Mexican Stuffed Shells

I always love it when my husband comes home from work and asks if I had blogged about dinner the previous night.  Usually it means he brought leftovers for lunch and all the lady teachers around the table want to either try what he brought or make it themselves!

Such was the case last night when he came home.  I had made these Mexican stuffed shells the night before and sent them for lunch the next day.  They take a little prep, which is why I put them together Sunday afternoon, so that when I got home from work on Monday, all I had to do was add the taco sauce on top and pop them in the oven.

These are a great combination of those infamous Italian stuffed shells and tacos.  The salsa on the bottom combined with the taco sauce on top make the perfect sauce and you control the heat – we use mild everything in our house, but go for the hot stuff it that’s what you like!  And who doesn't like melted cheese.  I topped mine with sour cream and the hubs ate his as-is.

Give these a try and to the ladies at FIS – enjoy!

Mexican Stuffed Shells

Mexican Stuffed Shells

What You Need:

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 4 oz. cream cheese (I used 5 wedges of this)
• 18-20 jumbo pasta shells
• 1 ½ c salsa
• 1 c taco sauce
• 1 package shredded Mexican blend cheese

How You Do It:

1. Cook shells according to package.  Drain and let cool.
2. While the shells cook, cook ground turkey in large skillet until no longer pink.
3. Add taco seasoning and required water, and stir to combine.
4. Add cream cheese and incorporate until blended.  Let meat mixture cool.
5. Once shells and meat are cooled, pour salsa in the bottom on a baking dish (I used a 9” square dish)
6. Fill shells with meat mixture and place seam-side-up in dish.
7. Top with taco sauce, cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes at 350*.
8. Remove foil and top with cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Mexican Stuffed Shells recipe adapted from The Way to His Heart.

Cheesy Turkey and Bow-Ties

Last night we were supposed to toss something on the grill for dinner.  It has been a pretty hectic week and I wasn't really interested in putzing around in the kitchen.  Alas, something on the grill!  However, yesterday morning I got a text from the hubs asking if I had a backup plan: it was pretty gross outside - rain, fog, a real mess.  I knew there wasn't much in our refrigerator (read: a pretty hectic week) and that I really didn't want to go out or even order in, but I did have a package of ground turkey in the freezer.  The hubs took it out to defrost.

That brings us to last night's dinner - this pretty much tex-mex-ish mac and cheese.  The sauce takes a little help from the grocery g-ds, canned soup and prepared salsa, but sometimes you just need a little help - nothing wrong there!  Combined with a little corn hitting on my midwestern roots, ground turkey instead of beef to hit the somewhat-health factor, and some veggie pasta, I had dinner on the table in under 30 minutes.  Take that, Mother Nature!

The slight salsa flavor paired with the cheese soup really made a nice combination of mac and cheese meets chips and salsa.  For something quick and easy to hit the table on a night when you don't really feel like cooking, give this a try!

Cheesy Turkey and Bow-Ties

Cheesy Turkey and Bow-Ties

What You Need:

• 2 1/2 c uncooked bow-tie pasta
• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 1/2 chopped onion
• 1 can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
• 1 c salsa
• 1 c frozen corn (do not defrost)
• 1 1/2 c shredded cheese

How You Do It:

1. Boil pasta according to package directions, or done to your liking.
2. While pasta cooks, in a large skillet, brown turkey.
3. Add onion and saute until slightly softened.
4. Add soup, salsa, and corn, stir to combine, and let simmer while pasta finishes cooking.
5. Drain pasta and add to meat mixture.  Sprinkle on cheese and let melt.

Cheesy Turkey and Bow-Ties recipe adapted from Pillsbury.com.

Tex-Mex Turkey Tenderloin

Talk about an easy meal!  Two ingredients for the turkey, some rice, and condiments of your choice, you really can't beat this.  This is one of those recipes you could make over and over again, each time with a different end result. 

Start with a turkey tenderloin - my package came with three smaller ones, about one pound total.  Then, add some refrigerated salsa - preferably the fresh, chunky kind - to the heat and flavor of your liking.  I used a sweet onion variety.  A touch of water and you're good to go.  That's it.  It's that easy.

Served over rice and topped with your favorites - in our house it was cheese, avocado, and sour cream - you have a quick and easy - and healthy - meal!

Tex-Mex Turkey Tenderloin

Tex-Mex Turkey Tenderloin

What You Need:

• 1 lb turkey tenderloin, cut into 3/4" chunks
• 1 1/2 c fresh refrigerated salsa
• 1/4 c water
• rice and condiments of choice

How You Do It:

1. In a large skillet, cook turkey until lightly browned.
2. Add salsa and water, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let cook about 5 minutes until sauce thickens and turkey is fully cooked.

