I thought I would share a few of my favourite ways of using up leftover turkey today.  I know I have a lot of American readers who will be wanting to know what to do with it all . . . and of course my Canadian and British readers will be dealing with leftover turkey after the annual Festive feast in just a few weeks time.

There's so much more to do with it than the annual turkey/cranberry and stuffing sandwich, as good as they are and it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving or Christmas without imbibing at least one of those after the main meal!

In truth I am probably even more fond of the leftovers than I am of the actual turkey dinner!  Well, almost at any rate!

Here's a few taste tempting dishes to prepare that I am sure will help to insure that your turkey leftovers this year will be neither boring or tasteless!



Turkey Oven Bake - A tasty casserole which goes together quick as a wink, with rice, broccoli, turkey and a few other things.  A real family pleaser!



Barbequed Turkey Pizza - Another favourite with a sauce base of cranberry barbeque sauce and a topping of Balsamic Caramelized Onions, cooked turkey and cheese of course!  Who says leftovers have to be boring!



Turkey Cobb Salad - Chock full of the super foods, turkey, avocado, tomatoes . . . bacon and blue cheese, with a scrummy vinaigrette dressing!



Turkey Pot Pie -  An annual favourite for many years!



Turkey and Stuffing Pie - This version is made with chicken, but you can very easily substitute the chicken with leftover turkey and stuffing from your holiday dinner!

When I first moved over here twelve years ago . . . there were some things that you just couldn't find. Things like Betty Crocker cake mixes, Marshmallow Fluff,  and Skippy Peanut Butter, amongst other things.  You never know what you will miss until you can't have it any more . . .

 

Over those years I have had to learn to adapt some of my favourite recipes to use other ingredients that are available over here . . . but there were still some things that you just couldn't adapt no way . . . no how.  I used to bring back oodles of stuff each time I went over to Canada to visit my family.  Todd used to do a lot of moaning about that . . . but I just reminded him of how he would feel if he couldn't get marmite anymore!

 

I'm happy to say though that in recent years quite a few things have  become easily available . . . things like Gold Fish Crackers, Marshmallow Fluff, Skippy Peanut Butter and at least a few cake mix flavours . . . such as Devils Food and Carrot.  I'm still waiting for Crab-Apple Jelly, Captain Crunch Cereal and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Dinner to catch on . . . but I live in hope.

 

Being able to get some of these things though, means that I can now cook some of our favourite treats in my English Kitchen, like these delicious Brownies that I baked for the Missionaries yesterday . . .

 

Yes, they are a bit of a cheat because they use a boxed cake mix . . . but I know you won't hold that against me.  I've tried through the years to develop my own base . . . but I just haven't been able to crack it just yet.  The base for these is soooo moist and  fudgy and chocolatey . . .



And that fluffer nutter topping.  Fluffer nutter is a popular sandwich combination in North America . . . sandwiches spread with marshmallow cream and peanut butter.  In fact I do believe that it is so popular that you can now find it already mixed in jars.

 

I think though . . . fluffer nutter sandwiches were an Amish invention . . . but you can feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

How can something that is soooo bad for you be soooo good!! 

 

In any case, no matter if it is a cheat . . . and no matter where it comes from . . . you can now make them here . . . in the UK, and with British ingredients.  The bottom line is this . . . they're fabulously delish and now I can make them here, at home . . . without dragging a heavy suitcase across the Atlantic, or paying an outrageous price at one of those speciality shops.

Life is very, very good.



*Fluffer Nutter Brownies*
Makes one 9 by 15 inch pan
Printable Recipe

These could not be easier, and they are fabulously, moreishly delicious!  I bet you can't eat just one!

1 500g box of Devils food cake mix (Betty Crocker, double layer cake)
2 large free range eggs
125ml of sunflower oil (1/2 cup)
120g of smooth peanut butter (2/3 cup)
1/2 of a 213g jar of marshmallow cream  (2/3 cup)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 397g tin of sweetened condensed milk (14 ounce)
a couple handfuls of milk or dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Butter a 13 by 9 inch baking dish really well.  Set aside.

