Shepherds Pie

With mother's day around the corner, I am extra inspired to make dishes that remind me of my mother's cooking.  This is the epitome - shepherds pie made lighter, healthier, and more delicious than you've ever had before.  Most people think of shepherds pie as beef stew topped with mashed potatoes, or something along those lines.  Well it's about to get much more interesting.

This recipe is an adaptation of my mother's.  She always makes it with turkey instead of beef, and adds loads of flavor from a couple of secret ingredients (which, of course, will not be secret for long).  The base is almost like a bolognese with an extra hit of seasoning that you don't quite expect.  The topping is glorious mashed potatoes with the skins left on, and the finishing touch is just a delicate sprinkling of cheese to add that something special.

The primary secret ingredient in this shepherds pie is somewhat controversial.  It's Marmite.  If you're not familiar with Marmite, it is a much-loved and yet much-hated ingredient for the children of British families.  I happen to fall in the love camp, but if you fall into the less-enlightened (in my opinion) hate camp, or you simply don't want to try it, you can use a bit of Worcestershire sauce, or just increase the tomato paste.  Marmite is a vegetarian yeast-based spread, but it lends a beefiness to this shepherds pie that would definitely be missed if you skip it.  You can also use Vegemite, which is the Australian equivalent. 

Shepherds pie, in my family anyway, is the ultimate comfort food.  And it only seems to get better the next day, so definitely make enough to have leftovers.

Shepherds Pie

serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. baby Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and halved

salt

2/3 cup skim milk

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

pinch of red pepper flakes

1 lb. ground white meat turkey

2 teaspoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons Marmite or Vegemite

1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes, mostly drained

2 tablespoons grated mozzarella or white cheddar

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Place the potatoes in a pot and fill with cold water to about one inch above the potatoes.  Salt it.  Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork.  Drain, return to the pot, and add the milk and butter.  Mash the potatoes until smooth.  Salt to taste.

2.  While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high.  Add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are starting to soften, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and red pepper flakes. 

3.  Add the turkey to the pot and break it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.  Cook, stirring often, until the turkey is no longer pink, about 3 minutes.  Add the tomato paste and Marmite and stir to distribute fairly evenly.  Add the diced tomatoes and a little bit of their juices and stir everything together.  Let cook about 5 more minutes to evaporate some of the moisture.

4.  Preheat the oven to 375.  Transfer the turkey mixture to a 8 x 8 baking dish and top with the mashed potatoes.  Smooth them out to create an even layer.  Sprinkle with the cheese and bake in the preheated oven for 15  minutes, or until the potatoes are starting to get crusty and golden on top.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Roast Turkey Breast with Kale, Sweet Potatoes, and Beets

It smells so good in our house right now - like Thanksgiving!  And it was a lot easier to achieve than a Thanksgiving dinner, believe you me.

The other day I picked up a turkey breast half from the grocery store, prepared to create a delicious and hearty meal.  I finally got around to making it tonight.  I took the veggies I had leftover from last week's CSA (the ones that would roast well, anyway), and tossed them with some oil and salt in the roasting pan.  I prepared the turkey breast with some improvised seasoning and put it on top on a rack.  I roasted it.  The end.

Well, almost the end.  Add in a simple pan gravy and a very happy tummy.  This is an easy way to evoke the flavors of everyone's favorite annual meal any time of year.  The kale, beets, and sweet potatoes roast beautifully in the turkey drippings and take on an incredible depth of flavor they never knew they had in them.

This could be a special occasion meal, or even a simple Friday night with the family meal.  You make the choice.

A note:  get the turkey breast out of the fridge at least half an hour (but no longer than two hours) before you are going to cook it.

Roast Turkey Breast with Kale, Sweet Potatoes, and Beets

serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch of kale, tough stems and ribs removed, coarsely chopped

2 large beets, trimmed, peeled, and quartered

1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2-inch rounds

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt

1 skin-on, bone-in turkey breast half, about 2.5 pounds

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

zest of one lemon

1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1 tablespoon flour

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat the oven to 450.  Take a small roasting pan with a rack, remove the rack, and place the kale, beets, sweet potato, and garlic in the pan.  Toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt.  Push the veggies to the perimeter of the pan to make room for the rack, and place the rack back in the pan.

