Monte Cristo Sandwich

Thanksgiving dinner arrived at the door along with the hugs and warm greetings of family. They brought it all, everything, the entire dinner. Everything even included the turkey fryer for an 18-pound bird! (Note: I was allowed to contribute my Zesty Cranberry Relish.) What a thoughtful, caring present from this cast of characters; Seattlites Niece Hilary and Dave plus Californians Meg and Brother Mike. For hours the house was filled with conversation, friendly teasing, suspected tall tales and humorous stories, wedding plan updates and endless laughter. All in all, a terrific family celebration and a delicious meal. 

Photo: The Thanksgiving Cooks 2016

On Friday RL and I revisited Thanksgiving memories, surveyed the many containers of leftovers in the fridge, and nibbled on a rerun of Thursday's feast. 

Turkey sandwiches, enjoyed late night or next day, are always a major highlight of this holiday meal. Some years we favor simple sliced turkey on white bread, other years we crave Kentucky Hot Browns with cheese sauce or turkey gravy. This year we opted for Turkey and Ham Monte Cristo Sandwiches. Possibly a variation of the Croque Monsieur, this batter-dipped, butter-fried sandwich is an over-the-top and delicious use of leftover turkey meat. Ooey gooey, salty, savory decadence... sigh, but so worth every artery clogging bite (and a reason to return to healthier eating the very next day).  

My Monte Cristos are a cross between French Toast and a grilled cheese and meat sandwich, occasionally with some crispy bacon added... just 'cuz. No recipe required, just freeform it.

1. Use 2 slices of bread per sandwich. Slather one side of the bread with mayonnaise and Dijon mustard. Add some chutney or cranberry relish if you like.

2. Alternate layers of thin-sliced meat (ham and/or turkey), cheese (Havarti or Swiss) and bacon (optional) on the bread. Close the sandwich and press top gently to compact slightly. This will help hold it all together when you flip it in the  pan.

3. Beat an egg and a bit of milk in a pie pan or shallow, rimmed plate. Dip each side of the sandwich briefly in the egg mixture, long enough to coat thoroughly but not get soggy. You want a crisp exterior and soft, gooey middle. 

4. Melt a pat of butter in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Place coated sandwich in frying pan and cook until bottom is golden brown. Flip the sandwich, adding more butter as needed, and cook until the second side is golden brown and the cheese is melted. This takes 4 to 5 minutes per side in my kitchen.

5. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool briefly to set cheese a bit. Cut into wedges, plate and serve.

Note: It is traditional to dust the sandwiches with powdered sugar and serve with a side of jelly. I skip that feature, relishing the salty, savory richness of the sandwich without the distraction of an added sweet. For a flavor pop, I would prefer a swipe of Zesty Cranberry Relish rather than powdered sugar and jam, but that's just me. 

Don't wait for Thanksgiving to enjoy a Monte Cristo. They are delicious using deli-sliced cold cuts or meat pulled from a deli-roasted chicken. Get creative and add some roasted green chiles, or substitute thin waffles for the bread. Go for it! 

Awesome Asian Turkey Sliders

...with a side of Sesame Rainbow Slaw

Not too excited about ground turkey? Get over it - the taste of these delicious Asian sliders might be reason enough to fill the freezer with this healthy protein. Healthy? Turkey contains vitamins B-6 and B-12, niacin, choline, selenium and zinc. That is good to know, but our attention was on the palate-pleasing flavor when these cuties hit the tastebuds. Lime, sugar, fish sauce, basil and garlic meld nicely with the turkey into a delicious Asian bite, one that easily handled the heat from any added sriracha and jalapenos. The generous handful of apple matchsticks provided a welcome crunch to the otherwise soft sandwich.   

Every bit of kitchen island and sink countertop showed signs of action during dinner prep. The dozen plus slider ingredients, and even more for the slaw, called for a lot of chopping, mixing and tossing. Still, dinner came together surprisingly quickly as each major component was prepped and set aside.

