The Anatomy of a Leftover Turkey … A Dirty Word

Now before turkey becomes a dirty word in your house we must discuss leftovers.  Now make sure you have some Ziploc bags on the kitchen counter. As soon as the table is cleared from dinner start to bag up that BIRD.  Try to give every guest that came to dinner a bag of this bird that they raved about.  Make sure that you attached all the recipes from this blog post.  So when they say they don’t know what to do with it you respond recipes attached thanks to this blog.  Instead of wondering what you are going to do with all that turkey (the dirty word) wonder what you will buy on Black Friday.

Asian Turkey Barbecue on Sesame Scallion Toasts

1/3 cup hoisin sauce

1/4 cup barbeque sauce

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided

3 cups cooked, chopped turkey meat

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup diced green onions, divided

4 English muffins, split

Preheat the broiler

In a large saucepan over medium heat, whisk together hoisin sauce, barbeque sauce, ginger and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Mix in turkey, salt, pepper and green onions, gently tossing until all ingredients are well blended. Cook approximately 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix the remaining sesame oil and remaining green onions. Brush the cut sides of the English muffins lightly with the mixture. Place the muffin halves face up on a medium baking sheet. Broil English muffins 2 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Remove from heat and top with turkey mixture. Serve warm.

TURKEY NACHOS

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted

3/4 cup salsa

1 cup cubed cooked turkey or chicken

Tortilla chips

Combine soup and salsa in a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Stir in turkey; cook until heated through. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Turkey Tetrazzini

1 (16 ounce) package uncooked spaghetti

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups milk

1 2/3 cups grated Parmesan cheese

4 cups chopped cooked turkey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain, and place in the prepared baking dish.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour. Mix in chicken broth and milk. Cook and stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Stir in about 1 1/3 cups Parmesan cheese, and remove from heat.

Mix chicken broth mixture and turkey with spaghetti. Top with remaining cheese. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until surface is lightly browned.

Turkey Enchiladas

2 cups shredded Cheddar and Monterey cheese blend

1 onion, chopped

1 (2 ounce) can sliced black olives

24 (6 inch) corn tortillas

1 (19 ounce) can red enchilada sauce

4 cups cooked turkey, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine the cheese, onion, and black olives.

In a small skillet, heat enough oil to lightly coat one tortilla, and cook until soft. Remove and dip in enchilada sauce to coat.

Add turkey and cheese mixture to center of tortilla, roll and place in the prepared dish. Repeat until bottom layer of pan is covered with enchiladas. Spread enough sauce over bottom layer to cover.

Repeat process with a second layer; spread remaining sauce on top and sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture. Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is melted.

TURKEY LOAF

1/2 pound ground turkey

1 egg

1/4 cup salsa

1/8 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/8 cup chopped yellow bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

                            lemon pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl combine the turkey, egg, salsa, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, onion, bread crumbs and lemon pepper. Mix well with hands until blended. Press mixture into a loaf pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes

Thanksgiving Turkey Bake

1-1/2 cups finely chopped onion

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 cups cubed whole grain bread

3 cups cubed white bread

2 cups cubed cooked turkey breast

1/2 cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries

In a large saucepan, bring the onion, celery and 1/2 cup broth to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat. Stir in the eggs, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper and remaining broth until blended. Add the bread cubes, turkey and cranberries; mix well.

Spoon into a 2-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Uncover; bake 20-25 minutes longer or until a thermometer reaches 160°

Butternut Turkey Bake

1 medium butternut squash (about 2-1/2 pounds)

3/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups seasoned salad croutons

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 cups cubed cooked turkey

1 cup Chicken Broth

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cut squash in half; discard seeds. Place cut side down in a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan; add 1/2 in. of hot water. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45 minutes.

Drain water from pan; turn squash cut side up. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until tender. Scoop out pulp; mash and set aside.

In a large skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in the croutons, salt, poultry seasoning and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes longer or until croutons are toasted. Stir in the squash, turkey and broth; heat through.

Transfer to a greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until edges are bubbly and cheese is melted.

Simply Homemade Is Right!!!!

This a great little shop for sweets lovers.  The shop's owner sets her goals and start putting here plans into action.

What is the name of your shop and how did you come with the name?

My Shop Name is Kays Simply Homemade. I came up with this name when my kids were little, they would always ask me for treats at the store and I would tell them homemade is best and simply homemade is how it’s done in my family.

What is your product line?
Baked goods such as cookies, cakes, pies, muffins, brownies, and specialty treats are currently my product line.

How did you decide what items to put in your shop?
I spent several months going over recipes I have used for years and a few new one I have come up with. I started baking for friends and family and I asked them to help me decide what they liked and these are their choices and mine.

