Turkey Taco Boats

My family fell in love with this recipe this summer when my sister in law made these at our family reunion.  This is a healthier (and in my opinion, more delicious) option to regular ground beef tacos. You guys, seriously... I make this at least three or four times a month, it's one of our favorites!  They get devoured every time.  The recipe is from Skinny Taste. I revised it a bit simply because I'm lazy and don't feel like cutting green peppers and onions. I've actually never added green peppers, but sometimes add onions, or if I'm lazy will just add onion powder.  I also buy turkey in 2 lb. containers, so I just went ahead and did a new recipe using four pounds of turkey, and use just a little less water.  I also forego a tortilla and use romaine hearts to hold my taco.  My daughter even does it! I don't even miss the taco shell! You want to add this to your meal rotation - you won't be disappointed. Enjoy! 

Turkey Taco Recipe

Adapted from Skinny Taste

2 lbs. lean ground turkey

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. onion powder (or 1 small onion diced)

1 c. water

8 oz. tomato sauce

1.  Brown turkey in large skillet until no longer pink.  

2. Add seasonings, water, and tomato sauce. Mix well. 

3. Simmer on low for about 20 minutes.  

4. Serve in a lettuce wrap, tortilla, or taco shell. 

How I assemble my taco boats:

Copy Cat Zupas Cauliflower Soup

It's Copy Cat Week!!  Yay!!!!

You know that one of my favorite things is to get recipes from my favorite dishes at restaurants and make them at home!  I've gotten requests to find recipes of foods I haven't eaten and that's fun too!  If someone else talks about how good a dish is at a restaurant I am more than happy in finding a copy cat recipe and trying it.  Like this one!!!

I have never eaten at Zupas, however, I have heard so many people rave about this soup, so I had to try it! 

I found this recipe on Pinterest, and it claimed to be identical.  I have no idea if it was, but it was creamy and delicious!  So delicious that I made it twice within one week!  I told my kids that it was like potato soup, and they ate it!  Even after I told them it was  made with cauliflower! 

It was a great meal for our snowy cold days.  Also, a relatively nutritious meal you can feed your family for under $10 and have some leftover for your husband to take in his lunch the next day (if you don't claim it yourself!)

Seriously, it was sooo delicious.  I encourage topping it with the cheese, bacon, and onions - so good!!!

Copy Cat Zupas Cauliflower Soup
Recipe from HERE

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 T butter
• 2 pounds cauliflower, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• ¼ C flour
• 2 C half and half
• 1½ cup water
• 1 14½ ounce can chicken broth
• 1½ C sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• ½ C pepper jack cheese, shredded
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• Optional Toppings:
• Green Onions
• Bacon Bits
• Additional Cheese

Instructions

1. In a large pot, melt 3 T butter and cook the chopped onion until translucent and golden brown. Whisk in the flour. Gradually stir in half and half, water and chicken broth.
2. Add the chopped cauliflower and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium low and allow the cauliflower to cook until tender about 15 minutes.
3. In a blender with the center of the top removed to allow steam to escape, blend the soup in batches until smooth. Return to the pot. (Instead of using a blender I use my immersion blender - much easier!)
4. Heat soup to medium heat and add in dijon mustard and cheese and stir until melted. Serve with optional toppings.  (I just take my soup off the heat, use the immersion blender, then add the cheese and mustard without putting it back on the heat.)
5. Enjoy!

Crock Pot Parmesan Honey Pork

I love my crock pot cooking!  I saw this recipe on Pinterest and had a pork roast in the freezer and the ingredients in my pantry - a match made in heaven (and in my wallet)!

It's a super easy, super simple recipe.  Since you make a gravy with the drippings I of course had to serve it with mashed potatoes!  The one change I made is that I strained the drippings so that the gravy was smooth without all the lumps and discards from the drippings in it. 

You can find the recipe HERE.

Pizza Pull Apart Bread

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and read the reviews and figured I needed to try it.  I think store bought pizza dough tastes like play dough sometimes, so I decided to make my own dough. 

This was a super easy recipe and a great recipe your kids can help with.  In fact they cut all the pepperoni and rolled all the dough while my hair was getting checked for LICE!  (LICE!!!)  They love helping make dinner and this is something your kids can very easily do. 

My kids loved helping and my kids loved eating it!  Super easy, and yummy!

