Recipe(tried): This Weeks Winners

Monday Nights Dinner

I got this one from my cyber-buddy Terry from Texas. She has given me some
wonderful recipes and this is now included. If you have some turkey stock in
your freezer, and some shredded roasted turkey you are set and it makes it
quicker. But it still has to cook a long time. A good one for a cold day like
today too - it was frigid here in NJ. This will warm your bones:

* Exported from MasterCook *

TURKEY GUMBO

Recipe By : Terry, TX
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cajun Stews

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 turkey carcass*
4 cups leftover turkey meat -- or more
1 cup oil*
1 cup flour*
1 large onion -- or 2 small onions
-- chopped
6 green onions with tops -- sliced
4 small stal celery -- or more sliced
1 green bell pepper -- chopped
4 tablespoons fresh parsley -- chopped
2 cloves garlic -- or more chopped
salt and pepper
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon cayenne -- or more to taste
1 10 oz package frozen sliced okra -- optional
additional chicken broth -- or turkey
broth if needed
RISA'S ADDITIONS
dash Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
cilantro -- chopped for garnish
5 shots Louisiana hot sauce, or to taste

Boil carcass in 2 qts water for at least 1 hour. Pick meat from bones. Strain
broth. Add chicken broth to make 3 qts liquid.

Make a roux: Heat oil in heavy skillet, over med. heat. Remove skillet from
heat and gradually add flour until well blended. Return to heat and cook,
stirring constantly, over very low heat until rich dark brown, about 45 min.

Add vegs. and continue to cook and stir 10 min, or till vegs are tender. Add
turkey and cook and stir 5 more min. Add to broth with seasonings. Bring to a
boil; reduce heat and simmer 1-1/2 to 2 hrs. Serve over rice.

*We don't eat the drumsticks so I add them also. I have a recipe for microwave
roux that is eaiser than this old fashioned way. Will send it too along with an
oil-less one if I can find it.

Microwave roux

1 cup oil 1 cup flour

Combine in a deep bowl, stirring well. Microwave, uncovered, at high power for
6 min., stirring after 3 min. Stir well. Microwave, uncovered, at high power
2-4 min. more until roux is the color of a copper penny, stirring every 30
seconds.

I like my roux to be a deep chocolate brown, so I just keep on nuking in 2 min.
intervals till I get it the color I want it.

Now for the fatless roux! I have never tried this, but think gumbo would not be
as good, but you never know!

4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place flour in a heavy roasing pan and put in
oven. When it begins to brown on the surface, after about 25 min., open the
oven and stir with a long-handled wooden spoon, breaking up any lumps. Continue
stirring every 5 min. until flour reaches nut-brown color, about 1 hr. As
flour reaches this stage it will begin to smell like hazelnuts.

Carefully remove from oven and let cool. When cool enough to handle, strain
through a sieve to remove any lumps. Use immediately, or allow to cool, then
store in an airtight container in fridge or freezer.

Suggestions: Add to any dish to thicken. To use in recipes that call for a
traditional roux, combine 1/4 cup browned-roux with 1/2 cup liquid, stir well to
form a paste. Slowly pour roux paste into gently boiling liquid, such as gumbo,
stirring constantly.


Risa's Notes: I did very little to change Terry's recipe. I made the roux in the
microwave. Boy did that make it easy. I already had fresh turkey stock so I
didn't have to use a carcass and I already had the cooked turkey meat. Plus I
had some cooked okra in the freezer, so I just defrosted it and added it close
to the end.

I served it with white rice seasoned with creole seasoning, no extra salt and it
was luscious.
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Busted by RisaG
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Tuesday Nights Dinner

It was vegetarian food tonight -- Chilean to be exact, from Sundays at the
Moosewood. I had forgotten I even had this book until a friend mentioned wanting
it. I pulled it out and found such a wealth of wonderful recipes.

I cut out the ingredients I don't like and made the recipe. It was pretty good.
I served it with thin sliced potatoes that were sauteed until golden and I
sprinkled a bit of salt and pepper on them. That was that.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Pastel de Choclo (Corn and Tofu Casserole)

Recipe By : Sundays at the Moosewood Restaurant
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 med onions -- finely chopped
3 cloves garlic -- pressed
1 tbsp sweet paprika
2 tsp black pepper -- or more to taste
1 tbsp cumin seeds -- ground
2 tsp salt -- to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cakes pressed tofu -- grated or crumbled
1 cup tomatoes -- chopped
1/4 tsp dried oregano
2 hard boiled eggs -- peeled/thinly sliced
3/4 cup pitted black olives -- whole
1/2 cup raisins
2 16 oz cans cut corn -- drained
2 eggs
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves -- chopped or 1 T. dry
1/4 tsp salt

