Wild Rice and Turkey Soup (great for the leftover Thanksgiving turkey)

Wild Rice Turkey Soup

 
1 box Uncle Ben's Wild Rice
½ c. green onions
1 ½ c. turkey
8 strips fried crumbled bacon
3 14.5 oz. cans chicken broth
2 c. water
2 c. half and half
½ c. butter
¾ c. flour
1/4 t. poultry seasoning
1/4 t. pepper
salt to taste
2-3 caps of cooking  (optional but gives a good flavor)
 
Boil your rice in the broth until rice is tender.  Make your rue.  Combine all ingredients and simmer until ready to serve.

Spanish Rice

Over the years I have tried a variety of different recipes for Spanish Rice and this has become my go to recipe.  (From Suzanne Price)

 



Spanish Rice

 

3 c rice

5 c water

1 c tomato sauce

1 t cumin

1 med onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

 

Brown the rice, saute with onion and garlic.  Mix rice mixture with liquids and cook for 25-30 mins.

Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli

1 lb. boneless beef chuck or round steak, slice thin
1 14 oz. can beef broth
1/2 c. soy sauce (La Choy is gluten free)
1 T sesame oil
1/3 c. brown sugar
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T cornstarch
2 T cooled sauce (at the end of cooking time)
Broccoli, fresh florets. (frozen can be used as well just add a little cooking time)
Mushrooms, fresh or canned, to taste

Combine broth, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, and garlic mix well.  Pour over the meat in the bottom of the crock pot.  Cover, cook on low for 7 hours. At the end of the cooking time remove 2 T of the sauce and let cool, combine with the cornstarch and add to the meat mixture and stir well.  Add the broccoli and mushrooms, stir cover for another 30 mins.  Serve over hot rice.

(I have had this one tucked away for awhile, it is so easy and yummy and will become a staple in my rotation. To make it even easier use a crock pot liner and clean up is a breeze.)

Cheese Enchiladas (Gourmet Guy)

Cheese and Onion Enchiladas

Gourmet Guy here. The key to this recipe is the sauce! We've made enchiladas at home with canned sauce before and they are never anything like what you get in a good Mexican restaurant. These are different and it is all about the sauce!

Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons lard, bacon drippings or olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano, crumbled
2 tablespoons flour
¼ cup pure red chile powder (not cayenne)
2 cups chicken stock or water
salt to taste (3/4 teaspoon)

Instructions:
Heat fat in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté briefly, then stir in cumin and oregano. Sprinkle in flour and cook for a minute or two. Stir in chili powder and immediately add the stock or water, stirring to break up any lumps. Continue stirring until the sauce nearly comes to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about two minutes so flavors blend. Season well with salt. Remove from heat.

To assemble the enchiladas, coat the bottom of a 9 X 9 baking dish with the sauce. Working one at a time, spread about a teaspoon of sauce on each of six corn tortillas. Microwave each tortilla about 10 seconds to soften, place a generous amount of grated cheese in center of warmed tortilla, add chopped onion to taste (I like lots of onion), and roll enchilada. Place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat for the remaining enchiladas. Pour remaining sauce evenly over the enchiladas, top with grated cheese and sprinkle a few more onions on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Serve with Spanish rice and beans. Top with guacamole and sour cream if desired.
 

Cornish Game Hens

2 1 lb. cornish game hens
salt
pepper

2 T. slivered almonds
2 T. finely chopped onion
1/3 c. long grain rice

3 T. butter

1 c. water

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 t. lemon juice

1/2 t. salt

1 3 oz. can chopped mushrooms

Clean game hens and season inside and out with salt and pepper.  In a small saucepan cook almonds, onions, and rice in the butter browning slightly, 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add water, bouillon, lemon juice and salt.  Bring to boil stirring until bouillon is disolved.  Reduce heat, cover about 20-25 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is fluffy.  Stir in the drained mushrooms.

