Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole

Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole
Inspired by: Better Homes & Gardens

2 packages long grain and wild rice mix 
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 tablespoons butter 
1 can condensed chicken rice soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

I roasted my chicken wrapped in heavy duty foil on 425 for about 20 minutes. Then cooled this until I was ready to prepare the rest of the meal.

Prepare the long grain & wild rice according to the package directions. Chop your celery and onions, and sautee in a pan with the butter until they are slightly soft. I didn't cook mine much longer than the time it took me to get the rice going and chop up my cooked chicken. This left our veggies with a tiny bit of texture and crunch that we really enjoyed in the finished dish.

While the rice finishes cooking, mix in a LARGE bowl - chicken, onion, celery, soup, sour cream, wine, and basil. I mixed all these ingredients together - and had cooked my rice in a large enough pan that when the rice was finished - I could pour all the ingredients into the pan and mix it together until well combined.

Pour the entire mixture until a 2 qt (or 2 liter) pan - cover the top with the Parmesan cheese and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. We then turned on the broiler to brown our cheese for a minute or two.Pin It Now!

Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole

Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole
Courtesy of: my Mom

1 pound of ground beef
1 large bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
2 cans diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted)
1 can corn, drained
2-3 cups cooked medium grain white rice
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Season your ground beef with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. In a large skillet, brown your ground beef and drain off any excess fat. Add in your bell pepper and onion and sautee until soft. In another pan, prepare your rice. Add in your tomatoes and corn.

Once the rice is prepared, mix it in with the meat and vegetables. Combine everything thoroughly, and top with the cheese. Bake until the cheese is brown and bubbly.

*As a child, I never would eat a true stuffed bell pepper - so this was an alternative to get me to eat it. To this day, I love this casserole - it is so simple, but so tasty!

** Sorry the photo isn't good quality - I didn't think about taking a picture until later and ended up with this. Next time we make it, I'll get a new photo to share. Pin It Now!

Momma Bird Pasta

Momma Bird Pasta
Courtesy of: My little brain thinking of ways to fix things with lots of veggies for my kids to eat

3-4 Chicken Breasts, cut in bite sized pieces
2 Zucchini
1 Onion
1 bag Baby Spinach
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
1 lb Pasta (use your favorite shape)
1 jar Pasta Sauce (I used Classico Tomato Basil)
1 jar Alfredo Sauce (I used Classico)
1-2 cups shredded Mozzarella

Bring a large pot of water to boil, and cook your pasta according to the package directions. Drain and mix in both of the pasta sauces. (I mixed it in the same large pot I boiled the pasta in) Set aside until the other mixture is finished.

Cut your chicken breast into bite sized pieces, coat with salt, pepper, and garlic powder; and begin browning in a large skillet with a tiny bit of olive oil. Add in your onion once the chicken is just about done cooking. (You could add in some sliced Baby Bella Mushrooms at this stage too) Grate your zucchini and add to the pan. Cook until the liquid is evaporated. Add in the baby spinach and wilt. As the spinach is wilting, add in the Parmesan cheese to the mixture. Mix the chicken and vegetable mixture in with the pasta and sauce until well combined.

** Note, it was perfectly yummy and fine to serve it just like it is at this point. I made it at nap time though, so I took it to another level.

Pour the entire mixture into a casserole dish of your choice and sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese. Then bake until bubbly and cheese is browned at about 350. Ours was cold when I baked it so it took about 30 minutes or so, but if yours is hot when you add the cheese - it should only take you another few minutes to wait for the cheese to melt.Pin It Now!

