Turkey? Where's the Beef?

Alright, so we are now the proud owners of a half a cow. Our entire second freezer is full to the gills of beef. Yes, we had tacos on Saturday night after Don schlepped it home from way-up-Wisconsin. But in making my menu for the week, beef is oddly missing tonight. I think I'm overwhelmed with the possibilities. So instead we're having turkey tonight. I'm out of ideas for sides, so doing my broccoli slaw again, fries and baked beans.

Turkey Sloppy Joes:

1 lb. ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 can Campbell's tomato soup
1/2 c. ketchup
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. mustard

Cook turkey and veggies in a pan until browned. Add sauce and then stir into crock pot. Cook on low for 4 hours. Serve on buns.

Turkey Reubens

We love these. I serve them with sweet potato "chips" that I bake in the oven and my broccoli slaw (recipe below). This comes via Cooking Light. Enjoy.

8 slices seedless rye bread
8 slices lorraine swiss cheese
dijon mustard
low-fat thousand island dressing
12 slices smoked turkey
sauerkraut

Spread dijon lightly on bread. Top 4 slices of bread (mustard side up) with a slice of cheese. Pile on sauerkraut, a dash of dressing and turkey. Top with another slice of cheese and the bread. Cook in an oiled skillet, 3 minutes per side, with another heavy skillet on top to "press" the sandwich. (can also be made in a panini press)

Broccoli Slaw

1 bag broccoli slaw
1 green apple, diced
1/2 c. chopped walnuts, toasted
1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese
ranch dressing to taste
fresh black pepper

Mix all together until you achieve the creaminess level you're looking for. Enjoy!

Easiest Tomato Soup Ever

This is a family favorite and the simplest thing I can throw together. Since Don and I were going out for Valentine's Day, I made this for the kids. It's great with grilled cheese paninis you can dip in the soup. Trader Joe's has some really yummy cheddar with carmelized onion in it that I use for the paninis. This was a Sandra Lee "semi homemade" recipe but I struggle to think what about it is actually homemade?

Spicy Tomato Soup:

3 c. spicy V8
1 can Campbell's Tomato Soup (I used healthy request)
1 can Campbell's cheddar cheese Soup
dash of basil

Combine all and whisk. Heat through. See, can you get any easier??

My family's favorite chili

Well, second favorite to Daddy's, I should say. Don's takes all day to make, so this one is faster and healthier. Everyone in the family loves it. I usually make at least a double batch as it freezes well, also.

Black-Bean Salsa Chili

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2/3 c. water
1 T. brown sugar
1/2 lb. ground turkey
1 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. each chopped green and red pepper
3 slices bacon, diced
1 1/2 T. chili powder
1 T. ground cumin
1 t. oregano
1/8 t. crushed red pepper
1 1/2 c. salsa (I used Trader Joe's medium)
3 T. tomato paste
14 oz. beef broth
1/2 c. reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1 t. lime juice

Combine 1 1/2 c. beans, the water and sugar in a food processor. Process until smooth.
Cook turkey in a stockpot until browned. Remove from pan and add onion, peppers and bacon. Cook 5 minutes and return turkey. Add spices, stir well to coat. Stir in bean mixture, beans, salsa, tomato paste and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Combine sour cream, cilantro and lime juice. Serve on top.

I served this with cornbread muffins.

Just like the Olive Garden

Okay, so I am one of those "soup, salad and breadsticks" gals for $5. I must admit I've never ventured from that on the Olive Garden menu, but I LOVE their pasta e fagioli soup. I have made it many times with Clamato which I suspect is their secret ingredient, but here is a very healthy and tasty version that is similar to theirs. Imagine this... I served it with breadsticks!

Pasta e Fagioli

1 lb. ground beef
1 chopped onion
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 minced garlic cloves
28 oz. crushed tomatoes
28 oz. beef stock
one can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
one can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 t. italian seasoning
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. crushed red pepper
3/4 c. ditallini pasta
fresh parmesan for serving

Brown ground beef and veggies together in a stock pot. Add tomatoes and ingredients up to pasta. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Add pasta, cook 15 minutes or until the pasta is done. Serve with cheese.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is one my  favorites. It's easy, delish and low in calories. I make it without adding the tortilla chips, but Mike will add them to his bowl. Super easy and so warm for winter lunch. Soup...yum.

• 1 pound shredded, cooked chicken (I use about 4 boneless chix breasts)
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed or diced
• 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups water
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 7 corn tortillas
• vegetable oil

Directions

1. Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.
4. Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

 This is from allrecipes.com

I heart flank steak

This was a delicious weeknight treat. I love flank steak because it's cheap and versatile. And this one didn't even need to be marinated. It was great with some brown rice, and I sauteed some snow peas and mushrooms with a little soy sauce on the side. Enjoy!

Asian Flank Steak with Peppers

1 1-lb flank steak, sliced paper thin against the grain (this is easiest to do when it's frozen)
2 T. flour
garlic salt & pepper
2 T. garlic, minced
1 T. ginger, minced
1 pepper, cut into strips
1/2 c. sliced onion
3/4 c. beef consomme
2 T. soy sauce

Put steak into a ziploc with flour, garlic salt and pepper. Shake to coat. Coat a skillet with some olive oil. Sear the garlic and ginger until they smell good, then add the steak. Cook it until browned, about 5 minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients and cover it up. I left it for about 5 minutes and then uncovered it to simmer off a little of the juice.

