Stuffed Turkey. NOT a Thanksgiving Dinner...

Maybe I've been watching too many Food Network shows lately or something, but I've recently become obsessed with stuffing things. Stop it.  Inappropriate.  Anyway, MOVING ON...

I made a huge batch of my tomato basil sauce the other day (the recipe is on my blog), and I've been trying to think of what I can use it with.  Then, it occurred to me that I had two packages of ground turkey in my freezer; so, what do I do?  I decide to make some turkey meatballs.  Then, I take it one step further.  I stuff them.  Ohhhhh yeahhhhh.


Mozzarella Stuffed Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:

-2 lb. ground turkey breast
-2 eggs
-1/4 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
-1 t. paprika
-1 t. Herbs de Provence
-1 T. fresh basil, finely chopped
-1 T. fresh oregano, finely chopped
-1/2 t. crushed red pepper
-1/4 c. parmesean cheese
-1 t. garlic powder
-1 t. onion powder
-1 c. shredded mozzarella
-salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients, except for the mozzarella cheese, in a large mixing bowl.  Do not overmix, but make sure all ingredients are blended together well. The mixture should make about sixteen decent-sized meatballs.  I find that it is easiest to roll the mixture into standard meatballs first, and then, using your thumb, poke a hole into the center of the meatball.  Place about a tablespoon of shredded cheese into the center of the meatball and spread the meat back over the hole to seal. The meatballs should bake on a greased cookie sheet for about twenty minutes at 350 degrees.  After twenty minutes, take the meatballs out of the oven, and allow them to rest (you can check for thorough cooking at this point if you'd like).  Enjoy them with your favorite pasta, sliced up in an omelet, or on a bun for a delicious sub.  I really recommend topping with my tomato basil sauce. :)

When I Say Apple, Y'all Say Cheddar!

Alright, so this post is going to be short and sweet.  Why, you ask?  Well, I'm just flat out exhausted!  A long, testing-filled day at school, combined with a tiring (in a good way) aerobics video makes for one wiped-out teacher. I know that I've posted a turkey burger recipe before, but if you're like me, and you like to keep things healthy, then you can never have too much of a good thing.  I enjoy recipes where you have one protein to buy but countless ways to prepare it.  The apples keep the turkey moist, and the low-fat cheese oozes just enough to create the perfect crust on the outside of the patty.  Y-U-M.  YUM.


APPLE CHEDDAR TURKEY BURGERS

Ingredients (4 servings):

-1 lb. extra lean ground turkey
-1 gala apple (finely diced)
-1/2 c. 2% shredded sharp cheddar cheese
-salt and pepper to taste
-1/2 t. garlic powder
-1/2 t. ground sage
-1/4 t. crushed red pepper
-1/2 t. lemon pepper
-1 egg white

Combine all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.  Separate the meat into four equal portions.  press into patties about a half an inch thick.  Over medium high heat, cook the burgers for 5-7 minutes per side.  The turkey should be completely white on the inside.  Pink is NOT okay! Enjoy :)

You Can Never Have Enough Salmon!

So, my school started its own version of The Biggest Loser last week, and I decided to enter it with my team lead as my partner.  I have since been like a crazy scientist in the kitchen, trying to find new ways to prepare protein and veggies.  I've completely given up carbs, whole grain and all for the time being.  As you can imagine, food starts to get a little boring when the protein options are limited to boneless/ skinless chicken breasts, extra lean turkey, salmon, any white fish, and tofu.  I love all of the above minus the tofu, but it can get a little boring eating the same thing all the time. Yesterday, right before I threw in an aerobics dvd, I threw a filet of salmon, fresh green beans, and baby carrots on a baking sheet.  I waved my magic wand of spices and ended up with a delicious, healthy dinner.


