Patti's Own Mushroom & Wild Rice Turkey Soup

One turkey carcass
1 lb carrots sliced
3 onions chopped into larger pieces
2 cans peas drained
4 pkgs of sliced fresh mushrooms
6 large stalks of thinly sliced celery
2 lbs chopped red small potatoes
two cups wild rice cooked
one cup brown rice cooked
herbs de Provence to taste at least 2 palm fulls (French spice found in gourmet spice shops)
left over chopped turkey to taste
salt, pepper
1/2 cup minced fresh dill
1/2 cup of minced fresh parsley
1/2 cup of chicken bullion from a granulated container 8 oz size

Place carcass in very large stock pot-- Cover with water and simmer for 4 hours.  Drain broth thru collander.  Remove large bones and turkey meat from bones, straining broth thru a collander.  Set turkey meat aside and chill.  Skim off fat from top of chilled broth and discard fat.  Return broth to burner.  Simmer for few hours adding the following:  carrots, onions, celery,  and potatoes.  Add herbs to provence (very important).....Add fresh dill minced.. simmer.  Add both cooked rices.  Add turkey chopped and sliced fresh mushrooms....Salt dissipates in flavor add lastly along with boullion (taught this in cooking school---helps to use less salt!!!! This makes a HUGE amount of soup...I give my soup away

to friends, family, at work....This makes lots & lots of soup!!!  I freeze in 1/2 gallon freezer bags.
Defrost nite before,  heat the soup & serve with a good whole grain bread, presto dinner....

Herbs de Provence can be found at gourmet spice shops.  I found mine sold thru French Pariesien chef
I met in New Orleans.  In Paris herbs to provence in used in so many dishes---it contains a blend of
spices including lavender, yes it is edible...this spice gives the perfect touch to vegetables, soups, meats
and you will slightly recognize the taste as if you've had it before somewhere...Yes, a good French
or European restaurant.....

Pumpkin Dump Cake

1 can pumpkin
3 eggs
12 oz can evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1 teas cinnamon
 teas grated fresh nutmeg
salt slight sprinkle
1 yellow cake mix
1/2 cup pecans chopped
2 sticks melted butter

In med. bowl mix pumpkin, 3 eggs, evaporated milk and sugar.  Add cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Place
in 9 x 1 baking pan.   Sprinkle cake mix evenly over pumpkin layer.  Sprinkle pecans over all.  Evenly
drizzle melted butter over pecan layer.  Bake350 degrees 1/2 hour or till set.  Remove from oven.
Serve after letting settle for an hour.  Cut in squares.  Pumpkin will be soft under crust but able to be
served as squares.  This is incredible!  Best pumpkin dessert ever...Thank you to Mrs. Tonika, my

friend Phyllis's mom....INCREDIBLE!!!

Articoke Green Bean Casserole

4 cans green beans french style drained
l 6 oz pkg Trader Joe's frozen artichokes thawed separated and root chopped

Mix and place in 9 x 1 pan. Add 3-4 garlic chopped cloves. Sprinkle parmesan
cheese 1 cup over all. Sprinkle with seasoned bread crumbs. Drizzle olive
oil over all. Bake 350 1/2 hour.

Family Recipe for Wassil

2 quarts of apple juice
3/4 quart cranberry juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 teas of aromatic bitters (very important)
3 sticks of cinnamon
tablespoon of whole allspice tied in a cheesecloth
one large orange peeled and studded w/many cloves
1 cup rum
lemon or orange slices halved

Combine all but lemon slices in crock

pot and cook on high for l hr. till
hot. Turn to low/warm. Serve ladling into mugs/cups. Float half slice
of lemon or orange in cup.

Grandma Sirek's French Canadian Bread Dressing

2 1/2 loaves of bread cubed with a knife
1 onnion chopped fine
4 stalks celery chopped fine
3 boiled potatoes peeled and chop
1 lb pork sausage lean
salt, pepper
1 teas. rubbed sage

Place cubed bread in large bowl or cover of roasting pan. Add onion and celery.
Add uncooked pork sausage. Mix in with fingers. Add potatoes mixing in with fingers. Add sage, salt & pepper mixing in with fingers. Place in large greased
pan (I use spray Pam). Bake 350 till slightly crunchy on top approx 1/2 hour.

