Turker Meatball Soup

No, that's not a typo...I meant to spell it "turker"...and there's a story behind this one, too. But first, the recipe...

Turker Meatball Soup

meatballs:
1 lb. ground turkey
1 egg
2 handfuls of instant rice
1/4 c. Parmesan
dash of: garlic powder, oregano, paprika, salt, black pepper

also:
4 c. chicken broth
1 c. carrots, sliced
2 potatoes, cubed

Heat chicken broth in a large pot over medium heat.

In a mixing bowl, mix meatball ingredients:


Using a spoon, or a melon ball scooper, shape mixture into small meatballs:

and drop them into the broth:


Allow them to simmer, stirring very gently:

Add carrots and potatoes; allow to simmer until potatoes are cooked through.






The "turker" story:
Okay, it isn't MY story, but one that was told to me by our good friend, Tony.

He and his brothers were back on the East Coast, visiting with family, when someone brought home a bunch of sandwiches for dinner.

As they were being taken out of the bag and handed out, a label had been written in a manner so that the "ey" on the end of the word "turkey" was messy and it looked more like an "er".

Without missing a beat, the person handing out the sandwiches pronounced it as written, "turker" and handed it to Tony's brother.

"Turker?! What?!! This isn't what I ordered! What is this—tuna salad?!!!" exclaimed the brother, furious. He simply didn't get it. Apparently, he never does.

And I'm not sure how well this translates right now, as you are reading it, but when Tony tells a story, it's hilarious. This brother of his is notorious for not being able to tell a joke the right way, too. I guess you just have to know Tony and the stories about his family to really understand. But we use a lot of funny references in our everyday life, and our hilarious friend Tony has had a big impact with those types of incidents. So the "turker" soup is a tribute to a friend who is far away, but never far from our hearts.... Miss you, Bean Curd!!!! *smooch*

Tony's Thai Salad

This is another fine recipe from our good friend Tony. It has been a while since he first made this for us, but I did get the recipe from him. I have used it several times, and it is always a hit.

Tony's Thai Salad

For the salad:
1 head cabbage, shredded
1 c. shredded carrots (measured as shredded)
2 pkgs. Ramen noodles (dry, minus the flavor packet)
2 green onions, minced (optional)
1/2 c. toasted almonds (optional)

For the dressing:
1/3 c. cider vinegar –OR- rice wine vinegar
1/4 c. sugar
1 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 c. canola oil

1. Prep vegetables and put them in a LARGE bowl.
2. Smash Ramen noodles in their unopened packages (if you went to college, you are probably already familiar with this practice, eh?), careful not to rip open package and rain Ramen noodle bits all over your kitchen. Add them to bowl.
3. In separate mixing bowl, add vinegar and sugar; stir to dissolve. (I had to heat it for 10 seconds in the microwave.) Add in other dressing ingredients and whisk to blend well.
4. Pour dressing over veg-noodle mixture, and slowly turn and stir to mix. My grandma always told me, "there's no need to hurry—it isn't a race." Remembering Grandma's words will keep you from spilling or flipping the contents of the bowl onto the counter or the floor.
5. Taste it and see if it needs more salt. Season to taste.
6. Let this salad stand in the fridge for about an hour before serving. As you may already know, some things taste better once they've had a chance to sit and blend a little, especially when you're dealing with cabbage.

OTHER OPTIONS:
Add some finely diced or shredded cucumber.
Add a small can of crushed pineapple.
(I've tried both in the same batch, with great results; it adds to the sweet-n-sour taste and the crunchiness.)

Missing old friends

Tony is a good friend of ours who moved back to New Jersey, where most of his family lives. He comes to visit occasionally and either stays with us or other friends in Chicago. I have a lot of very funny friends, but, man, I gotta tell you, other than my husband, Tony is the funniest guy I know (sorry, JST!). Not just funny, but also a very good cook. Miss you terribly, Bean Curd...this one's for you...

Tony's Goat Cheese Dip

2 4-oz packages of goat cheese
salt (to taste)
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup of chopped pistachios
1/2 stick of butter
optional: fresh cut chives, minced

1. Let the cheese and butter soften at room temp. Whip together with a fork, blending well.
2. Take a fairly large garlic clove and chop into little pieces. add a teaspoon of salt to the garlic, and with the back of spoon smush together until it makes a paste.
   
3. Add the garlic-salt paste to the cheese-butter mix and whip that together.
4. Add the pistachios and chopped up chives (the chives are really optional).
5. Heat at 10-second intervals in the microwave, stirring frequently, until the texture "loosens up" but is not too hot.
   
6. Serve with melba rounds, pita chips, or crackers.
7. Prepare to find it irresistible and gain ten pounds.

[NOTE: I sometimes stretch this recipe out by adding a block of cream cheese, which also tames down the flavor of the goat cheese, because it can be overwhelming if you've never tried it before.]