Pull Apart Pizza Bread Recipe

Adapted from THIS RECIPE

• 2 Cans of Pizza Dough or Biscuits (I used my recipe for Pizza Factory Bread sticks - below)
• 2 cups Mozzarella cheese (or an Italian blend)
• 2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning
• 1 – 8 oz package of pepperoni
• 1 cup Parmesean cheese
• ½ teaspoon of garlic powder 
•  ⅓ cup olive oil

• Your favorite Pizza Sauce (I used some marinara spaghetti sauce)

Pizza Factory Bread sticks Recipe (see HERE to make the bread sticks)

1 T. yeast

2 T. sugar

1 1/2 C. warm water

1 T. oil

1 tsp. salt

3 1/2 C. flour

 

Instructions

 

1.  Mix the yeast, sugar and water and let sit for a couple of minutes to dissolve the yeast. Add the oil, salt and flour and knead by hand or with your mixer with a dough hook for about 5 minutes.

2.  Cover and let rise until double.

 

3.  Meanwhile - Mix the seasonings and cheese together in a bowl.  

4.  Cut pepperoni into smaller pieces and add to the bowl and mix. 

5.  Lightly flour your hands and roll the dough into small balls.  Place them in the bowl with the pepperoni and cheeses, mix around every so often so the dough just doesn't stick to each other.  

6.  Add olive oil and pour in bowl and mix all together.  (Honestly, I didn't measure here, I just poured and mixed, and poured and mixed as needed, until I thought things were evenly coated.)

7.  Place mixture into greased tubed cake pan. 

 

8.  Let them rise until doubled.

 

9.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake for about 20-30 minutes.  Make sure to check the middle before you remove from oven.  If middle is still not cooked be sure to leave it in until it's done.  

10.  Flip over onto a plate while it's hot.

11. Serve with your favorite pizza sauce or marinara and enjoy!

Flour hands, Roll dough, Toss in bowl with mixture

Thank You Pinterest for Lazy Chicken

I've been in a depressed kind of funk lately, and then I realized that I haven't been cooking and trying new recipes, which makes me happy - so I turned to my Pinterest boards and made a plan!

I've tried quite a few new recipes and I thought I'd share the good ones with you!  I tried this Chicken Marsala, and while edible, I won't make it again.  I don't have Marsala wine on hand to cook with, and I often sub vegetable broth with no problems, but this recipe was way too bland with just the broth.

One of the good recipes was this Chicken Lazone! I have no idea what the word Lazone means or even how to pronounce it, so I'm just going to call this recipe Lazy Chicken, because it was super easy and you can make it even if you're feeling lazy like I was!

It's flavor is similar to an alfredo sauce, but not as thick as an alfredo sauce.  We also sprinkled parmesan cheese over the top of ours and it was delish!  The recipe calls for cream and if you don't want to be a Fatty McFatterson like me, you can sub some milk or half and half and I'm sure it will be fine. 

Lazy Chicken Recipe
Recipe from HERE

• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 lb chicken tenders
• 1/4 cup butter, divided
• 2 cups heavy cream (I used about 1.5 cups of cream, and 1/2 cup of 2% milk)
• Parmesan Cheese for sprinkling on top

1. Combine salt, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.  Sprinkle over both sides of chicken tenders.

2.  In large saute pan, melt half of the butter over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until done, about 8 minutes.

3.  Pour the cream and remaining butter into the skillet.  Lower heat and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 5-7 minutes.  Serve chicken and sauce over pasta or mashed potatoes, if desired, (I used spaghetti noodles.)

Enjoy!!

Mushroom Chicken Asiago

I found this recipe via Pinterest a while back.  Even though my picture isn't pretty, it is delicious and a simple "gourmet" meal! The recipe is from The Midnight Baker and I went to her site again to put the link here and apparently is super popular and has won awards.  I had purchased some asiago cheese to make bagels and came across this recipe and made it instead!  It's delicious!  You should try it! 

Mushroom Chicken Asiago Recipe

Recipe from The Midnight Baker

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast (about 2 large)
• 2 cups mushrooms, cut in half
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 springs fresh thyme (I used dry thyme and didn't measure)
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine (I used vegetable broth)
• 1/2 cup seasoned flour
• 2 tbs butter
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4-1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1/4 tsp pepper (or to taste)
• seasoned flour:
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Pound chicken breast with a meat mallet between 2 sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap until meat is uniform thickness; about 1/4-inch. Cut into serving-sized pieces (2 or 3 pieces per breast)

Heat the butter with *1* tbs of olive oil in deep, heavy skillet or saute pan over medium heat.

