Post Thanksgiving Re-purposing

Every Thanksgiving, there are the true "Turkeytarians" like my mom and my husband who start dreaming of turkey and all that it entails.  We've always joked that if my mom were on Death Row, turkey & dressing would be her last meal request.  My husband is the official turkey guy.  He brines it, he roasts it, he watches it, he even photographs it.  Yep, I'm not the only nerd taking pictures of food.

Personally, I'm very (extremely) lukewarm about turkey. But, I get it.  There are those like Mom and Neil who are all in. I know people like them think that a turkey, mayo and tomato sandwich later is like manna from Heaven.  Whatev.  Me, I'm the one thinking of all the ways I can turn that leftover turkey into something way more interesting.  Soup, enchiladas, pot pies, something.  This year, I decided on an old classic....Turkey Tetrazzini.

Start by cooking about 1/2 lb of noodles, whatever type you like.  I chose spaghetti but linguine or fettucine would work well too. 

Chop about 3 cups of leftover turkey.  I'm not a big fan of cubes of meat, so I chop mine roughly so the pieces are not uniform. Chop up a small onion and some mushrooms.  I used about 4 big mushrooms; you can decide how many is enough but not too much.

Go ahead and preheat your oven to 400.  Let's make the sauce now.  In a saucepan, melt about 3 Tbs butter.  Stir in 1/4 cup of flour and cook about 3 minutes or so.  Whisk in 2 3/4 cup chicken or turkey broth, 1/4 cup white wine, 1/4 tsp thyme and a pinch of nutmeg. Whisk until nice and smooth and continue to heat to boiling.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, whisking frequently.  Remove from heat and whisk in cream.  Set aside.

Melt about 1 more Tbs butter and saute onions and mushrooms.  Mix together turkey, noodles, onions and mushrooms.  

Then, add the sauce to the mixture...

Pour all into a casserole dish and sprinkle with Parmesan...

Then into that nice, hot oven to bake for about 30 minutes, until bubbly and beautiful.

  
 I served ours with some peas because I'm a freak about having something green on the plate.  Actually, the peas are good mixed into the tetrazzini too.  

I've also added pimento for color in past casseroles, which works well too.  I realize tetrazzini is probably the most 1950's type meal you can imagine, but it has stood the test of time for a reason.  It's creamy and gooey, there's pasta involved, it uses up that leftover turkey (or chicken), it freezes well and is a good dish to take to a sick friend.  Frankly, I find it more exciting than a leftover turkey sandwich.  But then again, I'm not a textbook Turkeytarian like Mom and Neil!

Our favorite Chicken Casserole

Growing up Southern, I think a casserole can be the perfect dish...comforting, creamy and gooey, easy, complex, helpful to a friend who is ill, church covered dish, awesome to have stocked up in the freezer.  Now, my Southern-turned-Minnesotan husband doesn't always share these sentiments.  One the one hand, it was his Mama who told me "every great dish begins with a can of Cream of Mushroom."  But, on the other hand, apparently, up in the Norse Land, they put anything and everything together in a casserole dish and simply call it "Hot Dish."  Neil grew to hate the words "hot dish" as well as the concept of "hot dish."  According to him, that's all the info you got...hot dish.  No clue as to what was in there.  And, he says it all pretty much tasted the same...crappy.  At least down here we're specific enough to let you know it's chicken casserole, crab casserole, green bean casserole.

It was well into our relationship that my casserole-lovin' self was finally made aware of this hot dish disdain.  I was flabbergasted!  How can one not love a good casserole?  As the story unfolded, I began to understand.  To this day, I serve casseroles very sparingly to be sensitive to Neil's old hot dish memories.  BUT...there's one that defies this casserole conundrum of his.  My chicken-almond-rice casserole.  Yep, it's a good ol' Akre family favorite at this point.