Lightly stuff the birds with the mixture.  Place breast up in shallow baking pan. Brush with melted butter. Cover and roast in 450 oven for 30 minutes.  Uncover and roast 1 hour or until drumsticks twist in the socket easily. Brush the game hens with melted butter in the last 15 minutes of cooking time.

(I like to make extra stuffing and put it under the birds because it is so good!)

Asian Beef with Broccoli (slow cooker)

This is a recipe that I found while I was teaching classes at the Macey's Little Theatre, I have had it on file for a long time and decided to try it. I can't give credit to the magazine I got it from but it is a really easy and tastes really good. (We will add mushrooms in the last 15 mins, as well in the future.)


1 1/2 pounds chuck steak, about 1 1/2 inches thick, sliced into thin strips
1 10.5 oz. condensed beef consomme, undiluted
1/2 c. oyster sauce
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 bag (16 oz) frresh or frozen broccoli florets
6-8 fresh mushrooms, sliced
Hot cooked rice
Sesame seeds

Place beef in cloe cooker. Pour consomme and oyster sauce over beef. Cover, cook on high for 3 hours. Combine cornstarch and 2 Tbsp. cooking liquid in small bowl. Add to slow cooker, stir well to combine. Cover, cook on high for 15 mins. longer or until thickened. Poke holes in broccoli bag with fork.

Beef and Broccoli Stif Fry

I love to make Stir Fry because it is so easy. By marinating a round steak or sirloin steak for sometime the meat becomes very tender.

Cut the meat into thin strips, across the grain, and place in the marinade for at least an hour. Overnight is even better. Turn the meat occasionally. In a wok or deep frying pan heat oil until hot and then add the meat and brown. Add the onions, and mushrooms if desired, and cook until tender. Add the broccoli and continue to turn the meat and vegetables to soften. Finally add the zucchini, add the marinade with cornstarch added and cover to steam. When sauce is thickened remove from the heat. Serve over hot rice.

Stir Fry Beef and Vegetables

1 lb. lean beef (sirloin, top round) sliced thinly across the grain
½ c. soy sauce
¼ c. water
1 c. onions, thinly sliced
1 c. celery, sliced diagonally
2 c. broccoli florets
2 c. broccoli stems peeled and slice thin
½ c. vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 medium mushrooms, sliced
1 T. cornstarch prepared rice
Marinate beef in water and soy sauce for at least 30 minutes. Prepare vegetables and set aside. In a wok or large frying pan cook drained meat (reserve the marinade for later) over low heat until browned. Add onions, celery, broccoli, and mushrooms. Cover and steam for about 3-5 minutes. Mix the marinade with the cornstarch and pour into the pan. Stir and heat to boiling until sauce thickens. Serve over warm rice.

Grandma Stevenson's Slow Cooked BBQ Ribs

Place ribs in a shallow baing dish
Bake at high temperature to render out some of the excess fat.

Mix ingredients for the sauce

Place the cooked ribs into a roasting pan.

Cover with sauce and chopped onion.

Meat so tender that it falls apart as you touch it. This is a family favorite.

Slow Roasted BBQ Ribs

2 T. brown sugar
1 t. paprika

1 t. dry mustard

1/2 t. salt

1/4-1/8 t. cayenne pepper

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 c. vinegar

1/4 c. ketchup

1 c. tomato juice

1 medium onion, chopped

(I usually double or triple these ingredients to cover the meat with to bake)

Pork or Beef ribs (I prefer pork country style)

Bake ribs in a shallow baking dish at 400 for an hour to render the excess fat out of the ribs. Place the ribs in a roasting pan, mix all of the ingredients pour onto the ribs. Cover and bake at 325 for 3-4 hours, or longer at 250. Serve over rice or noodles.

Shrimp Scampi

I have bragged about my husband many times and the wonderful things that he comes up with. He is my "Gourmet Guy" he gets those genes from his dad. His dad could go into a restaurant and then go home and make the dish after simply tasting it. My Gourmet Guy is pretty good too! Since we don't cook with alcohol he decided to come up with his own version of Shrimp Scampi minus the white wine.