HERB-COATED SALMON WITH ROASTED VEGGIES

Ingredients (serves 2):

10-12 oz. salmon fillet, skin removed
1 lime
1 T. herbs de provence
2 t. olive oil
1 t. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 c. baby carrots
1 1/2 c. green beans

Combine spices with olive oil and smooth "paste" over the top of the salmon fillet.  Squeeze the juice of a lime over the top of the coated salmon.  Sprinkle on some salt and pepper.  Place the salmon fillet in the center of a baking sheet.  Surround the salmon with the carrots and green beans.  Lightly drizzle some olive oil over the veggies, and season them with salt and pepper as well. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  Enjoy!

I Bet You Can't Say It 10 Times Fast... Spicy Citrus Salmon Pasta Salad

Have you ever had one of those days where you were literally down to the last few items in your refrigerator?  Well, that was me today.  Since sugar-free Jell-O isn't really the dinner of champions, I had to think a bit outside of the box on this one.  I have a well-stocked kitchen in the spice deparment; so, as long as I have some kind of meat in the freezer, I can usually whip up a tasty dinner at the last minute.  Today was no different.  I found myself staring aimlessly into the spice cabinet, pulling out cayenne pepper, lemon pepper, garlic powder, and just about anything else that sounded remotely appetizing.  So, here I am chillin' with about six different spices and a bottle of olive oil.  I suppose a spicy paste isn't a meal on its own; so, I shifted over to the freezer.  The first thing I saw was a lovely salmon fillet.  PERFECT.  Now, I usually try to watch my carbs, but since my mom just bought mw some homeade linguine from a little shop in Pinetop, I figured I would make an exception and create something new and fresh for the summer.  Mission accomplished.  Light, packed full of protein, and simple, this is a last-minute recipe to be proud of.


SPICY CITRUS SALMON PASTA SALAD

Ingredients (3 generous servings):

- 8-10 oz. salmon fillet (thawed, skin removed)
- 1/4 t. cayenne pepper
- 1 t. herbs de provence
- 1/2 t. paprika
- 1/2 t. garlic powder
- 1/2 t. lemon pepper
- salt to taste
- 3 T. olive oil (separated, one T. for salmon, two for pasta)
- juice of 1/2 a grapefruit
- juice of 1/2 an orange
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- zest of a lemon
- 1 box of whole wheat linguine
- 1/4 c. fat-free feta
- 3 T. reduced-fat parmesean
- 2 c. spinach
- 1 c. steamed brocolli

Rub salmon with olive oil.  Then, sprinkle on all of the spices listed above.  Squeeze the grapefruit juice over the salmon, and pop on a foil-lined baking sheet.  The salmon will bake for roughly 20 minutes at 350 degrees. While the salmon is in the oven, cook the linguine until al dente. Drain the pasta, and put it back into the hot pot.  Add in the reserved two tablespoons of olive oil, fat-free feta, parmesean, spinach, brocolli, lemon zest/ juice, and orange juice.  Gently combine, allowing the spinach to wilt a bit.  When the salmon is done, flake it up with a fork, and add to the pasta mixture.  Do not overwork.  The salmon will break down too much, and lose its texture.  Serve either warm or room temperature.  Enjoy. :)

Tomato Basil Sauce With a KICK!

Alright, so, I know that most people tease me because I call myself a mutt.  It really is true though.  I have a little bit of everything in my blood.  There is one nationality that I am lacking though... ITALIAN!  Seriously?  Some of my best recipes are my versions of classic Italian dishes.  What is one of the most important parts of a good Italian meal?  The sauce, of course!  I developed this recipe over six years ago, and I haven't changed it since.  For my friends that are a little wimpy in the spice department (especially my friends from WISCONSIN), this sauce is equally as delicious without the crushed red pepper.   Whether you pair this simply with some al dente pasta, or it becomes a vital element of a chicken parm, this sauce will not disappoint. 



