Slow-cooked Turkey Breast with Gravy

When it comes to holiday cooking -- or entertaining in general -- I typically find the logistical side of things much more daunting than the actual cooking. Figuring out when to make everything so it's all done at the same time is challenging, but finding space to cook it all can be almost impossible.

This fall, I tested various cooking methods with turkeys in an attempt to get them out of the often. This slow cooker recipe ended up becoming such a favorite that the hubby requested it three times within the span of about six weeks. That's a lot of turkey.

The downsides to this recipe include the fact that this makes a turkey breast, not a whole turkey. And the skin doesn't crisp up, so you lose that wow factor (and the flavor of the toasty skin).

But this recipe is so easy, and the meat is so tender and delicious that I don't even miss the skin, which I shouldn't be eating, anyway. And the drippings make fabulous gravy, which I doctor up using my dad's tried-and-true cream of chicken soup method.

Slow-cooked Turkey Breast with Gravy
Makes 8-10 servings

1 bone-in turkey breast (about 6-7 pounds)

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 14.5-ounce can chicken broth

2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup

1 can water

4 heaping tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup water

Salt and pepper, to taste

 

1. Put turkey in 6-quart slow cooker. Rub with butter. Combine the salt, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder and pepper; sprinkle over turkey. Pour broth over turkey. Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours, or until tender.
2. Remove turkey from slow cooker. Cover with foil and set aside.
3. Pour turkey drippings into a pan on the stove top; skim fat from drippings.
4. Add cream of chicken soup and 1 can water and combine. Bring gravy to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium. Simmer about 10 minutes.
5. Combine cornstarch and water. Return gravy to a boil and add cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly. When gravy reduced desired thickness, reduce heat to low. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Carve turkey and sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve with gravy.

Hibachi Chicken and Steak

The hubby and I love eating at Japanese restaurants, and while the hubby always starts off with some spicy sushi, I save my appetite for the hibachi dishes.

That's pretty easy to do when I don't like sushi. You have now witnessed the full extent of my willpower.

It seems like it should be something that's pretty easy to make at home, so we decided to give it a try. This came pretty darn close for us, although it still might be missing something. Maybe some sake? Extra oil? Spatulas flipping through the air and volcanic onions? We'll have to give those a shot.  

Hibachi Chicken and Steak
Serves 4-6

For the chicken:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cut it bite-sized pieces 
Salt and pepper 
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil 
1 tablespoon soy sauce 
1 tablespoon butter 
1-2 tablespoons stir-fry or teriyaki sauce (I used a spicy apricot sauce, sort of like General Tso's) 

For the steak:
1 pound sirloin, cut in bite-sized pieces 
Salt, pepper, and Montreal Steak seasoning 
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil 
1 tablespoon soy sauce 
1 tablespoon butter 

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.

2. Add chicken, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is starting to brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes.

3. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon butter. Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 2-4 minutes.

4. Add stir-fry or teriyaki sauce and toss chicken to coat.

5. Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in another skillet or wok over medium-high to high heat. (You can go a little hotter with the sirloin, because you don't have to worry about cooking it all the way through like you do the chicken.)

6. Add sirloin, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and steak seasoning. Cook until sirloin starts to brown on all sides.

7. Stir in 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon butter. If you're feeling adventurous, go ahead and toss in some mushrooms.

8. Cook until sirloin is cooked through to desired doneness.

Beef Noodle Skillet

This is a quick and easy recipe that we threw together after a long afternoon of sledding and snowblowing recently. It's not fancy fare, but it's tasty, filling, economical, and makes a ton of food. (It also reheats pretty well, if you don't cook the bejeezus out of your noodles.)

The idea for this recipe came from Everyday magazine, but as usual, I made some changes to suit our tastes and make it cook faster. (I was hungry.)

Beef Noodle Skillet
Serves 6-8

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
Salt, pepper, and onion salt
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 pound red-skinned potatoes, cut in small chunks
1 large bell pepper, cut in small slices
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup water
12 ounces dried egg noodles (although you might not use them all)

1. In a large, deep skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.

2. Add the ground beef, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and onion salt. Cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes.