Akre's Creamy Chicken Almond Rice Casserole

 Originally, I got this recipe from a Weight Watchers cookbook. I've been making it so long and have tweeked it over the years, including adding almonds.  It's one of the few dishes that we do repeat around here and every one of us loves it.  I made it again recently and it dawned on me that I've never told you guys about it.  At least I don't think I have! 

Chicken Almond Rice Casserole
2-3 good sized chicken breasts, cubed bite-size
1/2 tsp garlic powder (I just sprinkle it over 'til it looks right)
olive oil mixed with a coating of PAM

Low sodium Rice-a-Roni
1 Tbs butter
2 1/4 cups water

1 can reduced calorie Cream of Chicken soup
3/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 cup sliced mushrooms (if you're 'shroom people that is)
1/4 chopped almonds
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup crushed crackers, bread crumbs, etc.
1 Tbs melted butter
1/2 tsp poppy seeds 

So, here we go:  cook the Rice-a-Roni with the water & butter measurement above, according to package directions. While that's cooking, coat another skillet with PAM and a little olive oil. Season the chicken with garlic powder and saute until it loses its pinkness.  If you're using mushrooms, cook them here with the chicken.

Combine the chicken, rice, sour cream, soup, almonds and pepper in a bowl and mix well.  Spread into your casserole dish.  Melt the 1 Tbs butter and combine with crumbs & poppy seeds.  Sprinkle on top and bake at 350 for about 35 minutes. 

2-3 chicken breasts, whatever is right for you

Make them bite-sized

The San Francisco Treat!

Toasting up the rice

Mix it up, Baby!

Buttery, poppy seed topping

Sprinkle over the top

Ready for the 350 oven

Get your biggest serving spoon!

Most recently, I combined this with a simple, yet delicious side dish of honey-gingered carrots. I'd gotten these beautiful, young, tender carrots in my www.BrownBoxVeggies.com box and wanted to use them. They were so brilliantly orange & juicy little carrots.  

Aren't these beautiful?

Simmered with a little butter, honey & minced ginger

Our dinner!

Here's a warning:  when I make this casserole, the three of us can plow through almost 3/4 of it in one dinner.  I'm telling you, it's just that good.  If you don't like mushrooms, leave them out.  Can't eat nuts?  I've used water chestnuts for crunch and that works just as well as the almonds.  You can have fun with it.  I hope you'll try it and enjoy it as much as we do.

Chicken: back en vogue

Well, my funky chicken funk seems to have lifted.  Thank goodness because I have a freezer full of it and it's probably the most versatile meat on Earth.  I took a chicken break and focused on other proteins for a week or so.  This little mini-vacation from our fine-feathered friends did this wanna-be some good.

On Monday, I took out a package of chicken to defrost.  (Luckily, I did myself a favor when I bought this last batch and trimmed all the yuckiness off before I packaged them in twos and sent them to their chilly waiting room. I HATE trimming chicken, but it must be done!) What I forgot about was that these last chicken breasts that Aldi had on sale were from the largest chickens on the planet.  I grilled them both but only used about 2/3 of one of them for my ham & chicken penne.  

On Tuesday, I looked in the fridge and the proverbial lightbulb went off.  Right there on the shelf was the rest of the grilled chicken and a Tupperware of spaghetti noodles.  Oh yeah...we're going back to the 50's.  You guessed it; chicken Tetrazzini.  I can't even remember the last time I had this dish.  I'm not even sure if my mom ever even cooked it for us as kids.  Hmmm, have I even eaten this before?  Well, it didn't matter 'cuz I was making it.

Shazam! You know when you just feel like having a hot, creamy, gooey casserole?  This is it.  It starts with a roux, as all good sauces do.  Then, broth and wine.  Can't ever <EVER> go wrong with wine.  Onions and mushrooms.  I added peas.  Noodles. Hot oven.  As Gordon Ramsay would say, "Chicken Tetrazzini:  Done!"

