Roasted Santa Maria Style Tri-tip with Potatoes

Where we live in the US, we pretty much can BBQ year round. That doesnt mean we do. I get lazy and end up using the oven for a million reasons. Usually the the biggest reason being cold outside. Yes I am a wimp. Tonight's dinner isnt even tradition Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip. I would know, being I know a little about the local. But I picked this up at the Costco. It will do. It sure is yummy enough. Santa Maria Tri Tip is not marinated like this Costco might have you think. It is simply seasoned just right with some local seasoning and cooked over local dry oak wood. Tonight's is simply seared off in my handy dandy cast iron pan (where would I be with out you?) and cooked in the oven surrounded with potatoes. You can sense I drooling just typing this, right?

This is my Sweet Emma, She isnt with us anymore, but was when I made this dinner. The minute I opened the package she was loyally by my side. I still tear up at all the posts I included to photograph her. She was and she is part of everything we do. Ok off to find that box of Kleenex.
Alright, first you need a cast iron pan. Really they cheap and last forever as long as a teenager does not put it in the dishwasher (it has happened) or let the box fall out of a moving vehicle on the freeway (again it happens) Get this baby smoking HOT
Next you'll need one of these frequently available at Costco.
I am kinda embarrassed at how long it takes me to post to my blog. No I am not. Retrack that.
Add a couple TB of oil...not olive oil
Add the meat to the pan and let it brown on one side
Nice and brown. That brown is important.
Add washed cubed potatoes to the pan
I like to get all sides so I get the sides too. Yes I am a little freaky that way
Every potato in the pan..drizzle just a tad oil on them
I sprinkle some Season salt on them and pepper. They need to taste good too
Waiting patiently...She knows, she will get meat. Its a cancer diet after all she is on. Anything Emma wants, Emma gets
Now there is a slight disagreeange over when the meat is cooked in our home. I, personally like it bloody, mooing at me. The Fireman, likes it the consitency of shoe leather, burnt to a crisp. Since marriage is a compromise of sorts, I let him win sort of and take it out at 150 degrees
Its tempting to eat it right now...dont!!! Wait!!! 5 minutes
slice nice and thin
back into the pan so all the juices will flavor the potatoes, hey I have priorities here!


these leftovers! heaven!!!

Turkey White Bean Chili

I know it is a little early for leftover recipes but isn't that why you cooked all day for? Ok, maybe that isn't the only reason you cooked for that unGodly amount of hours but honestly if it wasn't for the amazing midnight Turkey sandwich (come one, you know you guilty too...I bake bacon and hide it in the frig just for this reason) and those leftovers, I might reconsider all the dysfunctional family that is allowed to grace the table each year.

This might be one of my favorite chilis. Maybe because it has Hotlinks in it. Hot links are a comfort food. There is a POST about explaining all the details. Even the brats have decided that they hold some cosmic fortune. They heal broken relationships and wipe tears. That's my story and I am sticking to it. But you should love this Chili because you can throw it together in minutes...ya pretty much. And when you have cooked for days and dealt with crazy relatives, there is something to be said about that.

Turkey White Bean Chili (Thanksgiving Leftover Recipe)
4 cans of white kidney beans or Northern Beans (drained and rinsed)
1 onion diced
4 Hotlinks sliced in chunks
3 cups of leftover Turkey in chunks
1 cup-2 cups of turkey stock
1 Taco Seasoning OR the following spices
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp oregano (Italian seasoning works great too)
1 tsp smoked paprika (this is must! I use it in a huge amt of my recipes)
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp parsley (all I had was dried)
Salt and pepper

This is too simple...really

Take the hotlinks and saute with the onions. You will not need any additional oil.
Add all the beans. Make sure you drain and rinse them.
Add all the spices or the taco seasoning packet and stock. It will simmer down so make sure you add enough liquid.
Let simmer for 20 minutes
Serve with Parmesan Corn Bread and a side salad

Mexican Turkey Pot Pie

I have used this recipe time and time again each and every Thanksgiving. In fact, I have made it using Chicken too. This recipe is great to take over for a pot luck. It is better if it sits for a while. But isn't most recipes? This recipe was originally shared with me thanks to a great neighbor. I have changed it as I do everything. That is what is so sweet about sharing recipes. I hope you take this and make it your own too. I do not add any vegetables to this pie. I serve it with a side salad.



Mexican Turkey Pot Pie
3 cups of turkey (chunks)
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 cup of sour cream
1 large can of diced Ortega Chilies
1 large handful of Jack cheese grated

Pie crust for top and bottom of pie (I am using a deep dish frozen pie crust and the roll out version of pie crust for the top. Use what you like. I do not like making pie crust so its the refrigerator version for me.

Mix all ingredients (except the pie crust..of course)

Turn into the uncooked pie shell

Cover with pie crust. Crimp the edges. Some trim off the extra but my Ballplayer LOVES the crust and will steal it off everyone's plate.

