Turkey Tetrazzini Takeover!

For When You're Left With A Ton Of Turkey After Thanksgiving And Don't Know What To Do With It.

Welcome back to another recipe of the week!  We almost always end up with leftovers after Thanksgiving of some sort, and you need to use them up without burning out. This week we're taking your turkey and turning it into a medley of flavors with this Turkey Tetrazzini. While the first version is a very traditional mix,  we also have a Southwest style in the notes afterward if you're looking for something wildly different. For now, let's grab that turkey and dive in! 

Ingredients:

1 lb of dried pasta 

3 Tbsp butter

4 garlic cloves

1lb onions 

3 1/2  oz of button mushrooms

1 cup white wine

2 C chicken stock

1/2 C all-purpose flour

1 C turkey stock  (can be substituted for more chicken stock if you don't have any)

1/2 C heavy cream

1 C milk 

14oz cooked turkey

1 tsp ground nutmeg

10 oz Cheddar cheese

3 1/2 oz Parmesan cheese

8 oz frozen peas

salt 

fresh ground black pepper

1 lemon 

1 C panko bread crumbs 

Recipe: 

Start by gathering up your garlic, onions, mushrooms, turkey, cheddar cheese, and your lemon. Each of them needs to be prepped in different ways, so you're also going to need your chef's knife, a pair of forks, a juicer, and a cutting board, as well as dishes for each ingredient.

Start by crushing your garlic cloves with the side of your knife and thoroughly smashing them.  Then take your onions, remove the tops and bottoms of them and chop the rest into 1/2 inch pieces. 

Next up is the mushrooms, for those, you'll want to slice them into 1/4-inch slices. These are thick enough not to melt but thin enough to cook easily.  When you're done with those, take your turkey and shred it. You can even go so far as to chop the shredded pieces after so that nothing is longer than bite size if you like, but the shredding is the important part here. 

For the cheddar, you're going to want to shred that all and set it aside in the fridge for the time being. Lastly, grab your lemon. Roll it firmly across the counter with your palm and then cut it in half, making sure to get out as much of the juice as you can from both halves.

Once you've prepped all of your materials, set a pot of water on the stove, add 1/4 c salt to the water and bring it to a roiling boil. Toss in the pasta and cook it until cooked but still firm. This is so that you don't get pasta-flavored mush later on.  Drain the pasta and set it aside. 

-Add the butter to a large frying pan and allow it to melt. When done, add in your garlic and onions and saute for 7 minutes or until the onions are tender.  Stir in your mushrooms and cook for an additional 5 minutes stirring frequently. 

-Stir your wine and 2 cups of chicken stock into the pan and reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the mixture to reduce for 10 minutes. Next, add in the flour and mix thoroughly to incorporate. When you don't have any clumps left, stir in the turkey stock a little at a time. (Or the third cup of chicken stock if you went with that.)  Whisk it all together to form a sauce. 

-Reduce your heat to medium-low and stir in the cream, milk, turkey, nutmeg and both types of cheese.   Season it well with salt and pepper, mixing to incorporate. Allow it to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Finally, add in the pasta and the peas while you preheat your oven to 350*F. 

-Remove the pan from the heat and mix in your lemon juice. 

-Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish and coat the top with your panko.  Bake the casserole for 25 minutes or until the top, is golden brown and bubbling. 

For a tasty variation, you can sub out the cheddar cheese for cream cheese and the Parmesan for a little bit of Monterey Jack. 

Remove the peas and add in fresh red and green bell peppers instead. We would say two of each type, diced and sauteed, prior to adding in. 

Finally, add in 2 tsp of chili powder,1 tsp of smoked paprika, and 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper. 

Follow all of the directions otherwise and enjoy a delicious southwestern-style tetrazzini. 

With that wrapped up, that is our recipe for this week! Let us know how yours turned out or any variations you've tried in the comments below or over on our Facebook page. 

If you wound up here because your appliances are malfunctioning after Thanksgiving, give us a ring! You can reach out to us via phone at (214) 599-0055) or by going to our contact page. Wherever you are in the Dallas Metro area, Appliance Rescue Service is here to help. Whether you're in Coppell, Allen or Plano, we'll work with you to get your home running smoothly again.

