After-Thanksgiving Turkey & Mashed Potato Croquettes

'Tis the season for Turkey! While turkey soup and cranberry turkey sandwiches are a definite must-make, I also like to get a little creative with my Thanksgiving leftovers.

So for Seasonal Sunday this week I present: Turkey and Mashed Potato Croquettes; blending all your Thanksgiving favorites into one deliciously crunchy morsel. Paired with gravy, sour cream, or homemade cranberry sauce, these savory croquettes are fun, simple, and serve up a nice spin on your holiday extras.

For this recipe you will need a food processor or chopper, a large, deep frying pan, small sauce pan, whisk, 1 sheet of wax paper, a cookie sheet, and a slotted spoon.

Turkey & Mashed Potato Croquettes 

*Filling:

• 1 1/2 Cups Turkey, finely minced in a food processor
• 1/2 Cup Stuffing, finely minced in a food processor with:
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 Tbsp Cilantro
• 1 Cup Mashed Potatoes 
• 1/2 Cup Red Onions, minced
• 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 3 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour, divided
• 1/4 Cup Milk
• 1/4 Cup Chicken Broth
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
• Italian Seasoning

*In a food processor, combine turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and garlic. Pulse lightly and then transfer to a bowl. Sprinkle with italian seasoning and black pepper. Set aside. 

*In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and one Tbsp of flour, stir to coat. Cook for 2 minutes, adding the second Tbsp of flour after one minute. Pour in the chicken broth and milk, and turn up the heat. Add the garlic powder and bring to a light boil. Immediately reduce to a simmer. Stir in the final Tbsp of flour and allow to thicken for approximately two minutes. Remove from heat.

*Combine the flour mixture with the turkey mixture. Blend thoroughly. Sprinkle with Italian Seasoning. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed (the saltiness of your stuffing, mashed potatoes, and turkey will vary from person to person). Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. 

*Coating:

• 1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 Cup Corn Meal
• 2 Cups Herbed Breadcrumbs, finely ground
• 2 large Eggs, whisked with 1 Tbsp cold Milk
• Wax Paper Lined Cookie Sheet

*On a large plate combine the flour and corn meal and spread out to cover the surface of the plate. On another plate, spread out 1 cup of the bread crumbs. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk. 

*Remove the turkey mixture from the refrigerator and scoop out in 1/4 cup intervals, shaping into rounds. (This will be messy and sticky!) Dredge the rounds in the flour mixture, coating all sides and then dip into the egg mixture. Shake lightly to remove any excess egg and then roll in the breadcrumbs, patting them into the turkey round, to form a thick shell. Set on a wax paper lined cookie sheet.  

*Repeat until all croquettes are formed. Let sit, uncovered in the refrigerator, for 1 hour. 

Cooking the Croquettes:

• Canola Oil, for frying
• Large, Deep Frying Pan
• Slotted Spoon
• Paper Towels, for Drying

*Pour the canola oil into your frying pan, approximately 1/4 inch deep. Heat for 5-8 minutes, or until temperature reaches 370 degrees F. Cook the croquettes in batches, being sure not to overcrowd the pan, until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on a bed of paper towels. 

*Makes 8 Large Croquettes

To Serve: Serve the croquettes immediately drizzled with hot leftover gravy, a side of sour cream, and/or topped with cranberry sauce. Pair with a light salad or with a cold side of my Gingered Butternut Squash Soup. 

With a crispy crunchy shell on the outside, and a creamy savory Thanksgiving twist on the inside, these Turkey and Mashed Potato Croquettes are a great way to reinvent your typical holiday leftovers. 

Hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving as much as I did! Now onto Christmas! 

Enjoy :]


<3 Marea

Linking up to The Friday Potluck @ Ekatskitchen.com


Turkey Breast- صدر الديك الرومي- صدر الحبش

November's Daring Cook's Challenge: Soufflés!!

I've been so excited about participating in The Daring Kitchen-- and then I go and miss the post date!!! Alas, here is my lovely November Daring Cook's Challenge- still delicious even two days late.

Dave and Linda from Monkeyshines in the Kitchen chose Soufflés as our November 2010 Daring Cooks’ Challenge! Dave and Linda provided many of their own delicious recipes plus a sinfully decadent chocolate soufflé recipe adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s recipe found at the BBC Good Food website.