Mix together the oil, eggs and cake mix until well blended.  Spread this mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.  Set aside.

Whisk together the peanut butter, marshmallow cream, vanilla and sweetened condensed milk, until smooth and amalgamated.  Spread this mixture evenly over top of the chocolate mix.  Scatter the chocolate chips over top.

Bake for15 to 20 minutes, just until the edges are light golden brown and the centre is almost set.  You want it to be a bit gooey.  Allow to cool completely before cutting with a sharp knife into bars  for serving.  Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to two days, or in the refrigerator for longer, allowing them to come to room temperature for serving

You can now buy Marshmallow Fluff at Asda and I believe Sainsbury's.  The Cake mixes are pretty much available in all of the shops and you can get the Skippy Peanut Butter in Waitrose and Sainsbury's.

My Todd is a real meat and potatoes man.  He doesn't care what else is on the menu, as long as it contains some meat and potatoes somewhere along the line. He will tolerate rice every so often  instead of potatoes, but a hefty plate of mash is his first love . . .



I think he loves chops most of all when it comes to meat meals . . . lamb chops are quite tasty, but he especially loves pork chops!  The Waitrose in Chester is a small shop, but it sells very tasty Hampshire bred rack pork chops and the flavour is just wonderful.  Succulent and meaty.  We both love them . . . they're the best!



There is something very comforting and homey about a breaded pork chop.  When I was a child my mom would sometimes treat us to "Shake & Bake" pork chops.  We loved them.  (Shake & Bake is a North American Crumb mixture that you can get for pork, chicken or fish.  You just dampen the meat, and shake it in the plastic bag included to coat with the crumbs, also included.)

These delicious pork chops are a thousand times better. Tender and tasty and coated with a delicious sage and Parmesan flavored soft bread crumb mixture.  Ohhh . . . these are some good.  The crumbs get all crispy and golden brown . . .  the meat stays succulent and  moist beneath that golden crust . . . nothing on earth tastes better . . . truly . . .



Well . . . applesauce is mighty good with them . . . mighty good, all tangy and sweet at the same time . . . just perfect . . . especially if it is made with fabulous Bramley Apples, which are fabulous this time of year and cook up so fluffy.  If you really want to impress, with just a tiny bit of extra effort, you can make a tasty chutney to serve with them!



A tangy, sweet and spicy Cranberry Chutney on the side makes this a really special dinner. You don't even need to have any fresh cranberries around, coz this chutney is made completely out of dried fruit!  I always have dried cranberries, sultanas and apples in the larder.  They come in ever so handy!  You just never know when you are going to need a handful or two.  Your family will love this meal.  It's special enough to make them feel like they are having a real treat . . . and special enough to feed to company!



You will end up with about 2 1/2 cups of the chutney, but I am sure you will find it so delicious that  you won't have a problem using it all up.  It is great with pork, ham, chicken or turkey.  Try it as a tasty relish in sandwiches!!  Stir it into some chicken salad for a wonderfully scrummy sandwich filling.  It's also quite, quite special served  with a good white farmhouse cheddar and a crusty loaf for a deliciously different ploughman's lunch!



*Sage Pork Chops with Cranberry Chutney*
serves 4
Printable Recipe

Mmmm . . . comfort food at it's best.  A tasty crumbed pork chop, tender and juice and accompanied with a tasty Cranberry Chutney.

