Tag Archives: Turkey Recipes

Winning 4th of July Grill-outs!

Posted on June 29, 2011 by | 1 Comment

While summer is often thought to be the season of lighter fare, one look at a typical cook-out proves this conventional wisdom false. Calorie laden burgers, sausages and the cold treats and beverages that accompany them are typical menu items at many back-yard barbecues and neighborhood grill-outs.

For a winning July 4th grill-out, add tasty options that are not so heavy. turkey burgers and marinated turkey tenders have proven to be real crowd pleasers. There are many ways to customize either dish. Turkey Tenderloin can be grilled alone, or in a festive kabob-style with vegetables of your choice while many flavor enhancers liven up turkey burgers once thought as bland.

For best flavor, use lump charcoal if you’re grilling on a Weber or other charcoal grill. It produces higher heat and gives food a great smoky character. Soaked mesquite wood chips will produce a similar smoky flavor if you prefer to use a gas grill. Both of these are now widely available at many grocers.

Get inspiration with these ideas to create your Best July 4th Cook out with tasty turkey burgers and tenders:

Share with us your winning 4th of July grill tips. And Happy July 4th from all of us at gThankYou!

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Go Big with Grilled Turkey

Posted on May 25, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Summer arrives – regardless of the weather outlook – this weekend with Memorial Day. That means cookouts, barbecues and outdoor get-together season will also be in full swing. For my money, there’s no better way to feed a crowd and put on a memorable Memorial Day cook-out than by grilling a turkey.

Grilled turkey makes a big splash for several reasons.

  1. It’s delish, regardless of the recipe you choose. This is the top way to make the tastiest turkey ever.
  2. It’s special. A real departure from the burgers and dogs on most grills.
  3. It’s dead simple. Again, regardless of the recipe, grilling your big bird is easy on the cook, so you can enjoy your holiday.

Grilled turkey has proven to be a real pleaser at our summertime gatherings. Fire up the grill and get ready for the cook-out season ahead with these ideas:

Send in your best tips on turkey grilling. And if you have a favorite rub or other way to prep your turkey for grilling, share that, too. Happy Memorial Day weekend!

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Turkey Sandwich Top Ten

Posted on December 2, 2010 by | Leave a comment

A colleague this week told me his family decided to celebrate Thanksgiving at a restaurant this year. It was great, he said, because no one had to cook or clean. But (here comes the lament) no one had Turkey Dinner leftovers, either.

What a pity. Some of the best meals we have all year make good use of Thanksgiving leftovers. But the best of the best – and why I will year after year roast, grill or otherwise cook a Thanksgiving turkey – are the fantastic turkey sandwiches.

More people use leftover turkey and other Thanksgiving fixings in sandwiches, making them into treasured gourmet meals.

In honor of favorite Turkey Sandwiches all, we present our picks for the Top Turkey Sandwiches of all time.  It’s a virtual Hall of Fame of favorite sandwiches made to be served for lunch or dinner, some hot some cold.

  1. Hot Turkey: An open-faced sandwich using the favorite bread of your choice (we like top-quality rye) accompanied by leftover mashed potatoes and/or stuffing. The entire plate is smothered in gravy.
  2. Homage to Thanksgiving Monte Cristo:  We alter this All Recipes version using a layer of leftover stuffing in between two generous layers of turkey surrounded by bread, pan fried in Panko Bread Crumbs. Yum.
  3. Turkey, Brie & Pear: We usually have a cheese board at our gathering with Brie. I fell in love with this delicious sandwich combo last year and it quickly became a favorite. If you find yourself with leftover Brie, I can’t think of a better use for it.
  4. Turkey Picadillo: This is a version of Turkey Barbecue that will feed a family. Substitute leftover turkey for the ground turkey and let it simmer a slow cooker.
  5. Gourmet Turkey Sandwich: It’s so much fun using fresh cranberry sauce (this year’s version courtesy the Barefoot Contessa), in sandwiches. Years ago, we discovered what a great sandwich condiment cranberry sauce makes. Add the cream cheese and grainy mustard  and it’s a truly gourmet sandwich.
  6. The Leftover: As demonstrated by this recipe on wikiHow, people put all manner of leftovers together to create the perfect concoction. Stuffing is great. We also like to do sweet potatoes as a layer (cranberry sauce, turkey and sweet potatoes). Experiment with what you have left over and Viola! You have your own new favorite.
  7. Turkey Cheddar Apple: We like to serve this grilled. Grilled or not, you can not go wrong pairing tart apple with tangy cheddar and turkey!
  8. White Bread -n-Mayo: This version is done with Hellman’s on Challa bread. I add iceberg lettuce for a distinct crunch.
  9. Turkey Bacon Swiss: A variation on the BLT. Serve it grilled if you like your sammies warm.
  10. Turkey, Pesto and Provolone: Adapted from Emeril and posted on the Big Fat Sandwich site. Pesto as a condiment is vastly underrated, and pairs very well with turkey, whether you decide to press the sandwich (as in this recipe) or not.

