Turkey Stock

After cutting the breasts, legs and thighs off for another use, I took the carcass and put it in a large pot. Added carrots, onion, celery, cloves, bay leaf. Simmered, strained, and then took remaining meat off the bones. Will have soup this week!

Roast Turkey Breast

Boneless turkey breast cooked in butter, Meyer lemon olive oil, lemon juice, wine, garlic, rosemary.
Cooled in the liquid.
Sliced for sandwiches.
Simple.
Yummy.

Green Chili: Turkey

Took the skin off turkey legs and thighs. Rubbed with a spice blend: dried green chili powder, dried green chilies, dried onions, smoked paprika, cumin, pepper, dried garlic/red pepper. Roasted with butter and chipotle oil. Then braised with turkey broth. Let cool in cooking liquid. The next day, I took the meat off the bone, put it in a slow cooker with some more turkey broth, diced onions, a can of tomatillos (drained and pureed), can of diced green chilies, some frozen corn, can of pinto beans, and two cans of white beans. I drained and rinsed the beans.
Served with a pico de gallo of diced onions, jalapenos, cilantro, fresh lime juice, Meyer lemon olive oil.

Lefse

Per batch (about 9 - 10 pieces)
5 cups riced potatoes. We boiled them the night before, riced while hot, then let sit out overnight to dry a bit.
1/2 cup cream (half-n-half)
2 Tblsp. Crisco, melted
2 Tblsp. Butter, melted
1 rounded tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups flour

Mix well, turn out and form into two "loaves." Put one in fridge while measuring and rolling the other.
Roll the loaf into a log, the diameter was determined by the diameter of my 1/3 cup measuring cup.
Measure into scant 1/3 cup pieces, roll into balls.
Take each ball, pat it down into a disk shape, roll a bit, then turn over and roll out on a floured pastry cloth, thin enough to see through to the writing on the cloth.

Use a lefse turner to lift it and lay it onto the lefse griddle. Having two people really helps!

"Fry" (no oil, but that's the term mom uses), until it starts to bubble and create light brown spots. Turn and finish the other side.

Place under a damp towel. After the batch is done, lay them out onto a flat surface (we used the table, covered with an old, cotton, tablecloth) to let dry just a bit. Don't leave too long, just enough to cool and keep from having moisture condense in the plastic bag.

Fold the pieces and place in plastic bags.

Thanks to Mom and Dad for "Lefse School!"

Biscuits and Gravy

Brown sausage, we use Jimmy Dean, regular. If it's lean, add some butter. Season with pepper, poultry seasoning, dried onion. Add flour, half a sausage roll, half a cup. Stir to coat all of the meat, let it color slightly. Add milk. Put in a dash of nutmeg and a bay leaf. Simmer.
Serve over biscuits.
or chicken fried steak.
or potatoes.

Beef Bourguignon

My son's band played a gig last night and he brought home 4 bottles of wine, two of them were opened. So.....
I rough chopped the onion, carrot, and garlic; sauteed it in bacon fat with cubed beef. I added a blob of tomato paste and deglazed with beef stock and then poured in a lot of red wine (cabernet sauvignon). It cooked in the oven for several hours.
While that was cooking, I made pasta dough in the food processor. I used 3 cups of flour, tsp. of salt, 5 eggs, and a blob of butter. I kneaded it slightly, then let it rest. I rolled it out by hand, didn't want to bother with the machine. Yep, it was kinda thick.
I sauteed mushrooms in butter, added salt and pepper, and thyme. I deglazed the pan with madeira. My husband doesn't like mushrooms, so served them on the side. I didn't use the tiny onions that are traditionally used in this dish. Oh well.
Dropped the pasta into boiling water, when done, I drained them and tossed them in butter.

Grandma's Molasses Cookies

Boil together for about 3 minutes:
1 cup lard (I used shortening, I'm sure lard is better)
1 cup dark blackstrap molasses (I got the darkest they had)
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup salted butter (because I didn't have any cream, see below)
Let cool.

Add 1/2 cup strong coffee mixed with 1 tsp. soda. It will foam up. Cool.
Add 1/2 cup cream (I used milk, see above, compensated by adding butter)

In a separate bowl, mix together 3 cups flour (will need more as you are stirring/kneading)
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 - 1/2 tsp cloves

Add dry to wet. Add enough flour to roll out. After a bit, stirring becomes cumbersome, turn out onto a floured surface and knead until it feels right.
Do not refrigerate, or you will have a brick that impossible to roll out.
Roll out and bake.
I used the convection setting at 360, barely 6 minutes.

Easy Peasy Pita Pizza

Pita Bread
Jar of sauce
Bag of pepperoni
Sliced salami
Bag of cheese
Jar of pesto
Really hot oven.
Done.