2.  Rinse and pat dry the turkey breast.  Season both sides fairly generously with salt, tucking some under the skin with your fingers.  Place the turkey breast on the roasting rack over the vegetables and drizzle it with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Rub the oil over the breast with your hands, and tuck some under the skin.  Season the turkey with the poultry seasoning and lemon zest, tucking some under the skin.

3.  Place the roasting rack in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.  Reduce heat to 400, then cook for another 20-30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 165.  Remove from the oven, and transfer the rack with the turkey on it to a cutting board to rest for about 10 minutes.  

4.  Transfer the vegetables to a casserole or serving dish while the turkey breast rests.  Place the roasting pan with the turkey drippings on the stove over medium heat.  Add the broth, and whisk the flour in, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Cook for about 5 minutes, until a nice brown gravy forms.  

5.  Carve the turkey breast and serve sliced and drizzled with gravy, with the veggies alongside.

Enjoy!

Pasta with Turkey Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce

This recipe marks my 300th post!  Who knew?  Anyone who wondered if I'd keep it up this long, well, there's your answer.  And what better way to celebrate than with a plate filled with comfort food?

We're not looking at any ordinary spaghetti and meatballs here, folks.  These are moist, flavorful turkey meatballs doused with super spicy, rich tomato sauce.  And better yet, they're healthy, too!  We were all out of spaghetti in our house, so I used whole wheat elbows instead.  Feel free to use whatever whole wheat pasta you like.

Also, the sauce is spicy, folks.  I boldly assumed that Ellie's recipe wasn't going to be spicy enough for me, so I amped up the spice.  This led to a dish that had me reaching for my water glass after every other bite.  Don't get me wrong, it was fabulous, but it was a bit hotter than intended.  So take my word for it, don't increase the chipotle pepper quantity unless you want to be sweating while you eat your pasta. 

The meatballs are definitely the best turkey meatballs I've ever made.  The carrot and onion provide a sweetness and texture that is really tasty.  I highly recommend them! 

This recipe makes a lot, so you will have leftovers for days.  If you're prefer not to have meatballs for days, then cut the recipe in half.  Also, I know it's a longer recipe ingredient-wise than I normally make, but just read it through and you'll see it's pretty easy.

Pasta with Turkey Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce

adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave

serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

for the sauce:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

2 tablespoons tomato paste

one 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 teaspoon finely minced canned chipotle in adobo sauce (or more to taste)

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried rosemary (or a sprig of fresh)

salt to taste

for the meatballs:

cooking spray

1 pound lean ground turkey meat

1 slice whole wheat bread, pulsed into crumbs in a food processor

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

1/2 cup finely grated carrot

1/4 cup finely chopped onion (about 1/2 small onion)

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

1 large egg

pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper

for the pasta:

one 14.5 ounce box whole wheat pasta of your choice

parmesan and parsley for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for one minute.  Add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, chipotle, oregano, and rosemary, and stir everything together.  Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, make the meatballs.  Preheat the broiler.  Spray the broiler pan or other baking pan with cooking spray.  Combine all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl and mix well (preferably with your hands).  Form approximately 1 1/2 to 2 inch balls and place them on the broiler pan.  You will have somewhere between 12 and 20 meatballs, depending on the size.  Put in the broiler for about 10 minutes, until browned and mostly cooked.

3.  While the meatballs are under the broiler, start a pot of water to boil for the pasta.

4.  Put the meatballs in the pot of sauce and cover to let them finish cooking and the sauce thicken a bit, about 10 minutes.  Cook the pasta while this is happening.  Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce and meatballs.  

5.  Serve the pasta and meatballs garnished with a little parmesan and parsley.

Enjoy!

White Turkey Chili

I've raved about the glories of chili before, both white and red.  It's easy to make, it's delicious, and it has endless possibilities.  Here is a particularly healthy version that is packed with creamy cannellini beans and chewy hominy, as well as a nice kick of spice. 

This version of chili is a little bit different and fun, featuring new flavors that I haven't worked with before.  It's great for a cool evening, and you can round it out with some warm corn tortillas for dunking. 

I garnished mine with avocado because I just can't resist any excuse to use avocado.  Use whatever garnishes you like.

