What To Do With Turkey Leftovers

Posted on October 13, 2011 by admin

After stuffing yourself with stuffing and cramming yourself with cranberry sauce, you may have more Thanksgiving leftover turkey than you thought you would. Why let that leftover bird go to waste? There are plenty of ways that you can put your turkey leftovers to good use. These three simple turkey leftover recipes are so easy that you’ll be able to follow them even with that post-Thanksgiving, red wine hangover. So, what to do with turkey leftovers? Read on to find out.

#1 Turkey Divan

While it is historically made with chicken, turkey takes this dish from divan to divine. Originally served in restaurants with Mornay sauce, this American dish quite frequently features broccoli and almonds. This turkey divan recipe provides a quick leftover turkey version of this American classic, which will leave you and your guests just as satisfied and content as you were after the big Thanksgiving feast. Just blanch some broccoli, saute onions and pepper, and simmer up some chicken stock with mustard, cream and wine. Stir in broccoli and turkey, pour into casserole dish, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake for 15 minutes. Feel free to get creative with your Thanksgiving leftovers to make your own version of this treat.

#2 Turkey Soup

Using your turkey carcass, you can make a magnificent turkey broth that will be perfect for lunch the day after Thanksgiving. This is among the most popular turkey leftover recipes because, whether you’re a professional chef or you have zero culinary experience, this dish is easy to execute and even easier to enjoy. All you need is chicken broth, an onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, turkey meat, garlic cloves, and whatever Thanksgiving side vegetables that you have left over. Put chicken broth, turkey, onion halves, carrots, celery stalk, and bay leaf into a stock pot and simmer for about an hour and a half. Strain broth and throw in diced veggies, chopped sage, a bay leaf, and small pieces of turkey. To find the complete recipe check out the Food on the Table’s “Turkey Soup with Tortellini and Spinach”:http://www.foodonthetable.com/recipes/359315-turkey-soup-with-tortellini-and-spinach or feel free to explore more turkey leftover recipes.

#3 Turkey Sandwich

After entertaining guests, pouring drinks, cooking like a fiend, and cleaning pots and pans, you may not be in the mood to get back into the kitchen and start cookin’. In this case, you may not know what to do with turkey leftovers. As you rouse from your food-coma the day after Thanksgiving, you can always depend on one simple leftover turkey treat that will satisfy your hunger while requiring little to no effort: the turkey sandwich. Even if you just slap some mayo and mustard on a leftover thanksgiving roll and throw some turkey in the mix, this leftover turkey option is delicious and fulfilling. However, if you’re feeling a bit more ambitious, you can jazz up the classic turkey sandwich by heating up the skillet and going to town. There are tons of turkey leftover sandwiches recipes out there, but maybe this one will strike your fancy. For a hot turkey sandwich, take two thick slices of bread. Spread butter liberally on each slice. In the South, we sometimes use honey butter, but regular butter works just as well. After the bread has reached a golden brown, flip and start making your sandwich. Spread mustard or your sauce of choice over the bread. Some leftover gravy or cranberry sauce could also do the trick. Layer your leftover turkey onto the bread, add your cheese of choice, and throw in some lettuce for a little crunch. After working hard on your sandwich, simply devour the best turkey leftover meal ever!

So now you know what to do with turkey leftovers. After whipping up a turkey divan or sipping on a turkey soup, feel free to resume your position on the couch to let the food-coma ensue. Just make sure to keep these Thanksgiving leftover turkey recipes in mind for next year.

Easy Chicken Recipes for Chicken Tender Lovers

Posted on October 2, 2011 by admin

You may not be able to teach an old dog new tricks, but can you teach an old chicken new tricks? We think so. Chicken tenders have been an American classic since the late 1970s, “When American poultry processors began marketing the small, flat tender, or tenderloin, from the underside of the breast as a separate cut,” according to a David Sax, a writer for Saveur magazine. The chicken tender has since then become an American staple, rated the third most popular item on American menus in 2010 by the market research firm, Mintel Group. While the chicken tender is generally seen as a child’s menu item, it can easily be jazzed up with easy chicken recipes for a dinner that the whole family can enjoy.

