Turkey Chili, 21 Day Fix Approved!

For years and years and yeeeears, I've just used a bagged mix to start my chili.  I know. I should know better.  I do/did.  BUT the problem was that I just loved this mix so much that I couldn't pull myself to try another.  Well, in comes Autumn Calabrese and her 21 Day Fix program along with her FIXATE cookbook and BAM!!!  I'm hooked on a new chili! This version is a twist on Autumn's and I {HEART} it!!!!  It's ridiculously fast and easy and DELICIOUS! And the feta cheese and cilantro...well, don't knock it 'till you've tried it! I'm completely SOLD!!!

{turkey chili}
    Modified from FIXATE by Autumn Calabrese
        Makes 6 servings, approx. 1 1/2 c. each

Coconut oil spray
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 lb lean ground beef or lean ground turkey
1 can kidney beans, drained & rinsed
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 15oz can  diced tomatoes, no salt added, WITH juice
2 1/2 tsp. Chili powder (may use full Tbsp if you like more heat)
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 c. Low sodium Beef Broth
Cilantro
Feta Cheese

Coat large dutch oven with coconut oil spray.  Cook ground beef or turkey.  Drain and rinse off excess grease.  Set aside.  Coat dutch oven with coconut oil spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add onion & bell peppers; cook, stirring occasionally for 5-6 minutes or until onion is translucent.  Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute.  Add, beef/turkey, beans, tomatoes, chili powder, salt, and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; gently boil, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, or until slightly thickened.  Divide evenly between six serving bowls; top with cilantro and cheese.

Container Equivalents: 1/2 Green, 1 yellow, 1 Red, 1/2 tsp.

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Brown Gravy

I'm a sucker for the Food Network cooking shows.  One of my favorites still happens to be Sandra's Money Saving Meals.  That's where I got this recipe from.  I was having a lazy moment catching up on some of my shows over the weekend and happened to watch this episode. It was exactly what I needed as I was/am in a cooking rut again and needed to use up the ground beef in my fridge before it went bad.  I wanted to make a dinner that was fast and easy and delicious.  Oh boy does this one fit the bill!  It was a HUGE hit with my family!  Each person, adult and child, gave it TWO thumbs UP!  I kid you not!

{salisbury steak with brown gravy}

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds 80 percent lean ground beef
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon Montreal Steak seasoning
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 (8-ounce) package sliced baby portobello mushrooms (I used shiitake mushrooms I reconstituted and used the "mushroom broth" adding beef bouillon to enhance the flavors)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 (14-ounce) cans beef broth. 

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-hi heat. Add the onion and saute until soft, about 6 minutes. Put 1/2 of the onion in a large bowl and the remainder in another bowl. In the large bowl add the beef, bread crumbs, grill seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and the egg. Mix to combine everything well and form the mixture into 6 oval patties. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the patties until they are well browned, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove the steaks and pour off all but 2 tablespoons the fat. (The patties will not be cooked through and will finish cooking in the gravy.)

Put the pan back on the heat, add the mushrooms, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the remaining onions, sprinkle in the flour, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the beef broth and bring it to a boil. Return the patties to the pan, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened and the steaks are cooked through, about 10 minutes.  Serving Yield:6

Sunday Supper Roast

Since getting pregnant with, and having, baby #3, we've eaten out so much more than ever.  I know it's partly due to those crazy pregnancy hormones affecting my taste buds and also partly due to the lack of energy.  If you've had a baby, you know what I'm talking about!  Well, upon review of not only my waistline but also our financial goals, I decided that one of my New Year's resolutions goals is to eat out only once per week...if that.  So, I'm working on finding some great FAST, go-to menus that my family loves.  

This is one of those recipes because: 

  1. Both kids and adults gobble it up.  

  2. It's fast to prep and throw together. 

  3. It can cook all day in my slow cooker while I'm at work so I can come home to a delicious smelling house and a meal ready to go! 

Not only does the slow cooker make the meat fall-apart delicious, but the combination of the onion soup, garlic and seasonings creates such a beautiful symphony of flavors in your mouth!  The potatoes and carrots are perfectly tender and the gravy so easy to make, although it is delicious without it, too!

{sunday supper roast}

1 (2.2 oz.) box beefy onion soup (2 env.)
1 (3 1/2 lb.) beef rump roast
2 lb. small red potatoes, scrubbed and halved
5 large carrots, chunky sliced (about 1 1/2" sections)
4 celery ribs, chunky sliced (about 1 1/2" sections)
8 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tsp. garlic pepper
2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans beef broth, separated
1/4 cup flour
 
Roll the meat in both packages of onion soup. Set aside. In a 5-6 quart crock-pot, place half each of the potatoes, carrots, celery, and garlic. Season with half each of the garlic pepper and thyme.  Tuck the bay leaf into the veggies.  Pour all but 1/2 cup of broth over veggies.  Add the roast and scrape any dry soup mix left on top.  Cover with the remaining veggies and seasonings.  Cover and cook on LOW for 9 to 10 hours.  Remove meat and veggies and keep warm.  Pour the juices from the pot into a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Whisk together the saved 1/2 cup broth and the flour.  Pour slowly into boiling juices.  Stir until gravy is thickened, about 3 minutes.  Pour over meat and vegetables and serve.