Healthy Pumpkin Gingerbread

1 pkg of gingerbread mix
1 can of pumpkin

Mix together gingerbread mix and pumpkin. Pour in 11 x 6 pan.
Top with almonds or walnuts...Bake at 350 degrees till center bounces back.
Serve warm or cut in squares cover with foil serve later...
This is my own recipe I comprised for a healthy alternative to gingerbread.

Inside Out Stuffed Pepper/Cabbage Roll Soup

2 lbs ground sirloin
4 cans diced tomatoes with juice
6 cans tomato soup
2 cups catsup
2 pkgs coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage)
1 lb carrots sliced in food processor
3-4 diced onions
1 cup fresh chopped basil
6-7 bay leaves
small handful of celery seed
2 teas of allspice or more to taste
small handful of caraway seed (very important)
2 cups of cooked brown rice (1 cup raw cooked makes 2 cups)
7 chopped large sweet peppers
2

teaspoons of stevia to taste or sugar
salt, pepper fresh ground to taste

Brown gr. sirloin in very large stock stock pot. Add onion, carrots, simmer
20 min with couple cans of the tomatoes
with juice. Add shredded cabbage
(coleslaw mix),and soups, remaining 2 cans of tomatoes with juice, 6 cups
ofwater,fresh basil, bay leaves. Simmer half hour. Add celery seed, allspice,
caraway seed,cooked brown rice. Simmer half hour and add salt, pepper, stevia to
taste. This makes a LOT of soup!!! Halve the recipe for family. This was made
for a chilli/soup cook-off.

Dirt Cake, Lite Option

2 large pkgs chocolate sugar-free pudding
4 cups 2% milk
16 oz container lite cool whip
30 crushed lite Oreo Cookies
gummy worms

In large bowl whisk together chocolate pudding and milk. Chill a few minutes
till thickened. Fold in Cool whip litely. Add all but 1 1/2 cups of Oreo
cookies. Pour into a large glass bowl. Top with remaining 1 1/2 cups of
crushed Oreo cookies. Decorate with gummy worms.

You can also put this mixture into individual cups glass/foam as individual
servings topped with gummy worms. Chill.

Crepes a la Josephine

1 cup water
1 cup flour
2 eggs

Whisk eggs, add water, add flour, continue whisking. Heat crepe pan and melt
small amount of butter in bottom of pan. With gravy ladle add one and 1/2 ladles
of batter to pan, swirling into pan to cover in a rounded fashion. Heat on stove
under low flame till moistness is gone from crepe and flip with fork. Heat till
dry and set aside. Continue cooking using sm. amount butter ea. crepe or they
will stick. Fun to have ea. person get up from table and make their own crepe.
Set crepes aside, can pile them on top of ea. other.

Have following available:
Nutella
banana to slice
canned peaches drained
cherry pie filling
whip cream topping

Filling for fruit crepes:
1 block lite cream cheese whipped with sugar to taste

When ready have ea. person make their own crepe. For fruit crepe spread cream
cheese litely over crepe and dollop cherry or peaches over. Fold seam side up.
Decorate with whipped cream.

For Nutella crepe spread Nutella over crepe and slice banana over. fold seam side
up and dot whip cream.

All we could say was "OMG Josephine, these are incredible!!!!!"

Josephine taught us Crepes 101----She is Angie's mama. She is from Sicily and
an incredible cook!!! For manicotti Sicilian style use crepes instead of noodles.
Fill with ricotta cheese:

3/4 Romano cheese
1 1/2 lbs. ricotta cheese
salt, pepper, parley minced
2 eggs

Combine and fill crepes. Pour over marinara sauce. Mozzarella cheese over and
bake 350 oven till bubbly.