It was, in a word, fantastic.  I put the mushrooms in for Neil, which he greatly appreciated. I do like the flavor they impart, just not actually eating them.  The wine not only flavored the sauce, but perfumed it.  The peas added a little splash of color and sweetness.  I was just so delighted with how well it turned out.  And, it was a perfect use for leftover chicken and noodles.  So, the lesson is this...next time you're grilling chicken, grill a little extra.  When you're making spaghetti, cook extra noodles.  Then whip up a Tetrazzini and wow your fans!

Childhood Favorite, Just Remembered

As I'm munching on a few slices of turkey pepperoni (it's spicier than regular, you know) my mind travels back to a childhood dish invented by my mom.  It was the ultimate special treat for me and Katherine.  Come to think of it, it ties into my lifelong love of and advocacy for pizza.  The dish, you ask?  Dottie Webber's "Pizza Macaroni."

It's been years since I've had it.  As a kid, it was the ultimate "awww right!" dinner at our house, at least for us kids.  Not real sure how dad felt about it.  When I was in college, I cared for 5 little girls after school as their dad recovered from cancer and I made it for them.  But, that was a long time ago, so now, I'm relying on memory.  Of course, I could call mom, but I doubt she has it written down.  

So, here's the memory.  Elbow macaroni in a 13"X9" casserole dish.  Layered then with pepperoni, hamburger meat, cheese and sauce.  Back in the 70's, it's highly likely that she used cheddar because it was sort of the everyday staple.  And, since my mom was raising two "eclectic" eaters, she added black olives.  All this was baked and was the most excellent supper on the planet. 

Now that I'm the mom, I'm thinking about how I'd go about making it for the Vivver.  She is a sausage fan, so I think I'd brown sausage & hamburger (add garlic of course) together.  Maybe throw some onion in there during the browning.  Turkey pepperoni and black olives definitely.  I'd probably use a pasta or pizza sauce if I'm in a hurry, otherwise I'd make a simple tomato sauce with herbs.  I've learned from Neil's pizza creation that I will use a combo of mozzarella & cheddar.  But the elbow macaroni?  No change!  Sometimes fancy pasta shapes just make me mad.  Don't mess with a good thing.  

Dottie: The "Pizza Macaroni" Creator

Now that I've remembered this casserole, it's time to try it out on Vivian.  I hope (and I bet) she'll love it as much as Aunt Katherine and I always did.  And do.  I'll go one step further...I bet if I made this and took it to my sister, she'd flip her proverbial lid!  Thanks once again mom, for a fond and delicious childhood food memory!

Finally! A baked french toast that I like!

I used to think adult Sunday School was for lame-o socially inept oddballs.  Sorry, but it's true.  Then, I became one.  (ha ha)  My friend Jan told me about the class she attends and so I showed up.  I have a very cool Sunday School class and I thank Jan for encouraging me to get over my prejudices of adult Sunday School-goers.

The coolest component of my class is, of course, the people.  Kel and I can spontaneously quote "Silence of the Lambs" in unison.  Laurin and I go way back to high school and so far have kept most of those secrets!  My buddy Cannon keeps my brain on its "toes" so to speak and she's one heck of a blueberry picker.  The list goes on and on. Trust me, they are all cool and I consider them all very special friends. 

Another cool thing about my class is that we all like food.  We take turns bringing snacks to class.  Most of us like to cook and I think it's kind of evolving into a friendly contest to see who can wow the crowd or surprise them when we use them as guinea pigs for new recipes!  There are some awesome cooks in the Joy Class:  John and Pattie's shrimp & grits with the jalapeno sausage is a winner.  They work wonders with biscuits and gravy too.  Kristie is the baker extraordinaire.  Cannon whips up a mean grits casserole and recently Trudie brought a fantastic breakfast casserole that she cooked in a crockpot...brilliant!

