Turkey Bacon Ciabatta

Looking for a fancy sandwich to impress all your friends? Or do you just want something delicious that you can pack for a picnic in these waning days of sunshine? Well here you go! My mom passed along this recipe that she got from a friend while volunteering to make lunches for the teachers at the high school. Apparently it was a hit school-wide.

You can make the sandwiches as written, or just make do with whatever rolls, Parmesan cheese, and greens you've got on hand. The dressing is really the key, in my humble opinion.


Dressing:
1/2 c mayo
1/2 bunch Italian Parsley
1 t Dijon mustard
1 1/2 T lemon juice
1 clove garlic

Mix all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to mellow.


To assemble sandwiches:
6 ciabatta rolls
1 lb turkey deli meat
12 slices bacon, cooked
Parmesan cheese slices, shaved off a block with a vegetable peeler
baby arugula

Slice rolls. Spread both sides lightly with dressing. Layer turkey, bacon, Parmesan slices, and arugula in between ciabatta. Enjoy immediately or save in the fridge/cooler for up to 24 hours.

Barbecued Turkey Breast, Roasted Potatoes, Green Salad

I got this barbecued turkey recipe from my mom. It has always been one of my favorite foods; I've asked for it for many, many birthday dinners.

Unfortunately, sometimes boneless skinless turkey breast can be hard to find. If you're having trouble, just replace it with a few chicken breasts.


Barbecued Turkey Breast
1 c soy sauce
1/2 c oil
2 c Sprite
1/4 t garlic powder
1 boneless, skinless turkey breast half

Cut turkey into two-inch chunks. Combine all ingredients in a zip-top bag and marinate overnight. Cook on a grill until cooked through.


Roasted Potatoes and Green Salad
7-10 red potatoes
1/4 c olive oil
1 pkg Lipton onion soup
green salad

Preheat oven to 425. Chop potatoes into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. On the baking sheet, toss potatoes, oil, and soup mix. Stir until all potatoes are well coated. Bake, stirring occasionally, for 35-40 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Prepare green salad.

Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Asparagus

Turkey
1 whole turkey (plan about 1 lb per person plus 3-4 more lbs for Turkey Tetrazzini)
1 Reynolds oven bag, turkey size
1 T flour
1/2 onion
poultry seasoning
3 T butter

Rinse turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Place onion inside cavity. Sprinkle breast side of turkey with poultry seasoning and brush with melted butter. Sprinkle flour in Reynolds oven bag. Add turkey to bag. Tie bag closed with nylon tie and cut about 6 slits in the top for ventilation. Place turkey on a cookie sheet and tuck in the corners of the bag. Bake according to the directions that come with the oven bag. When turkey has cooked through, let rest 15 minutes before carving.

Simple Mashed Potatoes
4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/3 c milk
2 T butter
salt and pepper

Place potatoes in a pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20-30 minutes until tender. Drain. Mix in milk and butter. Mash with a potato masher or electric mixer until fluffy. Season with salt and pepper.


Gravy
1 turkey gravy mix

Prepare gravy according to package directions.


Asparagus
1 bunch asparagus

Trim woody ends from the asparagus. Steam until fork tender. Season with salt and pepper.


Stuffing
1 box stuffing mix

Prepare stuffing according to package directions.

Turkey Tetrazzini, Green Beans, Steamed Carrots

This Turkey Tetrazzini is adapted from Taste of Home magazine.

8 oz spaghetti
1 small onion, chopped
2 T butter
1/4 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 red pepper, chopped
2 rounded T flour
1/4 t salt
2 c milk
1 t chicken bouillon
2 c cooked turkey, cubed
1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 t parsley flakes
optional: 1 T butter and 1/2 c dry bread crumbs

1 can green beans

1/3 lb baby carrots


Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a heavy pot, saute onion in butter until tender. Add mushrooms and red pepper; saute 4-5 minutes longer. Stir in flour and salt until blended. Gradually whisk in milk and bouillon. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in turkey and Parmesan cheese; heat through. Remove from heat. Drain spaghetti; add to turkey mixture and mix well. Transfer to a greased 11x7 baking dish. (Optional: Melt 1 T butter and toss with bread crumbs. Sprinkle over casserole.) Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

Microwave green beans. Season with salt and pepper.

Place carrots in a microwave safe bowl. Cover halfway with water. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes more. Test for doneness with a fork. Continue microwaving at 1 minute intervals until tender. Drain water. Toss carrots with salt, pepper, 1 t butter, and a pinch of sugar.

*Oh wow, we did NOT love this dish. Part of it, I admit, is my own fault. I'm pretty sure I grossly overestimated 8 oz of spaghetti, so we ended up with a very dry pasta dish. I ended up making an additional sauce (1 T butter, 1 T flour, 1 C milk, 1/3 C Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, minced onion) that I served at the table. However, even with the appropriate amount of pasta, I can't imagine this dish being any better than mediocre. The flavor was lacking something; you could easily add some garlic, basil, and pepper. I would also skip the breadcrumbs (I tried half with and half without as an experiment), but in place of them sprinkle extra Parmesan cheese on top. I would also cover the dish with foil for the first half of baking time. Does anyone else have a better Turkey Tetrazzini recipe?