What challenges did you encounter when you opened your shop and how did you overcome them?
Well, I have never had a shop online before so I had to learn how to set it up with shipping and pricing. The Etsy was pretty easy.

What advice would you give to someone trying to get started?
Just don’t get discouraged and remember Rome wasn’t built in a day.

What would you say makes you passionate about what you do?
I would say the joy and happiness that surrounds the foods I make, the smiles and expression on people’s faces when they bite into treats I have made makes it all worth it.

Do you feel the social networking is helpful in making your business a success?
Definitely, the more people you know the more people know your business. Getting your name out there is key to the success of your business.

What are some of the local venues where you have had success with your edibles?
Farmers Markets, Trade Fairs, County Fair, Church Bake Sales

Where does your inspiration come from?
Well I would have to say from my family and friends and life

How long have you been baking, who taught you and what was the first thing you baked?
I have been Baking for over 30 years. I learned young from being in the kitchen with my mother and grandma they taught me how to cook from scratch from old family recipes.
My first thing I baked was a cake at age 6 for my sisters birthday

What equipment do you use while baking and what kind of kitchen?
I have a commercial kitchen with all standard baking equipment, I use both Convection and regular ovens and I have a stand mixer which is a must have.

If you had to pick a favorite from your shop, what would it be and why?
It would be the Lemon Blueberry Bread. It reminds me of Summer time and picking berries when I was a kid. Every summer we would go to visit my grandparents, they had a huge garden and we would go sneak blueberries and blackberries and eat them straight off the bushes. Yummy!

What is kayssimplyhomemade’s bestseller?
Lemon Blueberry Bread

Do you have special names for your edibles and how did you come up with them?
Yes, I do it’s A Little Bite of Heaven. I believe that biting into a rich and decadent treat is and can be a heavenly experience.

What are some of the unique items you sell?
I would say most of my items are unique in the sense that they are my Signature Recipes but if I had to narrow it down to a few items Chocolate Zucchini Bread, Spumoni Cookies, Peanut Butter Tuxedo Cookies.

What does it take to get your edibles delivered freshly?
I bake fresh in the morning, package well and ship same day USPS Priority Mail 2-day

What has been the overall reception your shop?
It’s been very good I opened my shop and I had 4 orders within an hour and it has been good ever since.

What do you have special for the holidays?
It’s a secret for now. I have special goodies I only bake during the Holidays; I will incorporate them into my shop with special packaging and pricing.

What would you like our readers, potential customers, to know about you and your store?
My products are made from only freshest and best ingredients, I use organic when I can and I use absolutely no preservatives. All goodies are made by me, by my hands with love. All items are made from my signature recipes and I guarantee all my sweets.

Is there anything I haven’t covered in this interview that you would like to add?
I have been baking and making people smile for over 30 years. It’s my passion and its part of my life to bring joy to others through my food. Love has a lot to do with the outcome of everything in life including baking. It is a key ingredient in making life sweet!

Where can the readers find you?
www.etsy.com/shop/KaysSimplyHomemade

For Sweets Sake!

I have found so many wonderful edible shops on Etsy. This is a continuation of series of interviews entitled “Interviews with the Edibles”.

Alayne, fondly known as “Laynee”, is my next stop as I click my way through the Etsy edible shops. Her shop is inspired by her Grams - her husband’s mother whom she recently (very recently...) lost to cancer. Grams was her everything and her love for Grams was endless. Laynee recently decided to stop slaving over a desk at a dead end job that she disliked immensely; but she had no idea what she was going to do. While her Grams got worse... she had to keep busy to keep myself from going crazy with worry.... She has always known that she would do something on her own – but what? Her Grams was a cook and a very good one at that. She made them all very happy with her Italian treats. Why not let them live on in Laynee’s little shop? Hence the bake shop dedicated to Grams, Their Franny.

What is the name of your shop and how did you come with the name?
For Sweets Sake. http://www.etsy.com/shop/forsweetssake You know, I have no idea how that came to me... I was just thinking about names and it was in my head. After I had my labels done up and got my site started, I thought , “Oh my gosh, what if someone else has that name???” But it’s good and we are super happy about it.

What is your product line?
I sell baked items. My biscotti is my favorite. I love trying new recipes and tweaking them into new product. I would like to add gifts to the product line one day. We will see...

What challenges did you encounter when you opened your shop and how did you over come them.
I had to bake my “you know what” off to make sure that all the products could be the best. I had to choose items that would ship well and be fine after a few days being shipped. Arriving fresh is very important! And the pictures – that was daunting to say the least for a technically disabled gal. Now I need to go on to the next steps – trying to figure out how to produce quantity all in my kitchen.... It can be done! I am super woman!!!

