Turkey Meatball Pasta Bake

I was looking through the starred posts on my Google reader when I came across this recipe from Reservations Not Required. I didn't realize quite how long this would take. I even used my Kitchen Aid mini chopper to chop the veggies and parsley. It was a good recipe - I wasn't sure how I would like the combo of sour cream and cream cheese, but it wound up tasting like a ricotta mixture. I would make this one again. Oh and the hubs took this picture with our new camera - it should be better than the pictures I've been posting :)

Turkey Meatball Pasta Bake

from Cooking with Paula Deen, September/October 2008

Makes about 8-10 servings

1 pound ground turkey

1/2 cup panko

1/4 cup minced green onion

1/4 cup minced red bell pepper (I omitted)

1 large egg

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 16 0z box rigatoni noodles, cooked and kept warm (I used rotini)

1 8 0z package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

Zesty Tomato Sauce, recipe follows

1 8 0z package shredded mozzarella cheese

1 5 oz package grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 350. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a cooling rack over pan. Spray rack with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine turkey, breadcrumbs, green onion, bell pepper, egg, garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, and salt. Shape mixture into golf ball-size balls; place on prepared cooling rack. Bake 15-17 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside.

Lightly grease 13x9 inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine hot cooked pasta, cream cheese and sour cream, stirring to combine. Spoon half of mixture into prepared baking dish. Top evenly with half of meatballs. Spoon half of Zesty Tomato Sauce over meatballs. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese. Repeat procedure with remaining noodle, meatballs and sauce. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve immediately.

Note: This dish can be made a day ahead of baking. It can also be prepared and frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw in refrigerator before baking.

Zesty Tomato Sauce

Makes about 6 1/2 cups

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

1 6 oz can tomato paste

1 tablespoon minced freshly parsley

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until onion is tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

Garlic Beef Enchiladas

I decided to make homemade enchiladas a few weeks ago. I used a recipe from the Taste of Home website. It came out very delicious. I especially liked the sauce. I served it with Spanish rice.

Garlic Beef Enchiladas

from Taste of Home

1 pound ground beef (I used a 1.3 lb package of ground turkey)

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage (I omitted since I don't have it on-hand)

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes (I used 1 can fire roasted tomatoes)

Sauce

4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef broth

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder

1 to 2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 to 2 teaspoons rubbed sage (I omitted since I don't have it on-hand)

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 flour tortillas (7 inches)

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese

In a large saucepan, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the flour and seasonings until blended. Stir in tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another saucepan, saute garlic in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually stir in broth; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in tomato sauce and seasonings; heat through.

Pour about 1-1/2 cups sauce into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Spread about 1/4 cup beef mixture down the center of each tortilla; top with 1-2 tablespoons cheese. Roll up tightly; place seam side down over sauce. Top with the remaining sauce.

Cover and bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, 10-15 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted.

Yield: 4-6 servings.

Mexican Lasagna

Here's a simple recipe that has been getting a lot of attention on various cooking blogs--Rachel Ray's Mexican Lasagna. It's kind of like eating a taco in casserole format. It was quite tasty and very easy to make.

Mexican Lasagna

from Rachel Ray

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds ground chicken breast, available in the packaged meats case (used 1.5 lbs ground turkey)
  
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 red onion, chopped (used whole onion)
  
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
• 1 cup medium heat taco sauce or 1 (14-oz) can stewed or fire roasted tomatoes (I used 1 can of diced fire roasted tomatoes)
  
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels (I used one can of corn)
  
• Salt (omitted)
  
• 8 (8 inch) spinach flour tortillas, available on dairy aisle of market (I used regular tortillas)
  
• 2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or shredded pepper jack (I used shredded Mexican blend)
  
• 2 scallions, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - twice around the pan. Add chicken and season with chili powder, cumin, and red onion. Brown the meat, 5 minutes. Add taco sauce or stewed or fire roasted tomatoes. Add black beans and corn. Heat the mixture through, 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt, to your taste.

