Monday Menu (Two Days Late): Pies and (leftover) Turkey

I am in the process of moving my blogs to their own domain names and WordPress (which is why I’m late…well, that, and prepping for a workshop that I gave yesterday…). Within the next week, be on the lookout for the new URL and RSS feed information.

We went to my brother’s house for Thanksgiving a week ago and I took two pies along with us: pecan (My Honey’s favorite) and pumpkin (my favorite). But, just because I wasn’t hosting Thanksgiving this year doesn’t mean that I wasn’t going to take advantage of buying a turkey for .35 per pound (at Ralphs with $20 purchase). It is just good food budget sense to be able to buy 13 pounds of meat for only around $6. On Friday, I popped that baby in the oven in the morning and the fragrance of roasting turkey was soon filling the house. Ah, the smells of the holidays do bring back memories, don’t they?

I found the pie recipes in a Rawleigh’s Good Health Guide Almanac Cook Book from 1952. According to their website,

Rawleigh Products was founded by W.T. Rawleigh in the late 1800s to create a line of products that possessed both strength and quality. Over 100 years later, W.T Rawleigh remains a leading manufacturer and distributor of salves, ointments, spices & extracts and much, much more products !

As I mentioned before, My Honey loves pecan pie. When he lived in Hollywood right out of art school, he subsisted on one of those tiny pecan pies and a pint a milk that he would buy from a convenience store across the street from his apartment. In the past, I’ve just used the recipe that is on the Karo corn syrup bottle. But this time I wanted to try a recipe from one of my cookbooks. I used the “Super Pecan Pie” version.

Rawleigh’s Pecan Pie
3 eggs
1 cup white or brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup pecan halves
1 tsp. Rawleigh’s Vanilla Extract
Unbaked pie shell

Beat eggs and sugar until thick. Ad corn syrup, pecans, and vanilla. Pour into pie shell. Bake in oven, 375* F., for 30 minutes or until firm.
Super Pecan Pie: Cream 1/2 cup butter with the sugar. Add to beaten eggs; add remaining ingredients.

Julie’s notes: The “until firm” threw me for a minor loop. At 30 minutes, it was not firm at all. I left it in for another 10 minutes but the top started turning into “burnt sugar” and I took it out of the oven. The pie didn’t look very pretty but everyone devoured it and my brother had seconds. Also, make sure your pie shell is deep. I ended up quickly making a mini-pie for My Honey from the leftover filling that wouldn’t fit in my regular pie pan.

Usually, when I make pumpkin pie, I simply use the recipe that is on the Libby’s pumpkin can label. But, like the pecan pie, I decided to use the recipe I found in the Rawleigh’s almanac. I’d like to say that I loved this pie but I can’t. I never got a chance to taste it! I was a little nervous about the baking directions (no “cook at this temp for 15 minutes and then turn it down…”) but it turned out fine. Family members who tried it said that it tasted richer and creamier than the Libby’s pie recipe.

Rawleigh’s Pumpkin Pie
1 1/2 cups cooked pumpkin (canned pumpkin is already cooked)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Rawleigh’s Cinnamon
1 tsp. Rawleigh’s Ginger
1/8 tsp. Rawleigh’s Allspice
2 Tbs. molasses (optional)
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup rich milk or thin cream (I used 1/2 & 1/2)
unbaked pie shell

Mix pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, all-spice and molasses. Add eggs with milk or cream and mix well. Pour into pie shell. Bake in oven, 425*, for 40-45 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.
Squash pie: Use cooked squash instead of pumpkin.

Since I bought the turkey with the intention of using it in a variety of entrees, I scoured my cookbooks for recipes calling for cooked turkey. Here are two recipes (no photos) and I will post one more next week after I try a “turkey glaze” recipe (I put the cubed turkey in the freezer).

Hash! My Honey calls hash Depression food (as in The Great Depression) but I love well made hash. My father loved hash but had to rely on the canned stuff since my mother does not enjoy cooking. I’ve tried several recipes over the years and I have to say that this one, from a 1960 Ladies’ Home Journal cookbook, is my favorite. And the best part is that it is really easy to make. I served ours with a fried egg over easy on top (My Honey had the leftovers for breakfast the next morning).

Turkey Hash
2 cups leftover turkey chopped medium fine
2 cups chopped boiled potato
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup cream

Combine the turkey and potato. Mix and season with salt and pepper. Brown the mixture well in a skillet in butter. Add the cream, reseason to tast, and cook until cream is absorbed. Good topped with poached eggs. Four servings.

Julie’s note: Be patient while the hash is browning–don’t try to rush it by turning up the heat. Your patience will be rewarded with nice and crispy outsides and moist insides (like…wait for it…hash browns).

My friend Aura gave me a fun little cookbook that she found at a thrift store called Potluck Cookery: Delightful ways to make a royal meal form leftovers or whatever you have on hand by Beverly Pepper published in 1955. I found a recipe called “Very Special Turkey” and had to give it a try. It is very special indeed!

Very Special Turkey
Cooked turkey, diced, at least 1 1/2 cups
Cooked broccolie, 1 1/2 cups or 1 package quick frozen, prepared as directed
Melted butter or margarine, 1 Tbs.
Grated cheese, 3 Tbs.
Sherry, 1/4 cup
Condensed cream of chicken soup, 1 can
Salt and pepper to taste

Place broccoli in a shalow buttered casserole. Sprinkle with butter, 1 Tbs. cheese and 1 Tbs. wine. Spread turkey over broccoli. Sprinkle with 1 Tbs. cheese and 1 Tbs. wine. Pour chicken soup, salt and pepper over all. top with remaining cheese and wine. Bake in moderate 350 oven until piping hot, golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serves 4.
Suggested: Serve with boiled rice or on hot toast with tossed greens salad and Chive Dressing–plus poppy-seed rolls.

Julie’s Note: I served this over rice and it was extremely filling. I used broccoli spears but I think I might go with broccoli cuts or florets next time.

One of the things I was most thankful for over the weekend was that I was able to be at home puttering around the kitchen while crazy people were engaging in that madness called Black Friday. My family has agreed to only give handmade gifts this year (we draw names) and it has made the holiday season seem much more meaningful already.