Turkey Hummus Sandwiches with Black Pepper Honey

Yep, this is definitely my Summer of the Sandwich.  And not just any sandwich...the open-faced sandwich. And not just any open-faced sandwich...open-faced sandwiches made with bread that has been toasted on the grill for that fabulous, just a tiny bit charred taste.  For some reason I've gotten fixated on them and they are showing up on my supper menu almost once a week. Not only is there the whole grilled bread thing going on, but there's nothing like the feeling of walking in the door at the end of the day and getting that merry Sandwiches-For-Dinner feeling...oh yes!

And in this particular case, it was another excuse to whirl up the millionth batch of that Five Minute Hummus I am also fixated on lately.  Hey, there could be worse vices to have, right?  And if you are not the hummus-whirling-up type, your favorite supermarket brand will work just fine.

So, once you have walked in the door and are all in a good mood due to it being Sandwich Night, here's the drill.  Slice up some nice thick slices of whatever hearty bread you like.  I like the sourdough bread at Panera...it's fresh and has that scrumptious sourdough tang to it.  Brush your bread with a little olive oil and pop it on the grilled just long enough to get those delicious char marks going.

Once it has cooled a little, slather on some hummus.  Don't be shy, slather it on thick.  Now drape some thin-sliced deli turkey on top...and here comes the best part, the part that takes this from regular sandwich status to Superstar Sandwich Status.  Put about 2 tablespoons of honey in a microwavable measuring cup and nuke just until it is melted - this probably won't take more than 10 seconds.  Now grind a generous amount of black pepper into it, swirl it around, and then drizzle it over your turkey sandwich.  The sweetness of the honey and the snap of the black pepper are going to make beautiful music with the rest of this sandwich.

Sandwich Night!  It makes you feel this good:



Almost, anyway!  Here's the recipe.

Turkey Hummus Sandwiches with Black Pepper Honey

• 4 slices hearty bread, your choice
• Olive oil
• 1 cup hummus
• 1/2 pound thin sliced turkey
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Fresh ground black pepper

1. Heat grill to medium high.  Brush both sides of bread with olive oil and grill until both sides are toasted to your liking.  Remove and cool slightly.

2. Spread each slice of bread with 1/4 cup hummus.  Divide turkey among sandwiches and lay on top of hummus.

3. Heat honey in microwavable measuring cup until liquid, about 10 seconds.  Grind a generous portion of black pepper into honey and swirl to mix.  Drizzle over sandwiches and serve.

Print this!

Kentucky Hot Brown!

I think this MAY be the most delicious thing I have ever made, eaten, seen, smelled or otherwise come in any contact with over the course of my entire life.  This, my friends, is called a Kentucky Hot Brown, and my only regret is that I have gotten to the ripe old age of...well, never mind...and this is the first time I have eaten one.  I have a lot of catching up to do.

Here's how this all happened.   Back around Thanksgiving, I found a recipe in the New York Times for a very unusual way of cooking turkey.  I finally got around to making it, and let's just say that it involved a lot of Saran Wrap, a meat thermometer and a steam bath for the turkey,  and the stress of it all took about five years off my life.  But it resulted in some outstanding tasting turkey.  Because of the stress part I am not going to do one of my usual blog posts about it, but if you want to live life on the edge, turkey-wise, you can find the recipe by clicking here. The rest of you can either make your turkey the normal way, or even get some from your friendly neighborhood deli counter - just make sure they slice it thick, about 1/4 inch or so.

Anyhow, as is usually the case with any turkey-cooking, I ended up with a whole lot of leftovers, and I dimly remembered that I had heard of something called a Hot Brown that called for sliced cooked turkey.  Googling ensued.  Soon I found the original recipe for it, which dates back to a dish from the 1920's at the Brown Hotel in Kentucky.  This recipe called for a QUART of heavy cream, and that was enough to stop even me in my tracks.  So I moved on to Bobby Flay's version of it, which is not slenderizing by any means, but at least uses milk instead of the cream.

To cut to the chase, what you are putting together here is this: a piece of french toast that is topped with sliced turkey, sliced tomato and a succulent cheddar cheese sauce.  You run the whole thing under the broiler, lay a couple slices of bacon on top, sprinkle with some chopped parsley, and there you have it.  A Kentucky Hot Brown.

Do not let one more second go by without having this yourself.  It's worth roasting a turkey just to have leftovers to make this baby.  Kentucky Hot Brown...you heard it here first!

Kentucky Hot Brown, adapted from Bobby Flay's recipe

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups grated sharp white Cheddar
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• Pinch freshly ground nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the egg bread:

• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• Salt
• 8 (1/2-inch) thick slices good day old white bread
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

For assembly:

• Roasted turkey breast, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 3 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices and griddled until slightly charred and just cooked through
• 1 1/2 cups grated sharp white Cheddar
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 16 thick slices slab bacon, cooked until crisp
• Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

For the sauce:

Melt butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, bring to a boil and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and the flour has cooked out, about 4 to 5 minutes. Whisk in cheese and cook until the cheese has melted. Season with nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste.

