Turkey Tacos

I hope everyone is recovering from the cold. Yes, I know it's still cold...but it's just spring-ier. No, I don't know how to explain that. It just is.

I wanted to make something themed for the Oscars, but all I could think of was Golden Beets for the golden Oscar and something with chicken for Birdman. This year's movies weren't exactly lending themselves to recipes.

So I went with this instead. It's not themed or season-appropriate. Except that every season is the season for tacos and all themes could be taco if you like.

And I do. This recipe has more steps than most of the ones I post. And as I look over the steps, well, huh, that's not a lot. You guys have been getting off easy with one or two step meals. We may have to change that! So be prepared to dirty more than one pan for this one!

Turkey Tacos

2 lbs ground turkey
2 tbsp Taco Blend Seasoning
2 tsp Garlic Pate
1 tbsp Chipotle Olive Oil
1 tbsp Traditional Balsamic
1 tsp Cumin Olive Oil
1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes with chilies
2 tbsp Persian Lime Olive Oil
Pepper Citrus Sea Salt
Avocados
Sour Cream
Tortillas

Put the tomatoes and chilies into a bowl, draining, but saving about half the liquid out. Set aside.

Heat a large saute pan to medium heat with the Chipotle and Cumin olive oils and the liquid reserved from the tomatoes and chilies. Add the ground turkey and cook, stirring often to break up into small crumbles. Cook through and stir in the Taco Seasoning. Set aside.

In a smaller pan, heat the Lime Olive Oil and Garlic Pate. Cook, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes. Rinse and drain the black beans and add them gently. Let simmer for about 5 minutes. Top with the Pepper and Citrus Salt and Traditional Balsamic and remove from the heat. Mash lightly with a spoon, muddler or fork.

Fill your taco how you like, but don't forget the creamy avocados!

If you want it spicier, please feel free to sub in the Citrus Habanero Olive Oil. I also chose a pretty medium can of tomatoes. When tomatoes are back in season, I'll give you my recipe for diced tomatoes and chilies that will knock this out of the park! 

Or, I'll work on a roasted tomato one....

Okay. Now I have ideas.

Pomegranate Turkey Legs

I didn't want to make a whole turkey just for the leftovers. I did consider it, but thought that would just be silly. So I made just a little bit. A few drumsticks just because we need a little turkey now and then.

Pomegranate Turkey Legs

2 turkey legs
2 tbsp Citrus Habanero Olive Oil
1/4 cup Pomegranate Balsamic
2 tbsp pomegranate juice
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
pinch of ground sage
1/2 cup pomegranate arils, for garnish

Whisk together all the sauce ingredients and place in a large plastic bag. Add the turkey legs and zipper closed. Make sure they get a good coating of sauce and marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a smaller roasting pan, place the turkey and the sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Reduce the heat to 350 and take the foil off. Add in 1/4 cup pomegranate arils. Bake for another 15-20 minutes.

Serve with more pomegranate arils and some parsley.

Spicy Pumpkin Pockets

I bought some pie crust on sale this week and thought that it would be great to make a pumpkin pie. A pocket pie!

Pocket pies, or hand pies are probably my favorite species of pie. You can fill them with anything and they are portable. And there is a great ratio of filling to crust.

I think that the Rosemary Olive Oil would be great with this as well.

Spicy Pumpkin Pockets

1/2 pkg refrigerated pie crust
2-4 turkey slices, optional
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper
1 tbsp Chipotle Olive Oil + 1 tbsp for brushing
1 tsp minced garlic
2 slices provolone cheese
pinch ground sage
pinch nutmeg

Bring the sleeve of pie crust to room temperature and unroll it. If there are any breaks, dip your finger in warm water and gently smooth it over the break to join the broken places back together. Slice in half and set aside.

Combine the spices in a large bowl with the pumpkin puree. Stir until combined and taste for salt. Add the olive oil and stir.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or spray it with non-stick spray. Place the dough onto the dish. Layer 1/4 cup of the mixture and some turkey slices on one side of each of the dough half-rounds. Gently wet the very edge of the pastry and fold it in half, pinching or pressing to close. Brush the tops with the remaining olive oil.

Bake for 15-25 minutes. The filling doesn't need to be cooked, just the crust. Keep a watch on it so it doesn't get too brown.

Turkey Cutlets with Cranberry Cream Sauce and Chocolate Pasta

I wanted to do something savory with the chocolate pasta. And, of course, it's cranberry time. And turkey...The rest just put itself together. I think it's a pretty good job!

This recipe is going out with the Newsletter. Go get this month's coupon!

Turkey Cutlets with Cranberry Cream Sauce
      and Chocolate Pasta

2 turkey cutlets
1/2 tsp nutmeg
4 tbsp Persian Lime Olive Oil, divided
2 tsp Toasted Onion Sea Salt, divided
2 tbsp Cranberry Balsamic
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tbsp cream cheese (optional)
3/4 cup heavy cream or milk
1 cup (6-10) shaved brussels sprouts
1/2 cup sundried cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp minced garlic
4 slices thick cut bacon
Chocolate Pasta

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Spread 1 tbsp of the oil over each cutlet and place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the nutmeg and the Toasted Onion Salt. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour. If you are measuring with a thermometer, the internal temperature should be 165.

Take them out of the oven and let them cool. Slice thinly on a diagonal and set aside.

Prepare the pasta according to the directions, enough for 4 servings. Rinse well. Cook the bacon until is it nice and crispy and crumble it. Set those aside.