Customize by using your favorite bread, but always choose quality bread for the best leftover turkey sandwiches. Add  your favorite fresh veggies, too. Don’t have leftover turkey? No problem. Roast a small turkey. That’s what my friend who ate Thanksgiving at a restaurant did!

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Turkey Day Lists (and Apps) We Love

Posted on November 18, 2010 by | Leave a comment

At one week to Thanksgiving, I’m all about the list. Every year I rely on them to guide me through the process of planning and implementing our favorite family gathering. I even save them from year to year to help me remember which sides we  switched and how big our turkey was, etc.

Why keep lists? Simple. Thanksgiving done well involves organizational know-how and moxie. This is no time to fly by the seat of your pants, folks. My standard set of checklists: Shopping, guest and menu.

My Thanksgiving list obsession is not that unusual. Consider these list suggestions:

This year, I’m also trying out a few apps, eager to see how they can help. I’ve downloaded iFeast,  and CHOW’s Thanksgiving Coach for starters. I’ll give you my thoughts post Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, here are some reviews on the best Thanksgiving Apps:

And, just for fun, here’s McSweeney’s archived list of Thanksgiving Lists with such favorites as “Unpleasant Questions to be Asked at the End of a Meal,” and, “Reason for Celebrating Every Major Holiday with the In-Laws, According to my Mother-In-Law.”

Enjoy! And please add your best list tips and Thanksgiving app suggestions.

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Are you a Turkey Traditionalist?

Posted on November 11, 2010 by | Leave a comment

This year, for no particularly compelling reason, more friends are talking about bucking the traditional Turkey Dinner menu for something completely different. How different? Courses of gumbo and fish have been mentioned.

Guess it depends where you stand on messing with a good thing. But if you’re seeking to put your own signature on this menu or perhaps venture from the hum-drum, I’d argue that you needn’t veer far to add your own splash to a Thanksgiving meal.

As pointed out in this New York Times piece, Chefs’ Tips for the Thanksgiving Meal, “Boredom, in any event, is the enemy of all cooks, and of all successful Thanksgivings. In cooking and serving Thanksgiving meals, restaurant chefs say, they must balance tradition against stasis, their own style of cooking against the desires of the customer.”

Here are some ways how:

1. Take a tip from vegetarians.  Yes. You read that right. And, no, I’m not talking Tofurkey. Vegetarians know how to make the best veg dishes. If that mini-marshmallow crusted sweet potato dish and green bean casserole are not your thing, there are many better ways to serve up your veggie sides. The New York Times’ Well blog offers a Vegetarian Thanksgiving Series with great recipes and tips.

2. Explore your culinary roots, or adopt some with fascinating food history:

  • Again, from the Times’ Well blog, Joan Nathan offers dishes from the Jewish-French tradition perfect for Thanksgiving. I’m tempted to try the Alsatian Pear Kugel with Prunes.

3. Take a tip from Oprah and do Turkey your way.

  • Try Oprah’s Turkey Pot Pie
  • Or if gumbo how about Turkey Gumbo? This version courtesy of Emeril Lagasse.
  • Prepare your turkey on the grill, a great way to add a twist to tradition. And, yes, this is even possible for a Thanksgiving in Minnesota. I’ve seen proof. The National Turkey Federation has a great how-to.

There’s really no end to how you can customize your Thanksgiving Day menu, without veering far from tradition. Share your favorite ways with us here.

