Just in time for Thanksgiving leftovers:
Cooking spray a casserole dish or baking pan. Smooth a layer of mashed potatoes over the bottom of the pan about 1 -2 inches thick. Top potatoes with chicken or turkey gravy. Arrange a layer of chopped turkey meat on top of gravy, then top with a layer of stuffing. Preheat oven to 350º. Bake for 45 – 50 minutes or until hot through. Cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the layers used.
This dish makes a great freezer meal. Cover well, or place dish in a freezer bag and seal. Thaw for about 24 hours before cooking and cook according to instruction above. If baking directly from the freezer, cook 1 hour covered, then uncover and continue baking for an additional 30 – 40 minutes.
Casserole is done when hot in the middle.
Items needed for baking a turkey:
1 turkey – purchase 3 – 5 days prior to baking and store in refrigerator
Turkey size oven baking bag
Chicken bouillon granules
Salt and pepper
Flour
Disposable aluminum turkey pan or large roaster (do not use lid)
For stuffing you will usually need:
Stuffing mix (or bread cubes and spices)
Celery
Onion
Butter
Chicken broth or desired fruit juice
Showing posts with label turkey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label turkey. Show all posts
Monday, November 24, 2008
Chicken or Turkey Pot Pie
½ cup fresh, chopped onion or 1 -2 tablespoons dried (reconstitute using boiling water, then drain)
½ cup celery or chopped fresh mushrooms or ¼ cup of each
(I heat the broth and milk listed below in a glass dish in the microwave at this point for about 5 minutes).
Melt ¼ cup butter in a medium sauce pan then add the above ingredients (celery, onions, mushrooms) cook just until tender. Remove pan from heat then add:
1/3 cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (or non-fresh, previously ground pepper, whichever you have)
½ teaspoon ground sage or substitute one of the following: marjoram, thyme
Stir until smooth then add all at once:
2 cups chicken broth
¾ cup milk
Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a flat-bottomed wooden spatula until bubbly and thick.
Add and stir:
About 1 cup frozen peas (I rinse and drain these first to avoid extra moisture from the ice).
1 potato, peeled, diced and cooked (either boil for about 15 minutes or cook with water in microwave for about 5 - 6 minutes or until tender).
1 cup carrots, peeled, sliced and cooked (same as potatoes) or use a 10 oz. bag frozen peas & carrots
3 cups cooked, cubed (or canned) turkey or chicken.
Cooking spray casserole dish(es) or 9x9 pan and dump in filling.
Crust for Pot Pie (or use frozen crust)
I only use the pie crust to top the pot pie. Bottom crust tends to be soggy and is too much extra work.
This recipe is enough to top one large casserole dish.
Mix together in a medium size bowl:
1 ½ cups flour
¾ teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery seed or celery salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Cut into flour with a pastry tool:
¾ cup butter flavored Crisco or regular vegetable shortening
Then sprinkle around ¼ cup cold water and fluff lightly with a fork.
Use hand to gather pieces together and form into a ball. Place on a floured surface or rolling mat. Smash ball flat and use rolling pin to smooth to desired thickness. Carefully fold in half, then in half again to pick up. Place on top of pot pie and unfold. Cut off excess with butter knife. Pinch edges to make them pretty. Poke fork through crust in several places to avoid large bubbles and to vent.
Place dish on foil lined baking sheet to cook (it sometimes drips while cooking).
Preheat oven to 400º and bake for about 50 minutes.
½ cup celery or chopped fresh mushrooms or ¼ cup of each
(I heat the broth and milk listed below in a glass dish in the microwave at this point for about 5 minutes).
Melt ¼ cup butter in a medium sauce pan then add the above ingredients (celery, onions, mushrooms) cook just until tender. Remove pan from heat then add:
1/3 cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (or non-fresh, previously ground pepper, whichever you have)
½ teaspoon ground sage or substitute one of the following: marjoram, thyme
Stir until smooth then add all at once:
2 cups chicken broth
¾ cup milk
Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a flat-bottomed wooden spatula until bubbly and thick.
Add and stir:
About 1 cup frozen peas (I rinse and drain these first to avoid extra moisture from the ice).
1 potato, peeled, diced and cooked (either boil for about 15 minutes or cook with water in microwave for about 5 - 6 minutes or until tender).
1 cup carrots, peeled, sliced and cooked (same as potatoes) or use a 10 oz. bag frozen peas & carrots
3 cups cooked, cubed (or canned) turkey or chicken.
Cooking spray casserole dish(es) or 9x9 pan and dump in filling.
Crust for Pot Pie (or use frozen crust)
I only use the pie crust to top the pot pie. Bottom crust tends to be soggy and is too much extra work.
