With this recipe by celebrity chef Kelsey Nixon, you can pop the turkey breast into the slow cooker in the morning before heading off to work, making dinner prep quick and painless. Serve these hearty sandwiches alongside green beans or a fresh peach salad.
Turkey Roast Dip with Melted Gruyere
Total Time: 6 hours, 25 minutes
Prep: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 6 hours
Serves: 6
Ingredients
Turkey Breast:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 large onion, roughly chopped
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 (3-pound) bone-in turkey breast
Sandwich:
6 demi French baguettes, sliced in half
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
12 slices Gruyere cheese
Directions
1. For the turkey: In a small mixing bowl, mix together the softened butter and fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Spread the chopped onions over the bottom of a slow cooker. Pour the chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce into the slow cooker. Sprinkle the turkey with salt and pepper. Slather the turkey breast with herb butter, spreading half under the turkey skin. Place the turkey on top of the onions, skin side up. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, checking it after 4 hours to see if the internal temperature has reached 170 degrees F. Once the turkey reaches 170 degrees F, remove it from the slow cooker, transfer to a cutting board, tent with aluminum foil and allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing. Reserve any juices from the slow cooker. After the breast has rested, remove the skin and slice very thinly using a sharp knife.
3. For the sandwich: Preheat the broiler. Brush each side of the sliced bread with the softened butter and place on a baking sheet, buttered side up. Top each buttered baguette with sliced cheese. Place under the broiler until the cheese melts and begins to turn golden brown.
4. Carefully remove baguettes from the oven. Pile the sliced turkey on the bottom half of each sandwich before topping it with the cheesy top. Serve the turkey au jus left over in the slow cooker for dipping.
Haricot Verts Almondine
Total Time: 25 minutes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients
Kosher salt
¼ cup almonds
1½ pounds haricots verts (French string beans), root ends removed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1½ tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, minced
Freshly cracked black pepper
½ lemon, zested and juiced
Directions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
2. Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, toast the almonds over medium-high heat until golden brown and fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Remove from the pan, finely chop, and set aside.
3. Blanch the string beans in salted boiling water until crisp but tender, 2-3 minutes. The salt will impart flavor as well as help keep the string beans crisp. Immediately drain and run cold water over the beans or plunge into an ice bath to cool and stop the cooking process, then remove and completely dry.
4. Return the saute pan to the burner over medium heat and melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the shallots, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until starting to brown, stirring occasionally, 3-5 minutes. Toss the drained beans with the shallots and add the lemon zest and juice. Cook to heat the beans completely through, 1-2 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Toss with the toasted chopped almonds and transfer to a serving dish.
Peach Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Basil Vinaigrette
Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds heirloom tomatoes, roughly chopped
4-5 ripe peaches, sliced into wedges
½ cup crumbled feta cheese, for garnish
Basil Vinaigrette:
¼ cup torn fresh basil leaves
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup good-quality sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small shallot, roughly chopped
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
Directions
1. For the dressing: Combine the basil, olive oil, vinegar, honey, Dijon, and shallots in a blender until the dressing emulsifies and the basil is pureed. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Combine the tomatoes and peaches in a bowl and toss to coat with the dressing. Top with the feta cheese. Serve at room temperature.
Kelsey Nixon is the Emmy-nominated host of Kelsey’s Essentials on the Cooking Channel, which kicked off its fifth season July 3 (Wednesdays at 8pm). On the show, Nixon offers savvy tips on must-have pantry items, the latest gadgets, and essential kitchen techniques such as roasting, baking, and knife skills. She is mom to 1-year-old Oliver and lives with her family in Brooklyn.
