Miso Turkey Burgers with Southern Cornbread

Soft, fresh bread and a delicious savory burger. !!!!!
Oh gluten free friends, you are gonna love this.

Cornbread-

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp melted butter and 1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 cup stone ground organic gluten free cornmeal
2 tsp. sucanat
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup boiling water
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position & heat the oven to 450°F. Set an eleven and a half inch cast iron skillet (with the melted butter and oil inside) in the oven as it heats.

2. Measure 1/3 cup cornmeal into a med. size bowl. Set aside.

3. In another smaller bowl, mix the remaining cornmeal, sucanat, salt, baking powder & baking soda together. Set aside.

4. When you are sure your oven is up to temperature- Pour the boiling water (must be boiling!) quickly into the 1/3 cup cornmeal med. size bowl. Stir to make a thick mush. It should stir up to resemble a soft polenta. Whisk in the buttermilk gradually, breaking up any lumps, then whisk in the egg. Stir the dry ingredients into the mixture until "just" moistened. Remove your skillet from the oven and carefully pour the melted butter/oil mixture into the the batter, stir to incorporate and quickly pour the entire batter into the heated skillet. Put that back in the oven for 15 minutes (until golden brown). Remove from oven and turn onto wire rack to cool immediately. let cool for 5 minutes and then cut into "bread" slices for your burgers.


Miso Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

400g ground turkey thigh
1 tsp. soybean (gluten free) miso thinned with 1 tsp. water
salt & pepper to taste


Directions:

1. Mix your miso mixture with the ground turkey, add salt and pepper for flavor (about 1/2 tsp each). Form into about 4 medium sized burgers.

2. Preheat a stainless steel skillet (or cast iron skillet) on med. hot, swirl in some vegetable oil and add your burgers. Brown well for about 5 minutes on each side. Turn temp. down a bit and continue cooking until the inner temperature of the burgers reads 165°F.

3. Serve on slices of fresh cornbread with lettuce, onions, ketchup, tomatoes and anything else you like on a burger.

Meat & Seafood Internal Temperature Cooking Chart- illustrated

I got my illustration on tonight and made you this chart. Use a quality instant read thermometer to check the temperature of your meat and you should be able to cook it perfect!

Spaghetti Squash and Savoury Dijon ground Turkey meatballs

It was a cold and rainy day and we felt like warm comfort food. This meal is very satisfying.
Ingredients:
(Spaghetti Squash)

1 spaghetti squash
2 Tbsp. organic butter
1 Tbsp. extra virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic
salt to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste

Ingredients:
(Turkey meatballs)

1 pound ground turkey breast
1 Tbsp. Worcester sauce
1 Tsp. Dijon mustard
1 free range egg, beaten
1/2 large onion, diced
handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped fine
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1 Tbsp. fresh chives chopped
salt to taste
fresh ground pepper , to taste
2 Tbsp. cold pressed organic canola oil

Ingredients:
(Tomato Sauce)

6 large tomatoes, processed in a blender quickly
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 shallots, chopped fine
1/2 tsp. chili pepper flakes
1/2 handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 handful of fresh oregano leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp. red wine
salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Squash-

1. preheat oven to 400° F

2. Cut squash in half lengthwise and seed. Place each side face down in a large baking dish. Cover with a 1/4 inch of water. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Squash ( when done should be tender when forked)

3. Use a fork to scoop out the squash and form "spaghetti" strands.

4. Heat butter and oil in a large sauté pan over med/high heat, add garlic and fry for a minute. Add cooked squash and sauté for a few minutes, tossing occasionally.

Directions:

Turkey meatballs-

1. In a medium size bowl, combine the turkey, Worcester sauce, Dijon mustard, beaten egg, parsley, onion, chives and dried rosemary.

2. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium/ high heat. Form "meatballs" and drop them into the pan. turn occasionally. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until turkey meatballs are cooked through and nicely browned. Set aside on paper towels to absorb any extra oil

Directions:

Tomato sauce-

1. Heat a med sized pot (or sauté pan) over med/high heat and heat oil. Add garlic, shallots and chili flakes, cook for 2 minutes. Add blended tomatoes, cook for 4 minutes and add basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook for another minute, add red wine and cook for another 5 minutes.

2. Serve on sautéd spaghetti squash with a couple of turkey meatballs. Garnish with fresh basil.

Spicy Turkey & Jasmine Rice Soup

adapted from a cooks illustrated recipe, see title for link.

Basic Turkey stock (makes 3 quarts)
Ingredients:
1 turkey carcass from 12 pound turkey cut into 4 or 5 large pieces to fit in pot. (try to keep plenty of meat on the carcass when you freeze it for soup)
1 Large Onion, peeled and halved
1 Large carrot, peeled and halved
1 Large Celery Rib, chopped course
3 medium garlic cloves, unpeeled and smashed
2 cups dry white wine
1 bay leaf
5 sprigs fresh parsley
3 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions:
1. Bring turkey carcass, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, wine, bay leaf, and 4 1/2 quarts water to boil in 12 quart stockpot over med/high heat, skimming fat that rises to surface. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 2 hours, continuing to skim surface as necessary. Add parsley and thyme; continue to simmer about 2 hours longer.
2. Strain stock through large mesh strainer into a large bowl, remove meat from strained solids, shred into bite size pieces and set aside. discard solids in strainer. cool stock slightly (20 minutes) spoon fat from surface. stock can be refrigerated covered for up to 2 days.

Spicy Turkey and Jasmine Rice Soup
Ingredients:
1/2 basic Turkey stock and 1/2 reserved shredded turkey meat
1 stalk lemon grass, trimmed to bottom 6 inches and bruised with the back of a chef's knife
1 and 3/4 inch fresh ginger, peeled, cut into thirds and crushed with the back of chef's knife
2 large garlic cloves crushed a bit with back of chefs knife
2 fresh jalapeno chiles, halved with seeds removed
3 Kaffir lime leaves
lime juice from 1/2 lime
salt
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup brown jasmine rice
2 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
1 and 1/2 Tbsp. fresh basil leaves
3 medium scallions sliced thin

Directions:
1. Bring turkey stock to simmer in large stockpot over med/high heat. Add lemon grass, ginger, garlic, chiles, kaffir lime leaves and 1 tsp. salt. cover and simmer until broth is fragrant (about 10 minutes) Add juice from lime and stir.
2. With slotted spoon remove and discard- lemon grass, ginger, garlic, chiles and kaffir lime leaves. Add rice and reserved shredded turkey meat; bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer covered until rice is tender (35 minutes) Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.
ladle soup into individual bowls and sprinkle with cilantro, basil, crushed red pepper flakes and scallions. serve immediately.

(use the remainder of the stock to make turkey gluten free noodle soup)