Turkey Roll-Ups

I’m excited to share one of my favorite recipes ever – Turkey Roll-Ups! It’s simple but full of flavor and my go-to for get-togethers for sure.

But first, I can’t tell you how happy I am to see Friday night. It’s not that I had a bad week – quite the contrary, I had a phenomenol week all-around. Good meetings at work plus it was my BIRTHDAY WEEK so the celebration started last Saturday and has continued through today. Who can complain about that?

Still, I am ready for the weekend.

This entire month has been crazy busy – and I feel like I haven’t had nearly enough time to blog. I suppose it should be expected … September, the beginning of the school year, trying to get a schedule going. Plus, it always seems that work ramps up this month – vacations are over, summer mindsets are a memory and everyone gets back to business.

While I have to admit I have many bits and pieces of different blog posts percolating in my head right now, I’m going to be pretty random tonight. Friday night is a great time to show you my week in photos, yes?

Sunday: it was pumpkin picking time on the farm! This is, generally (when time allows), an annual tradition with Grandma Marilyn (my mom) and her grandkids – in this case, my niece Audree and Joe. Grandma planted a lot of different pumpkin and gourd seeds this year – you are only seeing a couple of varieties in this photo.

Did I mention it was my birthday this week? Obviously I need my own cake decorated with a turkey – and thanks to my friends at Visit Saint Paul, who I work with on the logistics of the Midwest Poultry Federation’s annual convention, I got one! And it was a surprise at that!

Here’s where I am really random. My friend and fellow “agvocate” Michele Payn-Knoper posted this quote from her amazing book, No More Food Fights, on Facebook today and I thought: Brilliant. And so true. Remember I mentioned those other blog posts in my head? One of these has to do with the splintering of agriculture and how frustrating this is. I’m not quite ready to write it yet – but I will be soon.

Okay, back to fun stuff. Hooray for fall decorating! I brought home a ton of pumpkins and gourds from the farm this week and set them all up around my front porch. Don’t you love this huge Cinderella pumpkin?

So … this is what 45 looks like! I’m wearing my new favorite t-shirt – a birthday present from Joe and Earl the Pug (of course)!

Tonight I’m actually baking myself another birthday cake. Yes, I know. Possibly overkill, right? Or maybe not! I received a huge batch of fresh-from-the-garden raspberries last week as a gift and wanted to make sure I use them. Plus, if you know me then you know I love baking. I can’t help myself – especially in the fall. I need to bake sometimes. So I found what looks to be an AMAZING cake recipe – lemon raspberry cake with cream cheese frosting, and I’m giving it a whirl tonight. The plan – if the cake turns out – is to take it out to the farm tomorrow and share, share, share.

Yep, we’re headed back out to the farm for the 2nd weekend in a row. Not exactly what we had planned earlier in the week, but we found out my nephew (aka “The Wonder Boy”) decided to come home from the University of Nebraska (it’s his freshman year!) and we want to see him. We’re all getting together for the big Minnesota-Iowa football game (Go Gophers, says I! Go Hawkeyes, says Teacher Man!). Plus we’ll probably drink wine. And eat really good food – like birthday cake.

Did I mention I love my family?

Before I let you go, I want to share my go-to appetizer recipe that includes – yes, you probably guessed it – TURKEY! I am well-known for bringing these turkey roll-ups to many a party and get-together. This recipe is no fail … simple ingredients and super tasty. Go make them. Now. You won’t regret it – and your friends and family will love you for it.

Ingredients are simple: tortillas, turkey, light sour cream, cream cheese, chopped green onions and shredded cheese. Yum!

Assemble the cream cheese-sour cream mixture on the tortilla, sprinkle with green peppers and cheese, add the turkey and just roll up the tortilla. That’s all there is to it!

Well, you should save some turkey for Earl the Pug because he looooves deli turkey! 🙂

And there you have it – six turkey roll-ups, all wrapped up in plastic, ready to be stored in the refrigerator. Just open, slice into 1-inch thick slices and serve with salsa if you like. I’m telling you – winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Turkey Roll-Ups

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup light sour cream

6, 10-inch flour tortillas

1 package (approximately 9 oz.) thinly sliced deli turkey (I use Oscar Meyer brand but any kind will do)

1 bunch green onions, chopped finely

1 package (8 oz.) cheddar or Monterey jack cheese, shredded

Salsa (optional)

1) Mix the cream cheese and sour cream together with a mixer until smooth. Set aside.

2) Chop the green onions. Set aside

3) Assemble all ingredients in front of you and grab a box of plastic wrap.

4) Place a tortilla on a piece of plastic wrap and cover with 1/6 of the cream cheese-sour cream mixture.

5) Sprinkle 1/6 of the green onions and some of the shredded cheese on top.

6) Top with a few slices (about 4, give or take) of the deli turkey.

7) Roll up tightly and wrap in the plastic wrap.

8) Repeat until you have 6 roll-ups made. Chill in the refrigerator at least one hour and serve with salsa, if desired.