Turkey shepherd's pie

My daughter rarely makes requests for dinner, however the other night she asked me to make shepherd's pie. I was happy to oblige, but wanted to make it a bit healthier and we had to eat early as she had her orchestra recital that same night.

Here's my recipe for easy and delicious Turkey Shepherd's Pie.

2 C. mire aux poix, I bought the fresh pre-chopped carrot, celery and onion mix from Trader Joe's
2 Tbs olive oil
1 C. frozen peas
1 C. frozen corn
2 lbs. ground turkey
kosher salt and pepper
3 Tbs. beef demi-glace, available in most supermarkets
1 C. chicken stock
mashed potatoes, I used frozen mashed potatoes from Trader Joe's and doctored them up with milk and butter, and they were great!

Preheat oven to 375. Saute mire aux poix in olive oil in a large nonstick pan until vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, remove from pan and add to a large bowl. Add frozen peas and corn.

Saute ground turkey in the same pan for 3-4 minutes, add demi-glace and stir to combine. Add chicken stock and continue cooking until turkey is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Remove turkey and add to vegetables, stir to combine.

In another pot, warm potatoes with milk and butter, and cook for 6-7 minutes on medium heat.

Add turkey mixture to a deep casserole pan and spread potatoes over mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Pickle Nirvana- Horman's NY Deli pickles

Are all pickles created equal? I think not. I may have found pickle nirvana in a jar of Horman’s Authentic New York Deli Pickles. I recently tasted their 4 varieties- the classic dill which was perfectly seasoned and crunchy, the spicy kosher which had a hint of heat, but was not overwhelming, the mustard kosher dill chips which had me looking for rye bread and ham in the fridge, and my favorite- the horseradish kosher dill chips, the envy of other pickles! The combination of pickling spices and horseradish is a home-run in my book, and would be perfect on a hot pastrami sandwich, but I would be equally happy eating them by themselves with an ice cold beer!

The Horman family has been making pickles since 1898 and prides themselves on making one thing- a great pickle. They call themselves “picklepreneurs”, and say one of the secrets to producing exceptional pickles is to keep their cukes ice cold from “vine to brine”.

Want to pick up a few jars? There will be a pickle party tomorrow at Fairway Market (595 Canal Street) from 12-3 PM where you will be able to taste (and buy) the four varieties. Try a brine shooter, and learn how to create a decadent relish tray using New York Deli Pickles. www.newyorkdelipickle.com

Thanksgiving leftover ideas...

We have 12 of the 14 pounds of turkey leftover and I am thinking about a few great uses... Recipes to come as they're made.

Turkey enchiladas
Asian turkey fresh spring rolls
Turkey chili -to freeze
Turkey salad with dried cranberries and tzatziki

Homemade (really easy) soft pretzel bites

I caught the last half of a morning talk show last week where they were making chocolately pretzels. While this didn't sound appealing, I loved the basic concept of using pizza dough to make soft pretzels.

I made homemade soft pretzels with marinara dipping sauce. for 5 hungry girls at our house tonight. They disappeared almost as soon as they were put on the table.

Here's the recipe:
1 package fresh pizza dough
kosher salt
garlic salt (optional)
marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 400. Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt generously, and line a cookie sheet with a Silapt mat (if you don't have one, line with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

While the water boils, take small pieces of the pizza dough and roll into finger sized pieces. When the water boils, drop the dough balls into the water and cook until the pieces float to the surface, about 30-45 seconds.

Remove from water, place on the cookie sheet and sprinkle with kosher or garlic salt. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until bites are light golden. Serve with a small bowl of marinara sauce for dipping.

-Options-
Drizzle boiled dough pieces with olive oil, garlic salt and grated Parmesan cheese, bake as directed.

Chinese chicken salad

I've been wanting Chinese chicken salad for about a week now and although it's the "wrong" season for salads, I decided to make it today. I knew it was going to make a lot, so I invited my friend over to join me.

The thing I love about salads is you really can add in whatever you have and make it work!

Here's my delicious recipe for Chinese chicken salad:

Salad
1 C. cooked shredded or diced chicken
2 C. shredded cabbage
2 C. romaine lettuce
1/2 C. chopped snap or snow peas
1 C. chopped cilantro
1 C. chopped celery
1 C. shredded carrots
1 C. thinly sliced red pepper
1/2 C. diced scallions (white and green parts)
1 C. mandarin oranges
1/2 C. toasted sliced almonds
1/2 C. fried lo mein noodles, ( I didn't have any so I crumbled up a package of Ramen noodles and threw that in instead)

Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine.

Dressing:
juice from 1 lime
1/4 C. rice wine vinegar
1/2 C. toasted sesame oil
1/4 C. soy sauce
pinch of sugar
1 cube of frozen ginger

Combine all dressing ingredients in a leftover jam jar with a lid, shake vigorously until combined.

This salad was really a snap to make and feeds at least 6 for lunch.

Guest chef at the Westport Farmer's Market

I was asked to be the guest chef at the Westport Farmer's Market tomorrow, Thursday, October 7th from 10-1. I will be making 2 delicious fall infused foods to sample using products from the farmers market.

Please stop by for a visit and a nibble. Here are the recipe's I'll be making. Hope to see you tomorrow!

Balsamic macerated figs with sweetened ricotta


10 fresh black figs, quartered
½ C. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. agave, honey or sugar
2 C. whole milk ricotta
¾ C. confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract


Combine figs, vinegar and agave in an airtight container and let sit for at least 3 hours before serving.

In another container, combine ricotta, sugar and vanilla and stir well to combine. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Place a dollop of ricotta in the center of a plate and add a few figs and balsamic mixture around ricotta, serve.

Fall Bruschetta


1 onion
4 tbs. olive oil, divided
¼ C. balsamic vinegar
2 tbs. agave or sugar
1 large eggplant
2 apples
1 butternut squash
kosher salt and pepper
1 tsp. sweet paprika
pinch of cayenne

1 baguette, sliced into 1” thick pieces


For caramelized onions:
Thinly slice onion and add to a nonstick pan with 2 Tbs. olive oil on medium heat. Add balsamic vinegar and agave, and cook over medium heat until liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. *Note, onions can be made up to 3 days in advance.

Preheat oven to 425. Line a cookie sheet with a Silpat mat. Finely dice eggplant and apples, leaving both skins on. Finely dice squash but remove skin. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Place mixture in a single layer on the Silpat lined cookie sheet and roast for 10-12 minutes. Gently turning halfway through cooking. Remove from heat and add onions. Place a spoonful of the bruschetta on a piece of baguette and serve at room temperature.

Upcoming Fall Harvest Class

I have an exciting new class next week called Fall Harvest Dinner Party. It's on Wednesday, October 13th at the beautiful Christopher Peacock Cabinetry showroom in Greenwich, CT from 11-12:30a.m.

Here's a sneak peak at the menu:

Pear and gorgonzola flatbread with arugula

Butternut squash and goat cheese ravioli

Lamb and leek stew over garlicky white beans

Gingerbread trifle with candied ginger

There are just a few spots left, so register at www.timetoeat.info if you'd like to attend.