Weekend Cooking: Turkey Spaghetti

Weekend Cooking is a weekly meme hosted by Beth Fish Reads where she invites anyone to share their reviews of cookbooks, food writing, foodie novels or movies, or just about anything that promotes the love of food.

In a prior life - about 20 years ago - I was actually contemplating a catering career. I would pour over the monthly Gourmet and Bon Appetit magazines, vowing to make at least one recipe from each new edition. At that time, Martha Stewart was my hero (heroine - ?) and I would often read her books on Entertaining, Hors d'oeuvres, and Desserts from cover to cover. I would slave in the kitchen for over a week to produce the table fare for our annual Christmas party. I would think nothing of spending 3 hours on a dinner for two. Not any more.

Once I had kids and they indicated their preference for the blue box of macaroni and cheese to my homemade variety, I put up my oven mitts in exchange for microwavable dinners. But now that the kids are grown (2 are out on their own and the youngest is a junior in high school), I am beginning to rekindle a desire to get back into the kitchen and experiment a bit. While my teaching job keeps me busy (and tired), I do try to prepare more meals at home, and I am hoping to re-ignite that passion for cooking once I fully retired.

As I posted two weeks ago, I was privileged to attend a book signing for the Pioneer Woman's new cookbook. She is a hoot and a half (and if you don't know who I am talking about - you simply must take the time to visit her blog), and her cooking style is down home comfort food. While there are many recipes that I would like to try, I have planned to make her Chicken Spaghetti this weekend with the leftover Thanksgiving turkey. The recipe sounds easy, filling, and delicious.

Chicken (Turkey) Spaghetti a la Pioneer Woman

adapted by Molly in order to use leftovers

• 1 pound thin spaghetti, broken into 1 inch pieces
• leftover chicken/turkey broth
• one 4 oz jar diced pimentos, drained
• 1 small onion - diced
• 1/4 cup finely diced green pepper
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 2.5 cups grated cheddar cheese
• salt - pepper - cayenne to taste
• chicken meat from one fryer (or approximately 2 cups turkey leftovers)

1. Cook spaghetti in broth until al dente. Drain and place in large mixing bowl.
2. Add to the spaghetti the cream of mushroom soup, 2 cups of grated cheese, diced vegetables, seasonings, and leftover turkey.
3. Stir together and mix thoroughly. Taste to check the seasonings.
4. Pour mixture into large baking dish and top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 35 - 45 minutes (until bubbly).

This sounds yummy to me - and quite a nice change from those leftover turkey sandwiches.