This recipe is enough to top one large casserole dish.
Mix together in a medium size bowl:
1 ½ cups flour
¾ teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery seed or celery salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Cut into flour with a pastry tool:
¾ cup butter flavored Crisco or regular vegetable shortening
Then sprinkle around ¼ cup cold water and fluff lightly with a fork.
Use hand to gather pieces together and form into a ball. Place on a floured surface or rolling mat. Smash ball flat and use rolling pin to smooth to desired thickness. Carefully fold in half, then in half again to pick up. Place on top of pot pie and unfold. Cut off excess with butter knife. Pinch edges to make them pretty. Poke fork through crust in several places to avoid large bubbles and to vent.
Place dish on foil lined baking sheet to cook (it sometimes drips while cooking).
Preheat oven to 400º and bake for about 50 minutes.
Turkey in a Baking Bag
For those who missed the cooking class last year, here is a great way to cook a turkey, just in time for Thanksgiving.
Purchase turkey 3-5 days prior to date needed. For turkeys larger than 18 pounds, purchase at least 4 days (for really large turkeys 24+ pounds, purchase 5 days prior to baking).
Keep turkey in refrigerator. Do not thaw at room temperature. You may also use cold running water to thaw, but since this is a pain, just buy the bird early.
I recommend doing the following steps the day prior to baking the turkey:
-Thoroughly clean kitchen sink and prep area.
-Place 1 tablespoon flour in the oven baking bag. Place bag in large baking pan. I use all-a-dollar disposable aluminum turkey pans, which must be placed on a sturdy baking tray for support while baking and moving.
-Remove upper rack in oven. Remaining rack should be on the lowest track possible.
-Check weight of turkey. Write it down to be safe. You need the weight to determine cooking time.
-Remove netting and outer plastic covering with a pair of kitchen shears or clean scissors.
-Place turkey in a 9x13 aluminum pan (not the pan in which you will be cooking the turkey).
-Set in sink and rinse turkey, including 2 cavities inside the bird. The first, and largest, is in between the legs. The second is where the neck used to be.
-Remove neck from large cavity and waxed paper bag-o-parts from front cavity.*
If you have done these steps the day before, wrap the entire bird (not too tight) with plastic wrap and return to fridge. If you are ready to cook the bird: (re-rinse bird the following day).
Pre-heat oven to 350º. The following steps may not be done ahead of time. Right before baking only!
Pat dry turkey. If you are stuffing the turkey, do so now. I cut and cook my celery and onions the night before. Follow directions for your stuffing from the package or recipe. Loosely stuff the 2 cavities and fasten the flap on the front cavity with toothpicks or use a sterilized needle and thread.
Shake the tablespoon of flour in oven baking bag and place the turkey in the bag. If the turkey has a pop-up indicator for doneness, make sure the bag is not too tight in that area, or cut an X over it so the popper is free to pop up.
Melt ½ to 1 cube (1/4 – ½ cup) margarine, depending on the size of bird and brush or pour around turkey.
Sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon of chicken bouillon granules and salt and pepper to taste.
Twist bag closed and fasten with oven safe pull tight strip. If this gets lost, cut ½ inch off from the OPEN end of the turkey bag, double it up for strength and tie tight (you may need to have someone else hold the bag tight while you tie). Tuck ends of bag in pan. CUT 6 SLITS about 1 inch each along bag for ventilation. Place turkey in oven so the pop-up is visible (if applicable) or use a meat thermometer to determine doneness at 180º about 1 inch into meat if no pop-up.
Baking time is approximate depending on the size of the bird. Partially frozen turkey and stuffed turkeys require more time to bake. Bake at 350º for:
Whole Turkey
Total weight
Time
unstuffed
12 -16 pounds
2 to 2 - ½ hours
16 - 20 pounds
2-1/2 - 3 hours
20 - 24 pounds
3 to 3-1/2 hours
stuffed
12 -16 pounds
2-1/2 - 3 hours
16 - 20 pounds
3 to 3 - 1/2 hours
20 - 24 pounds
3-1/2 - 4 hours
Purchase turkey 3-5 days prior to date needed. For turkeys larger than 18 pounds, purchase at least 4 days (for really large turkeys 24+ pounds, purchase 5 days prior to baking).
Keep turkey in refrigerator. Do not thaw at room temperature. You may also use cold running water to thaw, but since this is a pain, just buy the bird early.
I recommend doing the following steps the day prior to baking the turkey:
-Thoroughly clean kitchen sink and prep area.