Lazy Weekend Mushroom Pie

Who Wants To Stress Over Meals When It's This Close To The Holidays?

When you can’t be bothered to try new or complicated recipes in the lead-up to the holidays, check out this week’s recipe. It’s warm, filling, utterly delicious and most importantly, it’s easy to make! 

Ingredients:

850g of assorted mushrooms 

3 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil 

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 medium leeks

1/2 C heavy cream

1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg 

PIe Dough- Extra flaky 

Egg wash 

Fresh rosemary - garnish

Fresh thyme - garnish

A note on mushrooms: 

When it comes to mushrooms, you have a lot of different options that will work well with this pie.  Some examples that work well are chanterelles, trumpets, creminis, oysters, or morels.  You could go with any of the ones in our list as one type or pick a few of each to see how they interact.  Just make sure that they're properly sourced and cleaned before eating them! 

Recipe : 

-Preheat your oven to 425*F, and remove your pie dough from the freezer, setting it to the side on the counter, so it begins to defrost. Ideally, you don't want it frozen, but you don't want it warm and extra soft, either. 

- Take your leeks, halve them and slice them thinly. You do not want huge chunks for this.  Toss them with salt and pepper, and then measure to make sure you have 2 cups, firmly packed. 

- Prepare your mushrooms. Take your paring knife to trim the mushrooms into medium to large size pieces, leaving clusters of whole mushrooms whenever possible.  (They're great for texture and appearance when you do this!) 

-Transfer your mushrooms to a dish and toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper to season. 

- Spread your mushrooms out in one even layer on a baking sheet and pop that into the oven. Roast the mushrooms until they're tender, 25-30 minutes. They will shrink quite a bit, but don't expect them to brown much.  Set the pan aside to cool when done. 

- In a medium saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat.    Add the leeks into the pan and cook them, turning down the heat to medium-low. Keep cooking for 8-10 minutes or until the leeks are very soft, almost a melted texture. 

- Add the cream and nutmeg to the pan, bringing it to a simmer. Simmer until the cream reduces, and the mixture thickens, around 3-4 minutes.  Set that aside to cool while you prep the dough. 

- Set your oven rack towards the base of the oven, if possible, with a baking or pizza stone on it.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

-On a lightly floured surface, roll out your dough into a rectangle a bit larger than 10 x 16 inches.  Use your rolling pin to wrap the dough around and transfer that to your baking sheet.  Brush the dough with your egg wash, then lightly prick the dough all over with a fork.  If you want, you can use a paring knife to straighten up the edges. 

- Spoon your cooled leek mixture into the center of the dough and spread it into an even layer, leaving a border around all edges, 1 inch wide that's uncovered. Arrange the mushrooms on top of the leek mixture, overlapping and layering as needed, but don't stack them. You want them in a single layer to ensure that they cook evenly. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. 

- Pop the pan into the oven and bake until the crust is a deep golden brown and your mushrooms are crisp 40-45 minutes. Garnish the pie with herbs as soon as you take it out of the oven. Allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.  

And that is how you make Lazy Weekend Mushroom Pie! If you do give it a shot or have suggestions, let us know in the comments below or over on our Facebook page. 

If you're worried about the holidays, though and would like to have a professional do a maintenance check, give us a call! We'll work with you to find a time that works for your schedule and send out one of our technicians to go over all of your appliances. We'll help you make sure that everything is running up to standard or find any problems before they become major ones. At Appliance Rescue Service, our goal is to keep your home running smoothly. Wherever you live in the Dalals Metro Area, we want to work with you. Give us a call at ((214) 599-0055) or reach out to us via our contact page to set up an appointment today.

Pumpkin Soup From Picking to Serving

We'll Show You How To Do It All!

Halloween is right around the corner, and that means that our grocery stores have been invaded by two things. Pumpkins and candy. We're going to show you how to turn those pumpkins, not into Jack-o-lanterns to scare off the ghosts and goblins, but into a delicious soup. You will also have so much leftover puree that you can then use it next month to turn it into some amazing pumpkin pies, muffins, or cookies.

