CharliChops

11/24/2025

CharliChops - Crockpot Garlic Butter Whole Turkey

Ingredients
* ½ cup unsalted Kerrygold butter, room temperature
* 2 sticks Kerrygold unsalted butter (optional; see instructions)
* 2 teaspoons garlic powder
* 1 teaspoon Hing powder (or 2 teaspoons onion powder)
* 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
* 2 teaspoons Celtic or kosher salt
* ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
* ½ teaspoon sage (optional)
* 1 teaspoon turmeric powder (optional)
* 8 lb whole turkey (make sure you have an oval crockpot large enough to fit the turkey with the lid on; I have an 8 qt). Completely defrost the turkey before cooking (about 24 hours for every 5 lbs).
* 2 ribs celery, fibers peeled and chopped (optional: substitute 1 teaspoon celery powder or omit entirely).
* 1 small package baby carrots or 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped.
* 1 lemon, halved.
* ½ cup filtered water (optional)
Gravy (ratio below)
* ½ cup strained cooking broth
* 1 tablespoon corn starch
* Increase amounts as necessary for more gravy

Instructions
* To make the garlic butter, stir together the butter and seasonings In a small bowl, reserve 1-2 tablespoons garlic butter and set aside. Note: Mix dry ingredients together first then add to the butter.
* Remove the giblet pouch.
* Loosen the skin of the turkey and spread garlic butter under the skin and on top. Do this the day before and let the turkey sit with the seasoning overnight. Make additional garlic butter if needed to make sure the bird is completely coated. Optional: place a stick of unsalted butter under the skin on both sides of the breast.
* Place seasoned giblets and turkey neck back into the turkey cavity along with celery, carrots and lemon halves.
* Add the water into the bottom of the crockpot and cook turkey for 3-4 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low, until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached in the thickest part of the breast and about 180 degrees F in the thigh.
* Move turkey to a roasting pan if desired (remove giblets and neck to reserve for the gravy). Melt remaining garlic butter and brush over the skin. Broil for 5-8 minutes (watch it carefully to keep it from burning) for a golden exterior, or simply move to a serving platter and allow to rest.
* Strain the juices from the slow cooker into a small to medium pot. Whisk together broth and starch and whisk. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium-high heat until slightly thickened.
* Add in chopped giblets (I omit the heart and gizzard as they are quite tough) and stir until they are reheated throughout.
* Taste and season as necessary.
* Let turkey rest for 10-20 minutes before slicing.
* Serve gravy with turkey.�
Check with a meat thermometer to see if the turkey is done:
It should read 175-180°F in the thigh and 165°F in the breast.

Note: reserve turkey carcass, roasted gizzard and heart and place into a freezer bag. Freeze for later use in making a turkey bone broth.

11/20/2025

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11/17/2025

Cooler weather means chili!

CharliChops - Flaming White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:�* 1 ½ pounds boneless chicken breasts, cut up into small chunks (or ground chicken – browned/drained)
* 2 cubes chicken bouillon crushed (for thicker chili) or 4 oz chicken stock/broth
* 2 cloves garlic, chopped finely or 2 tsp minced garlic
* 1 tablespoon ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
* 1 tablespoon of dried crushed red pepper flakes
* 4 cans (15 oz. size) white beans (great northern or cannellini), drained
* 2 chopped red, green or yellow bell peppers, or combination
* 5 jalapeno chili peppers, fresh, jarred or canned, optional or 'to taste'
* 2 Anaheim chili peppers

Directions:
* In a 4 or 6 quart crockpot combine the chicken, chicken bouillon, and spices.
* Add drained beans, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, and Anaheim peppers.
* Let cook awhile on low (approximately 4-6 hours, depending on your schedule). ��Top each serving with shredded low-fat Monterey Jack or Sharp Cheddar cheese and/or light sour cream if desired.

This recipe for White Chicken Chili serves/makes 10

11/13/2025

CharliChops - Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:
* 1 tablespoon EVOO
* 2 pounds beef stew meat
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 teaspoon parsley
* 1 teaspoon chives
* 1 teaspoon Celtic salt
* 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
* 1 onion diced (or substitute 3/4 tsp Hing)
* 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
* 1 tablespoon Red Boat fish sauce
* 1 pound (2 packages) mushrooms, sliced
* 2 ½ cups beef bone broth divided
* 1 package Neufchâtel or cream cheese
* 8 ounces sour cream
* 3 tablespoons Tapioca or Arrowroot starch
* 16 ounces sweet potato glass noodles or Cassava noodles, cooked

Instructions:
* Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Season beef with salt and pepper. Add seasoned beef to skillet and sear the meat until nice and brown.
* Place the beef, spices, onion, Dijon, fish sauce, mushrooms and 2 cups broth in a crockpot.
* Cook on high 4-5 hours or on low 7-8 hours or until beef is tender. (Check occasionally to ensure enough broth is remaining to cook beef. Add more broth if needed.)
* Combine remaining broth with starch and stir into the crockpot. Cover and cook an additional 15 minutes or until thickened.
* Stir in the Neufchâtel cheese and sour cream until completely combined.
* Cook noodles according to package directions
* Serve over cooked noodles.

