Cooking with Retno’s Kitchen Simply Recipes

Turkey Recipes

Smoked Turkey Baked Chimichangas

1 pound thickly sliced smoked turkey from deli counter, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 cups shredded slaw cabbage, available in produce department
1 to 2 chipotles in adobo sauce, available with Mexican and Spanish
foods in market — use 1 for moderate heat, 2 for extra hot
chimichangas
1 cup tomato sauce
3 scallions, chopped
Salt and pepper
4 (12-inch) flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups, 6 ounces, shredded sharp cheddar, smoked white cheddar
or Pepper Jack cheese
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves or flat-leaf parsley
1 vine ripe orange or yellow tomato, seeded and finely chopped

Preheat your toaster oven to 400 degrees F or high.
Place turkey in a bowl and season with chili powder. Add shredded
cabbage, chipotles in adobo, tomato sauce, scallions. Toss filling
to combine and season with salt and pepper. Place tortillas in a
kitchen towel and set in microwave. Microwave on high for 1 minute.
To build, place a generous handful of cheese near one edge of the
tortilla. Pile 1/4 of your filling in the tortilla. Tuck sides up
and roll tortilla tightly. Repeat to make 4 large stuffed tortilla
wraps. Brush the toaster oven baking tray with vegetable or olive
oil. Brush the wraps with oil and bake until deep golden all over,
15 to 17 minutes. Top with sour cream, cilantro or parsley and
chopped orange or yellow tomato, as garnishes.

Perfect Turkey Drumsticks

Drumsticks however many you want * 3 cups coffee* season all and salt/pepper to taste*I add a little Meat tenderizer*  Place in roaster in Oven.  Bake at 350 Degrees.

      Ingredients
      . 1  8-ounce whole turkey tenderloin(s)
      . 1/4  cup apple juice 
      . 2  tablespoons bottled hoisin sauce
      . 1/2  teaspoon grated fresh ginger
      . 1/8  teaspoon salt
      .   Dash ground red pepper
      . 1/2  cup red, green, and/or yellow sweet pepper cut into thin bite-size strips 
      . 1  small onion(s), cut into thin wedges
      . 1  tablespoon cooking oil
      . 3  tablespoons cold water
      . 1  teaspoon cornstarch
      . 1  small apple(s) or pear(s), peeled (if desired), cored, and cut into wedges
      Directions
      1. Cut each turkey tenderloin in half horizontally to form two 1/2-inch steaks; set aside. In a small bowl stir together apple juice, hoisin sauce, ginger, salt, and ground red pepper; set aside. 
      2. In a large nonstick skillet cook sweet pepper strips and onion wedges in hot oil over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until nearly tender. Remove vegetables, reserving oil in skillet. Add turkey to oil in skillet. Cook about 4 minutes or until brown, turning once. 
      3. Return cooked vegetables to skillet. Add apple juice mixture. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until turkey is done (170 degree F). 
      4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer turkey and vegetables to a serving platter, reserving liquid in skillet. Cover and keep warm. 
      5. Combine water and cornstarch; add to liquid in skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add apple. Cook, covered, about 3 minutes more or just until apple is slightly softened. Spoon apple mixture over turkey and vegetables. Makes 2 servings.

Ground Turkey Recipes

TURKEY AND RICE STUFFED RED PEPPERS

Yield: Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients

-  4 medium red bell peppers, tops, ribs and seeds removed
-  1/2 lb. ground turkey breast
-  1 cup cooked brown rice
-  1 small onion, finely chopped
-  1 peeled garlic clove, minced
-  1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
-  1/2 cup corn fresh, canned or defrosted
-  1/4 cup finely minced flat-leaf parsley
-  1 tsp. dried oregano
-  1/2 tsp. salt
-  1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
-  2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
-  2 Tbsp. bread crumbs, preferably whole-grain

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Taking care not to make any holes, cut a very thin slice
off the bottom of each bell pepper, just enough to help
them stand straight and firmly. Set aside.

For the filling, in a large bowl, combine the turkey,
rice, onion, garlic, corn, parsley, oregano, salt and
pepper. Add beans, mixing in lightly with a fork so beans
aren’t mashed. Set aside.

Divide the filling into four portions, packing each pepper
with the mixture, mounding any extra at the top. Place
stuffed peppers in a baking dish just large enough to hold
them. Pour in 1 cup of water. Cover the dish with foil and
bake it in the center of the oven for 40 minutes. In the
meantime, combine cheese with the breadcrumbs in a small bowl.

After 40 minutes of baking, uncover peppers. Sprinkle cheese
mixture over top of each pepper. Continue baking the peppers,
uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes or until the peppers are soft when
pierced with a knife but not collapsing. Cool just long enough
to be able to eat, 10 to 20 minutes, and serve.

CRUNCHY PARMESAN TURKEY

      Ingredients
      . 2  tablespoons seasoned fine dry bread crumbs
      . 2  tablespoons toasted wheat germ
      . 2  tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
      . 1  teaspoon sesame seed or 1/8 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed
      . 1   egg
      . 1/8  teaspoon seasoned salt or 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper
      . 2  4-ounce turkey breast slices, cut 1/2 inch thick
      . 1-1/2  teaspoons olive oil or cooking oil
      Directions
      1. In a small shallow dish combine bread crumbs, wheat germ, Parmesan cheese, and sesame seed. 
      2. In another small shallow dish beat together egg and seasoned salt. Dip turkey slices into egg mixture, allowing excess to drain off. Coat with crumb mixture. 
      3. In a medium nonstick skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add turkey to skillet. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until turkey is done (170 degree F), turning once. (If turkey starts to brown too quickly, reduce heat to medium-low. Add more oil if necessary during cooking.) Makes 2 servings. 
      For 4 servings: Prepare as above, except use a large nonstick skillet (in step 3).