What advice would you give to someone trying to get started?
Pictures are so very important. I won’t even look at someone’s shop if they have not worked on making sure the presentation and pictures are not up to par. Play around and be quirky with it.

What would you say makes you passionate about what you do?
I want this bake shop to do well. I want to bake everyday, all day for people and make them happy. I want to do what I love every day for a living.

Do you feel the social networking is helpful in making your business a success?
Yes, it’s very important. Anything you can do to get your name out there even if it’s giving out samples at your yard sale! My husband likes to fish out on the ocean on boats with lots of people – they get hungry. I have been sending him out with samples of Biscotti and Pitzelles ... they love it! Friends with coffee shops – friends that work at hospitals – breakrooms... just a few ideas.

Have you had success with your edibles in your local venues?
I am brand new. I am still trying to get it all out there... right now I am working on that "success" we are talking about.

Where does your inspiration come from?
Again that would be Grams.... she made me passionate. She was so sweet and laughed always... I miss that.

How long have you been baking, who taught you and what was the first thing you baked?
I started out making home made bread when I was in my teens. Then I learned recipes from some great grams in Illinois that taught you how to test the bread by touching the bottom of the loaf with your nose! I burned my nose a lot!!! I was a hippy of sorts so my oldest son had never had store bought bread for the first 4 years of his life. I spent many hours picking the brains of these wonderful productive women. The old recipes are the best.

What is For Sweets Sakes’ bestseller?
So far we are doing well with the Pitzelle. It’s an Italian cookie made with a press. Tricky to get perfect and its surprise is the anise in it. Try it. You will love them!

What are some of the unique items you sell?
Everything I have mentioned are uniquely our recipes... we put a lot of care into all of them. The Cowboy cookies are fantastic!

What does it take to get your edibles delivered freshly?
Fresh delivery is very important to me. We get the order and bake it the day it goes out. So if you order late on Saturday or Sunday I will not bake it until Monday so that I can get it in the mail that day. I want it to get to you fresh and yummy!

What has been the overall reception your shop?
Reception to my shop has been great. Some folks want me to make variations of what I do and that works for me... anything I can do for you, I will give it a shot.

What do you have special for the holidays?
These are all great for holidays!
My gift box is awesome and so darn cute for anyone. You get to choose what goes in it. And it’s all packaged well so that it comes to you or your intended in perfect shape. Need a gift card...? I do that too.

What would you like our readers, potential customers, to know about you and your store?
Customers need to know that I bake in a smoke-free and pet-free kitchen with nothing but your satisfaction in mind. If anything is wrong with your order, I will make it good or refund your money. It’s that simple. I am not out to get rich – I just want to bake!

Is there anything I haven’t covered in this interview that you would like to add?
I love the idea of cooking and making people happy with these wonderful treats. Let me do the cooking for you...that’s my motto. It’s worth it. Really....

Where can the readers find you?
http://www.etsy.com/shop/forsweetssake

An Empty Plate

Let’s continue on our journey through edible-land. The next stop is a shop called An Empty Plate http://www.anemptyplate.etsy.com by Jackie. She lives in the Savannah area of Georgia. She is married with two grown daughters, and now the addition of an ever growing son-in-law. He is going to get her for that comment. LOL. Her loves are her family, reading, watching humming birds at her feeders, playing in her garden, cooking and of course she loves to bake. So from her kitchen to your tummy, she says hello!

How did you come with the name for your shop?
My Etsy shop is An Empty Plate (anemptyplate). My daughters and I came up with that name because we believe if you try the treats, that is all you leave is an empty plate.

What is your product line? 
I sell homemade-from-scratch baked goods using family recipes and more. My product line consists of cupcakes, cheese cakes which are my favorite s; also bread & cookies. I am also adding something savory to my site soon.

How did you decide what items to put in your shop?
I go by the people test. If I don’t love it and if others don’t love it then it does not go in my shop. To tell you the truth I am the hardest person on myself it just has to be perfect.

What challenges did you encounter when you opened your shop?
Well, for baked goods the shipping is a challenge. You need to have the right boxes, the right cooling agents.

What advice would you give to someone trying to get started?
Don’t be sad, or put off by Etsy because your shop takes a while to catch on. Etsy is a great place with a LOT of sellers. People will find you, it just takes time.

What would you say makes you passionate about what you do?
Ohhh, good one – I would say that it is the expressions on people’s faces when they eat my food. I love to make people happy. Love to see them when they start to close there eyes and they have that half open look where there eyes are rolled back or when they let out that little sigh.

