Turkey, Cranberry and Brie Sandwich

Someone get the police on the phone, I need to report 14 missing days from this month.  I guess that's what happens when you are off having so much fun.  I guess it's time for me to correct that bad behavior and launch into full-on Turkey Day prep mode.  I'm not gonna cop to being completely OCD, but I have my moments.  I spent a couple hours in a relaxing meditative state called dusting, so we don't have a repeat of last years' "Turn on the chandelier and see cobwebs all over it incident".

I've been trying out a few new recipes I might want to add to the menu this year, one of them was a Cranberry-Orange Sauce I found over at Liv Life.  I thought why not start off the holiday backwards by showing you a sandwich you could make with the leftovers from the big feast.

Turkey, Cranberry and Brie Sandwich

(1) - 2 1/2 pound turkey breast

Olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 recipe Cranberry-Orange Sauce (here is the recipe, I did add a little extra sugar though)

Arugula

8 ounces Brie cheese

2 sourdough seeded baguettes - Trader Joe's has some par baked ones that are excellent

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the turkey breast skin side up in a heavy pan and rub with a little bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes or so.

Warning:  This next photo contains graphic nudity!

Remove the skin from the turkey and slice it into 1/2 - inch slices.  See all that juice running out, it's because you didn't over cook it.

Split a baguette and cut it into sandwich sized pieces.  My size is 1/2 a baguette, but I like to live a little bit on the sandwich wild side.

Place a generous amount of the cranberry sauce on the bottom half of the baguette.  Add a layer of turkey, top with a few slices of Brie.  Place the sandwich in the microwave for 40 seconds or so until the Brie starts running and screaming for Merci. Add a bit of arugula and top with the other half of the baguette.

Serves 4.

I'm heading back into the kitchen to work on dessert.  Let me know if there is a recipe that you think has to go on my menu. 

Enjoy,

Gina

Stuffed Pork Chops - Exercise can be hazardous to your health

I know what you are thinking, that's a pretty harsh statement.  Well there is a good reason I don't go on and on about my exercise skills on this blog.  I decided maybe it's time that I change that. My daughter convinced me we should go hiking, sounded like such a good idea.

Exercise in general is a great thing except when you fall into the "Three Strikes" category like I do; Old, Overweight, and Out of Shape.

Old became immediately apparent when I realized I couldn't read the map they had provided at the entrance because I didn't have my readers.  I used my superior deductive skills, which landed us on a trail that ended up being 6 miles, 5 1/2 of them were up hill.

Overweight, well I get to experience that one first hand everyone morning when I try to fit in my jeans.  But who'd of thought how much harder it would be to navigate hills when you are lugging around some extra luggage.

The Out of Shape part, well on that hike my daughter and I were having a little fun making a video diary and when Dionne - Try Anything Once commented on one of my videos on You Tube, I couldn't help chuckle thinking about the one we made on our little hike.

Cranberry-Orange Stuffed Pork Chops

4 - Thick cut pork chops, bone-in (1 1/2" - 2" thick)

1 cup fresh sourdough breadcrumbs

2 ounces craisins (or dried cranberries)

1 tsp. orange zest

3 tbsp. orange juice

2 tbsp. shallots, minced

2 tsp. olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine the breadcrumbs, craisins, orange zest, orange juice, shallots, olive oil and salt and pepper in a bowl and set aside.

Cut a pocket in the pork chops, insert the tip of a knife in the center of the chop, cut a 2" slit and work your way in until close to the bone and wiggle it around to the sides until you form a pocket. Stuff the stuffing in with your fingers and coat the chops with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat an oven proof skillet on medium high heat, place the pork chops in the skillet and cook for 2 minutes on each side.  Place the skillet in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

While the chops are cooking, julienne a couple of zucchini and place them in a skillet heated on medium, add a little olive oil.  Toss until wilted, only takes one minute or so.  Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

Serves 4.

As healthy as I feel at the moment, I couldn't help but shed a tear when I saw the Macarons Azmina - Lawyer Loves Lunch posted.  I think those cookies were mocking me, you know you want me, you know you really, really want me!

Enjoy,

Gina

Cranberry Pecan Cookies with Orange Glaze

I make tons of Christmas cookies every year and I try and rotate the flavors, but sometimes there is one cookie no one will let you leave off the rotation.  If I left these cookies out of the tins; I don't think I'd ever hear the end of it from my husbands' Uncle Stan.  Every time I see him; he reminds me how much he likes these.

I always hand deliver the cookies, but one year I went to Uncle Stan & Aunt Ladybugs house and no one was home. (Yes that is their names, cute huh!)  I left the tin on the doorstep and figured they would find it when they got home.  They had heard from others that I delivered cookies and were feeling a little left out that they didn't get any.  Once I heard of this, I dropped them off another package.  A couple of days later Aunt Ladybug calls me and says, "I found the tin in the backyard, the dog must of gotten them!"  We both laughed.  Maybe it was really Uncle Stan who got to them.

Cranberry Pecan Cookies

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup milk

2 tbsp. fresh orange juice

1 large egg

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

2 cups frozen cranberries, coarsely chopped

1 cup pecans, chopped or ground

Orange Glaze

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

Zest from 1 orange

2 tbsp. fresh orange juice

Pinch salt

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.  To a mixer add sugars and butter, beat on medium speed till combined.  Add the milk, orange juice, and egg and mix till combined.  Add in flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda, and mix till combined.  Stir in the cranberries and nuts.

Tip:  I've made the cookies enough to know the easiest way to deal with the cranberries is to dump half of a bag in a blender and process a couple of times until they are chopped.  Fresh cranberries are only available for a short time, so I will buy a few extra bags and keep them in the freezer so we can enjoy these cookies whenever.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheets lined with parchment.

Bake 11-13 minutes.  Let cool.  I like to use parchment here because you can let the cookies cool on the parchment, frost them on the paper, remove and you will have less mess to clean up.

Melt butter in pan, add orange zest, orange juice, salt and powdered sugar, and whisk until smooth.  I like to put my glaze in a small pitcher and drizzle over cookies.

Tip:  To store cookies, I like plastic storage containers.  I put one row of cookies, a layer of wax paper and layer the cookies that way; otherwise they will stick together.

Enjoy, 

Gina