Turkey Turnovers

How am I ever going to keep my weight off, or lose weight for that matter, with all the experimenting I'm doing? It's hard, but ideas keep popping into my head and I just have to try them. I was recently trying to figure out how to use up the rest of a Costco chicken I had bought. They're big, and when cooking for just one, there are lots of leftovers. Here's a recipe I made recently that I just loved. You can use turkey or chicken, and you can add or subtract many things from the filling to make it your own. Below is the basic recipe.

Turkey Turnovers

1 cup shredded or cubed cooked turkey or chicken
1/3 cup thinly sliced onions
2/3 cup thinly sliced celery
1/4 cup parsley
1/4 cup flour
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Make a roux, by melting the butter, adding the flour and cooking for 2 minutes, then slowly add the milk to make a thick sauce. Adjust milk as need to make a thick sauce. Set aside

In a saute pan, cook onions and celery until translucent, then add parsley and salt and pepper. Add cooked turkey and mix, then add the mixture to the cooled white sauce. You can add many other things if you like: peas, mushrooms, chili flakes for some spice, and shredded cheddar cheese come to mind.

Take prepared puff pastry squares (available frozen in most markets), and place a spoonful in the center. Take some eggwash and brush the edges, then fold the puff pastry into a triangle and seal. Brush the top of the turnover with eggwash. Place on cookie sheet, use a knife to make several slits in the top of the turnover for heat to escape. Cook at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown.

These turnovers make a great lunch with a green salad. Very gourmet, but really, it only takes about 15 minutes to prepare the whole thing. I had some leftover cranberries which I ate with it. You could also thin out the cranberry sauce and serve it as a sauce over the turnover. Use your imagination. This will impress even a gourmet cook.

Sixty Third Visit to Taft

As disappointing as last week's non visit was, that's how satisfying this week's visit was. This was the first Sunday I have ever visited. It was a completely different crowd. Over time you get to know the wives and girlfriends, mothers and fathers and friends of the inmates. This week I knew only one person in the room, and she had missed last week because of bad weather too. Sundays are 6 points, whereas Fridays, my regular visiting day, is only 4 points. So, if you want to visit every week as I do, Friday is your visiting day. Of course those that work or have children can't come on Friday, so today was filled with lots of families, and was filled to capacity. The last Sunday of the month, and everyone wants to use up their points, if they still have any left.

I hadn't seen Ron in about 10 days, but it seemed longer. Softball has started and he's been umpiring lots of games, so he had a nice tan on his face. He told me we would have to finish today before 2pm, when he was umpiring another game, so I gladly left around 1:15. Umpiring is one of the things he enjoys most, and I wouldn't want him to miss it. The men all love his enthusiastic, professional style. This is the highlight of his day during softball season. Luckily, softball will be played for most of his remaining time.

One thing I have noticed about Ron, and I assume is true of many of the other men who are like him (constantly thinking) is that he always has a new idea. It may be a simple way to save money or it might be related to a business he wants to start after release. It's always something. I'm happy he's thinking. Many of the men there spend much of their time working on appeals. This is not Ron's case, but several of his friends spend most of their leisure time thinking about their cases. Ron told me many men look forward each month to the day that the new cases are sent to Taft. Each month new cases that have been ruled on are sent to the law library at Taft (sort of a monthly update), for inmates to use when working on an appeal. Ron reads these cases as something to do, and knows the latest decisions on many, many topics.

Ron's got 4 more months to go, I've got 16 more trips to Taft, no more Sunday visits, I'm back to my regular day, Friday. It doesn't sound like much, but I know how the time drags for him. I tried to have him tell me about a typical day.

Up at 6pm, breakfast, then a one mile walk on the track with friends, one hour rest before work in the garden or home improvement class, depending on the day. (next week he's learning about garbage disposals). Then he may watch Vegas on TV, lunch, go to Torah reading (10 minutes), relax and wait until mail call. 3pm is mail call, and even if he doesn't get any cards or letters, he has a subscription to the WSJ and USA Today. The next 2 hours are spent reading, maybe talking to friends, or walking. Dinner is at 5pm, and then he watches a little TV, talks to friends a little and goes to bed early, sometimes as early as 8pm. It's a pretty boring routine, and that's why so many inmates sleep alot. It's not always depression, but often just the fact there's absolutely NOTHING to keep them busy. Unless you are an avid reader or an exercise fanatic, the time goes slowly. Fortunately for me I can keep myself busy, which I do.