Coat a shallow baking dish with remaining extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon oil. Cut the tortillas in half or quarters to make them easy to layer with. Build lasagna in layers of meat and beans, then tortillas, then cheese. Repeat: meat, tortilla, cheese again. Bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly. Top with the scallions and serve.

Swedish Meatballs

The other night, I had a yen for Swedish Meatballs. I have no reason why! Luckily I had a package of ground turkey and sour cream in the refrigerator. I also happened to have starred a recipe in my Google Reader so I was in luck. What follows below is the recipe from the A Taste of Home Cooking blog, originally a Rachel Ray recipe. Unfortunately, my picture is not quite as nice!

Swedish Meatballs and Egg Noodles

Comfort Foods: Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals

Meatballs

1 pound ground chuck, or ground beef, pork and veal mix

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

1 small onion, finely chopped (or grated on a box grater)

A few drops Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper

Sauce

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup dry sherry

1 cup beef broth

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup sour cream

1 bag wide egg noodles

1 tablespoon butter

A handful of chopped parsley

Cook egg noodles according to package directions. While waiting for the water to boil, make the meatballs and sauce.

To bake meatballs: preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix ingredients for meatballs in a medium-size bowl. Form bite-size balls and place on nonstick baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes.

To cook meatballs on the stovetop: preheat a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Mix ingredients for meatballs in a medium-size bowl. Form bite-size balls and add directly to the pan as you roll them. Once the last ball has been rolled, give the pan a good shake and place a lid or aluminum foil over the top. Cook meatballs 10 to 12 minutes, turning them occasionally. Remove meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate, wipe out pan, and return to heat to make the sauce.

To make the sauce: melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and continuously whisk until a smooth paste is formed. Slowly add sherry while continuing to whisk sauce; cook until sherry reduces by half. Add broth in a slow stream and continue to whisk until sauce thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Turn off heat and whisk in salt, pepper, Dijon mustard and sour cream.

Once the noodles are cooked, drain them and toss with butter and parsley. Add meatballs to the sauce, stir to coat, and serve over the noodles.

Chicken Cobb Burger

There is a new cooking group called Dinner Divas that is all the rage. I haven't officially joined because I am so bad at updating my blog that I am sure I'll fall behind. But this recipe looked so good that I had to try it. It was a great recipe but the burger was so huge that I had to serve the salad on the side instead of on top. I also used ground turkey and added a bit of Essence to the meat for extra flavor.

I also had a bad cooking accident as a result of trying to imitate Alton Brown's advice on de-pitting the avocado. I sliced my finger pretty good with the knife. This is something I will never try to do again.

Chicken Cobb Burger
from Bobby Flay on Food Network

For the burgers:
8 (1/2- thick) strips bacon
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken (I used ground turkey)
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salt Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
4 burger buns, split
1 large ripe beefsteak tomato, cut into 4 slices
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 8 slices

For the vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely shredded romaine lettuce

For the burgers:
Heat the grill to medium. Place the strips of bacon on the grill (lay them across the grate so they don't fall through) and grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Increase the heat of the grill to high.

Form the meat into 4 (8-ounce) burgers, brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill the burgers until golden brown on both sides and cooked completely through, about 5 minutes per side. Top the burgers with the blue cheese, close the cover, and continue cooking until the cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute longer.

Place the burgers on the bottom half of each bun and top with a slice of tomato, 2 slices of avocado, 2 slices of bacon and some of the dressed romaine. Cover each burger with the bun tops and serve.

For the vinaigrette:
Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper and oil in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using to allow the flavors to meld.

Just before assembling the burgers, place the romaine in a medium bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.

Turkey Meatballs & Spaghetti

I have been on a quest to find the best meatball and spaghetti sauce. I recently tried two recipes that were wonderful. I used recipes on two separate blogs to make this dish. For the sauce, I tried a recipe from the Reading, Riting & Recipes blog. For the meatballs, I went to the Carrie in the Kitchen blog, and substituted the ground beef for turkey. I am pleased to report that both recipes were delicious!


