Cheesy Chicken (or Turkey) - give turkey leftovers a new lease on life...

The sauce in this recipe is so simple, yet indescribable. Cheese added during the last few minutes of baking is melted to perfection, blending perfectly with the sauce. The meat beneath is never dry - and the poultry seasoning and garlic is such an unusual combination. Turkey leftovers never tasted so good...



We are dyed-in-the-wool DARK turkey people here. So at the end of all the turkey pickins’ we have a grundle of white meat left over. This year I decided to roast a turkey the Tuesday before Thanksgiving so we could enjoy turkey sandwiches for a few days. You don’t get that luxury when you don’t host it at your house - so this was turkey “insurance”... I deboned a 23 pound turkey, separating it into light and dark meat - as well as making two quarts (+) of yummy turkey gravy.



A few days after Thanksgiving I sliced one section of the turkey breast I had stored into 1/2” portions and layered them in a 9” x 13” pan. I thought of that yummy sauce I had recently used to make the Cheesy Chicken recipe I found at yourhomebasedmom.com. You’ll love this recipe to give a new lease on life to your turkey leftovers. White turkey meat tends to get progressively drier as it ages - no matter how well you store it. So I decided to get right on it and use it up at it’s prime.



It's easy to keep this sauce refrigerated to use a little at a time for smaller portions. For this great poultry recipe, along with photos, links, and directions - go to:
www.changeabletable.com

"Plan-Over" Turkey Meals - for those busy days ahead...

We knew we wouldn't be having Thanksgiving at our house this year, so I decided to cook a turkey anyhow. How hard is it to let it roast all day anyway? The Tuesday before the big day, I let it do it's thing and by evening I had a semi-cooled turkey with lots of broth to make (literally!) quarts of that heavenly turkey gravy. I use my hand mixer to stir 1 cup of flour into 1 cup of water till smooth - then I add an extra cup of water. I keep this by the stove and stir it into the hot broth for the best turkey gravy ever. I keep adding this thick liquid starch in small amounts till the gravy is just the right thickness. All you need to add is a little salt if necessary.



All I had to do was allow it to stand about an hour to cool off, debone, and separate it into two large zip-locs - one for light meat, and one for dark. We prefer the darker meat around here... but the breast meat is very usable also.



That was so simple, that I decided to make a batch of mashed potatoes as well. I stored that, along with the turkey gravy - and we had ample leftovers for this past weekend. I even had some rolls I had put right into the freezer the Sunday before - so turkey sandwiches were easy.



With lots of homeless turkeys in your grocery store this "week after" - you should be able to get a real deal on a big bird. What can't be used can easily be frozen, or made into individual meals to send home with your college students.



Don't forget to drain off the last of the broth remaining in the roaster after the turkey is boned. It has a more concentrated flavor than the earlier broth, and you won't know what you're missing if you pour it off and let it go to waste. It makes great "turkey noodles" - a great comfort food around here.

Check back soon for a really easy, delicious recipe for using the somewhat-dry light breast meat.

Dad's Pistachio Marble Cake - Happy Birthday Jay...

We make this cake on my late husband’s birthday every year. We look forward to this cake almost as much as we do Thanksgiving pies. It’s part of our traditional Thanksgiving weekend lineup, as his birthday almost always hits during those very busy days.



It’s light green color, laced with chocolate throughout is a great change from all the other heavy holiday food. The really subtle almond flavor with an occasional pistachio makes a terrific tasting cake.



Jay’s favorite restaurant used to be “La Calandria” on State Street in Midvale, Utah. Unfortunately, the management has changed and Petra (the former owner) has gone back to Mexico - to our great disappointment. But the kids and I still go on his birthday, and someone always orders his favorite - the “Burro Grande” - the biggest smothered burrito we’ve seen anywhere.



After this huge Mexican meal, hitting a new movie, and stretching out on the couch for a while - we bring out this cake and remember Dad... Still missing him so much after almost eight years.



You can make a more “formal” frosted cake by using a traditional, firmer whipped buttercream frosting. We love this with a “flowy” frosting that oozes down the side of the cake. The chocolate sprinkles are added because Jay loved them on everything - even buttered toast (a taste he acquired while serving a mission in Holland several years ago...)

For the recipe for this very special cake, with lots of step-by-step photos - go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Next Day Hot Layered Turkey Croissants - showcase your turkey one more time...

After all that work, you need to showcase that turkey a few more times. If you served the typical Thanksgiving feast - these sandwiches require only one additional item - croissants. Somehow anything on top of a croissant is revived into something special - even cold turkey!



Cold turkey (or even warmed in the microwave briefly) takes on a new persona when it is layered with stuffing and hot turkey gravy. These are just enough to give you the energy to fight the Black Friday crowds - and still have room for leftover pie.



You can make a complete meal of it by serving these with what is left of your green bean casserole and any other side dishes you have on hand.



Keep your pillow and blankie nearby for that tryptophan-induced nap that is sure to follow...

