Turkey and Red Cabbage Soup

Rarely do you come across a recipe that's delicious, comforting, healthy and easy. Oh, and it also uses leftover turkey! Bonus! (You could also use cooked chicken)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

4 cups chicken broth

3/4 lb cooked and chopped turkey

1 small onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 1/2 cups chopped red cabbage

1 tsp minced garlic

28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

 

Heat oil in a Dutch oven. Add onion and brown 2-3 minutes, then add the carrots, red cabbage and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the turkey, broth, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then simmer until vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. And that's it!

Makes 4-6 servings.

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Turkey Puff Pot Pie

Nothing is more comforting than a pot pie. And using frozen puff pastry makes it easy, not to mention pretty gorgeous! Pulled the Christmas turkey leftovers out of the freezer for this one.

Ingredients:

 1/4 cup butter

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup diced sweet bell pepper 

1/4 cup flour

1 1/4 cups chicken or turkey broth

1 1/4 cups milk

4 cups cooked, chopped turkey

1 tsp celery seed

1 tsp dried thyme

3 tbsps fresh chopped parsley

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup frozen peas

1 sheet of puff pastry, defrosted in fridge overnight

1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water

sesame seed (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Melt butter in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and bell pepper and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Whisk the flour into the broth and stir into the pot. Add the milk and simmer 5 minutes to thicken. Then add the turkey, celery seed, thyme, parsley, salt, pepper and peas. Pour or spoon into a 10 X 10" baking dish or large, deep pie plate.

Unroll the puff pastry onto the parchment it is packaged in and roll out to just larger than your baking dish. Make some slits in the pastry and turn it over on top of the baking dish. Peel away the parchment paper.

Press to seal the edges to the side of the baking dish with some over hanging. If you find there is too much left over the sides just turn it up like I did here for the corners. Brush with the egg wash of beaten egg and water and, if using, sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes. Cool 5-10 minutes before serving. Use that time to stand back and admire what you just made!

Makes 6 servings

Adapted from: herbsandflour.com

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Ramekin Apple Cakes

Satisfy your cake craving! These buttery little cakes with sweet apple in every bite are perfect on their own or dress them up with a dusting of icing sugar, whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients:

 Apple Pie Filling:

3 medium apples, chopped

2 tbsps water

3 tbsps sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water

(or 1 cup canned pie filling but homemade is best!)

 

 Cake:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsps baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla

 

If not using store bought pie filling, just add the apples, 2 tbsps water, sugar and cinnamon to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir the cornstarch and 1 tbsp water together and add to the pan. Cook 2 minutes to thicken.

Butter 3 ramekins, or as in this case, 2 ramekins and an oven safe pudding bowl and set aside. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. Add the milk, melted butter and vanilla and stir until just combined. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of batter into each dish. Then divide the apple pie filling amongst each and add the remaining batter on top.

Bake in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes.

Eat warm right out of the ramekin or cool and turn out to slice like this one baked in the pudding bowl.

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Mushroom Gravy Meatloaf

This simple meat loaf uses lean ground beef and still manages to be juicy and tender. Serve with mashed potatoes for classic comfort food vibes!

Ingredients for Meat Loaf:

2 lbs lean ground beef

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 eggs

1 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tsps dried thyme

1 tbsps dried parsley

salt and pepper to taste

 

Glaze:

3 tbsps ketchup

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

 

Mushroom Gravy:

4 oz mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 tbsps butter

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup beef broth

1 tbsp dry onion soup mix

2 tbsps flour

 

Mix the ingredients for the meat loaf together. Wet a 9 X 5" loaf pan and pack the mixture in, not jam packed but firmly, then turn it out onto a lined baking sheet. You get the loaf shape, but with lots of surface area to brown and glaze. Bake in a 375°F oven for 50 minutes.

Mix the ketchup and balsamic together. After 50 minutes brush the meat loaf all over with glaze and return to the oven for 20 minutes, glazing a couple of times.

While glazing the loaf make the mushroom gravy. Melt butter in a small saucepan or frying pan and add the sliced mushrooms and garlic powder, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Cook until lightly browned. Mix the beef broth, dry onion soup mix and flour together and stir into the pan. Cook 3-4 minutes to thicken.

Let the meatloaf rest 5-10 minutes before slicing and serve with mushroom gravy. And mashed potatoes...you gotta have mashed potatoes!

Serves 6-8

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Honey Hasselback Butternut Squash

Slicing butternut squash hasselback style makes perfect little pockets for the honey thyme glaze to slide right into! Makes a great fall or winter side dish!

Ingredients:

2 lb butternut squash

2 tbsps olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tbsps butter, melted

1/4 cup honey

2 tsps fresh thyme leaves

1 small potato

1/4 cup water

 

Preheat oven to 425°F. 

Cut the squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and strings and peel it. Take the small potato and cut it in half. Cut any extra off so that the potato halves fit into each concave of the squash then set the potatoes aside for later. Brush the squash with olive oil and add salt and pepper. Place the two halves cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove and let cool long enough so they can be handled. Or you can prepare to this point a day before and refrigerate until needed.

Lay a squash half on a cutting board with chopsticks or wooden spoons on either side. Make 1/4" slices (1/8" if you can manage it) almost through. That's where the chopsticks come in to stop the cut from slicing right through. Carefully lift sliced squash using a wide spatula underneath and place it in a baking dish. Use a dish that will hold both halves snugly if you can. Now take a potato half and place it in the concave of the squash where the seeds used to be. This will help the squash retain it's shape. Repeat with the other half.

Add 1/4 cup water to the bottom of the dish. Combine the melted butter, honey and thyme leaves and spread over the squash and in between slices a bit too. Bake at 400°F for 45 minutes basting every 10 minutes. The butternut squash should be nice and tender. Remove the potato halves.

Serves 6

Adapted from: jocooks.com

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Air Fryer Spice Rubbed Chicken Breasts

Succulently seasoned chicken breasts cooked to perfection in the air fryer. A healthy dinner for two whether served with potatoes and veg, as the protein on your dinner salad or simply sliced for a hearty chicken sandwich.

Ingredients:

 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp spicy chili oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

 

Combine the seasonings then add the spicy chili oil and mix until crumbly.

Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels then rub the seasoning and oil all over both breasts. This can be done early and refrigerate the chicken until ready to use.

Preheat crisper plate in air fryer basket for 3 minutes at 360°F.

Spray the basket with oil and placed the chicken in leaving space between the two pieces. Air fry 10 minutes then flip them over and cook another 8 minutes. The internal temperature should read 160 - 165 °F.

Rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Serves 2

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Lime Spiced Nuts

Add these lime spiced nuts to any charcuterie board, give your salad a nutty topping or just snack on them with your favourite cocktail.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup light olive oil

2 tbsps lime juice

1 tbsp maple syrup

2 tsps sea salt

1/2 - 1 tsp red pepper flakes

6 cups assorted nuts

 

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a large bowl combine the olive oil, lime juice, maple syrup, salt and red pepper flakes. Add the nuts and stir to coat. I used almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios and cashews this time around.  Use what you like or what's on sale.

Spread them out on 2 lined baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes stirring every 5 minutes until lightly toasted. Then spread them out on a long piece of foil on the counter and let cool for 2 hours. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 weeks. Ideal for gift giving.

Makes 6 cups or 8 - 3/4 cup servings

Adapted from bhg.com

 

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