Dredge chicken in seasoned flour.  Add to hot oil/butter in skillet.  Saute until golden on each side, about 5 minutes per side.  Remove from pan.

Add remaining olive oil to hot skillet.  Saute mushrooms and garlic until mushrooms begin to brown.

Add vegetable broth to skillet, scraping up all the browned bits that are at the bottom of the pan (deglazing). Bruise the fresh thyme by twisting it between your fingers or hitting it with the dull side of a knife in a few places.  Add thyme to mushroom/wine mixture in pan.  (I just used dried thyme, and I didn't measure)

Add the chicken back to the pan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Remove chicken from pan.  Add the cream and heat through. Add the asiago cheese (if you like it strongly flavored, use 1/2 cup; not as strongly flavored, use the 1/4 cup--asiago is a strong cheese and you can even use less for just a whisper of flavor).

Cook, stirring constantly over low heat until cheese melts. Continue cooking until sauce is reduced by about 1/2.  If you wish to skip the reduction step, you may thicken the sauce slightly with about 1 tbs instant flour or 1 tbs cornstarch mixed with 2 tbs water...however, the reduction will taste better.

Add chicken back to pan and heat through.

Garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme.  May be served over any pasta.

About 4 servings.

Fresh Tomato Tart with a Basil-Garlic Crust

My friend posted this recipe on her blog, and I had to make it!   It's a perfect recipe right now with all the basil and fresh tomatoes from your garden!  I think you could say its a second or third cousin to Margherita Pizza.  

The only changes I made was to use fresh mozzarella.  Then, I was also in a hurry and skimmed the directions and got it confused with a southwestern tart I make and blended the basil with my flour.  Jen's crust is a pretty green (see it HERE) because it was blended before adding the flour.  Next time, I'll get the pretty green crust! 

Fresh Tomato Tart w. Basil-Garlic Crust

Recipe from HERE

• 1 RECIPE BASIL-GARLIC TART DOUGH (Recipe below)
• 4 OUNCES SLICED MOZZARELLA (I used fresh)
• 2 LARGE, RIPE TOMATOES (ABOUT 1 POUND), CORED AND CUT CROSSWISE INTO THIN SLICES
• SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER
• 1 TABLESPOON EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

1. Prepare the dough (below), and press it into a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line the bottom of the tart shell with mozzarella. Arrange the tomatoes over the cheese in a ring around the edge of the tart and a second ring in the center. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.
3. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has started to brown in spots, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack for at least 5 minutes before slicing.(The tart may be covered and kept at room temperature for 6 hours.)

 Basil-Garlic Tart Dough

• 1/3 CUP FRESH BASIL LEAVES
• 1 MEDIUM GARLIC CLOVE
• 1 1/4 CUPS UNBLEACHED ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
• 1/2 TEASPOON KOSHER SALT
• 8 TABLESPOONS (1 STICK) UNSALTED BUTTER, CHILLED AND CUT INTO 8 TO 10 PIECES
• 4-5 TABLESPOONS ICE WATER

1. Place the basil and garlic in the work bowl of a food processor. Process, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until finely chopped. Add flour and salt; pulse to combine.
2. Add butter. Pulse about 10 times, or until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.
3. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing several times after each addition. After 4 tablespoons water have been added, process the dough for several seconds to see if the mixture forms a ball. If not, add remaining water. Process until dough forms into a ball. Remove dough from processor.
4. Flatten the dough into a 5-inch disk. Wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (The dough can be placed in a zipper-lock plastic bag and refrigerated for several days or frozen for 1 month. If frozen, defrost the dough in the refrigerator.)
5. Preheat oven to 375. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Lay the dough over the tart pan, and press it into the pan. Trim the dough and bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes. Let cool slightly and proceed with recipe above.

Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup

My BFF shared this recipe with me and it's perfect right now because butternut squash is getting ripe on the vine for all you lucky ducks that have butternut squash (apparently I planted a hybrid, boo!), and I had just picked some kale from my garden.  It was so super yummy!!  I think I've eaten the whole pot by myself.  Not even kidding.

Not going to lie, I was super skeptical about this tasting good.  I think my ten year old self took over briefly while I was cooking and looking at all the vegetables together and wondering how they could taste good.  But, it did and it was fabulous.  So fabulous, I had it for breakfast. 