Peel the shrimp out of the shells and place the shells in a stock pot.

Boil the shells to make a stock for added flavor.

Dry the shrimp off thoroughly.

Seaon the shrimp with salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in the olive oil.

Add the shrimp and saute on each side slightly until it just turns pink. Remove from the pan.

Saute the onion in the same pan until just tender. Add the garlic.

The stock is added to the softened onion and garlic.

Simmer until reduced by half and thickened.

Add shrimp to the onions, garlic, and broth and heat through.

Add chopped parsley and servc over rice or pasta, with a nice piece of garlic bread.

(Previously posted)

Shrimp Scampi
Kerry Stevenson (The Gourmet Guy)

Ingredients:
1 pound jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined (reserve shells)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, sliced thinly 2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 fresh lemon
2 teaspoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
Lemon slices, for garnish
Rice, as accompaniment

Directions:
Put the shrimp on a large pie pan or plate and pat them completely dry with a paper towel. Arrange the shrimp so they lay flat and are evenly spaced.

Place shells in a sauce pan with a little water and simmer until the water is half reduced.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Add the butter and oil to the skillet. When the foaming subsides, raise the heat to high, and invert the plate of shrimp over the pan so the shrimp fall into the pan all at once. Cook the shrimp, without moving them, for 1 minute. Turn the shrimp over and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl.

Add the onions to the pan and saute just until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds. Add the lemon juice and stock, and reduce by 2/3, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp back to the pan and swirl in the butter. Finish with the parsley and check for seasoning. Garnish with lemon slices and serve over rice or pasta.

One of my favorite appliances

One of my favorite appliances in my kitchen is my rice cooker. I like to make large batches of rice and freeze some in zippered bags or Food Saver bags for later meals. It is so quick and easy to use on a fast paced day. This is one of those appliances that I thought that I could live without and I did for a long time but I sure do like it! My daughter and I have done chicken and rice in it and love it better than the traditional oven method.

Lemon Chicken

One of our favorite restaurants here in Orem recently closed, it was a part of our Christmas Eve tradition so we were very sorry to see it go. Our tradition actually started with my husbands father many years ago. With Christmas Eve being such a busy time he started ordering Chinese Take Out for the family. It was to help make the evening easier for the family little did he know that it would become one of our favorite traditions. At times has been kind of tricky when the date falls on Sunday. One of my favorite dishes from this restaurant was Lemon Chicken, the sauce was soooo good. I finally found a recipe that I like to try and replace the one I could no longer buy.

Cut the chicken breasts into smaller pieces or use chicken tenders.
In a zippered bag coat the chicken well with the flour mixture.
Heat oil in a skillet and brown the chicken, until golden brown.
About 3-4 minutes on each side.
Place in a 9x13 pan.
Cover with the lemon sauce, bake for 20-25 minutes until sauce thickens. Serve over rice.

Lemon Chicken

1 c. flour
1 t. seasoned salt
4-6 boneless chicken breasts, cut into medium size pieces
3 T. olive oil
1/3-1/2 c. lemon juice, depending on how tart you want it
1 t. lemon zest
1/3 c. sugar
1 ½ T. cornstarch
¼ t. salt
1 c. water

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, seasoned salt in a Zip Lock bag. Add chicken and shake until chicken is completely coated. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on both sides, about 3-4 minutes a side. Set aside.

Mix lemon juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and cornstarch. Slowly add water until thoroughly mixed and no lumps remain. Place chicken in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Left Over Turkey Dinner Suggestions

While everyone knows that the next day turkey on a soft roll is the best way to have left overs even that can get old quickly so here are a few ideas to use up all of that turkey.