75g plain flour (3/4 cup)
3 large free range  eggs
2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
4 to 6 sage leaves, finely chopped
50g fresh bread crumbs (scant cup)
100g fresh finely grated Parmesan Cheese (generous 1/2 cup)
4 good quality pork chops
60ml  vegetable oil (1/4 cup)
salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

For the chutney:
250g sweetened dried cranberries (1 2/3 cup)
375ml  boiling water (1 1/2 cups)
25g of dried apples, diced (about 1/4 cup)
25g of sultanas (about 1/4 cup)
1 TBS minced crystalized ginger
85ml white wine vinegar (generous 1/3 cup)
3 TBS sugar
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp of ground ginger
2 heaping dessertspoons of seedless raspberry jam or red plum jam



First make the chutney.  Put the cranberries, apples, sultanas and crystalized ginger into a bowl.  Pour the boiling water over and let sit for 30 minutes.  At the end of 30 minutes, combine the vinegar, sugar, cayenne, allspice, cinnamon and ginger in a saucepan.  Bring to the boil, stirring frequently.  Add the berry mixture.  Bring back to the boil.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5  minutes.  Stir in the jam and remove the mixture from the heat.  Cool to room temperature.  (You can even do this the day before if you wish.)

Put the flour for the chops onto a flat plate.  Beat the eggs and worcestershire sauce together in a shallow pie plate.  Combine the sage leaves, bread crumbs, and Parmesan together in another shallow pie plate.  Trim the fat from the pork chops and season them well all over with some salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Press a pork chop into the flour, coating the meat evenly and shaking off any excess.  Dip the floured pork chop into the beaten egg, allowing any excess to drip off.  Press the egged pork chop firmly in the crumb mixture to coat evenly all over.  Repeat with the other 3 chops.

Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat,  in a heavy bottomed skillet large enough to hold all four chops.  Once heated add the chops and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, so they gently sizzle in the oil and a golden crust forms.  Flip them over and cook for an additional 5 minutes on the other side.

Serve immediately with some of the chutney on the side of each portion of pork.

It goes without saying the Toddster likes plenty of potatoes with his, mashed, baked or fried.  He's a happy camper just so long as he's got some potato to go with his chop!

 

Morrisons, one of the major grocery chains here in the UK,  recently gave me some samples of their new autumnal range of freshly baked bread to try out.  Morrisons boasts more in-store bakers than any other supermarket and produces a whopping 40 millions loaves each year.  That's a LOT of bread!

They recently relaunched their baker range to include more than 70 new and improved products, including delicious artisan breads and pastries.  I am particularly fond of their Swiss Meusli Loaf (containing raisins, dried apple, oats, sunflower seeds, poppy seeds and flax seeds)!!



Focaccia - Available in two delicious varieties, Sea Salt & Rosemary and Mixed Olive, these tasty breads are ideal for dipping into extra virgin olive oil and Morrisons own Signature Balsamic Vinegar.  At £1.99 these are a delicious addition to any party table or buffet.




I love to serve them as a bread along with some hearty soups or stews . . . but enjoyed some here today with their suggestions of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.



They both had lovely light textures, but as a real Olive lover . . . the olive one was my absolute favourite.  I can see the Sea Salt & Rosemary one going very well with a hearty lamb or beef stew or soup!



The Tiger Paw - Perfect for children, this tear and share bread has a unique crusty mottled exterior, and with rolls in the shape of a tiger's paw.  It is ideal for picnics.  Fill with some finely sliced ham and all of the family favourite sandwich fillings to create a lovely lunchtime sandwich roll.  70p each or 2 for £1.

 

Honey & Sunflower Star -  This honey enriched bread blends the flavors of nutty sunflowers with the sweetness of honey to create a wonderful tear and share bread that is great with soups or pates.  A small version is also available in the Pick and Mix selection for 30p or five for £1.  This large loaf goes for £1.59, and I have to say upfront . . . this has always been one of my favorites in their bread range.  It has a beautiful flavor and texture and I love the nuttiness of the sunflower seeds, mixed with the sweetness of the honey.  I am particularly fond of it spread with softened butter and more honey, and then topped with a slice of cheddar . . . but then I am a bit crazy that way!



Chocolate Twist - Baked fresh in the store these chocolatey delights made with French butter are the perfect breakfast pastry and would be best served up with a nice cup of tea or an ice cold glass of milk.  They sell at 2 in a pack for £1.  I really enjoyed mine this morning with a nice cup of hot chocolate.  Tres magnifique!!