11/09/2025

Simple dinner (not all meals have to be complex 😘). Did a lot of recipe work over the weekend including some meal prep for the week, etc. Not really having the energy for cooking so I made a quick “Surf ‘n Turf” burger using a leftover cooked patty, adding smoked salmon and Greek yogurt on a piece of sourbread toast! Topped with a sprinkle of dill and a squeeze of lemon juice. Delicious! ***Optional to top off with some drained capers to cut a bit of the richness.

Burger: Grassfed ground beef, Celtic salt, black pepper, a couple of pinches garlic powder and a pinch of turmeric made into patties and pan grilled.

11/08/2025

CharliChops - Turkey and Apple Sandwich

Ingredients:

*Slices of roasted Turkey (or Thanksgiving leftovers)
*Green apple, peeled, cored and sliced
*Mayo (3/4 cup)
*Cranberry sauce (1/4 cup)
*Lemon juice (1 tsp)
*Fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
*Sourdough bread slices
*Butter, softened (optional if making a panini)

Prep:
*Mix Mayo, cranberry, lemon juice and black pepper to taste

Sandwich:
*Toast slices of bread
*Spread cranberry Mayo on one or both slices of bread
*Layer turkey and apple slices

Optional:
*Panini press sandwiches with outsides of bread buttered
*Substitute cranberry goat cheese instead of cranberry-Mayo

11/08/2025

What to do with those leftovers from Thanksgiving!

CharliChops - Turkey Vegetable Leftover Soup (2 recipes)

Recipe 1:

Ingredients:
* Diced cooked Turkey leftovers (no skin and deboned)
* Celery, peeled and diced (1 bunch)
* Carrots, 4 large, peeled and diced
* Potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (soaked overnight in filtered/salted water, then drained)
* 2 cartons low sodium chicken broth
* Add 1 tblsp fresh ground black pepper, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tblsp garlic powder and half a tsp of Hing powder

OPTIONAL: Include leftover cooked vegetables

Instructions:
* Slow cook on low for 8 hours
* Add diced leftover cooked turkey (and any other leftover vegetables) after 7 hours.
* Once 8 hours is over, allow to cool and portion into containers for use/freezing as needed.

Recipe 2:

Ingredients:
* Diced cooked Turkey leftovers (no skin and deboned)
* Kale, 10 to 12 cups, cleaned and rough chopped
* Two large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
* Red beets, 1 large, peeled and diced
* 2 cartons beef broth
* Add 1 tblsp fresh ground black pepper, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tblsp garlic powder and half a tsp of Hing powder

OPTIONAL: Include leftover cooked vegetables

Instructions:
* Slow cook on low for 8 hours
* Add diced leftover cooked turkey (and any leftover vegetables) at hour 7
* Once 8 hours is over, allow to cool and portion into containers for use/freezing as needed.

11/08/2025

Simple Turkey Chili

CharliChops - Turkey Chili from Thanksgiving Leftovers

Ingredients:

* Turkey meat, cooked leftovers, chopped (make sure to remove skin, bones and gristle)
* Black beans, canned, drained and rinsed (1 to 2 cans depending on amount of turkey. Ratio of 2 parts turkey to one part beans)
* Diced tomatoes (1 to 2 cans)
* 2 to 3 tsp Cumin powder
* 2 to 3 tsp Chili powder
* 1 tblsp Garlic powder
* 6 jalapeño peppers, stems removed, seeded and diced (or add more for more spice)
* 1 tablespoon EVOO
* Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
* Shredded cheddar, sour cream and chopped Cilantro for garnish

Instructions:
* Sauté peppers with garlic in oil until peppers are tender. Add to stockpot.
* Add tomatoes and other spices and simmer, stirring often until tomatoes are tender
* Add beans and turkey, simmering until heated through.