Ingredients: 

1 Large Pumpkin 

16 oz of cream cheese

6 cups of chicken broth 

Garlic 

1 small onion  or 1 Tbsp of onion powder

Salt to taste

Tools: Sharp chef's knife, cutting board, oven, parchment paper, aluminum foil, food processor, two large bowls, a large strainer, a spoon or metal measuring cup, a wide, large pot similar to a caldera or Dutch oven.

First things first. The type of pumpkin that's good for making a Jack-o-lantern is not the same one you want for food. Although your local grocery store will sell you the GIANT pumpkins without trouble, the tiny ones are not so easy to come by, and the ones of various colors are great for decor, not for eating.   Do not despair just yet, though. You don't need to go on an epic quest searching for the perfect pumpkin. You can actually search through the ones that are being sold for carving. You'll want to look for one that sounds only partially hollow and is hefty and solid. This should land you with a pumpkin that has thick walls and is still ripe but has not gone rotten. 

Once you get the pumpkin home, give it a quick wash and dry it off. You don't want it to be slippery when you start cutting it in a moment. Then snag a thick towel and your chef's knife and carefully stab your way into the pumpkin on one of the ridges. You want the knife to go all the way in for this first cut. It takes work, but going slow is the key.  You could, in theory, use the saw from your carving kit, but we don't actually want to get rid of the lid on our pumpkin. That's perfectly good food right there, rather than being in the way like with carving. 

Once you've gotten all the way through, remove the knife, grab a sharpie and draw lines to quarter your pumpkin, as best as possible, without removing your pumpkin. You might want to cut around the top of it, but again, this is a preference thing.  Depending on the size of your pumpkin, we suggest splitting it into either two or three pieces. This allows for the inside of the pumpkin to steam rather than sear in the next step.  Your next step is to grab a hand mixer and input just one of the two whisks. Use that, set to a low to medium speed to quickly and easily gut your pumpkin. (When you're finished, you can set aside the seeds for roasting at a later point.) 

Once you've cut your pumpkin into the desired shape, grab a pyrex (or similar)  baking dish. You'll want to line the bottom and sides of it with parchment paper (not wax) and then a layer of tinfoil over that. You should end up with the tin foil pressed firmly into the sides of the pan and wrapped around the top edges. This way, you've got less of a mess when this is all over. 

Preheat your oven to 400*F, and pop your pumpkins into the baking dish(es). You want the pumpkin to have enough room to sit flat on the bottom of the dish rather than having anything sticking over the sides. Once your oven is preheated, pop the pumpkin into the oven for 1 hour.  Make sure that your pumpkin is not touching the top of your oven, or it can catch on fire.  Once an hour has passed, you'll want to check on them with a fork. See if you can easily sink a fork into the flesh of the pumpkin.  If it goes in easily at first and then hits resistance, you'll know that you need more time. If you can cut into the pumpkin without trouble, congrats, go ahead and pull it out. 

At whatever point you finish up your pumpkin, set the dishes on the counter, and leave them be for 30 minutes. Once they're just cool enough that you can handle them, carefully use something like a metal spoon or a pair of forks, to lift the pumpkin away from you. So, if you're looking at the pumpkin, lift the far edge and slowly bring that towards you. If your pumpkin was cut in half, this is going to release a LOT of steam, and it's going to be extremely hot. Please don't burn yourself. 

Now go ahead and wander off for an hour or so.  You want the flesh of the pumpkin cool enough that you can handle it without getting burnt. Once it's ready, come back and drag one half over to your counter, where you should have set up 1 large bowl, one medium bowl for scraps, and a large metal spoon. We're looking at a cooking spoon here, not a serving or eating spoon.  This will take too long otherwise. 

Depending on how long your pumpkin roasted, it might be just solid enough to be scraped apart, or it could be at the stage where if you look at it funny, the pieces fly apart. Grab the pumpkin and give it a careful squeeze to try and get out as much liquid from the pumpkin as possible. You want it to be down to just a few drops.  Then, start scraping apart the skin from the meat of the pumpkin. It's not a complicated process, but it does require you to focus to ensure you're getting all of the meat. 