Mexi-Burger

Photo courtesy of Sweet Basil

Okay, I know it's not summer anymore, but why do we have to retire our grill for the winter months?  I know I don't!  We grill year-round and LOVE it!  I came upon this recipe from Cariann at Sweet Basil and I have to say it's DELICIOUS!  There is a tiny little kick to it, but not enough to burn your mouth, more just give you that awesome Mexi flavor we all love! What could make it better you ask?  Top it with some freshly sliced avocado, garden tomatoes, Monterey Jack cheese and a dollop of sour cream.  Yes.  It was heavenly!!!

Thank you so much Cariann for this incredible recipe!  And I couldn't say it any better myself, "I pretty much think you are going to love it."...and we DO!

{mexi-burgers}
Recipe By Sweet Basil

1 Lb Lean Ground Turkey (I used lean ground beef and it was fantastic!)
4oz Diced Green Chiles
1 Clove of Garlic, minced
1 tsp Chili Powder
2 1/4 tsp Cumin
3/4 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper

Mix everything in a large mixing bowl and form into 4 patties. Cover and let rest in the refrigerator for 15-20 min.

Heat a grill and cook each burger for about 6 min on each side. Serve with whole wheat buns, tomato, avocado and monterey or pepperjack cheese and a smear of mayo (or sour cream)!

Stuffed Zucchini

I don't know about you, but I have zucchini coming out my ears. Not the small zucchinis either. Mine are massive. The largest I weighed was 7.9lbs. Yeah. BIG! I LOVE letting my zucchini grow BIG for a few recipes on purpose. This week's recipes/blog posts I'm dedicating to the Zucchini.

Oh, and don't forget, when your zucchinis get pretty massive like mine, the outer skin gets tough to the touch which means it turns into more of a winter squash and can sit on a cool dark shelf for a few months and be just fine until you're ready to eat it! Brilliant, I know!

Today's recipe
{Stuffed Zucchini}.

Get a firm grip on your massive zucchini. Cut it lengthwise in half. Scrape out the giant seeds so your squash looks like a hollow boat. Be sure to leave a generous amount of the zucchini "meat" for eating.

Mix up your favorite meatloaf mixture. My family's favorite is at the bottom of this post.

Shape the meatloaf into each of the zucchini halves. Top with your topping of choice. We like the Ketchup/brown sugar combo. You could also just use cheese.

You can bake it one of two ways. In the oven or on the Grill. Either way, it's going to taste fantastic! Eat the meaty part of the zucchini with each bite of meatloaf. Leave the dark tough skin shell, though. That part just doesn't taste edible to me...but if you like it, more power to ya!

{Classic Meatloaf}

3 pieces of bread

1/2 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped onion or 2 T. dried onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce (which I just learned has Anchovies in it!? Did you know?)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

Topping:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon dry mustard

Tear bread into pieces and put in mixing bowl. Add milk, egg, onion, celery, Worcestershire sauce, salt and poultry seasoning. Stir until well mixed. Add ground beef and mix.

In a separate small bowl, mix brown sugar,ketchup, and mustard for topping. Set aside.

Stuff your Zucchini with the meatloaf mixture. Top with ketchup mixture now, or if you prefer cheese only, leave it plain. Add the cheese topping in the last 5 min. Bake in the oven at 400 or on the grill for 1 hour.

**For some extra fun, try adding in some grated carrots, diced bell peppers, torn frozen (and thawed)spinach, etc. It's a fun recipe to play around with adding more veggies to.

Coming Next
Surprise! Zucchini Crisp

Thanks Amy for the use of your pictures!

Cabbage-Burger Bake

I have to say that this recipe is one of our family favorites. It doesn't picture well, but oh man! It tastes fantastic! So, if the pictures aren't doing it for you, look at the list of ingredients. If they look good to you, then try it. You won't be sorry!


{cabbage-burger bake}

1 sm. head cabbage (about 2 lbs. - I LOVE cabbage so I tend to add a lot more)
6-10 slices of bacon cut into 2 " pieces (depends on your love of bacon...we add 10)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 c. uncooked rice (NOT instant. If you use brown it will need to be pre cooked 1/2 way or you'll have this baking forever just too cook the rice)
1 1/2 lbs meat-loaf mixture (ground beef & ground pork)
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 can spaghetti sauce with mushrooms (we like Hunts)
3 c. water
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.Shred cabbage (there should be about 8 c.); spread half in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Place baking dish ontop of a cookie sheet to catch possible spillage. In a large sauce pan, saute bacon just until fat starts to cook out; remove and drain on paper toweling, set aside. Stir onion and rice into drippings in pan; cook, stirring constantly, until onion is soft and rice is lightly browned. Spoon over cabbage in baking dish. Shape meatloaf mixture into large patty in same pan. Brown 5 min on each side, then break up into chunks. Spoon over rice mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with remaining cabbage. Heat spaghetti sauce with water to boiling in same pan. Pour over cabbage, stirring lightly with fork so sauce will flow to bottom. Top with bacon slices; cover. Bake for 50 min or until rice and cabbage are tender. Uncover. Bake 10 min longer to crisp bacon.

Serves 10 generously.