Turkey and Sausage Gumbo

How many different dishes do you make with your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers? Of course you always have turkey sandwiches and sliced breast meat with mashed potatoes and leftover gravy, but have you tried making soup?

One of my favorite turkey recipes is turkey and sausage gumbo. My son Chris first introduced me to gumbo and I must say it is one of my favorite soup recipes. Try this before you decide to toss the turkey.

Ingredients:

1 pound of Polish sausage or Andouille (spicy Cajun sausage) cut into bite size pieces

3-4 cups of skinned chopped turkey from leftovers or roasted chicken

½ cup vegetable oil

¾ cup flour

½ cup chopped sweet pepper

1 medium chopped onion

2 cups chopped celery with leaves

4 pints turkey or chicken broth

3-4 cloves minced garlic

2-3 bay leaves

2 teaspoons Creole seasoning

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 pinch of thyme

6 drops of hot sauce or to taste

¼ cup chopped green onion (for garnish)

1 cup brown rice cooked according to package directions

Directions:

When your turkey dinner is finished prepare the leftovers by removing skin and bones and separate meat into packages appropriate for your family meals. Freeze all that won’t be used within a couple of days.

1, Prepare turkey for soup by chopping it into bite size pieces and set it aside.

2. Place hot water in medium pot with turkey bones and scraps, some onion and celery.

This will make a flavorful broth. Cook until veggies are tender.

3. Sauté the sausage in a large skillet until brown. Remove most of fat using a paper towel then remove sausage from skillet and set aside.

4. Pour vegetable oil into skillet with remainder of fat. Add the flour and stir constantly on medium heat until roux is the color of chocolate (about 25-30 minutes).

5. Add chopped peppers, onion, and celery to skillet and cook until vegetables are tender (about ten minutes).

6. Pour broth from turkey bones and contents of skillet into soup kettle. Add more water and chicken bullion if needed to make about two quarts of liquid. Stir until soup is slightly thickened.

7. Add sausage, turkey or chicken, garlic and rest of ingredients through hot sauce. Simmer about an hour.

8. While soup simmers prepare brown rice according to package directions. This will take about 40 minutes.

9. Remove bay leaves and sprinkle soup with chopped green onions.

10. Serve this delectable gumbo over the rice. What a wonderful way to serve leftover turkey.

Send your recipes for leftovers to our blog. We’d love to share some of your favorites!

Shrimp Pad Thai with Brown Rice

I love Pad Thai and took a craving for some the other day. I looked through the cupboard but couldn’t find any rice noodles. I assessed the ingredients on hand and came up with a new dish. After trying it the family all agreed we should definitely make it again. Try it yourself and see what you think.

                                            

Ingredients for brown rice:

1 cup brown rice

2 ½ cups water

1 teaspoon salt

In medium pot combine rice, water, and salt then bring to a boil. Stir once, lower temperature to simmer and cover. Continue cooking for 40 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. If you prefer, use rice noodles instead of brown rice. Set aside.

Shrimp and vegetable ingredients:

3 cups precooked shrimp pealed with tails removed

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 cup chopped celery with leaves

 ½ cup chopped red or yellow sweet peppers

1 can drained sliced water chestnuts

 ½ cup Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki Sauce or more to taste

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 cup frozen peas

½ cup chopped cucumbers

½ cup peanut butter or chopped peanuts

3 cup chopped lettuce

While rice cooks, thaw shrimp in colander placed in large bowl. Allow shrimp to stand in cold water until thawed.

In a large skillet sauté celery and red peppers in the coconut oil for about five minutes.

Add (drained) water chestnuts and cook for five minutes more. Add drained shrimp, soy sauce, Teriyaki sauce, and peanut butter. Allow to simmer for a few minutes more then add frozen peas. When peas are thawed and warm add the lettuce and cover. Turn off skillet and let set for few minutes more. Serve over brown rice or rice noodles prepared according to package directions. This should serve six. Enjoy!

Picnic and Reunion Fare—Brown Rice, Tomato and Basil Salad

The 4^th of July reminds me of picnics and family reunions with cousins, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews galore—the perfect time to catch up on the latest family news and savor the recipes you remember from your childhood. I will be attending these celebrations this summer and will be looking out for some new recipes to add to my repertoire. May you also have the joy of family and friends to share your picnics and reunions.

This year I’ll bring some healthy salads to have with that pulled pork barbecue. Try this Brown Rice, Tomato, and Basil Salad with your vegetables straight from the garden.

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups water

1 cup long-grain brown rice

2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 tablespoon white wine vinegar

2 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound ripe tomatoes chopped into ½ inch cubes

1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat water, salt, and rice in medium sized pot and bring to a boil. Stir once, reduce temperature to a simmer and cover. Cook for 40 minutes until water has evaporated. Turn heat off, cool and transfer to a large serving bowl and fluff with a fork.
2. In a small bowl whisk: vinegar, sugar, and olive oil. Poor over cooled rice.
3. Add chopped basil and tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Make at least six hours ahead. Cover and chill or place in refrigerator over night. Bring to room temperature to serve with your favorite picnic fare.