YumSugar

The Best Turkey Club Sandwich in the World

Anna Monette Roberts — Tue, 22 May 2012 05:45:38 PDT

Club sandwiches, like burgers or fried chicken, come in a myriad of styles and spinoffs. Some prefer turkey to chicken, rye bread to white, or aioli to mayonnaise. This recipe isn't a true classic club, as it has avocado, cheese, and mustard, but I consider it to be the best. Here, smoky turkey and bacon complement the buttery flavors of the ripe avocado and cheddar cheese. This sandwich - fully loaded with my favorite sandwich fixings - is so good that it converted me back to eating meat after years of vegetarianism. Keep reading to make the sandwich yourself.

Turkey Pot Pie

OnSugar Blog — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:19:10 PST

Turkey pot pie is a necessary indulgence in the world of dieting and salads we all seem to be living in. Yoo Eatz gives us a straightforward, weeknight-friendly recipe for a comforting pot pie.

This holiday season came and went like the whirlwind it always is, and I sit here in the aftermath realizing that I have plenty of recipes to catch up on. So let's take a mini jaunt down memory lane to Thanksgiving, shall we?

Being the lucky recipient of my family's turkey carcass, I ended up with about 6 quarts of homemade stock, most of which sits in the freezer waiting for a chilly night when turkey noodle soup is a quick solution to the question "What's for dinner?" Unfortunately for the stock but quite happily for the rest of us San Franciscans, warm weather has taken up temporary residence in these parts, so soup has been on the back burner, so to speak. But back in late November when temps were still brisk in the low 50s (here, my East Coast friends may shout whatever expletives come to mind), comfort foods were definitely on the brain.

Purists will say that a pot pie must be just that: a pie complete with buttery, flaky crust on the top and the bottom. I get it (admission: I love Marie Calendar's frozen chicken pot pies dumped on a pile of hot white rice), but (1) who has time to whip up pie dough on a weeknight?, and (2) it's hardly a light meal. So I substituted store-bought puff pastry for the crust and focused on a rich, hearty filling for my turkey pot pie. For the recipe, read on.

Thanksgiving Leftovers: Turkey Pot Pie

Lauren Hendrickson — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 03:06:59 PST

Sitting on a mound of leftover turkey? No worries! Bake up a tasty turkey pot pie that's bound to satisfy the whole family. When it comes to pot-pie filling, once you have your roux, you can use the leftover turkey or even experiment with using the leftover side dishes too. I kept my pot pie really simple with onions, celery, and leftover roasted sweet potatoes but I can only imagine that if your family's stocked up on cream of mushroom soup, green beans, or brussels sprouts, they'd be great addition to a pot pie, too.

To keep things really stress-free, pull out the food processor for this incredibly simple flaky pastry crust - or, easier yet, pick up some premade pie dough. Don't let those leftovers go to waste; instead, read more to get the recipe for this comforting leftover turkey pot pie.

Turn Leftover Turkey Into Turkey Soup

Michele Bell — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 02:00:29 PST

What's one to do with all that leftover turkey? You could settle for turkey sandwiches smothered in stuffing and cranberry sauce, or you could make a healthier choice and toss it into a tasty broth for a healthy serving of turkey soup! Got left over celery and carrots? You can toss that stuff in there, too. A filling warm stew, it's the perfect way to wind down the Thanksgiving holiday and take a breather from all that heavy eating.

Come check out the yummy recipe.

6 Must-Have Utensils If You're Making the Turkey This Year

Susannah Chen — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 04:26:24 PST

There's a first time for everything, and for a few brave souls out there, 2011 will be the first Thanksgiving in which you claim responsibility for the turkey. If it's your turn to cook the big bird this year, and you're worried about how it's going to turn out, fear not: we've got answers to every question you may have, whether it's about thawing, pan size, cooking temperature, or brining.

Now that you're fully equipped with turkey cooking knowledge, it's time to ensure you're completely equipped with the right cooking utensils. When we spoke with the experts at Butterball, they emphasized that, if you're going to be presenting the star of the show and you want to do it right, there are six essential kitchen tools you'll need.

A shallow open pan as a roasting vehicle for the turkey.
A roasting rack to place the turkey on, inside the pan. This will lift your turkey away from the direct heat of the pan, and also hold the bird away from the drippings.
Aluminum foil for tenting the turkey. If you're cooking the turkey uncovered, you'll want to place a piece of foil over the top of the breast and drumsticks when the turkey is two-thirds done to prevent the meat from overcooking and drying out.