Sourdough Boule - This great all rounder is perfect for sandwiches, as a meal accompaniment or simply with lashings of Morrisons own Jersey Butter.  To take your sourdough to a new level why not spread on some of their soft Boilie Cheese with Sundried Tomato Pesto, along with your favourite fillings.

 

I really enjoyed this fine rustic loaf of bread.  It's sturdy and has a nice crumb and flavor, only slightly sour, in a most pleasant way . . . in short, this is the perfect loaf of bread in my opinion.  Today I used some of this to make us some delicious BLT sandwiches for our lunch, but of course . . .  knowing me as you do, you can just imagine that these were not your ordinary everyday BLT's!

And of course . . . you would be RIGHT!  (You know me so well . . . )

 

This is the way I have been making my BLT's for years.  Sometimes I stuff this delicious filling into hollowed out baguettes, perfect for taking on picnics.  I have never had anyone turn their noses up at them.

 

Today I simply presented them on lightly toasted slices of this fantastic Sourdough Boule!  It held up wonderfully with the flavors of this particularly tasty filling, and held things together in the best of ways.  A less sturdy loaf might not be able to withstand it all . . . but this was perfection.



Imagine . . . a sturdy well flavored loaf, topped with a scrummy Pesto mayonnaise . . . topped with crisp slices of fried streaky bacon and  thickly sliced fresh tomatoes . . . but that is not all . . .

 

Drizzle the tomatoes with a fabulous balsamic house dressing, prepared by your own two hands . . . tangy and sweet, perfect to enhance the flavors of those lovely ripe tomatoes . . . topped with shredded lettuce and another pesto mayo spread slice of that beautiful toasted Sourdough Boule!



Now THAT'S what I call a gooooood sandwich!!



*The World's Best BLT Sandwich*
Serves  4, depending on how hungry you are
Printable Recipe

This is a recipe I had previously posted on Food.com.  It truly is the world's best BLT.  What makes it the best?  Well maybe it's the Pesto Mayo . . . or it could be that lovely Balsamic House Dressing that you drizzle over the tomatoes.  Whatever it is, it IS the world's best, hands down.  (The version on Food.com is a stuffed Baguette.  I have adapted it here today to be made as a normal sandwich.)

4 thick slices of sour dough bread
5 TBS of good quality mayonnaise (I like Hellman's)
3 TBS good quality basil pesto (make your own or use a good
one from the chiller section of your local grocery store)
10 slices of streaky bacon, cooked until  crisp
2 large ripe fresh tomatoes, thickly sliced (I always store my tomatoes on the countertop,
it makes them tastier.  Never put them in the fridge.)
1 head of red leaf lettuce, washed, dried and shredded

For the house dressing:
(Use any leftovers in salads over the next couple of days)
60ml of balsamic vinegar, best quality (1/4 cup)
3 TBS caster sugar
2 TBS Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp soy sauce
125ml of extra virgin olive oil

First make the house dressing.  Place all of the ingredients, with the exception of the olive oil into your blender.  With the motor on low, very slowly drizzle in the olive oil, blending until it is thoroughly combined.  Set aside.

Preheat the grill or broiler.  Toast your slices of bread, very lightly on both sides.  Remove from the grill, and keep warm.

Whisk together the mayonnaise and pesto.  Spread some of this mixture onto one side of each slice of toasted bread.  Top half of the slices with the cooked bacon and top with the sliced tomatoes.  Drizzle with some of the house dressing. Place the shredded lettuce onto the other toasted and pesto covered bread slices, dividing it equally.  Press the sandwiches together with all of the fillings on the inside and serve.  Cut in half on the diagonal to serve.

  

The Toddster and I both enjoyed these very much.

Many thanks to Katie Hoy of 3MONKEYS communications and Morrisons for affording me this delicious opportunity.  All of these fabulous breads are available now at Morrisons throughout the United Kingdom.

