The End of the Bird

             Thanksgiving is over and Christmas will be here very soon.  Both occasions usually call for a roast turkey.  After you have the big meal and the turkey sandwiches, you end up with a lot of little bits of turkey.  This recipe is a way to use those pieces in a new way.

Hot Turkey & Cheese Roll Ups

(2 Servings)

1 c. chopped Turkey

½ c. shredded Cheese

2 Tortillas/Wraps

Salsa

1. Combine Turkey and Cheese in a bowl.
2. Heat Tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds.
3. On each hot Tortilla, put half of the Turkey and Cheese mixture towards one end.
4. Fold the end with the mixture to the Tortilla center.  Fold in the sides and roll up the rest of the way.
5. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds.
6. Serve with Salsa as a dipping sauce.

Substitutions: Lactose Free or Vegan Cheese, Gluten Free Tortillas/Wraps

It’s a Good Time for Soup

               We had snow on Halloween.  Yes, Mother Nature gave us a surprise before November.  All of this makes you think about eating something hot.  Along with this is the arrival of butternut squash at the farmers markets and grocery stores.  This squash makes a creamy soup that warms you up.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 medium Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped into large chunks (about 5 to 6 cups)

2 Apples, peeled, cored, and cut into large chunks

1 large Sweet Onion, cut into large chunks

3 Tbsp Maple Syrup

2 Tbsp Butter

1 Tbsp Brown Sugar

2 c. Milk

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Place Squash, Apples, and Onions in a jelly roll pan.
3. Drizzle Maple Syrup over the Squash Mixture and stir until everything is coated with the Syrup.
4. Put in the oven for 20 minutes.  Then remove from the oven and stir in the Butter.
5. Return the pan to the oven for another 20 minutes.  By this point, the Squash should have browned edges while the Apples and Onions have softened.
6. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
7. Put the Milk and Brown Sugar into the blender.
8. Add the Squash Mixture to the blender and puree.

      If you want a richer soup, use half and half or cream instead of the Milk.  You can eat the soup after pureeing but you can also let it cool completely and store for later.  If using it later, just put in a pan and heat it over medium heat.

Substitutions: Lactose Free Milk or Cream, Non-Dairy Spread

Tomatoes

                 It’s the end of the summer produce at the farmers market.  This time of year tomatoes are being sold by the bushel.  People are canning their tomatoes and making large batches of salsa and marinara sauce to be saved for another day.

                These last fresh tomatoes make me think of one of my daughter’s favorite sandwiches: Broiled Cheese and Tomatoes.  I have adapted this sandwich into a spicy open-faced sandwich.       

Spicy Cheese & Tomato Sandwich

2 Sausage Buns

1 c. Shredded Cheese

4 Tbsp. Salsa of choice

2 Tbsp. Butter

2 Roma Tomatoes

1. Turn on the oven broiler.
2. Slice the Buns open and butter both sides.
3. Slice the two Tomatoes and arrange on the Buns.
4. Mix the Cheese and Salsa together.  Top the Tomatoes with the mixture.
5. Place Buns on a cookie sheet and put into the oven.
6. Heat sandwiches until the cheese has melted.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before eating.

Substitutions: Gluten-Free Buns, Lactose Free or Soy Cheese, Non-Dairy Butter substitute

Macaroni & Cheese

              More colloquially referred to as Mac & Cheese, growing up, Macaroni and Cheese came from a box.  Not anymore.  Now it has become gourmet fare made with exotic cheeses, truffles, and even lobster.  You can find different versions at all sorts of restaurants.  The kind we make at home is a simple cheese sauce and any shaped pasta we have in the house.  The version for today has added chipotle in adobo sauce to make a spicy mac & cheese.

Mac & Cheese

1 lb shaped Pasta

4 Tbsp Butter

4 Tbsp Flour

2 c. warmed Milk

2 c. shredded Cheese, any variety

2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce, chopped

1. Cook pasta per package instructions.
2. While pasta cooks, in a separate pot melt the Butter.
3. Add Flour to the Butter and stir into a mixture.  Once stirred together, let the mixture sit until it bubbles so as to cook the Flour.
4. After the mixture bubbles, gradually add the Milk, stirring each time to incorporate it into the Butter and Flour mixture.
5. Let the mixture sit for a moment to allow it to thicken.  Then add the Cheese and stir until smooth.
6. Add the Chipotle and stir again.
7. Drain the Pasta and return it to the pot.
8. Add the Cheese Sauce to the Pasta and stir until the Pasta is coated with the sauce.  Now serve. 

Substitutions:

Lactose-Free Milk

Lactose-Free or Soy Cheese

Gluten-Free Pasta

Gluten-Free Flour

Butter substitute

Fresh Green Beans

             You go to the farmer’s markets and see big bushel baskets of fresh green beans.  Sometimes you will find the small green beans, haricots verts, but usually you will find the green bush beans.  There are many ways to prepare green beans, but I like them steamed with lemon zest.

Lemon Beans

1 lb Green Beans, ends removed

2 Tbsp Butter

2 Tbsp Lemon Zest

¼ c. Pistachios, toasted and chopped

1. Steam Green Beans to desired doneness and pat dry.
2. Melt Butter in a pan.
3. Add the Beans to the melted Butter.  Stir until they are coated with Butter.
4. Sprinkle the Lemon Zest on top of the Beans.
5. Top with the chopped Pistachios and serve.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Substitutes: In place of Butter use a dairy-free butter or your preferred butter substitute.

Peas in a Pod

            It’s summer at the farmers market and there in a basket are the lovely sweet peas we wait all year for.  You can take them out of their shell and pop them in your mouth or use as a sweet taste to any dish.  We make a pasta dish with prosciutto and fresh peas.

Summer Pasta

1 lb. Sugar Snap Peas in the shell

½ lb. of Prosciutto

1 lb. box of Penne Pasta

2 Tbsp. Butter

1 c. Half & Half

1 c. Parmesan Cheese

1. Shell Peas and reserve for later.
2. Chop Prosciutto into a small dice.
3. Cook Pasta.
4. As the Pasta cooks, melt the Butter in a large sauté pan.
5. Add diced Prosciutto to the Butter for about 4 minutes until the meat becomes warm.
6. Pour the Half & Half into the pan and add the Parmesan Cheese to make a loose cheese sauce.
7. Stir in the Peas.
8. Put the cooked Pasta into the pan with the other ingredients and stir.
9. Serve with extra Cheese if needed.  This serves 4-6 people.

Substitutions: Gluten-free Pasta, Lactose-free Half & Half, and Dairy-Free Parmesan Cheese

                Buon Appetito.

Summer Berry Season

            I know I am being premature in saying summer since it isn’t officially summer until June 21^st, but right now the stores have this wonderful array of fresh summer berries.  Strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are available to eat, bake into pies or crisp, and serve as toppings for sponge cakes and cheesecakes.  When I use berries I like them to be the main attraction in a simple but elegant dessert.  This is my take on a speedy fruit tart.

Quick Fruit Tart

1 whole Graham Cracker

Cream Cheese (either plain or flavored)

Berries of your choice

Sugar (optional)

1. Smear the Graham Cracker with your favorite Cream Cheese.
2. Arrange the Berries on top of the Cream Cheese.
3. Sprinkle the Sugar lightly on top of the Berries.
4. Eat and enjoy.

Options:

Gluten-Free Graham Crackers

Lactose-Free or Soy Cream Cheese