Tag: meat

Leftover Turkey Enchiladas

Jerri’s and my parents grew up in the Great Depression, and they they did their best to teach us not to waste anything.  In the kitchen this meant cutting the meat off the bones and cooking the turkey carcass after Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner to make turkey broth.  Mom would package the meat for sandwiches and use the broth for soup or other dishes in the weeks following the holidays.

Since there are just two of us at home today, leftover turkey is a challenge.  For the holiday dinner I like to carve a turkey that does not look like a big chicken.  No ten or twelve pound midget for us, which leaves us with enough leftover turkey to feed a large family.

Every year we find a package or two of carefully packaged turkey meat or a container of broth from last year that got lost in the freezer.  We don’t feel as bad today about throwing out these overlooked treasures, since we feed them to the gray fox or the mother bear and her cubs who wander past the cabin in the summer.  “Nothing goes to waste in nature,” I say virtuously as I leave the food in the woods across the brook.

But now that we are in something that resembles that depression of 80 years ago, we are trying to do better about using leftovers.  Since it is my fault that we end up with so many leftovers, it is my responsibility to help find ways to use them.

We like chicken enchiladas.  One day I decided to try making them with leftover turkey.  I did wonder if the hint of sage and allspice in the meat would be a problem, but the result was delicious.  You can poach a chicken breast or some thighs in a little water with a bouillon cube if you don’t have any leftover turkey, but think of those starving children in China that my folks used to remind us of when we had leftovers and make a point of saving some leftover turkey for this great cold weather dinner.

INGREDIENTS:

8 large flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped leftover turkey
1 cup sour cream, divided
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
1 jalapeño pepper
2-3 T finely chopped green onions
1/2  tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Dash of hot sauce
1/8 tsp. salt

PROCEDURE:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove the seeds and white membrane from the jalapeño and chop fine.  Clean and chop the green onions.  In a large bowl, combine and mix thoroughly 1/2 of the soup, 3/4 cup sour cream, 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, the Monterey Jack cheese, chilies, turkey, jalapeño , onion, black pepper and salt.

Spoon about 1/2 cup of filling off center on each tortilla and roll up. Place seam side down in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish.

Mix the remaining soup with 1-2 tablespoons water, 1/4 cup sour cream, the cumin, hot sauce, white pepper and chili powder and spread the sauce over the enchiladas.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with the remaining cheddar cheese and bake six to eight minutes longer or until the cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

NOTE: Serve with a green salad and glass of beer or white wine.

 

Easy Beef Pot Roast

When we were growing up, we had a beef pot roast at least once a week.  Mom’s beef pot roasts were simple affairs made with chuck roast, water, vegetables, a bay leaf and salt and pepper.  Simple though they were, they tasted wonderful, especially with fresh rolls and plenty of butter.

Later, when Bob and I shared an apartment at Madison, we experimented with different spices and cooking liquids.  I blush to admit it, but we liked pretty much every variation we tried.  Perhaps we were better cooks than we thought, though it might be more accurate to say that we were better eaters.  The recipe below is one that Jerri and I have used for many years, and it still tastes good to us and our guests.

If you have to do the dishes, you will appreciate a pot roast made on top of the stove.  The meat, potatoes and vegetables cook in one pan.  By varying your cooking liquid you can achieve the flavor you like best.

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 to 3 lb. beef chuck roast
1/2 cup dry red wine such as a cabernet sauvignon or merlot
1/2 cup water
1 beef bouillon cube
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1 medium onion
4 to 5 carrots
3 to 4 potatoes
1 1/2 T cornstarch

PROCEDURE:

Trim excess fat from the meat.  Put the trimmings in a skillet with a tight-fitting lid and render the fat scraps until you have coated the bottom and sides of skillet with the rendered fat.  Discard the trimmings.  Turn the heat up and brown the roast in the hot pan on all sides.  Drain any excess fat after the meat is browned.

Turn down the heat, sprinkle the salt and grind the pepper over the meat.  Add 1/2 cup wine and 1/2 cup water along with the bay leaf, cloves and bouillon cube.  Cover and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours.  Check once or twice to make certain that the liquid does not boil away.  Add a small amount of wine or water if necessary.

Peel and cut the onion into thick slices and place them on top of the meat.  Peel and quarter the potatoes and clean and cut the carrots into 2 inch pieces.  Place them around the meat in the skillet.  Shake a little salt on the vegetables.  Cook until the vegetables are done, about half an hour.  Remove the meat and vegetables and keep them warm.  To make the gravy add water or a combination of water and wine to make about 1 1/2 cups of liquid.  Dissolve the cornstarch in 1/4 cup cold water, stir into the pan and cook until clear.  Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Slice the meat and pass it with the vegetables and gravy.  Serve with more of the wine used to cook the roast accompanied by a green salad and fresh bread.

VARIATIONS:  Use red port wine and about 1/4 tsp. basil instead of the burgundy and bay leaf.  Or substitute beer for the burgundy.  If you want a little more zip, add a couple of dashes of cayenne or hot sauce.