Thanksgiving Burgers

Thanksgiving is my favorite meal to cook.

Unfortunately, I find myself only doing the whole magilla once a year.

But, you know, every once in a while I just get a HANKERING for those wonderful Thanksgiving flavors!

Serve this with sweet potato fries and you’re all set, any time of year!

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1/3 C chopped toasted pecans
• 1/3 C dried cranberries
• 1/2 t Bell’s Seasoning
• 1 box Stove-Top Stuffing
• 1/4 C chopped, toasted pecans
• 1/4 C dried cranberries
• Cranberry sauce

NOTE: I used cranberry sauce I made from scratch. In a pinch you can use canned whole berry cranberry sauce, just put it in a small pan and melt it down a little so it because more saucey.

NOTE: Yes, yes, I know. A box of StoveTop. It’s quick and easy. And so much less fussy than starting stuffing from scratch. And, besides, stuffing from scratch kind of defeats the whole purpose, doesn’t it? I used the cornbread mix.

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Make stuffing according to package directions. When you take the stuffing off the heat to let sit, stir in the 1/4 C each of toasted, chopped pecans and dried cranberries. Allow to cool so it’s easier to handle.

While waiting for the stuffing to cool, mix the first four ingredients in a bowl and form 4 flattish patties. Place on cookie sheet.

Once cooled, form the stuffing into 4 flattish patties. Place on cookie sheet.

NOTE: You want the patties to be about the same diameter and not too thick.

Place cookie sheet in oven and cook until burgers are done, about 30 minutes, flipping the patties once.

Once cooked through, assemble the burger. A stuffing patty, a turkey patty, some cranberry sauce on top. A side of sweet potato fries. Voila! Thanksgiving dinner is served!

Turkey Vegetable Chili

It’s cold.

I’m sick.

Bubonic plague sick.

Oh, no, not the flu. The flu would be too simple. Here’s some drugs, get some sleep, you’ll be better.

I have the energy sapping, can’t keep your eyes open, will not go away virus that is sweeping the nation.

I needed to make something. Something warm. Something healthy. Something that freezes well.

The solution, this wonderful one-pot turkey vegetable chili. Filled with veggies and turkey. It’s hearty without being too much. Best part, it’s a Weight Watcher’s recipe and each one cup serving is only ONE POINT.  Okay, I made my Grandmother’s Biscuits to go with, so it’s no longer one point, but I’m ill and can afford the extra calories, and besides, I’m shooting for filling, healthy and yummy, not diet conscious.

There’s a lot of energy sapping chopping here, but the end result is totally worth it!

• 10 oz. extra lean ground turkey
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes (I use mexican style w/ green chiles)
• 2 medium zucchini – diced
• 2 medium yellow squash diced
• 15 oz can black beans – rinsed & drained
• 2 cans fat free low sodium beef broth
• 4 celery stalks diced
• 1 or 2 packages dry chili seasoning or to taste

NOTE: This is the original recipe. I usually use low sodium chicken broth. I use one packet of the chili seasoning.

Saute turkey, pepper, and onion in the bottom of a large stock pot until browned.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer over medium heat until veggies are tender (about 30 minutes).

I like to simmer mine for a while longer to help the flavors blend, but it’s definitely not necessary.

Makes approximately 20, one cup servings.

NOTE: When I freeze tis I freeze it in ziploc bags, laying flat, in both one and two cup portions.

Turkey Chops with Mushrooms

Most of you who follow me regularly know about Black Thursday – as we are fortunate enough to still jokingly call it – that was the day we began our paltry poultry journey.  Those of us who are already heart healthy in my house are not as excited about this continuing turn over to life as non-red meat eaters (mostly).

Seems, though, one of us has been cheating on his diet a bit and numbers are a teensy bit higher than they had been.  FOUR WORDS – NOT. ON. MY. WATCH. So we (read I) need to pull the reins a little tighter on what we’re (haha I’m) cooking and he’s eating.

We’ve learned in this process – pork is NOT the other white meat no matter what the pork council tells you; there is MORE sodium in turkey sausage than in pork sausage – 590 mg per LINK (that fact could make your blood pressure go up on its own!); the BOy is still spitting feathers; and turkey and chicken now come in all sorts of interesting cuts, shapes and sizes.

I seem to spend an unending amount of time in the turkey and chicken section of my supermarket. I stand there – staring – hoping for some inspiration. Hoping perhaps one of the items will jump off the shelf, into my cart and tell me how to prepare it. Truth be told, if that were to happen, after I was released from the funny farm, I would never be able to eat poultry again. As it is, I cannot stand chicken or turkey legs. I will not even explain why, it will keep you from eating them as well.

Oh, and please don’t suggest asking my darling husband – Mr. Ambiguous – what he’d like. His answer is likely to be along these lines, “Well, whatever you make would be fine. Turkey would be good. Chicken would be good. Either one would be good.” And then he goes into his Forrest Gump answer, “You could grill it, or saute it, or make soup, or roast it, maybe cutlets, or a whole chicken, which you could flat roast or leave whole, or …” And I just stand there staring at him, open mouthed, thinking to myself, you are the most aggravating human on the planet, and then remembering I go through all of this poultry madness because we were so lucky that he (well, we actually) survived his heart attack.

On one of these shopping trips, staring into poultry cases, I noticed Shady Brook Farms Turkey Chops. These are a cross section cut from the breast. They are the size and thickness of a boneless loin pork chop and can easily fool husbands and sons. I had to try them.

But what to do with them?

• 1 package of Shady Brook Farms Turkey Chops
• flour for dredging
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 T butter
• 8 oz. package of sliced white mushrooms
• 1 C chicken stock

NOTE: There are 4 chops in a package. You can sub boneless loin pork chops or chicken cutlets. If you like to slice your own mushrooms then you need a 10 oz. package of white mushrooms. You can make the 1 cup of chicken stock half white wine and half stock, if you’d like.

Season flour with salt and pepper.  Dredge turkey chops in flour shaking off excess.

NOTE: Sometimes I throw a little dried thyme in there.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Spray skillet with cooking spray or add a little bit of olive oil. Add turkey chops. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes and turn. Cook another 3 or 4 minutes. Once done, remove from pan. Cover plate with foil to keep warm.

NOTE: You want these to be golden brown, but they go from done to dry quickly!

Add the tablespoon of butter to the pan. Once melted, add the mushrooms and saute for 4 or 5 minutes until they start to turn golden.

NOTE: I try not to add extra salt here, but you certainly can. Sometimes I sprinkle a little dried thyme here as well.

Once the mushrooms are cooked, add the chicken stock and lemon juice and let simmer for 4 or 5 minutes. Add turkey chops back into pan to just heat.

This recipe serves 4 people or 2 REALLY hungry people. Divide turkey chops among plates, cover with mushrooms, spooning sauce over top.

I usuallt serve this with orzo or brown rice and steamed green beans.