After much research on various methods, I chose to create a savory soufflé using my utmost favorite ingredient: GARLIC. My Roasted Garlic and 3 Cheese Soufflé, which, after a few small tweaks to the flavor, came out absolutely beautifully! The process is fairly tedious but it helps if you create a clean and organized mise en place- plan, gather, and pre-prep. A key to a good soufflé is cooking in a state of constant readiness; this includes the guests! The best part of the soufflé is its glorious moment when it first emerges from the oven, that brilliant rise which every mouth must witness! Even on my second run I wasn't able to capture the full rise in time *ahem, Santa Claus please bring me a better camera pretty please? :]

To complete this recipe you will need: An electric mixer, whisk, saucepan with lid, skillet, and a deep 9-inch glass dish, or 7-8 oven-proof ramekins, or soufflé cups.

Roasted Garlic & 3 Cheese Soufflé

• 3 Whole Garlic Cloves, tops cut off
• 3 additional cloves, pressed
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 1/2 cups Milk
• 1/2 large Vidalia Onion
• 3 Thyme Sprigs
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1/8 tsp Ground Cloves
• 1/2 tsp Whole Peppercorns
• 6 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 1/2 cup Herbed Bread Crumbs, finely ground
• 5 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
• 4 Large Eggs, separated, plus 4 Additional Egg Whites (room temperature!)
• 1 Cup Parmesan, freshly grated
• 1/4 tsp Apple Pie Spice
• 1 Cup Aged Swiss Cheese, freshly grated
• 1 Cup Beemster Cow's Milk Cheese, freshly grated
• 1 tsp Himalayan Crystal Salt
• 1/2 tsp Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
• Canola Oil Spray
• Italian Seasoning
• Fresh Sourdough for serving

*Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bundle the whole garlic cloves in tin foil and drizzle with the olive oil. Wrap to seal and place in the oven for 1 hour. When finished roasting, uncover and set aside to cool. At this time turn the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.


*In a saucepan, bring milk, pressed garlic, onion, thyme, bay leaf, cloves, and pepper to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes, covered.


*Lightly spray individual soufflé cups, or one large round 9 inch glass dish with canola oil. Add 2 Tbsp of Bread Crumbs to each individual dish, or 1/2 cup to the one glass dish. Shake to thoroughly coat the bottom. Set aside.


*In a skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the flour, 1 Tbsp at a time, to create a thick roux. Let simmer, whisking frequently over low heat until lightly browned.


*Strain the milk mixture through a fine mesh sieve and add the liquid to your roux. Bring to a soft boil and simmer, whisking frequently for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.


*Vigorously mix in the 4 egg yolks (8 egg whites have been set aside) one at a time. Squeeze the roasted garlic from its skins and add. Next whisk in the parmesan and apple pie spice plus 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper.


*In a standing mixer or large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.


*Fold in the swiss and beemster cheese to your roux and milk base, alternating between folding in 1/3 of the egg whites. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites and quickly transfer to your soufflé cups or dish. Smooth tops and sprinkle with italian seasoning.


*Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, until fully risen and golden brown.

To Serve: Remove from the oven and serve immediately before the center falls, with warm fresh slices of sourdough or crackers. I served my soufflés as appetizers but they can definitely constitute a meal if paired with a light salad, such as a frisée.

Wine Pairings: I suggest pairing with an American Cabernet Sauvignon, such as 2005 Ravenswood Vitners Blend ($12 bottle) which boasts unusually soft tannins, with a more generously round and juicy taste. Also, to play off the flavors of the cheese, you may like to try a 2004 Domaine Lorache ($25) Chablis.

As my guests commented, this soufflé had a distinctly "Christmas-y" "holiday" feel (definitely due to the apple pie spice!) which provided for a warm, cheerful belly and a nice segue into my main course of hanger steaks and matchstick frites! This dish makes a nice edition to any winter menu.

Enjoy :]

<3 Marea

Gingered Butternut Squash Soup

Seasonal Sunday is back in action! And staying in step with my soup season ecstatics I now present you with a simply sweet and smoothly spicy winter soup: The Gingered Butternut Squash Soup. 

Not only will this soup warm your insides but it works quite delightfully to clear the sinuses as well! 

You will need a large saucepan and a food processor to complete this recipe. 

