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Day 262: Turkey, Cranberry and Brie Panini and Red Wine Milkshakes

Turkey+Brie+Panini

Thanksgiving has come early to the Van R house, thanks to a day of shooting Thanksgiving segments for Living Calgary (CBC TV), during which we shot an extreme makeover, turkey edition that included bang bang turkey and this panini. There was enough left over leftovers to make more when I got home, and I was spurred on by the novelty of having my panini grill back (my sister had borrowed it to make chocolate panini for a staff meeting at work. Yes, chocolate panini. Another day. Maybe tomorrow?)

A panini is just a fancy name for a grilled sandwich, pressed down as it cooks (on both sides simultaneously) in a panini grill; if you don’t have a grill, just cook them in a skillet with another skillet (or pot, or anything heavy) set on top of it to weigh it down. These sandwiches were made with crusty bread brushed with garlicky canola oil (crush a clove of garlic into a small ramekin of oil; brush on the bread) enveloping shredded leftover turkey (OK, it was a Safeway roasted chicken. But it was for TV; who can tell?), chunky cranberry sauce and a couple slices of brie to glue it all together. The crispy bits of brie that squished out the ends were my idea of perfection. (Sorry, I believe I had already picked them off and eaten them before taking the above photo.) Cheesy, crispy bits. I would have named W Crispy Bits if I didn’t think it would come with a lifetime of torment. Who doesn’t love crispy bits? I think I may be getting punchy from lack of sleep and wine milkshakes. (All the alchohol doesn’t cook off, you know.)

Yes – red wine milkshakes! I met my friend Dana (one of my friends Dana) 7 years ago as food stylist for her Calgary book tour. The morning we met I had spontaneously lost my voice. Like completely. And I had to take her around to all these media outlets and set up for her shows and everything, and she was incredibly good about it when I could barely force out a squeak. (In more recent years, a chocolate-pistachio Yule log I made for her got left – by me – on the front step between TV shows and eaten by squirrels. You should have seen the teeny chocolate foot prints all over the plate and steps. Their little rodent eyes must have popped out of their heads when they came around the corner to a giant chocolate log liberally sprinkled with pistachios and little chocolate mushrooms. I successfully recreated it for the noon news, but none of the crew were allowed to eat it afterward due to squirrel lick.)

Anyway, at our first meeting she made Pepto-Bismol pink milkshakes out of vanilla ice cream and red wine that had been reduced down to a syrup with sugar, orange juice and mulling spices, and I thought she was bloody brilliant. I still do.

You will win a lot of friends with this red wine milkshake. (Do warn them first that it’s not strawberry.) With its festive flavours, it’s a good alternative to eggnog, too.

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3 comments on “Day 262: Turkey, Cranberry and Brie Panini and Red Wine Milkshakes

  1. maplesugar
    September 18, 2008 at 10:54 pm

    Turkey, cranberry and brie panini YUM! More reason to use my new grill and a new use for leftover turkey woohoo!

    Speaking of Thanksgiving we’re test-cooking a turducken from Railway deli this weekend… should be interesting 🙂

  2. Dana mccauley
    September 19, 2008 at 4:05 am

    “bloody brilliant” Now that is high praise! Thanks Jules! Hope to see you in November. Nothing as exciting as milkshakes or buche de Noel, just veggies but it will be great to see you regardless!

  3. The Cocktail Lady
    July 21, 2013 at 11:09 am

    WOW, I never would have thought of a cocktail/milkshake like this! I will definitely be trying this one soon! Thank You for the recipe! Cheers =)

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