We are excited about Ron's impending release. I spent some time telling Ron about all the new restaurants and stores that have opened since he's been gone. He is excited about the opening of 5 Guys, the burger restaurant opening in Encinitas soon. Burgers are his favorite, and he hasn't had one in 15 months, so that will be one of our first visits.

Last week was the first, and I hope only week I was not able to visit Ron because of weather. Spring is here, and it should be smooth sailing from now on. There's so much to look forward to.

More Food News From Food Expo, 2011

Frozen and refrigerated products packed the food show. Ethnic food is everywhere. My very favorite was Tang's Natural. These products were part of the line of food from Bruce Cost. Who is Bruce Cost? He's a chef and restaurant owner, and has now turned his attention to the grocery and frozen food section. He is an expert in Asian food, and I sampled his chicken, pork, and edamame baos in a whole wheat bun and potstickers. These were restaurant quality. Tang's will also offer Asian sauces soon. Also in the line of Bruce Cost food is natural ginger ale. Fantastic.

Another excellent product in the frozen section is Alexi. They offer potatoes of every kind. Chili lime sweet potatoes, Caribbean jerk russets, parmesean lemon russets and sweet potato puffs. One was better than the next. I would buy these any day, and will at Whole Foods.

Saffron Road is another frozen product that is restaurant quality. They have a vast array of chicken and lamb main dishes, like Samb Saag, Lamb Vindaloo and Chicken Tikka Masala. Served over rice, it's a quick and easy meal. I loved these products.

Snap Dragon is another frozen food product that you will love. They must have dozens of different options, with names like Tokyo Teriyaki, Singapore Curry and Pad Thai ginger. Everything I tasted was excellent. They also make crackers. I highly recommend Snap Dragon.

Finally, Crave Pies were outstanding. This is another frozen product that you will definitely enjoy. They make a sweet potato pie and chicken mushroom pie. They also make several varieties of samosas: curry and beef steak, spinach and feta are just some of their offerings. Go to cravefoods.com for more information.

You may think from the blogs I've been writing about the food show that I loved everything. No. I am only writing about what I liked. There were thousands of products there and only a few that I really thought were special. All of these frozen products were fantastic.

I almost failed to mention Evol Foods. I sampled burritos and bowls. Potato and egg, chicken fajita, and pork carnitas burritos were delicious. Their new bowls are a complete meal, and I sampled the chicken enchillada and chicken teriyaki. Excellent. Their newest product that will be available in Whole Foods in a few weeks is flat bread. Samples were not available, but reliable sources have told me that this is their best product yet. The flatbread crust is made in Canada. It is thin, crispy, and topped with wonderful ingredients. Go to evolfoods.com for more information.

Next time I will tell you about more products from the show that I know you will love. Look for some of these in your local natural food stores. They're all delicious.

New Eats And Shops In Encinitas

I drive by empty shopping centers,huge spaces where supermarkets or department stores have closed and wonder, "Will they ever rent this space in this economy?" The answer of course is Yes. Just like a house, if you have it on the market for the right price, given time, everything sells. Well, an old shopping center in Encinitas, where Alberson's used to be (on El Camino Real) is getting a new life.

Five Guys, the burger chain from the East Coast, is coming to Encinitas. Horray. It's a good burger, often compared to In and Out, but with fries and coke, it's more expensive. The burger is good, juicy, and has all the trimmings. I found the fries to be greasy, and way too many. However, my guess is they will do well in Encinitas, as we don't really have anything like them. One of the investors in Five Guys is Rancho Santa Fe resident Phil Mickelson. You may go for a burger and run into your favorite golfer!