   *slice and marinate the apples

   *mix the basil mayonnaise

   *season and form the meat patties or meatballs

   *slice, chop and mix the slaw vegetables

   *whisk the slaw dressing, add to the slaw veggies and toss

Chef de Cuisine Hilary adapted this delicious dish from two recipes she found in the Nov. and Dec. 2015 issues of Shape magazine. Colorful, imaginative and fully loaded with sweet/hot/citrusy/tangy flavors, her turkey sliders were a fiesta on the plate and in the mouth. We politely nibbled the first bites of apple-topped sliders-with-slaw:  bite... pause... register the taste... smile! Mmmmm, yes, we each inhaled the rest of our first slider in another bite or two and hurried back to the stove for more. 

We are eager for another Asian slider dinner, soon please (especially if Hilary cooks).These sliders would make a festive party appetizer as well, with a large batch cooked and held in an electric skillet or on a warming tray. Anyone for a party?

Asian Turkey Sliders

serves 4

Juice and zest of 1 lime

2 teaspoons sugar

1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons fish sauce

1 crisp apple, cored & cut into matchsticks

1/4 cup reduced fat mayonnaise (Best Foods)

2 Tablespoons Gourmet Garden basil paste concentrate, divided

1 pound ground turkey

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon canola oil

1/2 cup water

Sweet Hawaiian rolls, (or mini slider buns) split

Hot sauce, (Sriracha, etc) to taste

*Sesame Rainbow Slaw (recipe below)

Directions:

1. Use a medium bowl to mix lime juice, sugar and 2 teaspoons fish sauce. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add apple machsticks; toss to coat and set aside.

2. Use a small bowl to blend together the mayonnaise and 1 Tablespoon of the basil paste; set aside.

3. In a large bowl mix together by hand ground turkey, garlic, remaining 1 Tablespoon fish sauce, remaining 1 Tablespoon basil paste and lime zest. Shape into 8-12 meatballs or fat patties slightly wider than the slider buns..

4. Heat the oil in a large skillet and brown meatballs over medium heat until browned on all sides, about 10 min.

5. Drain the apple mixture; add the liquid to the skillet with the meatballs. Add water; bring to a boil and scrape up any browned bits from the skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until cooked through and liquid reduces into a clingy glaze, about 8 min.

6. Spread basil mayonnaise on buns, top with apples and glazed meatballs. Serve with a side of Rainbow Sesame Slaw and offer optional hot sauce and jalapeno slices on the side.

Rainbow Sesame Slaw

2 cups packaged broccoli slaw

2 cups red cabbage, cut in 1/4-inch strips

3 large red, orange & yellow bell peppers, cut in 1/4-inch strips

4 scallions, diagonally sliced

1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/3 cup peanuts, chopped or minced

2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

2 Tablespoons sliced pickled ginger, minced (optional)

3 Tablespoons sesame oil

1 Tablespoon low-sodium Tamari

2 Tablespoons honey

2 Tablespoons rice vinegar

1 Tablespoon chile paste (more or less to taste)

Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Use a large bowl and toss together the solids, broccoli slaw through ginger (if using). 

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.

Add the dressing to the mixed slaw; toss gently to combine. If making ahead, toss occasionally to recoat the slaw and redistribute the dressing.

Smoky Kale and Beans

It's been windy and rainy all week, it might snow on Saturday, there are still a gazillion football games that will need a half time snack... and those are reasons enough to cook up a mess of greens. As if I needed an excuse to combine smoked turkey parts, fresh kale and white beans with garlic, jalapeño slices and a splash of red wine vinegar. Those six flavorful ingredients plus a hit of hot sauce came together into an irresistible bowl of comfort food for lunch today. A small portion would be perfect as a side dish, but we went with a large bowl apiece for a filling, one-dish meal. Tomorrow I'll add some chicken broth to the leftovers for a tasty souplike version of the recipe. 

This dish was inspired by a recent Food Network Thanksgiving special, something I had turned on as background noise to keep me company. It stayed in the background until a preparation for Southern collard greens grabbed my attention. Forget the featured turkey, cornbread dressing and sweet potato something, I craved those smoky greens! Using the Michael Symon recipe as a base, I made a few changes. We prefer kale to collard greens, and I always have some on hand, so that accounted for the first change. A jar of Mezzetta's Tamed Jalapeño Rings substituted for a fresh chili pepper. The dish needed more substance, so a can of cannellini beans joined the party. Green Tabasco sauce added a final pop. Oh, baby, those were some good greens! 