For this very simple recipe idea with photos, go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Pie Day... how was yours?

The day before Thanksgiving is the "great and dreadful day"... That entire day is devoted to making pie for the most important meal of the year. Whether we have the big meal at my home, or somewhere else - I always make the pie. The most I've made at a time is eighteen - but who's counting? This year I made thirteen. (I love it until about 10:00 at night - then my feet really hurt and I've had enough)



These are my favorite tools I've come to depend on over the years. I've worn out my favorite rolling pin and replaced it this year with a fancy-schmancey Wilton brand. An egg separator is a MUST when you make meringue with dozens of eggs. Pampered Chef makes a heavenly pastry blender that doesn't kill my hand - even when making over eight batches of pastry. A silicone covered whisk is wonderful with my teflon pans. But my favorite you ask? It is the beaten & banged up, bent beyond recognition aluminum one-cup measure. I've used it for over thirty-five years to measure out shortening and it is dear to my heart.



I used to use chili beans on top of a sheet of foil to hold down the pastry for one-crust cream pies. But I found this heavy chain of beads that I use now. After making so many pies, I can't handle the smell of burnt dried beans.



At the beginning of the day, I gather up all my ingredients and put out my pie tins. (Did I mention they're not pretty?) Some of my favorites are the Costco tins that come as a bonus with their pies. You can't find a large size like that in a substantial material anywhere - I think they must be at least 12 - 14". With so many kinds being made - I have to put post-it notes in each pile to keep me on track during the day.



This photo was taken over four years ago, and it was an "off year" where we only had twenty five people coming to dinner. Today we had forty-seven. So that's why it took thirteen pies. My kids always liked to line them up at the end of the day before the carnage began on Thanksgiving.



Our favorites are (1) Banana Cream (2) Lemon Meringue (3) Pecan (4) Cherry or Apple (5) Pumpkin (6) Coconut (7) A new choice each year - this year was Blackberry and a new variety of Apple.

We take a nap after dinner and then work on clearing out those pie tins... After a little shut-eye, we decided to be daring and go to the Jammie Jam at our mall tonight at 12:00 (AM that is...) Never again... I can watch scary teenage hordes at my local high school in broad daylight - night time was an enlightening experience.

Drop a little comment and let me know your favorite pie "tools"...

Coming after we wake up tomorrow - fun ways to use your leftovers...

Smooth-As-Silk Banana Squash Soup... every bit as delicious as Butternut

Banana Squash is not now (and probably will never be) a “trendy” vegetable. It may surprise you, or delight you, that it can be used interchangeably for Butternut Squash - the trendy vegetable of the year. This soup is - in my humble opinion - every bit as delicious as Butternut Squash Soup (and much more economical as it grows so large...)

I planted vegetables in the flower beds in my back yard this past summer. This embarrassed my son when he brought friends over to “hang out” - but I told him he couldn’t be humiliated unless I planted squash in my FRONT flower beds. We harvested six of the best squash a month ago. They resemble torpedos on the floor of my cold garage.

We use banana squash as one of those “comfort carbs” - you know what I mean, right? A comfort carb is simply a very bland carbohydrate that cries out to be drowned in butter, salt, and pepper... (aka - potatoes, rice, etc...)



Well, this soup is a new way to indulge in comfort this fall. I found the beginnings of this recipe in several different formats - and (as is customary around here) combined, adjusted, and experimented. We enjoyed it tonight with a spinach, apple, and pear salad - as well as a very interesting no-knead multigrain bread (I’ll post that soon).



For the complete recipe, as well as detailed photos - go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Cranberry, White Chocolate Chip, & Pecan Cookies - lumpy, bumpy goodness

The texture and lumpy-bumpy appearance of this cookie make it absolutely irresistible! Chunks of white chocolate, toasted pecans, and tart cranberries make this a recipe you will use again and again during the Holidays. Adjusting the baking time will make them crisp, or soft and chewy - your choice...



I found this treasure of a recipe on Kathleen’s fun blog “Gonna Want Seconds” - you’ll love it. As she writes - “They are soft and sweet and a wee bit tart all at the same time. I absolutely LOVE these cookies!”



The aroma from the oven will bring crowds. I’ve never been a real fan of craisins - they’re just a bit too tart for me to enjoy by the handful (like raisins), but you’ll never suspect that is what they are. The bright red color is perfect for the upcoming holidays. I think the sweetness of the white chocolate really tones them down to an enjoyable tartness.



I must tell you that it will make a huge difference in the final outcome if you take the time to toast the pecans. The extra crunch and flavor is more than worth the extra half hour it takes. I used butter flavor shortening (as Kathleen suggests) so that the cookies would be extra chewy and soft. But I was a bit disappointed the “chewiness” didn’t last past the night I made them. It could have been that I overbaked them a bit, but next time I’ll try real butter.

For the recipe, photos, & links - go to:
www.changeabletable.com