Split Pea Soup With Ham

2 lbs dried split peas (2 pkgs)
1 med. onion chopped fine
4 carrots minced
4 stalks celery minced
1 ham bone optional or
2 cups or less of chopped baked ham
(I prefer honey ham) optional
4 bay leaves
sea salt, fresh ground peppercorns to taste
chicken bouillon to taste

Place split peas in very large crock pot. I process onion, celery, carrots in
proessor. Place over split dried peas in in crock pot. Add bay leaves and cover
with water with few inches over peas. Add ham bone (optional)Simmer all day or
overnite in crock pot. Remove ham bone and dice ham off bone returning ham to soup. Season to taste with salt, pepper, chicken bouillon (optional). If it is too thick add wate, simmer, and taste again for seasoning. Serve with cheese crouton if desired, Freezes well.

Quick & Easy Jamaican Jerk Chicken

3-4 lbs. boneless frozen chicken breasts
1 16 oz bottle Jamaican Jerk bottled sauce
2 sliced onions
1 20 oz can pineapple tidbits drained

tortilla wraps--I use low carb
cheese slices cheddar---low fat if desired as shown
lettuce salad mix

Place chicken breasts frozen in crock pot. Cover with 1 bottle of Jamaican bottled
sauce. Cook on low for 3 hrs, add 2 sliced onions, not chopped. Heat till softened. Pour off some of the juice to the side in a cup. Shred chicken using
two forks. Add more liquid if needed till desired consistency. Add pineapple
tidbits. Heat on low another half hour. Serve in tortillas as shown with lettuce,
wrapped, melted cheddar on top; or serve on buns.

Thanks to my RN friend Megan for this recipe!!!!!!

Mashed Cauliflower

2 large pks of frozen cauliflower
non-fat milk
little olive oil
butter small amounts for flavor
chives
salt

Place thawed cauliflower in large dutch oven and cover with water. Boil till tender
and drain. Process small amounts with milk till smooth in food processor and add back to the dutch oven.

Reheat and add chives, taste to salt, add small amount butter to taste. Serve warm....

My Son Keith's BBQ Pork

2 boneless rolled pork roasts
Old Bay Seasoning
Oregano
olive oil
minced fresh garlic
minimal amoum=nt of water

Place in roasting pan covering with seasonings and bake slow till pork falls apar;
I placed mine in large crockpot and cooked on low for hours. Drain liquid. Pull
pork apart. Return to crockpot or baking pan.

Add:

3 bottles Hickory BBQ sauce, I used Sweet Baby Ray.
2 teas. of liquid smoke
crushed black peppercorns to taste
diced fine onion large
Tabasco sauce to taste
3 fresh jalapenas seeded and diced or I used jarred nacho sliced I diced to taste
garlic crushed to taste, I used jarred minced 2 teas.
few shakes of Tabasco sauce
2 cups orange juice
1 cup Jack Daniels whiskey

Cover and simmer till done couple hours. Add little water if too thick and
season to taste altering spices. The orange juice is the trick, it gives it
such a kick, even more than the whiskey, lol. Tastes even better late day or next day when the spices sit. Freezes well. I served on pretzel rolls.

This is my son Keith's recipe from the restaurant he is a cook at presently.

Patti's Tuscan Lite Italian Sausage Lettuce Wraps

1 lb hot Italian sausage removed from casing
1 lb hot Italian turkey sausage removed from casing

Brown sausages together in pan with non-stick spray. Drain, cool, and process in
food processor, leave a little chunky.

2 jars marinara of your choice (24 oz) I use Healthy style marinara
1- 14oz can drained diced Italian style tomates
fresh basil large handful chopped
1 lg tomato paste
2 large diced red/green sweet peppers
small pkg fresh sliced mushrooms
2 teas capers (optional) I don't use them
2 small cans drained sliced black olives
fresh shaved parmesan cheese
1 head romaine lettuce leaves pulled apart and washed


In a dutch oven combine 2 jars of marinara sauce, 1 can drained 14 oz Italian style diced tomatoes, large handful of fresh chopped fresh basil. Simmer 1/2 hr and add 1 large tomato paste. Simmer to thicken.

Add small pkg sliced fresh mushrooms, 2 chopped sweet red/green peppers. Simmer
to soften. Add two teaspoons of capers if desired (I don't like them, and don't
add them).