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Top Tools for Turkey Day

Posted on November 4, 2010 by | Leave a comment

Each year, we add one new fancy kitchen tool to our cupboard around Thanksgiving time. It’s when we’re doing a lot of cooking where special hardware can come in handy. Plus, there are things that are really necessary for cooking a great Turkey Dinner that are nice to have around, even if we don’t use them in our every-day meal prep.

I do have some criteria on what is a good fit for a good, new kitchen tool. There are a lot of frivolous gadgets out there that don’t really help much. And thanks to TV chef Alton Brown’s crusade against kitchen unitaskers, there’s a much better idea out there of just which tool is worth your hard earned money, and kitchen shelf space.

Three of the first tools we collected are highlighted in this recent Life360 Thanksgiving blog post.

  • Roasting pan (with good rack): Those aluminum pans at your grocery store will do in a pinch. But a solid roasting pan is one of the key essentials to roasting a nicely browned Turkey in your oven. Many high-quality roasting pans come with a good, non-stick roasting rack. If it doesn’t, this is also a must-have.
  • Digital, remote meat thermometer: Assures a hassle-free, nicely cooked Turkey every time. But research them well and plan to spend money if you can. We went through three name-brand models before finding a digital remote thermometer that has lasted and worked properly.
  • Fat separator: We make gravy about once (maybe twice) a year. This tool is indispensable to making it well. Plus it has a cool food science look to it. It parts the turkey juice from the turkey fat when you pour off pan drippings from roasted Turkey (or other meat). There’s really no other way I know to get this task done efficiently without getting any of the stuff you don’t want into your gravy boat.

Some tools that we have collected and consider essential are not mentioned. One of them is a mandoline slicer, an indispensible time-saver and the best way to evenly slice squash for the traditional Butternut Squash Gratin we serve. A food mill or potato ricer is also a must for making the creamiest mashed potatoes.

There are many lists out there, some more basic than others. But most have the right idea. For example, if you don’t own a carving knife or large cutting board, and you’re going to be carving your first Turkey later this month, now’s the time to shop for that. Here are a few lists to check :

Other lists feature tools I’d skip:

But where kitchen aids are concerned, the value is in the eyes – and hands – of the beholder.  We’re on the fence this year about buying turkey lifters resembling small pitch forks. What kitchen tools are essential for your Thanksgiving Day success?

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Posted in Preparing Whole Turkey, Turkey Gift Certificates, Turkey Recipes

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At Newsstands Now: Turkey!

Posted on October 21, 2010 by | Leave a comment

Over the years, I’ve become a collector of holiday-themed food magazines. Only the newest issue of my favorite food pub du jour helps infuse fresh ideas into our menu as we start thinking about Thanksgiving each year. 

From the current look of the newsstands, it’s time to pick an issue for this year as well as  pull out my favorite standbys from years past. In the checkout line yesterday, five brand new editions of food monthlies called out, each one decked out with a tempting image of a gorgeous Holiday Turkey.

I’m not alone in my love of collecting holiday food pubs, as evidenced in reviews by number of bloggers. Here’s a roundup of some favorites.

Like me, the Postmodern Hostess finds it hard to resist Thanksgiving magazines. Her picks for this year’s crop? Based on recipes she flagged, Tanja liked Food & Wine, Food Network Magazine, Taste of Home’s Healthy Cooking and Martha Stewart Living. As she notes of Taste’s Healthy Cooking:

“Another great magazine. I’ve never bought Healthy Cooking before, but I really enjoyed it. See all those flags up top? Lots of great recipes to be found here, including some good non-dairy ideas and recipes that would be tasty year-end. As with most of the magazines above, the Thanksgiving recipes themselves weren’t terribly voluminous, but it’s definitely quality over quantity with this one. And they’re all lower fat than traditional recipes, which just makes their stock rise even more with me.”

The Bitten Word has a handy “recap and roundup” of food magazines. They’ve  cataloged and an astounding 172 recipes from 2009 issues with more from 2008 as well, if you want to access them online. Or, search your local second-hand book shop or eBay for print editions of these back issues.

For even more vintage stock, the Washington Post offers a 2007 Thanksgiving Magazine extravaganza. The Post graded top publications from that year on criteria including theme, cover, recipe count and relevancy, how-to tips, among others. With an overall letter grade of B+, Martha Stewart Living rated the best of that crop, with Gourmet coming in second with a B.