So yesterday was Britt's turn and she scored about 28 thumbs up.  I've tried a few recipes for baked french toast and have never made one that was real interesting and certainly nothing to write home about.  Britt has solved that problem!  Hers looked beautiful, was delightfully cinnamon-y, and here's the real decadent surprise...it had cream cheese hiding in the middle!  It was appropriate for Sunday School since everyone exclaimed something like "omg" at their first bite.  So, my friend Britt has graciously permitted me to post her recipe. She states that it's not a recipe that she created and she modestly added that she's "just good at following directions."  I think there was a little more to it than that...she added a smidge of Joy-Class-cool-adult-oddball sprinkles or something.

Britt's Baked French Toast

• 1 loaf of good fresh bread (brioche or maybe an egg bread)
• 2 bars cream cheese, cubed
• 12 eggs (yep, that's a whole dozen folks)
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup maple syrup

Tear bread into pieces. Place 1/2 of it in your baking dish (probably a 13"x9" would be best).  Top with cubes of cream cheese then the rest of the bread pieces.  Mix up the eggs, milk and syrup and pour over.  Cover & refrigerate overnight. 

In the morning, sprinkle the casserole with cinnamon then bake at 375 for about 40 minutes.  Serve and be prepared for the "omg's" and other suitable accolades!

Thanks Britt not only for feeding us yesterday but for sharing this awesome recipe with everyone.  This will be in my repertoire from here on out. 

Chicken Pesto Casserole...Yum

The other day, I was delighted to get my Earth Fare email newsletter and find a FREE 1 lb. of chicken coupon!    Earth Fare does these great deals where you spend $5 in their store and you get something for free.  I set out happily skipping off to the store.  I bought a hunk of Parmigiano Reggiano and some organic flax seeds and swung by the meat counter.  Before I could say a word, the butcher cheerily said "Would you like a pound of chicken?" and just handed me this nice, white paper-wrapped pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast.  He was prepped and ready for people like me!  

So I thought and thought yesterday about what to do with this nice, fresh chicken.  And something that I could get the Vivver to eat without much coaxing and fussing.  I remembered seeing this casserole dish on www.Pillsbury.com  for a chicken pesto casserole. I went back and found it, saw that I had all ingredients on hand and said to myself, "Self", I said, "We're making this tonight!"  Since I got the recipe online, you can simply follow this link rather than me typing it!  Creamy Chicken-Pesto Casserole.  We really enjoyed it.  As usual, I thought of some changes I may make next time.  For instance, I think adding chopped artichokes would be an awesome addition and I might add a little more pesto just to ramp up that basil flavor a bit.  

I told you all before in this post  about how much I like the reduced fat Buitoni pesto.  I used that and a reduced fat/calorie Alfredo sauce in my dish.  Oh, by the way, if you make it, I would not recommend changing pasta types.  The radiatore works well because the sauce sticks to it and all its little crevices, it's easy to fork (for kids and grown-ups alike) and it stands up well to the other ingredients.  I think a different shape would get lost. I was really pleased with the outcome, how fast and simple it was to prepare and it will no doubt enter my repertoire of dished to take to friends who are ill or recuperating. 

Weekend of Food

This weekend has shaped up to be a few good days of feasting.  As you know, we hit Virtu on Friday.  Last night, we hooked up with friends at SakiTumi.  And, today was the church covered dish luncheon.  

Saki Tumi (for those of you who aren't here in the fair city of Columbia) is one of many sushi restaurants in the downtown area.  Neil and I particularly like this place because of the location, the atmosphere, and the owner's a nice guy.  We met one my my old friends (I mean, from way back, not old.  Um, nevermind) and her husband to quietly celebrate her 15th 29th birthday.  I won't mention any names, but if you're on Facebook today, you'll probably figure it out.  Neil, who I lovingly refer to as my B-A-C (ball and chain) and I arrived first.  I got a glass of wine and Neil ordered a Red Bull (1) and Sprite, separately.  (Yuck-a-Ducka with a capital Duck).  Once our friends arrived, Neil got another Red Bull (2). I don't know how people can drink that stuff.