Enjoy!

Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup 
Original Recipe from HERE

Ingredients

• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced in small discs
• 2 large tomatoes, quartered
• 1 large onion, cut into wedges or  4 or 5 slices
• 1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut in chunk size for soup.
• 6 peeled garlic cloves or 3 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 6 cups or more of vegetable broth (I did end up using a little more)
• 4 cups of finely chopped kale (I use my frozen kale from summer harvest)
• 1/8 tsp. dried ground thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 15 oz can of Great Northern white beans, drained
• Salt (I used sea salt)
• Pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush rimmed baking sheet with a thin coat of olive oil. Arrange carrots, squash, tomatoes, onion, and garlic on sheet. Drizzle with more olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast vegetables until they are brown and tender, stirring occasionally, about 40 - 45 minutes.
2. Pick out garlic cloves, tomatoes, and onion and puree until smooth (or keep chunky if you like chunky, but my kids don't). Pour 1/2 cup broth onto the baking sheet; scrape up any browned bits. Transfer broth and vegetable puree to large pot. Add 5 1/2 cups broth, kale, thyme and bay leaf to pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until kale is tender, about 30 minutes.
3. Add carrots, beans, and squash to soup. Simmer 8 minutes to blend flavors, adding more broth to thin soup if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
Can be made a day ahead.  
4. Enjoy!

So, I didn't really read the original directions very well and ended up doing it this way, and now just do it this way every time.  Though I do only quarter my tomatoes and onions NOT dice them.  That took way too long to separate!  But, they smelled so good, and I couldn't get my niece to stop eating the carrots they were so yummy!! 

*Please note this recipe does not freeze very well, the butternut squash tends to get mushy. 

Continued Experiments with Recipes

This week I posted about my homemade granola bars.  Well, I made another batch but didn't have any honey, I had agave nectar, used that instead, and LOVED it!  It turned out great!  I think you could even sub agave nectar instead of the brown sugar.  Love!

Last night, I had some sauce leftover from my Polynesian Pork Tenderloin with orange curry sauce, and decided to try it over some salmon.  Delish!  Why had I never thought of it sooner?!?!?!  I actually think this sauce would go much better with a mahi mahi or other white fish.  The creaminess of this sauce would go better with those types of fish versus a salmon.  It was still great, but I would use on a white fish next time.  Seriously, this would make your regular ho hum fish not so ho hum anymore!!! 

Orange Curry Sauce Recipe
3 Oranges juiced
1 T. minced fresh garlic
1 bunch green onions (only the whites and pale green parts at the bottom) minced
1 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. bottled roasted red bell peppers, chopped or pureed
1 T. fresh ginger finely grated
1 T. red curry paste
1/4 c. chive and onion cream cheese

1. Add the ginger, peppers, broth, ginger, curry paste, and orange juice.

2.  Bring to a boil and cook for about 12 minutes or until mixture is reduced by half.  Cool.

3.  Process sauce in food processor or blender.  Return sauce to pan over low heat whisk in cream cheese until melted.

Skillet Lasagna

My friend introduced me to skillet lasagna when I was visiting her, and I loved it!   So, I searched on the InternetPinterest a little bit and I found a bunch of recipes, and this one was actually just like hers.  Actually, there are a billion recipes out there that are exactly alike, and you guessed it half of them claim they are original recipes.  (Literally word for word people... Do these people think we are stupid?)

Anyway... It's delicious and much faster and easier than regular lasagna as well!  I also love the added fresh basil on the top!  My friend just tore hers in larger pieces, but I diced mine pretty fine so my kids wouldn't complain about it.

Make it and enjoy!! 

Skillet Lasagna Recipe 

Found HERE 

• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• Water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• Salt
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 pound meatloaf mix, ground sirloin or Italian sausage
• 10 curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch lengths
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (I also used fresh mozzarella)
• Pepper
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 3 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1. Pour tomatoes with their juices into 1-quart liquid measuring cup. Add water until mixture measures 1 quart.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add meat and cook, breaking apart meat, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.
3. Scatter pasta onto meat but do not stir. Pour diced tomatoes with juice and tomato sauce over pasta. Cover and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Dot with heaping tablespoons of ricotta, mozzarella, cover, and let stand off heat for five minutes. Sprinkle with basil and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Serve.