Once you've finished one, go ahead and give your hands a good stretch, and then go and tackle the other one. If you're like us, this is the point when you realize that you might have purchased 3 pumpkins, but you're not going to be roasting all of them in one day. 

Once you've got all of the pumpkin flesh in one bowl and the skin in the other, toss the scraps and grab your sieve, the second large bowl, and your food processor. Now you're going to puree everything. Working in batches, transition the scraped flesh to the food processor and have at it. You should have just enough water for the processor to work but not so much that you end up with a thin puree. 

Once you've pureed the entirety of your pumpkin, give the first bowl a quick wash, and grab your sieve and metal spoon. You want to work the puree through the sieve, pushing and scraping as you go. Your goal is to get rid of any uncooked bits, seeds, skin etc. 

When you're finally done with that stage, you can do one of two things. (Three technically, but we don't count icing your wrists as an actual part of the recipe.)  

1)  You can be satisfied with the quality of the puree as it stands, and move forward with cooking! 

2) You can opt to make it thicker and use cheesecloth to remove some of the liquid. 

If you're going with option 2, here's a quick run down. Again, wash the emptied bowl, and then grab some cheesecloth. You'll work in batches over your sink to squeeze out about 50% of your liquid. So, just a gentle squeezing, not working to flatten all of it out. Add each batch into the bowl you washed, and repeat as needed until your puree is the thickness you prefer. 

At this point you can continue on to make this super simple soup, OR you can take a break for the day, set aside 3 cups of your puree, and portion the rest for freezing. That's up to you.  Frozen puree can last up to 6 months, if you don’t manage to use it all up before then.

If you choose to move forward with the cooking, let's get to it. 

Take a large, wide pot (we used a caldera at our home, but a dutch oven would work as well) and set that over low heat.  

You can use already minced garlic, or you can mince your own. Either way, use at least 1 Tbsp. We say at least because in our home the rule is always "more garlic is better."  When your garlic is ready, turn up the heat to high and toss in the garlic. You can also add in 1 cup of diced white onion at this point, or just sprinkle your garlic with onion powder. That depends on how strong you want the taste of the onion to be.  You're looking for the garlic to soften and also start to turn just a little brown around the edges. 

Mix in 6 cups of chicken broth, 16 oz of cream cheese, and 3 cups of your pumpkin puree.  Stir thoroughly and bring the mix up to a boil. 

Once your soup has come up to a boil, reduce it down to low and allow it to simmer away until it has reduced to a thick, creamy consistency. 

When you're done, turn off the heat and serve it up alongside some rolls or a rich chewy bread. It's not a complex recipe, but it is filling and delicious.  

An important note is that if you want to do this at other points throughout the year and you don't have any pumpkins just lying around, you can always pick up a large can of pumpkin puree from the store and use that. It won't taste /as/ good, but it's still an amazing soup. 

There you have it! You can now say you know how to select your own pumpkins, roast them and turn them into soup! What do you think? Are you interested in learning other recipes like this, where we show you how to prep different aspects of the meal ahead? Let us know over on our Facebook page or in the comments below. 

If you're here because your freezer is thinking it's still summer and working harder than an ox, we can help. You can give us a call at ((214) 599-0055) or reach out on our contact page. We'll work with you to  find a time that fits your schedule best to send one of our technicians to get your home running smoothly again. Whether you live in Dallas, Coppell, or Addison, Appliance Rescue Service is here for you. 

Punchy Potato & Cheddar Rolls

These potato rolls could be the star of their own meal.

Mashed potatoes are a great side dish, but in the case of these rolls, they are the star of the show. Not because you'll taste them but because of the light and crisp texture they give to the rolls.  Rather than dense and chewy bread, you end up with a light and airy roll that can be used alongside soups, stews, or hearty gravies or even used as a quick sandwich. 