Saute the onions and garlic with the spices and seasonings in the olive oil.
When the onions are translucent, add the tofu, tomatoes, and oregano and
continue to cook, covered, for 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Spread the mixture evenly into an oiled 8x12 inch baking dish. Top with the egg
slices, evenly distribute the olives in rows pressing them gently into the
mixture, and sprinkle with the raisins.*

In a blender or food processor, puree the corn with the eggs, basil, and salt.
Pour this evenly over the top of the mixture in the baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for 45 minutes. The pastel should bake like a frittata
and be lightly browned on top but still moist.

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NOTES : * I omitted the hard boiled egg slices and the raisins. I hate hard
boiled eggs and my husband doesn't like fruit in his food (except as fresh fruit
by itself or banana in his cereal). I just used sliced olives (which I am not
too thrilled with) and then put the corn puree topping on it.
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Wednesday Nights Dinner

Simple oriental noodles. Had similar pesto in the freezer along with some
chopped serrano peppers. I defrosted and combined the two for the spicy pesto.
The rest of the recipe goes like this:

* Exported from MasterCook *

Spicy Pesto Soba

Recipe By : Asian Noodles by Nina Simonds
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 lb snow peas, remove strings -- slice lengthwise
3/4 lb soba noodles -- cook/rinse/drain
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast halves -- cooked/cut in
strips
3/4 cup scallion greens -- minced
SPICY PESTO
1 red chile pepper -- or 1 tsp crushed
6 cloves garlic
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
RICE WINE DRESSING
1/2 cup soy sauce -- + 1 tbsp
6 tbsp japanese rice vinegar
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp mirin (japanese sweet rice wine) -- OR
2 tbsp chinese rice wine -- or sake + 1 T. sugar
RISA'S VARIATION THOUGHTS
medium shrimp -- cooked
lobster meat -- cut in chunks

For pesto: Blend all ingredients to a paste in a food processor or a blender.

For dressing: Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.

For noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the snow peas and blanch
for 10 seconds. Drain, refresh in cold water, and drain again. Blot dry with
paper towels.

In a bowl, toss together the noodles and the spicy pesto. Arrange the noodles on
a platter and arrange the snow peas, chicken, and scallions in concentric
circles on top, with the chicken and scallions in the center. Serve the dressing
on the side or sprinkle the dressing on top and toss lightly.

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NOTES : I didn't have any chicken for this so I used dried mushrooms (shiitakes)
that I soaked in hot water and drained. I sliced them thinly and sauteed them
for a moment or two. Then I put them on top with the scallions and other
ingredients.

I served it with chinese-style green beens with a sauce from Sundays at The
Moosewood Restaurant - the recipe did not come out that great so it is not
included here.
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Thursday Nights Dinner

This is a good dish to serve on a cold night. Pretty quick to put together and
very hearty and we really enjoyed it. I used Minute Brown Rice for the instant
rice. I cooked it in the microwave oven and it came out perfect with little
clean-up. I halved the recipe. I always have to do that and we still have
leftovers. But this was really good. I enjoyed it quite a lot.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Smoked Sausage, Beans & Rice

Recipe By : More So Fat, Low Fat, No Fat by Betty Rohde
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 lb lowfat smoked sausage -- sliced/quartered
3/4 cup onion -- chopped
1/2 cup green pepper -- chopped
3/4 cup celery -- chopped
1 tbsp garlic -- chopped
1 16 oz can fat free refried beans with salsa -- such as Rosita
2 15 oz cans ranch-style pinto beans -- undrained*
1/2 cup prepared salsa -- medium or hot
4 drops hot sauce -- or to taste**
1 tbsp cajun spice blend
1 tsp chili powder
2 cups instant rice, cook according to directions -- w/o butter
or salt

In a large deep skillet, brown the sausage; add the onions, green peppers,
celery, and garlic. Add about 1/4 cup water and saute over medium heat for 5-7
minutes or until the vegetables are tender. If using frozen vegetables, you may
not need to add as much water.

Pour in 1 cup water, the refried beans, and the 2 cans of pinto beans; stir
until well mixed. (Refried beans will thicken this dish; water is to make a good
consistency. You may need to add a little more, according to your preference.)

Add the salsa, hot sauce, cajun spice, and chili powder. Stir to mix. Simmer for
10 minutes, add the rice, and mix well. Continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes,
until hot.

