I work alone,  all day I talk on the phone to colleagues and Skype, but there is nothing to match having a friend on the other side of the wall. Wait, I gave up the cubicle life for this one….but there are things I do miss!

One of the things I miss this time of year is the Holiday Party.

Wonderful Pistachio and my friends at Mom Trends invited me to a Culinary Experience – Blogger Holiday Party, #GetCrackin.  Not only was it at a sleek cooking studio in NYC but also I could meet other bloggers and talk shop.  I was totally IN! As I stepped off the elevator into the My Cooking Party studio,  I was greeted by a beautiful space. A long table with beautiful white and natural accents,  I love a fancy dinner party.

The studio had rows of prep tables with ingredients for our holiday meal. It really was my night,  as I munched on Wonderful Pistachios, made new friends and cooked.  My trifecta, healthy food, making friends, and what I love, cooking.  I really wanted to get on the stove and make something substantial.  I helped to make the Turkey Roulade with Wonderful Pistachio Pesto. (Picture & Recipe Below).

The other “Wonderful” women in the room helped to make the menu come to life. The feeling around the tables was warm and fanciful. The room rang with laughter as we drink delicious POM Wonderful drinks and learned a few knife skills along the way.

The menu was:

Wonderful Pistachios, Peach and Barley Salad

Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges with Wonderful Pistachios, Goat Cheese and Pomegranate Glaze

Spicy Roasted Squash with Wonderful Pistachios

Turkey Roulade with Wonderful Pistachio Pesto

Wonderful Pistachio Chocolate Brownie Cookies

Wonderful Pistachio Holiday Palettes

Wonderful Pistachio and Cherry Popcorn Balls

We finished making our dishes and were asked to be seated, as the kitchen staff plated the meal and were to begin service. There were beautiful ornaments with our names as place cards at all the settings. I met two new women that have made the life choice to go another path, not to do what they were expected to and are moving forward with the support of their family and community.

Sitting at the table surrounded by all these entrepreneurial women made me think of how far I have come in the last 6 months, and how far I still have to go. I really love the path that I am taking and love that you are coming along for the ride. Look out 2016!

Turkey Roulade with Wonderful Pistachio Pesto

Pistachios, apples and onions are stuffed in this impressive, but easy main course. A nutty Wonderful Pistachio pesto is the perfect accompaniment.

Prep: 1 hour 15 minutes / Time to Table: 2 hours 30 minutes / Serves: 6 to 8

 

Wonderful Pistachio Pesto:  

1½ cups baby spinach (about 2½ ounces)

1 cup shelled Wonderful Pistachios

2 large cloves garlic

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¾ cup olive oil

Turkey Roulade:

½ cup dried cranberries

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 yellow onion, diced into ¼-inch pieces (about 1½ cups)

1 granny smith apple, cored, and cut into ½-inch pieces (about 1 2/3 cups)

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

4 teaspoons fresh thyme

5 teaspoons fresh rosemary

¾ teaspoon salt, divided

½ teaspoon ground black pepper, divided

3 ounces day- old french bread, cut or torn into 1-inch pieces (about 1¾ cups)

¾ cup shelled Wonderful Pistachios, toasted, and roughly chopped

1 skinless, boneless, turkey breast half, butterflied (about 2½ lbs)

3 small red onions, cut into wedges

1. To make the pesto, place spinach, pistachios, garlic, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Slowly pour in oil, while machine is running, about 20 seconds. Pulse to completely combine. Set aside in the refrigerator, up to one day ahead.
2. To make turkey roulade, position oven rack in the center and heat oven to 375°F. Place cranberries in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 5 minutes until softened. Drain and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet on medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 to 7 minutes until softened. Add apple; continue to cook, 5 to 7 minutes, until onion and apples are golden. Add ½ cup chicken broth, thyme, rosemary, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoons pepper, and simmer. Stirring occasionally and scraping up any bits that stick to the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes, until broth is absorbed and apples are softened. Transfer to a large bowl.
4. Add bread and cranberries to apples and stir to combine. Pour in ⅓ cup chicken broth and stir to combine. Add additional 2 tablespoons chicken broth, as needed, until bread is moist, but not wet.   Stir in pistachios and set aside to cool.
5. Place turkey between sheets of plastic wrap, and pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin, to about ½-inch thick. Season each side with remaining ¼ teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoons pepper. Place turkey, skinned side down on working surface. Spread stuffing over turkey leaving a border uncovered, about 1½-inches all around. Roll up and secure tightly with kitchen twine.
6. Heat a roasting pan (or large skillet), with 2 tablespoons olive oil, on medium to medium-high heat. Brown turkey roulade on all sides, 12 to 15 minutes. Set aside on a plate. Add wire rack to roasting pan and place turkey on rack. Combine onion wedges in a bowl with 1 tablespoons oil and place in roasting pan alongside turkey. Add ½ cup chicken broth to roasting pan and place in oven.
7. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until turkey temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from oven, transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil. Allow to rest 10 to 15 minutes, until juices have had time to absorb, before cutting into 6 to 8 slices.
8. Meanwhile, add remaining chicken broth (about ½ cup) to roasting pan, and scrape up any bits with a wooden spoon. Serve pan drippings alongside turkey with pistachio pesto.

 

I had a great time with Wonderful Pistachio,  Nicole,  Sherri and the Momtrends team, you are always so supportive and encouraging every time I come to an event. Thank you!!

*Disclosure: I was invited as a guest to attend the Momtrends event. As always, any personal opinions reflected in this post are of my own and have not been influenced in any way. Photos courtesy of MomTrends & Wonderful Pistachio..