Heat the other 2 tbsp of olive oil in a sauce pan and add the garlic and the cherry tomatoes. Saute for 1-3 minutes. Add the cream or milk and the Cranberry Balsamic and bring to a light simmer. Put in the sour cream and stir to combine. Then add the cream cheese if you are using it. Simmer for another minute or two, the sauce should be nice and thick.

Sprinkle in the salt and the brussels sprouts, saving a little bit for garnish. Stir in some of the bacon, saving some of that for garnish too. Remove from the heat.

Arrange some pasta and turkey slices on each plate. Top with the sauce, a bit of brussles sprouts and bacon and a couple whole cherry tomatoes.

Enjoy!

Easy Parmesan Meatballs

If you have a pound of ground meat in the fridge, some cheese, breadcrumbs and a little oil, we are in business to night!

Lets go with my husbands favorite: meatballs. Parmesan ones!

Easy Parmesan Meatballs

1 lb ground meat, I like turkey
1/4 cup Sun dried Tomato, Parmesan and Garlic Olive Oil
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs

Start by preheating your oven to 350degrees.

Mix all your ingredients in a large bowl. Form into about 12 meatballs.

Arrange on a baking sheet. As these bake, the parmesan gets everywhere, don't worry about it, they still taste great. But use a pan with sides, not a cookie sheet.

Bake 25-30 minutes.

I used my slow sauce to turn these into a sandwich. Life is good when you have food in the fridge!

Turkey Curry

I had a bunch of leftover carrots from Christmas, so I shredded them up. I also put some of our red pepper paste to good use. You can use all kinds of leftover veggies for this and with chicken if you have that.

Turkey Curry

2 cups cooked turkey, cut up or shredded
1 tsp red pepper paste
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp nutmeg
3 carrots, cut into matchsticks
4 cups cooked white rice
1 cup frozen peas
1 tbsp Blood Orange Olive Oil
2 tbsp - 1/4 cup coconut milk or heavy cream
Spicy Curry Sea Salt


Heat the Olive Oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add in the carrots, peas and any other veggies you decide to use. Stir in the red pepper paste and spices and let simmer 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Add in the turkey and coconut milk. If you want your sauce to be thicker, add less, thinner add more. Stir to coat everything evenly and simmer 5-10 minutes or until the turkey is heated all the way through.

Serve over rice and garnish with the Spicy Curry Sea Salt.

Cranberry Mayo

I love sandwiches. I make lots of other food, but the sandwich is my favorite form of food. As a child, I could make a sandwich out of any meal, much to my parent's horror. And I knew that I had found the guy to for me when I was on a date and watched him make a sandwich out of spaghetti. I married that one.

So the leftovers sandwich is my favorite part of Thanksgiving.

You need to start with the bread. To cram the most stuff on, I suggest a round kaiser or long roll. I used a small potato roll for this sandwich, it is only a little bit for breakfast.

On the bottom, start with cranberry sauce. Then some stuffing. If this was a larger roll, I'd put potatoes on too. Give it a nice wedge of turkey and a dollop of Cranberry Balsamic Mayo.

Sandwich heaven.

Cranberry Mayo

2 tbsp Mayo

1 tsp Cranberry Balsamic

Stir it together.

I suggest making a bunch of this ahead and refrigerating it until needed. The ratio works out the same however much you make, but taste test it! Make sure you like it. Add a little more balsamic if you want to!

It's your sandwich, go wild!

Turkey Trio: one day, three turkeys

Okay, it isn't really three turkeys. But it is three turkey breasts. And I did make them all last night.

I was only going to make a Lemon Pepper, and a Spanish Rosemary one, but I threw in a surprise one too.

I only made turkey breasts, but these recipes can work for a whole turkey with no problem. Since the size of your turkey decides your cooking times, I am not going to give you that part of the recipe. The USDA recommends that you heat your meat to a minimum of 165 degrees. I really suggest you invest in a good meat thermometer.

12o'clock: Lemon Pepper, 4o'clock Cranberry Lemon, 9o'clock Rosemary Butter

Lemon Pepper Turkey

Rub Lemon Pepper blend all over the outside of your turkey. For the breast I used 1 tbsp. For a whole turkey, it should be less than 4 tbsp, unless you want to rub the inside too. You could lift the skin of the turkey and rub it underneath the skin instead. If you do that, I suggest that you brush the skin with butter.

Slice a lemon in half and slip it inside your bird. I placed some lemon slices on top as well before roasting. I liked the way that looked for presentation.

Cook to 165 degrees.


Cranberry Lemon Bonus Turkey

Gently pull the skin away from the breast of the turkey. Lift it, but don't rip it. Massage 1-2 tbsp Meyer Lemon Olive Oil under the skin. Slice one lemon in thick slices. Slide them under the skin. If you have any bits left over, you can put them inside the turkey.

Brush the top with Cranberry Balsamic.

The balsamic burns quickly, so tent a sheet of foil over the turkey, cover it, or rub the inside of the turkey with the Cranberry Balsamic and brush the outside 20 minutes before the end of your cooking time.

For even more cranberry, try putting some fresh cranberries under the skin as well as lemon slices, and inside the turkey as well.

Cook to 165 degrees.


Spanish Rosemary Butter Turkey

Let 1 stick of unsalted butter(8 tbsp) come to room temperature. Stir in 2 tsp Marsala Rosemary Sea Salt. Mix until well combined.

Pull the skin up from the turkey breast. Be careful not to rip. Rub the infused butter under the skin, saving about 1 tbsp. Rub the remaining tbsp on the outsides.

Cook to 165 degrees.

A plate full of choices