Sunday Dinner: Turkey Tetrazzini & Apple Crumb PieTurkey Tetrazzini - it is a great way to use some of the leftover turkey! I like to make a double portion (recipe below is for a doubled portion) so that I can place one in the freezer to save for later. That later may be for yourself when you are having a busy day and don't want to have to worry about starting dinner from scratch. Maybe that later is for a sick friend who needs a good home cooked meal. And later could also be when you need an extra dish for that unexpected company!
Turkey Tetrazzini
16 oz of spaghetti noodles, cooked & drained
6 cups diced, cooked turkey (chicken works too!)
1 cup sliced mushrooms (fresh if possible or two small cans, drained - use the water the mushroom is drained in to flavor up the broth/water you use below - Remember, waste not want not!)
Sauce:
1 stick of butter (8 Tablespoons)
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 cup flour
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon soy sauce
4 cups milk
2 cups of broth (you can use the broth from the turkey bone soup or if you have frozen your turkey and want to defrost it, put turkey in a sauce pan and water, almost covering frozen turkey. Use that in place of the broth or water works just as well.)
Place the turkey and mushrooms in a big bowl.
Cook spaghetti noodles, drain and place in the bowl with turkey and mix.
To make the sauce:
Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft. Stir in flour until blended. Add milk, broth/water and seasonings. Cook until thickened. Add sauce to the turkey and spaghetti noodles in the bowl. Add cheese and stir to combine. Divide mixture between 2 9x13 pans - one for dinner and one to freeze.
Bake uncovered at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes, uncovered, until cheese is hot and bubbly.
If you are cooking the frozen portion - thaw out and place in the oven (350°F) for the same time, uncovered.
I like to serve this with fresh green bean (lightly cooked or steamed) or carrots, cooked the same way along with a garden salad.
Today, while I was waiting for the sauce and noodles to cook, I made a pie crust (pate brisee - see left side module for recipe) and started the apple mixture for the pie. I simply added a crumb topping instead of using a crust...
To me there is nothing better than to smell food cooking in the oven and I love how it makes the whole house smell absolutely wonderful! Have you ever walked into someone's home when they are baking something and how that wonderful fragrance greets you at the door when you walk in? You can't package that up and sell it in a candle that is for sure! Now imagine doing that for your family or for your husband as he walks in the door from work everyday. That is what I call lovin' from the oven! 
For the most part, I try to keep Sunday Dinners simple and easy in that it is a dish I can prepare beforehand or one that I can make without being in the kitchen for an extended period of time. We usually have company over for Sunday and I would much rather enjoy spending time with them than spend it in the kitchen cooking all afternoon. The tetrazzini dish is one that can be made ahead of time, with some planning. Sunday morning you take the dish out of the freezer to thaw and by the time you get home from church you are ready to start cooking!
We have not had the pie yet...we usually save dessert for after church on Sunday. It is a wonderful way to end the weekend and I love sitting with family and friends over a cup of coffee and a yummy homemade dessert! It has become a neat tradition for my family. When Blaine was little, his mom used to make cinnamon rolls for Sunday evening. They did not have a big Sunday meal like we do but for them, the rolls were the way they ended their weekend. What a sweet way to do so!
I have some fresh cream in the fridge that still needs skimming from the milk we get straight from the cow. Yes...we get milk that has not be processed, skimmed or fixed in any way, shape or form - we love that! We pick up our milk from a local farm here and quite honestly, we have become very spoiled by it. There is nothing better than having fresh milk, eggs and produce to use in our meals - what a huge difference it makes in your food and in the overall flavor. I did not realize what a difference it made until I started using fresh...really fresh! When we had our French exchange students staying with us back in Florida, I remember them commenting on the butter we used and the funny taste it had. I did not understand that until I finally learned how to make fresh butter. Food and it's flavors come alive when you use real ingredients.
I think I will make some fresh whipped cream (lightly sweetened) for a topping - another thing that is well worth the small effort it takes to make and much better for you than the processed stuff that is out there. I do think there is a time and a place for such items but when you can - please try and make your foods as real as possible.
I hope all of you have a wonderful Sunday evening with your family and that you find something that becomes a sweet tradition to end your week with as well!
Love and God's Blessings to You All,
 Mrs. Catherine
And later on that evening...
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