Turkey, Spinach and Cheese Bread Pudding

1 large whole-wheat baguette or rustic country-style loaf, preferably herbed
(about 3/4 lb. or enough to make 9-10 cups bread cubes)
2-3 tsp. canola oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
3/4 lb. cooked turkey, preferably breast
(or other leftover meat), cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 large eggs
2 egg whites
3 1/4 cups reduced-fat milk (2%)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Canola oil spray
6 cups spinach leaves (about 1 bunch), washed, drained until dry and coarsely
chopped (about 1/2 commercially bagged baby spinach leaves, which may be used)
1/2-3/4 lb. Monterey Jack cheese with chili peppers, grated

Diagonally cut baguette crosswise into slices 1/1-3/4-inch thick. Cut slices
into bread cubes. (There should be 9-10 cups.) Allow bread to thoroughly dry
out at room temperature or, spread on baking sheets, in a preheated 250-degree
oven. Turn bread cubes mid-way through the process so both sides are exposed
to air. If dried in the oven, set bread cubes aside to cool.

Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and
sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden. (Reduce heat if necessary
to prevent browning.) With a slotted spoon, transfer onions to a bowl. Add
turkey to pan and sauté, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer
turkey to bowl of onions and mix in until well blended.

Whisk eggs and egg whites in a large bowl until thoroughly blended. Whisk in
milk, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.

Lightly coat a shallow 9×13-inch (3 qt.) baking dish with canola oil spray.
Arrange enough bread cubes in the dish to cover the bottom in a single layer.
Evenly distribute turkey/onion mixture on top of bread. Evenly arrange spinach
on top. Cover with remaining bread cubes so that spinach is not visible from
the top. (If desired, pudding and liquid mixture can be chilled separately at
this point, covered, up to overnight, with liquid added just prior to baking.
Bring chilled pudding and liquid to room temperature before continuing to the
next step. Pudding can also be chilled up to overnight after the liquid mixture
has been added, but with somewhat less satisfactory results.)

Using a large spoon, add liquid mixture to the pan gradually, as to not
disturbed contents, ensuring that bread cubes on top are moistened. Set aside to
allow bread to absorb some of the liquid, about 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle cheese evenly over top of pudding. Bake
pudding in the middle of the oven. Bake pudding 45 minutes to 1 hour, or
until puffed, the surface is golden/crusty and pudding seems to be set in middle.
(Pudding will set slightly more after it is removed from the oven.) If top of
pudding begins to be dry out during baking, over lightly with foil and lower
oven temperature 25-50 degrees. Or, small amounts of water or additional milk
can be added to top to slightly moisten bread cubes. (Towards the end of the
baking period, oven temperature can be raised 50 degrees if pudding seems nearly
done but the surface has not become golden and crusty in order to hasten this
last step.)

Remove pudding from oven, place on a wire rack and let cool about 10 minutes
before serving.

A Crocked Turkey

 1 small turkey breast
crockpot
salt

Make sure that the turkey breast will fit into your crockpot. Remove
the wrapper and place your turkey into the crockpot.(Still Frozen).
Sprinkle with a little salt, cover with the lid and cook low for 8
hours or 4-5 on high. The turkey will cook and should be browned
nicely, their will be lots of liquid in the pot to make gravy.

Hint: use the left over for turkey sandwiches or package it for the
freezer.

Hint: we like making pot pie with the leftover, or even turkey salad.

Ground Turkey Recipes 

Ground Turkey Chili

Add some ground turkey to the mix, and no one will ever know you just saved your diners 5 to 10 fat grams per dish. Shredded chicken in chili can be used with great success.
You can add a variety of beans and drop the meat if you prefer vegetarian chili. Serve with an assortment of toppings for your guests to add:

  a.. chopped scallions
  b.. shredded low fat cheddar cheese
  c.. chopped fresh tomatoes or salsa
  d.. low fat sour cream
  e.. chopped black olives
Add crunchy tortilla chips (try the baked kind) or warm whole wheat bread.

This recipe serves 6 to 8, and you could double it for a crowd. Leftovers are even better.

Ingredients

  a.. ½ pound ground chuck, or 93 percent lean ground beef
  b.. ½ pound ground turkey
  c.. 1 cup chopped onion
  d.. ½  cup chopped green pepper
  e.. 2 cloves garlic
  f.. 1 can (14.5 ounce) whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
  g.. 1 can (10 ounce) red kidney beans or pinto beans
  h.. 1½  cups tomato juice or 1 can tomato paste
  i.. 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  j.. ½  teaspoon ground cumin
  k.. 1 Tablespoon chili powder
  l.. ¼ teaspoon salt
  m.. ¼ teaspoon pepper
  n.. 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
  o.. ½ cup green chile salsa
Directions

In large pot, cook ground meat mixture until crumbled and browned. Remove and drain. Sauté garlic, onion and green pepper in cooking spray until tender. Return meat to pan. Add beans and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil briefly, and then let simmer, stirring occasionally.

Chili becomes more flavorful as it simmers. Season with chili sauce if you want a sweet chili.