I have half a dozen other kale posts, all recipes we enjoy, but this is the first kale dish that RL has requested as a repeat. That's a good sign, those must have been some good greens!

Smoky Kale and Beans

adapted from a Michael Symon recipe 
Yield: 4 large servings

Ingredients:

2 bunches kale, stems and center-ribs removed (I used 1 bunch each of curly kale and dinosaur kale)

Olive oil, to coat pan

1 pound smoked turkey parts (wings, thighs, or tails)

1 cup diced red onions

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced

Kosher salt

1 jalapeno, sliced into rings 
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 can Cannellini (white) beans, drained & rinsed

Hot sauce, such as Green Tabasco or your favorite

Directions:

1. Roughly chop the kale into 1/2-inch pieces. Wash well under cold water. Drain and set aside.
2. Add a film of olive oil to a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven; use medium heat and sear the turkey pieces on all sides until crisped, about 5 minutes. 
3. Add the onions, garlic and a large pinch of salt; heat until the vegetables are softened and you can smell the garlic, about 3 minutes. 
4. Add the rinsed kale, jalapeño rings, vinegar, sugar and 1 to 2 teaspoons salt. Cover and cook until the greens are wilted, 20 to 30 minutes. 
5. Add the drained and rinsed beans, stir to combine and cook briefly to heat. (Add some chicken broth if you like your greens soupy.) Remove from the heat and check the seasoning, adding additional salt and vinegar to taste.
6. Remove the turkey pieces and pull the meat off the bones, discarding any large chunks of fat. Shred some of the turkey meat and toss with the cooked greens. Add hot sauce to taste and serve.

Notes: 

* Next time double the amount of greens, or use larger bunches of kale, equal to roughly 2 pounds.
* Garbanzo (ceci) beans would be a good alternative to cannellini beans, providing more crunch to the dish. 

Turkey and Cheese Enchiladas Verde

We mixed it up this year and enjoyed turkey leftovers on Thursday, waiting to officially celebrate Thanksgiving on Friday. Flight schedules and weather get the blame - or credit - for the change this year. It's always worth waiting for family to arrive and join the party, plus this gave me an extra day to get organized.

Leftover turkey before you roast a bird??? It's easy enough when you roast several turkey legs and thighs for gravy stock several days ahead of time. Today we enjoyed turkey and cheese stuffed enchiladas filled with said poultry, three cheeses, onion, poblano chile, mini sweet peppers, cilantro and some heat from ground chipotle chile and green taco sauce. Yes! they were delicious, and hooray! there's still some turkey left to enjoy in turkey posole or gumbo later next week. 

My enchiladas are random creations, never the same twice, but here is a close approximation of today's version. 

Turkey and Cheese Enchiladas Verde

1 Tbs oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 large poblano chile, seeded and diced, divided
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried cilantro
1/4 tsp chipotle chile powder
1/4 cup green taco sauce (La Victoria)
3 cups homemade turkey stock (+ 1/2 additional to mix with cornstarch)
1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch 
salt and pepper (optional)
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked turkey thigh meat 
4 mini sweet peppers, seeded and diced
1 cup kale, destemmed and rough chopped
generous 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
generous 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
3 slices havarti, sliced for topping (or substitute another soft cheese)
5 medium-sized flour tortillas (more or less to fill the baking dish)

1. Saute the onions in tablespoon of oil until translucent; add half of the poblano and cook to soften. Stir in the seasonings: oregano, cilantro and chipotle. 
2. Add the taco sauce and turkey stock and simmer a while. Mix cornstarch with the additional 1/2 cup of cool stock and add to the pot to thicken into a thin sauce. Keep simmering (but don't boil or the cornstarch will loose its thickening effect). Taste, add salt and pepper if desired, and adjust seasonings as needed.
3. Spoon some of the sauce into a baking dish to cover the bottom with a thin coating. (I used an 8x10-inch pan)
4. In a medium-sized bowl mix combine the shredded turkey, shredded cheeses, remaining poblano, sweet peppers and kale. Add a little of the sauce, just enough to moisten and flavor.
5. Dip a tortilla into the sauce and place on a dinner plate. Spoon a line of the turkey/cheese mix down the middle and roll up. Place seam side down in the sauced baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
6. Drizzle any remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas (optional). Cover with remaining cheese.
7. Tent the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 325 F. Uncover and bake an additional 20-30 minutes or until the top crisps up a bit and the cheese turns golden brown. Let the dish stand for several minutes until the sauce and cheese firm up a bit. 
8. Serve with additional taco sauce, sour cream, avocado slices or guacamole. 

