Leftover Turkey Soup

Yummy for the day after you have a big turkey dinner! Ingredients are all approximate, just depending on what you have:

Turkey Dinner Day:

2 quarts chicken broth
1 turkey carcass
1 onion, quartered
2 carrots, chunked
2 stalks celery, chunked
2 bay leaves

After removing all the meat from the turkey, toss all the ingredients above into a pot. Let it simmer for at least a couple of hours. Let it cool for a 1/2 or so. Remove carcass/bones using tongs. Strain the broth through a wet cheesecloth set in a sieve into a container. Then set it in an ice bath in your kitchen sink to cool it down quickly (5 minutes should do.) Put it in the fridge to cool.

The next day:

2 garlic cloves
1 carrot, minced
1 celery stalk, minced
1 onion, minced
2 TBS butter or olive oil
2-3 c. wild rice mix (or brown rice)
1 tsp sage or poultry seasoning (or more to taste)
1 tsp salt (add more to taste)
pepper
1 bay leaf
2-4 c. chopped turkey meat
3 c. left over veggies or frozen veggies (corn, beans, mixed veggies etc)

Take the broth out of the fridge and skim the hardened fat off the top. Saute the garlic, carrots, celery and onions in butter or oil. Add the broth and the rice and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 35 minutes. Add the meat and veggies and simmer another 10 minutes until the rice is done.

Poppy Seed salad dressing

This is my teen daughter's creation. It's delicious!

1 c. olive oil
1/3 c apple cider vinegar
3/4 c. sucanat (brown sugar)
1 TBS dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS dry minced onions (or chopped red onions)
1 TBS poppy seeds

Put all in the blender and pulse till mixed. Don't overmix.

Leftover Rice Pudding

Great way to use up leftover rice!

3 c. cooked brown rice, refrigerated
5 c. milk
1/2 c. agave
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 TBS butter

Mix together first four ingredients in a big pot. Bring to a boil and simmer until thickened for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. When thickened, stir in vanilla and butter and serve warm.

Whole Grain Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

I tried this muffin recipe out this morning. So I asked the kids if these muffins were a "keeper." They said, "No, let's eat them all."

1-3/4 c. Whole wheat pastry flour (soft white wheat)
1/3 c. Cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. oil (melted coconut or olive)
1/4 c. applesauce
1 egg
1 c. yogurt
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3 c. chocolate chips
1-1/2 c. - 2 c.shredded zucchini

Mix flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder in one bowl. Mix honey, oil, applesauce, egg yogurt and vanilla in another bowl. Add wet to dry. Stir till just mixed. Fold in chocolate chips & zucchini. Scoop in greased muffin tin. Each muffin hole should be just about full of batter. Bake 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Tamale Pie

Fast, quick & super easy. Tastes surprisingly a lot like tamales.

3-4 cups crushed chips (great for bottom of the bag chips)
1 can corn
4-5 cups chili
2 c. shredded cheddar

Preheat oven to 350degrees. Crunch up all the chips and put on bottom of 13x9 pan. Open can of corn and dump over chips without draining first. Stir it all up to mix. Next spread the chili over the top. Put in oven and bake about 20 min. Remove, add cheese, return to oven for another 5-10 minutes till it melts.

The chips & corn create a tamale-like crust. Serve this with sour cream, salsa, shredded lettuce, etc.

Orange Julius

Our "healthier" alternative for holiday breakfasts like Easter & Christmas. I make two batches in my blendtec, since doubling the recipe won't fit in the blender.

3/4 c. Orange Juice concentrate
1 C. Milk
1 C. water
1/4 C. less about 1 TBS Agave (1/2 of 1/3 a cup is what I used.)
1 tsp vanilla
1 c. ice cubes (about 10-12)

Toss it all in the blender and blend till smooth.

Chinese style Hamburger Casserole

This doesn't taste very much like Chinese food, but it tastes good anyway! It has a pleasing crunch to it.

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped or pureed
4-6 stalks of celery, chopped
1 c. almonds, chopped
6 c. brown rice, cooked
2 TBS butter
6 TBS flour, starch or other thickener
2 C. milk
1 TBS chicken bouillon
1 c. water
6 TBS soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
chow mein noodles

Brown the ground beef in a pan. Add onions and celery and cook a couple of minutes till onions are translucent.

Meanwhile, make sauce. Melt the butter then mix in the flour & bouillon to make a paste. Whisk in the milk and heat until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup of water and 6 TBS soy sauce; whisk till smooth.

Put beef mix, almonds and rice in a bowl. Mix it up and then pour the sauce on top. Mix till coated.

Put in 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for about 12-15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Top with chow mein noodles if desired (still good without it, and gluten free if you don't!)