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Serving Ideas : salad, bread

NOTES : * I used some already cooked frozen pinto beans I had.
** I used some habanero sauce

I made half of the recipe and it was still a little too much just for my husband
and I to eat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday Nights Dinner

We're having pizza...but not take-out. I made the dough in the breadmaker (DAK
Turbo IV) and made the pizzas on my pizza stone (first time).

I thought the pizza came out pretty good. I need to work on rolling it out
thinner. But the flavor was all there.

First the dough recipe:

* Exported from MasterCook *

Pizza Crust

Recipe By : Bread Machine Baking...Perfect Every Time by Brody/Apter
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 tbsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup cornmeal
3 tbsp whole wheat flour -- I used 12 grain flr
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups water -- + add'l water if nec
2 tbsp olive oil

Have all the ingredients at room temperature. Place all the ingredients in the
machine, program for manual (on DAK) or Dough, and press Start. Remove the dough
from the machine and let it rest for 10 minutes at room temperature.

Baking Instructions:

If you have a pizza stone or tiles, place them on the middle rack of the oven.
Preheat the oven to 450 F. Sprinkle either a wooden pizza paddle or a heavy-duty
cookie sheet with cornmeal. Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Use your hands or a
floured rolling pin to form 1 piece into a flat 10 to 12 inch disk (large
machines) or a 6-8 inch disk (small machines). Add the toppings of your choice
and either slide the pizza onto the hot stone or tiles or slide the cookie sheet
into the oven.

Bake for 12-15 minutes (large machines) or 10-12 minutes (small machines)
(depending how thick you made the crust), or until the pizza is cooked all the
way through (test the center with the point of a sharp knife). Repeat with the
remaining disk. Serve hot.
Tip: It is much easier to work with chilled pizza dough. Oil a large bowl and
place the dough in it after it is finished in the machine. Cover tightly with
plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours to overnight. Punch the dough down and
proceed as above.

Hints: Remember to leave at least a 1" unsauced border around the outer raised
edge of the pizza so the sauce doesn't flow off when you remove it from the
oven.

If the top seems to be burning and the crust isn't done, lower the oven
temperature to 375 F and lay a sheet of foil, shiny side down, over the burned
area.

Make mini-pizzas by dividing the dough into 4 pieces rather than 2.

Make 2 batches of dough if you want to make more than 2 pizzas. Store the first
one in the refrigerator while you make the second.

Substitute garlic oil for olive oil.

Assemble all the toppings ahead of time and have them at room temperature.

Variation: Add 1 teaspoon of a dried herb such as thyme, basil, or oregano with
the ingredients.

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NOTES : Makes enough dough for either 2 medium sized "personal" pan pizzas or 1
large.

Now the actual pizza recipe:

* Exported from MasterCook *

Risa's Homemade Pizza

Recipe By : Risa Golding
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 26 oz jar pasta sauce -- or pizza sauce
1 recipe pizza dough -- cut into 2 pieces
1/2 lb mozzarella cheese -- or flavored cheese
TOPPINGS
2 medium onions -- sliced thinly
2 medium red bell peppers -- roasted
olive oil
salt and pepper -- to taste

Make dough.

Preheat oven to 450 F. Place pizza stone or tiles in oven and let it heat up for
1/2 hour.

While pizza stone is heating up, heat a 12" nonstick skillet over medium-low
heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Saute onions until caramelized. Set
aside until cooled a bit. Slice 1 roasted red bell pepper into thin strips. Set
aside in small bowl.

Roll out dough to 3/4" thickness. Place rolled pizza dough either on pizza peel
or cookie sheet with parchment paper on it (and cornmeal sprinkled on parchment
paper). Spread 1/2 the sauce on the pizza, leaving a 1" edge uncovered by sauce.
Sprinkle on cheese. Top with onions and then with peppers. Sprinkle with salt
and pepper.

Place pizza (on cookie sheet) directly on pizza stone. Cook for 6 minutes. After
6 minutes, slide the pizza off the parchment paper right onto the pizza stone.
Let it finish baking until the crust is fully cooked and the cheese is melted.
Take it out of the oven and do the remaining steps with the other piece of
dough.

When the other pizza is fully cooked, remove from the oven. Let it sit a moment
and then cut and serve.



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NOTES : I serve pizza with a small bowl of chopped raw or roasted garlic and
some jars of garlic powder, and Paul Prudhomme's Pizza & Pasta Magic (herbal)
and sometimes some crushed red pepper flakes.


ENJOY! RISAG