Serve and top with chopped cilantro, sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese

Optional:
Replace black beans with red kidney beans or white beans
Replace jalapeños with 1 or 2 bell peppers, diced (red for sweeter taste, yellow is mellow and green for sharper taste)

11/08/2025

My fermented (black) garlic is done! Oh my! I tasted my first homemade black garlic clove and it was so sweet, almost like candy, and melted in my mouth. Although I have been a home chef for many years, this was my first foray into the wild side of fermented (black) garlic! Five days in my fermenter with a full batch of fresh garlic bulbs. Well worth the effort so far!
Anyone who finds the aroma/taste of regular garlic overpowering owes it to themself to try this. Absolutely delicious!
Now to work on putting it into the recipes I have queued up and to curate a tasty dish!
Stay tuned!

10/31/2025

Finished a batch of homemade beef bone broth. Five strained quarts in the fridge cooling/setting overnight. Solids of beef and veggies saved as “stew” toppings for baked potatoes, bread bowls etc. Bones and fats discarded. Tomorrow I will peel off the top layer from the broth and reserve for beef tallow cooking! 24 hours for prep and cooking. 30 minutes for straining broth into containers and then placing solids in a locking lid container overnight. Tomorrow I label the quarts and package solids for later use in freezer bags. Yes, I nibbled a bit! Delicious!

Plenty of bone broth for soups during the cold weather!

10/19/2025

In preparation for your Tuesday’s taco/quesadilla night! Enjoy!

CharliChops - Crockpot Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients:
* 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts (or equivalent boneless chicken thighs)
* 1 cup filtered water
* 1 tblsp each balsamic vinegar and teriyaki sauce (optional for depth of flavor and omit extra salt and pepper if using)
* 2 cups cottage cheese
* 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese
* 1 lime, juiced
* 1/2 tsp ground cumin
* 1 tsp smoked paprika
* 1/2 tsp each onion powder and garlic powder (or 1/2 tsp total Hing powder)
* 1 tsp Mexican oregano
* 1/2 tsp basil
* 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
* 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
* 6 large flour tortillas
* 1 tblsp EVOO, Avocado oil or ghee

Optional: add ripe avocado slices and sour cream

Other options:
* Make as a taco
* Build an open face sandwich or panini on sourdough bread.

Instructions:
* Mix cumin, paprika, onion/garlic powder (or Hing), oregano, basil, salt and pepper.
* Cook chicken for four hours on high, with water and mixed spices. Note: make sure there is enough water and juices not to scorch the chicken.
* When done, shred and drain off excess liquid.
* Blend cheeses and lime in a large bowl
* Add shredded chicken to the bowl and mix thoroughly.
* Portion equal amounts onto tortillas.
* Fold and sear both sides of tortilla in pan with some oil.
* Top with avocado and sour cream (optional).

10/17/2025

CharliChops - Bay Scallops Squash Fettuccine w/ Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
* 2 medium spaghetti squash
* 1 tablespoon EVOO or Avocado oil
* 1 pound bay scallops (patted dry)
* 2 zucchinis diced
* 1 cup fresh chopped basil
* 2 tablespoons Kerry Gold butter
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 pint sliced mushrooms
* 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
* ⅓ cup dry sherry or dry white wine
* 1 cup heavy cream
* Celtic salt and black pepper to taste
* 1 lemon, juiced
* freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving
* 1 teaspoon Arrowroot or Tapioca starch to thicken sauce (optional)
* Filtered water

Instructions:
Spaghetti Squash
* 2 medium spaghetti squash
* Olive oil (approx 6 tsp)
* Celtic salt (1 tsp) and fresh ground black pepper (1 tsp)

Preheat oven 425 degrees F
* Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Pierce outer skin all over with either a fork or small knife. Brush flesh with 1 tsp oil per half, then sprinkle 1/2 tsp each of Celtic salt and black pepper. Put halves flesh down on baking dish.
* Bake approx 45 to 60 minutes until edges of squash are slightly brown and squash is tender. Be careful not to overcook the squash that it starts to collapse down.
* Using a large fork, separate strands of squash and place in large bowl. Cover.

Scallops
* Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. When oil just starts to smoke, add mushrooms, diced zucchini, garlic, lemon zest, scallops and move them into a single layer.
* Sear scallops on both sides being careful not to overcook them.
* Stir in sherry or wine and cook, stirring until alcohol cooks off, about 1 minute.
* Pour in cream. When mixture begins to simmer, reduce heat to medium-low.
* Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
* If needed to thicken the sauce, make a slurry with the starch and filtered water and add slowly to the sauce while stirring.

Combine
* Transfer the spaghetti squash to the skillet with scallops; bring to a simmer.
* Add 1/2 of the chopped parsley. Cook until spaghetti squash is heated through, about 1 minute.
* Remove from heat. Garnish generously with grated cheese. Add the rest of the parsley.