Round Steak Sauerbraten

When you rolled out of bed this morning, you didn't know it, but today is your lucky day!  It is... It's kind of like you won the lottery - or better because people won't ask you for money they'll just ask you for this recipe!

I'm sharing one of my most favoritest recipes with you!  This is my family's favorite!!  Maybe I convinced John to marry me after making this for him...

This is most definitely a crowd pleaser! I promise!!!  It is similar to a stroganoff kind of recipe, but this uses steak, no cream of mushroom soup, and a secret ingredient - Ginger!  Seriously, I think you're going to like it LOVE it!

I challenge you to just try not to lick your plate...

Round Steak Sauerbraten Recipe

1 ½ lb. round steak

2 pkg. brown gravy mix (I use the reduced sodium kind)

2 ½ c. water

1 T. minced onion

2 T. brown sugar

2 T. white vinegar

1 tsp. ground ginger

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 bay leaf

1 c. sour cream (you can use light or whatever kind you like)

1.  Cut steak into 1 inch squares.  In a large skillet, brown meat in a little bit of olive oil.  Remove from skillet and set aside.  

2.  Put water and gravy mix in skillet and stir to dissolve.  Bring to boil stirring constantly.   

3. Whisk in remaining ingredients (except the sour cream).  Return meat to skillet; cover and simmer 1 ½ hours or until tender, stirring occasionally.   (Don't skimp on cooking time - it makes a difference)

4.  When ready to serve, remove bay leaf and add sour cream and stir until combined.  Serve over cooked, hot egg noodles.  

5.  Enjoy! 

Meal in a Pumpkin

I'm going to try and wrap up all my unpublished posts from 2013 before the month is out... I just came across this one.

On Halloween night, I tried to be festive and made our annual dinner in a pumpkin with apple cider to drink, and my kids wouldn't touch it!  They have eaten it before, but that night it was a no go!

The photo of the meal in a pumpkin was much prettier this particular year...  HERE

I don't really have a recipe for this I just add the following things into a cleaned out pumpkin and bake it in a pumpkin at 350 until the pumpkin forks done like a baked potato.

1 lb. of ground beef
cooked rice
Worcestershire sauce
Salt
Pepper
Cream of Mushroom Soup (This year I made mine from scratch!)

I even scrape the pumpkin out and eat it with the filling!  Yum! 

Turkey (or chicken) Pot Pie

I've been making this recipe since college.  I adapted this recipe out of a friend's family cookbook.  It's my favorite and I love that it's a favorite in some of my friend's homes now as well!!  My friends ten year old can even make it - so you can too!! 

Turkey or Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

1/3 c. butter
1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. grated onion (heaping)  or 1 small - medium onion diced
1/2 tsp. salt or seasoned salt to taste
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 small clove garlic (optional!)
1 3/4 c. chicken broth (or turkey broth if you still have some leftover!)
2/3 c. milk
10 oz. steamfresh frozen veggies or 2 c. of carrots and frozen peas (already cooked)

Melt butter over medium heat.  Saute onions and garlic if using.  Whisk in flour until smooth.  Add salt and pepper.  Stir in broth and milk.  Heat to boiling until thick.  Remove from heat add (cooked) vegetables and cooked turkey or chicken.  There is nothing worse than a pot pie with vegetables that aren't cooked all the way. (Been there. Done that...)  Let the filling mixture hang out in a pot NOT on the hot stove while you make your crust. 

Crust Recipe

Makes crust for two pies or top and bottom of one pie
(This crust can also be used for dessert pies, but you would need to add 2 T. sugar to the dry ingredients)  

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2  tsp. salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter
1/2 - 3/4 c. ice cold water

Mix dry ingredients.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender until pieces of butter are the size of peas.  Add water and mix until dough comes together.  I've always found pie dough to be different every time with the amount of water?  It helps to bring it together with your hands by kneading it just a bit.  You don't want to overwork pie dough.  Be careful not to add too much water - or it just gets sticky and won't turn out as flaky.

Take your dough and divide it into to two rounds.

Roll out your bottom pie dough and place in large pie plate.  Add filling.  Roll out your top dough and place it on top of filling and pinch edges together.  I usually cut a few pretty slits in the top of the dough in the middle.  

Bake at 340 degrees for about 40 -45 minutes or until dough is lightly browned. 

Enjoy!

