Bacon-Topped Petite Turkey Meatloaf

This meal thrilled my whole family for 2 reasons: First, this meatloaf is flavorful and not dry and second, it's topped with BACON! Winner! I've made this 4 times and it literally gets cheers from my kids & the hubby when I serve it. Recipe slightly adapted from skinnytaste.com

3/4 cup grated zucchini, all moisture squeezed dry with a paper towel

2 Tablespoons onion, minced

2 Tablespoons red pepper, diced 

1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

1/4 cup barbecue sauce

1 large egg

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1.3 pounds 93% lean ground turkey

5 slices center-cut bacon, cut in half

2 1/2 Tablespoons barbecue sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a petite loaf pan with oil (If you don't have one, a muffin tin would work) and set aside.

In a large bowl (I use my stand mixer with the paddle attachment), mix the zucchini, onion, red pepper, breadcrumbs, BBQ sauce, egg, paprika and salt. Add the turkey and combine just until mixed through. 

Divide meatloaf mixture evenly between 5 loaves and smooth tops with a spoon. Place 2 bacon halves over each loaf and top each with 1/2 Tablespoon additional BBQ sauce.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until cooked through. Serves 5. 

Nutritional information per loaf: *Calories: 259 *Fat: 10 g *Carbs: 17 g *Fiber: 1.2 g. *Protein: 25 g *Sodium: 940 mg.

Baked Ziti with Turkey Sausage

HAPPY 2013!!!!!!!!

With each New Year so many people focus their efforts on eating healthy and getting or staying in shape and our family is doing the same! I made some delicious and HEALTHY recipes over the holidays that I can't wait to share with you this week! This is a Weight Watcher's recipe, but you'd never know it. My daughter asked me when she took her first bite, "Mom, did this food fall from heaven?" 

Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers.com

3/4 pound(s) uncooked turkey sausage, casings removed (I used Jimmy Dean reduced-fat pork sausage)
1 medium uncooked onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
10 oz. frozen green peas, thawed
2 Tablespoon canned tomato paste
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. fennel seed
1/2 tsp. table salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
12 oz. uncooked whole-wheat pasta, ziti, cooked according to package directions (I used Dreamfield's low-carb penne pasta)
6 oz. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Crumble the sausage meat into a large saucepan and brown over medium heat, stirring often, about 4 minutes.Drain off any fat, then add the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes, peas, tomato paste, oregano, basil, thyme, fennel seeds, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook uncovered 5 minutes, stirring often.

Stir in the cooked pasta and half the cheese. Spread evenly into a 9- X 13-inch baking pan. Top evenly with the remaining cheese.

Bake until the cheese has melted and the casserole is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature before serving. Serves 8.

Weight Watcher's Points Plus value: 8 points per serving

Hearty Spaghetti Sauce

We moved this summer and the second night in our new home, our neighbor brought this Turkey Spaghetti sauce for dinner and a fabulous dessert (Marshmallow Krispie Brownies) to introduce herself. Now THAT's the way to make friends, people! We still had boxes to the ceiling and I hadn't made a home-cooked meal in days. Needless to say, I called her to ask for the recipes because we all loved them. This can be made with ground turkey or beef. 

Also, she brought me Dreamfields Pasta, which is my new favorite pasta. It has a low glycemic index, which for those non-diabetics, it means that it doesn't cause such a speedy rise in your blood sugar when you eat it. In fact, out of the 41 grams of carbohydrate in each serving, only 5 grams "count." As a Diabetic, I am always looking for ways to cut carbs, so I am a big fan! I can find it at 2 of my local grocery stores and I seriously can't taste any difference between Dreamfields and regular pasta.  The Turkey Spaghetti Sauce itself is low-carb, but with this new pasta, it's a legitimate "low-carb pasta meal." Hooray for that!

Anyway, I digress... Here's the recipe, from my neighbor Sharon:)  Serves about 8.

1 pound lean ground turkey or beef

1 green pepper, diced

1 onion, diced

1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes

1 (15 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1/4 teaspoon (or less) cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon sage

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

Brown meat with onion and green pepper and set aside.

Mix tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and spices in a large pot. Add browned meat and vegetables and stir well. Cover and let simmer over low heat for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve sauce over cooked pasta. 

Turkey Ragu with Fontina and Parmesan

Yum! This hearty meal was a hit with my whole family. I used whole grain penne pasta in place of the elbow macaroni. Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
1-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 (14.5 ounce) can canned diced tomatoes with their juice
1 (14.5 ounce) can canned crushed tomatoes
2 Tbs. dried parsley
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup grated fontina cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions until pasta is al dente (still a little firm). Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in garlic. Cook for 1 minute, then add the ground turkey. Cook and stir until the turkey is no longer pink. Mix in the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, parsley, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Combine pasta with the tomato sauce in the skillet. Toss pasta with the fontina cheese and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese until the cheese is melted. Serve pasta in a large bowl with 3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. Serves 8.