On a long dish, lay a slice of cleaned romaine lettuce leaf. Fill with meat
filling. Top with sliced black olives, sprinkle with fresh shaved parmesan
cheese and serve.

My Deviled Eggs

1 dozen eggs boiled and cooled, shelled, halved (set whites on serving platter), yolk removed and placed in med. sized bowl and add:

lite mayo approx 1 cup
honey mustard about 4 Tab
few shakes or Lea & Perrin's worchestershire sauce
1/4 cup minced fresh/frozen dill (I buy fresh dill chop and freeze)

With electric mixer combine and whip mayo, egg yolds, honey mustard, worchestershire
sauce, and dill. Add more mayo till thick consistency but not too heavy to use in
a piping gun.

Place whites on platter and using piping gun, pipe filling. Sprinkle with paprika
litely. Chill and serve.

Apricot Meringue Bars

3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs separated
Solo apricot filling
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 teas. vanilla

Combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, butter, eggs yolks and vanilla with electric mixer.
Press onto 15 x 10 pan. Bake 350 12-15 min till barely brown on edges. Take out
oven and spread two cans of apricot filling onto crust.

In chilled bowl with egg whites in it, whip whites till soft peaks, add other 1/2 cup sugar little at a time till glossy and peaks form almost stiff. Spread over
filling. Sprinkle 1/2 cup or more of sliced almonds over meringue. Bake 350, 25-30
min. till litely brown, watch closely. Cool and cut in squares. Refrigerate
till serving.

Peapod Salad

3 small pkgs snow pea pods
4 carrots sliced thin
2 sweet red/yellow peppers thinly sliced
3 stalks celery sliced thinly
1 sm pkg fresh mushrooms thinly sliced
1 can sliced waterchestnuts crained
handful of sesame seeds
toasted almonds to large handful

Rinse snow peas and pull out strings if needed and place in large bowl.
Use food processor and slice carrots, peppers, celery, and mushrooms.
Combine in large bowl.

In a separate bowl combine:

2/3 cup peanut oil
4 Tab. lemon juice
2 Tab lite soy sauce
2 teas. brown sugar
Combine and pour over salad....Add handful of sesame seeds. Mix litely.
Chill few hours....At serving sprinkle toasted almonds and litely stir them in.

MY HEALTHY TURKEY TACO SALAD


ONE LARGE HEAD LETTUCE CHOPPED
1 LB GR. LEAN TURKEY COOKED AND CRUMBLED OR GR. SIRLOIN COOKED, CRUMBLED
1 PKG TACO SEASONING MIX
1 PKG OF SHREDDED LOW FAT SHARP CHEDDAR OR MONTERREY JACK CHEESE
2 CHOPPED FRESH TOMATOES
1 CAN PINTO BEANS DRAINED
1 CAN KERNEL CORN DRAINED
1 SMALL CAN SLICES DRAINED BLACK OLIVES
1 MED SIZED BAG OF BAKED DORITOS NACHO CHIPS


MIX TACO SEASONING MIX WITH COOKED GROUND TURKEY OR GR. SIRLOIN ADDING 1/2 CUP WATER SIMMER 10 MINUTES AND COOL.


IN GLASS BOWL LAYER THE FOLLOWING:

ONE LG CHOPPED HEAD LETTUCE
LAYER OF CORN
LAYER OF PINTO BEANS
LAYER OF COOLED GR. TURKEY/SIRLOIN W/TACO MIX COOLED
LAYER OF CHEESE
LAYER OF TOMATOES
LAYER OF OLIVES IN CENTER

POUR CUP OF LITE WESTERN DRESSING OR CATALINA DRESSING OVER SALAD AND MIX. SERVE ON PLATES OR IN BOWLS ADDING
CRUSHED BACKED DORITOS NACHO CHIPS. CAN ADD CRUSHED CHIPS TO SALAD AFTER MIXING AND SLIGHTLY MIX AGAIN OR
SPRINKLE HANDFUL OF CHIPS OVER SERVING BOWL/PLATES AND LET GUESTS MIX INTO SALAD. SERVE EXTRA DRESSING ON
THE SIDE IF NEEDED.

