Turkey Pot Pie

A few days go by after Thanksgiving and the leftovers start to lose their appeal. So begins the age old question of what to do with that pesky leftover turkey.
Two ideas popped into my head right away: turkey noodle soup and turkey pot pie. I already have a quickie recipe for chicken noodle soup, now to find an easy recipe for the pot pie. I can't really remember ever making a pot pie from scratch that made me a little nervous. Until I came upon a Sunny Anderson recipe on foodnetwork.com's redo leftovers recipe section. Sunny has never given me a recipe that I couldn't make.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie
by Sunny Anderson

1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders  leftover turkey shredded
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup frozen pearl onions chopped onions
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup diced carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 store bought pie crust crescent rolls, unbaked and thawed if frozen
1 egg, lightly beaten (I skipped this part, because I'm lazy)

Special equipment: 10-inch cast-iron pan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Sprinkle the chicken tenders turkey with paprika, sage, oregano, salt and pepper. Heat a 10-inch cast-iron pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil begins to swirl, add the seasoned chicken and saute until cooked through, about 4 minutes on the first side and 3 minutes on the second side. Heat turkey through. Remove the chicken turkey to a plate with tongs, leaving the oil in the pan. Rest the chicken turkey for a few minutes, and then chop into 1/2-inch cubes.

To the same pan, add the onions and peas and carrots and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir and cook until the onions become tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until the flour dissolves into the vegetables and juices. Add the chicken stock and raise to a simmer, stirring until thickened. Once the liquid has thickened, stir in the heavy cream. Season with salt, if needed.

Return the chicken turkey to the pan. Unfold the pie crust and place over the top of the filling, tucking the excess edges inside the pan. Brush the crust evenly with the egg wash. Using a knife, gently cut 3 vents in the top of the crust. Place in the oven and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 20 15 minutes.

I didn't let my sauce thicken enough so it was a bit runny. That was okay though, because it was delicious. I loved the heavy cream. Yes, I know its not healthy but it was worth it. The turkey was perfect in there too. And the crescent roll topping worked out even better than I thought it would. Buttery and crispy on top and a little gooey on bottom where it mingled with the filling.

I was definitely happy with the result. It was a great way to use up some of my leftover turkey. Now I just need to hide the rest of the turkey from Paul so I can make the turkey noodle soup later this week.

Simple Appetizers

I love appetizers. Its the first bite reminding you of the amazing meal to come. They stretch out conversation and entertain your tummy. The appetizer portion of the meal is sometimes my favorite part. As my dad says I'm a "bird-like eater", I like to think of it as slow and intentional bites. So for me picking at a few appetizers while a group chats away is really comfortable for me. No one judges how slow you eat and no one notices how much you eat. Plus appetizers are usually built only to be one or two bites, less chance to make a mess.

Okay enough of my rambling about why I love appetizers. I made a few yummy things for a Thanksgiving meal that Paul and I hosted this year for a few friends that were staying in town for the holiday. As much as I enjoy spending the holiday with family, working in a retail, I don't really have that option. As it is I am staying up for over 24 hours to make and eat Thanksgiving dinner and then going to work for 12 hours (9p-9a). I don't say this to get pity, I actually received enough sympathy for my schedule to go around (which I appreciate by the way). Its just to give perspective that I didn't anticipate having much energy to put into for this particular part of the meal. So I needed some quick and easy ideas. I wanted to share these ideas and recipes for some easy apps that Paul and I came up with this year.

Creamy Parmesan Spinach Dip
by Skinny Ginny


10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and excess liquid squeezed out
1/2 cup light sour cream
5 tbsp light mayonnaise
1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
1/4 cup scallion, chopped
fresh pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. This can be made one day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. Makes about 2 cups. Serve with tortilla chips or pita or even fresh veggies.



Cheese and Meat Plate

Colby Jack
Butterkasie cheese
Chedder cheese
Pepperjack
salami
pepperonis
dill pickles
crackers

This idea is all about what you and your guests like. These are some of our favorites plus a few classics. Just cut up cheese and roll up or spread out the meats. I did this the night before and artfully displayed it on a plate. That's the fun part for me, well and eating it.

Spicy Hummus
by Rachel Ray

1 (14.5 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
2 rounded tablespoons tahini sesame paste, found in both dairy and dry specialty foods sections
A drizzle extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 clove garlic, crushed
Coarse salt
1/2 lemon, juiced

Combine beans, tahini, oil, pepper flakes, cumin, coriander, garlic, salt, and lemon juice in food processor bowl and grind into a smooth paste. Transfer to a small dip dish and surround spread with warm pita wedges. 

Though we did not make our own hummus. I could have and this is a pretty basic recipe that I thought would be tasty had I chosen to make my own. Although I don't usually use the tahini, mostly because I'm cheap and its just an added cost.

It might not be the most exciting spread but it was tasty and everyone seemed to enjoy it all. Don't forget to have fun with the plating. Sure its going to be destroyed when people dig in, but that's no reason not to wow your friends and family if even for a moment.

What are your favorite apps for a party or holiday event?

Lollipop Ghosts

Okay I know I should have posted this beFORE Halloween but I didn't...

This is just a cute quick craft to spruce up your candy assortment. This is something kids can help with, or like me just do because you have an extra 15 minutes the afternoon of Halloween.
I decided to take step by step photos, even though it was honestly unnecessary.\

Lollipop Ghosts

Supplies:

• Lollipops (Toostie Pops)
• Ribbon, gift wrapping ribbon, or just tape (I used white gift wrapping ribbon)
• Tissues
• Sharpie or black marker
• Scissors

• Cut ribbon into equal lengths. Like I say at work all the time "Batch your tasks. Doing the same thing over and over will make you move faster." (I really do say this at work almost everyday.)

•  I folded my tissues once corner to corner to make a triangle.

• Twist the tissue over the top of the lollipop and knot a piece of your ribbon underneath the pop.

•  Draw on a spooky face!
  
  
  

•  BOO! Add them to your candy bowl. 

The few kids that came to our place seemed to like the cute ghosties. I was pleased with the results.

If I had thought ahead, I could/should have made these to take to work. They could even be a cute decoration for a Spooky party.

They are cute, fun and easy. Get the candy and you'll probably already have the rest of the supplies. Those are my favorite crafts.

Hope everyone had a happy and safe Halloween.