definitely be repainted to prevent more cracking. They sent me an estimate via email.

$859.61

So I forward estimate to Crash. Crash is displeased and getting a little sassy in email form. Asking me to try to get them to lower their estimate to $600, or have me get another quote elsewhere.

Ok, it's steep, right? But this is the body shop I trust to work on my car(s), and who BMW recommends. I don't really want to go elsewhere. After all, he hit me. Yes, he was gracious enough to stay behind and leave his number saying he'd "take care of it" but didn't want to go through insurance.

What would you do?

Sidebar: After much consideration, I've decided this was NOT a ploy to get my phone number after all. Am I losing my luster?

Oh Happy Day!

I've been singing this all morning. I'm hardly into gospel, but it expresses the mood! I have so many thoughts swirling through my head, and a tear in my eye. America sent a huge message yesterday, and what rings loudest first is the abatement of racism. We can dream bigger now, equality is emerging. It's about time, too.

But it clearly isn't just about race. The demographics showed that to be certain. It was about a change that we NEED. It's about hope. It's about taking back our country.

I could kick myself for falling asleep at 10pm. I guess I was assured that things were moving in the right direction, so I dozed off. When I woke up and saw all the fanfare, I was sad I missed it.

What was most impressive to me was the vote tally for D.C:
93% OBAMA - 7% McCain
If that doesn't speak volumes, I don't know what does.

At least voter fraud can't be blamed for this win. I was worried it would be a repeat of the Gore/Bush fiasco. But you can't argue with these results.

America has spoken! Hells yeah.

I wish he could start tomorrow.

My vote.

I'm such a dork, but I had to document my historical moment :D How exciting!

Then I had to stop - in the rain - to take this pic:

Go Joe!!

I Heart Boobs.

I'm a fan of BMWs and boobs. That's why on Wednesday, October 29th, I participated in the BMW Ultimate Drive. I drove a 135i Coupe for breast cancer research and BMW donates $1 per mile, and Otto's BMW matched each dollar. I also got the opportunity to put my signature on the main car, which I'm sure will be presented at a future fundraiser.

What a NEAT car! So fast, and handled great. But let's not lose sight of the cause here. I drove specifically for boobs. Really, I did...

It could be the perfect year.

Come on, America. Let's make this the perfect 2008. We got this far...


Let's take it all the way...


I have to say I've seen the mood so far, and people are excited. Or maybe they are just nuts. This election sure is bringing out the "crazy" in people. Maybe people are just scared. Someone at work said they saw a woman crying at the polls. Then I heard that a dude was praying the rosary in the voting line.

I just hope the large turnout is indeed because people are tired of being disappointed for so long.

Let's straighten up and fly right!

Italian Stuffed Cabbage

This is peasant living. Scored a HUGE head of green cabbage at the grower's market on Saturday. $1.50! I decided to make stuffed cabbage. Lills helped, but we only used half of it for this extra large meal, so we'll use the other half when we make Bubble & Squeak in a couple days. I like stretching every dollar, and using every scrap in the fridge - like we're in a depression.

Oh that's right, we are in a depression. I still like doing it. Something about it is really gratifying.

Anyway, here's some pics. And the recipe is here!

Look at the size of this thing!!

Peel off the leaves as it boils

Lil helper

Ready for stuffin.

Ready for eatin. MMM!

• 1 large head of green cabbage
  
• 1 1/2 lbs of meatloaf mix (beef, veal, pork) ground
  
• 3/4 cup uncooked white long grain rice
  
• 1 stick butter, salted and MELTED
  
• 1 bunch Italian parsley, chopped
  
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced into rings
  
• 1 egg
  
• 4 cloves garlic (or 4 frozen garlic cubes)
  
• 2 tsp salt
  
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1 tsp black pepper
  
• sprinkle of cayenne pepper
  
• dash of paprika
  
• 1 quart chicken or beef broth
  
• 1 cup of broth from a can of tomatoes
  
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (28oz)

Oven at 350 degrees F (cook time: 2 hours)

Take the cabbage head and core the center pretty deep into the head. Fill a deep dutch oven with water and submerge the cabbage head. As the water gets hot and/ or boils, the leaves will come off one by one. As they do, gently remove with tongs without ripping the leaves. You want about 15 leaves like this.

As you pile the leaves up, cut out the stalky part for easier rolling. Once you have 15 leaves, set aside.

In a big bowl, combine the meat, rice, melted butter, parsley, egg, garlic, salt, worcestershire, pepper, cayenne, and paprika. Mix well.

Take a handful of meat and shape into a small log. Place on a cabbage leaf and roll like a wrap, tucking in the sides as you roll. Do this until all meat is gone. It should make 10-12 rolls with 4-5 leaves left over.

In a cast iron dutch oven, line the bottom with some cabbage leaves. Add a layer of onion. add 1/2 the tomatoes. Place the rolls in a row, and sides. Add some extra cabbage pieces to fill in the gaps. you want a tight fit.

Add another layer of cabbage leaves. Another layer of onion, and the other half of tomatoes. Add the rest of the rolls and fill in gaps again with more cabbage.
Pour the chicken broth in, just to cover. Add the cup of tomato broth. Top with more flat cabbage leaves and put the lid on. Make sure you have about an 1 1/2 of room at the top of your pot, because the rice will expand and make the rolls bigger.

To be safe, place a piece of foil under your pot in the oven for drippage.

Place in a 350 oven for 1 hour, then check. Press the cabbage down. If it is dry, add more stock. Let it cook for another hour.

When done, let cool for a good 1/2 hour. You can't really taste these when they are piping hot.

This is a full course meal in itself! Great for fall. Very heart-warming.