Ingredients: 

1 pound russet potatoes  (roughly 2-3 good-sized potatoes) 

2 Tbsp unsalted butter 

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese

2 Tsp instant yeast

1 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp stone ground mustard

2 large eggs 

Tools: chef's knife, cutting board, a bunch of bowls, fork, saucepan, colander, potato masher, rimmed baking pan, cooking spray, plastic wrap, parchment paper, oven 

1. Skin your potatoes and chop them into 1-inch chunks. Shred your cheddar and set it to the side. Chop up your butter into 4 pieces. And last but not least, take one of your eggs, add 1 Tbsp of water and whisk it all together. Set the last one in your fridge for the time being. 

2. Take your potatoes and put them into a medium-sized saucepan, and cover them with cold water, plus an extra inch. Bring the pot up to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat to medium-low. At this point, you'll let the potatoes simmer until they're fully cooked, about 10 minutes. At the eight-minute mark, grab a fork and gently press into a potato. If you can cut into it easily, they're done. If not, let them continue cooking.  

3. When they are finished cooking, you'll pull the pan off the burner and reserve 5 Tbsp of the potato water. Set that to the side for now. If you have plants or a garden, you might want to save the rest of the water as well, but either way, you'll need to drain the rest of the water from your potatoes.  Now toss the potatoes back into the pot, and set them on low. Sit here for a minute, shaking the potatoes every few seconds. You're evaporating all of the water off the surface of the potatoes. When that's FINALLY done, remove your potatoes from the heat. 

4. Have you had a rough week? Or maybe just a bad day? Grab your potato masher and go to town.  You want to turn this into a very thoroughly mashed set of potatoes. No lumps or bumps left. When you're done, grab your 1 cup measuring cup and a second smaller measuring cup. Use the smaller one to scoop up the potatoes and pack them into the 1 cup. You want a firmly packed 8 oz of potato. done? Can't add anymore without it going over? Good. Set the rest of the potatoes aside. You can eat those while you let the dough rise later. 

5. Next up, grab yourself a small bowl, add the measured cup of potatoes to it, and mix in your butter until melted and fully incorporated. 

6. In a large bowl, combine your flour, 1/2 a cup of your cheddar cheese, yeast, sugar, mustard, and salt into a bowl. Add the warm potato mixture to this and mix it with your hands until well combined. At this point, some lumps are fine. Take your still whole egg and crack that into the mix. Mix your dough for 8-10 minutes by hand or until your dough is soft and slightly sticky. 

7. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased container. Cover the top of the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it to rise. If your kitchen is slightly cool (as ours was the day we made these), no worries. You can set this in front of a toaster oven or on top of your stove. Turn your choice of stove on 350* and let the dough rise until it has doubled in volume. If your kitchen is already warm,  it should take only 30-40 minutes; we ended up going for an extra 30 minutes, though, to make sure it had doubled. 

8. Once the time has passed, press down on the dough to deflate it. Turn it out onto a clean counter, and stretch it out into a 12-inch log. Cut that into 12 equal pieces and cover them loosely with greased plastic. 

9. While you let the dough sit, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Then head back to your dough,  and grab one piece of the dough. Keep the others covered with the plastic as you work.  You'll form it into roughly a ball shape by stretching it around your thumbs and pinching the edges together.  When you do this, the top will be smooth. Place the ball seam side down onto your clean counter, and using your cupped hand, drag it in small circles until the dough feels round and tight.  When you're finished with one, place it back under the plastic until all of them are finished. 

Tip: If your dough is really sticky, you can lightly dust your fingers with flour. 

10. Arrange your rolls on the prepared sheet and cover them loosely with the greased plastic to let them rise again until almost doubled in size, another 30-40 minutes. (Here again, you can utilize the trick with your oven of choice.)  While the rolls rise, turn your oven to 425 and move one rack to the upper middle position. 

11. Brush the tops of the rolls lightly with the egg wash you made at the beginning, and sprinkle them with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese. Bake the rolls until they're golden brown on top, roughly 14 minutes. (Make sure to keep an eye on them, and turn them halfway through the baking.)  When they're finished, transfer the sheet to a wire rack and let them cool for 5 minutes.  You can then serve them warm or at room temperature. Store them in a sealed container if any manage to survive. 

