It’s turkey feast season (not only for Thanksgiving) !! It does take a while but it is actually only waiting time and it is soooo worth it! With this recipe you will be the Superhero of your next diner party!

PERFECT STUFFED ROASTED TURKEY

1 whole Turkey (count 1/2 kg per person)

½ cup olive oil

1 Tbsp of each rosemary, sage and  thyme

1 Tbsp salt

1 Tsp pepper

2 chicken stock cubes

1 onion

For the stuffing:

½ kg dried bread cubes

3 eggs

½ – 1 cup milk

1 hand full parsley, chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

Salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 160°C. Bring water and the stock cubes to a boil and let simmer. Mix olive oil with herbs, salt and pepper. Rub turkey with this mixture from inside and out and also between breast skin and meat by lifting the skin with the fingers and rubbung the mixture underneath. It is pretty gross but it makes the turkey nice and juicy. Place turkey on a rack in a large enough pan to hold the turkey. Mix all the stuffing ingredients and work it through with your hands until you have a dense but not too sticky mass. Stuff the stuffing into the chicken openings as dense as possible.  Pour 2 cups of soup on the bottom of the roasting pan. Place into the oven. I use the rule of the thumb for baking: 30 minutes per kg turkey. It is very important to pour soup over the turkey every 15-30 minutes for the turkey to be delightfully juicy. To test for doneness you can cut the skin between leg and breast. The liquid comeing out should be translucent and not pink when it is done. Or a thermometer inserted into the meat should show 70 °C.

YUMMY!!!!!

After these heavy Christmas dinners I am longing for a hearty (because of the cold) yet healthy and light dinner variant. It is possible!

BAKED BROCCOLI-CHORIZO-PASTA

250 g shell pasta, cooked halfway through

250 g cherry tomatoes, quartered

300 g Broccoli, frozen

50 g chorizo, in 3 mm cubes (if you substitute the chorizo with dried tomatoes it is even vegetartian and you reduce even more fat)

2 garlic cloves

125 g low fat cottage cheese

4 Tbsp olive oil

1 ball low fat mozzarella, in thin slices

Salt, pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 180 °C. Mix all ingredients (except mozzarella) in a large bowl and fill into an oven form. Top with mozzarella, a bit of olive oil and pepper and bake for 30 minutes.

How to make a perfect medium steak!

Recently I have learned how to make a perfect steak at home that tastes like the ones in the US restaurants. I prefer a piece of beef that has a bit of fat like prime rib (Rostbraten) or rib eye.

With a paper towel wipe just as little bit of neutral oil onto the bottom of a pan so it won’t stick. Then heat the pan to a medium-high temperature. When the pan is hot place the steaks in the pan. The rule is: Fry the unseasoned (!) steak on each side for exactly 60 seconds per centimeter of steak thickness. (A 3 cm thick steak should be fried 3 minutes on each side) Then wrap the steak in double layered aluminum foil and place next to the hot but touchable surface of the stove top also for 1minute per cm. (makes 3 minutes for our 3 cm steak) Now add salt and pepper. Done!

The principle behind this is that the fibers of the muscle contact while heating. While resting at temperatures under 70°C the muscle relaxes again and the meat will become tender. Easy, isn’t it?

Oh, I just love burgers! And I love them even more when they are low in fat and healthy!!

Try my new creation:

SHRIMP BURGER WITH LEMON MAYONNAISE AND RUCOLA

(Makes 3 burgers)

For the patty:

250 g Shrimp, fresh or thawed and chopped

1 egg

50 g bread crumbs

1 Tsp salt

Pepper

Ground lemon peel from ½ lemon

Flour to pat

2 Tbsp Olive oil for frying

For the lemon mayonnaise:

10 Tbsp Low fat mayonnaise

Lemon juice from ½ lemon

½ Tsp salt

Pepper

To complete as you desire:

rucola, tomato, red onions….

Burger bun (see my easy burger bun recipe at THE NICI FARM)

To make the patty mix all ingredients until combined (except flour), form  patties and turn in flour to cover slightly. Fry in heated olive oil for about 4 minutes each side until slightly browned. For the sauce mix all ingredients. Put the burger together as you prefer it.

Enjoy!!

Need a quick, low fat and easy comforting diner after work! Try my delicious and healthy

TUNA LASAGNE

For 4 people

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 onions, chopped

2 cans tuna in water

2 cans tomato sauce with herbs

3 garlic cloves

1 cup white wine

½ chili

Lemon peel of ½ lemon, grated

8 lasagne noodles

2 cups cottage cheese

2 cups mozzarella (low fat)

½ cup parmesan

Salt, pepper

Preheat oven to 180 °C. In a large pot heat oil and fry onions until browned. Add tuna, tomato, lemon peel, chili, wine, pepper and garlic. Boil for a few minutes. Season to taste. Meanwhile mix cottage cheese and parmesan. In a casserole start by layering tuna-tomato sauce, then follow by layering lasagna noodles, tuna-tomato sauce, cottage cheese mix, lasagna noodles, tuna-tomato sauce, cottage cheese mix. Top with mozzarella and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Mhhhhh…great for family, friends and just for a comfy TV dinner for two!! J

You will love this light, Mediterranean, 15 minutes spaghetti dish!

NICI’S SHRIMP SPAGHETTI

For 2

250 g linguine or spaghetti

200 g shrimps, thawed

2 garlic cloves, chopped

250 g cherry tomatoes, halved

2 Tbsp capers

1 hand full basil, chopped

Lots of olive oil (about 50 ml)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

(Chili, if desired)

Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Meanwhile heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a small pan and fry garlic and shrimps until tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper while frying. Mix all ingredients (except spaghetti) in a large serving bowl and squash out the juices of the cherry tomatoes with the back of a spoon. This will make the good sauce of the spaghetti dish. Yes, the ingredients are cold, but they will become hot while mixing with the hot spaghetti. Rinse spaghetti and add to the rest. Season one more time and add all the good olive oil. Mix well and quick for it to stay hot. Use more olive oil if it is too dry. Be sure to fetch all the good stuff from underneath while dividing onto plates.

This is one of my favorite dishes!! YUMMY….