Gingered Butternut Squash Soup

• 2lb Butternut Squash, skinned, seeded, and chopped
• 1/3 cup Fresh Ginger, skinned and grated
• 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 1 medium Vidalia Onion
• 1 large Carrot, diced
• 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 4 Cups Chicken Stock, canned or Homemade Recipe Here
• 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
• Sea Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, to taste

*After you have prepped all your ingredients, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and let cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. 

*Once onions and carrots are soft, add the ginger and garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute. Next, add the butternut squash and chicken stock and increase heat to high. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes before reducing heat to medium-low. Simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

*Next, carefully ladle the soup in batches into your food processor, and pulse until well-blended and smooth. Return to saucepan and reheat if necessary. Salt and pepper to taste.

*To Serve: Ladle into bowls and lightly drizzle with a tsp or so of heavy cream or plain yogurt. Serve hot with a hearty baguette for dipping. I complimented mine with some warm homemade potato and onion bread. 

This soup is yet another reason to love the cold; or go wild and mix up a hot meal by serving this soup for starters, chilled ala gazpacho-style. 

Enjoy! :] 

<3 Marea


Butternut Squash

Creamy Tomato Soup with Three Cheese Crostini

The cold weather is finally here and I am more than ecstatic to break out my peacoat, my boots, and most importantly my soup pot! I look forward to soup season and sweaters in the way that normal people look to summer vacations, and beach getaways. I simply adore  the way curling up under a blanket feels when the world around you is frozen. The way the cold kisses noses and makes them red. And the way that a warm cup of anything never achieves its full potential until it is consumed in an icy environment!

Whenever I need an escape from the winter chill, a sense of nostalgia, or something to warm my insides, my mind goes directly to hot creamy tomato soup. I've been making this recipe for the last 5 years and my taste buds still delight over the first bite every time. This recipe is quick and simple and 100 times better than anything that will ever come out of a can. Andy Warhol would agree.

In celebration of the start of Soup Season, here's a twist on the Campbell's classic- sure to warm even the most chill-worthy day. 

Creamy Tomato Soup

• 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 2 Celery Stalks, diced with leaves
• 3/4 cup Shallots, diced
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1 28oz Can Diced Tomatoes, plus juice
• 2 cups Chicken Stock, canned or homemade recipe here
• 2 cups Half-and-Half
• 1 tsp Marjoram, freshly chopped
• 1/2 tsp Thyme, fresh or dried
• Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

*In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the celery and stir, allowing it to soften, approximately 1-2 minutes. Mix in the garlic and shallots, continuing to stir frequently until soft, about 2 minutes. 

*Sprinkle the flour over the celery mix, coating the vegetables entirely. Pour in the tomatoes and their juices, the half-and-half, the chicken stock, the marjoram, and the thyme. Stir well and increase the heat to high. Bring to a 30 second boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer. Allow to simmer and thicken for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

To Serve: Salt and Pepper to taste and ladle into bowls. Top with a sprig of thyme and pair with hot out-of-the-oven Three-Cheese Crostinis.

Three Cheese Crostinis

• 1/2 loaf of Artisan Baked Bread (I use a Garlic & Rosemary Loaf from Costco.)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
• 1/2 cup Gruyere Cheese, freshly grated
• 1/2 cup Smoked Gouda, freshly grated
• Paprika
• Italian Seasoning

*Slice the bread into long, thin pieces. Sprinkle with the cheeses, adding the parmesan last. Top with a shake of paprika and a dash of italian seasoning. 
*Spread the slices onto a foil lined baking sheet, place in the oven and broil on high until cheese has melted and the bread has browned, about 2 minutes. Broil longer if bread is not yet crispy and golden. 

To Serve: Carefully remove crostinis from the oven and serve hot alongside a steaming bowl of creamy tomato soup. 

You can really use any three of your favorite cheeses for this recipe. I like to switch it up with various cow's milk swiss cheeses and sharp cheddars. Also, play with the bread; a ciabatta or focaccia crisp up nicely as well.

With winter approaching and the cold weather rolling in, this recipe is sure to come in handy; so break out your warm fuzzy socks, your down blankets, and your firewood, then take the heat to the next level and warm your soul with a piping hot bowl of creamy tomato soup! 

Enjoy :]

<3 Marea