Like the PH, I, too, still lament the demise last year of Gourmet print edition. While the publication lives online now, last year’s holiday issue was the last published for print. But I still have my favorite Gourmet back issues. And judging from newsstands, there are plenty of other options to explore.

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Best Turkey Leftover Recipes

Posted on November 30, 2009 by | 1 Comment

Some think leftovers are the best part of a traditional Turkey Dinner. Others have a different opinion (don’t ask about the year we won a very big Turkey from Wegman’s while living many miles away from family to help eat it.)

gThankYou! to Closet Cooking for Turkey Cranberry Quesadillas

Truth is, the vast array of ways to use up your leftover Turkey illustrates the versatility and economy of a big roast Turkey. If you’re still searching for ideas, consider some tried-and-true favorites from these great Turkey leftover resources:

You’re certain to enjoy the results whichever way you choose to use up your Turkey leftovers

Lynn Welch is a contributor to gThankYou, LLC, based in Madison, WI.  gThankYou® Certificates of Gratitude™ are one way savvy companies recognize employees’ great work at Holiday Time. The company is best known for its Turkey Gift Certificates, Ham Gift Certificates, and Grocery Gift Cards.

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Turkey 911: Top Tips for Thanksgiving

Posted on November 20, 2009 by | Leave a comment

A family member (who shall remain nameless) argues annually that Thanksgiving Dinner is the easiest meal of the year to prepare. Anyone can cook a Turkey, she asserts. Just pop the bird in the oven and use a meat thermometer to make sure it’s done. While I admire this sort of culinary chutzpa, it’s a view many don’t share.

This point is clear as I read many print and online food sections this week offering information on dining out for the big celebration next week. C’mon! There’s no need to throw in the towel, folks. We’re fortunate to have a wealth of advice at our fingertips to help create a wonderful and memorable Turkey Dinner with minimal stress. To offer you the best tips, gThankYou has poured over pages to pluck the top tips:

Thawing is widely considered the number one issue in preparing a Turkey. So, if you plan to serve a frozen Turkey, The National Turkey Federation advises you thaw it 24 hours for every five pounds of bird weight in the refrigerator.  This comes out to 3-4 days thaw time when you do the math for a 16-20 pound Turkey. You can eat out or rely on pre-made meals from your freezer before Thanksgiving while looking forward to cooking Thanksgiving Dinner.

Lynn Welch is a contributor to gThankYou, LLC, based in Madison, WI.  gThankYou® Certificates of Gratitude™ are one way savvy companies recognize employees’ great work at Holiday Time. The company is best known for its Turkey Gift Certificates, Ham Gift Certificates, and Grocery Gift Cards.

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Stuffing and Sides (or, How to Have the Best Dressed Turkey)

Posted on November 16, 2009 by | Leave a comment

There’s an ongoing debate in my family over stuffing, or dressing if you like. It goes like this: Grandma filled her holiday Turkey with traditional giblet stuffing, cooking the resulting glutinous goo inside the cavity of the roasting bird. That’s the way it’s done. I’ve opted in recent years for a lighter, hybrid recipe that I’ve adapted using cornbread and toasted regular bread cooked aside the bird. I find it better tasting and less fat-laden. And I can change it up depending on my mood and menu each Thanksgiving.

thanksgiving-by-rockwell

gThankYou! to Norman Rockwell and his iconic Thanksgiving work.

The upshot: there are many, many ways to dress your Turkey with stuffing and sides. You can go with dishes that honor your family’s traditions, fix regional favorites or go with something completely nouveau. The sky’s the limit this season for experienced cooks as well as adventurous newcomers to the table making their very first Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner.

With Thanksgiving 10 days away, we’ve sifted through the plentiful suggestions on how to best Dress your Turkey to help you nail down your menu this year.

The Best advice of all: Have fun planning your menu, envisioning success and a fantastic Thanksgiving Celebration.

Lynn Welch is a contributor to gThankYou, LLC, based in Madison, WI.  gThankYou® Certificates of Gratitude™ are one way savvy companies recognize employees’ great work at Holiday Time. The company is best known for its Turkey Gift Certificates, Ham Gift Certificates, and Grocery Gift Cards.

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