TURKEY AND DUMPLINGS

TURKEY AND DUMPLINGS

1 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (chives, parsley), or 2 tablespoons dried (optional)
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 large egg

POT PIE FILLING
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3 cups turkey stock, or a combination of stock and leftover gravy
1 teaspoon dry thyme
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken
2 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables\

Instructions
To make the dumplings: Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Stir in the herbs, if using. Cover and refrigerate this mixture while you're making the pot pie filling.
To make the filling: Melt the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
Add the stock 1/2 cup at a time, whisking it into the roux to prevent lumps. When all the stock and/or gravy is added, season with the thyme, bay leaf, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer the sauce for 15 minutes, then stir in the meat and vegetables.
Return the filling to a simmer, and transfer to a 4-quart baking dish with a lid. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
To assemble: Once the hot filling is in the dish, whisk the buttermilk and egg together, and add, all at once, to the dry mixture.
Stir together until evenly moistened.
Scoop the batter on top of the simmering liquid, leaving space between the dumplings (they'll almost double as they cook). Make dumplings large or small, according to your own preference; we like to top the filling with about 8 to 10 dumplings. Put the lid on top, and bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes.

TIPS FROM OUR BAKERS
If you don't have buttermilk on hand for the dumplings, you could thin 1/2 cup sour cream with 1/4 cup milk. Plain yogurt would also work as a substitute.
You can make the pot pie filling in advance, as well as the dumpling recipe (stop before adding the buttermilk and egg). When you're ready to cook, preheat the oven while you bring the filling to a simmer. Mix the buttermilk and egg into the dumpling mix, scoop, and bake.
This is a good recipe for using odds and ends of vegetables, if you have them: gather any stray mushrooms, onions, carrots and leeks you have in the refrigerator, and saute them until tender before adding them to the sauce.
The steam from the sauce helps to keep the dumplings tender, so try not to peek at them while they're cooking, at least for the first 20 minutes. Your patience will be rewarded with lighter, fluffier dumplings.
Don't mix the dry dumpling mix with the wet ingredients until you're ready to put the casserole in the oven. If you let the mixture sit too long before baking it, its baking powder will lose some of its rise while waiting.

Turkey Tetrazzini

This is a very forgiving recipe that amounts can be adjusted depending on ingredient availability.  I have seen various veggies added, peas, corn etc.  It's all about what you're craving at the moment. Have fun with the basic recipe!

Ingredients

8 oz. uncooked spaghetti

1/2 cup margarine or butter

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1 medium onion diced

3 cloves garlic minced

1/2 cup diced celery

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour**

2 cups chicken broth**

3/4 cup half-and-half**

2 cups grated cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon salt

Dash pepper

3 cups cubed cooked turkey

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Chopped fresh parsley, if desired

Directions
Cook spaghetti .al dente  Drain.

Meanwhile, melt margarine in skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, celery, mushrooms; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add minced garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low.

** At this point if you have left over gravy you can add or do this: (I have also been know to use the dreaded can of cream of mushroom soup and milk)  Add flour; cook and stir until bubbly. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. 

Remove from heat; stir in half-and-half, cheese and 1/4 cup parsley, salt and pepper.
Add cooked spaghetti, parsley and turkey to  mixture; stir gently to mix. Spoon mixture into ungreased  (3-quart)  baking dish. 

Cover with foil; 

Heat oven to 350°F. 

** If  Tetrazzini becomes too dry add milk or chicken broth.

Cover; bake at 350°F. for 45 to 55 minutes or until thoroughly heated, removing foil during last 10 minutes of baking time. Uncover baking dish; sprinkle Parmesan cheese and/or grated cheese over top. 

Turkey Shepherd's Pie My Version

This is a very forgiving dish to make.  There are so many shortcuts you can take to get it in the oven sooner!  I will try and list them as I go.  List of what you need is at the bottom.  Just a note, do not make your gravy too thick.  Dish will thicken as it bakes.  Hopefully I haven't left anything out..

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

I started out with a 3/4 pound turkey tenderloin.  Seasoned and lightly dusted with flour.  Heat skillet with a couple tablespoons of oil, when skillet is hot add meat and brown on both sides.  When browning is complete add one small onion diced.  When onions become soft, add one can of chicken stock and 1/3 cup diced celery, cover and simmer until meat reaches 165 degrees internal temp.. (14.4 oz)  I used Swanson.

Short cut.... you can use left over turkey or chicken diced up and skip this step.