Meatballs

1.5 pounds ground round (I used ground turkey)

1/4 cup finely shredded fresh parmesan cheese

1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup tomato sauce

1 tsp dry mustard

3/4 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

2 garlic cloves, crushed

cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400F.

Combine all ingredients except cooking spray in a bowl and stir well. Shape mixture into 1.5 inch meatballs. Place on a broiler pan coated with cooking soray. Bake at 400 degress for 15 minutes of until done.

Best Red Sauce Evah
1 TBS EVOO
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onions
4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1/4 cup red wine
28 oz. Diced or Crushed Tomatoes (I used crushed tomatoes)
1 Can Tomato Paste (6 oz)
1 1/2 cups chicken or beef broth (I used beef broth)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried Oregano
2 Tbs Chopped Fresh Basil
3 Tbs Chopped Fresh Parsley
Salt & Pepper to taste
2-4 Tbs butter

Heat the EVOO in a large saucepan. Cook the onions until soft. Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant. Add the wine and reduce until almost completely evaporated. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, broth and seasonings. Bring to a light boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. At end of cooking, add butter 1 Tbs at a time to round out the flavors and cut the acidity, tasting as you go.

Hamburger Steak with Onions & Gravy

I was feeling a bit retro, so I thought I would make a somewhat homestyle meal - Hamburger Steak with Onions & Gravy. I used ground turkey which made it a bit healthier. It turned out great, despite the fact that I had run out of egg noodles and had to use macaroni!

Hamburger Steak with Onions and Gravy
Ready In: 40 Minutes

Yields: 4 servings

1 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 egg
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup thinly sliced onion
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon cooking sherry
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Form into 8 balls, and flatten into patties.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the patties and onion in the oil until patties are nicely browned, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the beef patties to a plate, and keep warm.

Sprinkle flour over the onions and drippings in the skillet. Stir in flour with a fork, scraping bits of beef off of the bottom as you stir. Gradually mix in the beef broth and sherry. Season with seasoned salt. Simmer and stir over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, until the gravy thickens. Turn heat to low, return patties to the gravy, cover, and simmer for another 15 minutes.

Shepherd's Pie

With the weather getting cooler, it was the perfect time to make Shepherd's Pie. I used the recipe below from Cooks Country. It turned out great, but I must admit that I used pre-made mashed potatoes (shhhh, don't tell).

Cook's Country Shepherd's Pie

Filling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped fine
2 medium carrots , peeled and chopped fine
2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
Table salt and ground black pepper
5 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup beer
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 cup frozen peas

Topping
2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes. peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
Salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup heavy cream, warmed
Ground black pepper
1 large egg, beaten

1. For the filling: Heat butter in large skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. Add onion and carrots and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Add meat, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up meat into small pieces with wooden spoon, until browned, about 12 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste and cook until paste begins to darken, about 1 minute.

2. Add cream and cook until it spatters, about 1 minute. Add broth, beer, soy sauce, and thyme and simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick but still saucy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in peas, adjust seasonings, and transfer to broilersafe 2-quart casserole dish.

3. For the topping: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and water to cover to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain potatoes, return to saucepan, and mash potatoes with butter and cream until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Spread potatoes over filling, using spatula to smooth top (see photo at left). Brush with egg and drag fork across top to make ridges. Bake until filling is bubbling, about 15 minutes. Turn on broiler and cook until top is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. Serve.

Chili & Cornbread - take 2

It was a cold and rainy night, so what better food to make than turkey chili and cornbread. I decided to try a recipe from the Shady Brook Farms website for "Farm Hands" Fat Free Chili. I cut back on the spices a bit because it sounded like it would be too hot. I also used Spaten beer.

For the cornbread, I found a recipe from Allrecipes.com that is to die for. It's a sweet cornbread and was very moist. I also thought the name was cute - Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread.
"Farm Hands" Fat-Free Chili
2 packages ground turkey
¼ cup sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, grated
1 tablespoon red peppers, crushed
2 medium green bell peppers, sliced
1 can (14-½ ounce) kidney beans
1 can (12 ounce) tomato paste
1 can (14-½ ounce) tomatoes, crushed
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon dried basil
3 tablespoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons coarse ground black pepper
¼ cup Worscestershire sauce
¼ cup hot sauce
2 tablespoons paprika
2 cups water
1 can beer (for the cook, or the chili) (optional)
2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese (optional)
2 cups oyster crackers (optional)

In a skillet heat oil and sauté garlic, red pepper and ginger for 2 minutes at high heat. Add turkey and brown until turkey is no longer pink (3 to 5 minutes). Do not cover.