THIS ALSO TASTES GREAT USING SLICED CHICKEN BREAST PIECES GRILLED OR COOKED/SLICED CHUNKS AND LIGHTHOUSE BRAND
SOUTHWEST DRESSING. BE IMAGINATIVE AND SUBSTITUTE OR ADD AVACADO, GREEN CHILIS, BLACK BEANS

Broccoli Spinach Casserole

1 lg. 16 oz. broccoli frozen chopped
8 oz spinach frozen chopped
2 cans cream chicken or mushroom soup (healthy option)
1 sm. onion chopped saute in 1 Tab. lite butter
1 cup cooked brown rice
16 oz light cheeze whiz type cheese or 16 oz. light cheddar cheese
1 large package of sliced fresh mushrooms (optional)
sprinkle of crushed red pepper
grated fresh nutmeg to taste

Thaw broccoli and spinach, drain well and squeeze dry spinach. In lg. bowel mix together
spinach, broccoli, soups, onion, brown rice. Add cheese.
Pour in large crock pot.
Add a very light dash of cayenne red pepper (very hot, careful)
sprinkle fresh grated nutmeg. Stir in these seasonings. Heat on high
in crock for 2 hours, check frequently, stir slightly, till heated thru and cheese
is melted.

My sister-in-law Deb created this recipe one day--had run out of broccoli and added the
spinach to substitute when to our surprise it was so delicious and unique. I've added the
spices. This dish is great to bring as a side dish to a party---I am always asked to bring it...
best of all kids love it and adults can't seem to get enough....also freezes well.

7 Layer Salad

In crystal bowl add:

3/4 of head of chopped iceberg lettuce
2 stalks sliced celery
8 thin carrots sliced very thinly (I use processor)
1 can drained sliced water chestnuts (line bowl for appearance along sides)
can add another layer of veggies or hard-boiled sliced eggs, chopped cooked chicken, etc..
1 layer of 16 oz bag thawed frozen peas
2 cups low fat mayo mixed with lite 1 cup light sour cream or fat free greek yogurt
sprinkle with couple of Tablespoons of sugar or sugar sub like Nevelle
1 16 oz pkg of fat free shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb lower salt bacon cooked and crumbled

Cover and chill till serving.

Spiced Peach Rum Glazed Ham

1 spiral sliced ham

2 cups spiced rum
1 jar of peach or apricot preserves
(I used low sugar)
1/2 lb brown sugar
spiced packed from ham

Combine sauce ingredients, simmer and pour over ham placed in crockpot on low.
Heat on low few hours and turn to warm till serving.

Patti's Chipped Corned Beef Appetizer

1 8 0z light cream cheese
1 8 oz fat free cream cheese
16 oz fat free sour cream
2 Tab light mayo
2 small pkgs Budding corned beef chopped
1 sweet red pepper diced
2 Tab dried onion flakes or chives or fresh chopped chives
2 shakes of seasoning salt
few shakes of garlic powder

Mix in large glass bowl and microwave till all is melted on High about ten minutes stirring well
till all is melted and blended.

Sprinkle top of dish with chopped pecans, approx 1 cup and pour 2 Tab melted butter over
pecans. Microwave again about 3 minutes on High. Serve with tortilla chips/strips or crackers,
or cocktail rye breads. Looks elegant in a chafing dish.

Chicken and Dumplings

One large roasting chicken
chicken bouillion base
few stalks celery sliced
one lb carrots sliced
one large stalk leeks chopped
one bag frozen thawed peas
fresh chopped fine parsley
small bunch finely chopped fresh dill
one large can butter flavor biscuit tube dough
flour/water to thicken

Place chicken in large stockpot covering with water simmer few hours till chicken is tender
and nice broth attained. Drain of water with chicken in large colander draining to another
pot. Return strained broth to stockpot. Cool chicken. In stockpot add veggies and simmer
till slight crisp tender. Add chicken bouillion flavoring to taste. Thicken with flour and water...approx cup flour and cold water mixed, add to simmering broth. Pull apart small pieces of dough and add to simmering broth in pot.
Add parsely and fresh dill. Add cooled deboned chicken. Serve. Freezes well.