Turkey Shepherd’s Pie with Sweet Potato Crust

Tonight’s featured recipe is a modern version of what is actually the most basic and ancient of all meals, a meat pie.  Soon after the invention of fire, the next “Killer App” might very well have been… Pie Crust.  As our ancestors grew tired of eating food cooked on the ground or suspended from a stick over an open fire, they discovered that a vessel fashioned of dough, for containing and cooking the enclosed ingredient as well as its juices, worked very well.  

When a pie had a crust, it was known as a coffin, and pies with no crust were known as traps. Large, short-sided pies are tarts and very small pies are tartlets. When someone made a pie out of some type of bird, he or she would leave the legs of the bird extended outside the edge of the pie to be used for handles.

Pies originally had a very hard crust, sometimes up to three inches in thickness, which made for great cooking over long periods of time, but were very often too hard to be eaten. The crust of the pie was used mainly for baking the pie as there were no pie pans back then. Think primitive pottery here. At times it was also known as bulletproof dough. Because of this quality, between the 13th and 16th centuries, many pies held live birds, frogs and other small creatures, even dwarfs and sometimes a small orchestra. These were contained inside the pie only to emerge and enliven royal feasts with entertainment.

Pies eventually made their way to England and soon showed up in America with the first colonial settlers bringing along Cottage and Shepherd’s pies. From the American natives, the pilgrims learned of the many healthy fruits and berries which grew in abundance everywhere, and incorporated them into the pies they made. 

Women at that time conserved their rations by making round pies and shallow pies. During the 1700s, pie first became a popular part of celebratory moments while gaining popularity in homes, picnics and fairs. Many people have enjoyed pie eating contests or pie throwing games. Pies and their recipes have traveled a very long way from where they began to this present day.

Shepherd’s pies typically have some type of meat and vegetable filling; it can be any type of meat, with a crust made from potatoes. Our version is a Turkey pie with a Sweet Potato crust. It’s wonderful. Enjoy.

From our kitchen to yours. Enjoy the adventure.

Ingredients

Turkey Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potato Crust

1 large Sweet Potato, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces

1/3 cup Buttermilk

¼ tsp Garlic Powder

1/8 tsp Salt, or to taste

1/8 tsp Black Pepper, freshly ground

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

½ cup Red Onion, chopped

3 cloves Garlic, medium, minced

6 baby Carrots, chopped

20 oz. raw Turkey Sausage, about 4 sausages, 3 mild, 1 hot, casings removed.

1 tsp dried Oregano

1 tsp dried Thyme

¼ tsp Black Pepper, freshly ground

10 ¾ oz can Tomato Soup

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and pour enough water to cover potatoes. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Boil until the potatoes are fork tender, about 8 minutes.  Drain potatoes; return potatoes to pan. Mash potatoes with Buttermilk and Garlic powder until smooth. Season to taste with Salt and Pepper.

Meanwhile, heat Oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add Onion and Garlic; Sauté until tender, about 3 minutes.  Add Carrots; Sauté 1 minute.  Remove vegetables and set aside. 

Add Turkey sausage to skillet and sauté until browned, about 5 minutes, breaking up sausage with a wooden spoon. Return vegetables to skillet; stir in Oregano, Thyme and ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper; cook 1 minute. Add Soup; simmer until liquid is absorbed and mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Spoon mixture into 9 inch pie plate.

Spoon Mashed Potatoes over the top to cover meat mixture, and smooth to an even layer with the back of a wooden spoon.

Bake until filling bubbles, about 25 minutes. Slice into 6 pieces. Yields 6 servings, PointsPlus value per serving is 6. Prep time is about 25 minutes. Cooking time is 25 minutes. Level of difficulty is Moderate.

Weight Watchers and PointsPlus are registered trademarks of Weight Watchers Intl. Inc.

Recipes shown may not be exactly the same as those found on any website. Judy and I tend to "tweak" each recipe we feature, to some degree, incorporating our own unique tastes and ideas. PointsPlus values, however, are accurate. 