-Place 1 tablespoon flour in the oven baking bag. Place bag in large baking pan. I use all-a-dollar disposable aluminum turkey pans, which must be placed on a sturdy baking tray for support while baking and moving.
-Remove upper rack in oven. Remaining rack should be on the lowest track possible.
-Check weight of turkey. Write it down to be safe. You need the weight to determine cooking time.
-Remove netting and outer plastic covering with a pair of kitchen shears or clean scissors.
-Place turkey in a 9x13 aluminum pan (not the pan in which you will be cooking the turkey).
-Set in sink and rinse turkey, including 2 cavities inside the bird. The first, and largest, is in between the legs. The second is where the neck used to be.
-Remove neck from large cavity and waxed paper bag-o-parts from front cavity.*
If you have done these steps the day before, wrap the entire bird (not too tight) with plastic wrap and return to fridge. If you are ready to cook the bird: (re-rinse bird the following day).
Pre-heat oven to 350º. The following steps may not be done ahead of time. Right before baking only!
Pat dry turkey. If you are stuffing the turkey, do so now. I cut and cook my celery and onions the night before. Follow directions for your stuffing from the package or recipe. Loosely stuff the 2 cavities and fasten the flap on the front cavity with toothpicks or use a sterilized needle and thread.
Shake the tablespoon of flour in oven baking bag and place the turkey in the bag. If the turkey has a pop-up indicator for doneness, make sure the bag is not too tight in that area, or cut an X over it so the popper is free to pop up.
Melt ½ to 1 cube (1/4 – ½ cup) margarine, depending on the size of bird and brush or pour around turkey.
Sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon of chicken bouillon granules and salt and pepper to taste.
Twist bag closed and fasten with oven safe pull tight strip. If this gets lost, cut ½ inch off from the OPEN end of the turkey bag, double it up for strength and tie tight (you may need to have someone else hold the bag tight while you tie). Tuck ends of bag in pan. CUT 6 SLITS about 1 inch each along bag for ventilation. Place turkey in oven so the pop-up is visible (if applicable) or use a meat thermometer to determine doneness at 180º about 1 inch into meat if no pop-up.
Baking time is approximate depending on the size of the bird. Partially frozen turkey and stuffed turkeys require more time to bake. Bake at 350º for:
Whole Turkey
Total weight
Time
unstuffed
12 -16 pounds
2 to 2 - ½ hours
16 - 20 pounds
2-1/2 - 3 hours
20 - 24 pounds
3 to 3-1/2 hours
stuffed
12 -16 pounds
2-1/2 - 3 hours
16 - 20 pounds
3 to 3 - 1/2 hours
20 - 24 pounds
3-1/2 - 4 hours
Monday, October 13, 2008
Sloppy Toms
Okay, this is my last post of the day-I promise. We are having this for dinner and it's a great healthy alternative to sloppy joes as well as being a kid-favorite. It is also from Family Fun magazine (I seriously just copied and pasted it from their website). Gottat love it!
Sloppy Toms:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small green pepper, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/4 pounds lean ground turkey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup bottled chili sauce (we used Heinz)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon quick-cooking oats
3 scallions, minced
6 burger buns
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and the pepper, and, stirring often, saute them over high heat until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and the chili powder and saute the mixture for another minute. Add the ground turkey and salt to the skillet, breaking up the meat with a fork or wooden spoon, and cook it until it's no longer pink.
2. Add the water, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauce, and tomato paste and stir the mixture as you bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and continue cooking at a simmer with the pan covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in the oats and the scallions. With the pan uncovered, cook the mixture over low heat until it thickens, about 7 minutes. If the mixture is saucier than you like, cook it for a few more minutes; if it's not saucy enough, add a few tablespoons of water to the skillet and heat it briefly.
4. Serve on toasted hamburger buns as you would regular sloppy joes. Makes 6 servings.
Sloppy Toms:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small green pepper, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/4 pounds lean ground turkey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup bottled chili sauce (we used Heinz)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon quick-cooking oats
3 scallions, minced
6 burger buns
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and the pepper, and, stirring often, saute them over high heat until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and the chili powder and saute the mixture for another minute. Add the ground turkey and salt to the skillet, breaking up the meat with a fork or wooden spoon, and cook it until it's no longer pink.
2. Add the water, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauce, and tomato paste and stir the mixture as you bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and continue cooking at a simmer with the pan covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in the oats and the scallions. With the pan uncovered, cook the mixture over low heat until it thickens, about 7 minutes. If the mixture is saucier than you like, cook it for a few more minutes; if it's not saucy enough, add a few tablespoons of water to the skillet and heat it briefly.
4. Serve on toasted hamburger buns as you would regular sloppy joes. Makes 6 servings.
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