I have also been told that Chick Fil A is also moving into this center. I'm not a fried chicken fan, but I'm sure many of you will be thrilled with this addition to our choice of restaurants.

Another new spot that recently opened is Off the Hook. It is similar to Pelly's in Carlsbad, except that it doesn't have a fish market. It is fresh grilled fish, either on a platter with rice, beans and salad, or in a bowl with veggies and rice, or as a sandwich. They also have fried fish, french or sweet potato fries, several wraps and fish tacos. Nice, new and it all looks very fresh. I can't wait to try it.I have also been told that Chick Fil A is also moving into this center. I'm not a fried chicken fan, but I'm sure many of you will be thrilled with this addition to our choice of restaurants.


Finally, Kohl's is coming to the same center, which I am definitely excited about. I have only shopped there in Denver, and find them to have great merchandise at good prices. Look out, Target.

Speaking of Target, the Encinitas location is getting a face lift and an upgrade. They are removing the garden center (It was no competition for Home Depot across the street), and upgrading their food service to include Starbucks and Pizza Hut. Is that an upgrade? I guess it is, even though Pizza Hut is not my personal choice for lunch.

Last but not least, we are patiently awaiting the opening of Whole Foods in the Lumberyard. It is scheduled for a June opening. I can't wait. The center also includes small businesses that are already opening. A high end women's clothing store (excellent) and a home accessory store, with crafts, paintings, painted furniture and jewelry by many local artists are already open for business. Stop in the center and see what's new. My guess is that by the time Whole Foods opens, the spaces will be rented and it will be a great place to shop.

If you have any news about new openings, please let me know so I can let the readers of this blog in on what's new. I always love to try new places, so I'm sure you'll see me at Five Guys. I love a good burger and I can do without the fries. Now when is Burger Lounge coming to North County?

Parenting Styles: One Size Does Not Fit All

Who hasn't heard of Amy Chua, author of Battle Hymof the Tiger Mom " by now? She's been on all the talk shows, depicting her Chinese-style extreme parenting (no TV, no play dates, no grades below an A), all in preparation for success in life, beginning with an Ivy League education. But does her style of parenting really give her children a better chance at success? I guess it first depends on what your definition of "success" is. Amy Chua was at a conference a few months ago where she met and talked to Harvard president Larry Summers. He pointed out to her that the two people who have had the most transformative impact on the world in the past 25 years, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, are both Harvard dropouts. If they had been brought up by Amy Chua, she would have been bitterly disappointed.

To be honest, Amy's parenting style is only slightly more extreme than what I observed when my own children were growing up on the Westside of Los Angeles. The ambitious, neurotic mothers and fathers orchestrated their child's every move. Where is the creativity in this type of structure?

I have always contended that the raw spirit of can do invention and inspiration will take people further than the ability to read a complex profit and loss statement. Just look at the list of Hollywood moguls who either never went to college or dropped out: David Geffen, Steve Jobs, Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Clint Eastwood, Quentin Tarantino, to name just a few. The intense desire to create something big, new and different is what made all these men successful. ( I just noticed they're all MEN). They didn't wait around for the instruction manual. That goes for Gates and Zuckerberg, too. I doubt if any of these men would have done what they have with Amy Chua as their mother.

I know this is the 21st century. There are many jobs out there that require a good college education and beyond. Obviously you can't be a lawyer or doctor or engineer without specific training. But those with creativity and the entrepreneurial spirit don't necessarily need Harvard or Yale. Nothing can replace on the job training. I remember when my son Phil started his business just after graduation from University of Denver, there was some talk about him getting an MBA. We felt at the time, and I still feel this way, that for what he was planning, on the job training would give him more than he'd ever get in a classroom. I think if you asked him today he would agree.

Parenting is a very indivual thing. There is no right or wrong. What parents are doing today will be passee in 10 years. We swing from strict to permissive and back again. I do know that all children do not fit a cookie cutter mold, and what works for one may be all wrong for another. Creativity and independent thinking, which I value highly, are stifled with too much structure. Bill Gates had parents who allowed him to think, experiment, and "play" with computers for hours on end. Would he have created Microsoft with different parents? We'll never know.

