I changed my stuffed peppers from using beef to ground turkey. I also used brown rice instead of white rice for the added nutrition and fiber. For my two boys I gave them the filling minus the peppers and they loved it. A few carrots on the side and they also have a complete meal.
This meal is super filling and since you have all food groups represented, you can be in and out of the kitchen in no time. Enjoy!
As much as I love to cook, when my husband isn’t home, I basically don’t make big dinners. My boys prefer simple meals like eggs & bacon, basic pasta dishes and things of that nature, so if my man isn’t around I will take a pass and make things easy on myself.
Well, it had been about a week or so and due to conflicting schedules and basic life craziness, I hadn’t been cooking much and this particular evening I decided to make something new since my honey was back in town. I had some Emeril’s Southwest rub that I had mixed up for a chili recipe and decided to rub that on some bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts that I had brined for a few hours earlier in the day.
When looking for a side dish, I decided to use some yummy cilantro I had purchased earlier in the week for a cilantro pesto and I have to say, this is now one of my favorite meals. It blew my husband away and had him happy to back for some of my home cookin’. 🙂
Whew! That is one long title for a recipe! However, I will tell you that all elements are so amazingly delicious and really make the dish go from really good to crazy good so bear with me on this. I have previously blogged about how I love a one pot meal and one of the main reasons I love meals like this is because I can re-heat them and often times these one-pot wonders actually taste better when they are served reheated. This chili recipe definitely falls into that category.
Image Courtesy of MarthaStewart.com
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays of the year. I love eating with reckless abandon and turkey day is the day to do just this – as far as I am concerned anyways…. Over the years I have come up with my traditional thanksgiving favorite recipes and I wanted to share them with you.
My normal menu consists of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn casserole, pumpkin crisp, gravy and cranberry sauce. In looking at this menu, the first thing I always notice is that there is nothing green – no vegetable or salad and I must say that is just fine with me. So without further ado…
The turkey recipe I use is Martha Stewart’s Turkey 101 which is amazing and turns out perfect every time. I am sure that it has something to do with the bottle of wine and pound of butter used to baste the turkey that makes it so succulent and amazing!
photo courtesy of MarthaStewart.com
As for stuffing…I used to make Martha Stewart’s standard stuffing recipe that can be found here, however about five years ago I was introduced to a stuffing recipe that won a Good Morning America stuffing recipe contest. OMG – this stuff is SOOOOOOOOOO freaking good! It is ridiculously fattening so I only make it once a year, however it is so worth it! The recipe dates back to 2007, however you can still find it online here. I have included the recipe below just so I always have it in the event that page ever gets taken down.
Corn casserole might sound a bit unusual for Thanksgiving but again, I make it once a year and just seems to mesh well with everything on the plate. Think cornbread but more delicate and buttery. The recipe is from AllRecipes and can be found here.
Now Gravy is so easy and I do cheat by using a bottled product, but it is so delicious nobody will ever, ever know and you don’t have to worry about lumps! Williams Sonoma Turkey Gravy Base is a gem! You can thank me later.
I am not a pumpkin pie fan. I think it is part texture and part overall pumpkin taste but I always had a pumpkin pie and an apple pie at Thanksgiving until I stumbled upon Pumpkin Crisp. This dessert is made with boxed yellow cake mix so if you have any nostalgia for a basic yellow cake then this could be one of your new favorites as well. I blogged about this a while ago and you can see the full recipe here.
The cranberry sauce I make is the standard Ocean Spray version that can be found on the back of the fresh cranberry package. Sometimes I will add some fresh orange zest to add an additional flavor element to the sauce but that is optional.
So….that is my run down for what I make for my family on turkey day. I hope you try some of these delicious recipes. They are tried and true for multiple years so I can vouch that they are all super yummy!
Down Home Italian Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 extra-large yellow onion, chopped
- 7 large celery ribs, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 ounces pancetta, diced&
- 6 cups day-old, finely diced French bread
- 3 cups crumbled unsweetened cornbread
- ½ cup butter, cubed, cold
- 1 tablespoon ground sage
- 1½ tablespoons poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup toasted pine nuts
- 4-5 cups chicken or turkey broth
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- large Parmesan shavings
Directions
- Heat oil in large skillet on medium. Sauté pancetta for 2 minutes.
- Add onion and celery and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook another 3 minutes.
- Mix together breads and ¾ cup toasted pine nuts in a large mixing bowl. Add cheeses and cooked sausage to the breads. Mix together with the dried seasonings.
- Add sautéed veggies with any pan drippings.
- Slowly add broth and stir until mixed thoroughly. The consistency should not be soupy, but very moist. If not, add more broth.
- Test for saltiness and add a dash more if needed.
- Place in an extra deep 9-inch-by-13-inch greased pan.
- Dot the top with the cubed butter and cover with foil. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes or until slightly crusted on the edges.
- Top with remaining toasted pine nuts and chopped fresh sage. Add shaved cheese just before serving.
I am always searching for dinner items that my boys will eat while satisfying my husband and I. These Skinny Sloppy Joe’s with Skinny White Cheddar Sauce are dynamite and a perfect weeknight menu item and they are “skinny”.
In order to lighten these up I used lean ground turkey and the cheese sauce has a roux base with skim milk so there is no cream. You can use any kind of bun you like, or if you are going low-carb skip the bun all together. For these pictured I used a bag of Kings Hawaiian Rolls. I love the soft texture and sweet flavor of the buns combined with the tangy meat and creamy cheese sauce.
These are a delicious treat not only for a busy weeknight, but at potlucks or when you are watching a game. I hope you enjoy these as much as my family and I do. One quick side note, I actually read a tip on AllRecipes where a reader stated that if you fill the cups in a muffin tin with the leftovers and freeze. When frozen just pop them out and store in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. Each one is the perfect size for a bun and ready to microwave at a seconds notice.
All the best,
Catherine
Skinny Sloppy Joes with Skinny White Cheddar Sauce
Ingredients
For the meat mixture:
1 pound ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup ketchup
1 T. brown sugar
1/4 c. water
1 t. chili powder
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 t. Worcestershire Sauce
1 T. tomato paste
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 bag Kings Hawaiian Buns
For the cheese sauce:
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
1/2 to 3/4 c. skim milk at room temperature (to desired thickness)
3/4 c. white cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions
Spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray and heat to medium high. Add ground turkey and cook until brown. Drain any fat and discard.
Add onions and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, or until they begin to get soft. Add ketchup, brown sugar, chili powder, dry mustard, tomato paste, Worcestershire Sauce and water. Stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Taste and salt & pepper to your hearts desire.
For the cheese sauce, take a small saucepan and heat butter on medium heat. Once heated, add flour and cook for a few minutes. Once butter and flour have combined, whisk in the milk in a slow, steady drizzle. Add cheese, cayenne and dry mustard and whisk together. Turn heat to low and add salt and pepper to your taste.
Gently warm your rolls and top them with a healthy portion of turkey mixture and cheese sauce. So good, so yummy, so easy!
