Venetian Panino

There isn't a whole lot to say about this sandwich except that it's really simple, but one of the best sandwiches I've eaten in a while. So I'll keep this post simple and tell you that you have to make one. In fact, make one as a snack right now.


Venetian Panino
Recipe by Giada de Laurentiis, adapted
Makes 6 sandwiches

INGREDIENTS
8 ounces Gruyere, shredded
4 TBSP butter, at room temperature
1 garlic clove, chopped
12 ounces sliced turkey (I think proscuitto would be great, too)
12 slices sourdough bread
6 TBSP olive oil

DIRECTIONS
Mix together the butter, cheese, and garlic in a food processor. Blend until the mixture is thick, but spreadable.

Spread the cheese mixture over 1 side of each slice of bread. Place 2 slices of turkey on top of 6 of the slices of bread. Top sandwiches with the remaining bread slices, cheese mixture side down, pressing gently to adhere.

Heat oil (about 3 TBSP) in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Cook half of the sandwiches until golden brown and heated through, about 4 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining 3 tablespoons of oil and sandwiches. Cut in half or thirds and serve immediately.

Bagel Sandwiches

I almost feel silly posting this because it's so simple. However, I decided to go for it because I think these sandwiches are great and because, as I've said before, I firmly believe everyone needs basic, quick recipes for those nights where you just don't have the time or energy to cook.

This is one of my favorite sandwiches. It's incredibly satisfying and it can be put together in a matter of minutes. I hope you like them as much as I do.

Turkey Bagel Sandwiches

Cook & Prep Time - 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Everything bagels

sliced deli turkey (any lunch meat would be great - turkey is my favorite)

sliced onions

sliced tomato

sliced cheese

DIRECTIONS

Lightly toast the bagels.

Assemble the sandwiches by placing the lunch meat on the bottom of a bagel. Top with sliced onions and any other veggies you want, like tomato. Top with your favorite sliced cheese.

Bake for 5-10 minutes at 350 degrees or until the cheese begins to melt.

Roasted Turkey & Gravy

Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows that turkey & gravy is one of my favorite meals. Because of that, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year. However, despite loving turkey as much as I do, I'd never made one. So, last weekend, I decided to take the plunge and make one. I do have to say it was the best turkey I've ever eaten (no offense to my family). It was so juicy and flavorful - everything a turkey should be.

To any family members who may be reading this - don't worry.

I used this picture because my gravy-laden plate didn't

photograph very well.

To start, I brined the turkey overnight using a variation of Pioneer Woman's turkey brine:

Turkey Brine

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 gallons water

2 cups apple juice

1 cup sea salt (plus a few shakes extra)

2 cups brown sugar

4 cloves garlic, crushed

5 bay leaves

3 TBSP whole black peppercorns

1 TBSP dried rosemary

DIRECTIONS

Combine all in a really big stock pot (at least 8 qt) and bring to a boil. Stir. Once it comes to a boil, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and allow the mixture to come to room temperature. Once it cools, put in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.

Once you're ready to brine the turkey, put the turkey in a brining bag or a really huge pot and pour the cool liquid over the turkey. Place in the fridge or in another cold place up to 24 hrs.

*This recipe works for an up-to 20 lb turkey. Do not use if you're using a frozen turkey injected with a sodium solution - it works best for a fresh turkey or a frozen turkey without that sodium solution.

Roast Turkey

Once you're ready to cook the turkey, take it out of the brine and rinse it with cold water. Pat dry. Put in a turkey roaster on a roasting rack, sprinkle with a little salt & pepper, stuff the cavity with onion, celery, and garlic cloves (optional, but helps with flavor), and add a bit of liquid to the bottom of the pan, and cover tightly with foil.

Bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hrs.

Just before 1 1/2 hrs, melt a half stick of butter.

After 1 1/2 hrs, remove the turkey from the oven and increase heat to 375 degrees. Baste with butter all over the bird.

Put back in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove from the oven and baste again. Bake for another 30 minutes.

At this point, the turkey should be done, but if the thermometer hasn't popped up yet, baste with more butter and return to the oven. Baste every 30 minutes until the turkey thermometer pops, or the turkey is no more than 165 degrees.

Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. Serve with mashed potatoes & gravy.

Gravy

adapted from allrecipes.com

INGREDIENTS

4 cups turkey stock (chicken stock will work, but do try to get turkey stock)

1/2 stick butter

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp poultry seasoning

~1 tsp salt (to taste)

turkey drippings, to taste (I used about 1 1/2 gravy ladles full)

DIRECTIONS

Combine butter & flour. Add turkey stock, poultry seasoning and salt and whisk together. Bring to a low boil. Add turkey drippings and whisk to combine. Keep on low until the turkey is ready.

Turkey Ragu with Fresh Basil

I don't have any unique or humorous stories to tell. I felt like trying to create something using marinara and the mascarpone cheese in my fridge. So, taking a cue from a technique I've seen Giada do a couple times, I came up this quick, satisfying dish.


Turkey Ragu
Serves 4
Cook Time - about 20 min

INGREDIENTS
1 lb pasta (I used rigtoni)
2 TBSP olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb ground turkey
red wine, for de-glazing
1 jar chunky marinara sauce (or make your own)
8 oz mascarpone cheese
A few basil leaves, torn

DIRECTIONS
Cook noodes to al dente. Drain & set aside.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook about 3 minutes. Add ground turkey and brown.

Turn heat to high and add a bit of red wine to de-glaze the pan.

Turn heat to medium-low and add marinara sauce (should be about 3-4 cups). Simmer about 10 minutes.

Add mascarpone and basil and mix together until well blended. Once blended, add pasta and toss until well-coated.

**I think this sauce would be great with some small chunks of fresh veggies - maybe some zucchini, carrots, celery, and green/red peppers.**

Talking Turkey

Now that Thanksgiving is over, I feel the need to talk about the Thanksgiving turkey. We spent turkey day with my in-laws this year. Apparently, they're on a quest to find the biggest turkey possible. This year, there were 4 of us at dinner, and the turkey was 30 1/2 lbs. Yep, you read that right - almost 31 lbs. Easily, this was the biggest turkey I've ever seen. I secretly think it was one of those ginormous show turkeys they have every year at the state fair.

I don't want to be too deceiving, though. They did bring a turkey dinner to my sister-in-law and some of her colleagues, who were on-call at the hospital on Thursday. When they bought the turkey, they were planning on serving 4 or 5 at the hospital. So, they planned on having this 30+ lb turkey feed a max of 9 people. Apparently everyone eats over 3 lbs of turkey. I think about 10 people at the hospital actually ate what they brought, though.

The pictures I took with my camera phone don't quite do the turkey's size justice, but I had to post a couple of them anyway.

Despite its huge-ness, the turkey was delicious. I'm looking forward to finishing off our leftovers. I'll be posting about my spectacular pies soon.