Transfer to a plate or bowl.

3. In the same skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

4. Add the potatoes to the pan and stir to coat with the rendered bacon grease.

5. Cover and cook until tender, about 12-15 minutes.

6. Stir in peppers, hamburger mixture, tomato sauce, and water.

7. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 8-10 minutes.

8. Meanwhile, cook noodles in boiling, salted water until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drain.

9. Add the noodles to the skillet, starting with about half to two-thirds, and then adding more as needed. Stir well to combine.

10. Before serving, season to taste with salt, pepper, and onion salt.

Chicken-Fried Steak and Gravy

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I recently received a few coupons to try Simply Potatoes, which are close-to-homemade, refrigerated potatoes. We decided to try the roasted garlic mashed potatoes first, because they're a family fave, especially with grilled steak.

But it's November in North Dakota, which typically means bitter cold, gusty winds, or both. Next option? Chicken-fried steak.

I absolutely adore chicken-fried steak, and I've recently converted the hubby, as well. But many restaurant versions are mediocre. The steak itself can be tough, the breading mealy or flavorless, and the gravy ... well, let's just say that flour, drippings, and milk aren't always enough. (Seasoning, people!)

I've had the same experience with the recipes I've tried, and believe me, I've tried plenty. But I keep persisting and trying to learn from my mistakes. And ... I may have finally found the perfect recipe! Upon tasting this, the hubby said, "Wow, this is fabulous, dear." And the little man had three helpings of dipping gravy.

I love this best served with garlic mashed potatoes (especially if they're a little lighter on the garlic), Texas toast, and corn.

Chicken-Fried Steak and Gravy
Serves 6

Steak
6 beef cube steaks, about 1 1/2-2 pounds total
Salt, pepper, and onion salt
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 egg
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
2 cloves garlic, grated
Vegetable oil, for deep frying (I filled my pan about 1" deep)

Gravy
1/4 cup flour
4 cups whole milk
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add oil to a large, heavy pan and heat to 325 degrees F.

2. Meanwhile, sprinkle salt, pepper, and onion salt on one side of steaks.

3. Place 2 cups flour in a shallow dish. Add baking powder, baking soda, pepper, salt, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and stir to combine.

4. In a separate shallow bowl, combine buttermilk, egg, Tabasco, and garlic.

5. Dredge each steak in the flour, then in the buttermilk, and again in the flour. Place on a baking rack.

This lets any extra coating fall off the steaks, and also lets the coating sort of rest on all sides without the steaks getting mushy on the bottom. (This is key after frying, as well.)

6. Fry the steaks, a few at a time, about 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown.

You don't need to worry about cooking the steaks all the way through, because they'll be finishing off in the oven. (I use this same technique for fried chicken, because I hate a burnt crust.)

7. Place steaks on a rack on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake about 15-20 minutes, while you make the gravy.

8. Drain all but 1/4 cup of the oil from the pan, reserving the solid bits. I pour my oil through a mesh strainer, so I can toss the bits right back in the pan.

9. Return the pan to medium-low heat with the reserved oil. Whisk 1/4 cup flour into the oil. Stir in the milk and chicken bouillon cubes, raise the heat to medium, and bring the gravy to a simmer. Cook until thick, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and pepper.

10. Spoon the gravy over the steaks to serve.

Slow-Simmered Spaghetti Sauce

While I was looking through the cookbook where I discovered the recipe for Michelle's Manicotti, I stumbled upon the basis for this recipe, which is a pretty basic, slow-simmered spaghetti sauce. I did make a few changes, and I absolutely loved the results. This could be the best meat sauce I've ever tried. So thank you, Ms. Marlene Paulsrud ... whomever you are.

