Tired of turkey sandwiches?

Let's face it - turkey is tasty, but this is the week of turkey overload.  And while the dinner was divine, how to use the leftovers (besides in sandwiches) can be challenging. This salad recipe might help.

Turkey Chopped Salad

1 pound leftover turkey (white meat)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 cups chopped romaine hearts,
6 cups chopped radicchio
1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup bottled balsamic dressing
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted,

Cut turkey into 1/2-inch cubes. In a large salad bowl, combine turkey, romaine, radicchio and cranberries. Toss.  In a separate bowl, whisk together balsamic dressing and maple syrup until combined. Pour over salad and toss gently to distribute dressing.  Top with almonds.

Serves 6

       

Learn to make macarons this Saturday at Sur La Table

 One of the benefits of working at a successful cooking school is always being aware of upcoming classes which offer new opportunities to learn.   This Saturday, Kathryn Gordon (co-author of Les Petits Macarons) will be teaching a class on macarons. 

Macarons---the new cupcake! These elegant and addictive little cookies are made from simple ingredients but have a reputation as being temperamental for the home baker.  New York-based chef Kathryn Gordon will demonstrate both French and Italian techniques featured in her new book (co-written with Anne McBride).
Menu includes chai ganache, carrot cake with pecan macarons and gingerbread buttercream.  To register for this almost sold-out class call 216-378-9795.  Cost is $69 per person.   Sur La Table is in Eton - 28819 Chagrin Blvd (next to Trader Joe's).

Thinking about dinner for tonight?

Everyone is commenting on the weather today, and while sunny there is a chill in the air.  In the kitchen, this weather calls for a more hearty dinner - like  soups, stews or chili.  Many of us have a treasured  family recipe for such comforting meals, but have you ever though of baking bread to go with that favorite recipe?  Here is recipe for a quick, easy and delicious beer bread which can be mixed in less than 10 minutes, baked and on the table in 60 minutes.

Beer Bread

2 1/2 cups plain flour

2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 teaspoon salt

1 (12 ounce) can beer

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (not low-fat version)

      Preheat oven to 375.  Allow to heat for 10 minutes.

·         Grease and flour bottom and sides of a 9-inch loaf pan.

·         In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients together. 

·         Add beer and cheese, stir until well-blended, but be careful not to over mix.

·         Spread evenly in prepared pan.  Mixture will be lumpy.

·         Bake for 50 to 55 minutes.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.  .

Life not as spicy as it used to be?

If your cooking seems a bit bland lately it might be the herbs and spices in your cabinet are beyond flavorful.  For best results both should be stored in a dark (away from direct light) area and away from heat sources.  Herbs and ground spices stay fresh for about a year, but whole, unground spices will last a little longer.Ground pepper tends to lose its flavor quickly, so it might be wise to purchase a pepper grinder and a jar of peppercorns if you appreciate the taste of higher-potency pepper. 

Some people grind their own herbs and spices using a mortar and pestle, but a compact coffee grinder can do the trick too.  To clean out your grinder and get it ready for coffee beans again, grind a couple spoonfuls of uncooked white rice in the bowl.  And just like ground coffee beans, ground herbs and spices lose flavor more quickly than when whole, so only grind as much as you need.

This weekend might be a good time to go through all your spices and herbs so you can replace any that are beyond their prime.  Open every jar or tin and take a pinch of the contents - rub between your fingers.  If it smells like hay, it is past its prime.   Toss it out and replace it. 

McCormick & Company have a way to electronically figure out how old a McCormick herb or spice might be. Go  to www.mccormick.com, click on Spices 101, and enter the code found on the container. One little hint: if the container;s company address is Baltimore, you can be sure it is over 15 years old.  After I found a tin of dill seed hiding in the back of our cabinet,  I went to  www.mccormick.com, and entered the stamped code.  It was made on March 7, 1985, some 20 years previous.

Just for the record, McCormick also stopped using tins for everything except black pepper 15 years ago.