Category Archives: Recipes &Cooking

Ground Turkey Chili with Beans

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Here’s a healthy, low-fat recipe I adapted from Eat Better America.  I substituted ground turkey for ground chicken and made a few other changes.  We also added salt, reduced the broth to one can which is two cups (instead of the three cups), and used a mix of cheeses.  Last, we added crumbled-up tortilla chips on top with the shredded cheese.  Very good!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1  14.5 ounce can chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 – 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 medium size zucchini, chopped
  • 1 can cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
  • 1 can great northern beans, drained & rinsed
  • 1  4.5 oz can chopped green chiles
  • Shredded Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese
  • Tortilla chips, crumbled

Cook the turkey, onion, and garlic for a few minutes.  Stir several times until the turkey is done.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients, except the cheese and tortilla chips.  Heat to boiling, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Top with cheese and crumbled chips before serving.

Recipe for Baked Gouda in Crescent Roll

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Here is a simple and delicious recipe from Becky, a teacher friend of mine. I wondered about the combination of ingredients and was pleasantly surprised how good this is. Becky said that her sons do not even like pears, yet she has to make a double batch of this because they like it so much. It actually has a gourmet quality to it and would be pretty to make it in a colored dish for the holidays.  I used a pie plate, but I think next time I will use a larger dish.

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INGREDIENTS:

  • Gouda Cheese, 8 oz or so
  • 1 can Crescent Rolls
  • 1 can sliced pears with syrup
  • 1/4 – 1/3 cup brown sugar

Unroll crescent roll pieces and place in a pinwheel fashion around the pie plate with the thin piece of the roll in the middle of the plate.  Place cheese in the center of the plate and then fold up the pieces of the rolls to cover the cheese.  Pinch the seams together, pour the whole can of sliced pears over the rolls and then sprinkle the top with the brown sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until the cheese is starting to ooze out a little.  Serve warm.  Crackers are optional, however, we didn’t eat crackers with it.

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Slow Cooker Recipe: Boneless Turkey Breast

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Sometimes, there is not much time to get a meal together.  Here is a great recipe for turkey that is delicious!  Just add stuffing, gravy (I use the turkey gravy in a jar when I’m in a hurry), green bean casserole, another vegetable, rolls, and a dessert from your favorite bakery.

Crock Pot Turkey Breast:

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3-pound boneless turkey breast
  • Can of chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (or minced garlic)
  • 1/4 teaspoon of minced onion flakes (or onion slices)
  • Optional:  your favorite herbs can be added such as fresh rosemary in place of the garlic

In the sink or a large dish, cut the plastic bag off the turkey breast with kitchen shears and also cut off the netting.   There will be a lot of juices in the bag that will make a mess, so be sure to have something to catch the juices.  Then place the turkey with the above ingredients in the crock pot.   Cook on high for 2 hours and then on low for 6-8 hours (which I recommend), or cook it on low for 10-12 hours if you need to start cooking before you leave for work.  If you’re short on time, cook for 4 – 4 1/2 hours on high.  Make sure it’s tender and done in the middle.

Cooking the turkey breast in the crock pot makes it so moist and tender, and I think maybe it’s the best we’ve ever had. And the great thing is that it’s so easy.

Meatloaf Recipe – Bev’s Recipe

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Sheila, my college roommate, emailed me this recipe that she received from her cousin, Bev, who says that she makes a “mean meatloaf.” This sounds very tasty and like it would make a special holiday dish for meatloaf lovers.

Meatloaf (serves 3-4)

INGREDIENTS:

  • McCormick Meatloaf dry mix
  • 1 lb ground chuck
  • 1 egg
  • 1 slice white bread, crumbled (let bread sit on counter to dry out for a few minutes- easier to crumble)
  • Diced bell pepper (might only use half, depending on your preference)
  • Diced  small onion
  • Brown sugar (approx 1 ½ cups)
  • Ketchup ( a few squirts)
  • 3 strips raw bacon, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except brown sugar and ketchup.  I use my hands, so that all ingredients really mix and there’s no meat that doesn’t have the dry mix on it.