A Great Sandwich For Very Few Calories

Subway has always been one of my favorite places to go for a delicious, low calorie sandwich. There are times when you're watching your weight that you've just got to have a sandwich. As good and healthy as Subway is, their lowest calorie sandwich is still almost 300 calories. With a little experimentation I have come up with a delicious sandwich for half the calories.

Buy Fill'Ems by Orowheat. They are sandwich rolls, but shaped more like a rectangle than a square piece of bread. Each roll is 100 calories. Here's what I do. I split the fill'ems and place three thin slices of turkey (about 40 calories). Next, I use a tofu cheddar cheese that melts and take 2 slices (40 calories) and put on top, place in the toaster oven to melt. When it's melted, I add sliced tomatoes, chopped lettuce, pepper rings and some good grainy mustard. Voila! You've got a Subway type sandwich for half the calories (I figure about 175). Granted, the bread isn't quite as good or as thick, but you get the full feeling of eating a big, hearty sandwich. Add a big piece of fruit and for 250 calories you have a declicious meal. Enjoy.

Sixty Second Visit To Taft

Except for the week I went on vacation last year, last Friday was the only time I had not visited Ron at Taft in 62 weeks. It felt strange to be home Thursday night and even stranger to sleep until 7:30am on Friday morning. I'm usually at my Mom's house on Thursday afternoon. We have dinner together, or I go visit my children and grandchildren, then we watch Doc Martin on PBS together. I was so disappointed Thursday night to find out that Doc Martin is not on PBS in San Diego. Anyway, I go to bed early on Thursday, get up at 6am on Friday, and arrive at Taft around 8:15. This Friday, however, I slept in until 7:30, went to the gym, and had a free afternoon. I didn't know what to do with myself!!

I canceled my Friday visit because we had a Sunday evening visit planned. The Jewish community at Taft had arranged with the administration to have rabbis, inmates, family and friends arrive at Taft at 5pm, long after regular visiting hours were over, for a three hour social gathering. Everyone was so excited. I got up early Sunday morning, went to the Y for an early morning class, then headed for Los Angeles. I had heard the weather report and knew that rain was scheduled all day, but I left anyway. Always the optimist.

I arrived in LA at noon, and it was coming down in buckets. I called Cal Trans, the National Weather Service, and looked on line to see what conditions were like through the grapevine. I was so anxious to go. We had been waiting for this visit for a long time, and my mom, David and Brian were also planning to visit. Well, it was not to be.

On Sunday at noon I said to my mom, "Why hasn't Ron called me?" He usually calls everyday, and I wondered why he hadn't called when the weather was so bad and I was scheduled to come. The answer was clear. He didn't want to hear me say I wasn't coming. He took it well when he finally did call, told me the most important thing was for me to be safe, and that I would see him next week. In the end, the family visit was canceled, or so I thought. I assumed no one even tried to get there. It would have been very difficult. Even if we did get there we would have been stuck in Lebec, Gorman or Frazier Park overnight. I was so disappointed and I know Ron was too. Now I won't see him until next Sunday.

Anticipation of a visit always excites me. Hard to believe that after 62 weeks of making the 450 mile round trip drive, that I'm still looking forward to it. Well, maybe I'm not looking forward to the drive, but I am always so excited to see Ron. Who could have imagined that after 41 years I would still feel this way? I know Ron too, was looking forward to this day. Now he will have to make do with a 3 minute phone call and some college basketball on Sunday night.

Ron is in a funk right now, as apparently the rabbi was able to get to Taft, and the visit went on with whomever was brave enough to try to get there. Some people arrived early in the day, and stayed for the family visit. As Ron says, it's just another disappointment. I encouraged him to go in and join the group, but without his family there he didn't want to. As he says, it's just another example of how difficult everything is while you're in prison.

I do wish I could be there tonight, but jeopardizing my own safety doesn't seem smart. Ron will have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with his bunkie, watch a little basketball, and I will go out with my mom and David and have a little dinner. I hope that next week will be better.