Turkey Avocado and Swiss Sandwich

A delicious homemade lunch brightens up my work day. Most recently I have been enjoying sliced turkey breast, reduced fat Swiss, and avocado on sourdough. It only takes a few minutes to prepare the night before, and it healthier than most takeout options. I make a couple sandwiches at a time, so my lunches are in the fridge and ready to go.

I am lucky to have a panini press at work! Hot melted sandwiches are the best!

You will need:
Sliced Turkey
Reduced Fat Sliced Swiss Cheese
Avocado
Bread

Step 1:
The night before assemble the sandwich, but leave out the avocado.

Step 2:
Add sliced avocado just before heating or eating. This prevents that avocado from browning. I just bring an avocado with me to work. I use half an avocado per sandwich. Save the half with the pit for the next day.

Jack's Turkey Tips

My dad, Jack, loves turkey more than anyone I have ever met. He has also mastered the art of perfectly cooking the Thanksgiving turkey. Before I hop on a flight to Maine so I can enjoy his (and my Mom's!) cooking, I called my dad to find out his Thanksgiving turkey secrets.

1. Make sure your turkey is completely defrosted. Sometimes even fresh turkeys are frozen in the middle.
2. Remember to remove the giblets. You can add the giblets and neck to your stock if you like. My dad puts everything in the bag of giblets except the liver into a medium pot and starts his stock when he cooks the turkey. Then the next day he adds that into the big pot with the turkeys bones and stock vegetables.
3. Rise the turkey and the cavity. Pat it dry. Put salt and pepper on the cavity and then rub the outside of the turkey with olive oil.
4. In order to prevent the drumsticks from drying out put foil over the ends of the drumsticks. Tie the wings back with butchers twine.
5. Tent the turkey with foil. Remove the foil for the last hour of roasting to brown the turkey.
6. Baste the turkey with its own juices.
7. Once the turkey is fully cooked, let it sit for at least 20-30 minutes. You do this so the turkey doesn't loose it's juices when you cut into it. Cover the turkey in a couple layers of foil to keep it warm.
8. My dad cooks the turkey at 350 degrees and when he buys the bird he purchases one pound per person.
9. If you really love turkey, go to the grocery store the day after Thanksgiving - they will be on sale!

Turkey Pot Pie

Pot pie is perfect fall comfort food. I first made pot pie a couple years ago. I made it in a big 9x13 inch glass pan, which was a lot of food for two people, at least half of it was leftover. The next day I went to the fridge to have some of the leftovers for lunch. But I could not find the pot pie anywhere. My fiancé liked it so much that he had eaten all the leftovers without saving any for me! He even cleaned up all the evidence by washing the pan and putting it away. I still give him a hard time about this incident.

My friends cooked 50 pounds of turkey for Friendsgiving last night. Forty people attended which means there was lots of leftover turkey. Dre told me to take as much turkey and gravy as I wanted, and I instantly decided that making a Turkey Pot Pie would be the perfect way to use these leftovers. One issue we have with Friendsgiving is that we always have a substantial amount of leftovers, and since most people are traveling to their parents house for Thanksgiving, no one wants to bring leftovers home.  Pot pie is a great use for these leftovers since I can freeze the pie and eat it after I return home from the holiday.

You will need:

Store bought Pie Crusts

2 cups cubed Turkey (or Chicken)

2 cups Chicken Stock

3/4 cup Gravy

3/4 cup Cream of Mushroom Soup

2/3 cup Mushrooms

2/3 cup White Onion

2/3 cup Green Beans

2/3 cup Corn

2/3 cup Carrots

1 tablespoon Corn Starch

2 teaspoons Butter

2 tablespoons White Wine or Marsala Wine

Step 1:

Saute the onion in 1 teaspoon butter and 1 tablespoon wine until slightly browned.  Then remove from pan, and use the same pan to saute the mushrooms.  Saute the mushrooms in 1 teaspoon butter and 1 tablespoon wine.

Step 2:

Combine the Stock, Gravy, and Cream of Mushroom Soup in a large pot.  Then add all the vegetables and the Turkey.  Add 1 tablespoon Corn Starch and bring to a boil.  Let boil for a minute or two until the sauce thickens.

Step 3:

Let the sauce cool for at least 20 minutes before pouring it into the pie crust.  You can save yourself a lot of fat and calories by making a single crust pot pie.  You can make a pot pie with only the top or only the bottom.  If you choose to use a top crust, cut a couple slits in it before putting it in the oven. 

Step 4:

If you decide to cook your Turkey Pot Pie right away it will take about 40 minutes to cook at 350 degrees.  Or you can freeze the pot pie and save it for later.  If you freeze the pot pie let it defrost for 30 minutes before putting it in the oven.  A pie that came out of the freeze will take 45-60 minutes to cook at 350 degrees.  In order to get a golden brown crust brush the top of the pie with egg white before baking it.