Kate's Turkey Patties (croquettes)

I wanted Turkey Croquettes from the Thanksgiving leftovers, and asked Kate if she would make them, since they are sort of like Swedish meatballs (not really at all) and she makes the BEST Swedish meatballs, using an old family recipe from her Swedish grandmother.  So I sent her a recipe I found online "The Best Turkey Croquettes which are sort of like Swedish Meatballs, but aren't really like Swedish Meatballs at all, especially if you decide to flatten them and make them more like Crabby Patties."  She discarded the recipe and found her own, which, to her credit, she then modified... And it was fantastic.  The kids loved it and she made more to freeze.  Oh yeah... 


2 C. cooked turkey

1 C milk

1 C. soft bread crumbs (made from 5 pc fresh bread: freeze for 15 min & crumble)

1/4 C. butter

1/4 C. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 small onion minced 

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Dredge & Batter:

1/2 C. flour

3/4c dry bread crumbs (use half panko/ half plain bread crumbs in a can)

1 egg, slightly beaten

Vegetable oil - 1" deep in skillet/ frying pan

Melt butter in large saucepan. 

Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and onion. 

Slowly add milk and Worcestershire sauce. 

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly (this take a little while, but it will happen). Remove from heat. 

In a large bowl blend sauce, soft bread crumbs and turkey. 

Cool mixture in freezer for about 15-20 min.  

Shape into 8-10 patties - (patties are easier to put on a roll or a bun.) 

Roll each lightly in flour; dip in egg and roll in bread crumb mixture. 

Fry in 1 inch of oil until golden brown (takes about 3-4 min a side). 

Put on paper towel to cool & drain oil.  

Thanksgiving 2010

Kate just advised me that we are having her family for Thanksgiving. 8 adults, 6 kids and and infant. Cool. My mind immediately goes to menu planning. My family Holiday dishes are Zesty Carrots and Cheesy Cauliflower Head. Moose made them, they defined the Holidays of my youth.

Mashed Potatoes. My ex-wife wouldn't eat them with milk in them, so he kindly set aside some boring spuds for her. She never liked my cooking, either.

A Ham and a Turkey. Maybe that green bean casserole, the one with cream of mushroom soup and French's onions on top and perhaps pearl onions. How the hell can I cook all of this with four burners and one oven? Wait I have a grill. for the ham. My clever sister did an extra breast on the grill one year... I think her oven was broken too.

But I think can do the ham on the grill. And Vince down the street has the Turkey fryer, he did three or four last year. I'll have to inquire! And some Pillsbury rolls. But what about a soup? A squash soup would be nice, and seasonal too. And there's the crock pot for soup. But the first recipes I found have creme fraiche, which made me wonder what is Thanksgiving about? It's not about gourmet, it's a feast of thankfulness, and hopefulness that we survive another winter. So in my mind it should be hearty food, pack on the pounds, come February they'll be gone, and we'll be looking for the first greens of spring and to slaughter the lambs.

And an olive tray: Gherkins, green olives and black and a fourth I can't remember what - pickle chips?

So methinks simple food it will be:

savory roasted squash soup - crock pot
mashed potatoes, perhaps with garlic and onion - stovetop 1
cauliflower with cheese and mustard - oven Y
zesty carrots - oven b
sting bean casserole with pearl onions - oven c
brined turkey - deep fry / oven X
roasted ham - BBQ
Beans with carrots - Microwave
Stuffing w /sausage - stovetop 2
Rolls - oven Z

Buy takeaway containers!
level the stove!
buy a brining bucket!
buy a turkey fryer?

Brine for poultry

1.5 Gallons (6 Qts, 24 cups) H20
1.5 cups Coarse Kosher salt (no iodine) less if finer
1 cup brown sugar
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
1 onion
1 tbs pepper corns
1 bay leaf
6 cloves garlic

chop vegetables, 1/8 onion
combine all ingredients in stock pot
bring to boil
cool to refrigerator temp

Brine poultry 1 hr per pound - in refrigerated space