When turkey is done put it on a plate to cool, then dice into bite size pieces.

(Sorry the picture is SO bad)

While turkey is cooking get the rest of your veggies ready.  Peal and dice enough potatoes that when mashed will at least cover the outer ring of your CI skillet.  I diced up a couple carrots, minced a couple cloves of garlic and sliced a handful of button mushrooms.  The mushrooms will add some color to the broth you can also add a teaspoon of Kitchen Bouquet Browning and Seasoning Sauce for a rich brown gravy.

Short cut:  Use up your left over mashed potatoes and frozen veggies.

Once your turkey is done and cooling add your cut up veggies to the remaining broth and simmer until veggies start to get soft.  You may have to add additional water to your pan to make sure there will be enough liquid to make gravy.  This is when I added parsley and thyme to the broth.  Taste and season.  I added L.B. Jamison's Chicken Flavored Soup Base.

In a separate skillet, melt 1/4 cup of butter, add a small diced onion and the two cloves of minced garlic. Cook until onions become golden brown.  Add 1/4 cup of flour to make a Roux (see link for detailed instructions)  Reduce heat on the pan of veggies and roux making sure it gets completely dissolved.  Mixture so thicken slowly.  If mixture gets too thick add either water or more chicken stock.  When it gets to desired thickness turn off heat.

Short Cut:  You can use canned gravy.

To make mashed potatoes that won't fall about while baking.  Drain potatoes when done, about 20 minutes.  In small bowl, break a large egg and add 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup milk.  Whisk together and add to potatoes and quickly mash.  Top veggie mixture with potatoes and bake until potatoes start to brown.  Top with cheeses of your choice.  Serve.

You might want to add a drip pan below your CI skillet to prevent dripping in your oven.  

What you need for turkey:

2 to 3 tablespoons veggie oil

3/4 pound of turkey tenderloin (Yield: About 3 cups diced turkey)

1 small onion diced

1/2 cup diced celery

salt and pepper to taste

Veggies:

3 medium carrots diced (Not canned)

2 cups of frozen peas (Not canned)

1 cup sliced button mushrooms

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon dried parsley

Chicken soup base to taste

Potatoes:

6 to 8 medium potatoes peeled and cubed

salt for boiling water

1 large egg

1/4 to 1/3 cup milk

Roux:

1/4 cup butter melted

1 small onion diced

1 cloves garlic minced

1/4 cup flour

Topping:

Cheese of your choice

The Blue Owl Restaurant's White Chili

4½ to 5 pounds boneless, skin-on chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 (4-ounce) cans chopped mild green chiles, undrained
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
3 (15- to 16-ounce) cans great Northern beans, undrained
6 cups chicken stock or canned broth
3 cups (12 ounces) grated Monterey jack cheese
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Sour cream, for optional garnish

1. Place chicken in a large, heavy saucepan. Add cold water to cover; bring to a simmer. Cook until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool. Remove skin. Cut chicken into cubes.
2. Add oil to the same pot; place over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add onions; sauté until translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, then chiles, cumin, oregano and cayenne; sauté 2 minutes.
3. Add beans and their liquid and stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; add chicken and cheese. Stir until cheese melts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle chili into bowls. Garnish with sour cream if using.
Per serving: 460 calories; 17g fat; 7g saturated fat; 140g cholesterol; 53g protein; 22g carbohydrate; 3g sugar; 6g fiber; 805mg sodium; 270mg calcium.

Recipe adapted from The Blue Owl Restaurant in Kimmswick.

White chili prepared at Blue Owl Restaurant in Kimmswick in 2005. Photo by Katherine Bish.

Turkey Thighs and Herbs

As you can tell by my blog, I do not consider myself a journalist or a photo journalist.  My writing skills are basic at best, but this turned out so pretty and tasty.  I had to try and put it to words.

First in a medium to large skillet with lid; saute a medium onion finely chopped until slightly caramelized and 2 to 3 cloves of garlic.   Then add  two turkey thighs, seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, and chicken soup base powder, browning each side until golden brown.  

Add water to the pan, and also add a little more chicken soup base.  I then went out to my little herb garden and got a little of everything... sage, basil, oregano and parsley.  Added the herbs to the top of the turkey, covered and simmered for about an hour.. 

Out came the most wonderful flavored turkey, with it's own sauce ready to serve.  The fresh oregano added just enough heat to the turkey to keep it from being "boring".