Turkey Kielbasa Alfredo with Broccoli

It's Wednesdays with Eryka and ladies and gentlemen, I present to you another recipe for kielbasa! I think Kielbasa is my new obsession. It is so versatile and I keep finding new ways to use it. This week I am using it in pasta, one of my other obsessions/favorites. Kielbasa pairs great with pasta, more so with a white sauce, like Alfredo. I made a homemade Alfredo sauce. It is simple to make, not too fancy and an excellent weeknight meal. If you scanned the recipe already and saw one of the ingredient is lemon juice, your eyes are deceiving you. My Alfredo sauce takes lemon juice. It adds that spark of flavor to the sauce. As usual, I cook the kielbasa in the pan and I then make the sauce in the same pan to pick up the flavors from the cooked meat. This alters the color of the sauce making it less white, but oh so  tasty as well as rustic looking! The broccoli adds a pop of fun green plus a dash of nutrition. Pair with your favorite pasta and enjoy!

Recipe:

Wednesdays with Eryka

1lb turkey kielbasa, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste
pinch of nutmeg
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 box linguine or pasta of choice
2 broccoli heads, chopped

1. In a pan on medium heat, heat the olive oil then add the kielbasa and onion. Cook together until kielbasa is browned and onion is soft. Add in the white wine and simmer until evaporated. Remove from pan.

2. Add the butter and let it melt. Stir in with a whisk the flour. Stir together until a light brown color and all lumps from flower are gone. Stir in slowly, with the whisk, the chicken stock, the milk and cream. Stir until all combined with no lumps.

3. While sauce is cooking add in the lemon juice, salt and pepper, nutmeg and mozzarella. Stir all together. Add the kielbasa/onion mixture back into the sauce. Simmer while pasta cooks.

4. In a large pot, cook your pasta of choice. In the last 2-3 minutes of cooking add in the broccoli. You may have to adjust the cooking time because adding in the broccoli will change the temperature thus altering cooking time. Drain when pasta is al dente. Put pasta back into the same pot and add the sauce with kielabasa. Serve and top with parmesan cheese!

Hearty Four-Bean & Kielbasa Soup

In South Florida, there is no such thing as "winter," just occasional, beautiful, coldish days. The lowest it has been so far is probably 49 degree, which believe it or not, is freezing for us Floridians. We break out our boots, scarfs, turtlenecks, and large sweaters, it is the funniest thing. My boyfriend is from New York, so obviously this weather is a joke to him. He goes out in shorts and I just freak out, but I digress and the point of me bringing up the weather is that in the event of these random cold days I make yummy, comforting warm soups, thus this recipe. This I made when I got home from work on Thursday evening with no plan of what to make. I'm trying to consume less red meat, so I knew chili was out of the question but I did have turkey kielbasa sitting in the fridge begging to be used. I put flavors together in my head with the kielbasa, the beans and the spices and the result is this yummy soup! You can almost clear out your pantry with this recipe. Use what beans you may like as well as regular kielbasa instead of turkey. The next day it was just as delicious if not more since the spices had even more time to mingle. I hope you enjoy my impromptu soup and hope it'll help warm up your chilly nights!

Recipe:

Eryka on Wednesday with Eryka

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 16oz turkey kielbasa, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 15.5oz can black beans
1 15.5oz can red kidney beans
1 15oz can pork and beans
1 8.3oz can baked beans
1 14.5oz can diced tomato
1 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large stew pot, heat oil on medium. Add the onions, peppers and onions. Cook until fragrant and soft. Add the kielbasa; cook together for about 5 minutes.

2. In the same pan, add all the canned products with their juices (important: do NOT drain). Stir to combine. Follow with the tomato paste and all the spices.

3. Stir and bring everything to a boil then lower to a simmer. Simmer for about 45 minutes. Taste to check to seasonings. If ready, serve in bowls, top with your favorite cheese and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Mustard and Beer-Braised Turkey Thighs

I know what you're thinking ... another turkey recipe during Thanksgiving. But this turkey recipe is as far from being your standard Thanksgiving Day turkey.  In this recipe I use juicy, tender turkey thighs, that are smothered in mustard, then braised
in beer with fresh thyme and caramelized onions. And what you get is the nothing short of spectacular, deep flavor.  Even people who say they don't like turkey, like this turkey. It's simply that good. And, if that isn't enough, the cost to make this entire meal for 4 is under $5. I get turkey thighs at BJ's Wholesale, and they are roughly under $4 for about 2 pounds, which is 2 thighs. When I originally made this recipe I started with plain old yellow mustard and a bottle of Heineken, because it's what I had on hand. Each time I've made it since, I use a different mustard and change-up the beer. I've used all types of mustards, from champagne mustard to cardamon mustard, and I've had fun changing up the beers, from pale lagers to rich, deep dark stouts, each one adding its own unique flavor profile to the overall recipe.  I hope you get around to trying this recipe because I know you'll have fun changing it up each time you make it.

2 Turkey thighs, (1 lbs., ea.) skins removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon light butter
2 large onions, sliced in half moons
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard or yellow mustard +  2 extra to cover turkey sides
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons flour
1 bottle beer
Salt & pepper