Turkey Burritos with Cranberry Orange Sauce

Prep time: 15 minutes for the sauce and 15 minutes for the turkey filling
Makes: 2 to 2-1/2 cups sauce and 4 burritos

This recipe is the perfect solution for a quick fixin' of turkey leftovers - in the gourmet mode. The Cranberry Orange Sauce should be made ahead of time and, of course, goes well with our upcoming Thanksgiving dinner. The next day or for the entire post-holiday week, simply sauté some shredded turkey with onions, heat up a few tortillas et voila! The combined flavors of roasted turkey and cranberry orange sauce intertwined with a hot tortilla will satisfy any palate. Buen Provecho!

Ingredients for the Cranberry Orange Sauce:
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
2 cups fresh cranberries
Juice of one orange
1 cup cold water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
One 3-inch cinnamon stick (optional)

In a cup, stir together the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water; set aside.

Meanwhile, in a 2-quart saucepot, stir remaining ingredients together. Set saucepot on stove burner, uncovered, on high heat setting. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low setting and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes or until cranberries pop and a sauce has formed. While sauce is simmering, stir in the cornstarch mixture; cook and stir 1 additional minute. Remove and discard cinnamon stick. Transfer the sauce to a Pyrex or porcelain bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, set on a counter and cool completely.

The sauce can be made up to one week ahead, stored and covered in a glass or porcelain container and refrigerated.

Ingredients for the Turkey Burritos:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups shredded, cooked turkey meat (light or dark meat)
1/2 cup chopped white or brown onion
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
Four 10-inch flour tortillas*

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil. Add turkey and onion. Cook on medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent and turkey meat toasts and becomes light golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer cooked turkey filling to a glass or porcelain bowl, cover and keep warm.

In the meantime, wipe skillet clean and place on stove burner on medium low setting. Warm up the tortillas in skillet, two at a time, inverting them occasionally until warmed through. Transfer both warmed tortillas to a flat working surface.

With one tortilla in front of you, place 1/4 of the turkey filling one inch from edge closest to you. Slightly spread the filling to the sides, horizontally, until it is one inch from tortilla sides.

Beginning the burrito roll up by picking up the tortilla edge closest to you. Roll up the burrito halfway. Fold in the tortilla sides and continue the roll up until you have formed a burrito.

Warm up remaining two tortillas and repeat burrito assembly.

Gobble up the burritos immediately!

*Preferred tortilla brands: Guerrero or Diana (other types tend to be dry). Tortillas can be found in most supermarkets or in Latin American markets.

Text and Photographs © Nancy Real 2010

Pumpkin "Cheese" Cake

Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 40 to 50 minutes (cake can be made a day ahead and refrigerated)
Serves: 12 to 15

During the week before Thanksgiving I usually make pumpkin bread. This year, I reinvented this Autumn coffee go-with. I made a pumpkin cake that retains an old-fashioned, "bready" element and added a cream cheese filling. Some of the white flour has been substituted with whole wheat flour. And, although I eliminated the oil, this dessert is still moist and scrumptious. I hope everyone makes this "no fuss" cake for Thanksgiving - and don't forget the coffee!

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
One 15-ounce can pumpkin
1 cup nonfat, plain yogurt
4 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (4 ounces) Dulce de Leche*
5-Minute Sweetened Whipped Cream (previously published on this blog on July 18, 2010)

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease and flour an 11-inch round spring form pan and set aside.

In a 4-cup mixing bowl, combine the flours, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and allspice; set aside.

Meanwhile, in a 2-cup mixing bowl, using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar and egg; set aside.

In a 3 or 4-quart mixing bowl, mix together the pumpkin, yogurt, eggs, sugar and vanilla on low speed. Gradually add the combined dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and beat at low speed until the batter is uniform, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Pour half of the pumpkin batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula. Spoon the cream cheese mixture evenly over batter in pan followed by remaining pumpkin batter. Make sure the top pumpkin batter layer covers the cream cheese mixture evenly.

Place pan with batter on a rack positioned in center of oven and bake 40 to 50 minutes. After 40 minutes, check doneness of cake by inserting a pointed knife in its center. If knife has sticky batter around it, bake cake for an additional 5 minutes. Check doneness once more. Knife inserted should come out clean. If not, bake another 5 minutes.

Cool cake completely in spring form pan on counter. If making a day ahead, cover pan with aluminum foil and refrigerate.

Remove cake from refrigerator 2 hours before serving.

At serving time, remove sides of spring form pan and set cake on a platter (do not remove cake from pan bottom).

Serve each piece with a drizzle of dulce de leche and the whipped cream.

*Dulce de leche is a caramel sauce from Argentina and can be found in Latin American supermarkets. It is usually packaged and sold in a 15-ounce glass or plastic jar.

Text and Photographs © Nancy Real 2010

Gnocchi Duo

Prep time: 15 to 20 minutes
Serves: 3 to 4

In Italian cuisine, gnocchi are treated as a first course and are featured among the pasta dishes on a menu. Classic gnocchi are made of potatoes and flour and served with different sauces. Since it's difficult for me to be limited to one sauce and one flavor, I serve gnocchi with a duo of sauces. This recipe calls for a tomato sauce and a walnut-olive oil drizzle over the gnocchi. It's simple to make and a delight to the eye and palate.

Ingredients:
One pound (16 ounces) ready-made gnocchi (vacuum-packed or frozen)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup tomato sauce, made ahead (see tomato sauce recipe for spaghetti, previously published on this blog on 8-25-10)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Dash ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly ground walnuts
4 walnut halves (for garnish)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese

In a 5-quart saucepot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and salt. Cook on medium-high heat, uncovered, until gnocchi rise to the surface (about 3 to 4 minutes).

Transfer saucepot to a cool surface. With a slotted spoon, gently remove gnocchi from water, dividing them equally among three or four dinner plates.

Working with one plate of gnocchi at a time, drizzle one tablespoon of the oil on half of the gnocchi, followed by some black pepper and a sprinkle of walnuts. Garnish with a walnut half. Spoon some tomato on other half of the gnocchi in plate and garnish with a parsley sprig.

Repeat with remaining plates of gnocchi. Ask each guest to add their own cheese.

Wine suggestion: Bordeaux (red or white).

Note: Do not overcook gnocchi, as they will become mushy and fall apart. When buying gnocchi, you may have to experiment with different brands until you find one that you like.

My favorite Italian brands are: Ferrara® and DeCecco®. Both varieties are vacuum-packed and found in the pasta section of supermarkets or international markets.

As for a frozen brand, I recently found La Salteña® gnocchi at an Argentine market/restaurant called Buenos Aires, located in Van Nuys, California.

Text and Photographs © Nancy Real 2010