In a square pyrex dish, place the 3 strips of bacon.  Then add the meat and form into a loaf.  My loaf is fairly flat (probably about 1 ½- 2 inches tall) because I want it to cook thoroughly in the center with no pink.

In a separate small bowl mix, with a fork,  brown sugar and ketchup.  The goal is for the ketchup to wet the brown sugar and turn it into a glaze.  The glaze should not taste ketchup-y.  spread glaze over meatloaf and bake at 400 degrees for 30 mins or so.

Serve with mashed potatoes and English peas!!  Enjoy!!

Three Sweet Potato Casserole Recipes

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One of our favorite recipes for holiday dinners is sweet potato casserole.  I’ve listed three below.  The first one is from Michelle, a dear friend of ours.  The second one is from my mother.  She had a way of fixing canned sweet potatoes that did not taste canned, but she never wrote down her recipe.  This is the best I could remember.  The third one is a lighter recipe which sounds really good!.

 

Lighter Desserts for the Holidays

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Need some ideas for desserts that are delicious yet lower fat, lower cholesterol, or lower calories?  Here are four desserts that might work:.

  • Frozen Pumpkin Mousse Pie  from Food Network  (might be better with graham cracker crust).    Calories 279; Total Fat 8.5 g (Sat Fat 2.7g, Mono Fat 1.7g, Poly Fat 1.7g) ; Protein 7g; Carb 44g; Fiber 1g; Cholesterol 43mg; Sodium 158mg
  • Double Chocolate Pudding Pie  from Food Network.   Just a small dollop of real whipped cream on top will still give a taste of richness.
  • Healthified Pumpkin Pie  from Eat Better America  (Cholesterol-free)
  • Creamy Vanilla-Caramel Cheesecake  from Eat Better America.    Calories 180 (Calories from Fat 70); Total Fat 7g (Saturated Fat 4 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 25mg; Sodium 190mg; Total Carbohydrate 21g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 17g); Protein 5g, Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch; 1 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices.

 

Slow Cooker Meals & Tips

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Who doesn’t like to come home from work or from a busy day running errands and have dinner waiting in a slow cooker. Just walking in the door and smelling the aroma of a delicious home-cooked meal is so inviting. Well, Food Network has eleven tips for slow cooker meals that are definitely worth checking out. I already see one tip I need to remember, the one that talks about how it’s better to fill a slow cooker halfway to two thirds full.  Also, here are eight simple slow cooker recipes from Food Network that sound so good!

With the holidays coming up, a lot of us will be taking desserts, dips, snacks and appetizers to parties. What better way to keep them warm than in a slow cooker. If any of you have eaten at Qdoba’s and love their queso, here’s a recipe for a lower-fat version of Qdoba’s 3-Cheese Queso.

Don’t have a slow cooker?  Check out these from Amazon.  I’ve started ordering from Amazon more and more the past couple of years after realizing how easy and convenient it is.  And I nearly always find the best price on something at Amazon plus a lot of items qualify for free shipping which saves money! A lot of you probably figured this out a long time ago..
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Menu Plan Monday & Recipe for Qdoba’s 3-Cheese Queso (Healthier Version)

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Can you believe holidays are getting close?  For those holiday get-togethers, I’d like to share a recipe.  This is a great recipe to fix in a Crock-Pot/Slow Cooker to take to a holiday party or pot-luck.  By the way, the Cook ‘N Carry Crock Pot is great for traveling in the car.  We gave one of these to my mother-in-law for Christmas one year.
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So many people love Qdoba’s 3-Cheese Queso, so much that you can even find the recipe on Food Network‘s site. We always order it when we go to Qdoba’s, but I would like a healthier version to fix at home.  So here’s a lower-fat version plus some substitutions in case you need them:
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Qdoba’s 3-Cheese Queso, Lower-Fat Version:

  • 1 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese, reduced-fat
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, reduced-fat
  • 1 cup American cheese  (Alpine Lace has 25% reduced fat)
  • 1 cup Fat-Free Half & Half
  • 3 roasted poblano peppers, finely chopped  (or canned chipotle peppers or green chilis, drained)
  • 8 ounces tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon ground garlic  (or minced garlic from a jar)
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Combine ingredients, cover, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 2 hours.   Stir occasionally.  Add just a little bit of milk if you need to thin it.

