Reinventing Leftovers

Turkey, Wild Rice and Veggie Soup 

Another home run with this recipe, moms!  Leftovers were piling up in the fridge, so I quickly pulled together this flavorful soup that was perfect for a cold weeknight meal or a light healthy lunch.
Everything in the following recipe was in my pantry, so please feel free to add/remove/replace any of the vegetables.  The same goes for the rice.  Replace with white rice from your leftover chinese food or pasta.  Add beans or other legumes.  I pre make turkey/chicken/beef broth and keep in my freezer for these occasions (recipe below)

The sky is the limit here, so just get crazy moms and tailor it to your liking, keeping allergies in mind!

Ingredients
6 - 8 cups Turkey or Chicken broth (home made is preferable, but pre made is great too)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped chopped carrots
1 cup chopped zucchini
2 tbls fresh chopped garlic
1 1/2 cups wild rice (cooked)

Simply boil stove top or crock pot until the vegetables are tender.  Add quick cooking veggies like the zucchini later because they cook quicker than carrots, for example.

Variation.  Make a roux and stir in for a creamy alternative.  mmmmm

Serve in bowls with a grilled cheese sandwich, roll or green salad.

Turkey Stock Recipe

Ingredients
1 Turkey
3 cups water
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 apple cut in quarters
3 celery stalks cut in 3rds
3 carrots (peeled) cut in thirds
1 onion cut into large chunks
1 whole head of garlic (peeled)
Fresh sage, rosemary, thyme
2 tsp dried herbs de provence
2 tsp dried sage
salt and pepper to taste

I like to cook my turkey in a roaster away from the oven.  It's juicy and still gets a crispy top.

• Rub the turkey with olive oil
• Stuff the bird with 1/4 of the apple, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and all the fresh herbs - just shove it in and let the herbs sort of hang out its ass.
• Throw the remaining veggies/apple around the bird.
• Follow cooking instructions that come with your turkey.  
• When the bird is 1 hour from done pour the maple syrup on evenly across the top letting it ooze all over and into the juice .
• Strain the broth into freezer proof containers and freeze.
• Drop some turkey into the containers you wish to use for the base of soups later.

Short Ribs, Sliders and Pot Pie - Oh, My!

Tonight I hit it out of the park when I transformed frozen left over short ribs into a scrumptious pot pie filled with vegetables, topped with my homemade pie crust.  It was bursting with flavor and hubby even had seconds.  Try it and let me know how it works out for you.

Original Short Rib Recipe

1-2 lbs boneless with 2lbs bone in short ribs, seasoned with salt, sweet paprika, and pepper (or your way) and browned in olive oil.  

Transfer to a crock pot or dutch oven, add the following ingredients and cook on low for 8 hours.
8 cloves of garlic
2 sweet onions coarsely chopped,

3 carrots coarsely chopped

3 celery stalks coarsely chopped

1 bottle of red wine (merlot, cabernet, pinot – I have used them all)

3 cups of water

½ cup brown sugar

2 sprigs each of sage, rosemary and thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

After 6 hours remove the meat and discard the bone and fat. 

Strain the broth and return to pot. Add 3 carrots, another sweet onion, 2 small celery root and 2 medium parsnips coarsely chopped and cover again for the remaining time or until veggies are cooked.

Gravy

Start with a roux.  Melt 2 TBSP butter and whisk in flour until you make a paste.  Cook for 1 minute, then slowly add beef broth while continuing to whisk until you reach desired consistency.  Optional:  Add a splash of milk or cream for a more velvety flavor.  Salt and pepper to taste if necessary.

I served the original short ribs with red potatoes, green beans and gravy. 

*Then I prepared short rib sliders with melted cheese on garlic bread with chips during the Rose Bowl game.   Too bad the Hawkeyes lost, but my belly was happy.

When I had had enough, I froze the meat with the vegetables and gravy.

When I was hankering for meat again, I thawed out the mélange, added more chopped carrots and celery and a cup of sweet green peas that happened to be in the fridge, topped the whole thing with my scratch made pie crust and baked at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes. 

Variation on crust:  crescent rolls, biscuits, prepared pie crust, phyllo dough or mashed potatoes for the topping.  It’s all good.