This recipe calls for simmering the sauce for at least an hour on the stovetop. However, I let mine cook on low heat all afternoon long, because I love the aroma of a huge pot of sauce cooking all day. You could easily put this in this in the slow cooker, as well, for an even lower-maintenance option.

Slow-Simmered Spaghetti Sauce
Makes 8-10 servings

2 pounds ground beef (85% lean)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt, pepper, onion salt, and garlic salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
2 1 1/2-ounce packets Italian spaghetti sauce seasoning mix (I used one regular and one zesty)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
3 cups water
2 15-ounce cans tomato sauce
2 6-ounce cans tomato paste
1 small can mushrooms, drained
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
Additional salt, pepper, onion salt, and garlic salt, to taste

1. Brown ground beef and garlic over medium-high heat in a large pot. Season with salt, pepper, onion salt, and garlic salt.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer over low heat for at least 1 hour.

3. Serve over hot pasta.

Meatballs in Gravy

This recipe, one of the hubby's most frequently requested, is very representative of our now-combined families. This is my mother-in-law's recipe for meatballs, combined with a version of my dad's legendary gravy.

The secret to the meatballs is crushed saltines. And the secret to the gravy? Cream of chicken soup. (I think I've mentioned on here before that my Grandma Erickson, my dad's mom, could accomplish extraordinary culinary feats with a can of cream of chicken soup.)

My gravy still isn't as good as my dad's, and I'm convinced that he's withholding some secret trick from me. (You know, aside from the whole "patience, young padawan" thing.) My tweaks to my dad's recipe are to add a bit of browning sauce and Worcestershire sauce, just to beef up the gravy a bit. (You don't get a lot of juice and pan drippings from meatballs.)

Another of my dad's little tricks? Use off-brand cream of chicken soup. Because it's not as chickeny as the more expensive brands, it picks up the flavors of your meat much better.

Meatballs in Gravy
Serves 6

Meatballs
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, preferably 85% lean
3/4 cup crushed saltines
2 eggs
Salt, pepper, and onion salt
2 teaspoons canola oil

Gravy
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
2 soup cans water
Salt, pepper, and onion salt, to taste
1-2 teaspoons browning sauce
1-2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Slurry of cornstarch, flour, and water (about 1 part each cornstarch and flour to 2 parts water)

1. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, saltines, eggs, salt, pepper, and onion salt.

2. Form mixture into balls about 1“-1 1/2” in diameter.

3. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the meatballs and brown on all sides.

4. Remove meatballs from skillet and repeat with remaining oil and meatballs.

5. Reduce heat to medium and stir in soup, water, browning sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.

6. Bring soup mixture to a simmer and return meatballs to pan. Cover and cook about 15-20 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.

7. Using a whisk, stir in slurry until gravy is of desired consistency.

8. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and onion salt.

Oven-Fried Chicken Fingers with Tangy Dipping Sauce

I've been doing a lot of baking lately to put together some of our families' favorites recipes, and I've been trying to balance out all that decadence with some lighter meals. Luckily, I have a wealth of cookbooks and cooking magazines at my disposal to give me ideas, such as this one from Cuisine at Home.

This recipe makes some genuinely crispy, oven-baked chicken fingers, and my little brother loved them. Of course, he drenched his with the homemade sauce, which tastes like a sweeter buffalo wing sauce.

Note that these are a bit time-consuming. Had I read through the recipe thoroughly, my dinner guests wouldn't have been subjected to those two extra episodes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse while waiting for their food. (Of course, I also doubled the recipe.)

Oven-Fried Chicken Fingers with Tangy Dipping Sauce
Makes 4 servings

Chicken fingers
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound, total)
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 egg whites
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
3 tablespoons canola oil

Dipping sauce
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Pinch of celery seed
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon butter

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Slice each chicken breast in four strips, lengthwise.

2. Combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and paprika in a dish.

3. Dredge chicken fingers in the flour mixture and place on a wire rack.

4. Add panko to remaining flour mixture.

5. Whip egg whites to soft peaks in a bowl, using a hand mixer. (I tried a whisk, and after a few agonizing minutes, I switched to the mixer.) Whisk in buttermilk and Tabasco.

