Who Are You Calling Turkey?

I love the alternatives we have available to us today. Turkey, for example, is being used in so many creative ways. Besides the usual suspects of bacon and hot dogs, I’ve even seen turkey ham! Not sure, exactly, how that works considering that ham comes from a pig and turkey comes from, well, turkey… but I think sometimes it’s better to just not ask.

I was especially excited to give turkey bacon a try when it first appeared some years back. I bought it, brought it home and wasted no time in whipped up a few slices. As I fried the slices, I dreamed of crispy, salty deliciousness containing a quarter of the fat of its regular counterpart. I was most egregiously disappointed. It was flimsy, it was chewy.

It was nasty.

It was then that I hopped off the turkey bandwagon. Temporarily. It wasn't until I spotted turkey kielbasa one day that I decided to give it another try. So glad I did!

You have to be just a little bit more on the gentle side with it, but otherwise… it’s yummy. Hillshire Farms Turkey Kielbasa and Turkey Sausage are both gluten free!

Today’s recipe is a light, slightly sweet meal that is a snap to make. Try it – I think you’ll get on the turkey bandwagon, too!

Hey, listen. If you just can’t get yourself to like turkey for some reason, it’s OK. Go ahead and make this with regular ol’ kielbasa or sausage. It will still rock.

Gluten Free Turkey Kielbasa with Caramelized Onions and Apple

2 lbs turkey kielbasa or smoked sausage, cut into slices on the bias

2 Tbsp oil

3 onions, thinly sliced

½ tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

¼ cup butter

2 apples, thinly sliced

1 ¾ cups chicken stock

1 tsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp water

1 tsp sugar, optional

Over medium-high heat, heat oil in a large, deep skillet and add kielbasa or sausage. Brown the meat and remove from the pan to a plate. Lower the heat to medium-low and in the same skillet add the butter until melted. Add onions and cook until caramelized (about 10-15 minutes), using the butter and onion to deglaze the pan. Stir in the apple slices and chicken stock and bring to a brisk simmer.

In a small bowl, mix together the water and cornstarch until smooth. Add to skillet and stir until thickened. Add the kielbasa or sausage back into the pan and stir until heated through, about 2 minutes. If needed to balance flavors, add one tsp of sugar and stir to combine. Serve alone in a bowl or over buttered noodles or rice. Serves 6.