Turkey Meatballs with Spinach, Walnuts and Cheese

The Daring Kitchen Cooks June 2013 Challenge - Meatballs 

It has been a while since I have cooked with this amazing group, but this month's theme was too good to pass up. "The June Daring Cooks’ challenge sure kept us rolling – meatballs, that is! Shelley from C Mom Cook and Ruth from The Crafts of Mommyhood challenged us to try meatballs from around the world and to create our own meatball meal celebrating a culture or cuisine of our own choice." I think June just might be meatball month, since they are popping up all over the internet lately; here, here, here and here... and many more!

Just say "meatball" and boom! I think Italian spaghetti and meatballs, then Swedish meatballs with potatoes and lingonberry jam, followed by Mexican albondigas soup, Greek avgolemno soup with meatballs, and the list goes on. Then my foodie brain slowly wanders off into non-meat territory with Japanese rice balls, Italian arancini, Middle Eastern falafel... Which to choose for the June DC challenge? Even though polpette are not typically served over pasta or even sauced, I decided to prepare Italian spaghetti and meatballs with a red sauce and got busy organizing ingredients. The first sample meatball was just fine naked, all by itself, it didn't need any sauce for flavor. But I continued on with the plan and oven-simmered a batch of 12 meatballs in Spicy Red Bell Pepper Pasta Sauce from my local Safeway store. We loved the result. Go with the sauce.  

My personal challenge was to create a moist, tasty meatball using lean ground turkey, a protein often thought of as bland, often dry and easily overcooked. So why use turkey? "Outside pressures" to cook healthier and cut back on red meat prompted the choice, and I'm delighted to report that this experiment was deeeeee-licious. RL loved the meal and nagged coached me to write down the recipe before I forgot quantities and procedure.

The Daring Cooks Challenge suggested we plan a meal to incorporate the meatballs. My imaginary multi-course Italian menu begins with Fruit and Nut Crisps served with a soft cheese, followed by Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs, then a salad of Greens with Grapes and/or Italian Pepper Salad, and finished with Almond Cookies  and Nutty Chocolate Apricot Bites. Reality check: instead of that big meal, we will likely dine on a small plate of this recipe, accompanied by a green salad dressed with citrus vinaigrette. I know I will make these meatballs again and again, and continue to marvel at turkey meatballs that are packed with flavor, have a nice crunchy bite and are healthier than any of my previous versions!      

Turkey Meatballs with Spinach, Walnuts and Cheese

(plus homemade or store-bought marinara sauce)

makes approx. 24 meatballs

Add to a blender jar and mix until combined into a very moist, green paste with no big chunks remaining.

·      ½ cup crushed saltines (or homemade bread crumbs)

·      1 small package frozen chopped spinach (thawed but not drained)

·      1/8 cup chopped Italian parsley

·      2 chopped green onions

·      1 clove garlic, peeled & minced

·      ¼ cup feta cheese crumbles (or grated fresh parmesan)

·      ¼ cup walnut pieces

·      1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

·      salt and pepper to taste

·      1 tablespoon lemon zest

·      juice of 1 small lemon (approx. 2 tablespoons)

·      1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Place that luscious green blend in a mixing bowl, add the following 4 ingredients and mix gently but thoroughly by hand or with a spatula.

·      1.25 pounds lean ground turkey

·      1 egg

·      ¼ cup chopped walnuts (yes, in addition to those above)

·      ½ cup dry parmesan (yes, from the green can)

Note: this is a good time to cook a small patty in a skillet, taste and adjust seasonings as needed. You really don’t want to skip this step.

Use a scoop or tablespoon to shape the mix into small meatballs. Brown in a skillet sprayed with cooking spray OR broil briefly until browned.

Add enough of your favorite marinara sauce to surround or even cover the meatballs and simmer for 15 minutes over low heat, covered, on the stovetop OR bake uncovered for 15 minutes in a preheated 350 F oven. Serve alone or over pasta, they are delicious either way.