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Hope you enjoy this if you make it. At Qdobas, they serve it with tortilla chips flavored with a touch of lime. So good! Talking about all of this is making me hungry for Mexican food, so I think I’ll incorporate some into our menu this week!
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Monday:  Chicken tenders cooked in olive oil & fajita seasonings, refried beans, avocado slices, tortilla chips & salsa

Tuesday: Homemade Chicken Enchilada Soup (This tasted so good last week and I think it helped me get over my cold a little faster because of the onion, garlic, and spices in it.)

Wednesday:  Leftover Chicken Enchilada Soup

Thursday:   Chicken Italian Pasta

Friday: Pizza & salad (haven’t decided what kind of pizza  – have any ideas?)

 

Cooking Tip: Substitution for Squares of Baking Chocolate

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Have you ever been right in the middle of making something and then suddenly realized you didn’t have squares of baking chocolate for your recipe?  You can substitute 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon oil or melted butter for each one ounce square of chocolate.  Those are ingredients that most cooks have in their kitchen all the time.  Those ingredients can save the day!

Sugar-free Cornbread

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Here’s a recipe for those of you who like sweet cornbread but not the sugar!
 
INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup flour (Spelt Flour or whole wheat would be good, too)
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal (or 3/4 cup organic cornmeal & 1/4 cup organic coarse cornmeal)
  • 1/3 teaspoon KAL Stevia Powder  (or sugar substitute to equal 1/3 cup sugar)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup milk (I used reduced fat milk)
  • 1/3 cup EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)

 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Oil 9-inch pan with 1 teaspoon olive oil and place pan in oven to preheat.  After the pan is hot, take it out of the oven and add the mixture.  Bake until golden brown on top.

Central Market Recipe: Grilled Portobello & Arugula Burgers

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Here’s a recipe I would like to try:  Grilled Portobello and Arugula Burgers.  I haven’t tasted anything made from a Central Market recipe that I haven’t liked.  By the way, the best time to shop at CM is around noontime.  They have lots of samples, the best one being back in their meat market.  You can usually get a little plate with samples of some type of  beef, some type of fish, and a delicious salad.

 

Menu Plan Monday & Recipe for Cheese Spatzle

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The summer is flying by! Here it is time to do another menu for the week. One thing we do want to have is a repeat of last week’s fresh vegetables with a fried okra, squash, & onion medley. I made a big skillet full last week, and there were no leftovers. This time, though, I think I’ll use yellow squash and zucchini. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
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I just remembered something!  We bought some egg noodles imported from Germany at Aldi’s today. They have a recipe on the package that sounds so yummy. Our son especially liked the sound of it, and you moms know how it is when your children are home from college for the summer.  I fix his favorites when I can!
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Monday: Skillet grilled chicken, Fried Veggie Medley (fresh okra, squash, zucchini, & onion in a light cornmeal batter fried in olive oil just until barely done), salad
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Tuesday: Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli (a favorite of my husband and our son; must be made with butter), salad
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Wednesday: “Cheese Spatzle” recipe on package of Aldi’s Spatzle Swabian Egg Noodles~Homemade (with Swiss Cheese, chopped onions and a little butter) with added chicken, salad

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RECIPE FOR CHEESE SPATZLE

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 bag Deutsche Kuche Spatzle, 17.6 ounce bag (skinny egg noodles from Aldi)
  • 7 ounces grated Swiss Cheese
  • 1-2 cups chopped onions  (These are a must!  The browned onions give this recipe a wonderful flavor!)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons milk (optional – this is not in the recipe but I would add a little milk next time to make it less dry)

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Cook the noodles according to directions on the bag.   Drain and put in casserole dish.  Layer noodles with cheese and butter.  Bake at 375 degrees for 5 minutes or until browned.  While noodles are baking, saute onions in olive oil until browned a little.  Add to the top of the noodles after they come out of the oven.  Serve with salad.  Enjoy!  (This recipe was a hit with my husband and our son.)
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Thursday: Salmon patties, corn, salad
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Friday: Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole, black beans, fresh-made guacamole