Tex-Mex Turkey Tenderloin recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you and yours a very delicious Thanksgiving!

Teriyaki Turkey Lettuce Wraps

I don't love cooked carrots.  Just ask my mother - I would and still (almost always) pick out the cooked carrots.  However, when I came across this healthy, five-ingredient recipe for lettuce wraps jam-packed with carrots, I thought I'd give them another try.

Let me be honest... there were a lot of carrots in this recipe.  A lot, a lot.  Now, I will also be honest and tell you I didn't hate them.  I did, however, pick some out.  There were just too many.  Next time, less carrots.

I also only had romaine lettuce in the house.  Not so easy to hold the meat, so next time, boring ol' iceberg will have to do.

I'm not ready to give on on this one quite yet.  It was super easy, super inexpensive (note I did not call it "cheap", mom!), and really quite healthy.  The way you see it below is how I would make it next time:

Teriyaki Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Teriyaki Turkey Lettuce Wraps

What You Need:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 5 oz (1/2 bag) shredded carrots
• 1/3 c teriyaki sauce
• Iceberg lettuce

How You Do It:

1. Heat a large skillet with 1 tablespoon oil.  Add ground turkey and onion, breaking up and cooking until turkey is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
2. Add 1/4 c water and carrots, cover and cook 5 minutes or until carrots are soft.
3. Add teriyaki sauce and heat another 5 minutes.
4. Serve in lettuce cups.

Teriyaki Turkey Lettuce Wraps recipe adapted from EveryDay with Rachael Ray.

Garlic Turkey-Broccoli Stir-Fry

Here's a make-your-own-take-out recipe for the books.  While everyone loves Chinese food, it doesn't always come with the healthiest of ingredients and/or preparations.  This recipe, however, is not only delicious, but easy to make and quite healthy.  Lean turkey tenderloin accompanied by fresh veggies and a light sauce, make for a balanced and healthy entree.  I served mine with some brown rice.

Garlic Turkey-Broccoli Stir-Fry

Garlic Turkey-Broccoli Stir-Fry

What You Need:

• 2 tsp sesame oil, divided
• 1 (1 lb) turkey tenderloin, cut into thin strips
• 1 cup chicken broth (I used fat-free, reduced sodium)
• 4 large garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 bell pepper, cut into thin strips (I used orange)
• 2 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 1 (8 oz) can diced water chestnuts, drained
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (I used low sodium)

How You Do It:

1. Combine broth, garlic, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes.  Stir until cornstarch dissolves and set aside.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon sesame oil in large skillet until hot.  Add turkey and stir-fry until cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Add remaining teaspoon sesame oil to skillet and add pepper strips and broccoli.  Stir-fry until slightly tender, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add water chestnuts and stir-fry another 1 minute.
5. Stir broth mixture and add to skillet, along with soy sauce, turkey and remaining juices.
6. Bring to a boil; cook 1-2 minutes or until thickened.

Garlic Turkey-Broccoli Stir-Fry recipe adapted from: MyRecipes.com 

Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs

One of my husband's favorite meals (which I must admit I don't make all that often due to my affinity for trying new recipes) is a meatball recipe.  Not your average meatballs-in-red-sauce recipe, but one with lots of garlic.  When I came across this one, I knew it would be a winner.  Garlic and ginger - two of our favorite flavors.  What could be wrong?!  So tonight, I gave it a try...

But before you read much further or try this one yourself, there is one thing you must remember when studying and/or trying any of the recipes I post:

I use a ton of garlic.  When a recipe calls for garlic, I usually at least double it.  So when you see the amount of garlic listed in the posts, the quantity is the actual amount I used, not what was originally sited.  Therefore, use the amount of garlic you like -- or go big and use what I do.  If you're anything like us, you won't be sorry!

Now then...

Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs

Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs


What You Need for the Meatballs:

• 1 1/4 lb. ground turkey
• 3 large clove garlic, minced
• 2 tsp fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup chopped Italian Parsley
• 1/2 tsp  ground allspice
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. panko breadcrumbs

What You Need for the Sauce:

• 2.5 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2.5 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sayce
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 2 tsp fresh ginger
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced

How You Do It:

1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. Add all ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl and, using your hands, mix to combine.  Using about 2 tbsp (or the amazing meatball shaper I got as a wedding gift) form meatballs and place on baking sheet.
3. Bake 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.
4. Meanwhile, whisk all sauce ingredients together in a saucepan.  Simmer until slightly thickened.
5. Once meatballs are cooked, place into saucepan and cover with sauce.  

Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs recipe adapted from Tracey's Culinary Adventures