Simple & Delicious Leftover Turkey & Stuffing Quiche

This delicious quiche is perfect to serve
for brunch a day or two after serving
a turkey dinner. 🦃

Ingredients:

1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell (store bought or homemade)

1 cup leftover chopped turkey  

1 cup leftover stuffing

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 cup half & half

4 eggs

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

sour cream, optional

smoked paprika, optional

cranberry sauce or relish, optional

Method:

Preheat oven to 350*. Place the pastry lined pie plate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Remove the pie crust from the refrigerator and place on a rimmed baking sheet.

Layer the turkey in the crust. Top evenly with the stuffing and then the cheese. Sprinkle the parsley over all.

Whisk together the half & half, eggs and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour over the ingredients in the pie pan. Place the quiche and baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted half way between the center and the outer edge comes out clean. 

Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Cut into 6 portions. If desired, top each slice with a small dollop of sour cream and sprinkle lightly with smoked paprika. Serve with cranberry sauce or relish. Makes 6 servings.

Note: When I mentioned to my husband that I was making a quiche with leftover turkey and stuffing, he wasn't very enthusiastic about the idea. He was very pleased with the result!  😀

Serving suggestion: One slice of quiche
garnished with sour cream and smoked
paprika with a side of Holiday Slaw and
Fresh Cranberry Relish. Links to the
recipes are below:

Holiday Slaw
https://carriekitchencreations.blogspot.com/2024/12/holiday-slaw-perfect-for-thanksgiving.html

Fresh Cranberry Relish
https://carriekitchencreations.blogspot.com/2015/11/cousin-katys-fresh-cranberry-relish.html

Perfect & Creamy Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

 

These potatoes are perfectly
delicious~ What a great option to
make a day or two before serving! 

Ingredients: 

3 1/2 pounds of russet potatoes

2 cups half & half

8 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 teapoons sea salt

fresh ground black pepper

Optional Garnishes:

fresh ground black pepper

fresh chopped chives or a sprig of fresh parsley

Method:

Arrange oven rack to middle position. Prehaet oven to 450*

Use a fork to prick each potato a few times. Place the potatoes on the oven rack and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the poatoes are very soft. (It is better to over cook than undercook.)

Just before the potatoes finish baking, heat the half & half and 6 tablespoons of the butter just to a simmer. (Do not boil.) Turn off burner.

Remove the potatoes from the oven. Immediately, while the potatoes are still hot, use a pot holder or oven mitt to hold the potatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Use a large spoon to scoop out the cooked potato from the skins. (Leave behind any tough or harder parts of the potato closest to the skin.)** Place all of the cooked potato in a large microwavable bowl. While the potatoe are still hot, mash with a potato masher.*** Beat on low speed with an electric mixer for a couple of minutes, just until no lumps remain. (During this step, as needed, stop the mixer to scrape down the sides.) 

Add a portion of the simmered liquid to the potatoes and use a large rubber or silicone spatula to fold in. Repeat to gradually mix all of the liquid until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in the salt. (The mixture will appear very liquidy and are not yet ready to serve.)

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 or 2 days. (Do not freeze.) 

When ready to reheat, use a knife to poke 8 to 10 whole in the plastic wrap. Microwave at medium high power ( 70 to 75 percent) for 7 minutes. Lift the plastic and stir. Replace the plastic and microwave for another 7 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap.

Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into 2 or 3 portions and place on top of the hot potatoes. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. If desired, garnish with chopped chives or a sprig of parsley. Makes 8 servings.

**The hollowed out potato skins can be saved to make baked or air fried potato skin appetizers or side dish.

***In order to prevent lumps, it's important to mash the potatoes while they are hot.

Notes: I was very surprised at how excellent the potatoes turned out ~ everyone loved them!

Holiday Slaw ~ Perfect for Thanksgiving & Christmas

This salad is delicious, colorful,
light and fresh!

Dressing Ingredients:

2/3 cup finely chopped red onion

2 tablespoons + 2 1/2 teaspoons  olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon rice vinegar or rice cooking wine

1 tablespoons maple syrup

3 teaspoons 

Dijon mustard

1/2 pink Himalayan salt or fine sea salt

Salad Ingredients:

1/2 cup 

sliced almonds

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1

 1/4 pounds, or about 5 cups shredded cabbage

1/3 cup snipped 

fresh parsley leaves

1/4 cup 

dried cranberries

1/2 cup pomegrante seeds

pink Himalayan or sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Add the onion to a large bowl. Whisk in olive oil, apple cider vinegar, rice wine, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and the salt. Let sit for at least 10 minutes for the flavors to meld. 