For the egg bread:

Whisk together the eggs, milk and salt in a medium bowl. Dip each slice of bread in the mixture and let sit about 30 seconds, or until completely soaked through.  Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook 4 slices of the bread at a time until golden brown on both sides. Remove and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining bread.

For assembly:

Preheat broiler. Place the egg bread on a baking sheet.  Top each slice of bread with 2 to 3 slices of turkey and 2 slices of tomato, ladle sauce over the top and divide the cheddar cheese and Parmesan over the top of each slice. Place under the broiler and cook until bubbly and the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven, top each slice with 1-2 slices of bacon and sprinkle each slice with parsley.

Click here for printable recipe

Tagliatelle with Turkey Bolognese Sauce and a Double Cookbook Contest!

Before I get to both the contest and the wonderfulness of this recipe, I have to tell you why this particular one has such a fond place in my heart. I'll give you a hint.

BAM!

Yes, it comes from Emeril LaGasse, who I have had the grand good luck to know and work with on his children's cookbooks. Along with being an amazing chef, he is one Very Nice Guy. We had a terrific time with the kids cookbooks, not the least of which came out of one very fun day when the teenager was just a tyke. Emeril thought it would be great if the cover of his kids cookbook featured some kids we all knew and loved, and conveniently I happened to have one of those around. So one day we trucked into New York City for the photo shoot. This being an Emeril book, there was a lot of laughing and jumping around and silliness as we took the pictures. Check out the picture below and see if you can guess which one is the now very sophisticated teenager...

Here's a hint. I really, really miss those pigtails.

Anyway, I can tell you that this particular cookbook is not just for kids...it's for anyone who wants to make a really rocking macaroni and cheese, Emeril-style...along with a load of other fabulous recipes. I have yet to meet an Emeril recipe I didn't love...which is why when I spotted this bolognese recipe in Everyday Food magazine, I tried it out pronto, and have since made it over and over again. It is a departure from the usual beef-based bolognese sauce in that it uses ground turkey breast, along with the usual mix of chopped carrots, celery and onions. Some white wine, some chicken broth, some garlic, a little half and half, some tomato paste -- you get the picture. The turkey makes it a little lighter than a beef sauce, which in my book means you can have MORE.

So in celebration of all things Emeril, I am delighted to say that three lucky people are going to get a copy of both the kid's cookbook, THERE'S A CHEF IN MY SOUP...and a copy of Emeril's equallly fabulous grown-up title, EMERIL'S TV DINNERS. Although I promise you, the kid's book is pretty great for grown-up cooks as well. Just leave me a comment below telling me who your favorite celebrity chef is. In addition to Emeril, of course. I will announce the lucky winners on Saturday, February 6. And as always, my wonderful email subscribers can play by clicking on the title of this post in the email -- it will take you to the actual post where you can comment.

One more thing before we get to the recipe...

BAM!

(I love that.)

TURKEY BOLOGNESE, by Emeril LaGasse for Everyday Food

• 10 slices turkey bacon (6 ounces), finely chopped
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 carrots, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 pounds ground turkey (97 percent lean)
• 3/4 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup half-and-half

1. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, cook bacon over medium until crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Add onion, carrots, and celery; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Add turkey; cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, 8 to 9 minutes. Add wine and garlic; cook until wine has almost evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Add tomato paste; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 7 to 10 minutes.
3. Add broth and half-and-half; bring to a boil over high. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until sauce is thick and creamy, about 30 minutes more. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Click here for printable recipe

Turkey, Cranberry, Brie and Bacon Panini

I know, I know, I am a good two weeks late sending you this one, because at this point your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers are just a happy memory. But there is always next year, and in the meantime this sandwich is delicious enough to go get some new turkey to work with. And cranberry sauce.

Here's the deal. You fire up the panini maker -- get that baby good and hot. Brush the outside of two pieces of bread with olive oil, flip them over and layer as follows:

1. Turkey slices
2. Cranberry Sauce (the whole berry kind if you have it)
3. Slices of Brie cheese
4. Bacon

Now put the other piece of bread on top. Put it in the panini maker and press it down. Leave it in there for about 3 minutes. This will make the cheese all melted and wonderful, and will heat up the other stuff and toast the bread. Now take it out, let it rest for a minute or so, and cut it into triangles. That's it -- you are ready for turkey panini heaven.

I think that's all I have to say about this one. It's one of those simple yet perfect recipes that you just have to make and see for yourself. Happy Turkey Sandwich!

