Yummy Spaghetti Sauce

My friend Carrie has a friend that enjoys this recipe with her family, so I asked her if I could share it and she gladly said yes! :) I hope you are able to enjoy this recipe with your family too!

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 chopped onion
fresh garlic (season to your own taste, i use 3-5 cloves)
28 oz can of diced tomatoes
28 oz of tomato sauce
6 oz tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon of oregano
1/2 teaspoon of parsley
1/2 teaspoon of basil

Directions:
Brown ground turkey with onion and garlic in pan. While it's browning, mix rest of ingredients in a pan. Once the turkey, onion and garlic has been browned, drain grease and add it to the rest of your ingredients. Let simmer for one hour! Yummy...or Yummie!! :) 

GREEK CHOPPED MEAT STUFFING

This recipe came from my friend Hallsy, whose family used to make this during the holidays. He brought back leftovers one time to my boyfriend's (now husband) house and I got a taste. It was the strangest sounding thing, but actually quite delicious. Now, this is the second year that I have made it!

Ingredients:
2 small onions -- chopped

1 Stalk celery -- chopped
2 Tb Butter
1 lb Ground beef
1/2 c Dry red wine
1/4 lb Pignoli nuts
1/2 c White raisins
1/4 c White rice
1 box crushed zweiback cookies or 5oz ginger snaps --crushed
1 C Water

2 Tb tomato paste

Salt and pepper to taste or Greek seasoning (preferred)

Directions:

Brown onions and celery in butter. Add beef and cook until brown.
Add wine and tomato paste, and simmer until meat is tender.
Add nuts, raisins, and rice. Stir in water and cook,
covered, until the rice is done. Mix in cookies crumbs
and season to taste. Stuff loosely into the turkey. Or leave out and serve in bowl.

If made ahead (not in turkey), you could bake in 325 oven for 20 minutes to reheat before serving. Stuffs a 10-12 pound turkey.

Turkey recipes

Here are a few interesting recipes you might like to try:
Alton Brown's
Basic Turkey
Simple
Deep Fried
The Pioneer Woman (with photos)

Turkey Time

Here is a helpful chart you can reference on how long to cook your turkey and what temperature you should set your oven. Click HERE.

Ground Turkey Burgers

Here is a recipe from P90X that I've adjusted so that I could use an entire pound of ground turkey. That way I cook them all on the grill at once and have the rest to eat for lunches during the week. They just have a nice flavor, nothing too powerful, but if you've ever had turkey burgers you know that after a while just putting salt and pepper on them can get old. So, I hope you enjoy these! I'll try to make them this week and post a photo too. :)

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey (I get mine at Costco)
6 T panko crumbs (these are light Japanese bread crumbs)
3 T milk (I use skim)
1 1/2 t Dijon mustard
2 t Worcestershire sauce
1 green onion, chopped (both white and green parts)
fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:
Mix all ingredients well and form into patties. You could cook these in a pan, on a Foreman Grill or outdoor grill. Whichever you choose, make sure you thoroughly spray the grilling surface with a non-stick spray. Then, allow the burgers to sit on one side for at least 5-7 minutes before flipping, otherwise they will stick to the grilling surface. Cook completely until there is no pink in the center or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees. I eat these without a bun and serve with rice and a veggie.

Basil Turkey Burgers with Sun Dried Tomato Mayonaisse

Here is yet another recipe from BH&G New Dieters Cookbook. Let me tell you, these recipes do NOT taste like diet food at all! They are totally scrumptious! The kids liked them too, without the special mayo on top. However, my husband and I especially liked the special mayo! I hope you all enjoy this one too.

Ingredients:
1/4 c skim milk
2 T finely chopped onion
1 T fine dry bread crumbs (I used panko b/c that is what was in my cupboard)
1 T snipped fresh basil or 1 t dried basil, crushed (I think FRESH basil is a must!!)
1/8 t salt
1/8 t pepper
12 oz ground turkey
1/4 c Dried Tomato Mayo

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl combine the milk, onion, bread crumbs, basil, salt and pepper. Add ground trukey; mix well. Shape mixture into four 3/4 inch thick patties.

