Leftover Turkey?

My all time favorite leftover turkey recipe is this excellent Curried Turkey Salad

Curry, Craisins, and Turkey.... so tasty.  I'm going to chop up some turkey and freeze it until I get some craisins (plus I've been eating a lot of turkey lately).  For the chutney (which is hard to come by in the west) I've used a generous measurement of whole cranberry sauce, mincemeat, or apricot jam.  I'll likely use some tart chokecherry jam that I made this year.
Here's also a link on making your own curry.

I recently made some  

Black Bean 'n' Pumpkin Chili 

It is some excellent chili but it doesn't taste super pumpkin-y but the pumpkin gives it a nice thick and smooth texture.  The second time I made it I used a large double can of pumpkin and I left out 1/2  of the chili and cumin (because it was a little spicy for the kids).  Made it for about 10 people (8 adults 2 kids) and they certainly polished it off.  Served with shredded cheddar cheese and tortilla chips.

 What are your favorite ways to eat leftover turkey? (besides with leftover stuffing and cranberry sauce...mmm).  Please share your recipes in the comments below.

Tips for Baking the Perfect Idaho Potato

I did most of my growing up in SE Idaho.  I know this post is a little late in the season... all the potato harvesting is done by now but this fall weather is perfect time for baking potatoes (especially to go with a meatloaf...).  I am kind of a potato nazi;  I can't stand a poorly baked potato, and I always eat my potato skins!  That's where all the fiber and protein is.

Tips for Baking the Perfect Potato: (much of this info I gleaned from a random un-cited handout but some of it I know is from the Idaho Potato Commission)
Never bake Idaho potatoes in aluminum foil.  Foil seals in the moisture and steams the potato, making the texture pasty instead of dry and fluffy.  Aluminum foil can be applied after baking, however, to hold the serving temperature longer. 
Scrub the potatoes well, and dry them thoroughly.  Prick with a fork in a few well placed spots (or try rubbing the potato with oil before baking, instead of pricking the skins).  This allows the steam to escape.  Medium sized potatoes should be baked in a 425 degree oven for 55 to 65 minutes or baked in a 350 degree oven for one hour and 25 to 35 minutes.  Higher heat gives darker, crisper, skins with fluffier interiors.  Potatoes are done when a fork slips easily in and out.
 Becoming a connoisseur: You can tell an Idaho potato connoisseur because he or she will never open a baked potato with a knife.  Instead, the connoisseur will poke a zigzag pattern into the top of the potato with a fork, then will press the ends of the potato together to open or "blossom" the potato.  The connoisseur recognizes that the blade of the knife flattens the surface and alters the fluffy texture of the properly prepared Idaho potato.

Celebrate Spud harvest by making delicious perfectly baked potatoes!

PS-If you ever get the chance visit Shelley, ID about the 3rd Saturday in September for the Annual Spud Day!  They serve free baked potatoes with a milk box, and you can watch people do a tug of war over a giant pit of mashed potatoes (plus all sorts of entertainment, a parade, contests, good food and vendors).

Recipe for Leftover Turkey/ Make your own Curry

Mmmmm leftover turkey anyone?  Try my favorite post T-day recipe.

Curried Turkey Salad :if you don't have chutney use mince meat or apricot jam or apple sauce. Substitute whatever you have to... it's a salad and it's leftovers.

I've also decided I'd start making my own curry since I love the Mccormick kind but it's expensive (can't buy it in bulk) and the bulk curry I've been buying is a little too spicy (plus I'm at my in-laws and she doesn't have curry).

Here is the recipe I came up with (from what's in the cupboard and referencing 3 different websites).

SWEET CURRY SPICE MIX (combine all of these ground spices)
2 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp turmeric
1/2 Tbsp cardamom
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp mustard
dash of pepper.
(if I had coriander I would have added 1 Tbsp...maybe next time)

Making Thanksgiving a little more Wholesome

This was our feast last year, I know my rolls were white (cheated and used Rhodes and they didn't have w.w. at the store)

I know that Thanksgiving is a feast and I'm all about pigging out on occasion.  I'm trying to focus on the quality of the food versus the quantity this year.  Here are some of my suggestions for a more wholesome feast.

Leave the skins on in your mashed spuds.  Generally I dice the spuds nice and small so the skins are not long and stringy.  Boil the potatoes until tender and then I drain (saving the liquid).  I use my hand-held mixer to mash them up in a big bowl without adding liquid first. Then I add some of the hot liquid back and some warm milk.  Don't really need to add butter especially if you are having gravy.

Healthier Pies. Make pumpkin pie or open top pies with my Hybrid Pie Crust to add some whole grains to your desserts (this also makes them more filling :o).  I'm also leaving out 1/4 of the sugar from my pumpkin pie recipe so it is less sweet and more pumpkin- nee.  I'm also making a blackberry (berries have so much wholesome fiber and anti-oxidants) pie that I'm going to use white whole wheat flour (extra-fine ground whole wheat) for the crust and add a minimum amount of sugar.

Whole-Grain Rolls or multi-grain.  A nice warm roll doesn't really need extra butter on it either...

A Veggie/Relish tray.  My mom always has one of these sitting out for us to snack on while we wait for the big feast.  Pickles, carrots, olives, celery, broccoli, cauliflower... all good.  This is also a good way to give your digestive track a jump start for what's to come.

Drink water.  No need to add extra calories with beverages.  Drinking water helps clear your palate to taste all of the wonderful foods and drinking periodically will help you feel fuller faster and help everything go down smoother.


Enjoy your Thanksgiving Holiday!

What healthy ideas are you involving in your Thanksgiving Feast?