Spicy Italian Turkey Sausage

Adapted from Bon Appétit: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/spicy-italian-sausage 

1 pound ground turkey

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, roughly chopped

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 garlic clove, finely minced

salt and pepper to taste

Thanksgiving 2021

 

Monday

• Dry brine turkey
• Make herb butter
• Make pie crust
• Wash cheesecloth

Dry Brine

• 3 tablespoons Morton Kosher Salt
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 lemon zest
• black pepper

Herb Butter

• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 lemon zest
• black pepper

Wednesday

• Make pumpkin pie
• Make cranberry relish

Thursday

1:30 - Remove turkey from fridge

2:20 - Preheat oven to 450

2:30 - Prep butter blanket

2:45 - Put turkey in oven

        - Start dishwasher

        - Turn off heat

3:15 - Reduce heat to 350 - bake for 2 more hours

5:00 - Light candle

        - Peel and cut potatoes

        - Boil potatoes

5:30 - Make rice

5:45 - Turkey Done and Out of oven

        - Put rolls in oven

        - Make gravy

        - Make stuffing

        - Make green beans

6:00 - Dinner

        - Carve turkey

Healthy Jam Breakfast Bars

 Healthy Jam Breakfast Bars

2 cups quick cooking rolled oats

1 tablespoon flax seeds

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup nut butter

1/4 cup milk

2/3 cup jam

1. Heat oven to 350. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Pulse oats and flax seeds quickly in food processor to make a course flour. 
3. Add in flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Pulse 1-2 times to combine.
4. In a measuring cup, combine nut butter and honey. Microwave for 15 seconds and stir to combine.
5. Add peanut butter/honey mixture and milk to the food processor. Pulse until a thick dough forms. 
6. Spread 3/4 of the batter into the bottom of the pan.
7. Top with the jam. 
8. Crumble the remaining batter on the top. Press down gently. 
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. 

Pulled Pork

 Pulled Pork

2 pounds pork loin

Rub

4 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

3 teaspoons Smoked paprika

cayenne pepper (10 shakes[too spicy])

black pepper

Braising Liquid

1 scoop of pepperoncinis  

Splash of pepperoncini juice

Chicken broth

Barbecue juice

Dash of apple cider vinegar

Bay leaf

1. Make the rub by combining all the ingredients.
2. Coat loin all over with the rub.
3. Heat canola oil in dutch oven. Sear pork loin on both sides. 
4. Turn down the heat. Add in all the braising liquid ingredients and enough chicken broth to go up about a quarter of the way up the loin. 
5. Cook the pork loin on 325 for an hour and a half to two hours until it falls apart under pressure. Check a few times to make sure there is still liquid in the bottom of the pot adding broth as needed.
6. Cut the loin into shreddable chunks. Add some broth to thin out the pan drippings. Shred the pork back into pan drippings. Add another dash of apple cider vinegar to finish. 

Weekly Menu - September 6

 French Toast with Sausage

https://damndelicious.net/2021/01/15/homemade-breakfast-sausage/

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/ba-breakfast-sausage

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Coq au Vin Chicken Meatballs

Coq au Vin Chicken Meatballs

recipe simplified from https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/30-minute-coq-au-vin-chicken-meatballs/#wprm-recipe-container-83432

1/2 an onion

4 carrots

8-10 mushrooms

dried thyme

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup red wine

2 cups chicken broth

bay leaf

2 tablespoons corn starch 

splash of water

1 pound ground chicken

1 egg

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

salt and pepper

dried thyme

1. Dice the onion and carrots. Quarter the mushrooms. Mince the garlic. 
2. Heat canola oil to dutch oven. 
3. Add onion and cook until edges are translucent.
4.  Add carrots and cook until edges soften slightly. 
5. Add mushrooms, salt, pepper, and a pinch of thyme and cook until browned.
6. While the mushrooms are cooking, mix the ground chicken, egg, panko bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and a pinch of thyme together. 
7. Scoop onto parchment lined baking sheet and bake at convection 400 for 10 minutes. 
8. When mushrooms have finished cooking, add the garlic and tomato paste. Cook for a few minutes until tomato paste has darkened. 
9. Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Bring to a boil and let it eat for about a minute to cook off the alcohol.
10. Add the chicken broth and bay leaf. Bring back to a simmer. 
11. Make a slurry of the cornstarch and water. Add to the pot. Bring to a simmer to thicken the sauce.
12. When meatballs have finished cooking, add to the pot. Cook for 5 more minutes. 
13. Serve over roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, polenta, egg noodles, or whatever your heart desires. 