6. Dip each floured strip in the egg white mixture, and then in the pank and flour mixture. Return strips to rack.

7. Heat oil in a large baking sheet for 5 minutes in the oven.

8. Arrange chicken in a single layer on the hot baking sheet. (This starts crisping up the bottom of the chicken right away, so it doesn't get soggy.) Roast for 10-15 minutes, flip strips over, and roast an additional 10-15 minutes, until chicken is crispy and cooked through.

9. Meanwhile, simmer all sauce ingredients except butter over medium-low in a saucepan for about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and swirl in the butter. Serve sauce warm with the chicken.

Grandma's Soup

I apologize for the lag in postings. I had a half-dozen or so recipes ready to post, but then ... well, it's a long story.

On an unrelated note, if anyone happens to find an SD card that includes not only pics of delicious-looking food, but also my family's vacation photos from Florida, please contact the hubby.

My mom stopped by the other day, bearing gifts. (Even though we live only two blocks away now, and we see my mother almost every day, she still prefers to bring gifts when she visits. I'm sure the novelty of our close proxemity will wear off soon.) This time, her gift was a Taste of Home cooking magazine ... with a request. "Can you make me some soup like this?"

The next morning, the little man and I hightailed it up to our local grocery store, where the little man informed everyone we saw that we "got Grandma's soup." ("Got" is his catch-all verb.) We had to make a few ingredient substitutions, and then we added in some other stuff that we thought would be good, and then invited Grandma over for lunch to eat her super-healthy, Italian vegetable soup.

Grandma's Soup
Makes 6 servings

2 ribs celery, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 c. water
1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 14.5-oz. can chicken broth, plus 1/2 c.
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried marjoram
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 c. small pasta (I used mafalda)
4 c. torn baby spinach (I used about 1/2 a package of frozen spinach)

1. In a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute celery, onion, carrot, zucchini, and garlic until tender.

2. Stir in the water, beans, tomatoes, broth, and seasonings.

And, of course, taste as you go along. Even the ingredients themselves. Jack lets no bean go untasted.

3. Bring to a boil, and then stir in pasta.

4. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, about 13-15 minutes, or until pasta is tender. Add spinach during the last few minutes of cooking.

Quick Taco Casserole

Since the move, I've been commuting to work instead of the hubby. Luckily, my company is very flexible about my working from home a few days a week, which I love. I feel like I have the perfect combination of social interaction and alone time so I can focus, and our little family also gets a few more hours of together time on the days when I work from home.

The days when I commute can get a little hectic, though, because I return home right about the time when the little man is starting to demand his supper. (And let's be honest, I'm ready to demand mine, too.)

Meals like this are perfect for those evenings, because I can assemble this dish quickly the night before, and the hubby can just pop it in the oven when he gets home from work.

This isn't fancy cuisine, by any means, but as the hubby says, "It tastes good and it's warm." And the little man gobbled his right up.

Quick Taco Casserole
Serves 6-8

1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 c. (8 oz.) taco sauce
3/4 c. water
1 4-oz. can diced green chiles (optional)
1 pkg. taco seasoning
12 white or yellow taco shells, or about 6 oz. tortilla chips, divided
2 c. shredded cheddar or Colby-Jack cheese, divided
Shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced olives, and other assorted toppings

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 11x7-inch pan, or spray with cooking spray.

2. Cook ground beef and onion over medium-high heat until browned. Stir in taco sauce, water, green chiles, and taco seasoning. Cook over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes.

3. Layer half the broken taco shells or chips on bottom of baking dish.

I'm not quite certain why I felt this photo was important.

4. Cover with half the meat mixture and half the cheese.

5. Repeating with remaining taco shells, meat mixture, and cheese.

6. Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

7. Let cool slightly before serving, and serve with toppings.

The Chili I've Been Dreaming Of

It’s official; I’m a delinquent blogger.