Photo by Barry Baruh

Pork “No Pain” Lo Mein

We all love Chinese food, Right?   When you go out for Chinese you are going to be eating food that tastes great, but probably contains additives of which you may not be aware. MSG and other types of flavor enhancers can cause headaches or even water retention.  Not a good thing when trying to lose a few pounds. On the other hand, when you prepare your meals at home you know exactly what you’re eating.   

I’m not advocating against restaurants.  Judy and I love to go out to eat.  But, having complete control of what goes in your body is certainly going to be beneficial in the long run.

Here’s a recipe for a Chinese restaurant favorite, with a twist.  It’s loaded with flavor and the ingredients are fresh. But you won’t find the calories or fat content found in most restaurant recipes.

From our kitchen to yours.  Enjoy the adventure.

Ingredients

Pork "No Pain" Lo Mein

8 oz lean Pork tenderloin, cut into ¼ inch wide strips

3 Tbsp low sodium Soy Sauce, divided into 2 Tbsp and 1 Tbsp

1 Tbsp Garlic, fresh, minced

2 Tbsp Ginger root, fresh, minced

8 oz Whole Wheat Fettuccini

1/8 tsp Salt

½ cup Carrots, thinly sliced

1 tsp Canola Oil

4 oz Button Mushrooms, or Shitake, sliced

½ cup Chicken broth, fat free, low sodium

1 tsp toasted Sesame Oil

1/3 cup Scallions, sliced

½ tsp Red Pepper flakes

Instructions

In a medium bowl, toss pork with 2 Tablespoon of Soy sauce, Garlic and ginger; let it stand 20 minutes

Meanwhile, cook Fettuccini in a large pot of lightly salted water according to package directions, about 7 – 9 minutes; add Carrots to the pot 5 minutes before the Fettuccine will be done. Drain and set aside.

Heat Canola oil in a large non-stick skillet or Stir Fry pan over medium-high heat; add Mushrooms, Red Pepper flakes and pork. Increase heat to high; Stir fry until Mushrooms release their liquid and become lightly browned, and the Pork is cooked through, about 6 minutes.

Add the drained Fettuccini and Carrots, Broth, and the remaining Tablespoon of Soy sauce and Sesame Oil to the skillet; toss over low heat until combined.  Remove from heat and stir in Scallions.

Serve immediately.

Yields about 1 ¼ cups per serving.  Makes 4 servings.  PointsPlus value per serving is 8. Prep time is 20 minutes. Cooking time is 20 minutes. Level of difficulty is Easy.

Weight Watchers and PointsPlus are registered trademarks of Weight Watchers Intl. Inc.

Recipes shown may not be exactly the same as those found on any website. Judy and I "tweak" each recipe we feature, to some degree, incorporating our own unique tastes. PointsPlus values, however, are accurate. 

Photo by Barry Baruh

Curried Chicken with Barley and Lentils

Judy prepared this colorful dish the other evening and it was a real treat.  The depth of flavor, from the curry to the freshly grated ginger root, came together in a subtle way at first and finished with a little ‘bite’ from the red pepper flakes.  This Indian inspired, high-fiber and vitamin rich dish was really quite enjoyable.

From our kitchen to yours. Enjoy the adventure.

Ingredients

Curried Chicken with Barley and Lentils

2 tsp Olive Oil

1 ¼ cups sweet Red Peppers, chopped

1/8 tsp Red Pepper flakes, or to taste. Be brave and go for it with another 1/8 tsp.

1 cup Onion, chopped

2 tsp Garlic, minced

2 tsp Ginger root, freshly grated

2 tsp Curry powder

2 cups Water

2 cups canned Chicken Broth, low sodium, fat-free

1 cup Carrots, sliced

½ cup Barley, uncooked

3  1/3 oz Lentils, dry, rinsed and picked over

½ pound Chicken breast, uncooked, skinless and boneless, cut into bite sized pieces

4 ½ oz frozen spinach, about 1 cup

½ cup fat-free Yogurt, plain

Instructions

Heat Oil in a large saucepan. Add Peppers, Red Pepper flakes and Onion.  Sauté over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.  Stir in Garlic, Ginger, and Curry powder.