White Turkey Chili

adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy

serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 pasilla pepper, seeded, ribs removed, finely diced

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 pound ground white-meat turkey

2 15.5-ounce cans white beans, drained and rinsed

3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 15.5-ounce can hominy, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)

cilantro and lime juice for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onion, celery, and pasilla pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are softened, about 8 minutes.  Add garlic, cumin, coriander, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about one minute.

2.  Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until meat is no longer pink, about 2 minutes.  Add white beans, broth, and oregano.  Cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

3.  Add hominy and salt, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, uncovered, for about 8-10 more minutes.  Ladle into individual bowls and top with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice, plus any other garnishes you like!

Enjoy!

Red Chili

Chili is a glorious universe.  There are so many variations, and I don't begin to claim that I know what the "best" variation is, if such a thing exists.  I've made white chili before, which was delicious and not too heavy.  Today, I opted for red chili.  And while some of the ingredients are similar or even identical, it is a completely different meal.

This is a hearty, soul-warming meal.  It's meaty, it's spicy, it has a deep rustic flavor that only gets better the longer it sits.  Normally I reduce a recipe to make enough for two or three people, but for chili, I went all out and made a big pot.  I know that the leftovers will be even better than the freshly made batch. 

I understand that for some people chili is a personal thing - they have to have it a certain way, with certain adornments absolutely required.  I, however, like the idea of chili as a free-for-all.  It can be a little different every time you make it.  I took some aspects of our friend Mike's chili recipe and added it to the chili recipe in Mad Hungry, a fabulous new cookbook.  The result is magnificent.

Use whatever garnishes you like - I opted for grated cheddar, scallions and avocado.  They rounded out the meal beautifully.

Dried red chilies can be found in the produce section of your supermarket.  Get the medium-large ones - the specific variety doesn't really matter.

Red Chili

adapted from Mad Hungry

serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

5 dried red chilies (ancho, Hatch, or Anaheim)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 large yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1 1/4 pounds hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

coarse salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 bay leaf

two 14.5 oz. cans no salt added diced tomatoes, with juice

12 ounce bottle of beer (ale works nicely)

one 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

garnishes of your choosing

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Break the stems off the dried chilies and remove the seeds.  Place the chilies in a bowl and cover with boiling water.  Let sit for five minutes to soften.  Place the chilies in a food processor with about 1/4 cup of the soaking liquid and process to a paste.  Set aside.

2.  Heat oil in a large (5 qt. works) Dutch oven or soup pot, or a very large skillet, over medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes.  Season with a pinch of salt.  Add the sausage, breaking up with a wooden spoon.  Brown the meat, stirring occasionally, for about ten minutes, until cooked.   If there is a lot of grease in the pan, spoon some of it out, but make sure you leave some for flavor.

3.  Stir in cumin and cook for 30 seconds.  Add the chili paste you made in step one, red pepper flakes, oregano, bay leaf, and another pinch of salt.  

4.  Add tomatoes and beer and bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat slightly and simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.  Add beans and cook for an additional 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Season to taste, and serve.

Enjoy!

Pulled BBQ Turkey Sandwich (CEIMB)

I think I died and went to BBQ heaven. Seriously.

I had a bit of trepidation about this week's Craving Ellie in my Belly recipe, as many people commented that the recipe didn't have enough flavor. Taking this into account, I tweaked the ingredients to add a bit more zing and sweetness - I reduced the molasses and water, added honey and red pepper flakes. I also slightly increased the ratio of liquid smoke. And I don't know if it was my tweaks, or what, but there was so much flavor in this sandwich, I don't even know what to say.

This BBQ sauce is packed with spice and smokiness. I am officially a convert to the magic of liquid smoke. I bought the bottle just for this recipe, thinking I'd probably never use it again, but I was soooo wrong. I can foresee all sorts of recipes featuring liquid smoke in the future.

The original recipe called for a rotisserie chicken, but I opted for a roasted turkey breast, since both my husband and I steer away from brown chicken meat, and I thought this way I could use the entire thing and not waste any of it. It made the sandwich feel a little bit extra special, and I think come Thanksgiving time we should all remember this recipe for using the leftover turkey meat. You can certainly use chicken meat here if you prefer.