New easy chicken recipes for an old chick:

Use Panko for crust: Are you bored of the same ol’ breading? Try using panko for your chicken crust. Panko are bread crumbs used in Japanese cooking for coating fried foods. These Panko flakes are coarser than traditional breading, giving chicken and extra crunch.
Bake chicken tenders: Instead of frying this childhood favorite, coat them in light mayo, dip them in breading, then bake them until crispy and golden. Baking your chicken tenders will make this typically fried dish just a bit healthier.
Spicy chicken tenders: You don’t have to have breading that’s just cut, dry, and mild. Try adding hot sauce or some cayenne pepper to your favorite chicken tender recipe for an extra “kick.”
Use cornflakes as breading: It’s time to put that extra box of cornflakes to good use. Dip your chicken tenders in flour, then crushed cornflakes and bake in the oven. There’s nothing more delicious than that!
Turn this kid’s menu favorite into a sophisticated entree by putting your chicken tenders on skewers with thyme springs and lemon slice garnish. You can pair your fried treat with pineapple (which also tastes delicious with a crispy, fried crust).
You can also add a bit of sophistication to your tender by combining the breading with shredded sweetened coconut to make a coconut chicken tender. Yum.

Taking your chick for a dip:

Have you exhausted ketchup and gravy? Well, it’s probably impossible to exhaust delicious options like ketchup and gravy, but it never hurts to try something new! Try experimenting with your favorite chicken dips, taking these tips into consideration:
Honey-dill sauces can pair well with a milder tender. All it takes is mayo, honey, and dill weed to make a great dipping sauce.
Apricot dipping sauces can satisfy those with a sweet tooth. Just try mixing hoisin sauce with Dijon mustard and apricot jam for a wonderfully thick dipping sauce.
Chili-Garlic sauces, using mayo as a base, can complement the flaky crust of just about any chicken tender.

Instead of eating old classics to the point of exhaustion, spice it up by making your favorite dishes in new ways. Experiment in the kitchen and try some of these easy chicken recipes for some show-stopping chicken tenders.

Tips for Creating Great Sunday Supper Recipes

Posted on September 26, 2011 by admin

We’ve all heard the benefits of eating with the family. One survey done by the Obesity Prevention Program at Harvard Medical School found that 9-14 year-olds who ate dinner with their families frequently ate more fruits and vegetables and less soda and fried foods. Additionally, researchers at Brigham Young University conducted a study of IBM workers and found that sitting down to a family meal helped working moms reduce the tension and strain of long hours at the office. While sitting down for dinner helps kids eat healthier and moms alleviate stress, family dinners are also fun and a great opportunity for the whole family to spend some time together and catch up. Instead of ordering in this Sunday, have a traditional Sunday supper. Here are some tips to create the perfect Sunday supper recipes:

Plan in advance. You don’t want Sunday to roll around and have no idea what you’re going to cook. Additionally, braving the grocery store on a Sunday afternoon can sometimes be a nightmare with frenzied mothers and children running amuck. Avoid the lines and grocery store and do your meal planning, recipe selecting, and grocery shopping beforehand.
Keep your Sunday supper classic and stick to recipes that everyone will love. Think of suppers that your mother or father used to serve you, like classic roast beef with home fries and gravy, lemon rotisserie chicken with fresh rolls and honey butter, or maple glazed pork roast with garlic potatoes. Once you find a menu you love, you can create your own family tradition.
Keep it simple. Don’t spend your entire Saturday and Sunday cooking and cleaning. Make as much as you can beforehand (like desserts, in particular) and try to save time by buying sauces at the grocery store rather than making them at home. Minimal cooking means minimal stress.
Get your family to lend a helping hand. This isn’t a one-woman show! Get everyone involved, from the chopping and peeling, to the cleaning. Normally, non-cookers get dish duty.
Pick a filling meat as the entree, like pork, beef, or chicken. These hearty meats are the anchor and soul to any Sunday supper.
Sneak in veggies if you have to and make it healthy. You don’t want to associate Sundays with pigging out and unhealthy eating. Instead, give your kids a positive example of what a meal should look like, with a balance of healthy carbohydrates, protein, and plenty of veggies. A side salad or grilled asparagus could add a little green to your supper recipes.
Make a dessert. Every supper recipe deserves a dessert for the special meal. Cheesecake, carrot cake, or even something as simple as Jello and some fruit are great complements for a Sunday supper. Try and prepare something that pairs well with your entree.
Pick a standard time to eat supper every week and stick to it. This will assure that everyone in the family keeps their schedules wide open for a wonderful, relaxed suppertime meal.

If you keep all of these tips in mind, you will surely prepare Sunday supper recipe to remember. Just beware: after one, your family will want a Sunday supper every week!

Easy Family Recipes with an Exotic Twist

Posted on September 14, 2011 by admin

You make mac ‘n’ cheese. You make easy chicken recipes. You make spaghetti and meatballs. Yawn, isn’t anyone getting bored? It’s time to bring excitement back into the kitchen by cooking up some exotic meals. Meals from other cultures and countries don’t have to be complicated or hard to make to be delicious and fun. Here, we’ve cited some extremely easy family recipes that incorporate exotic cuisine.

