Creamy Green Chile Turkey Enchiladas

Tip:  Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

The Turkey Stuffing:

1 ¼ pounds, ground turkey

1 (4 oz.) can of mild Hatch’s green chilies,  drained

1/2 cup chopped onion (about ½ medium onion)

1/2 teaspoon, salt

1 teaspoon, comino (cumin)

The Green Chile Cream Sauce

½ cup chopped onion (about ½ medium onion)

1 can (15 ounce) Hatch’s Green Chile Enchilada Sauce

½ cup milk

½ cup heavy cream

8 oz. sour cream

2 teaspoons Knorr Chicken Bouillon

Assembly:

8 – 6” corn tortillas

1/3 cup canola oil

8 ounces (about 2 cups) cheddar jack cheese, shredded

¼ cup chopped green onions

Directions:

The Turkey Stuffing:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large nonstick skillet, over medium high heat, add about 1 teaspoon canola oil.  Add the ground turkey and sauté until cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Add onions and chopped green chilies and mix with turkey.  Continue cooking about 3 minutes until onion is translucent.

Add minced garlic, mix and sauté another minute.

Remove from pan and set aside.

The Green Chile Cream Sauce:

In the same skillet, over medium heat, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and starts to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes.

Add Hatch’s Green Chile Enchilada Sauce.  Add the Knorr Chicken bouillon and stir thoroughly.

Slowly whisk in the milk, heavy cream and sour cream.  Let continue cooking until the mixture is lightly bubbling and has thickened, about 4-5 minutes.  Remove from skillet and set aside.

Assembly:

Softening the Corn Tortillas for Assembly:

In the same skillet, but cleaned, soften the corn tortillas by adding the canola oil and heating over medium high heat.  Once the oil is hot, add one corn tortilla at a time, using a pair tongs.  Turning tortilla over in about 10 seconds.  Once softened bout 5 seconds, remove from pan and set aside.  Continue same process until all 8 tortillas have been softened.

Set up all the ingredients to prepare for rolling the enchiladas.  In an approximately 9” x 11” baking dish place one tortilla and add ¼ cup of turkey, 2 tablespoons of cooked Green Chile Cream Sauce, 1 tablespoon chopped onions, and 1 tablespoon shredded cheese.  Roll up and place at one end of dish.  Continue process until all 8 tortillas have been filled, rolled and placed as shown below.

Top with some of the remaining, if any, turkey, and onions.  Pour the Green Chile Cream Sauce over the top of the enchiladas.  Top with all the remaining cheese as shown below.

Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour, until the enchiladas are bubbling, hot and lightly browned. Serve and Enjoy!!!!

Serves:  8

Pork Stuffed Turkey Breast

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh ground pork

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons capers

1 tablespoon pimento stuffed olives, chopped

1/4 cup Achiote Oil (Click for Recipe)

2 .5 - 3 pound whole turkey breast meat, deboned and butterfly

1/4 cup chicken broth
1 large Reynolds oven bag
1 tablespoon flour

Directions:

See if your grocer butcher will butterfly the turkey breast for you. If not, place the turkey breast meat, skin side down, between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound it with a mallet to flatten it to about 1/2 inch thick. If you do not have a mallet, use a heavy bottomed flat skillet. Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap. Season the turkey breast liberally with some of the Achiote oil.

In a large mixing bowl, add pork, onion, cilantro, garlic, capers, olives and 2 tablespoons of the Achiote oil.

Spread the pork meat mixture evenly across the top of the turkey.

Starting at one of the long sides, roll up the turkey, tucking the ends in, to create a rolled roast.

Tie with kitchen twine in several places to secure the filling, then brush with more of the Achiote oil.

Preheat oven to 350 degree. Open the Reynolds large oven bag and add flour. Place bag in a baking pan with opening toward wide side of pan. Use pan at least 2 inches deep.  Place the prepared breast in bag and close bag with Nylon tie. Cut 4, about 1/2 inch slits on top of bag for air to escape.  Tuck ends of bag in pan. Place pan in oven, allowing room for bag to expand during cooking without touching heating elements, walls, or racks.  

Bake for 2 hours or until internal temperature is 170 degree. 

To serve, carefully cut open top of oven bag. Don't cut too far to the end of the bag, or the sauce can run out. Fold back the open pieces of the bag. Lift the breast out and stir any sauce left in the bag until smooth. Always support bag with pan.

Discard the twine and cut the turkey into 1/2- to 3/4-inch slices. To serve, arrange the slices on a platter.  Serve hot, warm or cold.

Tip: Achiote seeds, which are also referred to as annatto seeds, from the Annatto tree. A deep brick red in color, it has a intensely rich flavor. Achiote is available at Latin American markets and on the international aisle of some larger grocery stores.