Do you feel the social networking is helpful in making your business a success?
If course, it’s free advertisement and every business needs to get their name out there.

What are some of the local venues you have had success with, in with your edibles?
I do a lot of graduations and weddings. The weddings are the most fun! Everybody is always so happy.

Where does your inspiration come from?
My mother was a great baker. Plus I don’t like to feed my family the little sweet things from the store. I want to know what they are eating and ohhh, how they love to eat it!

How long have you been baking, who taught you and what was the first thing you baked?
That takes me back to the question above. My mother baked, that is where it started. Then I met someone who later became my sister-in-law and she loved to cook. She was my best friend and our lives and loves just intertwined.

If you had to pick out a favorite from your shop, what would it be and why?
Easy, the cheesecake! That will not last more then two days in my house. It is sooo creamy. My daughter that lived in NY would come home for cheesecake. She says I make the best in the world. I love to hear her say that :).

What is An Empty Plate’s bestseller?
I can’t say that An Empty Plate has a bestseller just yet. However, I predict it will be the red velvet cupcakes. I have some orders for them for a wedding coming up soon. They go very well.

Do you have special names for your edibles and how did you come up with them?
One of my daughters names all of my food. She loves to name them and I’m more of a baker then a writer so I gladly give her that hat to wear.

What are some of the unique items you sell?
The newest item in my shop is very unique. It is pop corn balls. It is hard to find those anymore. But when I was a kid, grandmothers would make them and you’d find them at fairs. So most kids don’t know how good they are because they’ve never had a chance to try them.

What does it take to get your edibles delivered freshly?
Well it takes lots of expensive boxes and cooling packets to keep it fresh. I hand pack everything myself to ensure freshness and that it arrives to my customer perfectly! Also I always ship USPS priority two day shipping.

What has been the overall reception of your shop?
Well, I’m hopeful sales will pick up. So I’d say things on Etsy are a little slow. Perhaps sales will increase once readers read this interview. However, all the feedback has been great and the hearts are coming in that I’m also glad to see.

What do you have special for the holidays?
I have a killer rum fruitcake! It is still up the air as to if I will add it. So if you all think I should, then drop me a line :).

What would you like our readers, potential customers, to know about you and your store?
It’s all very yummy and made to order just for you. I treat each order with care. It comes down to wanting your order with me to be perfect.

Is there anything I haven’t covered in this interview that you would like to add?
Now let me see. I’d like to invite all of your readers to view my shop. If they mention your blog or this interview they will get 5% off of their order. Plus I’ll also add: I’ve NEVER had anyone leave half a cupcake, or a bit of cheesecake on there plate. It always comes back to me as anemptyplate :).

Where can the readers find you?
Sooo look me up at http://www.etsy.com/shop/anemptyplate

Treatz 'n Treasures An Online Edible Shop

This is an interview with Susan, the owner of Treatz 'n Treasures one of the many wonderful edible shops on Etsy.  She is the first of a series of interviews on online edible shops.  While taking a break from canning, preserving, salt and rub making I visited Susan’s online shop at www.etsy.com/shop/treatzntreasures and just loved all of her baked goods. Everything I saw was tempting and I encourage you to visit and support her shop. There is something for everybody.


Susan has lived in Indiana nearly all her life. When she finished high school Susan join the military and traveled across the country with a short stop in Panama, Central America. When she came back to Indiana, she attended a Technical school nearby, completed a course in computers and found out the hard way that a cutthroat lifestyle is NOT for her! She met and married her husband of 9 years and together they’re raising 3 great kids! Susan says it's not easy, but she has her creative side to fall back on. She has a very strong vision of what she’d like to achieve and a good set of goals to make it as close as possible. She would like to be able to fall back on her online shops as a good source of income, so she is careful to offer great products that are very carefully made and made with love. She would love to see the same customers come back time and again!

What is the name of your shop and how did you come up with the name?

I named my shop Treatz 'n Treasures because I wanted everyone who browsed through to see they could find a gift for their loved ones and something special for themselves.

What is your product line?

While I currently have edibles like yummy cookies and candies in my shop, I'm in the process of expanding my product line to include items like fleece capelets for girls, quilted wall hangings and baby blankets, appliqued table linens, and even hand-painted Christmas ornaments.

How did you decide what items to put in your shop?

Definitely by popular demand! All of my products are things I've made and given as gifts to loved ones, as well as sold to nearby clients. When I hear rave reviews from them, I know it's a keeper.

What challenges did you encounter when you opened your shop and how did you over come them?

