Tossed Together Turkey Tortilla Soup

Turkey with all the trimmings, turkey sandwiches, turkey noodle casserole, you've done it all and there is still leftover turkey. If you're wracking your brain for how to spice up the last of those leftovers this is the perfect answer. Turkey Tortilla Soup!

I love turkey and I'm all over leftovers but there comes a point where just the sight of turkey leaves me cold. I've found it best to dissect the carcass Thanksgiving night and parcel it out right away into quart bags for freezing. (Freezers baby, the best appliance ever. Aside from my washing machine without which I am certain I would die. I'd at least be very dirty.) I keep the choicest breast bits for day after leftovers and sandwiches and the rest gets bagged up for future nights when I need something quick and I'm all out of fresh options. 

But I digress, my quick and easy weeknight desperation meal is usually tacos because I always have most of the ingredients on hand, except for the day I was out of ground beef.  I'd not made it to the grocery store the day before and completely forgot that I'd already used the last of the frozen ground beef so I was momentarily at a loss when I unearthed this frozen bag of turkey labeled "For Soup". I'm fairly certain I intended to make white chili but I never have the ingredients for chili in my pantry and whatever I made had to be crock pot friendly. Which is how this soup was born.

 

Turkey Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb (approximately) shredded turkey
1 can black beans (rinsed)
1 cup frozen corn (canned or fresh is fine also)
1 onion chopped
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1Tbsp cumin
1 cilantro seasoning cube (optional - fresh cilantro when serving would be better)
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 large can of stewed diced tomatoes with liquid
1/2 can of water (use the tomato can)

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir occasionally and adjust seasoning to taste. Serve topped with crushed tortillas, shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

It is that easy. If I were to change anything next time I'd add some chili pepper. Either a few jalapenos or birds eye chilies or some dried red pepper flakes. Whatever you have on hand.

Nifty New Year's Nibbles!

A few years ago my husband and I decided to mix it up for the New Year's holiday and instead of cooking a big meal so soon after Christmas we make an array of appetizers and finger foods to munch on throughout the evening.

This year, after eating leftover ham what feels like 14 different ways, I decided go with something fun and a little different. Buffalo Turkey Sliders! These delightful little sandwiches are just the right size for a light lunch or a hearty appetizer and they're a cinch to make.

Buffalo Turkey Sliders

Ingredients:

1 package (12 count) dinner rolls
1 pound ground turkey
1 stalk celery
1 medium onion
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp mayonnaise
buffalo wing sauce of your choice

Preparation:

In a medium bowl grate the celery and 1/2 the onion. Add the turkey, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp of cayenne pepper, the remaining spices and mix well. Preheat the oven to 375c Spray a small baking sheet or glass baking dish with non stick cooking spray and spread meat mixture evenly in the pan. Bake in oven until the juices run clear, about 20 minutes. While the meat is cooking I like to heat a griddle pan on the stove, slice the dinner rolls and toast them. Mince the remaining 1/2 onion and place in a small skillet on the stove with 1/2 tbsp of butter. Saute until the onions are soft but not browned. When the meat's juices run clear remove it from the oven and allow to rest before cutting into 12 pieces. Mix the remaining 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper into the mayonnaise and spread a small amount on each bun before topping them with some of the sauteed onions and a slider. Top the sandwiches off with your favorite wing sauce and serve.

These little beauties will fly off the plate and you may just have to make a resolution to add this healthy and fun food to your everyday menu instead of saving it just for special occasions!

If you don't have wind sauce on hand you can whip up your own with some Tabasco or similar hot sauce and a bit of butter. Stick to the ratio of 2:1 and you'll be golden. For example, two tablespoons of hot sauce to 1 tablespoon of melted butter, mix well and voila buffalo wing sauce.

Wonderful White Chili

Recently I’ve added a new segment to my daily radio program called “Mid Day Munchies”. Each week I pick a topic and daily talk about different recipes or aspects of a food as the week progresses. So a few weeks ago I chose Chili as my topic. It was a wonderful adventure discovering the rich history of the chili queens and chili parlors and delving into the controversy of beans or no beans in chili. However the most odd thing for me remains the concept of a “White Chili”. I really feel chili needs to be luscious chunks of red meat with rich tomato based sauce and lots of spices. Since I featured it on my show though I thought I should give it a shot in my kitchen. So after some adjustments I am happy with this Wonderful White Chili.

Ingredients: (Serves 6)

4 cups chicken broth
32 oz beans, great northern
1 lb ground turkey
1/4 cup pearl barley
1 onion
2 cups celery
1 tsp cumin
2 tbsp chilies
1 tsp bay leaf
1 tsp pepper
3 tbsp garlic

Preparation:

Sauté the onions and celery in a deep pan on the stove until slightly softened. Add the ground turkey and garlic and cook until meat is no longer pink. De glaze the pan with some of the chicken stock and combine with the remaining ingredients in a crock-pot. Cook on high for two hours or until the celery is tender and the barley is cooked through. If you don’t have a crock pot add the remaining ingredients to your cooking pot on the stove, bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer stirring occasionally for about 1-2 hours. I like the crock-pot because it’s more out of sight out of mind and I can do other things while I wait for the soup to finish.

This is even better served in a yummy bread bowl but if you eliminate the bread you’ll find this dish is not only tasty but also chocked full of nutrients and very filling.