Turkey (or Chicken) Lasagna

If there was leftover turkey from a holiday meal, my mom would make this!  It's always a crowd pleaser!   We had company for dinner the night I made this, and they looked at it and asked cautiously what it was...  They took small servings, and then immediately scooped up three times their original serving.  Ha! 

This recipe is very forgiving - you can add or substitute for most ingredients.  I've made this different almost every time I make it.  My mom's recipe calls for canned cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup, I sub my own soups for those, but if you want a quicker version and are not highly opposed to it like some are, just use the canned kind!  I still do sometimes.

Turkey or Chicken Lasagna Recipe

12 lasagna noodles (cooked)
4 cups cubed or shredded turkey or chicken
1 cup Monterrey jack cheese grated
1 cup cheddar cheese grated
2 cup mozzarella cheese grated
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated (reserved for the top)

Filling:
1 cup cream of chicken soup substitute*
1 cup cream of mushroom soup substitute*
1 cup chicken broth
1 medium onion grated
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use the Olive Oil kind)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper

1.  Cook noodles as directed.  
2.  Mix filling ingredients together.  
3.  Grate cheese.  Mix all cheese together, except reserve Parmesan cheese for the top.
4.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a greased, 9x13 pan, pour just enough filling in the bottom of pan to coat.  Put three lasagna noodles on bottom of pan slightly overlapping, sprinkle some chicken, filling, and cheese.  Repeat three times.  Then add the final three noodles and put the last of the filling on top.  Top with a little bit of cheese mixture and the 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
5.  Grease aluminum foil and cover the lasagna with the aluminum foil greased side down.
6.  Bake at 350 for 35 minutes covered.  Uncover and cook 10 more minutes.

* You can use canned cream of chicken and mushroom soup if you don't want to make the substitute.

Cream of Chicken Substitute from HERE

2. T. butter
2 T. flour
1 c. chicken broth

Melt butter over medium heat.  Add flour.  Whisk until smooth.  Add chicken broth.  Whisk and cook for three minutes until thick. 

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Before and after being pureed

I know I said I was going to be posting my turkey leftovers, but I have to post this first because this goes in one of my leftover recipes.  

One day I decided I was going to my own cream soups and can them, then I would never buy another can of it in my life.  I have yet to can any, but I like making my own!

My friend posted this recipe on her blog a few years ago, and I LOVE it!  So, whenever I have a recipe that calls for cream of mushroom soup, I make this first!   It makes my house smell sooo yummy!  My kids come running in and asking what's for dinner?!

I halfed this recipe the first time I made it (Not sure why because my friend mentions in her post you can freeze it...), but probably because I didn't buy enough mushrooms.  The mushrooms didn't half in the quantity that is economical to buy, so every time I make this, the amount of mushrooms change! 

So, when I use this as a substitute for canned cream of mushroom soup, I use the soup without the cream in it.  If I eat it as soup, I add the cream.  Delicious either way.  You can also make this vegetarian by using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.  

I know not everyone uses a kitchen scale to measure ingredients, so I added the equivalent measurements for you.  Or what the ounces equaled in cups, etc.  Can I just put a plug in for the immersion blender?? How did my kitchen ever survive without it???? 

Original recipe HERE. 

Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe
(Makes 1/2 gallon)

1.5 oz. butter (3 T.)
4 oz. yellow onion diced (1 cup)
2 oz. celery diced (heaping 1/2 cup)
2 oz. leeks (1 cup)
2 lbs. mushrooms
1.5 quarts chicken stock (6 cups)
roux**
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
8 oz. heavy cream, heated

1.  Sweat onions, celery, leeks, mushrooms in butter
2.  At the same time make your roux*
2.  Add chicken stock and roux, stir to dissolve roux, bring to simmer for 30 minutes.
3.  Puree solids until smooth, simmer for 10 minutes
4.  Season with salt & pepper, to taste
5.  Add heated cream to soup and garnish just before serving.

** roux recipe

8 T. butter
8 T. flour

Melt butter, whisk in flour.  Cook boiling & whisking for 4 minutes. 

the roux cooking

This was before adding the mushrooms - Seriously this smells so amazing I almost forgot to add the mushrooms!

Spaghetti Squash Dinner

I do believe that I'm a little late to the spaghetti squash party, but better late than never right?

We had company over for dinner the night I made this, and one person said, speaking of the squash, "That's better than any regular spaghetti I have ever eaten!"  What??  

