Bacon Meatloaf

(Image is unable to load at this time)

4 slices of thick bacon

½ small onion, diced

1 large celery, diced

1 large carrot, grated

1 small zucchini, grated

1 .25 lb ground turkey (or beef or pork, or a mix of all three)

2 slices of bread, diced and soaked in milk (I used a crusty, rustic bread)

1 egg

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

¼ cup of minced Italian parsley

Salt and pepper

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

In a medium frying pan, cook two slices of the bacon. Roughly chop and set aside. Using the bacon grease, sauté the onion, celery, carrot and zucchini over med-high heat for 3-4 minutes.

 

In a large bowl, combine ground meat, cooked bacon, sautéed veggies, bread (squeeze milk out first), egg, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix just until ingredients are combined. Do not over mix so meat is mushy. If mixture is too wet, add dried cubed bread.

 

In a round pan, mold meat mixture into a ring with a hole in the middle. Place extra bacon slices on top. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes or until middle reaches 180 degrees.

 

Enjoy over mashed potatoes or rice. Makes great cold meatloaf sandwiches the next day!

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

 I think some people are turned off by cabbage but my mom always made it growing up so it was normal in our household. My husband said he was pleasantly surprised by this dish and didn’t even douse it in Frank’s hot sauce (total compliment!). I even hid mushrooms in the filling and he didn’t notice. Score!

If you like this version, you can also try this version stuffed with beef and topped with mushroom gravy - Stuffed Cabbage Rolls in Mushroom Gravy.

 

1 head of green cabbage, leave leaves removed

Filling:
1 lb ground chicken
½ yellow onion, finely chopped
2 baby Bella mushroom, chopped
1 large carrot, shredded
2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
A few dashes of red pepper flakes

water

Gravy:
1 packet of gravy
Juices from cabbage rolls, after cooked

¾ cup of water

In a large pot of boiling water, add the cabbage leaves and cook for about 3-4 minutes until soft. Drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for the filling. Lay each cabbage leaf flat and place a little loaf of chicken mixture in the middle; tuck in ends and roll. Place in a casserole dish, seam side down. Add 1/2” of water. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes or until meat is cooked all the way through.

 

Once rolls are cooked, pour juices into a small sauce pan over high heat, add 3/4 cup of water; whisk in gravy mix. Once gravy boils, remove from heat and set aside.

Serve cabbage rolls on rice. Spoon gravy over dish.

3 x 4 Spicy Turkey Chili

Three types of beans and four types of peppers.

We are having a chili cook off at work, so I tested out two recipes. This is a white chili using turkey. I think it might stand out more against the traditional red. It is healthy and spicy. My other batch was a Three-Bean Chorizo Chili.

Which one do you like better?

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves
1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
1 lb ground turkey
1 14.5 oz can of pinto beans
1 14.5 oz can of white beans
3/4 cup cooked lentils
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup minced cilantro
Salt, to taste
Juice from one lime

In a large pot over med-high heat, cook onion, garlic and peppers in EVOO for 4 minutes. Add turkey. Cook for 5 minutes, breaking apart meat and mixing together. Turn heat to med-low and mix in remaining ingredients (except salt and lime juice). Cover and cook for 1+ hours, stirring occasionally. Add salt to your liking. Do not boil, otherwise the beans will turn to mush. Mix in lime juice before serving.

Serve chili topped with grated cheddar cheese, diced raw onion and/or a dollop of sour cream.

Note: I cooked mine on the stove top over low heat for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally, allowing the flavors to mingle. You can also use the crock pot or slow cooker.

Meatball Stroganoff

A quick and tasty meal with a spin on the traditional beef stroganoff.

 

 

Meatballs:

1 lb ground beef or turkey

1 small onion, minced

1 large garlic clove, pressed or minced

1 egg

¼ Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (if mixture is too wet, add more) 

 

4 large white or Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced

 

McCormik stroganoff seasoning (yes, I'm cheating and using a packet...that's what makes it quick!) 

 

In a large bowl, mix ingredients for meatballs together until well combined. In a large frying pan over med-high heat and drizzle oil. Using wet hands, form walnut sized balls from meat mixture and drop onto frying pan. Fry all sides until browned. 

 

Add sliced mushrooms and sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring around meatballs. Following the directions on the seasoning packet, add water mixed with seasoning to the pan with the meatballs and mushrooms. Before serving , stir in one cup of sour cream.  

 

Serve over egg noodles or rice. Garnish with minced fresh parsley or sprinkle with paprika and freshly cracked pepper.   

Vegetable Soup with Turkey Meatballs

People ask me if I cook for myself when my husband is out of town. The answer is YES!!! I enjoy eating good food too! Cooking is also a stress release for me and a way to wind down after work. I made this pot of vegetable soup with turkey meatballs tonight, which I’ll eat (and enjoy) for the next few days. My husband was jealous that he wasn’t home to join me.