 

I haven't been really able to do a lot of cooking this week during the day, what with all of this work going on in our bathroom, and at night I'm far too tired. You wouldn't think that renovating just one room would create such chaos, but it does . . . happy to say though, things are well  on the way towards being done, and there should only be a few more days of mither.  It's looking great so far!!  Anyways, simple food has been the rule of the day with as little cooking as possible.  You can't really plan much with the power being turned on and off haphazardly . . . it would be terrible to have a cake or a roast in the oven and have the power shut down.

 

You just can't beat having a delicious homebaked muffin for a great "Breakfast on the Go!"  Now that the school year has begun once more in earnest . . . those morning moments are all the more precious.  Breakfast being the most important meal of the day . . . it's also really important that you eat something which is substantial, fairly healthy and that will help to keep you going until at least coffee break time!



Children have early morning sports and club activities to dash off to, early morning buses to catch . . . mom and dad are trying to get everything sorted, showered and fed before they have to dash off to work . . . and the list goes on and on.  It soon becomes far much easier to pick up a donut at the coffee shop on the way in, or feed the hungry babes with a pop tart or other equally as chemical and additive filled portable "breakfast" goodie.  Not good . . . they might taste good . . . but they are just not good for you.

 

Wholesome and hearty muffins, baked with natural ingredients are a delicious and healthier alternative to a fast food breakfast sandwich or other "quick" choice.   Taste tempting muffins such as these fabulous ones shown here today . . .

 

Muffins made with whole grains . . . fruit, not a lot of fat, not a lot of sweetening . . . filling and tasty nonetheless . . . and reasonably sized, not gargantuan.  A muffin is supposed to be a muffin . . . not a cake baked in a muffin tin.



Breakfast on the go.  Portable goodness.  Very easy to bake ahead and freeze, and then just take out as and when you are wanting something quick, and wholesome . . . and filling.  This will put some lead in your pencil and help to get you and your family through the morning without  finding yourself hungry again half an hour down the road, and so starving by elevensies that you grab something very bad for you like a candy bar or a bag of crisps . . .

 

I used to have my own coffee shop years ago . . . and these tasty little babies were one of the most popular muffins on the menu.  You can substitute mild molasses for the maple syrup if you wish, and other dried fruits for the sultanas . . . if sultanas are not to your taste.

 

The low fat buttermilk makes them moist . . . sweetened naturally with some maple syrup and muscovado sugar . . . whole bran cereal and unbleached plain flour . . . naturally sweet sultanas, high in fibre and low in fat.   These are my breakfast winners!  (Sans the butter, of course!!  What can I say . . . I felt like indulging myself this morning . . . I can sometimes be quite naughty.)



*Everyday Maple, Bran and Sultana Muffins*
Makes 12 medium muffins

I like my Bran Muffins chock full of raisins, but feel free to subsitute other dried fruits such as blueberries, cranberries or chopped apricots or dates. 
Moist and delicious muffins!  Not too sweet.  I bake these and then store them in the freezer.  Then I take them out, one or two at a time and just reheat them for a few seconds in the microwave.

375ml of low fat buttermilk (1 1/2 cups)
2 large free range eggs
4 TBS unsalted butter, melted
60ml of sunflower oil (1/4 cup)
60ml of pure maple syrup (1/4 cup)
50g of all bran cereal (about 1 1/2 cups)
225g of raisins (1 1/2 cups)
100g of plain flour (1 cup)
30g of wheat or oat bran (1/2 cup)
50g of soft light brown muscovado sugar (1/4 cup packed)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
50g of toasted chopped walnuts, or pecans (1/2 cup) (optional)

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Butter a standard sized  12 cup metal muffin tin(2 1/2 inch diameter cups) really well, including the top of the pan.  Set aside.

Combine the buttermilk, butter, eggs, oil, maple syrup, bran cereal and raisins in a large bowl.  Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to soften the bran and plump the raisins.

