Cobb Salad Sandwiches

I think these are all the rage right now. Everyone seems to be talking about these. I should have posted this months ago and been the one to introduce them. I love Cobb salad. A few years ago you wouldn't have been able to talk me into trying one because I didn't like egg or blue cheese. Amazing how your tastes change as you get older. I've done sandwich as a chopped dish served inside of a pita which makes a fun dish to serve at a potluck or a party. The possibilities are really endless. I won't give exact amounts as each person will make it different so this is just a rough guideline to build you a really delicious sandwich that has flavors that blend together wonderfully.

bread (in the picture I used Harmon's roasted garlic bread but any bread will do)
lettuce (I prefer romaine but iceburg or even spinach works)
tomato, sliced
bacon (turkey or real doesn't matter)
avocado, sliced
deli turkey (I get the Boar's Head peppered but even leftover turkey from Thanksgiving works)
slice of cheddar cheese (only because dh thinks a sandwich isn't a sandwich without cheese)
one half a hard boiled egg, chopped
Roquefort dressing or if you don't like blue cheese Ranch dressing

Layer the sandwich in the order listed or however your heart desires. Enjoy!

Creamy Turkey with Wild Rice

This soup was really tasty. I used the last of the turkey from the turkey I made on Tuesday for the soup. I had my doubts at first with the soup since I was using a creamy chicken recipe but it turned out really good. I used a little too much curry powder but I was the only one who noticed this. I threw the turkey in after I added the mushrooms since my meat was already cooked and I believe the recipe called for raw chicken. I also did not have fresh mushrooms on hand so I used a can of mushrooms. This recipe was really quite easy to make and tasted much better than any canned soup I have tried. I halved the recipe because Melanie said it made quite a bit and I knew only three adults were eating the soup. Half of the recipe was plenty for 3 adults with an extra serving leftover. I found the recipe on Melanie's site.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
from Mary G.

½ cup butter
1 finely chopped onion
½ - 1 cup frozen corn (or ½ cup chopped celery, if preferred)
½ pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
½ cup carrots, sliced
¾ cup all-purpose flour
6 ½ cups chicken broth (can use 7 bouillon cubes plus 6 ½ cups water)
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon mustard powder
½ teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup slivered almonds
2 cups nonfat half-and-half (use normal half-and-half if you prefer, but you won't believe how delicious this is with the nonfat variety!)

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, corn, chicken and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté 3-4 more minutes. Then add flour and stir well. Transfer mixture to large pot. Over medium heat, gradually pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly until all has been added. Bring just to a boil and then reduce heat to low and let simmer.

Next, add the rice, salt, curry powder, mustard powder, parsley, ground black pepper and almonds. Allow to heat through and then pour in the half-and-half. Let simmer 1 to 1 ½ hours. Be careful not to let the soup come to a boil or it won't thicken properly - let it simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally.

Turkey with rice and gravy

This was just a thrown together dish. I had left over turkey from the turkey I roasted so I shredded it and warmed it up gravy and served it with rice. Now the next day I've thought of ways to improve the dish. After cooking the rice I would have added it to the turkey and gravy. I would have added a few veggies probably celery and carrots or maybe even peas. And I would have made lots more gravy as the turkey soaked up the gravy. Overall it was not a bad dish considering I just threw the stuff together.

about 3 cups shredded leftover turkey
I used 2 servings of this gravy but I probably should have added one more:
3 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp flour
salt and pepper
1/4 cup dry milk
Put flour in jar and add one cup chicken broth and the dry milk. Shake until flour is dissolved. Meanwhile heat the rest of the broth on medium heat. Pour the flour mixture slowly into the simmering broth and stirring constantly until thickened. Add more flour if needed to reach the consistency you are looking for.
4 servings of cooked rice

Heat the turkey up in the gravy. Serve over rice.

Brown Sugar Crackle Glazed Turkey

I've fallen in love with the brown sugar turkey deli meat in the local deli. So imagine my delight to stumble across a recipe for brown sugar glazed turkey in the November 2008 issue of Sunset magazine. I used a turkey breast instead of the whole turkey. Mainly because we really only eat the white meat of the turkey and because I had several sitting in the freezer thanks to a misprint on labels at the local grocery store. I picked up several organic turkey breasts for 49 cents a lb because of the misprint on the labels. Anyway this recipe do not disappoint. It was really really good. I can't wait to make it again. For some reason the glazed burned on the bottom of my pan so I suggest using something under the turkey like foil. I used half of the following recipe for the turkey breast since the recipe was for a 18-24 lb turkey.

In a small bowl, mix 2 cups packed light brown sugar, 5 tbsp dijon mustard, and 2 tsp coarsely and freshly ground black pepper. When turkey has about 45 minutes left to cook (breast temperature at the bone will be about 135 degrees for birds up to 18 lbs, and about 145 for larger ones), spread with half the glaze. Cook 20 minutes. Brush with remaining glaze and cook, sliding folded strips of foil between bird and grate if edges of turkey begin to get too dark, and draping any other dark areas with foil, until thermometer registers 160 degrees. Makes enough to glaze a 12-24 lb turkey.

Herb Butter Roasted Turkey and Gravy

From Cook's County. I tried this recipe for a turkey dinner I made in early December. I really like the flavor of the turkey. Even my three kids ate the turkey. I saved leftovers for a soup and I'll post the recipe.


Turkey
1 (12- to 14-pound) frozen turkey, thawed
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons dried herbs de Provence
4 garlic cloves , minced
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
1 teaspoon pepper
2 onions, chopped
1 carrot , peeled and chopped
1 celery rib , chopped
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup white wine

Herb Gravy
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper

1. For the turkey: Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pat turkey dry inside and out with paper towels. Using fork, beat butter, herbs, garlic, zest, bouillon, and pepper until combined.
2. Spoon half of butter mixture under skin of turkey. Rub remaining butter mixture over outside of turkey and inside of cavity.
3. Scatter vegetables in bottom of large roasting pan, then add broth and wine. Tuck wings behind back and arrange turkey on V-rack set inside roasting pan. Roast until internal temperature of breast registers 165 degrees and thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Transfer turkey to cutting board and let rest 30 minutes.
4. For the gravy: Carefully strain contents of pan into large measuring cup. Let liquid settle so that fat separates, then skim (if necessary, add enough water to measure 4 cups). Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly until honey-colored, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in strained juices. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in herbs and season with salt and pepper. Carve turkey and serve with herb gravy.