¾ lb ground turkey or chicken

3 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ yellow onion, minced
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 large carrots, sliced
3 celery stalks, sliced
1 large jalapeno, diced (optional)
5 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp dried mushrooms
1 cup broccoli florets
1 tsp minced fresh Rosemary
1 tsp minced fresh Italian flat leaf Parsley
2 Bay leaves
2-3 green onion sprigs, sliced
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, garlic, onion, breadcrumbs, egg, salt and pepper. Mix until combine; do not over mix. In a large sauce pan, drizzle EVOO and preheat over med-high. With wet hands, shape mixture into walnut sized meatballs. Drop into sauce pan and brown all sides. Remove meatballs from pan and transfer to a plate; set aside.

In the same sauce pan, add more EVOO if necessary, sauté carrots, celery and jalapenos. In a large pot, add broth and dried mushrooms; bring to a boil. Add carrots, celery, jalapenos, broccoli and herbs. Carefully drop meatballs into the broth, turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper to taste, if necessary.

Serve in a shallow bowl, sprinkle with fresh green onions and enjoy with sliced, crusty bread.

Note: If you don’t have dried mushrooms, use sliced, fresh mushrooms, such as baby bells, and sauté with the other veggies before adding to the broth.

Variations:

·         Add corn, zucchini and/or diced potatoes
·         Add pasta or rice
·         Add a can of diced tomatoes
·        Make meatballs from beef, pork or a combination of both

Caprese Pasta with Spicy Italian Sausage

3-4 servings

½ lb dried Rigatoni pasta

3 links of hot Italian sausage (turkey or pork)

Handful of baby heirloom tomatoes, halved

4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese pearls, halved

Jarred sundried tomato pesto

3-4 large basil leaves, sliced

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a frying pan over medium heat, cook sausages, turning occasionally until they are browned and cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest.

Add a drizzle of EVOO to frying pan and lightly sauté tomatoes. Meanwhile, slice sausages.

Drain pasta, return to pot, stir in pesto and coat pasta. Stir in sausage, tomatoes and mozzarella. Serve in a shallow dish and sprinkle with fresh basil.

Mediterranean Meatballs over Couscous

1 lb ground beef, pork or turkey (I used beef in this dish)
1 egg
¼ cup breadcrumbs
1 small red bell pepper, diced
½ yellow onion, diced
2 Tbsp Moroccan Gourmet Garden Fresh Blends (found by the fresh herbs)
1 box of couscous (my favorite brand is Near East)
A large handful of fresh baby spinach
EVOO

In a large bowl, combine meat, egg, breadcrumbs, pepper, onion and Moroccan spice; mix well. Using wet hands to prevent meat from sticking, shape mixture into meatballs the size of golf balls. In a frying pan over med-high heat, drizzle EVOO and cook meatballs. Brown all sides and make sure they are cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, make the couscous according to directions on the box. After 5 minutes when couscous has absorbed the liquid and is ready to be fluffed, stir in the baby spinach; cover and set aside.

Serve in a shallow bowl by making a bed of couscous and topping with meatballs. Drizzle with any remaining pepper and onion bits that might be left in the pan.

Lentil Chili

This dish was really tasty. Next time, I'll probably add kidney and mung beans then call it 'three bean chili'. 

1 cup lentils
1 lb of ground beef or turkey
2 celery ribs, diced
½ red bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes (with jalapenos if you want to add some spice)
1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
1 Tbsp chili powder
½ tsp cumin

In a pot over high heat, add lentils and cover with water - about one inch over lentils. Bring to a boil then turn to low and simmer; cover and cook for about 30 minutes until lentils are tender. Drain any excess water and set aside.

In a sauté pan, brown meat; drain any excess fat. Add veggies and cook together until vegetables are soft. Stir in diced tomatoes, sauce, chili powder, cumin and lentils. Cover and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes.

Serve with a few dashes of hot sauce for an extra kick.

Note: If you don’t have chili powder or cumin, you can add a package of chili mix instead of the individual spices.

One Pot of Chili: Two Dinners

Two dinners with one pot of chili. The second one just got created with the leftovers from the first. I love it when that happens!

Chili Stuffed Poblano Peppers
using leftover Spicy Turkey Chili

Dinner One: Spicy Turkey Chili

1 lb spicy turkey sausage
½ cup diced celery
1 can kidney beans, undrained
1 can diced tomatoes with jalapenos, undrained
1 package of McCormick’s chili seasoning

Toppings:
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Diced red onions
Sour cream

Over med-high heat, drizzle EVOO in pan and wait for it to get hot. To prevent meat from sticking to your fingers, using wet hands, remove sausage from casings and drop into pan to cook through. Add celery; sauté for a couple minutes until soft. Stir in beans, tomatoes and chili seasoning. Cover, turn low and simmer for about 20 minutes; stir occasionally.

Serve in bowl topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, diced red onions and a dollop of sour cream.

Dinner Two: Chili Stuffed Poblano Peppers

½ cup rice
1 cup broth
2 cups of chili from recipe above
1 large Poblano Pepper
Shredded Cheddar cheese

In the rice cooker, cook rice with broth. Once done, mix in chili; set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (Since I’m only using one pepper for the two of us, I just cooked it in the toaster oven.) Cut pepper in half, deseed and devein. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until soft and skin bubbles. Remove pepper halves from oven, fill with chili rice mixture. Top with shredded Cheddar cheese and place under broil for about 2 minutes until cheese is bubbly and melted.