SPICY TOMATO BASIL SAUCE

Ingredients:

- 2 28oz. cans of crushed tomatoes
- 1 6oz. can of tomato paste
- 1/2 c. fresh basil leaves, torn
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 T. olive oil
- 1 T. fresh chopped parsley
- 1 T. fresh oregano
- 1 T. fresh marjoram
- 1 T. minced garlic
- 1 t. paprika
- 1 T. sugar
- 1 t. onion powder
- 1/4 t. ground nutmeg
- 1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
- 5 roasted Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped (15 min. at 350 degrees)


Combine all ingredients together.  This recipe can either be cooked in a crock pot for six hours on low, or stove top over medium-low heat for two hours.  Yes, those are seriously the only directions.  ENJOY. 

Mad About Mangos! (Chicken Edition)

I'm pretty sure that combining sweet and spicy was the greatest invention ever.  Okay, so maybe Facebook would come before it, but that's about it.  My friend, Thea was actually the inspiration behind this dish.  See, she has a bit of an obsession with mangos.  It's totally cool though.  I mean, it's not like she has mango flavored toothpaste, or sleeps with a mango on the pillow next to her, or anything like that.  The woman just likes her mango! So, one Sunday afternoon, as I was doing my weekly grocery shopping, I decided to take advantage of mangos being 48 cents.  The wheels started turning in my head (yes, they occasionally do that) about what other types of flavors I could pair with mango.  I walked by the chili peppers section of the produce department, and I was instantly inspired.  POBLANO.  Yum, it is one of my absolute favorite peppers.  Naturally, I decided to pick up some chicken breast tenders and go from there.  This recipe is Thea and Mom approved; so, it must be good. :)


MANGO POBLANO CHICKEN

Ingredients (2 servings):

-6 chicken tenders or 2 medium-sized chicken breasts (defrosted)
-the juice of 1/2 a lemon
-1 navel orange
-1 t. garlic powder
-1 t. onion powder
-1/2 t. chili flakes
-1 t. paprika
-1 t. fresh parsley, chopped finely
-1 large mango, diced
-1 Poblano pepper, roasted (10 minutes at 350 degrees, turn once) and chopped
-3 T. olive oil
-salt and pepper to taste

Mix a marinade for the chicken by combining two tablespoons of the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, chili flakes, paprika, parsley, salt and pepper, and lemon juice together in a bowl.  Add in the chicken tenders.  Cover and refrigerate for half an hour. 

In a large fry pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add in the chicken tenders.  Cook for five minutes on the first side, and turn the chicken over. Add in the mango and Poblano, and cook for another five minutes, stirring the mango and Poblano around frequently (both should break down and soften quite a bit).  Next, in order to get all of the "yummy" spices and juices up from the bottom of the pan, squeeze in the juice of an orange. Flip the chicken tenders one more time. When the juice has mostly evaporated, remove your pan from the heat and enjoy.

Say It With Me... Bru-sche-tta

About a week ago, I received a text from my department lead at school.  She was reminding us of our upcoming meeting/ lunch/ five hour chat fest. Her text instructed us to bring either an appetizer or dessert.  Yes, in case you didn't know, text messages really can tell you what to do.  I swear, I'm not crazy. Since one of my colleagues is a fabulous cupcake queen, I opted to go with an appetizer.  Now, here came the hard part... WHAT ON EARTH SHOULD I MAKE?! Well, many of you have had the privilege of tasting Postino's famous bruschettas. I decided it was about time for me to try and come up with my own version of their now-famous dish. I combined a couple of the different varieties into one.  I love the sweetness of fig jam.  Prosciutto's salty nature is delightful, and of course, Brie cheese makes everything better.  So, off I went, armed with a grocery bag of goodies from AJ's and a large loaf of freshly-baked French bread...


