If you’ve checked out my post about the turkey that keeps on giving, you know that I’ve been using my gift turkey in all sorts of ways. Here is one more recipe that is perfect for cold wintry evenings. It uses two of my favorite Trader Joe’s items; A creamy Parmesan cheese called Toscano with 
Black Pepper and a bag of California goodness, Frozen Artichoke 
Hearts. Both of these items are available pretty much all of the time at Trader Joe’s. The cheese is wonderful in cooking and delightful on a cracker or as part of a decadent grilled cheese. The artichokes have a fresher taste than the ones in the can and are great in hundreds of recipes.
They had a formidable co-star in some super moist turkey breast. Onion and roasted red peppers rounded out the cast. 
The sauce was “Alfredo like” with a hefty punch of garlic, but lighter in body because turkey stock made up most of the liquid with only a bit of fat-free half & half to add some creaminess.
I used a Montreal Reduced Sodium Chicken Seasoning along with Smoked Paprika for my seasoning, but you could use any seasoning you like and it would be wonderful with fresh herbs as well.
The pot pie that resulted was wonderful. I allowed it to rest the required 10 minutes. This was slightly longer than my husband could wait…hence the picture of the completed dish is missing a corner…it was that good.
Turkey and Artichoke Pot Pie
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Turkey and Artichoke Pot Pie
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Instructions
Sauce
Heat a medium saucepan over over medium heat. Add the butter. When the butter is melted, add 1/2 cup of the onion and the garlic. Cook stirring frequently until the onion is soft and the garlic is fragrant. Don't let the garlic burn!
Add the flour and stir to completely combine. allow the mixture to cook stirring frequently until it is pale golden.
Slowly add the stock stirring constantly to keep the sauce smooth. Bring to a boil and cook until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the half & half and continue to cook stirring constantly for another 4 - 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the grated cheese. Set aside while you prepare the filling.
Filling
Heat a large fry pan over medium high heat. Add the tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to cover the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining onion and cook for 5 minutes or so until the onion begins to brown.
Add the artichokes and mushrooms. Continue to cook for 7 -10 minutes. Everything should be soft and golden.
Stir in the sliced red peppers and cook for 3 minutes. Add the turkey (or chicken) and cook another 3 - 4 minutes. Add the poultry seasoning of your choice and the smoked paprika stir to combine.
Pour in the sauce and stir to combine. Let this simmer quietly for 5 minutes or so.
Assemble and Bake
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a gratin or deep dish pie pan with cooking spray. Pour the filling into the pan. Top with the uncooked pie crust. Flute the edges as you like. Make several small cuts in the crust to allow steam to escape.
Place the pie on a baking sheet. Lightly coat the crust with olive oil spray and bake for 25 -30 minutes. The crust should be golden and the filling should be bubbly.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
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Spinach Artichoke Dip has become an iconic appetizer. You can find it at most gatherings, lots of restaurants, and pre-made in the grocery store. Most everyone loves the creamy, garlicy flavor that has just enough vegetables to make it slightly less guilt producing. Spinach and artichoke have an affinity that makes them work so well in this dip, but they happily go hand in hand in lots of other dishes.
I’ve used this dynamic duo in lots of different ways. Pasta sauces and stuffings have benefited from the joining of the thistle and the green. I’ve shared a recipe here awhile back for a tasty Spinach and Artichoke Soup (check it out on the RECIPE page; search Spinach Artichoke Soup) that pays homage to the dip.
The following recipe is another riff on the dip. It even features a creamy sauce. 
Things began with frozen chopped spinach, canned artichoke hearts, and chicken breast tenders. The pantry/freezer lightened their load a little bit more which is a major focus right now. I used the kind of pizza dough that comes in a can, but fresh or home-made would be wonderful.Â
So the main ingredients were ready to become pizza. The chicken was browned in a little olive oil. The spinach and artichokes sautéed with a hearty dose of garlic. Light cream cheese thinned with a little fat-free half & half and flavored with Italian herb blend became the sauce.
The weather almost demanded that the pizza be cooked on the grill, so of course I complied.
The result was crisp tasty pizza with just a hint of smokey goodness. This would be equally delicious baked in the oven as mini pizzas or one large one.
Give this recipe a try.
Chicken Spinach and Artichoke Pizza
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Chicken Spinach and Artichoke Pizza
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Instructions
Toss the chicken bits with the Mrs Dash blend. Place in a zip top bag and allow to marinate in the refrigerator over night.
When you are ready to prepare the pizza, remove the chicken from the frig. Heat a large fry pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken, spreading it out in a single layer. Cook until it is golden brown and cooked through. This should take about 10 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the pan, leaving the drippings. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or so until it begins to become fragrant.
Add the artichokes and spinach to the pan and continue to cook for 4 - 5 minutes. When everything looks blissful, remove the mixture from the pan.
Stir the cream cheese and half & hlaf together in a small bowl. Add the Italian Herb grinder blend and stir to combine.
Open the pizza dough and allow it to rest for 10 minutes or so. Cut in 4 pieces and stretch slightly to an even thickness on a mat that has been lightly coated with cooking spray. Spray both sides of the dough lightly as well.
On the upper rack of a hot grill lay the dough pieces leaving room between each. Cook 3 minutes until lightly browned and marked. Turn and grill 2 minutes more. Remove from grill and lay on large baking sheet, browner side up.
Divide the cream cheese mixture among the four dough pieces. Spread evenly almost to the edges.
Top each pizza with the Spinach/Artichoke mixture and sprinkle the chicken on top. Add the cheese blend to the pizzas along with drizzle of olive oil.
Place the pizzas back on the grill (top rack if you have one). Put the lid down and cook for 3 minutes. Check the pizzas and move them around to help them cook evenly.
Continue to cook, moving around as needed. the cheese should be melted and the bottom crust deeply marked but not burned.
Remove from the grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and a dusting of red pepper flakes if you dare and serve.
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