Weekly Menu - September 3

 Oven Fried Fish Sandwiches

https://www.kitchensanctuary.com/fish-burger-shoestring-fries/

http://happyfoodhappyhome.blogspot.com/2021/09/oven-fried-fish.html

Spicy Pesto Soup with homemade chicken sausage

http://happyfoodhappyhome.blogspot.com/2019/11/spicy-italian-pesto-potato-soup.html

https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/spicy-italian-pesto-noodle-soup/

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/spicy-italian-sausage

Pizza Bean Salad

https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2021/08/29/marinated-beans-salad-recipe/

Buffalo Chicken

Coq au Vin Meatballs with roasted potatoes

https://happyfoodhappyhome.blogspot.com/2021/09/coq-au-vin-chicken-meatballs.html

https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/30-minute-coq-au-vin-chicken-meatballs/

Chicken Bulgogi with roasted broccoli

https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/korean-bulgogi-bbq-chicken/

Oven Fried Fish

 Oven Fried Fish

1 pound tilapia or other white fish

1 egg

1/3 cup of ap flour

1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs

paprika

salt and pepper

canola oil

1. Cut the fish into sandwich size pieces.
2. Heat oven to convection bake 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
3. In a large bowl, beat the egg.
4. In a second large bowl, combine the flour, breadcrumbs, paprika, salt, and pepper.
5. Dredge the fish first in the egg, then in the coating. Place on the baking sheet.
6. Drizzle a tiny amount of canola oil on the top of each piece.
7. Bake fish for 5 minutes. 
8. Flip the fish over, then drizzle the pieces with another tiny amount of canola oil.
9. Bake for 5 more minutes, or until fish reaches 145 degrees internal temp. 

Lemon Chicken Meatballs and Rice

 Meatballs

1 pound ground turkey

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

2-3 teaspoons rosemary

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon sour cream

zest of 1/2 a lemon

salt and pepper

Rice

1 cup rice

zest of half a lemon

juice of 1 lemon

enough liquid to make 1 cup

1 garlic clove

1 teaspoon rosemary

Pesto

 Classic Basil Pesto Recipe

2 cups basil (lightly packed)

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 cup pine nuts

3 garlic cloves (coarsely chopped)

salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup olive oil

1. Lightly toast pine nuts. Set aside to cool.
2. In food processor, grind parmesan cheese into small chunks. Measure 1/2 cup.
3. Add basil, cheese, pine nuts, garlic, and some salt and pepper to food processor. Process 3-4 times until slightly broken down. 
4. With the food processor on its lowest speed, stream in olive oil until combined. 
5. Taste for salt and pepper. 
6. Process until pesto is desired texture.

12 cups of basil

3 cups parmesan cheese

3 cups pine nuts

18 garlic cloves

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups olive oil

6 cups basil

1 1/2 cups parmesan

1 1/2 cups pine nuts

9 cloves garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup olive oil

Creamy Meatballs and Mushrooms

 Meatballs

    1/4 cup minced onion

    1 small garlic clove, minced

    1 egg

    1 pound ground turkey

    1/4 teaspoon allspice

    salt and pepper

    6 tablespoons breadcrumbs

    2 tablespoons milk

1. Mix together wet ingredients
2. Add in breadcrumbs and mix to combine
3. Form into 1.5 tablespoon balls (use small cookie scoop)
4. Place on parchment paper line baking sheet
5. Bake at convection 400 for 20-25 minutes

Mushrooms and Cream Sauce

    Mushrooms

    olive oil, salt, pepper

    2 tablespoons unsalted butter

    2 tablespoons AP flour

    1 1/3 cup chicken broth 

    Thyme

    salt and pepper

    Splash of cream (between 2 tablespoons and 1/4 cup)

1. Slice mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper, and saute in olive oil until golden brown.
2. Add in butter and stir until melted.
3. Add in flour and cook the roux for 2-4 minutes until flour is golden brown and cooked.
4. Add in 1/4 cup of broth. Stir to dissolve roux. Add in about half of the remaining broth & stir. Add in rest of broth.
5. Season with thyme, salt, and pepper. 
6. Cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. 
7. Add in meatballs and stir to combine.
8. Serve with mashed potatoes or egg noodles. (Used half a bag of egg noodles)