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add the almonds in a single layer and drizzle with the 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil. Stir and shake the pan often until the almonds are fragrant and golden brown. (about 4 to 5 minutes)

Add the shredded cabbage, chopped fresh parsley leaves, toasted, almonds,  cranberries and pomegrante seeds to the dressing. Toss to combine. Taste and season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Makes 4 servings.

Note: This simple festive slaw is a light and refreshing side dish to serve with a holiday dinner or at a holiday brunch. It pairs nicely with turkey, goose and ham.

Sean' Perfect Roast Turkey ~ No Basting Needed!

This method produces a wonderfully
moist and delicious roast turkey!

Ingredients:

 1 (14 - 16 pound) frozen turkey

1 gallon (4 quarts or 16 cups) vegetable broth

1 cup kosher salt (or 1 1/4 cups regular salt)

1/2 cup brown sugar (light or dark)

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 1/2 teaspoons whole allspice berries or 5 teaspoons ground allspice

1 1/2 teaspoons candied ginger or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

12 cups ice and water to make 1 gallon

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, sliced into tablespoon portions

fresh rosemary sprigs

minced garlic (optional)

Method:

Three days before roasting, transfer the turkey from the freezer to the refrigerator. 

The night before roasting, prepare the brine. Add the vegetable broth, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice and candied ginger to a large pot. Stir over medium-high heat to dissolve the salt and sugar. Bring to a boil and then remove from the heat. Allow to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate to finish cooling completely. 

Rinse the thawed turkey and remove the neck and innards. Add the brine, water and ice mixture to a five gallon bucket. Place the turkey, breast side down, into the brine mixture. Make certain that the turkey is completely immersed. (If necessary, weigh it down with a block of ice or a dutch oven filled with ice.) Refrigerate or place in a cool area for 8 to 16 hours.

Preheat oven to 500*. Remove the turkey from the brine. Rinse inside and out with cold water. Place in a roasting pan and pat dry with paper towels. (If using a disposable roasting pan, place the pan on a baking sheet with sides.) If desired, fill the chest cavity with your favorite dressing.

Use your fingers to loosen the skin from the meat. Work the tablespoons of butter between the skin and meat. Add sprigs of of rosemary and if desired, also add some minced garlic.

Roast on the lowest rack of the oven at 500* for 30 minutes. Cover the turkey loosely with a foil tent and reduce the heat to 350*. The turkey does not require basting! Roast for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until a pop up thermometer raises to show it's done or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast measures 161*. Remove from the oven and allow to rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.

Notes: This method produces a very moist perfect roast turkey! (The recipe is also very forgiving; even if you overcook the bird it still turns out great.)  

The inspiration for this recipe for this recipe came from Alton Brown's Brined Turkey Recipe. Sean made his own additions and changes that truly make this a no fail method for a delicious bird.

Delicious Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

This simple and flavorful soup was enjoyed
by the entire family!

Ingredients:

2 (14.5 ounce) cans black beans 

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

2 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes

2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chiles

2 small onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

8 cups (2 quarts) low sodium chicken or bone broth

2 cups frozen corn

2 tablespoons lime juice

Garnishes:

6 cups crushed tortilla chips

1/2 cup chopped or torn fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

1 1/2 cup shredded Pepper Jack or cheddar cheese (optional)

sour cream (optional)

Method:

Use a colander to drain and rinse the black beans. Set aside.

Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the diced tomatoes (with liquid), chiles, onion, garlic and beans. Sprinkle the cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper over the chicken and vegetables. Stir in the broth until all of the ingredients are mixed.

Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high heat for 3 to 4 hours. Remove the chicken to a plate or large bowl. Stir the frozen corn into the soup. Use two foks to shred the chicken. Stir the shredded chicken into the soup. Stir in the lime juice and leave the soup in the slow cooker for another 10 minutes.

Ladle individual servings into bowls and garnish with tortilla chips. If desired, also garnish with grated cheese, cilantro and a dollop of sour cream. Makes 12 servings.

Notes: This recipe may be cut in half to produce a smaller amount of soup.

When I served this soup to my Mexican-born daughter-in-law and she loved it! That's the best endorsement for a Mexican style dish that I could receive. 🥰

 

 

PERFECT (& Simple) Steak Marinade

This simple marinade produces  deliciously
flavored grilled or broiled steaks.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice**

1/2 cup olive or avocado oil

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

1 1/2 to 3 pounds steak rib eye, New York strip or T-Bone

Method:

Whisk together the soy sauce, lemon juice, oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, seasoning, black pepper, salt and crushed red pepper. 

Place one to three steaks in a large ziploc bag. Add the marinade to the bag making sure to coat all of the meat. Set aside in the refrigerator to marinate for 2 hours or overnight. Grill or broil to desired level of doneness.

**Red wine may be substituted for the lemon juice.