Fresh Tomato, Sausage, and Pecorino Pasta

My oldest daughter has been on a major pasta kick lately and every time I ask for her input on dinner, she says, "pasta!" This recipe has been on my Dinner Ideas board on Pinterest for a few weeks and it was A.MAZ.ING! Recipe from Cooking Light, September 2009. Recipes says it serves 4 (2 cup servings) but it easily fed my family of 5, with leftovers:)

8 ounces uncooked penne pasta
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage (I used lean Jennie-O Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup onion, vertically sliced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/4 pounds tomatoes, chopped
6 tablespoons grated fresh Pecorino Romano cheese*, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add sausage and onion to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring to crumble sausage. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pasta, 2 tablespoons cheese, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and basil.

*NOTES: Pecorino Romano is a hard Italian sheep's milk cheese with a sharp, salty flavor. I used it and really liked the flavor. You could substitute Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) or Romano cheese (made from cow's milk).

Per 2 cup serving: 389 calories, 10.7 g fat, 21.6 g protein, 4.5 g. fiber, 53.5 g carbohydrate, 595 mg sodium.

Baked Ziti

I made this for my kids and my friend who stayed with them recently when my husband and I went out of town. Since both my friend and my kids raved about it, I had to make it again so I could try it! The verdict... DELICIOUS! I found it when searching for "freezer meals" and it makes a lot, so it would be perfect to split it into 2 square pans and cook one that night and freeze the other for a later dinner. Source: adapted by Annie's Eats from Cook’s Illustrated, March & April 2009

1 lb. (16 ounces or 2 cups) cottage cheese

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 cups), divided

salt

1 lb. (10 ounces) ziti pasta*
1 Tbs. olive oil
20 oz. turkey Italian sausage
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 (28 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves, divided
1 tsp. sugar
ground black pepper
3/4 tsp. cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream (or whole milk)
8 oz. low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350° F. Whisk cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in a medium bowl; set aside. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta; cook until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Drain the pasta and leave in colander.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Crumble in the turkey sausage and cook until nearly browned. Add in the onion and garlic and continue to cook until the onion is softened and the sausage is completely browned. Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and oregano; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Off the heat, stir in 1/2 cup basil and the sugar, and season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl stir together the cornstarch and heavy cream. Transfer the mixture to the now-empty stockpot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and add the cottage cheese mixture, 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce and 3/4 cup mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the pasta and toss to coat thoroughly with the sauce.

Transfer the pasta to a 9×13″ baking dish and spread the remaining tomato sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over the top. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil from the pan and continue to cook until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve.

*NOTE: If you can't find ziti pasta, try penne instead. Penne is much more common in stores.

Lettuce wraps

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE PF Chang's lettuce wraps and I've been craving these for weeks! I found this recipe on Our Best Bites that I adapted to my family's tastes. They can be served as an appetizer, but I actually served them for dinner with some steamed broccoli and rice...

Ingredients:

1 pound ground chicken or turkey (or use cooked & shredded chicken or turkey)

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 Tbs. fresh ginger, finely minced

1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, minced (I used a bit more)

1/2 a head of cabbage, minced (about 3 cups)

3-4 green onions, chopped

1 (8 oz.) can water chestnuts, drained & chopped

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 medium lemon, zested & juiced

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 Tbs. seasoned rice vinegar

2 tsp. honey

2 tsp. sesame oil (*ln the Asian food section at the market)

1/4-1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

1-2 heads lettuce, washed (Bibb, Iceberg or Romaine)

1.  Wash lettuce and separate individual leaves on a paper towel to drain. Refrigerate until serving to keep crisp.

2.  Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray and add garlic & ginger and ground chicken or turkey, breaking up the meat as you cook. (If you have cooked & shredded chicken or turkey, skip to the next step and add meat later). Cook meat until no longer pink. Drain, if necessary.

3.  Add mushrooms, cabbage, green onions, water chestnuts and cooked chicken or turkey. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring frequently.

4.  In the meantime, zest the lemon and squeeze the juice into a bowl. Add soy sauce, honey and sesame oil and stir well. Pour on top of the meat and vegetable mixture, combine and continue cooking until cabbage is softened. 

5.  Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro. 