Find out what the three other must-have tools are when you keep reading.

Roulade Is a Creative and Quick Turkey Centerpiece

Susannah Chen — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:59:18 PST

You may find this hard to believe, but my real Thanksgiving dinner - not the dry test runs that I prepare beforehand in my kitchen as a food editor, but the one I sit down to on Nov. 24 with my family - is incredibly humble. It's usually just the four of us, sitting around a table, eating a turkey and a few understated (but no less satisfying) sides. That's the Thanksgiving I grew up with, and it continues to be my family's holiday cooking style today: no fuss, no muss, and absolutely no pretensions.

I'm not deviating from the family tradition, so this year I'll be preparing an easy turkey roulade. Butterflied turkey breast is spread with a quick and dirty vegetable filling of shiitake mushrooms, artichokes, and onions, then it's rolled up, wrapped in prosciutto, baked until succulent and sliced into individual turkey pinwheels. It's hard to believe that all those elements take 15 minutes to prepare and just 90 minutes to cook, but it's true! Read ahead for an simple, speedy turkey breast recipe that's also elegant.

A Butterball Turkey Talk-Line Expert Weighs in on Thanksgiving

Susannah Chen — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:41:38 PST

We may be living and breathing Thanksgiving plans this week, but we've got nothing on the experts answering phones over at the Butterball Turkey Talk Line, who stand by each holiday season to answer your every turkey conundrum.

I recently dialed the company's talk line headquarters in Naperville, IL, where I caught up with veteran talk-line expert Marty Van Ness. She's been offering turkey advice all day, every day, two months out of the year, for the past 20 years. Since - obviously! - she's got quite a way with turkeys, Marty shared some sage turkey advice, plus a few of her favorite Butterball hotline stories.

YumSugar: How and when did you get started as a talk-line expert?
Marty Van Ness: This is my 20th year. Years ago, in the 1980s, I went to work in a test kitchen and met a group of women who did the talk line. I applied, got the job, and was thrilled. Now I do both jobs, all at the same time.

YS: How do you gear up for the holiday cooking season?
MVN: We start Nov. 1; prior to that, we have Butterball 101 at Butterball University, where our staff of 55 in home economics trains on all different methods of cooking turkey. We learn different methods of cooking turkey and cook all our turkeys, from opening the bag until carving at the end. It's interesting to see 10 different turkeys and their different [cooking] methods; each is wonderful for its own reason.

Read on for more turkey talk-line questions, answered.

Turkey Talk: White Meat vs. Dark Meat

Susi May — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:04:27 PST

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and people are starting to plan their plates. Will you be serving yourself white meat or dark? Perhaps you'll be skipping the bird altogether and opting for a tofu version instead. Many people who avoid dark meat, thinking it's not quite as healthy as white, but depending on your nutritional needs a big ol' drumstick might be for you. We've created a handy chart to see how the different meats compare and have added the stats on Tofurky too. See how they all compare after the break.

Help! Should I Brine My Turkey?

YumSugar — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:14:35 PST

Generally, I stick to basting or butter rubs to ensure a moist bird, but many Thanksgiving cooks swear by brining.

The Culinary Institute of America certainly does: they recommend brining as the very best method to ensure bold flavor and moistness. Essentially a brine is a seasoned aromatic liquid in which the turkey bathes before roasting. This technique is often used in preparing all kinds of poultry to maximize juiciness in the finished product. The salt in the brine breaks down the turkey's proteins, making it more tender and keeping in moisture that would normally be squeezed out. Here are a few important brining tips:

Plan ahead: turkeys generally should brine anywhere from 12-15 hours.
Choose a container large enough to hold the brining liquid and the turkey. You don't want any spillage situations!

For more tips, keep reading.

What's the Deal With Heritage Turkeys?

YumSugar — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 07:19:52 PST

Turkey Day is right around the corner (we're pretty excited for that Tryptophan-induced nap that we all enjoy after stuffing our faces), and heritage turkeys are quickly becoming the talk of the town. You may be wondering what the deal is with these birds. Why is everybody talking about them? Why should we leave our old supermarket turkeys behind? Do they taste better? How should they be cooked?

Don't fret, turkey lovers. We've got some answers for you.