Turkey or Chicken a la king

½ c. margarine or butter
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 4 oz. can mushroom stem and pieces, drained (reserve liquid for later)
½ c. flour
½ t. salt
½ t. pepper
1½ c. milk
1¼ c. chicken broth
2 c. cut up cooked chicken or turkey
1 jar diced pimentos drained
Noodles, or hot cooked rice

Heat margarine in a 3 quart saucepan over medium high heat. Cook bell pepper and mushrooms in the margarine, stirring occasionally

Stir in flour, salt, and pepper.

Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until bubbly. Stir in milk, broth and reserved liquid. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir one minute.

Stir in turkey and pimentos, heat until hot. Serve over rice or noodles This can also be done in the microwave for a super fast and easy meal.

Chicken Zucchini Soup (Turkey)

5 chicken tenders or 2 chicken breasts or 2 c. turkey
3 T. butter
1 large onion, chopped
4-5 zucchini sliced
1 can chicken broth
½ c. whipping cream
¼ c. flour

Fry chicken with small amount of oil. Brown and cook chicken, take chicken out of the pan and set aside. Add butter and chopped onion to pan. Cook until tender. Move zucchini and onions to sauce pan, add the can of chicken broth. Dice chicken and add to pan. In bowl mix flour and whipping cream add to sauce pan, heat on high until bubbling. Lower heat; simmer until soup thickens.

White Chicken Chili

1 med onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. olive oil
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
2 14 oz. cans chicken broth
1 4 oz. can chopped, green chilies
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. dried oregano
1½ t. cayenne pepper
3 14.5 oz. great northern beans, drained, mash third can to use for thickening
1 c. shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
jalapeno pepper, chopped

In a large saucepan cook onions and garlic in oil until translucent. Add chicken, chicken broth, green chilies, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper, bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low. With a potato masher mash one of the cans until smooth. Add to saucepan. Add remaining beans to saucepan. Simmer for 2-30 minutes or until heated thoroughly. Top each serving with cheese and jalapeno pepper, if desired.

Creamy Turkey Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Orzo

2 T. butter
1 med onion, chopped
½ t salt, plus more to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. flour
7 ½ c. homemade turkey stock or canned chicken stock
1 T. fresh thyme leaves
1 c. diced sweet potatoes
2/3 c. orzo pasta
1 c. cooked turkey meat, cubed
¼ t. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
½ c. cream

In a large stock pot, heat the butter over med heat until melted. Add the onion and cook for three mins. until fragrant. Mix in the garlic, salt, and flour, and cook, stirring continuously, for another 6-7 mins. Pour in the stock and turn up heat to high. Bring liquid to a boil, then stir in the thyme, sweet potatoes, and orzo. Cook at a gentle boil for 8-10 mins., until the potatoes and the orzo are tender. When the pasta is nearly finished, add the turkey to the soup and warm through. Salt and Pepper to taste. Whisk in the cream just before serving.


Turkey or Chicken Squares

2 8 oz. cream cheese
½ t. salt
2-4 c. cooked turkey or chicken or 2 large cans chunk chicken
¼ t. pepper
2 8 oz. can crescent rolls

Blend cream cheese until softened. Add turkey, salt, pepper, onion, chives, and milk. Mix well. Separate the 2 cans of crescent rolls, into 8 squares. Firmly press perforations to seal. Spoon ½ c. of meat mixture into the center of each square. Draw the corners of the dough up and around the meat and twist to seal. Brush top with butter. Dip in seasoned bread crumbs or sesame seeds. Bake at 350’ on cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Good with gravy on top.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

3-4 c. cubed cooked chicken or turkey
2 c. cubed fully cooked ham
1 ½ lbs. Swiss cheese, grated
1 small onion, diced, sautéed to soften
4 T. butter
½ c. flour
2 c. half and half
Salt and pepper to taste
3 c. crushed corn flakes
½ cube butter
dash of nutmeg

Grease 9x13 pan and set aside. Preheat oven to 375. In a large mixing bowl, mix ham, chicken, and 1 pound of the cheese. In a sauté pan melt the butter, add flour, and whisk to mix. Pour in the half and half and thicken. Pour into the chicken mixture along with the onions. Mix well and out into a greased cake pan. In a small bowl melt the remaining butter and add the corn flake crumbs. Combine the remaining cheese and top the meat mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes until heated through.