PROSCIUTTO AND BRIE BRUSCHETTA

Ingredients:

-1 large loaf of French bread
-1 (8 oz.) jar of fig jam, available at Trader Joe's or AJ's Fine Foods
-1 package of sliced prosciutto
-1 (8-10 oz.) package of Brie cheese
-2 T. olive oil


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Slice the loaf of French bread into slices approximately 1" thick.  Coat each side of the bread slices with olive oil (I recommend using a basting brush, but you can also drizzle it on). Once the oven is preheated, place the bread on a baking sheet or pizza stone.  Allow the bread to toast for five minutes, and then turn each piece over.  Return the bread to the oven for another five minutes.  While the bread is finishing up toasting, take the prosciutto out of the package, and tear each slice into half, lengthwise.  Then, slice the rind off of the Brie.  The Brie should be sliced into thin slices, running down the length of the wedge.  When the bread is done, spread between 1 and 11/2 T. fig jam on each slice.  Then, place a few slices of Brie over the jam (it doesn't need to cover it completely).  Top it off with a few folded slices of prosciutto, and return to the oven until the cheese is slightly melted (between 5-7 minutes).  Brie holds its texture; so, don't expect it to be oozing all over the place like nacho cheese.  Serve either warm or room temperature.

The Perfect Summer Meal

So, raise your hand if you agree that turkey and sage are a match made in heaven?  Yeah, that's what I thought.  In fact, I thought about it so much that I decided to incorporate both into tonight's dinner.  I make so many different versions of turkey burgers, ranging from Asian-style to hot and spicy.  Perhaps my all-time favorite is what I chose to make today.  I guess you could call it traditional, even low-key.  I call it savory and delicious.  Read below for the yummy and super simple recipe. 


TURKEY BURGERS

Ingredients (4 servings):

1 lb. ground turkey breast (99/1)
1 medium apple, finely diced (any variety; optional)
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 t. onion powder
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. ground sage
1/2 t. paprika
1/2 t. chili flakes (amount can vary depending on desired heat intensity)
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl until thoroughly mixed.  Once mixed, use your hand to roughly score the ground turkey into four even sections.  Take each section of meat out individually, and press into about 1/2" thick patties.  Heat a skillet with 1 T. olive oil over medium-high heat.  Once the pan is heated, place the patties in, careful to not let them touch each other.  Cook for approximately five minutes per side.  The easiest way to check to see if they are done is by cutting into the burger and making sure that no pink is visible at all.  (Just have that burger be yours if you're worried about presentation...) After the patties are cooked thorougly, you're ready to enjoy.  I prefer mine with mustard, but I can also highly recommend a slice of Havarti cheese on top if you can afford the additional calories.  They are tasty either way though. :)

Okay, so every once in a while I manage to genuinely impress myself.  This dessert definitely falls under that category.  My roomie and I were watching, "Not My Momma's Meals" on The Cooking Channel earlier today, and Bobby Deen made a Thai fruit salad that used fresh pineapple.  Since I had literally just bought a pineapple at the store, I decided that I was going to pull off a quick dessert using my all-time favorite fruit.  I opted to go a little sweeter than Mr. Deen did on his show.  Instead of making a fruit salad, I went the broiler route.  I am so serious when I say that this was absolutely phenomenal.  You must try this one out because it is beyond easy, and it is such a fresh, light dessert.  It went from a Southern gentleman doing Thai to an Arizona native attempting her hand at an ever-so-slightly French-inspired dessert. I give it two thumbs up, and I'm not just saying that because it is my recipe. ;)


BROILED BANANAS AND PINEAPPLE WITH VANILLA YOGURT DRIZZLE

Ingredients (2 servings):

2 ripe bananas
1/2 of a fresh pineapple
1/2 c. nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt
1 t. Splenda
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. skim milk

Preheat the broiler.  (This recipe also works well on the broil setting of a toaster oven.)  Cut pineapple and bananas into 1" chunks.  Place on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Evenly sprinkle 2 T. of brown sugar over the fruit. Place under broiler for around five minutes.  Keep an eye on the fruit so that it does not burn.  As a precaution, please consider that many broilers work better if you leave the oven door cracked.  While the fruit is cooking, combine yogurt, milk, and splenda in a small bowl.  With a fork, mix the ingredients, using a fluffing motion, almost as if you were whipping up eggs for an omelet.  The yogurt should be light and fluffy by the time you are finished.  When the fruit is done (the sugar will be slightly crunchy), place it in a serving bowl and add a few dollops of the yogurt on top of the fruit.  Serve while warm and enjoy!

