Turkey Meatball Subs and our Pawn Star...

I'm so excited to share with you the news that my brother is going to be on the show Pawn Stars this Thursday Feb 27 trying to make a deal to sell his vintage Volkswagen bus.  You can catch the show on t.v. or possibly on the History Channel-Pawn Stars, also if he doesn't sell it; I'd be more than happy to broker a transaction with you for a small brokers fee.  (Way, way less than the huge cut they try and get!  Sorry Rick, this is strictly business, a Cookie Queen has to eat too you know.) 

The cutie in the VW is my nephew Lil Anthony rolling just like his daddy did back in high school when he first fell in love with V-dubs and restoring old cars.

Even though last week was a short week it sure was a long one in the work department.  I had several late nights in which I only entertained the idea of what to make for dinner upon entering the kitchen completely famished. You see I'm the easy one in the house, if there is a leftover dessert sitting on the counter I have no problem inhaling it, walking away and calling it good.  While having dessert for dinner seems like cake to me, the other two I live with just aren't that easy.   

Hot Dog Dude comes home from work acting like he hasn't eaten in a month.  He will mow anyone down to get to the food and will complain if one of the items isn't ready and we have to delay plating. Probably has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact he has cleared his plate before I even get mine served up and make it to the table.  I always feel like I lost a competition that I didn't even know I was in. 

Then there is the kid, who one day eats something, the next day doesn't.  Actually I'm beginning to believe what she eats is completely dependent on what phase the moon is in.  That has to be it; there really is no other rational explanation for this phenomenon.  One day after school she will ask if she can have some chicken nuggets and when I make chicken at home I get, "I don't eat chicken."  I think she is just messing with me,  but I had to give her a pass this week when she ratted out her Dad for complaining I didn't make dinner before leaving for night school. 

I made some meatballs earlier in the week, I was even thinking of said complainer when I made them in turkey instead of beef as to not upset his delicate system. If these complaints keep rolling in, who knows what may end up in the meatballs?  I'm not saying recipes are in the works, but there is just so far you can push people before they snap. 

I tried squelching the peanut gallery with some leftover meatballs transformed into subs; it worked so I'm calling it a win.  If your hoard is equally unruly, may I suggest the humble Turkey Meatball Sub, I used this Beef Meatball recipe but subbed the beef with ground turkey.  I located a jar of Marinara from my stash, toasted a roll with a little butter.  Loaded it up with 3 meatballs, covered with a slice of mozzarella cheese and threw it under the broiler for a minute till the cheese melted.  Added a little extra sauce, and some sort of peace deal managed to be worked out even if it will be short lived.

Gina

p.s. In the random chance I start over with some other family down the road; I'm playing clueless in the kitchen.  I will know how to boil ramen only and trust me I will commit myself to the role.

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

Turkey Piccata and Our Pig Roast Preparations Begin!

I don't know about you but one too many Christmas cookies are sitting around my middle, literally. I thought maybe you would enjoy a light and healthy dish instead; the fact that it's fast to prepare doesn't hurt either. My Grandfather loved using veal, but I'm just not a fan.  So when I make Piccata I like to use turkey cutlets.  This is a comfort dish for me; I love licking the sauce off the plate, don't lie and pretend you don't do that when you eat something really good.

Turkey:

1 lb. turkey cutlets

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. cracked black pepper

1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 lb. pasta, whatever shaped you would like

Step 1:
Fill a large pot 2/3 full with water and a couple of teaspoons of salt and bring it to a boil.  Drop your pasta in when the water is at a rolling boil.  Cook for 7-10 minutes, depending on the shape of the pasta.

Step 2:
On a plate combine flour, salt, pepper and rosemary.

Step 3:
Lay a piece of plastic wrap on your counter and lay turkey cutlets on top.  Cover with another piece of plastic wrap and pound with the flat side of a meat tenderizer.  You want to leave them about 1/2" thick. Then dredge each cutlet in the flour mixture and set aside.

Step 4:
To a large skillet add butter and olive oil.  Heat on medium heat and when the butter is starting to turn color add the turkey cutlets.  Cook for 2-3 minutes on one side then flip and cook the same on the other.  Remove from the skillet and set aside, drain remaining oil from the skillet.

Lemon - Caper Sauce:

juice and zest from 2 lemons

1/2 cup white wine

2 tbsp. capers

3-4 tbsp. Italian parsley, chopped

2 tsp. all-purpose flour

Step 5:

To the skillet on medium high heat add wine, lemon, and capers.  Add flour and whisk it in, cook for 2-3 minutes, remove from heat and add parsley.  Put cutlets back in sauce and combine with the pasta.

Here is a little tip for you:

I love buying fresh herbs, to help them keep a little longer in the fridge I wash them really good, let them dry, then place them on paper towels before placing them in a large Ziploc bag and putting in the fridge.

I really don't know where this year went, must be a sign of aging or something.  I guess it's true, time flies when you are having fun.  Thank you to all my old friends and to all my new.  Writing all these recipes for you this year has been my extreme pleasure and I'm looking forward to the New Year.  

Most of you have packed up your decorations and cleaned up the holiday aftermath.  I'm preparing for our next Christmas celebration.  When I married my husband I also married his traditions, including their celebration of the day Christ was born, which they celebrate on January 6.  It's a big feast and my husband roasts a whole pig and I make homemade tamales and lots of other goodies.  If you are looking for a really good dinner, this will be the place to be.  Call me and I'll let you know how to get on the V.I.P. list!  

Wishing all of you A Happy New Year!

Serves 4.

Gina