Pasta Fiesta

Pasta Fiesta
Courtesy of: Blue Eyed Bride

8 ounces pasta (she used bowties, but my kids won't eat that so I used the mixed fusilli)
1 pound lean ground beef
½ onion, chopped
½ green bell pepper, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 cup sour cream
1 cup salsa (I used our favorite Clint's Salsa)
½ cup sliced black olives
1 can black beans, drained (this was just suggested, and I think it would be GREAT!)
¼ cup sliced jalapenos (optional - and I opted to not use them)
1 tomato, chopped (I skipped this too)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese


Cook the pasta using package; drain. Brown the beef in a skillet, and drain off any extra fat - depending on what mix of ground beef you use. Add in the onion and bell pepper sautee until tender, stirring constantly. Stir in the tomato sauce, chili powder, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Combine the pasta, ground beef mixture, sour cream, salsa, black olives, black beans, jalapenos, and tomato in a bowl and mix well. Spoon into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

This was really good, and would be a super easy dish to make for delivering meals to a family in need. Just add in some crusty bread and maybe a salad.Pin It Now!

Slow Cooker Bolognese

Slow Cooker Bolgonese
Courtesy of: Real Simple



This recipe makes 3 quarts of sauce - so it's good for freezing. It takes about 35 minutes to get it prepped for the crock pot, but it is WELL worth it. My family LOVED it. 

1 medium onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 carrot, finely chopped (3/4 cup)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds combined ground beef and pork, or meat-loaf mix
1 cup milk
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
6 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

In a large skillet, combine the onion, celery, carrot, and olive oil and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the meat and cook, stirring frequently, until it loses its pink color. Add the milk. Increase heat to high and cook until the milk has evaporated. Transfer the mixture to a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker.

Return the skillet to the heat and add the tomato paste; cook over low heat to reduce its bitterness, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste to the cooker, along with the tomatoes, salt, and nutmeg.

Cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. I always go for the longer slower cooking time, it just works better for us - I get it on during breakfast or morning naps and then it's ready by the time the boys are ready for dinner. 

Serve over pasta - I used a gemili shaped pasta, but you can use whatever your family likes.

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Cheese Enchiladas with Rice & Beans

Cheese Enchiladas with Rice & Beans

Courtesy of: The Homesick Texan (fitting, right?!)

Chili Sauce:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 cups beef broth, chicken broth or water (I used beef broth)

Heat the oil in a medium sized sauce pan, stir in the flour and cook 3-4 minutes to form a roux. Add all the spices to the flour mixture and allow to heat for a minute or two to develop the flavors. Then whisk in the beef broth/chicken broth/water - allow to simmer for 15 minutes. You can add more liquid.

Enchiladas:
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I skipped this and wish I hadn't once I was in the process of making them)
8 corn tortillas (I used 12)
8 oz Velveeta
8-10 oz Cheddar Cheese
1 medium onion, diced (I chopped mine finely because I served this to the babies)
2 cups of chili sauce

Preheat oven to 400. In a 9x13 pan - place a 1/2 cup of the chili sauce on the bottom of the pan.

If you use the oil, heat it in a small skillet - then dip each of the tortillas in the oil for a few seconds and keep them wrapped up until all are heated.

Chop up the Velveeta, and mix with grated cheddar and onions. Then place about 1/4 cup or so of filling in a tortilla and roll it up. Place the filled enchilada in your baking dish seam side down. Repeat for all of your remaining tortillas. Once you are finished - pour the remaining chili sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Put remaining cheese and onions on top and bake for about 10 minutes until everything is melted and bubbly.

I served with rice and beans that I made:

For rice - I used long grain white rice with chicken broth instead of water, added a can of diced tomatoes, a teaspoon of cumin and a teaspoon of garlic powder.

For the beans - I used a can of refried beans and added a 1/4-1/2 cup of Velveeta and 1/2 cup of the enchilada chili sauce.

This mean certainly made us feel at home - since we haven't found any Mexican restaurants here in Memphis that have filled the void for our Texan hearts.Pin It Now!

TGI Fridays Jack Daniels Chicken

TGI Fridays Jack Daniels Chicken
Courtesy of: Big Oven

This sauce can be used on chicken, pork chops, steak, shrimp, fish, chicken wings, and even on burgers! It is versatile and very very tasty!