I think the most difficult thing for me is running my shop while juggling life in general. While I have the help of my husband when he's home, raising 3 children so close in age is a big hurdle in itself. Then factor in working outside the home plus the daily duties of a mother, and you've got non-stop chaos! I do this because I want my children to know that if you want something badly enough, you've got to put in the effort.

What type of equipment do you use while baking and what kind of kitchen?

I have a small kitchen to work out of, but I have many years of experience sorting through my priorities. While my bread dough is being kneaded in my bread machine, I can work on melting the chocolate for the fudge AND add the final ingredients to my Kitchenaide mixer for the batch of cookies I need to finish.

Do you feel the social networking is helpful in making your business a success?

It's all about word of mouth. I use whatever means I can to get traffic to my shop, but I also work with a lot of local customers who've greatly helped in my cause.

Where does your inspiration come from?

I tend to rely on the seasons to help me along. For instance, I'll soon be working on Halloween and Christmas ideas very soon.

How long have you been baking, who taught you and what was the first thing you baked?

I've baked since I was about 7 or 8. My grandfather and Aunts taught me. The very first thing I made didn't turn out so great. It was Mother's Day and I wanted to make my mom breakfast in bed of waffles and juice. I'd seen her make them a thousand times, but I guess I wasn't paying enough attention when it came to her buttering the waffle maker because that's what I forgot! Needless to say, they didn't come out (of the waffle maker that is)! I'm very careful now to make sure I have everything out I need to start a recipe.

If you had to pick a favorite from your shop, what would it be and why?

My kiflis, for sure! They're my grandfathers recipe--he was second generation Lithuanian and made them every year. So light, crisp, and sweet!

What are some of the unique items you sell?

Although I don't have a lot of items listed, my menus are endless! I have a collection of cookbooks that would make many librarians jealous, and I'm always on the lookout for something new to add. I love international desserts, especially Italian and Polish. I make a lot of Fregolatas (very large and crisp Italian cookies made for large gatherings), kiflis, cappucino cookies, Ciastka Kurche (polish pecan cookies), anise drops, and my fudge is renowned for being super creamy, rich, and not too over the top.

How do you pick the names for your edibles?

Many of the names for my baked goods come from my children and what they call them. Give a 6 year old a bigger than average peanut butter cookie, and it's a Monster. LOL

What local venues have you had success with your edibles?

Last year I attended a craft fair and bake show at a local retirement facility and I sold out of everything I had within 4 hours. I always give samples of many of the things I've brought. It's the samples that seal the deal.

What does it take to get your edibles delivered freshly?

Great time management skills! I don't make anything ahead to freeze, I think it alters the taste. So I have to plan my menu very carefully. It took 3 days to make everything I took to the last bake sale I did. I'll usually give myself an entire day to decorate and/or frost items I've made the day before. That way there are no issues with Christmas cookies that don't look like they came from a bakery. Sometimes I'll even offer to bag frosting separately from the product and give the customer a chance to decorate things like cupcakes if the weather's too warm and I know it would melt.

What has been your shops overall reception?

I believe I've had a good showing for what I have listed. I've been fortunate to have many people heart my shop, and I actually had another before closing it to open this one. My feedback and hearts on the previous one made me proud. I'm hoping that once this shop is open that long, I can continue making people that happy.

What do you have special for the holidays?

I'll soon be listing my Kiflis again. I have to wait for the weather to turn cooler and become less humid. It's a terrible thing to attempt a finicky dough in the wrong type of weather! I have some very special Christmas Nutcracker Cookies planned, too. I'll also have non-edible items listed in the next month or so as I continue to expand my line.

What do you what to tell the readers about why they should shop at Treatz 'n Treasures?

I make every attempt to deliver to my customers what I would want to receive! Great products that are freshly made with the best ingredients, delivered to your door as perfect as getting them from the bakery down the street. Even the packaging has the same amount of care put into it as the product I'm putting inside.

Is there anything I haven’t covered in this interview that you would like to add?

I also take special orders and have many years of experience making gift baskets! I just finished an order for a customer in the medical field that wanted to expand her client base. I made 25 beautiful gift tins with 3 types of cookies specially made for her. I'm still receiving great reviews from that and it was really fun to do!

Where can the readers find you?

I have 2 shops:

http://www.artfire.com/users/treatzntreasures

http://www.etsy.com/shop/treatzntreasures

Well, it was a pleasure interviewing you and learning all about Treatz 'n Treasures. I invite my readers to visit your mouth watering shop. If you have a sweet tooth, this is the place for you.

Let's Talk Edibles

This week starting tomorrow I will be starting a series of interviews featuring some wonderful Edible Shops on Etsy.  Stay tuned you won't want to miss this yummy series.  Stay tuned! Read! Support! Follow!