Dry Turkey Brine Mix

Tip:  Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

1 cup sea salt

1/2 cup raw or regular sugar

2 tablespoons dried sage

2 tablespoons mixed green,white, black and pink peppercorns

2 tablespoons dried thyme

2 tablespoons dried rosemary

2 tablespoons dried bay leaves

2 tablespoons dried sage

2 tablespoons dried orange peel

Directions:

In a bowl mix all the ingredients and store. I store the mix in a mason jar until ready to use.

To brine a turkey the day before, bring a quart size pot of water to a boil, add your Dry Mix brine mixture to the pot and let it boil for 5 minutes. Boil, stirring until all the salt and sugar dissolves.

Add brine mix to a gallon of iced cold water in a 18 quart bucket.

Place the turkey in the bucket.  The turkey should be completely submerged in the brine. If it’s not, just add enough cold water until it is.

Refrigerate overnight.  Refrigeration is absolutely required during brining. The meat and brine solution must be kept below 40 degrees F. at all times.

The next day rinse the turkey thoroughly.  You can now roast your turkey as per the turkey instructions.

The above mixture can brine a whole 24 lb. turkey! Use less, ½ mixture for 12 lb. turkey and etc.

Tip:  I use this dry brine mix for chicken and pork chops too!  I brine overnight.  Be sure to rinse your meats thoroughly once you’ve finished brining. Be careful NOT to salt or over salt your meats.

The amount of brine you use will depend on how much meat you are brining. Use about ¼ cup for a whole chicken or 4 large pork chops.  Same instructions, smaller containers, less water…

Turkey Herb and Spice Butter

Tip:  Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, (1/2 cup) softened

2 teaspoons, fresh thyme, minced

2 teaspoons, fresh rosemary, minced

2 teaspoons, fresh sage, minced

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

½ teaspoon, white pepper, freshly ground

2 teaspoons, comino (cumin) seeds, freshly ground

Directions:

Place butter, minced herbs, and spices in small bowl, stir until thoroughly mixed.

Tip:  Slide hand between skin and breast meat to loosen skin.  Rub 4 tablespoons of the Turkey Herb and Spice Butter over breast meat under skin.  Rub remaining herb butter over outside of turkey.   This butter can also be used for baking hens, chicken, and quail!  Use the dripping for making your gravy!

Cheesy Turkey Tetrazinni

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

10 ounces spaghetti

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup onions, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cup cooked peas

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 - 10 3/4 oz. cans Mushroom Soup

1 1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup chicken broth

3 cups coarsely chopped cooked turkey

2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper
3/4 cup fine fresh bread crumbs

Directions:

In a kettle of boiling salted water cook the spaghetti until it is al dente and drain it well.

In a large skillet, over medium heat, add and melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add onion, celery and peas. Cook for 4 minutes.

Add dry white wine, let reduce by half. Add milk, cream of mushroom and chicken broth stirring, bring the mixture to a boil, then lower heat to medium low and simmer sauce for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 

Add chopped turkey, salt and pepper and simmer another 10 minutes over medium low heat. Turn off and add 1/3 cup of the Parmesan, and 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese.

In a large bowl combine the spaghetti, the turkey sauce, stir and transfer the mixture to a buttered shallow 3-quart casserole.

 

In a small bowl combine well the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan, and bread crumbs. 

Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the Tetrazzini, and dot the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cut into bits.

The Tetrazzini may be prepared up to this point 1 month in advance and kept frozen, covered.

Bake the Tetrazzini in the middle of a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until it is bubbling and the top is golden. Enjoy!

 

Tip: Tetrazzini is an American pasta dish that includes a cream sauce, mushrooms, and either chicken, turkey, or seafood. It is thought to have been invented in San Francisco and named after the famous opera singer of the early 1900s, Luisa Tetrazzini, who lived there for many years.

Savory Turkey Brine

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

1 gallon water
1 tablespoon cracked peppercorns
1 tablespoon dried sage

1 tablespoon dried savory

1/2 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon dried celery seeds

1/2 tablespoon cracked allspice berries

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions:

The day before roasting, remove giblets and turkey neck; rinse turkey inside and out.  In a large stock pot, or a 5 gallon bucket, mix water with ingredients. Stir well until all the salt is dissolved. Place turkey in the pot cover with a lid and refrigerate overnight or at least 8 - 16 hours. If the turkey is not immersed in the water, add more water. 

Once brining is complete, remove turkey from the brine, and rinse turkey well. Follow your regular cooking instructions. Enjoy!

Tip: A good turkey brine recipe not only keeps the meat moist from start to finish, it adds flavor to your roasted, smoked or barbecued turkey. Brine is strong solution of water and salt used for pickling, preserving and tenderizing foods. Herbs, spices or a sweetener such as sugar or molasses is sometimes added to flavor the brine.