1 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon Jack Daniels Wiskey
2/3 cup water
1 cup pineapple juice
3 tablespoons white onion, minced
1 tablespoon crushed pineapple
1/4 cup Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 head garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

Take your garlic, cut about 1/2 an inch off of the top, and a bit off of the bottom so that it will stand up flat on the pan. Place the garlic on a piece of foil, drizzle olive oil, wrap the foil over the garlic and bake it on 325 for an hour. Once roasted, remove the foil and let it cool until you're able to handle it.

In a large sauce pan, combine: water, pineapple juice, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Turn the heat to medium high, and stir occasionally until the mixture boils then reduce heat to a simmer. Add remaining ingredients to the pan. Squeeze the sides of the garlic and let the roasted paste come out on to a pan or plate. Add about 2 teaspoons of the paste to the simmering liquid.

Let mixture simmer for 35-45 minutes or until it is reduced by 1/2. We had to turn up the heat to reduce ours a bit more at the end. You want it to be thick and syrupy. Make sure it doesn't boil over. You will end up with about 1 cup of sauce after everything is reduced.

We used the sauce with grilled chicken, but like I said - you can put it on ANYTHING!Pin It Now!

Mongolian Beef

Mongolian Beef
Courtesy of: Pink Bites

Serves 4


2 lb of steak, thinly sliced crosswise (The original recipe used flank steak, I used sirloin)
1/4 cup of cornstarch
3 teaspoons of canola oil
1/2 teaspoon of grated ginger
(I used the ginger from the tube - it keeps longer and is good for the price)
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic (about 2 -3 large cloves)
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (I skipped this, but if you like spicy - go for it!)
3 large green onions, sliced crosswise into thirds

Prepare the meat:
First, make sure the steak slices are dry (pat them dry) and mix them with the corn starch. Using your hands or a spoon, move them around to make sure all pieces are coated. Place beef slices in a strainer and shake off excess corn starch.

Make the sauce:
Heat half of the oil in a large pan at medium-high and add the garlic and ginger. Immediately add the soy sauce, water, brown sugar and pepper flakes. Cook the sauce for about 2 minutes and transfer to a bowl. Don't worry if the sauce doesn't look thick enough at this point. The corn starch in the beef will thicken it up later. 

Cook the meat and assemble dish:
Turn the heat up and add the remaining oil to the wok. Add the beef and cook, stirring until it is all browned. Pour the sauce back into the pan and let it cook along with the meat. Now you can choose to cook it down and reduce the sauce or leave it thinner. Add the green onions on the last minute so the green parts will stay green and the white parts crunchy.

Serve it hot with rice. If I were to do this over again - I'd likely add some fresh broccoli to the pan until sauteed for a little bit of vegetable in the meal. We also had it with a green salad with a ginger based dressing.Pin It Now!

Slow Cooker Jambalaya

Slow Cooker Jambalaya
Adapted from: Plain Chicken

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
3 Tbsp dried minced onion flakes
1 medium green bell pepper (diced)
1 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 tsp minced garlic
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I left this out, but if you like spicy - go for it)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
white rice or instant rice

In a slow cooker, mix the chicken, sausage, tomatoes with juice, onion, bell pepper, garlic, celery, and broth. Season with oregano, parsley, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, and thyme. 

I sometimes do this the night before and put it in the fridge.  Just pop it in the slow cooker in the morning before you leave for the day... or just for ease of prep. For me it helps to not have to spend some of nap time putting the meal together - I can just throw it in there the night before. Win!

Cover, and cook 7 to 8 hours on Low, or 3 to 4 hours on High. You can mix in the cooked rice about 15 minutes before serving - or we like to just put the rice in the bottom of our bowl and spoon the Jambalaya on top.
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Zucchini Hamburger Casserole

Zucchini Hamburger Casserole
From: Pilsbury.com

1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon uncooked medium-grain white rice
1 cup water
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 can (19 oz) Progresso Vegetable Classics tomato basil soup
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 13x9 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place rice and water in baking dish; stir to mix. Layer cooked beef, zucchini and diced tomatoes over rice. Pour soup over top. Cut 16x20 inch sheet of foil; spray with cooking spray. Cover dish with foil, sprayed side down.