Whisk the nuts (if using), flour, wheat bran, sugar, baking powder, soda and sea salt together in another bowl.  Make a well in the centre and add the liquid mixture.   Fold together just to moisten.  Divide the batter between the muffin cups, filling them just level with the edge of the pan.  Bake in the centre of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown, well risen and spring back when lightly touched.  A toothpick should also come out of the centre clean.  Don't overbake.  Allow to sit in the pans for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.  Serve on the day, or freeze in air tight containers for up to 3 months.  (Reheat for about 30 seconds in the microwave when you are ready to eat.)

The rain is just pelting down this afternoon . . . bucketing down . . . cats and dogs . . . so hard that the drops are bouncing right back up into the air . . .

This is the kind of day that you want to spend tucked up indoors . . . curled up on the sofa with a good book, a mug of something hot . . . and some scrummy biscuits to much on. There were none to be had in the house, and so I did what any cook worth her metal would do . . . I baked some. (not American biscuits . . . British biscuits . . . aka cookies.)



Real Bourbon Biscuits . . . just like the ones you can buy in the shops, except they're much, much better of course. Homemade is always better. Bourbon Biscuits were created by the same Bermondsey biscuit company as Garibaldis (squashed fly biscuits,) and were named after the Royal French House of Bourbon. Not after the alcoholic drink. Just so you know . . .



A basic Bourbon biscuit is a beautiful thing to behold . . . two thin rectangles of crisp dark chocolate biscuit sandwiched together with chocolate buttercream filling for an altogether . . . elegant . . . chocolaty . . . sandwich type of cookie.



Rich and crisp . . . these are very moreish I think . . . almost dangerous. Simple to make though . . . very easy. A simple chocolate dough, rolled and cut into rectangles, dusted with some caster sugar and then baked. Finally sandwiched together with a rich chocolate buttercream, these are pleasing on many levels . . .



They are soothing, comforting . . . and hit that childish spot in each of our hearts . . . and yet they can be very adult . . . add a touch of bourbon if you wish, to the buttercream. We don't do raw alcohol here . . . so I didn't. I used a touch of vanilla.



Borrowed and adapted from Jamie Magazine. (It also gave me the opportunity to use my new biscuit cutter and word stamp thingie. I got them here.)




*Real Bourbon Biscuits*
Makes about 14
Printable Recipe

Rich dark chocolate biscuits with a creamy chocolate filling. Adapted from Jamie Magazine.

For the Biscuits:
50g unsalted butter (3 1/2 TBS)
50g soft light brown sugar (4 TBS packed)
1 TBS golden syrup
110g plain flour (1 cup plus 1 3/4 TBS)
20g cocoa powder (not the drink mix, scant 3 TBS)
(I used Cadbury's Bournville cocoa powder)
pinch salt
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 to 2 tsp milk
golden caster sugar for sprinkling

For the filling:
50g of unsalted butter, softened (3 1/2 TBS)
75g of sifted icing sugar (generous half cup)
1 TBS cocoa powder, sifted
1 to 2 tsp bourbon



Preheat the oven to 150*C/300*F/ gas mark 3. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment paper. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the golden syrup until smooth. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, salt and soda together in a beaker. Sift this into the creamed mixture. Add the milk a bit at a time, until yo uget a soft even dough. It should be a bit crumbly, but should have the promise of holding together. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about a minute, until it comes completely together. Roll out with a lightly floured rolling pin about 1/4 inch thick. (I rolled mine out onto baking parchment so that I did not have to use a lot of flour.) Cut out into rectangles. If you like you can dot holes into the dough with the end of a skewer. Sprinkle with caster sugar and then carefully lift onto the prepared baking sheet with a metal spatula, leaving some space in between the biscuits.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, then remove from the oven. Carefully lift onto a wire rack to cool completely before proceeding.

To make the filling, cream the butter together with the icing sugar, cocoa powder and enough bourbon to give you a fluffy evenly coloured mixture. Spread a heaped teaspoon onto each of half the baked biscuits and then top with another one, pressing down lightly. Repeat until all the biscuits are filled. Store in an airtight container.

(I did not use real bourbon as we don't do raw alcohol. I used some vanilla.)