Friday, July 23, 2010

Mushroom, Onion, and Swiss Turkey Burgers with Grilled Pineapple


I've been trying to cut carbs from my diet, so this turkey burger recipe was perfect. I promise this doesn't taste like diet food because it's not! It's just healthy and yummy! Can't beat that! Give it a try.


Ingredients:
Ground Turkey
Yellow Onion-Some diced, some sliced
2 tbsp or more Worcestershire Sauce
2 tsp (or to your taste) Cumin
Salt and Pepper to taste
Mushrooms
1 tbsp olive oil
Swiss Cheese (1 slice per burger)
lettuce
Pineapple

Directions:
Mix ground turkey, diced onions, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, salt, and pepper in bowl. Form patties and place on a skillet coated with cooking spray or grill. Flip and cook until no longer pink.

Meanwhile, slice pineapple in strips. Spray skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium. Place pineapple on pan and flip occasionally until browned on each side.

Also, place tbsp olive oil in skillet on medium high. Add sliced onions and mushrooms. I also added Worcestershire sauce to add a little flavor. Continue cooking until onions are soft and somewhat caramelized.

When your burgers are completely cooked, turn skillet to low and add Swiss cheese.

Place burger inside lettuce wrap, top with onions and mushrooms.


Serve with grilled pineapple and garden salad

This was the best turkey burger I've ever had! I can't wait to make these again!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Icing



Cake Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar
1 ounce red food coloring (2 ounces for deeper red)
1 1/2 teaspoons cocoa powder

Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients:
2 lbs of confectioners powder sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) of butter, softened
2 8 oz packages of cream cheese
2 tsp. of vanilla extract

Blend together shortening and sugar in a big mixing bowl. In another bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Mix the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda, and vinegar in another bowl. Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the shortening and sugar mixture, mixing after each addition. In a small bowl, mix the cocoa powder and food coloring. Pour into the mixing bowl and combine...don't overbeat. Pour the batter into two cake pans coated with baking spray and cook for 25 minutes or until done at 350 degrees. While cake is cooking, mix together the cream cheese icing. First, cream together cream cheese and softened butter with a mixer. Add vanilla extract. Slowly add powdered sugar, until mixed to desired consistency. When cake is out of oven, let cool completely and then ice.




Friday, June 4, 2010

Cajun Baked Catfish


2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons paprika (I had chili powder, so I used that and it was great!)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (I omitted this.)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 (8 ounce) fillets catfish

(I always threw in a little Tony's and Jane's Krazy Salt!)

Directions


In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients; brush over both sides of fish.

Place fish in a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 450 degrees F for 10-13 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Your kitchen will smell so good while it's cooking!

I served it with sweet potato fries, corn, and spinach salad. (Don't you love my expensive china?! We are real fancy around here!)

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Restaurant Style Margaritas


Ingredients
1 Can Frozen Limeade
Tequila
Triple Sec
1 Bottle of beer (I used Blue Moon, but you can use whatever kind you prefer.)
Ice

Add Limeade to blender. Using the empty limeade can fill it with 2/3 tequila and 1/3 triple sec. Add to blender. Add LOTS of ice. Blend to desired consistency.
AFTER you have blended it, add the bottle of beer. DO NOT blend after you have added the beer. It will be a mess.
Now, you are ready to enjoy! Pour them into salt rimmed glasses and you will smile!

Recipe from Meg at Whatever

Oven Baked Chicken & Bacon Shish Kebabs

ALL CREDIT for this recipe goes to Annalee.



INGREDIENTS
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
veggies of your choice (I used bell pepper, squash, tomatoes, red onion, mushrooms, and pineapple)
1 package bacon (I used turkey bacon)
2/3 C brown sugar (I used Splenda brown sugar)
2 Tbs chili powder

DIRECTIONS
preheat oven to 350 degrees.
cut chicken into bite-sized chunks.
cut bacon strips in half.
wrap the bacon around the chicken and put on skewers.
alternate with veggie chunks (tossed lightly with olive oil, pepper and salt).
mix the brown sugar and chili powder.
sprinkle the mixture generously over skewers with the mixture and place in pan.
bake for 30-35 minutes.

I served the shish kebabs with saffron rice and restaurant style margaritas.

Weekly Meal Plan

I used to be so good about making weekly meal plans, but I started slacking off. So, now that I'm on summer break, I am going to be good again and start planning. I'll share the recipes from the week as I make them!

Monday (Memorial Day)- Oven Baked Shish Kebabs with saffron rice and restaurant style frozen margaritas

Tuesday- Leftover shish kebabs and saffron rice

Wednesday- Easy Baked Tilapia and vegetables and spinach salad

Thursday- Cajun Baked Catfish with Sweet Potato Fries and Snow Peas and spinach salad

Friday- Out to eat

Saturday- Caribbean Jerk Salmon with Sweet Potato Fries and Asparagus and spinach salad

Sunday- Turkey Burger Hobo Dinners

Monday, May 17, 2010

One Dish Chicken




I took this recipe and changed it up a little. It was delish. It's a perfect summer meal.


1/4 cup chopped onions
4 tbs Tequila Lime Marinade
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered
3/4 lb green beans (I used 1 can of French style green beans.)
4 chicken breasts (I had chicken tenders, so I used 6.)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place green beans in casserole dish. Place chicken on top of green beans. Drizzle 3 tbs (or desired amount) or Tequila Lime marinade on top of chicken. Place peeled and quartered potatoes around the sides of the casserole dish. Drizzle remaining marinade on top of sweet potatoes. Salt and Pepper to taste. Bake in oven for about 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Chicken Fajitas


1. 1 teaspoon pure chile powder
2. 1 teaspoon kosher salt
3. 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4. 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
5. 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
6. 1 tablespoon cornstarch
7. 1/4 cup water
8. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
9. 1 whole skinless, boneless chicken breast (about 1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch strips
10. 1 green bell pepper—cored, seeded and cut into thin strips
11. 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
12. 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
13. 8 flour tortillas, warmed in the microwave
14. Shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, salsa and sour cream, for serving

Directions:

1. In a resealable plastic bag, combine the chile powder with the salt, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, cornstarch, water and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the chicken, bell pepper and onion, seal and knead gently to coat. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
2. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet until shimmering. Empty the contents of the bag into the skillet and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice.
3. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a large bowl and serve with the warmed tortillas, lettuce, cheese, salsa, sour cream and lime wedges.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Cheez-It Chicken


Ingredients:

boneless, skinless chicken breast (1 for each person)
melted butter
sour cream
cheez-its (crunched up)
*I usually do each of these in a cereal bowl...

Directions:

1. Dip the chicken in melted butter.
2. Dip in sour cream.
3. Dip in cheez-its.
4. Bake at 375 degrees until done

Friday, April 23, 2010

Beefy Noodle Casserole

You will need:
IMG_6675
4 oz. uncooked wide egg noodles
1 lb. ground chuck
1 jar of pasta sauce
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, cubed
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese (I ended up using just a sprinkle of Parmesan and about 1/2 cup of Mozzarella.)

1. Cook noodles. Place noodles in slightly greased 11 x 7 inch baking dish set aside.
IMG_6678
2. Cook beef in large skillet, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Stir in pasta sauce and set aside.
IMG_6680
3. Place cream cheese in bowl and microwave for 1 minute or until softened. Stir in cottage cheese and sour cream. Spread mixture over noodles.
IMG_6681
4. Spoon beef mixture over cream cheese layer. Sprinkle with Parmesan and Mozzarella.
IMG_6682
5. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.
IMG_6683

From: Southern Living Quick & Easy