Bake 40 minutes. Uncover dish; sprinkle cheese over top. Bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes longer or until edges are bubbly and cheese is lightly browned. (We like our cheese really brown as you can tell in the picture)

In higher altitudes - add 5 minutes to the cooking time before adding the cheese.

* I changed the recipe to use the diced tomatoes instead of chopping a large fresh tomato. If you'd rather do that - drop the extra tablespoon of the rice out of the recipe. I added that because of the additional juice from the canned tomatoes.
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Chicken Pesto Pasta Bake

Chicken Pesto Pasta Bake
Inspired by: Taste of Home
Yield: 1 casserole for dinner and 1 for the freezer!

1 (16 oz) package of penne pasta
6 cups cooked chicken, cubed
4 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes - *I used diced Fire Roasted tomatoes instead
1 jar (15 oz) Classico Alfredo sauce
1 jar (8 oz) Classico Pesto sauce
1 1/2 cups milk

topping:
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil

Bake your chicken in the oven - I season mine and bake it on 400-425 for about 20 minutes. Cool and then cube it. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine: chicken, cheese, spinach, tomatoes, alfredo sauce, milk, and pesto. Drain the pasta and add to the chicken mixture; toss to coat.

Transfer to two greased 9x13 inch baking dishes. In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle over the casseroles.

Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly.

To reheat the frozen casserole; thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking cover and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly.Pin It Now!

Slow Cooker Italian Mushroom Chicken

Slow Cooker Italian Mushroom Chicken
Inspired by: Cleverly Inspired's Angel Chicken

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/2 pounds)

1 8-oz. pkg. fresh button mushrooms, sliced
1 8-oz. pkg. fresh baby bella mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup butter
1 0.7-oz. pkg. Italian dry salad dressing mix
1 10-3/4-oz. can condensed golden mushroom soup (I used regular cream of mushroom)
1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 of an 8-oz. tub cream cheese spread with chives and onion (I used Roasted Garlic Cooking Creme)
1/2 package of egg noodles, cooked

* I added some minced onion because I didn't have the chive and onion cream cheese

Layer your crock pot with the mushrooms on the bottom, lay the chicken on top of the mushrooms, and I sprinkled my minced onion on top of the chicken. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter - once melted add in the Italian dressing mix, mushroom soup, wine, and cream cheese. Pour the combined sauce over the chicken, and cook on low setting for 6-8 hours. 

Before serving, I shredded the chicken and put it back in the sauce. I boiled my noodles, and once they were ready - I mixed them into the crock pot and let it sit in the sauce for about 20 minutes or so to soak up some of the sauce and flavor. I did this because the sauce is rather thin, and I thought this would be a good way to not waste it - if it soaked up in to the pasta.

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Chicken with Olives, Tomatoes and Orzo

Chicken with Olives, Tomatoes and Orzo
Modified from: My Recipes.com

YIELD: 6 servings (serving size: 2 chicken thighs and about 1/3 cup sauce)

Ingredients
12 chicken thighs (about 4 pounds), skinned -- (I used 3 thighs for us)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon olive oil (I skipped this)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 to 3 teaspoons crushed red pepper (I skipped this)
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained (I used a 14 oz can)
1/4 cup sliced pitted kalamata olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I used dried parsley)
 ** I added minced onion, some Italian seasoning, and mixed in Orzo

I'm going to tell you how I made this dish here - and the original recipe is below in case you want to compare. I put the chicken in the crock pot raw... I knew I was going to cook it all day - so it was easier for me. I then put the tomato paste in a bowl and whisked it with the white wine. I mixed that in the crock pot with the chicken and tomatoes. I added the rest of the ingredients: salt, pepper, garlic, dried parsley, minced onion, Italian seasoning, and olives. Put everything on low for 5-6 hours.

I then boiled 1 cup of dry orzo in water, and once it was cooked - I added it to the crock pot and put it on the warm setting. I did it for ease of cooking with the kids - that was when I tested it and took the photo above. When I served it to my family - the sauce had completely soaked into the orzo... so if you have the ability - I'd add the orzo and mix it in just before eating.

