Santa Fe Stew

A deliciously filling, warm meal for a cold winter night, Santa Fe stew is my mom's recipe. Apparently, she bought it for 25 cents at a Christmas festival before I was born, so it's fitting to post it just a few days after Christmas. It's a one-pot wonder, and the beans have enough protein that it could be served vegetarian/vegan with some extra vegetables.

I have a lot of memories of warming up over this meal. One time, a cousin served us this stew, was surprised that we knew it. I have edited this recipe a lot, but I have a lot of respect for the original recipe I grew up with, which I managed to find online here (although my original says stewed tomatoes, not diced, and has no turkey option).

I use extra-lean ground turkey and make my own seasoning blends. I also have recently started swapping out the canned beans for dried and buy jarred tomato paste, both because of BPA in canned foods, but I know soaking is a pain, so you can find a list of canned goods that are BPA-free here. To supplement the tomato paste, I added water, and since Tessa doesn't like corn, I use green beans, carrots, or whatever I happen to have on hand instead.

1 lb. extra lean ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped (optional)
1 package taco seasoning mix (or make your own, but add slowly, taste, and re-season!)
1 package ranch dressing mix (or make your own)
3 cups black, pinto, and/or kidney beans, soaked and drained (1 cup dry, or 3 15-oz. cans)
1 8 oz. jar tomato paste

1 1/2 cups water, (you may need more)

1 cup corn or vegetable of your choice

1. Brown the meat and onion together in a dutch oven, then drain away excess grease.

2. Add the two dry seasoning mixes and stir until mixed thoroughly. 

3. Add all other ingredients, stir, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until beans are tender.

4. Optional: garnish with hand-grated cheddar cheese or tortilla chips.

Serves six.

Waaaarm.

Turkey Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie (of the ground beef/potato/cheese variety) was a staple dinner in my family growing up. Apparently when I was in pre-school, the chef there made it and I fell in love so deeply that my mom acquired the recipe from my school.

Since I have been recently cutting red meat and pork out of my diet, and have not cooked with them since I began cooking for Tessa, I've been looking for a tasty alternative using some sort of poultry. I found it.

This recipe originated from an allrecipes.com post, but I overhauled it significantly, and it was a satisfying, delicious dinner. I used ground turkey because is significantly more heart-healthy than ground beef (though ground or shredded chicken would also work well), made a gravy for the turkey that closely resembles my pot pie filling, adjusted the spices and veggies to suit me, and poof! Deliciousness.

On a dish-y note, I boiled the potatoes, browned the meat, and made the gravy all in the same 3-quart sauce pan because I don't like dish duty. For those who eat with their eyes, yes, it is a little monotone, but trust me, the flavors are dynamic.

7-8 fist-sized Yukon Gold potatoes
6 tbsp butter, divided
1 cup milk, divided
1 medium head garlic

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup chicken stock or broth
1 pound ground turkey
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp dried thyme (1 tbsp fresh, chopped)
1/2 tsp rosemary (1 tbsp fresh, chopped)
1 bell pepper, diced
1 leek, cleaned and chopped
1 cup Cheddar cheese, hand shredded

1. Cut the head of garlic in half and drizzle it with olive oil. Wrap in foil and bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.
2. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees (you may want to save this for later).
3. Chop the potatoes into 1 inch chunks and boil them until tender. Drain, then mash potatoes. Add 4 tbsp of the butter, 2/3 cup of the milk, roasted garlic, salt, and pepper, and mix in. Set aside.
4. Brown the turkey in a little olive oil, and set aside. 

5. Melt the remaining 2 tbsp butter in a sauce pan over medium heat and add the leek and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 2 minutes, then whisk in the flour. Remove from heat and add remaining 1/3 cup milk and the chicken stock or broth. Return to heat, stirring constantly until mixture reaches the boiling point. Remove from heat and add the turkey, rosemary, and thyme. 

6. Pour the turkey mixture into the bottom of a casserole dish, distributing evenly. Spread the mashed potatoes on top, then sprinkle with the cheddar cheese.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until sauce begins to bubble up around the edges.

Serves six.

I herded this sheep for you.