You guys, it was so good, easy, and healthy!  Why have I never made this before???

I looked at a lot of recipes and I used this one as a reference.


Cheesy Baked Spaghetti Squash Recipe


1  spaghetti squash
1- 2 cup of your favorite marinara or spaghetti sauce in each half  - depending on the size of your squash
Mozzarella cheese grated (or I used a blend of Italian cheeses)
Parmesan cheese grated

1. Cook your spaghetti squash. Stab it a few times all over, place on a paper-towel-lined plate, and microwave for 5-6 minutes. Turn the whole squash over and microwave for another 5-6 minutes, until squash is soft and easily pierced with a knife.  Slice the squash in half the long way, then scoop out the seeds. Using a fork, swirl the strands of squash around to separate. 
2. Pour 1- 2 cups of the marinara sauce into each squash half, add desired amounts of mozzarella, and swirl to coat the squash. Taste and add more sauce if you wish. Preheat your broiler.
3. Gently transfer the squash halves to a foil-lined broiler sheet. Sprinkle each squash half with enough Parmesan to cover the top. Broil on high for about 5 minutes (keep an eye on things so the squash doesn't burn), until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and browned. Serve immediately.

Chili and Cornbread Waffle Dinner

So, I saw this idea on Pinterest and wanted to try it out. 

I used my cornbread recipe (doubled it - the waffle maker uses a lot of cornbread batter) and put it in the waffle maker.  I made this chili recipe and topped it with some cheese. 

The verdict? 

You guys, that is a lot of cornbread to eat!  It's not like a waffle, cornbread is so dense and heavy.  I totally didn't finish mine.   I have a square waffle maker too, and gave the kids each a tiny square and that was a better serving size. 

I probably won't make this again.  I enjoy my cornbread plain with apple butter or honey. Or...

Back when we used to have left overs (before my kids started eating adult sized portions....), I would take left over chili, put it in a cast iron skillet, sprinkle cheese on top, and pour over my corn bread batter then bake!  Now, that was super yummy!!!!!  It was also better cornbread to chili ratio in a serving. 

Yum! 

Weird fact about me:  I love to eat cornbread batter as much as cookie dough or biscuit dough!  Yummy!! 

Cheddar, Oats & Pumpkin (Oh My!) Meatloaf

I love meatloaf.  I also love that you can't really mess up a meatloaf!  It really isn't an exact science - you can add a variety of ingredients and make totally different meatloaf every time.  You could even add some quinoa to this recipe too, like this turkey meatloaf.

This is my basic meatloaf recipe with a few extras!

You know how I have some extra pumpkin puree in my freezer?  Well, I thought I could add some to my regular meat loaf recipe for added goodness and it turned out great.  Actually, it was so super moist!!

Another thing I add to my meatloaf instead of the regular bread crumbs that are common in many recipes, are oats that have been blended to an oat flour-like substance.  Here's the thing with oats - I use the quick cooking kind because I know they won't be crunchy and they will cook for sure.  However, I think you can use regular oats too, but you just wouldn't add as much.


Cheddar Meat Loaf Recipe

1.5 lbs. lean ground beef  (with cooking it on a rack like I do you can use fattier meat if that's what you have because it just drains below it)
1 egg
1/2 c. pumpkin puree
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. onion minced (or grated) (or 1 T. dried minced onion)
1 c. quick oats
1 -2 tsp. salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp. black pepper (or to taste)
1 clove garlic minced
1 c. cheddar cheese

Sauce

2/3 c. ketchup
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. prepared mustard

Directions

1.  Put oats in food processor and blend until fine.
2.  Make sauce by combining sauce ingredients - whisk until smooth.  Set aside.
3.  Grease cookie sheet.  Place rack on top of cookie sheet and grease rack.  Set aside.
4.  Beat egg with milk and pumpkin puree.  Add seasonings and mix.  Add all other ingredients and mix together well with hands.
5.  Form into five small loafs. I use a spoon and make a shallow indentation (or boat) on the top of the meatloaf so that when I pour sauce on top it doesn't just fall down the side. 
6.  Spread sauce on meatloaves.
7.  Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.

* If not using pumpkin puree just add equal amount of milk

I like cooking meatloaf on a rack so any extra grease drains - instead of it cooking in it's own grease

You can kind of see the indentions to hold more sauce

You can see the cheddar cheese... Yum!