Turkey Cutlets in a mushroom sage sauce

So I had a craving for turkey last week. But I didn't want a Thanksgiving-y turkey, and I obviously wasn't going to roast an entire bird for just Scott and me. I thought of doing a tenderloin or breast. But while at the grocery store, I came across some lovely turkey cutlets. This is the perfect option! They're thin (and can be beaten thinner) so they will cook fast. They can be browned quickly to seal in flavor, but then simmered in a sauce to finish cooking. There would be no dry turkey in our house tonight!

Well, last week got away from me, so I didn't actually make these until last night. I've been obsessed with sage lately (notice this is the 2nd post in a row where sage plays a leading role!) and I had some left over. I didn't want to replay the citrus notes from the chicken recipe and with the cold wintry life I'm living, I wanted something warm, cozy, earthy. Bring in the mushrooms!

I served this with some skillet blistered green beans. Yum. Enjoy!

Turkey Cutlets in a mushroom sage sauce

• 4 turkey cutlets
• flour, salt & pepper, and one egg (beaten) for breading (optional)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• about 8oz (can use more) portobello mushrooms, sliced and preferrably a little past their prime (not slimy and bad, but with dark spots on them already... they cook to a really delicious flavor!)
• 1/2 a small onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 1 1/2-2 cups of chicken stock (low sodium, 98% fat free, all that jazz)
• 1/4 cup light cream (or heavy if you can take the fat)
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl oil around in pan so the bottom is evenly coated. While oil is heating, put cutlets in a freezer sized zip top bag and bang with a rolling pin until uniformly about 1/2 inch thick. If breading, go ahead and put cutlets in the egg, then dredge in flour, s&p mixture for a very light coating. If not breading, sprinkle both sides of cutlets with salt & pepper.

2. Place cutlets in oil and brown both sides, about 4-5 minutes each side. You do not want them to cook through, just get golden on both sides, and leave some yummy turkey bits on the bottom of your pan. When cutlets are browned, remove to a plate and set aside.

3. Add a little more oil to your pan, and allow to heat up.

4. Add onions and mushrooms to hot oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt and dash of black pepper. Saute until onions are tender and translucent and mushrooms are cooked through, about 8 minutes. It may be more or less depending on the thickness of your mushroom slices.

5. Add chopped sage to mushrooms and onions, and stir together for about 1 minute. Sage should be aromatic.

6. Add chicken stock and cream and bring to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes. After this time, check to see if sauce is thickening. If still very runny, add a little cornstarch mixed in water and allow to simmer another 5 minutes.

7. Add turkey cutlets back to pan and nestle in the sauce. Simmer, covered for 15-20 minutes, or until cutlets are cooked through.

Carb options

This sauce is really delicious, so you may want some crusty bread to soak up the sauce. OR, on my packet of sage, there was a recipe for sage biscuits. They sound amazing to me. If you make them, mail me one.

PS: still no picture. I tried to take it on my cell phone's camera, and I can't get it off the phone! Grr!!

Lemon Sage Roasted Chicken + a BONUS recipe!

Wow. I'm already getting behind on my goal to post 2 recipes and 1 information/support/rambling a week and it's only January 16th! It's ok, I'm cooking more, I'll get better! I shall press on toward the goal!

As I've stated here (and facebook) before, when in doubt for what to cook for dinner, I roast a chicken. I love pretty much everything about it: the juicy, flavorful meat; a golden, crispy crust (skin... you shouldn't eat it. But just one bite fulfills my roasted chicken fantasies!); and leftovers. How I love roasted chicken leftovers. They're perfect on a simple salad for lunch, great to throw into a simple chicken pot pie, a nice topping on a homemade pizza-- I could go on and on. So for today's recipe, you shall get 2 in 1. A new chicken recipe (I try not to get into a rut with the same roasted chicken EVERY time) along with a Chinese chicken cabbage salad for the next day. Enjoy!!

Lemon Sage Roasted Chicken

adapted from Health Magazine

• 2 lemons thinly sliced
• 6 fresh sage leaves
• 1 (6-pound) chicken
• 3 tsp olive oil, divided
• bunch of carrots (depending on how many you want to eat, and if you want leftover veggies), washed and chopped in equal sized chunks (about 1 1/2-2 inchs)
• bunch of mushrooms (chopped into chunks equal to carrots)
• bunch of broccoli (yep, I said it. You're roasting broccoli. Trust me.), chop these evenly with other veggies, too.
• any other root veggie you want (Think parsnips and turnips. I do not recommend potatoes), chop.

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. In roasting pan, place all chopped vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with kosher salt and black pepper. Using hands, mix veggies until ALL are evenly coated with oil. You don't want any dry spots. Dry spots won't taste as good.

3. Remove giblet and all that jazz from the chicken cavity. Place chicken on top of veggies in roasting pan. Use your fingers to make some space between the chicken meat and skin on top of the breast and cut a slit between the leg and thigh areas to get your fingers between the meet and skin of those areas. Rub all meat with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. Place 6 lemon slices and sage leaves under skin of chicken, distributing between breasts and thigh/leg areas. (if you have a large chicken, and use more than just 6 slices, that's ok.) Put remaining lemon into the cavity and maybe a couple sage leaves if you have them. Brush about 1 tsp of olive oil over skin of chicken.

2. Roast for 45 minutes, then check to make sure skin isn't burning. If skin is already golden brown, cover with aluminum folk. Roast for an additional 45 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the chickens thigh (away from the bone) reads 165. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let rest for about 10 minutes before carving.

Carb options

could be served with a potato of your choice (mashed sweet potatoes or sweet potato "casserole" would be beautiful and delicious, I think) and/or a dinner roll.

SUPER BONUS RECIPE!!!

Chinese Chicken-Cabbage Salad with Peanut Sauce

• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 bottled thai peanut sauce (this can have a lot of sugar in it. So if you can't find a sugar free version, make your own using smooth natural peanut butter, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, garlic powder, white pepper and ground ginger.)
• chopped napa cabbage (about 2 cups per salad)
• shredded carrot (a few pinches per salad)
• 1 green onion (green and white parts), sliced (more if you're making several servings)
• left over roasted chicken.

1. Whisk together rice wine vinegar, olive oil, and peanut sauce in a medium bowl. Set aside.

2. Toss together cabbage, thinly sliced, shredded carrot, green onions, and chicken in a large bowl, or in individual serving dishes.

3. Pour peanut dressing over the salad, and toss together until evenly coated.

4. Season salad with black pepper and some black sesame seeds.