Sauteed Salmon and Spinach, Derby Style

"Who ya got for the Home Run Derby?" 

This year, I decided to make an off-the-wall pick.  KEMP.  Sure, he's been on the DL, but he can magically come back and win the derby.  Anyone who's anyone knows that! ;)  Okay, so maybe my whole "positivity makes things happen" catch phrase doesn't always work.  After seeing my pick hit one, lonely home run, I did what any other normal baseball fan would do.  I cooked some salmon. Hahaha.  Salmon is undoubtedly one of my most favorite foods, and we all know that it is insanely good for us.  So, for today's dinner, I opted to keep things simple, healthy, and economical.  Tender, flaky salmon with an ever-so-delicious, light crunch... Now, that'll surely help me get over the fact that I picked a player that came in second-to-last to be the winner of the whole thing. I paired it up with a spicy and salty side of spinach, and to top it all off, I made a quick dessert of chocolate Greek yogurt with homemade blackberry sauce.  As I sit on the sofa, I reflect back on some of the poor decisions that I've made in my life: belly-bearing crop tops, chopping off a tangled piece of hair which resulted in me having a "spike" for all of seventh grade, slow dancing with a go-go dancer in Vegas, and yes, selecting Matt Kemp as the 2012 Home Run Derby Champion.  Fortunately for me, I can cook well.  That has to make up for some of my crazy shenanigans, right?


SAUTEED SALMON

Ingredients (2 servings): 

-10 oz. filet of salmon
-1 lime
-1/2 t. chili flakes
-1/2 t. garlic powder
-1/2 t. paprika
-dash of salt and pepper
-1 T. olive oil

Rub salmon (not over the skin) with chili flakes, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.  Set aside.  Heat up a frying pan over medium-high heat with a tablespoon of olive oil.  Once the pan is ready to rock and roll, place salmon in skin side down.  Now, let me tell you why.  Salmon skin is so much easier to remove after the fish has been heated.  Let the salmon cook for a few minutes, and then flip it over.  Once it's flipped over, use a butter knife to detach the skin from the fish and continue cooking for about 5 minutes.  You will have an awkward gray color under the skin.  Relax.  You'll be flipping the fish once more, which will result in the disappearance of the discoloration. Once you have the "where the skin once was" side down, you'll let the fish cook for another 4-6 minutes, depending on how well-done you like your salmon.  Remove from heat, and squeeze the juice of a lime over the fish. 


SPICY SPINACH WITH FETA

Ingredients (2 servings):

-1 bag of baby spinach
-1/2 t. chili flakes
-1 clove of minced garlic
-1 T. olive oil
-1/4 c. fat-free feta cheese
-salt and pepper to taste

In a large fry pan, over medium heat, cook chili flakes and minced garlic in olive oil until the garlic is slightly browned.  Next, add in the fresh spinach and salt and pepper.  Let the spinach wilt.  Just before the entire pan of spinach is wilted, sprinkle on the fat-free feta.  Remove from heat.  A squeeze of fresh lemon juice is delicious on top of the spinach as well.


CHOCOLATE GREEK YOGURT WITH FRESH BLACKBERRY SAUCE

Ingredients (2 servings):

-12 oz. nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt
-2 T. Hershey's chocolate syrup
-1/2 c. fresh blackberries
-1 T. sugar or Splenda
-1 T. water

In a small, microwave-safe bowl, combine blackberries, water, and sugar.  Heat on high for one minute.  After the berries have finished "cooking," use a fork to break them down a bit.  Refrigerate the sauce for at least 5 minutes before using. 