You could serve it over rice or something else if you'd prefer. It does change the nutritional values below... but I think it's worth it to balance out the meal.


Original Preparation

Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Place chicken in an electric slow cooker. Add garlic to pan, and sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add wine,
scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 30 seconds. Place wine mixture in cooker. Add tomato paste, crushed red pepper, and tomatoes to cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 hours. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper, olives, and parsley.
 
Nutritional Information: Amount per serving
Calories: 270
Fat: 12.9g
Saturated fat: 3.3g
Monounsaturated fat: 5.6g
Polyunsaturated fat: 2.8g
Protein: 29.1g
Carbohydrate: 8.7g
Fiber: 2.2g
Cholesterol: 99mg
Iron: 2.4mg
Sodium: 658mg
Calcium: 44mg
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Lasagna Roll-Ups

Lasagna Roll-Ups
Courtesy of ME!

Package of Lasagna Noodles
1 container of ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 medium zucchini, grated
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce (I used Classico Spinach)
1-2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

This recipe makes about 9-10 rolls - which for our family is plenty because currently John and I only eat about 1 roll per meal. For larger families, or if you think your family will eat more - you might want to double up on the ingredients in the filling mixture. I had quite a few lasagna noodles left over - so you should be fine with one package. 

Boil your lasagna noodles. Drain and rinse with cold water. Separate the noodles and lay them out on a towel lined cookie sheet. We had more than one layer - so I just covered each layer with a separate towel and kept stacking.

In a skillet, brown your ground beef with salt, pepper, the Italian seasoning, and onion. Once browned, allow the mixture to cool. In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan, 1/4 cup of the spaghetti sauce, and beef mixture.

In the bottom of a baking dish, spread a few tablespoons of the spaghetti sauce. You want to make sure that the bottom of the dish is covered lightly so that the noodles don't dry out.

Lay out 1 lasagna noodle on a cutting board, spoon some of the ricotta mixture on the noodle to cover it.

Then roll up the noodle.

Ideally, the rolls would stand up in the pan. Mine wasn't deep enough - so I had to lay them side by side. You will want to pack the rolls in tightly so that they can keep their moisture. If they stand up in the pan, you will be able to fit them all in one dish - I had to use two in order to bake mine.

Once you get all the rolls made up, cover them with the remaining sauce - a little bit on each roll so that the noodles continue to have plenty of moisture so they don't dry out. Top them with mozzarella cheese and bake for about 20-25 minutes until the mozzarella cheese is melted and the rolls are warm. Pin It Now!

Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala

I made this last Sunday, but completely forgot to take a picture of mine - because I wasn't feeling very well. 

Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala

Courtesy of Pillsbury.com

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 jars (6 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
1 cup sweet Marsala wine or chicken broth (I used 1/2 a cup of each)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Spray 4-5 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, place garlic and oil. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; place in cooker over garlic. Place mushrooms over chicken; pour wine over everything.

Cover; cook on low heat setting about 5-6 hours.

Remove chicken from cooker; place on plate and cover to keep warm. In small bowl, mix water and cornstarch until smooth; stir into liquid in cooker. Increase heat setting to high; cover and cook about 10 minutes or until sauce is thickened slightly.

Return chicken to cooker. Cover and cook on high heat setting 5 minutes longer or until chicken is hot.

To serve, spoon mushrooms mixture over chicken breasts and sprinkle with parsley.

In the photo - they served it over white rice, but we chose to have ours over egg noodles instead. This makes a simple easy dinner when served with a salad.

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Chicken & Spinach Casserole

Chicken & Spinach Casserole

Unknown source

1 whole rotisserie chicken, shredded (I used 2 chicken breasts that I pre-roasted instead)

2 packages frozen spinach, thawed

1 cup sour cream

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup Parmesan, shredded or grated

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 whole onion, diced

1 head garlic, minced (I used about 5-6 cloves)

1 box pasta shells, cooked (I used spirals instead because I had them)

Preheat oven to 420 degrees. Saute onion and garlic until translucent. Add spinach and cook until all liquid has evaporated. Mix chicken, pasta, spinach, sour cream, mayonnaise, mozzarella, and season to taste with salt & pepper. Pour into ovenproof casserole dish. Mix Parmesan and breadcrumbs and sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake 25-30 minutes.