Pork in the Crock Pot, Round 2

Same cut as the pork tacos, totally different flair. This one was quite good. The meat was done after 4 hours (good thing I checked in between conference calls today), so I took it out and let it rest on the cutting board under foil while the rest of the veggies finished cooking. I served this with a salad since it had veggies/potato right in the recipe.

Rosemary-Orange Pork Roast with Squash and Sweet Potato

1 small acorn squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into 2 inch pieces (WARNING: this is a PAIN to do but worth it... tasty)
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2 inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
3 lb. boneless pork loin roast
1 1/2 c. orange marmelade
3/4 c. chicken stock
1/4 c. orange juice
2 T. chopped rosemary
2 T. cornstarch
2 T. water

Place squash, sweet potato and onion in the crock pot. Sear the roast in a pan for about 8 minutes. Then place it on top of the veggies. Combine marmelade, chicken stock, oj and rosemary and pour over the roast. Cook on low for 5 hours (roast was done at 4). Mix water and cornstarch. Once roast has been removed, add cornstarch mixture and turn to high for 20 minutes until it thickens. Slice roast and serve with sauce and veggies. I poured the sauce right over the meat on the platter and surrounded it with the veggies... looked like company was coming! Haha.

**Modified from a Weight Watchers one-pot cookbook.

More crock pot yumminess

I only cooked once this weekend, so of course it had to be in my Crock pot :) This recipe was very good and easy. I made a double batch so will let you know how they taste after being frozen. I served this with chips and salsa and some refried beans. For toppings, I suggest Mexican cheese, sour cream and some avacado.

Beer-braised shredded pork tacos

2 lb. boneless pork loin roast
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 Mexican beers (I used Corona Light)
1 T. cumin
1 T. chili powder
1 1/2 t. oregano

Salt and pepper your roast, and brown it in a pan on all sides. Combine the rest of the ingredients in the crockpot. Add the roast and cook for 8 hours on low. Take the meat out and shred it with 2 forks. I added about 1/2 c. of salsa back in with the shredded pork to give it a bit more flavor. Serve on corn tortillas.

Another make-ahead casserole

This one was supposed to be a family pleaser, but honestly it really just pleased the adults in this household for some reason. Must be something in the air today with the blizzard and all. Anyhow, I served this with an Italian salad and some breadsticks. Made it early this morning and threw it in the oven around dinnertime.

Chicken-Spinach Pasta Bake

8 oz. penne pasta
2 t. butter
1/2 c. chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. flour
2 1/2 c. 1% milk
1 package baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 c. grated parmesan
1/2 t. salt
2 c. chopped, cooked chicken
1 1/2 c. salsa

Cook pasta and drain. In a pan, melt butter. Add onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for one minute. Then gradually add the milk and let it thicken, stirring with a whisk. Add spinach until it welts. Remove from heat and add 1/4 c. cheese and salt. Stir in chicken, salsa and 3/4 c. cheese. Fold in pasta and then put in a greased 13X9 pan. This took about 45 minutes in a 350 oven after sitting at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

*Brought to you by my good friends at Weight Watchers in their One Pot meal supplement.

Soup for What Ails Ya

Wow, we've multiplied! Hi Julie... welcome aboard. Those ribs sound delicious! Can't wait to try them. I'm in arrears a few days, so here's a great soup we all love. I will also post tonight's dinner in a separate post which was a very easy make-ahead casserole. I have some crockpot stuff on the menu for the weekend, hope you are enjoying the non-crock pot recipes, too.

Loaded Potato Soup:

4 large baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 t. butter
4 T flour
5 c. skim milk
1 1/4 c. shredded cheddar (I used the Kraft 2% kind)
2/3 c. chopped green onion
6 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
8 oz reduced fat sour cream

Boil potatoes and mash them. Set aside. In a dutch oven, melt the butter. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk and cook until it's bubbly and thick. This can take a little time so just keep stirring. Add potatoes, 1/2 the cheese, bacon and onion, salt and pepper. Cook until heated and then add the sour cream. Top with the remaining cheese, bacon and onion. I serve this with some bread and everyone enjoys it.

Delish Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs

My daughter Karsen's favorite things to eat are ribs, and yesterday -the big snow day-was her 10th bday, so I made them at her request. The ribs were yummy and literally fell of the bone in the slow cooker.

Ingredients:

4 lbs. of pork baby back ribs (Meijer had a great deal on them)

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups of ketchup

1 cup chili sauce

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

4 TBLS vinegar

2 tsps dried oregano

2 tsps Worcestershire sauce

1 dash hot sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

2. Season ribs with salt and pepper. Place in shallow baking pan. Brown in oven 15 minutes. Turn over and brown another 15 minutes.; drain fat.

3. In medium bowl, mix together the ketchup, chili sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce & S & P. Place ribs in slow cooker. Pour sauce over ribs and coat.

4. Cover, and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or until ribs are tender. ENJOY!