Leftover Turkey Anyone?

Thanksgiving ended and the turkey remained.  In a desperate attempt to use it all up I did two things this week.

1) My favorite part about Thankgiving is the leftover turkey sandwiches. Nothing tastes better than a sandwich with a thin spread of mayo, chunks of white turkey meat, and a little cranberry on top! In an effort to save time with sandwich prep, I made a turkey salad that could easily be spread on a few whole grain crackers.  Here is the recipe:

• 2 cups shredded leftover turkey meat
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1/4 cup of dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon of mustard Creole mustard 
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

In a medium bowl, toss turkey, celery, cranberries, mayo, mustard together.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on whole grain bread or crackers.  

2)  I also try to make a casserole or soup every week.  Some sort of dish that will last us throughout the week.. This week I made Turkey Tetrazzini.  William LOVED it and it was gone quite quickly! I got the recipe from Rachel Ray, but adapted it a little bit.  Here is my version: 

12 ounces of egg noodles 
Salt and pepper 
5 tablespoons butter 
12 ounces of pre-sliced white mushrooms 
1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning 
2 cups of leftover turkey meat 
3 tablespoons flour 
2 cups milk 1 cup chicken broth 
1 cup grated parmesan cheese 
1 cup frozen peas and carrots

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cook the pasta according to package directions until just barely al dente; drain.

Add 2 tbsp. butter to the skillet. Add the mushrooms and Italian Seasoning; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms start to soften, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and add the leftover turkey. 

Melt the remaining 3 tbsp. butter in the skillet. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and broth and bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken. Stir in 1/2 cup parmesan and the peas and carrots. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the pasta and turkey-mushroom mixture to the sauce and toss well to combine. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup parmesan. Bake until the top is golden-brown and the sauce is bubbling, 12 to 15 minutes (shorten the baking time by at least 5 minutes if youre planning on freezing this for later).

I hope this helps answer the question, "What the heck am I going to do with all of this turkey!?"

Elizabeth Milne, MS, RD, LD

Five Favorite Fall Food Trends: Stuffed Shells

And I am back! William and I celebrated Thanksgiving with his family in Silverhill, Alabama.  We enjoyed visiting with family and friends, and we are looking forward to our next visit!

Now for my last "Favorite Fall Food Trend," stuffed shells! As we transition from fall to winter we put away our grills and fire up those ovens. I have found stuffed shells to be a creative and fun way to serve dinner.  A few of my favorite recipes are Taco Stuffed Shells from Budget Bytes, and Spinach and Tuna Stuffed Shells by Martha Stewart. (see pictures below)

With the taco stuffed shells, you could substitute the ground beef for ground turkey, or just double up on the beans for a vegetarian dish.

I also cannot wait to try this recipe for Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Shells by Inspired Taste. Holy yummmm!

If you are like me and get tired of a dish after a few rounds of leftovers, I recommend using two smaller casserole dishes. Place one dish in the over and the other in the freezer for later.

Enjoy!

Elizabeth Milne, MS, RD, LD

Friday Finds: Christmas Gifts

Need Christmas gift ideas? Check out Southern Living's List of Gift Ideas! Which includes gifts for her, gifts for him, gifts for $50 or less, gifts for $25 or less, and stocking stuffer ideas.  Some of my favorites:

FOR HER
Anything from Haymarket Designs- crazy cute monogrammed items, including these fabulous wine totes!

Source: haymarketdesigns.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest

FOR HIM
Wooden Six-Pack Carrier- This is the perfect gift for a beer lover, especially if its filled with local, craft beers- So handsome!

$50 OR LESS
How beautiful are these Monogrammed Antique Plates?

$25 OR LESS
1,0001 Ways to Cook Southern- Yes ma'am! Please and thank you :)

STOCKING STUFFER
Hand Crafted Stirring Paddles- These are beautiful, practical, and would fit inside a stocking perfectly [and they're from Alabama!]

I hope this made your Christmas gift list a bit easier, Merry Christmas y'all!

Elizabeth Milne

Christmas Ornament Wreath

I am so excited to be able to decorate our house for Christmas this year. So excited that I decided to get a little crafty despite the fact I am not a crafty person.  I found this pin on pinterest and thought I may be able to handle this project...

Source: eddieross.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest

I bought the glass balls from Dollar Tree, and the whole wreath probably cost me about $8.00.  [And now I have one less wire hanger in my house!]  I bought all silver and gold balls, but I bought them in different sizes and finishes- glitter, matte, shiny, etc.  I also skipped the step with the hot glue gun, and none of the balls have fallen off just yet.  And here is the finished product...

Just need to add the stockings... 

Happy (early) Holidays!

Elizabeth Milne 

Five Favorite Fall Food Trends: Breakfast

We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but there seems to be something about cold weather that makes a warm breakfast that much more imperative.  My Pinterest boards agree, and I have found these must-try recipes that will get you out of bed and into the kitchen:

Breakfast Omelet Muffins- These would so cute to serve at a holiday brunch!

Source: neatpins.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest

Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole- Just add the ingredients that evening and wake up to a delicious breakfast, perfect for Christmas morning!

Source: allkindsofyumm.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Pizza- This is an awesome alternative to your traditional breakfast casserole, and you can add all sorts of your own favorite toppings :)

Source: smells-like-home.com via Mick on Pinterest

Enjoy!

Elizabeth Milne, MS, RD, LD

Monday Mood Music

Five songs that will make your Monday just a bit better:

1) Frou Frou- Let Go
2) Florence and The Machine- Shake it Out
3) DJ Fresh- Gold Dust (Flux Pavillion Remix)
4) Feist- Mushaboom
5) Jem- It's Amazing

Five Favorite Fall Food Trends: Stuffed Vegetables

3) Stuffed Seasonal Veggies

Seasonal fall vegetables like butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and acorn squash are AMAZING on their own... So how can they get any better? The answer is found in these recipes:

Kale and Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

Twice Baked Butternut Squash

Quinoa and Pistachio Stuffed Acorn Squash 

Is your mouth watering yet?

Elizabeth Milne, MS, RD, LD

Friday Finds

Happy Friday!  Here are a few of my favorite finds this week:

NewlyMaid- This is a website where you can purchase a classic, little black dress at a discounted price in exchange for an old bridesmaid dress. Ingenious!

Kate Spade for Paperless Post- I used Paperless Post for my Save-the-Dates, and I became obsessed. So when I saw that Kate Spade was going to be designing for this brilliant, electronic card service I felt I must share!

Glitter Guide's Top 20 Drugstore Beauty Products- Although there certainly is a time and a place for expensive beauty products, this list outlines twenty products that won't break the bank.

Looks like this will be a perfect weekend to do a little online shopping, create this year's Christmas card, or indulge in some inexpensive, beauty treatments ;)

Five Favorite Fall Food Trends: Pumpkin

Photo Source

2) Pumpkin Flavored ANYTHING

Whenever I see the word "pumpkin" in a recipe or menu item I must have it! Lucky for me, this delicious ingredients has been popping up all over Pinterest. Some of my personal favorites:

Baked Pumpkin Donuts (see picture)

Pumpkin Butter

Low-Fat Pumpkin Cake Bars

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bread

If you have some pumpkin puree on hand try these recipes! And don't stop. Add some pumpkin to your traditional cake mix, or pancake mix for a ton of Vitamin A and a delicious flavor.  I also find pumpkin beverages, like Pumpkin Ale and Pumpkin Spice Lattes, irresistible! Don't forget to ask for non-fat versions though...

Enjoy!

Elizabeth Milne, MS, RD, LD