Moving, kitchen packed up, blah, blah, blah. Had to unpack, couldn’t find the camera, yadda, yadda, yadda.

What it boils down to is that I’ve been neglecting my blog. But that’s done with, I assure you. We’ve only been the house for a few weeks, so we’re not exactly unpacked yet. (We might never be unpacked.) But the kitchen is fairly put together. I’m still missing various pots and pans and a half-dozen or so small appliances, but I can get by. I’ve actually cooked more in the past few weeks than the past several months, combined. (And we’ve probably had more dinner guests than in the past few years, combined.)

I really like my new kitchen. It’s very spacious and has a ton of counter space and double ovens.* And it’s YELLOW.**

Anyway, the chili. I’ve been on a quest for my perfect chili for quite some time now, because I like a thicker, meatier, more cumin-y chili that has lots of flavor but not a ton of heat. But everything I tried was too something. Too salty. Too thick. Too thin. Too chili powderish.

And then, I tried this. This is a recipe from Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever by Diane Phillips, and it’s perfect. And you can’t mess it up. I’ve followed the recipe to the letter. I’ve halved it. I’ve cooked it on the stovetop. I’ve forgotten to toast the spices. I’ve added beans. I’ve forgotten half the tomato sauce. And it always tastes amazing.

You can serve this chili with your choice of toppings. The little man likes his topped with plenty o’ black beans. I like mine with cheese. My brother likes cheese and jalapenos. We all like to use tortilla chips in place of a spoon.

You must try this chili.

*One oven is about the same as age me.
**Yes, the yellow paint was my decision. It’s a happy kitchen.

The Chili I've Been Dreaming Of (a.k.a. Ryan's Chili)
Serves 6-8

2 Tbsp. oil
2 lbs. 85% lean ground beef
2 tsp. ancho chile powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tsp. cornmeal
2 c. beef broth
4 c. tomato sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tortilla chips, shredded cheddar cheese, beans, jalapenos, etc. for topping

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and crumble, and cook until brown. Transfer meat to slow cooker.

2. Add chile powder, oregano, cumin, 2 tsp. salt, and cayenne to the skillet and cook until spices are fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add cornmeal and stir until mixture thickens. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Transfer to slow cooker and stir in tomato sauce.

3. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours, or until chili is thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with toppings.

Baked Mostaccioli

Now that the hubby and I have sold the house, life has sort of returned to normal. If normal means we can once again mess up the kitchen while we try to sort out the details of this moving debacle.

(And speaking of organizational nightmares, I got a new phone this week. It has a little Post-It notes app that just might keep me sane. Yay Windows Phone 7!)

I threw together this casserole the other night and left it in the fridge before tossing it in the oven after work. I'm a huge fan of pasta bakes, but the hubby typically says, "Meh." This one has a homemade sauce, and not as much sauce or cheese as I typically use. The hubby had two helpings and told me to make it again sometime. So it's healthier AND hubby approved.

Baked Mostaccioli
Serves 6

8 oz. uncooked mostaccioli or other pasta (I used rotini; that's 8 fewer ounces of pasta to pack up for the move!)
3/4-1 lb. lean ground beef
Salt, pepper, onion salt, and garlic salt
1 14 1/2-oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
2/3 cup water
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 c. cottage cheese (I used 2%)
1 tsp. dried marjoram
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 11"x7" baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions.

3. Add ground beef to a large skillet or saucepan. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion salt, and garlic salt, and brown over medium to medium-high heat. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

4. In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese and marjoram; set aside.

5. Drain pasta. Spread 1/2 c. sauce in bottom of baking dish. Layer with half the pasta, sauce, and mozzarella cheese.

Please pretend there is mozzarella in this photo. Thanks, The Management.

6. Top with cottage cheese mixture.

7. Layer with remaining pasta, sauce, and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

8. Bake, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. Try to remember to take a picture before four servings have been eaten out of the dish.