Cook over low heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Stir in the Water, Broth, Carrots, and Barley; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 10 minutes.

Stir in Lentils. Cover and simmer, stirring once or twice, until Barley and Lentils are tender, about 30 – 35 minutes.

Stir in Chicken and Spinach; cover and cook until Chicken is cooked through and Spinach is hot, about 5 minutes. Serve yogurt on the side to be drizzled over the top.

Yields 4 servings of about 1 ½ cups per serving, plus 2 Tablespoons of Yogurt. PointsPlus value per serving is 7. Level of difficulty is Easy, and it’s all done in just one pot for minimal cleanup. Yay! Prep time is about 25 minutes. Cooking time is about 70 minutes.

Weight Watchers and PointsPlus are registered trademarks of Weight Watchers intl. Inc.

Recipes shown may not be exactly the same as those found on any website. Judy and I "tweak" each recipe we feature, to some degree, incorporating our own unique tastes. PointsPlus values, however, are accurate. 

Photo by Barry Baruh

Breakfast for Dinner? It's well worth the effort.

Endeavoring to enhance my culinary skills, I wanted to try a recipe this week that would be a little more challenging than what I had tried previously.  Searching the web for recipes specifically listed as “difficult” I knew I had a winner the minute I found the recipe we are featuring in today’s post.

Having been a long time fan of crepes, primarily those filled with jams and other sweet goodies, I had never thought to prepare them myself because I had always found them a bit intimidating.  It takes a while to prepare crepes properly.  I was always into immediate gratification. Anyway, who would ever have considered crepes as part of a weight loss program?  Certainly not I.  Surprise!!

This particular crepe recipe is a savory dish perfect for any meal, including dinner.  It was a little challenging at first, but the result was delicious.  Judy and I will definitely include new and different varieties of crepes again as part of our future meal planning.

There are several steps involved in the preparation and cooking of our featured dish.  Each step must be followed in the proper order.  In the end you will have a winning dish that both satisfies and amazes you and your dinner companions.

Note: I find it helpful with any of the recipes I prepare to measure out all of the ingredients ahead of time, so that everything is ready when it's needed.  This is especially important with a complicated recipe such as today's.

From our kitchen to yours. Enjoy the adventure.

Ham and Mushroom Crepes

Ingredients

Crepe

Ham and Mushroom Crepes

½ cup whole wheat flour, all natural

¼ tsp Salt

¾ cup low fat Milk 2%

2 large Eggs

Sauce

¾ cup low fat Milk, 2%

¾ cup Chicken Broth, fat free, low sodium

3 Tbsp whole wheat Flour, all natural

3 Tbsp Dry Sherry

1/8 tsp Nutmeg, ground

1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/8 tsp Black Pepper, freshly ground

½ cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated

1 Tbsp Parsley, chopped

Filling

8 oz. Cremini Mushrooms, sliced, about 2 cups

3 cloves Garlic, minced

2 Tbsp Dry sherry

1 Tbsp Parsley, chopped

¼ tsp Salt

6 oz cooked Ham, thinly sliced, about 1 oz per slice

Instructions

To prepare the Crepes, Combine the flour and Salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the Milk and Eggs in a separate bowl. Slowly whisk the Milk and Egg mixture into the Flour mixture until smooth. Let stand at least 15 minutes.

Spray a small nonstick skillet or crepe pan with cooking spray and set over medium heat. Stir the batter and pour ¼ cup of the mixture into the skillet, tilting in all directions to form a thin, even layer. Cook until the top is set and the bottom is golden, about 1 – 1 ½ minutes. Flip the crepe and cook the other side about 15 – 20 seconds until golden.  Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter to make 6 crepes. Remember to spray the skillet between crepes.  Cover all crepes loosely with plastic wrap and set aside.

To prepare the Sauce, Whisk together the Milk, Chicken broth, Flour, 3 Tbsp of Sherry, Nutmeg, Cayenne Pepper, and Black Pepper in a medium saucepan until smooth.  Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 6 – 7 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the Cheese and 1 Tbsp of the Parsley; Cover and keep warm.