Asian Cuisine:

Asian dishes are usually spicy and typically use rice as a base or side. If you’re wanting to whip up some Asian cuisine we recommend having soy sauce, rice, and Asian chili sauce on hand to add to nearly every Asian dish.

Stir fry: Stir fry meals allow you to put all of your leftover veggies to work. While a wok is ideal for stir-fry cooking, you can also use a skillet. Mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, carrots, zucchini, and bean sprouts all taste great in stir fries. Just add a protein, like tofu, shrimp, or chicken, and some rice and you’ll have an easy meal that everyone will love.
Thai Chicken and Coconut Soup: For anyone who loves coconut, coconut soup is a great way to replenish your nutrients after a long, hard day. You can deviate from the traditional version of Thai soup by adding more sustenance, like chicken and rice. Typical ingredients include Asian fish sauce, lime juice, low sodium chicken broth, lemongrass, ginger, coconut milk, chiles, and cilantro.

Indian Cuisine:

Indian meals often perplex the palate by combining often contradicting tastes, like sweet and salty or creamy and spicy, together flawlessly. Cumin, turmeric, milk, and rice are typical ingredients in Indian cooking.

Slow Cooker Indian Stew: If you’re a fan of your slow cooker, try arranging an Indian stew that will be ready for action by dinnertime. Adding curry powder, ground ginger and cayenne pepper to a stew with chicken, onion, garlic, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, lime juice, and spinach make a fantastic dish.
Tikka Marsala: Is an Indian favorite. You can make it with chicken, beef or lamb, in a single pot with various spices including cumin, cayenne and paprika, some tomato puree, a little yoghurt and heavy cream. Delicious in about an hour.

Greek Cuisine:

Greek cuisine is great for those who have many of the staples already at home. For example, Greek food often uses olive oil, sugar, butter, and salt.

Falafel: Chickpea fritters, or falafel, is one of the best things you can make with chickpeas. Put oil in a large saucepan then scoop tablespoons of chickpea batter, made with ground chickpeas, into pan until nicely brown for about 5 minutes. You can serve falafel with lettuce, tzatziki sauce, and pita bread.
Chopped Greek Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette: You can easily make a delicious, Greek salad out of Greek staples like feta cheese and black olives. The ingredients combine well with tomatoes, baby greens, endives, cucumber, and shallot vinaigrette to make a refreshing salad that anyone can appreciate.

You don’t have to go out to eat to get some ethnic cuisine. Stay in and have some Indian, Chinese, Thai, or Greek food for a change!

Simple Food Recipes: Avoiding Additives and Keeping it Simple

Posted on September 12, 2011 by admin

If you haven’t noticed, simple foods are in. These are foods that stick to their roots, aren’t too tampered with, and fuel us with the healthiest hardiest stuff mother nature has to offer. However, many processed foods are loaded with additives — some that aren’t harmful and others that are. So what can you do to eliminate the additives in your diet? The easiest thing to do is to make commonly tampered with foods in your own home, so that you know exactly what’s going into your food. While we don’t have time to cook from dusk until dawn, cooking simple food recipes when you have the chance could greatly reduce the number of additives you and your family are ingesting on a daily basis. Here are some additives to watch out for, and meals you could make that will cut them from your diet:

Sodium Nitrate: Also known as sodium nitrite, this preservative is commonly found in lunch meats, hot dogs, and bacon and can cause the formation of nitrosamines, or cancer-causing chemicals. This reaction is especially prevalent in bacon. While we don’t expect you to find a hog, wrestle it down, and make some bacon out of it, you can easily make salami, bologna, ham, and roast beef at home for fresher-than-ever deli meat slices. Roast beef is particularly easy to make from home. Buy top sirloin to you don’t have to cook it for long and ask the butcher to tie it for you, recommends Saveur magazine. A low, temperature and slow cooking give the roast beef a uniform pink color. After cooking, just cut and serve!
Artificial coloring: Condiments, beverages, and many processed foods typically have artificial coloring and these colorful additives are suspected of causing increased hyperactivity in children. The FDA also banned Red Dye number 2 after studies showed that large doses could cause cancer in rats. Avoid blue no. 1, blue no. 2, green no. 3, red no. 40, red no. 3 yellow no. 5, yellow no. 6, orange B. One way you can avoid this additive is by making your own ketchup. All you need is tomato paste, white vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, molasses, and agave nectar to make ketchup with no additives and lower sodium!
Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Trans Fat): Vegetable oil can be made into a semi-solid shortening when it’s combined with hydrogen. Unfortunately, this process turns fats into trans fats, which promote heart disease. “Harvard School of Public Health researchers estimate that trans fat had been causing about 50,000 premature heart attack deaths annually, making partially hydrogenated oil one of the most harmful ingredients in the food supply,” according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Avoid trans fats by making your own snack foods, like potato chips and cookies. While we all know how to make chocolate chip cookies, you may think that potato chips are a bit trickier. They’re surprisingly easy to make! All you need is a good handheld slicer and you can slice potatoes and toss with oil, then bake until golden brown for about 15 minutes. Salt, pepper, chili powder, or minced herbs can all be added to the mix to make your own, special treat.
Saccharin: Saccharin (Sweet ’N Low) is about 350 times sweeter than sugar and its used in diet foods as a sugar substitute. Many studies on animals have shown that saccharin can cause cancer of the urinary bladder, according to the CSPI. Saccharin has also caused cancer of the uterus, ovaries, skin, blood vessels, and other organs in rodents. Other studies have shown that saccharin increases the potency of other cancer-causing chemicals. All in all: avoid this chemical! While we can’t make sugar at home to avoid products with sweet and low, you should use Stevia if you’re a fan of artificial sweetener.
Propyl Gallate: Propyl gallate retards the spoilage of fats and oils and is often used with BHA and BHT, because of the combined effects of these preservatives. “The best studies on rats and mice were peppered with suggestions (but not proof) that this preservative might cause cancer,” according to CSPI. To avoid propyl gallate, make your own chicken stock at home. It’s extremely easy and all it takes is a chicken carcass (after you serve a chicken for dinner, keep the bones), onions, celery, bay leaves, and garlic.

Avoid products with these names on the label or make the substitutes at home – your food will be a lot healthier and it’ll probably even taste much better.

Family Meal Recipes: a Luscious Lean Burger

Posted on September 10, 2011 by admin

Sure, burgers have received a pretty bad rap as of late, with rumors that claim red meat can be the cause of all sorts of ailments. Many nutritionists, however, contend that lean beef can be a great part of any diet. Registered dietician Nancy Anderson, for example, claims that though ground beef shouldn’t be eaten more than 2-3 times a week, it’s a great source of protein and iron. While the whole family enjoys a hearty, fatty burger, you may want to keep an eye on your family’s health by opting for the lean, healthy alternative or other healthy family recipes. However, many people have no clue how to cook a lean burger to make it just as luscious and delicious as its fatty counterparts. Don’t worry — there are plenty of tips that can help you trick your family into thinking they are eating the real deal.

Choosing the meat

All lean burgers start at the meat. Turkey burgers taste great and carry the same consistency as beef burgers. You could also try bison burgers or even veggie burgers if you’re feeling a bit adventurous.

Turkey Burgers: Ground turkey, bread crumbs, onion, egg whites and garlic can be combined to make a mean turkey burger. Turkey burgers should reach an internal temperature of about 180F.
Bison Burgers: If you want to go the bison burger route, look for 80-90% lean meat. Less than 10% fat may result in a dry burger. Cook your burger until it’s at least 160F internally. A continuous heat of about 475-500F will result in a well done bison burger.
Veggie Burgers: Black beans, panko breadcrumbs, eggs, scallions, basil, garlic and various spices make a delicious black bean burger and red beets, black beans, and brown rice can be combined to make a burger with a strikingly beef-like consistency.

Cooking Tips for Lean Burgers

You could go with turkey, veggie, or bison burgers, but lean beef reigns supreme when it comes to the “healthy” burger. Lean meat is defined by the USDA as meat that has less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 100-gram. All these factors combined and you have yourself a healthy burger. Keep these tips in mind if you want to cook up a lean burger tonight:

Outdoor grilling is ideal for your meat to give it massive amounts of flavor and a juicy interior.
Try to handle and shape your burgers as little as possible when making them into patties and never press down on your lean burgers as they cook. This will keep them nice and juicy.
Leaner burgers require a lower cooking temperature and could be easier to cook with added ingredients, which help increase moisture. Ingredients that give you a bit of moisture include sauces, toppings, or add-ins. Use veggies like onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and pickles, to give your burger some moisture.
It doesn’t stop at the burger. If you pair your lean burger with French fries and a soda pop, you may be defeating the whole purpose of the meal. Instead, bake sweet potato fries and serve your dish with iced tea.

Next time you’re at the grill, try to prepare some family real recipes that aren’t saturated in fats. Make sure your family is taking in great, healthy meals for a healthy and happier lifestyle.