6.  Serve the mixture on lettuce leaves and roll up (taco style) to eat. Serve with Dipping Sauce, if desired.

DIPPING SAUCE  (Mix together in a small bowl):

2 Tbs. sesame seeds

6 Tbs. soy sauce

2 Tbs. seasoned rice vinegar

1 Tb. honey

Glazed Turkey Meatloaf Minis

**A fun twist on meatloaf, with smaller portions for little ones and a glaze that we all love! Recipe from Nancy.


1 1/2 lb. ground turkey (or ground beef)
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup bread crumbs (or 1 cup bread in bite-size pieces)
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup chopped onion (or 1 TBSP dry minced onion)
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sage
1/4 tsp dry mustard

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix with a spoon until just blended. Spoon mixture into 12 greased muffin cups.

Glaze:
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup Ketchup
3 TBSP brown sugar
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Spoon glaze on top of meat mixture, then bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. My younger kids (2-5 yrs) fill up with just one muffin-sized serving, older kids and I like two, and my husband often eats three! I also use a fabulous silicone pan which requires no greasing and the meatloaves just pop right out! Truly one of my favorite baking tools!

Chicken (or Turkey) Tetrazzini

I had some leftover turkey that needed to be used and remembered this recipe that my Mom used to make. She often made this dish for dinner when we were little and it is not only divine, but it feels like comfort food to me. We couldn't find the recipe that she used to use, but this one is very close and super yummy. My kids all cleared their plates and requested more!

8 ounces spaghetti or linguine
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (you can use canned)
1/2 cup diced onion
2 Tbs. butter
1/4 cup flour

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup evaporated milk

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken or turkey

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan melt butter and saute mushrooms and onion until tender. Stir in flour, pepper, and nutmeg. Add chicken broth and milk and cook over medium heat until sauce is thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in meat and half of the cheese. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat.

3. Transfer chicken and pasta mixture to an 8x8 casserole dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and almonds, if desired.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until heated through and slightly browned on top.

Turkey Chili with Corn Pancakes

This is my adaption of a Rachel Ray recipe from several years ago. The Corn Pancakes are amazing and would be good with most chili or hearty soup.

TURKEY CHILI:

Cook for 6 minutes, breaking up the meat:

          1 pound ground turkey or chicken

Add & cook for 5 minutes:

          2 garlic cloves, chopped

          3 celery ribs, chopped

          1 medium onion, chopped

          2 carrots, chopped

          1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (I omit)

Add and concentrate the flavor by cooking over medium heat for 2-3 minutes:

          6 oz. chicken broth

Stir in, cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes:

          1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

          1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, well drained 

CORN PANCAKES:

          2 boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix (or 2 cups cornbread mix)

          2 eggs

          2/3 cup milk

Mix well with a whisk. Batter should be slightly thin. Add another Tablespoon of milk, if needed. Pour pancakes by 1/4 cup onto hot, well-oiled griddle or non-stick skillet (about 300°) and cook until bubbles form at the edges. Flip and cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Serve Chili with hot Corn Pancakes on top. Chili and Corn Pancakes serve 6.

Mom's Jambalaya

           When I was younger, I remember coming home to the amazing smell of my Mom's Jambalaya cooking on the stove. You can find Tony's Creole Seasoning at most grocery stores and I love it sprinkled on vegetables too. Yum!

Cook until soft in a large stockpot:

           1 roll fully cooked lean turkey sausage or kielbasa, cut into small discs

           1 large onion, diced

           1 green bell pepper, diced

           4 stalks celery, diced

Add to stockpot. Cover, simmer and stir occasionally for 30 minutes, or until rice is soft and water absorbed:

           2 cups uncooked long-gain rice

           1 (16 oz.) can stewed or diced tomatoes, undrained

           4 cups chicken broth or stock

           Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning, to taste

           Salt & pepper, to taste

Teriyaki Turkey Burritos

*from Alli Elggren

10 raw tortillas, cooked
1 lb. lean ground turkey
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 garlic clove minced, or 1/8-1/4 tsp. garlic powder
16 oz package broccoli coleslaw mix (my store carries smaller bags so I use two)
1 Tbsp. oil
1/3 c. teriyaki sauce (I use closer to 1/2 c.)
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

*Cook tortillas and wrap tightly in foil. Warm in oven at 325 degrees for 10 minutes. Meanwhile cook turkey, onion, and garlic in a large, deep skillet until turkey is no longer pink; drain. Pour into bowl and set aside.
In the same skillet, stir-fry the broccoli slaw mix in oil for 10 minutes. Add teriyaki sauce & pepper; cook & stir for 1 minute. Stir in cheese and turkey mixture and heat through. Spoon 1/2 c. filling in each tortilla and roll up.

*5 servings, with 2 burritos each