To prepare the Filling, Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium high heat.  Add the Mushrooms, Garlic, and Salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the Mushrooms soften, about 5 – 6 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 Tbsp of Sherry and cook until the liquid evaporates, about 1 – 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 Tbsp of Parsley.  Let cool slightly for a minute or two.

Final assembly of Crepes. Preheat oven to 450°F. Spray a 7 x 11 inch, or similar, baking dish with cooking spray.  Arrange the crepes side by side on a flat work surface.  Lay one slice of Ham on each crepe.  Spread each with 1 Tablespoon of the sauce and about 2 Tablespoons of the Mushrooms, 1/6^th of the total.  Roll up the Crepes, jelly-roll style, and transfer to the baking dish. Spoon the remaining sauce over the Crepes to cover.  Bake until the sauce is bubbly and lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

Yields 1 Crepe per serving.  PointsPlus value per serving is 5.  It’s OK to splurge and have 2.    Prep time is about 25 minutes. Cooking time is about 45 minutes. Level of difficulty is Difficult, but worth it.

Weight Watchers and PointsPlus are registered trademarks of Weight Watchers Intl. Inc.

Recipes shown may not be exactly the same as those found on any website. Judy and I "tweak" each recipe we feature, to some degree, incorporating our own unique tastes. PointsPlus values, however, are accurate. 

Photo by Barry Baruh

Peking Duck Wraps

Here is a recipe I discovered while looking for something new and unusual to prepare.  We’ve done a Duck recipe before and it was fantastic, so I wanted to try another one and compare the results. Both were great!

If Peking Duck is a favorite of yours, you’ll love this easy to assemble and easy to eat version.  The only drawback was…there wasn’t enough.  The recipe makes only two servings. This was so delicious that had we made more, we would have eaten all of it.

This was one of the most fun dishes we have prepared.  Give it a try; we’re sure you’ll love it.

From our kitchen to yours. Enjoy the adventure.

Ingredients

Peking Duck Wrap

4 ½ Tbsp Hoisin sauce.

2 Tbsp Sake, rice wine

4 tsp Honey

1 Tbsp low sodium Soy sauce

1/8 tsp five-spice Chinese blend seasoning

½ pound uncooked Duck breast, skin removed

2 small Tortillas, 6 inch, fat-free, flour

½ medium Cucumber, peeled, seeded, cut lengthwise into thin strips

1 medium Scallion, green part only, cut into thin strips

Instructions

Combine 3 Tablespoons of the Hoisin sauce, Sake, 3 teaspoons of the Honey, soy sauce and 5-spice seasoning in a plastic zip-lock bag; add the Duck breast. Squeeze out any air, seal the bag and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Turn occasionally to completely coat the Duck.

Combine the remaining 1 ½ Tbsp of Hoisin sauce and 1 teaspoon of Honey in a small bowl and set aside in the Fridge while Duck is marinating.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a 10 x 15 inch glass pan with foil.  Stand a wire rack in the pan.  Spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray.

Remove the Duck breast from the marinade. Discard the marinating sauce and place the Duck in the wire rack.  Bake until the Duck is cooked through, about 17 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, cover with foil and let the Duck rest about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, wrap the Tortillas in a damp towel and microwave on high about 45 seconds.  Thinly slice the Duck, against the grain. Spread half of the reserved Hoisin/Honey sauce on each Tortilla. Top each with half of the Cucumber, Scallion and Duck. Wrap the Tortilla around the filling and serve at once.

Yields 1 wrap per serving (sadly).  PointsPlus value per serving is 8. Level of difficulty is Easy. Prep time is about 15 minutes.  Cooking time is about 17 minutes.

Note: You can turn this into a party canapé if you like by simply cutting each wrap into several pieces, holding them together with a toothpick and coating each with a little sauce.

Weight Watchers and PointsPlus are registered trademarks of Weight Watchers intl. Inc.

Recipes shown may not be exactly the same as those found on any website. Judy and I "tweak" each recipe we feature, to some degree, incorporating our own unique tastes. PointsPlus values, however, are accurate. 

Photo by Barry Baruh