Turkey Rice Soup

I think my favorite part of the Thanksgiving turkey is the leftovers.  No, not for sandwiches, but for Turkey Rice Soup.  My dad has been making this recipe as long as I can remember.  This recipe is not local or organic in the usual sense, but it is homemade and gives me the feeling of home.  It is thick and creamy and full of carbs.  When I think comfort food, this is right up there for me. 

My mom also made this soup.  I remember my first year of law school, my mom sent me back to school with a HUGE container of this soup.  My roommate and I ate this soup up until Christmas.  It is the perfect soup for a student: cheap and filling. 

The ingredients are cream soups, rice and milk added to leftover turkey.  For this recipe I open up canned soup.  I did think about making my own creamed soups but decided against it for two reasons.  First, this recipe is about making a quick leftover meal the day after Thanksgiving.  It is supposed to be quick and easy.  This is a twenty minute cooking meal.  Second, the familiar flavors of the canned soup is what I love about it.  If I were to change the recipe, I think everyone would riot in my house. 

My recipe below is based upon the amount of turkey I had leftover.  I get a lot of the leftover meat by simply pulling the meat off of the carcass.  You want the pieces to be small so this is the best way to get your meat for this soup.  I also use the wing meat, because no one in my house eats it.  You do not want the skin in this soup.  White meat and dark meat are used here.  It does not matter which use, it is all about what is left.  If you have large slices, cut them into half inch pieces.  If you have less meat leftover than the recipe calls for it is OK, just adjust the amounts on the other ingredients accordingly.  This recipe is a method, not to be made exactly. 

This recipe makes 5 quarts of soup.

Ingredients:

5 cups chopped turkey meat
2 10 3/4 oz. cans cream of mushroom soup
2 10 3/4 oz. cans cream of chicken soup
1 10 3/4 oz. can cream of celery soup
4 cups instant rice, not cooked
7 cups milk
1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp pepper
salt to taste

Here's how:

Chop up all the meat.

Add the meat to a soup pot.  Turn the heat on low and get the turkey warmed.  Do not brown it or add any oil.

Add all of the soups and stir until incorporated.

Add the rice.  Stir.

Rice added

Add the milk and pepper and cook until the rice is soft.  This should take 20 minutes. 

Thick, creamy and ready to eat

Tips:

The soup can be made without all the milk and frozen.  This way, you will store less soup in the fridge or freezer.  When ready to eat, add the milk to get it to the correct consistency.

The soup will thicken as it sits in the fridge.  Add milk when heated to thin it out.

This soup can be frozen and stores well in there. 

The correct consistency is what you like.  If you like a thinner soup, use more milk.  If you like it thick, add less.  That is the best part of this soup, it is really flexible.

I like a lot of pepper in this recipe, so I add extra to my bowl.  I like how the pepper blends with the creamy soup.

Thanksgiving Dinner - Apple Pie with Leaf Crust

Apple pie is a Thanksgiving dessert staple.  I like to make it with a crust made in the shape of leaves.  I think it makes it look more festive and is simple to do.  All you need is a pie crust, either homemade or store bought and some pie cut outs.  I found mine at a baking store and use them every year.  Try it out, it takes only 20 minutes to cut out all the pieces and it looks great on the table.

This recipe is the time to use the apple pie filling you put up months ago.  I have provided the link to it, in case you forgot.  If you don't have your own filling, you can use your favorite apple pie filling.

Ingredients

1 recipe for Basic Pie Crust (this makes a top and bottom)
2 jars homemade pie filling
2 TBS butter, cut into cubes
1 egg
water
sugar

Here's how:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the pie crust into a pie dish or take out your store bought pie crust.

Drain the pie filling and put the apple only into the crust bottom.  Dot with the butter.

Homemadepie filling

Pie is ready for its crust

Roll out top crust to 1/8 inch or unroll store bought crust.

Rolled out

Cut out leaf shapes and place the leaves on the apples. 

Pie crust cut outs

Leaf shapes.   Used only the ones on top.

Start along the bottom crust, pushing on the leaves to affix them to the crust.  Overlap them slightly making sure they are stuck to each other.

One layer on

Go around the pie until the entire pie is covered.

All covered

Place the egg and a splash of water into a small bowl.  Scramble the eggs. 

Using a pastry brush, cover the crust with the egg wash.

Egg wash on

Sprinkle sugar or sanding sugar on top of the egg wash.

Sugar on top.  Ready for the oven.

Bake the pie 1 hour to 1 hour and a half until the apples are letting off a bubbly liquid and the crust is brown.



Done and ready to serve with some ice cream on top

Basic Pie Crust

Making homemade pie crust and does not take a long time.  It is easier to make it than it is to get in the car and go to the store.  The recipe is simple and is done in 2 minutes.  Make your own, it is worth it.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 sticks butter, cold and cut into cubes
1/2 cup ice water

Here's how;

Add flour and salt to the food processor.  Pulse to combine.

Flour and sugar combined

Add butter and pulse until it is the size of peas.

Using the top feed of the processor, pour in the water until it just comes together.  If you use less that is ok, just don't add too much to make it sticky and wet.

Just coming together.

Take the dough out the processor, cut in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap.  Chill in the refirgerator for one hour.  It can be done overnight and stored in the freezer for future use.

Rol out the dough and use as needed.