Anyway, we shared some edamame & the Drunken Shrimp.  And Neil got a Red Bull (3). I've never really been clear on why they named it Drunken Shrimp.  I love it, but I'm not gettin' the drunken part.  They are nice, big shrimp fried in a very flavorful, seasoned batter and served with what I consider like a curried remoulade-type sauce.  Lots of great flavors, but still not understanding the drunken aspect.  Laurin  I mean, my anonymous birthday friend and I both ordered the shrimp tempura roll.  If you read my post before about sushi, you'll know this is what I always order.  Birthday girl's B-A-C ordered crab cakes and Neilio had the sashimi sampler plate and a Red Bull (4).  I believe it was two types of tuna and salmon.  The USC game was on the big screen, which normally would irritate the fool out of me, but I have to give them credit, it was a big game and a big win.  So, congrats.  There, I said it.  It was a great evening of good food, good friends and good wine and Red Bull.

Why am I keeping you up to speed on the Red Bull?  As I mentioned, I think it's the foulest of funk, but God help him, Neil likes it.  BUT,  once we got home, it caught up with him.  He was a little shaky & revved up and turns out that plate of raw fish wasn't going the distance. So, he ended the evening with a good fridge raid of macaroni and cheese topped with a healthy dose of homemade chili.  Most of you guys are probably nodding your heads about now. Come to think of it I'm betting, no, I'm sure Neil isn't the first guy to have another meal after leaving the sushi joint. 



Today, the church covered dish luncheon was complete with all the required elements:  fried chicken, casseroles a-plenty, deviled eggs (not my cup of tea though), macaroni and cheese & two tables packed with desserts.  The Vivver actually sat in a chair and ATE.  That's right, I saw chicken, macaroni,  and jello go down the hatch. Not sure if any vegetables made the trip, but that's ok every now and then, right? 

Good Church-goin' Food

Next Sunday, our church has a covered dish luncheon planned.  I have had my mind going all day trying to decide on my contribution.  It's difficult.  My Deep-South raised mind immediately goes to the "classics" like green bean casserole, macaroni and cheese, or broccoli casserole.  Even though I know there will several of these from various people of the congregation, it's hard not to want to dive into a big ol' creamy casserole.  If anyone out there is trying to pretend that they don't agree, well, all I can say is "shame on you!"

The classics are classics because everyone loves them.  Some will proclaim it from the mountain-tops, others will covertly admit their casserole love to a trusted friend, some will flat out lie and rebuke the casserole, knowing in their heart that they'd scarf one down in a heartbeat if they could do so undetected, and some (sadly) really don't actually like them.  Those poor souls with the mixed up taste buds!  My late mother-in-law Mimi once told me, "Every good Southern dish begins with a can of Cream of Mushroom."  I told her then and I'll say it now, "Rock on Mimi!"

Ok, having said all that, there's the other side of my brain that starts imagining all the different, creative, maybe even off the wall dishes that I could present to my fellow church-goers and see how adventurous they are (but not too off the wall-it's church with room temperature fried chicken you know) .  After all, we are all good Southern, enlightened and progressive people.  So, I wonder, what would they think of my tarragon/pecan/grape chicken salad in phyllo cups as a little appetizer?  Or that old crazy casserole that my Aunt Dianne used to make every now and then that had carrots and asparagus in it?  Or, what about that sour cream/bacon/green onion potato salad that my father-in-law loves?  Or, what about the brussels sprouts/candied pecan and blue cheese salad? I took that to Orangeburg for Thanksgiving one year and my Uncle John said to his wife, "Look honey, brussels sprouts!  Around here, that's like a foreign food!"

So, I'm looking for opinions and suggestions.  If you were on Death Row and you had a covered dish luncheon to go to for your last meal, what would you want to see on the table?  Ok, maybe that's a bit macabre, but you get my drift.  Speak up!