I can't say enough about the beautiful flavor combination in this sauce. Please, just try it. Words cannot express how good it is.

Pulled BBQ Turkey Sandwich
adapted from Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger (2008)
serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 large red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 roast turkey breast, skin removed, shredded into thin strips (about 2 cups)
3 whole wheat hamburger buns
3 large green lettuce leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

2. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, honey, water, vinegar, molasses, pepper, liquid smoke, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Add the shredded turkey meat and stir to combine well. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Serve on buns with lettuce leaves.

Enjoy!

Cornbread Crusted Pie

I don't often cook for a large number of people, so when I do, I am all about the casseroles. When we decided to have a family birthday party for my husband at our place, I turned, appropriately, to The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever for ideas. This one practically jumped off the page. I changed a few things, most importantly the use of ground turkey instead of beef, and fresh corn instead of frozen (after all, I just got two beautiful ears in my CSA bag this week). The result is this tasty, shepherd's pie-esque casserole that everyone seemed very happy with.

The cornbread crust is fantastic. It's crisp on top and soft inside, and has a great balance of sweet and savory - everything that good cornbread should be. The meat filling is lovely, filled with spices and fresh vegetables that all marry together to form a united front. We had it with guacamole and chips, as well as a yellow bean salad my sister made. A very tasty lunch!

Cornbread Crusted Pie
adapted from The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever
serves 10

INGREDIENTS:

the filling:
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 1/4 pounds lean ground turkey
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon whole wheat (or all-purpose) flour
kernels from 2 ears of sweet corn
2 14.5 ounce cans of diced tomatoes, with juice

cornbread topping:
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup whole wheat (or all-purpose) flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 cup nonfat milk
1/4 cup canola oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until starting to soften. Add turkey and break it up as it cooks with a spatula or wooden spoon. Cook, stirring frequently, until turkey is browned and mostly cooked through.

3. Add garlic, spices, salt, flour, and corn, and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a boil. Let it boil for a couple of minutes to allow a cohesive sauce to form. Remove from heat and transfer the mixture to the baking dish.

4. Make the topping: In a large bowl, stir the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together. Whisk the egg, milk, and oil together in a medium bowl and then add to the dry ingredients, mixing until well blended. Pour the batter over the filling in the baking dish and spread evenly with a spatula or spoon.

5. Bake for 25 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned and a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean. Serve.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Turkey Burgers (CEIMB)

I've really been looking forward to this week's recipe for Craving Ellie in My Belly. Not a lot of people seem to really appreciate a well-made turkey burger. I realize that there are many turkey burgers that are not so well made - underseasoned, too dry, or too tough. But I am a big fan of the turkey burger. I try not to eat a lot of beef, so it's a great way to get a burger fix without venturing into beef territory too often.

This recipe seems almost too simple to be a tasty turkey burger. Somehow Ellie worked her magic, and these just work. Some of the other bloggers mentioned it wasn't flavorful enough, so to be on the safe side I added a little bit of cracked red pepper flakes. It was fabulous, but honestly I think I would have loved it even without the addition.

These are big, satisfying burgers with just the right amount of roasted red pepper and melty cheese inside. They are juicy, filled with flavor, and best of all, relatively guilt free. I had mine with just some lettuce, but if you feel like dousing it with your usual burger toppings, you can certainly feel free. I promise you, though, it doesn't need it.

Stuffed Turkey Burgers
adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave
makes 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 pounds lean ground turkey
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
1 teaspoon cracked red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
cooking spray
4 whole wheat buns

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.

2. Divide the ground turkey into four even sections. Divide each section in half, and form 8 small(ish) patties, keeping them pretty flat. Top four of the patties with 2 tablespoons chopped red pepper, 2 tablespoons cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes each. Cover with the remaining patties, and work the turkey around the edges to seal the burgers closed. Season fairly generously with salt and pepper.

3. Spray grill pan with cooking spray. Cook the burgers until cooked through, about 5 minutes each side. (Trust me, when you're eating turkey, medium rare is not a good idea). Put burgers in buns and serve.

Enjoy!

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps

It is an occasional and beautiful thing where I startle myself with how effortlessly I pulled together a delicious meal. I realize it sounds like I'm being extremely egotistical, but I promise I'm not. This meal was just so insanely easy and quick. It only took about 10 minutes, including prep time. And it tasted so, so good. Not to mention the smell. Prepare to swoon!