The above recipe makes a large batch so I made a small one for dinner and then freeze another one for a "Rainy Day Meal"

Dave’s Chicken Casserole

3-4 c. bread crumbs, mix with a few T. melted butter
1 10 ¾ oz. can cream of chicken soup
1 10 ¾ oz. can cream of mushroom soup
cooked, diced chicken
broccoli, corn, or whatever vegetable you want

Layer the bottom of the pan with half of the breadcrumbs then pour on one of the cans of the soup, then a layer of chicken, then a layer of the vegetables, then another layer of the chicken, then the other soup and then the rest of the breadcrumbs. It works best if you can make it and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours. Bake at 400 for one hour.
(Our first Dave made this for our family as one of his favorite’s just after he married Jessica.)

Cameron's Chicken Divan

4 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into chunks
1 bag frozen broccoli florets
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. curry powder
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
croutons or buttered bread crumbs

Just microwave the broccoli and line the bottom of a 9x13 pan with it, then cover with chicken pieces. Make a sauce from the other ingredients and smooth over chicken and broccoli. Sprinkle cheese on top and cover with croutons or bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and serve with rice.

Wild Rice and Turkey or Chicken Soup-already posted under fall soups

Chicken (Turkey) Pot Pie-already posted, this recipe is large enough to make two pies one for tonight and one for the freezer for a "Rainy Day!"

Fall-Time for Soups!!!!

I love fall because of the harvest of fruits and vegetables in the garden and in the local farms. But I also love it because the temperature drops in the evening and it's time for soup again. I am always looking for new tasty recipes or trying to come up with new ones on my own but I always turn to some of my old classics. Here are some of them.

Potato Cheese Soup

3 c. boiling water

3 chicken bouillon cubes
4 c. diced potatoes

½ c. chopped onion
½ c. chopped celery

½ c. chopped green pepper
½ c. chopped carrots

½ c. flour
2 c milk

1 t. salt
¼ c. butter
3 c. cubed Monterey Jack or Cheddar Cheese

Add veggies to boiling water, cook 20 mins or until done. Mix flour with milk and salt and thicken soup. Add margarine and cheese and melt. Serve when cheese is fully melted.

Wild Rice Turkey Soup

1 box Uncle Ben's Wild Rice
½ c. green onions
1 ½ c. turkey, cooked and cubed
8 strips fried crumbled bacon
3 14.5 oz. cans chicken broth
2 c. water
2 c. half and half
½ c. butter
¾ c. flour
1/4 t. poultry seasoning
1/4 t. pepper
salt to taste
2-3 caps of cooking sherry

Make your roux. Boil your rice in the broth--mix all together and simmer until ready to serve
Broccoli Soup

6 c. chicken broth
½ c. onion
2 t. salt
2 heads broccoli
1½ c. butter or margarine
1½ c. flour
2 qts. half and half
1 8 oz. Cheese Whiz
.
Place chicken broth, onion, salt, and broccoli in a large pan and cook until tender. Melt butter, gradually stir in flour until blended, add half and half, heat until thickened. Mix into vegetables and add Cheese Whiz. Serve warm. .


Clam Chowder

1 c. onion finely chopped
1 c. celery finely diced
2 c. potatoes, finely diced
¾ c. flour
¾ c. butter or margarine
1 qt half and half
1½ t. salt
¼ t. pepper
2 6½ oz. clams, undrained

Combine vegetables in small saucepan. Drain clams: pour juice over vegetables; add enough water to cook. Cook covered, until tender. Meanwhile, melt butter in large heavy saucepan. Stir in flour until blended and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in cream until smooth, blended and bubbly. Return to heat; cook and stir with wire whip until thick and smooth. Add vegetables and clams heat through. Season with salt and pepper.

For even better flavor add chopped bacon slices and a few drops of Tabasco.