Bellygasm

Everyday Roast Turkey Dinner

 

A friend asked me the other day if I have to eat the same meal everyday for the rest of my life, what would it be? I didn't think twice about before blurting out, "Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings!"

I just love everything about Thanksgiving: roast turkey with gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, yams, green beans... In fact, I decided why wait til November when I can have an oven-roasted turkey dinner tonight.

For this easy weeknight recipe, I choose turkey breast tenderloins, rather than breasts, because it's faster to cook yet thick enough to remain moist and juicy. My turkey tenderloin recipe is actually similar to how I cook pork tenderloin. Plus, I want to make two of my favorites sides while the tenderloins finish in the oven: stuffing and collard green. Now that's what I call a quick, soul-satisfying meal. Don't forget to say grace!

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

3-4 turkey tenderloins (about 2 lbs)
1 tablespoons of dried rosemary
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of flour
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a oven safe skillet, heat oil in medium-high heat.
2. Pat turkey tenderloins dry and season with, salt, pepper and rosemary. Quickly sear the outside to lock in moisture.
3. Roast tenderloins for about 10-15 minutes, to an internal temperature of 160F.
4. Remove promptly and let stand for 10 minutes. (Tip: While the tenderloins cook and rest, you can prepare your sides.
5. Pour any juice from the tenderloins back into the skillet and deglaze with a cup of chicken stock.
6. Make a beurre manié or "kneaded butter" (equal parts of butter and flour) to thicken gravy.
7. Whisk in beurre manié and cook over low heat.

Serving suggestion: Slice tenderloins in 1/2-inch diagonal pieces. Serve with homemade gravy.

Tasty Turkey Burger with Red Wine Sauce

 

Mmm..., turkey burgers. Just mentioning it makes the hearts of a few skip a beat. I happen to know how to make a tasty, juicy turkey burger. And my recipe is easy and arguably, makes the best ground turkey burgers ever - according to a handful of foodie friends and borderline picky eaters.

My Asian-inspired, specifically Thai, turkey burger recipe is healthy and low fat. Try it and see for yourself. I promise you'll gobble it up (no pun intended, haha).  It's almost good enough to give up In-N-Out. Well, almost.

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

For Turkey Patties:
1 1/2 pound ground turkey - no gluten (I like Jennie-O's but feel free to use ur fav brand),
2 cups of onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon of San-J Peanut Sauce
1 tablespoon of ground sage
1 teaspoon of Goya Adobo Seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of olive oil

For Red Wine Sauce:
1/3 cup of dry red wine
1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon of red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper

Preparation

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground turkey with onion, peanut sauce, ground sage, adobo seasoning, and ground pepper. Split and form mixture into 4 equal-sized patties about 3/4-inch thick.
2. Heat butter and olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, pan fry turkey patties for approx 6-7 minutes on each side. Transfer to an oven safe plate. Let the burgers finish cooking and rest in a 200F oven.
3. Reduce burner to low heat. Deglaze pan with red wine. Scrap carmelized bits with the metal whisk. Add mustard, vinegar and ground pepper. Reduce liquid by half or until it coats the back of a spoon. Drizzle sauce over the turkey patties.

Serve with toasted sesame buns or bunless with deviled mashed potatoes.