This is a much healthier and simpler (yet better) version of those Asian lettuce wraps that seem to grace the appetizer menu at every major chain restaurant these days. I guarantee that once you try this recipe, you'll never waste $14.95 at P.F. Chang's again.

A little spicy, a little salty, with a delicate crunch and a heart of meaty goodness - I give you American-Asian fusion in a pinch.

Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps
adapted from Williams-Sonoma Eat Well
serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 small cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/4 pound extra lean ground turkey
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
6 large lettuce leaves (iceberg or butter lettuce)
handful fresh cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oils in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant but not browned.

2. Add turkey and stir with a wooden spoon to break it up into small pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until turkey is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add soy sauce and vinegar, stir, and cook another minute.

3. Serve the turkey mixture in the lettuce leaves, topped with cilantro.

Eat with your hands if you're a brave soul; otherwise you might want to go the knife-and-fork route.

Sausage with Peppers and Onions

When you grow up in a British family, you eat bangers. You just do. If you don't, you're missing out. You eat them with mashed potatoes and gravy, or in a sandwich with grilled onions. You eat them slathered with HP sauce. You eat them however you can get them.

I can only imagine that if you grow up in an Italian-American family, the same is true of Italian sausage (only perhaps without the HP sauce). I have long heard about the quintessential Italian sausage + peppers + onions combination. Tonight I decided to try my hand at making it (only with shallots instead of onions). I bought some lovely crusty rolls to make it into a sandwich.

It was really good. I didn't see stars, but I could definitely see why this is a tradition of sorts. The sweetness of the peppers, the spiciness of the sausage, and the occasional crunch of sweet grilled shallot, all gathered together in a freshly baked roll - it definitely gets the job done.

And yes, I did put HP sauce on mine (not pictured). Couldn't resist.

Sausage with Peppers and Onions
inspired by Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

Cooking spray
2 links of hot Italian sausage (preferably turkey sausage)
1 tablespoon EVOO
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper (any color), cored and sliced into strips
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat up a small skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Puncture the sausages a few times with the tip of a sharp knife and cook, browning on all sides. Add a few tablespoons of water to the skillet after the sausages have browned and cover with a lid. This will steam the sausages so they cook faster. (I learned this from Rachael Ray). Cook until done, about 10 to 15 minutes.

2. While sausages are steaming, heat EVOO in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and cook for a 4-5 minutes, until just starting to brown. Add the peppers and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook all the veggies together, tossing around occasionally, until tender, about 5 more minutes.

3. Transfer the sausages from the watery skillet to join the peppers and onions, just to brown them up a bit more. Serve.

Easy. Tasty. Good. Enjoy!

Turkey Sausage and Zucchini Rice

This meal is what I like to think of as regular-people food. It's tasty and interesting enough, and it's even kind of pretty. But it's nothing fancy or special occasion-esque. It has meat, it has a vegetable, it has brown rice. But it also has a lovely brothy sauce, toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley just to make it a bit more elegant.

I am underselling it a bit, I know. But a meal doesn't have to be exotic or high-brow to be worth cooking and serving to your loved ones. This is a great example of simple, wholesome home cooking that you can get done in under an hour. I'm a big fan of Italian sausage, as it brings a huge amount of flavor with minimal effort. It is showcased yet again by this recipe.

Turkey Sausage and Zucchini Rice
adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray
serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

2 teaspoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons EVOO
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper
3/4 cups long grain brown rice, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 links turkey hot Italian sausage, casings removed
2 baby zucchini, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and EVOO over medium heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice and 2 1/4 cups broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and cover. Cook until rice is tender and most of the broth is absorbed, about 40 minutes.

2. When the rice has about 15 minutes to go, cook sausage in a medium skillet, breaking it up, overr medium heat until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage to a plate. Add zucchini to the skillet and cook until just tender, about 4 minutes. Return sausage to the skillet along with remaining 1/4 cup broth and 1/4 cup water. Cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes.

3. When rice is done, add the sausage and zucchini mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the parmesan and parsley. Serve topped with pine nuts.

Enjoy!

