I have always had a powerful imagination. I’m prone to daydreaming and am sometimes caught staring straight through reality and into the universe inside my mind.
As children, we hope our lives really are a fairy tale in the making, and that we are just waiting for the summons to begin our grand adventure. In our hearts, we are all mystic warriors and ancient royalty hidden among the commoners.
Then one day, we resign ourselves to the fact that we are indeed unremarkable, that there will be no owl-delivered letters inviting us to wizard school, and there will be no magic doorways revealed to us in the trees. When that pink bubble pops, the magic inside us fades, but it doesn’t have to.
I find great joy and comfort in romanticizing my life. I leave a few ripe strawberries in the patch for the fairies to enjoy, I sometimes braid my hair into a crown and wear a little glitter on my eyes to remind myself that I am secret royalty, and the mountains I drive past are more than rock and trees in my eyes — they are giant sleeping dragons under a blanket of snow.
Every window is a picture frame, every wall is a gallery, every hallway is a runway lined with flashing cameras.
With my magic power of imagination, I can manifest my dreams. I can create a future version of myself in my mind and work toward her birth. I can see her clearly now, and she is powerful and brave. She is wise and capable. She is a queen.
I had a pound of ground turkey to use, so I made a hearty meal for our small but merry band of adventurers. Cottage pie is a comfort meal usually made with ground beef, but I like using turkey in this dish to cut back on some of the calories and fat without sacrificing flavor. My recipe makes enough for supper with plenty of leftovers for elevensies.
Turkey Cottage Pie
Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey
1 yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, diced
½ cup frozen peas
3 large russet potatoes
6 tablespoons butter, divided
½ cup half and half
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
2 tablespoons minced garlic
¼ cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons beef base
1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
Saute the onions, mushrooms, carrot, garlic, and celery in 2 tablespoons of butter until the onions are translucent.
Add the ground turkey to the pan and break it up so there are no large chunks.
Add the tomato paste and beef base and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add 1 cup water being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan and bring to a simmer.
Add the dried herbs and simmer until the turkey is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened and reduced. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Stir in the frozen peas and transfer to a deep casserole dish.
Peel and boil the potatoes until soft enough to mash, drain, and return to the pot.
Keep the potatoes over the heat for just a few minutes to evaporate any residual water. This will help your mash to be fluffy.
Mash the potatoes using a ricer or a standard potato masher. For this dish, it’s important that the mashed potatoes are free of lumps, so use a ricer if you have one.
Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and the half and half and gently fold until smooth. Taste and season with salt.
Spread the finished mashed potatoes over the turkey and vegetables in an even layer.
Sprinkle on the shredded cheese just before putting into a 400-degree oven.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the sides are bubbly.
Rest for 10 minutes before serving or your pie will be soupy.
Tressa Dale is a writer, pre-K educator, culinary and pastry school graduate, and a U.S. Navy veteran. She lives in Kenai with her husband, 5-year-old son, and beloved black cat. Find her on Instagram @tressa.m.dale.