Thanksgiving Dinner - French Apple Pie

I am not a dessert eater, but I do like to make them.  This recipe is my dad and brother's favorite.  It is a change from the usual flaky crust.  It has almonds and sugar and is crunchy on top of the soft apples inside.  Here is the recipe.

For the top crust:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup almonds, finely ground
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened

Here's how:

Grind the almonds finely in the food processor

Add flour, sugar and salt to the food processor.  Pulse to combine.

Add butter and pulse until butter is incorporated and the size of peas.

Crumbs all ready to top pie

For the pie:

Ingredients:

2 jars of homemade pie filling http://homemadeonli.blogspot.com/2010/09/apple-pie-filling.html

1 pie crust - either homemade or store bought http://homemadeonli.blogspot.com/2010/11/basic-pie-crust.html

Here's how:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the pie crust into a pie plate or take out a pre-made pie crust. 

Drain the pie filling so that the liquid is removed.

Pour the drained apples into the crust.

Place the pie crust over the top.  It is crumbly so you will have to use your hands to keep it on and keep in place.

 

Put pie on a baking sheet.  Bake in oven for one hour and 20 minutes until top and crust are browned lightly.

Christmas Cookies - Peanut Butter Cookies

                                                              

Peanut butter cookies are a classic cookie no matter what time of year it is.  I like to add them in my Christmas Cookie tins because they are a favorite of everyone.  They are crunchy and buttery and delicious.  I use the Betty Crocker recipe. 

Ingredients:

1/2	cup granulated sugar
1/2	cup packed brown sugar
1/2	cup peanut butter
1/4	cup shortening
1/4	cup butter or margarine, softened
1	egg
1 1/4	all-purpose flour
3/4	teaspoon baking soda
1/2	teaspoon baking powder
1/4	teaspoon salt

Here's how:

Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Mix sugars, peanut butter, shortening, butter and egg in large bowl.

Mix wet ingredients together

Stir in remaining ingredients.

Whisk dry ingredients together then add to wet ingredients



All mixed together

Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.

Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls.  Place about 3 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with fork dipped into sugar.

Ready for the oven

Bake 9 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

Ready to eat

Thanksgiving Dinner - Roasted and Brined Turkey with Herb Butter

For the past three years I have been brining my turkey.  It is a simple process that I think adds lots of flavor and juice to the bird.  It is simple to do.  The hardest part is getting a container big enough.  I use all organic ingredients in my brine, it is not necessary.  Since my bird is organic, I do not want to compromise that.

After the brine, I slather homemade herb butter under the skin and then all over the outside. 

Next, I stuff the cavity with homemade stuffing.  It goes into the neck as well.  My mom always made me do this, so I still do it to this day.

Then comes the oven, where the bird gets baked and comes out golden and delicious.

For the Brine

Ingredients:

1 large plastic container or pot
1 gallon of water (maybe more to cover the bird)
5 Rosemary Sprigs
1 bunch parsley
10 Sage leaves
10 Thyme Sprigs
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 brown sugar
ice

Here's How:

Place all of the ingredients (except the container) into a large pot and heat the water until all of the salt and sugar is dissolved.   Place the mixture into the refrigerator until cold.

Place the turkey into the container then pour the brining liquid over the turkey.  Make sure it is completely submerged.  If not, add more water to cover.  Place ice in the bucket to keep it cold.  Use a plate to make sure it stays submerged if it floats. 

Cover and place in the refrigerator or outside if the temperature is about 35-38 degrees consistently.  Let brine for 12-24 hours.  Remove from the brine and rinse before cooking.

For the herb butter:

Ingredients:

2 sticks of butter
4 Sage leaves
1 Rosemary Sprig
2-4 Thyme Sprigs
1/ 4 cup parsley

Here's how:

Take 2 sticks of butter out of the refrigerator and let soften, overnight is best.

Cut up the herbs into very small pieces.  Place into the butter and mix until thoroughly incorporated. 

For the Turkey:

1  Turkey
5 carrots, cut in half
5 celery stalks, cut in half
1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
Herb butter
Stuffing
Salt
Pepper
water

Here's how:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Take the turkey out of the brine hour before roasting.  Rinse well. 

Take your roasting pan out and place the rack inside.  Place the celery, carrots and onion in the bottom of the pan.

Put the neck from the cavity in the bottom of the pan as well.

Put the bird into the roasting pan on the rack. 

Salt and pepper the cavity of the bird well.  Make sure you take out the neck and giblets from the cavity. Stuff with your favorite stuffing. 

Tie the legs together.  Turn the wing tips under to prevent burning. 

Slip your hand in between the skin and the meat to make room.  Do not rip the skin. 

Place the herb butter in the space you have make in between the skin and meat.  Slather the butter on top of the skin.  Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the skin.

Pour the water into the roasting pan filling it to 1/2 inch.

Place the turkey into the oven for 15 minutes.

Lower the heat to 350 degrees F and continue to roast for 15-20 minutes per pound.

There is no need to baste.  The brining will keep it moist.  If you keep opening and closing the oven door, it will take longer to roast.  If the skins browns too quickly, cover it with foil.

Test the temperature of the turkey with a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast.  If it reads 160 degrees, remove it and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.  It should be 170 degrees now (it will continue to cook as it rests.)

Roasted Beautifully

Remove the stuffing the bird and place in a casserole dish.  Fininsh cooking it in the oven for about 20 minutes to get it up to proper temperature.

Carve the bird.

Carved and Ready to Serve

Save the pan juices for homemade gravy.