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Cathi's Turkey Burgers

Cathi's Turkey Burgers

Courtesy of my sister Cathi

1tbls dijon mustard

8-10 oz of spinach (thaw and squeeze dry)

salt

pepper

garlic

minced onion

1 lb ground turkey

1 egg (added by John to a double batch)

1/4 cup bread crumbs (added by John)

Mix all ingredients together. Grill them until they are done, or you could pan fry them. Serve with your favorite hamburger toppings... we also put them on whole wheat hamburger buns.

** This recipe could be used with ground beef, ground pork, ground white meat turkey, or even ground chicken... I don't know if you can get ground seafood - but try it with your favorite ground meat!

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Honey Lemon Chicken

Honey Lemon Chicken
Courtesy of My Recipes.com

4 (4 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons honey
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken breast half between two sheets of wax paper. Pound the meat until evenly flattened. Repeat on all remaining chicken breasts.

Melt butter with honey in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until melted and blended. (I did mine in the microwave.)

Arrange chicken in a baking dish large enough to hold all chicken in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper to taste on both sides. Pour warmed honey mixture over chicken and place lemon slices on top.

Cover baking dish loosely with foil and bake until chicken is opaque and firm to the touch, about 20 minutes.

Spoon juices from bottom of baking dish over chicken and lemon several times. Sprinkle chicken with rosemary.Pin It Now!

Chicken Marsala Pasta Toss

Chicken Marsala Pasta Toss
Courtesy of Lauren's Kitchen

Half a box of rotini
2 tsps olive oil
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 1/2 cups sliced button mushrooms
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, cut into cubes
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tbs. butter
2 tbs. flour
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry marsala wine

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta to al dente. Drain and set aside.

Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a large skillet, cook green onions and mushrooms until tender, about five minutes. Season with a pinch of salt. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Add remaining olive oil to skillet and add chicken. Season with salt and pepper, stirring until just warmed through, about 3 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Note: John thinks that this would be good with some olives added to the dish... and I think that some sauteed spinach would be really good too.
Melt butter in skillet and add flour, stirring to form a roux. Cook for one minute. Slowly add chicken broth and wine, stirring constantly. Simmer sauce until bubbly and thickened. Add chicken and veggies to the sauce and heat through. Add sauce mixture to pasta and toss to combine. Garnish with additional green onion strips, if desired.

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Homestyle Turkey Meatloaf

Homestyle Turkey Meatloaf
Courtesy of the Cypress Family Fellowship Recipe Party 2009

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 pound mushrooms, trimmed and chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 (15 ounce) can great northern beans, drained
1 1/4 pounds extra lean ground turkey
2 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, plus extra for dipping

This healthy alternative to the typical meatloaf adds white beans for a delicious high-fiber twist. Serve extra Dijon mustard on the side for extra flavor.

Chop onions and mushrooms, and set aside. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, thyme, cayenne, paprika, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook; stiring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and mushrooms are incorporated, about 5 minutes longer. Add beans and stir to combine. Transfer mixture to a bowl and let cool, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine cooled bean mixture, turkey, eggs, parsley, and 2 teaspoons of the Worcestershire sauce. Mix well with wet hands or the dough hook of a stand mixer to combine. Form into a loaf and place into the prepared pan. Stir together mustard and remaining 2 teaspoons of the Worcestershire sauce and set aside.

Bake meatloaf on the middle rack of the oven for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with the mustard and Worcestershire sauce mixture. Return to the oven and continue baking 10-15 minutes longer, or until a thermometer inserted into the middle of the meatloaf registers 170 degrees. Let meatloaf stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with additional Dijon mustard on the side.

This would be great with a salad, and maybe some sauteed spinach.Pin It Now!