Turkey roast french dip? Yes please!

During my post graduate school, pre-job period I've had a lot of time to watch some quality TV (read: Law & Order, The Nanny, HGTV, Food Network). While flipping through the channels I learned that we also have the Cooking Channel. Fancy! So now I've started watching Kelsey's Essentials and have fallen in love with her food. I decided to whip out the crock pot again and make one of her recipes (the first of many I'm sure). Her amazing sandwich, Turkey Roast French Dip is now a Brett family favorite!

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 (3-pound) bone-in turkey breast
• 6 demi French baguettes, sliced in half
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 12 slices Gruyere cheese

Directions

For the turkey: In a small mixing bowl, mix together the softened butter and fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Spread the chopped onions over the bottom of a slow cooker. Pour the chicken stock and Worcestershire sauce into the slow cooker. Sprinkle the turkey with salt and pepper. Slather the turkey breast with herb butter, spreading half under the turkey skin. Place the turkey on top of the onions, breast side up. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, checking it after 4 hours to see if the internal temperature has reached 170 degree F. Once the turkey reaches 170 degrees F, remove it from the slow cooker, transfer to a cutting board, tent with aluminum foil and allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing. Reserve any juices from the slow cooker. After the breast has rested, remove the skin and slice very thinly using a sharp knife.

For the sandwich: Preheat the broiler. Brush each side of the sliced bread with the softened butter and place on a baking sheet, buttered side up. Top each buttered baguette with sliced cheese. Place under the broiler until the cheese melts and begins to turn golden brown.

Carefully remove from the oven. Pile the sliced turkey on the bottom half of each sandwich before topping it with the cheesy top. Serve the turkey au jus left over in the slow cooker for dipping.

My Edits: I did not have any fresh herbs therefore I substituted 1 teaspoon of dried herbs instead. Next time I'll make sure to pick up the fresh herbs from the grocery store to see the taste difference. Additionally, I had Havarti cheese in the fridge and decided to use that instead of buying Gruyere... Next time I won't make that substitute unless it is dill Havarti.

Crock pots are the truth

My bff/old roomie was obsessed with his slow cooker and I always thought he was a little crazy. Not to mention I thought that only old women used them. I was wrong. Yes Patrick, I can admit when I get things twisted. Therefore, I put one on my wedding registry and surprise, Patrick bought it for us! I was eager to find a recipe to make to experience the joys myself. A friend posted a Creamy Tex Mex Chicken recipe to make in the crock pot on Pinterest. It seemed easy enough and I had all of the ingredients so I made it. I could see how this recipe would be ideal for a family of four, note, for a family of 2, it made about 4 meals worth. I put three servings in the freezer to eat at another time.

Ingredients

• Bag of frozen Chicken Breast Tenderloins (2.5-3lb bag)
• 8 oz block of cream cheese (don't use Fat Free! 1/3 less fat or regular is fine)
• Can of Black Beans, drained & rinsed.
• Can of Corn, drained.
• Can of Rotel
• Small scoop of low-fat sour cream
• Red pepper flakes

Directions

Put frozen chicken in the crock pot. Put Cream cheese on top of the chicken. Dump in the Black Beans (make sure they are drained & rinsed). Dump in the drained corn. Dump in the Rotel. Cover & cook in your Crock Pot on low for 6-8 hours. Every 2 hours, I stir the ingredients. You can shred the chicken when it is done, or just leave it as tenderloins. I turn the crock pot off, add the sour cream, red pepper flakes, and let it sit for about 30-45 minutes. It is a little soupy, but letting it sit causes it to not be as soupy. I serve this over rice.

My Edits: The recipe does not include sour cream or red pepper flakes but I added them in. After the 6 hours the sauce was not as creamy as I would have liked so I decided to add a little sour cream. It instantly changed the texture to what I was hoping for. Also, when I tasted it, it was as spicy as I wanted so I added about a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes. Fixed, finished, delicious.