Smoked Turkey and Bacon Chowder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 smoked turkey drumsticks (4 to 4-1/2 lbs. total)
2 cups chopped apple wood smoked bacon (approximately 10 ounces), divided
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and diced
5 cups chopped onions
4 cups chopped celery
3 cups chopped carrots
12 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons tomato paste
12 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
Cayenne pepper
Heat oil in a large pan, add turkey and sauté until brown on all sides (approximately 8 minutes). Transfer to plate. Add 1 cup bacon to pot, stir for one minute (until crispy), and add potatoes, onions, celery, carrots and cloves of garlic. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, approximately 15 minutes. Mix in tomato paste and 12 cups chicken broth and return turkey to pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat and simmer until turkey and vegetables are very tender, one to two hours. Transfer turkey to large plate to cool and cut meat into bite size pieces, discarding all skin, bones and tendons.  Working in batches, purée chowder in food processor until smooth. Return purée to same pot. Add cayenne pepper (1 teaspoon at a time, to taste). Add diced turkey. Thin chowder with more broth (1/4 cup at a time) if too thick. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Ladle chowder into bowls and top with garnish of your choice.
Garnish suggestions: bacon bits and strips of fresh sage.

 

Broccoli Strudel
2 small heads broccoli, steamed, diced
1-1/2 cups grated cheddar
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup cottage cheese
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (16 ounce) phyllo
Bread crumbs
Melted butter
Lay out 2 phyllo sheets side to side, brush on melted butter and add a few bread crumbs. Repeat for eight layers total. Combine broccoli and next seven ingredients. Add broccoli mixture, leaving 2 inches around each side empty. Roll up and seal ends.  Butter top. Cut slits into phyllo but not into broccoli mixture. Place on cookie sheet that has been buttered. Bake at 400° for 10 to 20 minutes, or at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes, until set in golden brown. Let cool slightly before slicing.

 

Raspberry Muffins
1-1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup chopped toasted nuts
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 pint raspberries (unsweetened frozen will work)
Combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, egg and melted butter until just moistened. Fill paper lined muffin cups one half full. Combine nuts, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, lemon zest, and melted butter. Top each muffin cup with four or five raspberries. Crumble nut mixture on top of each muffin. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 1 dozen muffins.

 

Pear Tart
1-1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons sour cream
3 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/3 cup sour cream
2 to 3 pears
Grease a 9-inch tart pan. In food processor, combine 1 1/4 cup flour, salt, butter and 2 tablespoons sour cream. Blend until it forms a ball. Pat into pan. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes. In a bowl, combine egg yolks, sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and 1/3 cup sour cream. Peel and slice pears and arrange on cool baked crust. Pour liquid over top.  Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 365° for 35 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until firmly set.

 

Hot Chicken Salad
2 cups cooked cubed chicken breasts
1 cup chopped celery
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup salted cashews
1/4 cup chopped pimento
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mayonnaise
1 to 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (optional)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon basil
1 can (3-1/2 ounces) French fried onion rings
Paprika
Combine all ingredients, except half of onions and paprika, in a casserole dish. Bake 30 minutes at 350°. Top with remaining onions and paprika and bake uncovered for five minutes longer.
Note: If using Swiss cheese, place on casserole before first baking time.

 

Oven Baked French Toast
1 loaf French bread, sliced 1/2" thick
8 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
2 cups half-and-half
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Topping:
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
3/4 cups butter
1/2 cups brown sugar
3 tablespoons dark corn syrup
Combine the wet ingredients and spices in a bowl and mix well. Line a greased cake pan or casserole dish with the slices of French bread. Pour the wet ingredients over the bread and allow pan to sit in the refrigerator overnight, covered.
The next morning, mix the topping ingredients and spread over the top of casserole.  Bake uncovered at 350° for one hour and 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with maple syrup if desired.

 

Old-Fashioned Chicken Terrine
2 lbs. chicken breast; skinless, boneless
1 bunch green onions, finely minced
1 carrot, finely minced
1 rib celery, finely minced
2 egg yolks
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs, finely ground
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 chicken livers (optional)
Enough sliced bacon to line terrine
Cut chicken into cubes and place them, along with the optional chicken livers, into the work bowl of food processor. Process until well blended, but with enough coarseness to lend interesting texture to the final product. If you're using a smaller processor, do this step in batches, blending in a large mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients. Line the a six cup terrine or loaf pan with very thin slices of non-smoked bacon (Note: you can blanch smoky bacon in boiling water for five minutes to remove that excessively smoky taste.) Pour the chicken forcemeat into the lined terrine; cover the forcemeat with waxed paper and aluminum foil, poking an air hole through the top. Bake in a water bath at 325° for 1-1/2 hours.

 

Dijon Mayonnaise
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cayenne pepper
1 cup corn oil
1/2 cup olive oil
Combine the corn oil and olive oil in a pouring cup. Reserve. Combine the remaining ingredients in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine ingredients. Then, with the motor running, pour in the combined oils until a light emulsion is achieved.