Serve with a side salad topped with veggies and tossed in light vinaigrette.

Herb Turkey Patties with Sauteed Leeks and Potatoes

Turkey and Brie or Cheddar Panini with Side Salad

Sourdough baguette
Mayo
Pesto sauce
Leftover grilled turkey tenderloin slices
Brie cheese
2 sharp cheddar cheese slices
Baby spinach (pick a few out of the mixed greens)

Side Salad:
Mixed greens
Red onion, sliced
Green bell pepper, sliced
Tomato, cut in wedges
Cucumber, sliced

Heat the George Forman grill until ready. Cut baguette into thirds. On one baguette third, spread with mayo and pesto, layer with turkey slices and brie. Press in grill until cheese is melted. On the other baguette third, spread with mayo and pesto, layer with turkey slices, cheddar cheese and baby spinach leaves. Remove turkey & brie and replace with turkey and cheddar. Grill until cheese is melted and spinach is wilted.

Make side salad by layering veggies on top of mixed greens. Serve with your favorite dressing.

Cut sandwiches in half. Either serve both of one type of sandwich or mix halves. Serve with salad.

Grilled Turkey Tenderloin with Bean Salad

2-1/2 lb. each turkey tenderloins
Italian salad dressing
Grill seasoning
1 can of pinto beans, drained
1 can of black beans, drained
1 ear of corn, boiled, corn cut from cob
½ green bell pepper, chopped
2 red onion slices, chopped
Feta cheese
1/2 cup of EVOO
2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
1 ½ tsp of Dijon mustard
½ tsp of fresh crushed pepper
1/2 tsp of salt
Juice from ¼ of a lemon
1 small tomato, slice in wedges, for garnish

Marinate tenderloins in Italian salad dressing over-night.

Remove tenderloins from marinade. Shake off excess dressing. Sprinkle with grill seasoning. Over medium-low heat, grill the turkey tenderloin on each side for about 10-12 minutes, depending on thickness. Cook until the tenderloin is no longer pink in the middle.

In a medium bowl, add beans, cut corn, peppers, onion and mix together. In a small bowl, add the EVOO, vinegar, mustard, pepper, salt, lemon juice and whisk together. Pour vinaigrette over bean mixture and mix well. Add feta cheese and mix again.

Slice turkey and serve with a generous portion of bean salad. Add tomato wedges as a garnish.

Stuffed Tomatoes and Angel Hair Pasta

½ lb of ground turkey
½ zucchini, diced
¼ green bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
S&P to taste
3 large Beefsteak tomato
Angel hair pasta
Spaghetti sauce
Freshly grated Romano cheese

Over med-high heat, sauté turkey until half way cooked. Add zucchini, bell peppers, garlic and salt and pepper. Sauté veggies 2-3 minutes until tender. Add a couple spoonfuls of spaghetti sauce to the meat mixture, turn to low and let simmer.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the top off the tomato and scoop out the insides with a spoon or melon baller. Try not to cut the sides of the tomato so the filling doesn’t spill out while cooking. Fill each tomato with the turkey mixture. Put the stuffed tomatoes in a casserole dish, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15-20 minutes. Don’t overcook otherwise the tomato will fall apart (like mine did!).

Boil Angel hair pasta for 3-4 minutes until tender. Drain, add spaghetti sauce and mix.

Serve stuffed tomato on top of pasta. Sprinkle with grated cheese.

Moroccan Turkey Meatballs with Green Rice

Meatballs
¾ lb of ground turkey
1 Tbsp Gourmet Garden Moroccan Herb & Spice Blend
A bunch of cilantro, minced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 egg
1 thick onion slice, diced
¼ cup of bread crumbs, add more if meat mixture is too wet
S & P

Rice
1 cup of rice
2 cups of chicken stalk
2 stalks of green onions, diced
1 Tbsp Gourmet Garden Basil Herb Blend
1 zucchini, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 large handful of raw Spinach, ripped apart or chopped
EVOO
Feta cheese (sundried tomato flavor)

Start rice in rice cooker by adding rice, chicken stalk, green onions, basil blend, a few drops of EVOO and a few dashes of salt.

In a large bowl, add turkey, Moroccan herbs, cilantro, garlic, egg, onion, bread crumbs, s & p and mix well with your hands. With wet hands, shape 3 inch meatball rolls in the palm of your hands.

Over medium high, heat EVOO in a frying pan. Add meatballs and brown all sides so they are brown and crispy. Lower heat and cover until the meatballs are cooked all the way through and no longer pink in the middle. Don’t overcook otherwise they will be too dry.

Sauté zucchini and garlic with a little EVOO and salt until tender. Once rice is finished, add zucchini. In same pan, add spinach, sauté until wilted. Add to rice, and mix everything together.

Plate rice and meatballs together and sprinkle with feta cheese for a very tasty dinner!