These were absolutely delicious when we made them, and we hope that you enjoy them just as much. One thing that we did note as we were baking was that the type and amount of mustard could be changed depending on preference. We used stone ground this time, but a spicy brown mustard and adjusting the amount could yield a punchier roll. Let us know your thoughts and ideas in the comments below or over on our Facebook page! 

If you're here instead because your stove isn't functioning correctly, you're still in the right place. At Appliance Rescue Service, we want to work with you to get your home running smoothly again. You can reach out to us via our contact page or by giving us a call at ((214) 599-0055). Whether you're in Frisco or Allen, we're here for you. 

Tomato Pie of Seasons Meeting

Not to be mistaken for humble pie

If you're looking for something that blends summer and fall, this is the pie for you.  Heirloom tomatoes are a grape tomatoes that show off the beautiful colors of tomatoes. They're lovely to look at and even better to eat combining sweet, tart and just a hint of bitterness.  Although we give all sorts of alternatives in other recipes, for this one we have to be firm about getting heirloom tomatoes. However if you can get a selection of fresh herbs, we will absolutely say go for it! 

Ingredients

1 lb heirloom tomatoes

1 large handful fresh parsley

1/2 c sour cream

1 Tbsp dried basil

1 Tbsp fresh minced garlic

1 Tbsp ground thyme

1 tsp dried oregano 

1/2 tsp rosemary

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

1 pie crust 

2 slices of mozzarella 

Let's start off by chopping your tomatoes into quarters, nothing fancy needed here.   Now grab the parsley and start tearing it up. You want it so that you don't have anything larger than your fingernail (give or take.) If you've chosen fresh herbs for the other pieces, you can do that now as well. 

Next up take your mozzarella into ribbons no wider than a 1/2 inch, this is going to be the topping of your pie instead of a standard crust. 

Take a bowl and mix together your spices and your sour cream so that everything is thoroughly mixed. Then add in your tomatoes and thoroughly coat them. Allow this mixture to sit for a while (maybe 30 minutes or so) to let the flavors steep into the sour cream. 

Now take your pie crust lay it over a pie pan, carefully pressing it into the pan so that you don't form tears. Curl the edges up onto the sides of the pan so that nothing is hanging down and "squish" it together to form a more solid crust. Next take your tin foil and wrap the edges in aluminum foil to protect them during the baking process. 

Pour your tomato mixture into the pie shell, and set your oven to preheat to 400* F.  While you're waiting for it to preheat, it's time to get fancy! Take your mozzarella and make a pattern out of it. Have fun! There are a ton of patterns you can try over on Pinterest. 

Once your oven is preheated to 400*, bake the pie for 35 minutes. For the last ten of that time, uncover the aluminum so that the crust has a chance to become a gorgeous golden brown. 

At that point you can take it out of the oven, and allow it to cool for five minutes before serving. 

Other options: You can pour this out over a bowl of pasta, be it penne, linguini or tortellini, and it's SO good. 

Another idea we discussed in the kitchen was to see what we could come up with for adding some meatiness to it, and for that we decided on adding slices of prosciutto, chopped up into the pie itself. Our chefs couldn't agree on how to go about that, whether you add it as slices along the bottom of the pie before pouring in the tomato mix, by chopping it up into small pieces and adding it to the mix, or by rolling it up and slicing it and then layering those spirals on the top of the pie. 

Now we know Texas is still dealing with the heat of Summer, even if the calendar says it's officially fall.  Fortunately, this meal can be enjoyed no matter what time of year it is. It's just best when its the in-between time of the seasons. If you do decide to make this, let us know over n our Facebook page or in the comments down below.  As always, we want to hear from you! 

If you're here because your dishwasher is giving you hell and doesn't want to get the pie tins clean, we can still help! We're not just here for delicious recipes, we can fix your major appliances too! (Yeah, we know we say this every month, but it's true!)  You can reach out to us via our contact page or by giving us a call! ((214) 599-0055) 

Whatever it is you need, we're here for you. We'll work with you to find a time that works for you and set an appointment for one of our technicians to come out to you. We'll get your home running smoothly again.