Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

1 pie crust
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup carrot, finely chopped
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/3 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into uniform bite-sized pieces
2 cups leftover turkey, light and dark, diced
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup flour
2 cups turkey or chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
fresh or dried thyme
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400. Put potatoes and green beans in a pot of water. Boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Cover and boil an additional 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add carrots, onion and celery. Cook until translucent, a couple of minutes. Add turkey and stir. Sprinkle flour over mixture. Cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Pour in broth, stirring constantly. Add cream, continuing to stir. Add peas, potatoes and green beans. Bring to a slow boil, and allow mixture to cook and thicken for several minutes. Add salt, pepper and thyme to taste. (Do NOT underseason!)

4. Pour into a casserole dish or deep pie dish. Roll out crust so that it is one inch larger than the dish. Place crust on top of pot pie mixture, pressing crust into sides of dish. Cut vents into top of crust.

5. Place in oven on baking pan to catch any drips. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Allow to cool for a bit before serving.

Serves 4-6.

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Classic Pumpkin Pie

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1-3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
1 can (12oz) evaporated milk
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
1 (15oz) can pumpkin (*not* pumpkin pie filling)
cooking spray
1/2 (15oz) pkg refrigerated pie crust

1. Position oven rack to lowest position. Preheat oven to 425. Remove crust from refrigerator to bring to room temperature (15 minutes).

2. To prepare filling, combine first six ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add pumpkin; stir with whisk until smooth.

3. Unroll crust. Roll out to 11". Spray pie dish with cooking spray. Fit crust into plate. Tuck edges under and flute.

4. Pour pumpkin filling into crust. Place plate on a cooking sheet. Place cooking sheet on lowest rack in oven. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 (do not remove pie from oven); bake an additional 50 minutes or until filling is almost set. Cool completely on wire rack before serving.

Serves 6-8.

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Bacon-Wrapped Green Beans

1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
5 strips bacon
5 tbsp butter, divided
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 clove garlic, pressed or finely chopped
1/8 tsp soy sauce

1. Preheat oven to 400. Put green beans in a large pot of water. Boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Cover and continue to boil for an additional 10 minutes, until tender.

2. Meanwhile, fry bacon in a skillet over medium-low heat. You want the bacon to cook "soft;" do not "crisp" the bacon. Set aside on paper towels to cool and reduce grease. Cut bacon strips into halves when cool.

3. Drain beans and return to put. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to melt over beans.

4. In a 13x9" baking dish, lay on bacon half. Place 6-7 beans on the piece of bacon, then wrap the bacon around the beans and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining bacon pieces and beans.

5. Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan. Add brown sugar, garlic and soy sauce, whisking continuously, over medium-high heat. Once completely blended, brush over bean bundles with a basting brush until mixture is completely gone.

6. Bake in oven 10-15 minutes, until bacon begins to brown.

Serves 6-8.

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