Cut a slit in the top of the pie crust
Bake 350 for about one hour. Make sure to bake it on a cookie sheet.
Let sit for five minutes before cutting (it sets up)

Creamy Turkey Enchiladas

The word CREAMY in the title can be misleading. Creamy sounds right in pasta. Creamy Alfredo pasta...ya that sounds right. But enchiladas? Oh yea!! I'm using leftover turkey but chicken would be just as good. You could use beef or pork for that matter. You'll be picking at it all night, I guarantee!

Creamy Turkey Enchiladas
3 cups chopped up cooked turkey (or chicken)
1 cup sour cream
1 cube cream cheese softened
1 large can diced green chilis, undrained
1 cup jack cheese for filling
2 cups jack cheese for topping
1 can (not large) med green chili enchilada sauce
6-9 flour tortillas (fajita size)

In a medium size bowl mix the softened cream cheese, sour cream, chilis, and 1 cup of the jack cheese together.

Mix in the leftover turkey meat.
Now here's where the sloppy part starts!
Pour enough sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan to cover the bottom.
Pour 1 cup of sauce in a pie plate. Take a tortilla and place in the pie plate. Flip over to sauce both sides. This is important to my family...they do not like dry enchiladas. Note: I skip the pie plate and just do it in the baking pan. You can save the dish to wash!Add 1/2 cup meat mixture and roll up. Keep refilling sauce to moisten tortillas. I am really over packing them. I am using maybe 3/4 of a cup.
Roll carefullyRepeat until the pan in full or the meat is gone.
Cover the top of the enchiladas with cheese. Take remaining sauce and pour over top of enchiladas Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 30 minutes uncovered.
Try to resist seconds.

Easiest Pumpkin Pie

My kids do not like Pumpkin Pie. They will eat Pumpkin Muffins, Pumpkin Pancakes, Pumpkin Cake but not pie. More for me. This is the easiest way to make Pumpkin Pie other than buying it. I like to use the Pumpkin Pie Mix. Guilty! I add just a tad more spice to it, maple syrup and toss into a graham cracker crust. How easy is that? I tend to make too many pies at one time, thinking that it is the holidays and my family can keep up.


Easiest Pumpkin Pie
1 can of Libby's Pumpkin Pie MIx
2/3 cup of Evaporated Milk
2 eggs
1 TB Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 TB Maple syrup
1 Graham cracker crust

Mix the pumpkin pie mix, eggs, evaporated milk, spices and maple syrup. Mix well.

Bake 350 for 50 minutes

Easiest Pecan Pie (thanks to Dear Abby)

Thanksgiving desserts are pretty much the same pies year after year. It's a comfort thing. My grandmother always had pumpkin pie, apple pie and pecan. Sometimes she would get inventive with the recipes but for the most part, you always knew what would be there. This happens to be the easiest pecan pie recipe. It was given to me by a friend and I have passed it on to anyone I can. I usually make two the night before Thanksgiving. Two is way too much but something about the holidays makes me think that my family can consume twice as much dessert even if I am the only one that will eat this pie. See, my brats don't do nuts. How did I have kids that hate nuts? I love nuts. I am a bit nuts so that probably explains it. Hope you enjoy this as much as I do.


ABBY'S FAMOUS PECAN PIE

9-inch unbaked pie crust
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar (I only have light brown and it is fine)
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 heaping cup pecan halves

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine corn syrup, sugar, eggs, butter, salt and vanilla; mix well.

Pour into unbaked pie crust

Sprinkle with pecan halves. Now this is where I become obsessive compulsive and have to make it pretty. This is not necessary yet I can't stop.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until center is set. (Toothpick inserted in center will come out clean when pie is done.) If the crust or pie appears to be getting too brown, cover with foil for the remaining baking time. Cool.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins

This recipe is so good that I am repeating it hoping you will torturing the neighbors with the smell! I love pumpkin muffins. Thanksgiving I just cant resist them. About a week before Halloween I start stocking up on canned pumpkin and begin making everything I can imagine.

Muffins;
2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Large egg (sometimes I use 2 if they look small)


Preheat Heat oven to 400°F. Grease your muffin pans, or place paper baking cup in each muffin cup. I don't buy the papers. I always forget or don't have enough so I ditched that years ago.
Mix all dry ingredients. Reserve 1/2 cup of dry ingredients. Put the 1/2 cup aside. Add the wet ingredients.

Fill muffin pan 1/2 full. I like to use my ice cream scoop. It is about the equivalent of 1/4 cupNow Make the cheesecake filling...


Cheesecake filling
1 cube (8oz) cream cheese softened
1 egg
zest of one orange
1/2 cup of sugar
Cover each muffin with 1 TB of cream cheese mixture.Cover each cream cheese covered muffin with one more TB of muffin mixture.

Now make the crumb topping...

Crumb Topping
Take your reserve dry ingredient. Place in a bowl with 1/2 cup of chopped pecans and 3 TB melted butter.
Cover each muffin with the crumb mixture.
Bake 25 minutes (please check to make sure they are done. My oven is a dinosaur and everything takes longer)