Generously spray grill with non-stick cooking spray, then place patties on grill rack for 14-18 minutes, turning once. (Or place patties on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 4 inches from the heat for 12-14 minutes)

Makes approx. 4 patties. Serve each with a dollop of sun dried tomato mayonnaise on top.

Dried Tomato Mayo Recipe:
Ingredients:
2 T snipped dried tomatoes (NOT packed in oil)
boiling water
1/3 c fat-free or light mayo

Directions:
In small mixing bowl pour enough boiling water over 2 T dried tomatoes. Let stand about 10 minutes or until tomatoes are pliable. Drain well. Stir tomatoes into 1/3 c mayo. Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator. Makes about 1/2 cup.

*photo from BH&G

Rachael Ray's Sloppy Buffalo Joe's

Here is a recipe for a variation on the traditional sloppy joe. We enjoyed this recipe and it was a nice change from the norm, but it was not something that I would cook all the time.

Ingredients:
1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 lb ground chicken or turkey
1/2 carrot, peeled and grated
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
salt&pepper

Dressing:
1 T red wine vinegar
1 T brown sugar
1 1/2 t Worcestershire sauce
1 oz hot sauce
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock

4 hamburger rolls
blue cheese (optional)
dill pickles (optional)

Directions:
Heat EVOO, add meat cook 5-6 minutes
Add veggies, salt and pepper to taste cook 7-8 min...til veg tender
In bowl combine ingredients for "dressing"
Pour in pan & stir
Simmer until thickened, about 30 min
Pile on buns & enjoy!

Turkey Cheeseburgers

A recipe from Keli:

(makes 5-6 burgers)

Ingredients:
1 package ground turkey
1 med-size zucchini, grated
1 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
Whole wheat buns


Directions:
1. Heat broiler, arranging rack so that the burgers will be 2 inches from the heat.
2. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients. Mix and form into patties.
3. Spray broiler pan with Pam and cook burgers for 6 minutes on each side.
4. Serve on buns with your favorite burger toppings.

Italian Turkey Meatloaf

Another favorite from Jennifer

(modified from Deceptively Delicious- makes 4-6 servings)

Ingredients:

· 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I make my own from whole wheat bread)

· 1/2 cup whole milk

· 1/4 cup of chopped celery

· olive oil

· 1 lb ground turkey

· 1/2 cup pureed carrots (I use 1 jar of Earth’s Best pureed carrots)

· 1/4 cup ketchup

· black pepper

· 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese

· 3/4 cup of tomato sauce

Directions:

1. Soak breadcrumbs in milk in a large bowl.

2. Sauté celery in olive oil over medium high heat for 5 minutes.

3. Add the celery to the breadcrumbs along with the ground turkey, carrot puree, ketchup, pepper, and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.

4. Smooth mixture into a loaf pan. Cover with tomato sauce and remaining parmesan cheese.

5. Bake for 50 minutes at 350 degrees. Slice and serve.

Turkey Lasagna

recipe by Jennifer...I bet this would be good with the Foccacia Bread by Reid's Mom!! See Below.
(makes 6-8 servings)

Ingredients:
• 1 lb ground turkey
• olive oil
• 1 1/2 jars of tomato sauce
• 1 15oz container of ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon of parsley
• 1 16oz package of mozzarella cheese
• 1 package of no cook lasagna noodles
• 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese

1. Sauté turkey in a pan with olive oil until cooked through.
2. Drain juices and add one jar of tomato sauce. Cover and simmer.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine ricotta, eggs, parsley, and half of the mozzarella cheese and set aside.
4. Cover the bottom of a baking pan with some of the remaining tomato sauce.
5. Add one layer of lasagna noodles, one layer of cheese mixture, and one layer of meat sauce. Repeat.
6. Top final layer of noodles with remaining tomato sauce from the jar and the remaining mozzarella cheese.
7. Cover with aluminum foil (tent it so it doesn’t touch cheese) and bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.
8. Remove aluminum foil and add parmesan cheese. Bake for 5 more minutes and serve.