In a 6-quart stockpot, add browned turkey, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, all remaining spices, sliced green pepper, chopped onion and beans. Add 2 cups of water; bring to boil, stirring frequently.

Simmer covered for 1 hour over low heat (add beer now or drink it). Serve with grated sharp Cheddar cheese and oyster crackers.

Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread
1/4 pound butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square pan.

Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

When it's chilly, it's time for chili

It was cooler a few weeks ago so I made a batch of cornbread and turkey chili. I like the recipe for Rachel Ray's Indian Summer Chili. I like to add kidney beans though. This time I tried a new cornbread recipe. Enjoy!
Rachel Ray's Indian Summer Chili
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
2 1/2 pounds ground turkey (85 percent lean) or ground turkey breast (99 percent lean), 2 packages
4 tablespoons dark chili powder, 2 palm fulls
2 tablespoons grill seasoning blend, any brand, 1 palm full
1 tablespoon cumin, 1/2 palm full
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 to 3 tablespoons hot sauce, medium to extra-spicy
1 large onion, quartered
2 large peppers, any color combination, red, green, purple, yellow or orange, chopped
1/2 bottle beer (the alcohol cooks out), about 1 cup
1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup smoky barbecue sauce
2 cups corn kernels, optional

Heat a pot over medium to medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, and the turkey meat. Season the meat with: chili powder, grill seasoning, cumin, Worcestershire and hot sauce. Break up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon into small crumbles.

Chop the onion, reserving 1/4 of it for topping the chili. Brown meat 5 minutes, then add onions and chopped bell peppers and cook 10 minutes more. Add beer and deglaze the pan, scraping up the drippings and cooking off the alcohol. Add tomato sauce and barbecue sauce and bring to a bubble. It using corn kernels add them now. Let chili simmer 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings and heat level to your taste. Remove from heat and serve.

Spicy Ground Turkey and Cellophane Noodles

This is one of my favorite dishes to make! I got it from a diabetic website, of all places. One thing that I do is omit the sugar substitute. It's also a good recipe to play around with. I use whatever vegetables I have on hand and throw in water chesnuts, baby corns, etc.

Spicy Ground Turkey and Cellophane Noodles

1/2 pound ground turkey
1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
3 3/4 ounces bag cellophane noodles
1 teaspoon canola oil
4 scallions sliced, white part and 2 inches green
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, minced
2 teaspoons chili puree with garlic
1 cup 98% fat-free, no-salt-added canned chicken broth
1 tablespoon vodka
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon sugar substitute
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 pound snow peas, strings removed, sliced thin
1/2 pound bean sprouts
slices of fresh lime for garnish


1. To marinate the turkey: In a bowl combine the turkey with the vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil. Refrigerate and marinate for 20 minutes up to 2 hours.

2. In a bowl, soak the noodles in warm water for 20 minutes. Drain and cut into 2-inch lengths; set aside.

3. In a wok or heavy nonstick skillet, heat oil until hot. Stir-fry the scallions, garlic, and ginger for 1 minute.

4. Add the turkey and chili puree. Stir-fry, breaking up the ground turkey until it is cooked through.

5. Add the broth, vodka, soy sauce, vinegar and sugar substitute along with the noodles.

6. Cook over high heat until the noodles absorb the liquid. Mix in the snow peas, bean sprouts and cilantro.

7. Heat through, and serve immediately with lime slices.

Nutritional Information:Per Serving--
Calories: 247
Carbohydrates: 32g
Protein: 14g
Fat: 6g
Saturated Fat: 1.5g
Cholesterol: 45mg
Fiber: 3g
Sodium: 373mg