Turkey Meatloaf

I can't claim to feel much nostalgia for meatloaf. We never ate it in my family when I was growing up. In fact, I tried it for the first time in high school, and that was in a restaurant when a friend ordered it and let me taste it. So I won't lie to you and say it reminds me of home, or brings a flood of fuzzy memories.

I will say, however, that I find it intriguing. And admittedly, the typical meatloaf is not that appetizing to me - ground beef and bread mixed up and formed into a loaf-like shape? No thanks. But if you take Ellie Krieger's recipe, which is made with ground turkey, whole grains, red bell pepper and other delicious flavorings, well now you have my attention.

I tweaked the recipe a little bit and what resulted was a tasty bit of home. Whose home, I'm not sure. But it just tasted comforting and delicious, without being too gut-busting and heavy. We ate ours with some roasted broccoli (roasted with smashed garlic cloves, EVOO, and a bit of salt - delicious!) and enjoyed it immensely. The turkey is moist and flavorful, and the tomato sauce and shallot on top are the show-stealers.

Turkey Meatloaf
adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave
serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons quick cooking oats
1/4 cup skim milk
1 shallot (1/2 thinly sliced, 1/2 finely chopped)
1 1/4 pounds extra lean ground turkey
1/2 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large egg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
pinch salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup canned all natural tomato sauce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In a small bowl, combine oats and milk and set aside to let soak while you chop and prepare the other ingredients, at least 3 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, combine turkey, oatmeal mixture, chopped half of the shallot, bell pepper, egg, Worcestershire, ketchup, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix just until well combined - you'll probably need to use your hands.

4. Transfer the mixture to a pyrex (or similar) baking dish and shape into a loaf shape, about 2 inches high. Pour tomato sauce over the meatloaf and sprinkle with sliced shallot.

5. Bake until cooked through, about an hour. An instant read thermometer inserted into the middle should read 160. Let rest for a few minutes before slicing.

Whether this is something that reminds you of home or not, enjoy!

Turkey and Bean Casserole with Sage

In movies and TV shows, when someone moves to a new neighborhood, or a family member passes away, or a baby is born, or pretty much any other event occurs, all the neighbors bring over casseroles. It's considered the thoughtful thing to do, as the casserole recipient may not have the time or energy to cook for a while, and casseroles keep in the fridge or freezer for an as-yet-undetermined amount of time.

Well, I've found my casserole. Pretending that I lived in a sitcom reality for a minute, or a neighborhood where people actually know their neighbors' names, I now know what I'll make for these fictional neighbors when someone has a baby, or dies, or relocates. And they won't even really need it to keep for a while because they'll want to eat it all in one sitting.

This casserole is fantastic. I was actually really pleasantly surprised at how much I loved it. It takes many of the flavors traditionally associated with cassoulet and tosses them into a mixture that takes a mere fraction of the cooking time. I tweaked the original recipe considerably, and I have to say it came out as a really amazing dish.

Turkey and Bean Casserole with Sage
adapted from Everyday Food Magazine
serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

Generous handful of leftover crusty bread
2 tablespoons EVOO
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
handful sage leaves (about 8-10 leaves)
1 large shallot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 pound lean ground turkey with Italian seasonings*
1/4 cup white wine
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon cracked red pepper flakes
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a food processor, pulse the bread until very coarse crumbs form. Add 1 tablespoon EVOO, pulse briefly to distribute. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350. In a medium saucepan or Dutch oven, heat remaining tablespoon EVOO over medium-high. Add the sage, and cook until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to fish out the leaves and place them on a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving remaining oil in the pan. Set aside the sage leaves.

3. Add shallot and garlic to the oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot is getting tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add meat, wine, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.

4. Stir in the beans and cook until beans are tender and creamy, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Don't overdo it on the salt, as the turkey already has some salt in it).

5. Transfer meat-and-bean mixture to a 2 quart casserole. Scatter breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until topping is golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve topped with the fried sage leaves.

* If you can't find ground turkey with Italian seasonings, use Italian sausage with casings removed, and omit the red pepper flakes.

This is one of those recipes I want to remember to make again. I get so caught up with trying new recipes that I don't often return to the good ones. This one gets a gold star. Enjoy!