TURKEY, CRANBERRY, BRIE AND BACON PANINI

Serves 2

• 4 slices country bread
• Sliced turkey
• 1/2 cup cranberry sauce
• Sliced Brie cheese
• 2 slices bacon, cooked and cut in half
• Olive oil

1. Heat panini maker to medium high
2. Brush one side of bread slices with olive oil (this will be the outside)
3. Lay bread slice oil side down on work surface. Layer with turkey, then cranberry sauce, then cheese, then bacon. Top with second slice of bread, oiled side on the outside
4. Place in panini maker and press down. Cook for 3 minutes.
5. Remove, let cool for a minute, slice in quarters and serve hot.

Click here for printable recipe

Treasure Box Wednesday: Turkey Temptations

There was something in the Treasure Box this week-- only I can't show it to you yet!

Yes, the power of Christmas gifting thrifting means the items I bought are for a buddy who happens to read the blog. She's getting a little nifty thrifted basket o' fun for the Christmas season, and I will entirely spoil the surprise by sharing the finds with you.

I promise to do so once the gift's been sent her way.

That said, I certainly don't want to leave you good folks-- who've come all the way over here-- empty-handed today. So since I have so many new readers this year, who probably have not perused past pages of the publication... I offer you two previous T-day posts-- both of which might give you a good holiday chuckle.

• The first was last year's entirely made-up tour of my yearly Thanksgiving setting-- the Florida Everglades-- all of it told through vintage postcards and cheerful fibs. Yes, see how I would celebrate the holiday if I actually hung out with Seminole Indians and narrowly avoided being chomped by alligators... and in Technicolor, too! Click here.

• The second contains cards from my Victorian Thanksgiving postcard collection. I love the images they used back then, and I believe you will, too. Click here for that.

Oh, and for those who didn't get a chance to check out my somewhat early Christmas decorating so far, you can view that post here.

That said, I will see you all Sunday with a post inspired by my holiday adventures-- where ever they may take me.

Pace yourselves on the turkey, American readers. :) And to folks outside the U.S., I hope you have yourselves a great rest of the week.

Treasure Box Wednesday: Turkey Temptations

There was something in the Treasure Box this week-- only I can't show it to you yet!

Yes, the power of Christmas gifting thrifting means the items I bought are for a buddy who happens to read the blog. She's getting a little nifty thrifted basket o' fun for the Christmas season, and I will entirely spoil the surprise by sharing the finds with you.

I promise to do so once the gift's been sent her way.

That said, I certainly don't want to leave you good folks-- who've come all the way over here-- empty-handed today. So since I have so many new readers this year, who probably have not perused past pages of the publication... I offer you two previous T-day posts-- both of which might give you a good holiday chuckle.

• The first was last year's entirely made-up tour of my yearly Thanksgiving setting-- the Florida Everglades-- all of it told through vintage postcards and cheerful fibs. Yes, see how I would celebrate the holiday if I actually hung out with Seminole Indians and narrowly avoided being chomped by alligators... and in Technicolor, too! Click here.

• The second contains cards from my Victorian Thanksgiving postcard collection. I love the images they used back then, and I believe you will, too. Click here for that.

Oh, and for those who didn't get a chance to check out my somewhat early Christmas decorating so far, you can view that post here.

That said, I will see you all Sunday with a post inspired by my holiday adventures-- where ever they may take me.

Pace yourselves on the turkey, American readers. :) And to folks outside the U.S., I hope you have yourselves a great rest of the week.

Thanksgiving Dinner at Fairway!

One day I am going to do what will be my favorite post that I will ever write in the history of this blog and that will be my behind the scenes tour of my favorite store on the planet, Fairway. Thereby torturing all of my beloved readers that don't live within driving distance of the best supermarket EVER...but maybe it will inspire you to write to the Fairway folks and demand what you are entitled to, which is your very own Fairway in your neck of the woods.

In the meantime, the folks at Fairway are offering up this amazing-sounding Thanksgiving event, and all you NYC-area lucky folks out there who live near a Fairway? You might want to check this out:

Ray Venezia, Fairway Market's Master Butcher will demonstrate the art of carving a turkey on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at the Fairway Café and Steakhouse (second floor of the Broadway and W. 74th Street store) The demonstration starts at 7 pm followed by a three course dinner. Cost is $40 per person. The menu is as follows:


Sweet Potato and red onion soup with sage


Hot open face turkey sandwich with handmade cranberry relish


Mashed potatoes and pan gravy


Pecan or pumpkin pie


Please call 212 994 9555 to get more information and to make a reservation


That's right -- Thanksgiving dinner served to you a week before the actual day by the genius foodies at Fairway...and without any family drama!! Along with a turkey carving lesson, which personally I know some of my family members could use. (You know who you are, guys.)

And for all the rest of you who are Fairway-deprived...I'm so sorry, and I will stop torturing you now...