In a separate bowl, combine the chocolate syrup and Greek yogurt by gently folding the ingredients together.  You want to keep the yogurt's creamy texture; so, don't overmix. 

Once the sauce has been thoroughly cooled, top the chocolate yogurt with the sauce.  Enjoy the deliciously simple dessert right away to avoid separation.

Whoa! It's Wonton Soup!

Where do I begin with this soup?  I think I made it for the first time about five years ago.  I fell in love with the wonton soup from a local Chinese restaurant out in Mesa, and eventually I decided that I wanted to figure out how to make it at home.  So, one day I went out and bought a whole bunch of random (to an extent) ingredients to see if I could come up with anything relatively close to the soup that I had come to know and love.  I still remember the phone conversation I had with my mom when I told her that I was going to attempt wonton soup without a recipe.  She sounded unsure at first, even offering to research a recipe online for me.  I quickly shot down that idea and insisted on doing it myself.  See, I'm stubborn like that.  I did have a question though: "Does the filling need to be cooked before I put it into the wrappers?"  With a click of the mouse, my mom found the answer to that question for me.  YES.  So, here I am in my mom's kitchen surrounded by hoisin sauce, serrano chiles, garlic, and a whole bunch of other "stuff."  Alright, I reassured myself that this was going to be the best soup ever, and I quickly got to work, acting like I knew what I was doing.  About an hour later, I found myself face-to-face with a steaming bowl of something that looked, smelled, and hopefully tasted like soup.  It was the moment of truth.  Was this about to be a moment of genius or an epic fail?  Why don't you copy down the recipe and find out for yourself? ;) 

WONTON SOUP

Broth

-         2 (48 oz.) boxes of chicken broth (fat free)

      -         3- inch piece of ginger, cut into three large chunks

      -         1 Serrano chili, cut in half (seeds and veins NOT removed)

-         3 cloves garlic (peeled and lightly crushed)

-         scallions (roughly chopped)

Filling

-         1 pound ground turkey breast (extra lean)

-         ½ cup hoisin sauce

-         2 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger (peeling is optional, fibers will break down)

-         3 cloves garlic, minced

-         2 tablespoons of soy sauce

-         3 scallions, finely chopped

-         1 Serrano chili, minced (may also substitute jalapenos for a milder version)

-         ¼ cup chopped water chestnuts (from a can)

-         1 teaspoon chili flakes

-     1 pack of wonton wrappers (about 50 wrappers)

*Any leftover filling may also be used to make delicious lettuce wraps!

Put wonton wrappers in freezer 15 minutes prior to cooking; prevents them from being sticky during the stuffing process.

Chop garlic, scallions, ginger, water chestnuts, and chili pepper for the filling.  Sauté in one tablespoon of olive oil for a few minutes, until the ingredients start to become translucent. Add turkey breast; cook until browned/done. Add hoisin, chili flakes, and soy sauce. Remove from heat and set aside.

Broth: Put chicken stock, ginger, chili, garlic into a pot. Simmer for at least half an hour. This allows the flavors from the aromatics to infuse the broth.

Once stuffing is cool, put a small spoonful of stuffing into wonton wrapper. Do not over stuff or the wonton will explode during the cooking process. Wet all four edges of the wrapper.  Bring the four corners to a point in the center.  Pinch the moist wrapper together in order to seal in the filling.

Bring the broth to a low boil.  Add in one bag of baby spinach and ¾ c. canned, sliced water chestnuts.  Next, add in wontons.  Cook until the dumplings are translucent, about two or three minutes.  Immediately remove the pot from the heat to avoid over-cooking. Some dumplings may break during the cooking process; it’s inevitable.  Fear not.  The “broken” wontons add even more flavor to the broth.

*Only cook as many wontons as you are going to eat in one sitting. Otherwise, they will get soggy and fall apart like crazy after they’ve been sitting in the broth. Extra wontons may be stored in a Ziploc bag; they will last about four or five days in the fridge.

Serve and enjoy.