Lemon Turkey Patties

I found this recipe from Family Circle magazine and had to try it. We love turkey burgers around here and this is a slightly different variation where you don't use a bun and toppings. Just a pattie with a couple of yummy sides to go with it. It was so good I have already made it twice. The lemon zest really makes this meal!



Ingredients:

1 lb. ground turkey
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg white, beaten
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
zest and juice from one lemon
a pinch of salt and pepper
olive oil

1. Place ground turkey in a bowl. Add everything else right on top of the meat, except for the olive oil. Using a fork or a spoon, mix all the ingredients together. *If you use your hands to mix, you can tend to over mix and the meat will become tough.
2. Form into 4-5 patties using your hands and place in a medium heat skillet (I used a nonstick skillet so they wouldn't stick) drizzled with a bit of olive oil. Cook for about 6-7 minutes per side. Until the meat is golden brown. Flip and cook another 7 minutes or until cooked through.
3. Serve while warm with a veggie side dish and some crusty garlic bread. You are set!
* I served this with roasted yams and apples. Wanna try it? All you do is peel and cut your yams and toss them in a bowl. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper. Place on a foil lined cookie sheet and cook for 20 minutes at 425. While they are cooking prepare your turkey patties. Also cut 2-3 apples into thinnish slices and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. After the yams have been cooking for 20 minutes, use a spatula and flip them around to cook even. Toss the apple on the cookie sheet at this point and cook both apples and yams for another 15 minutes while the patties cook! Done and delish!
* other good veggie dishes would be roasted potatoes, steamed broccoli or steamed carrots.

Cranberry Orange Biscotti

My brother Bryce, slimmed down this recipe and it is so yummy! We love dipping these cookies in hot cocoa. Perfect for the holidays! I always thought that biscotti sounded hard and time consuming, but it is easy and super good, definitely worth it and a great snack!!


Ingredients:

2 cups flour (you could do half whole wheat pastry to add a bit more whole grains)
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 tablespoons tub butter (I like brummel and brown)
3 egg whites, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup craisens
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 teaspoon grated orange peel

1. Preheat your oven to 350. Cover a cookie sheet in foil and spray with non-stick spray.
2. Mix your flour, sugar, and baking powder together. Cut in the tub butter. Add the beaten egg whites and both extracts. Mix all together. Keep mixing until all the ingredients are combined. (Halfway through a used my hands to really mix it all together.
3. Next toss in the craises, almonds, and orange peel. Mix well. Shape into 2 logs and place on cookie sheet. Like this.....


4. Cook at 350 for 25 minutes. Next, put logs on a cutting board and cool for 5 minutes. Slice into cookies. Like this....... oh, and sprinkle with a bit of sugar


5.Bake for another 18 minutes and done!! Dunk and enjoy!

* These would be great dipped in white chocolate and sprinkles with holiday sprinkles for friends and family! Yum!!

Mexican Skillet Dinner

My sister gave me this awesome cookbook that is all low fat cooking and we tried this one out on company and it was soooo good! It was really fast and hit the spot. We added tortilla chips to finish it off and we will definitely be making it again!



Ingredients:

1 lb. ground turkey
2 cans Mexican style diced tomatoes or regular diced tomatoes
1 can corn
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
8 ounces macaroni
1 1/3 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
tomatoes
lettuce
cheese
tortillas or tortilla chips

1. Place the ground turkey in a large deep soup pot and cook over medium heat stirring to crumble until the meat is no longer oink. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir to mix well.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer stirring occasionally for 10-12 minutes or until pasta is tender and the liquid ans been absorbed. *If there is still a bit of liquid left over, remove the cover and simmer for a few more minutes.
3.To plate: put mixture on plate or bowl top with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream and crumbled chips. YUM!

* Use chips to scoop too! Warm tortillas on the side would be yummy and you can add any of your favorite taco toppings!

Cheesy Fan Potatoes

Here is an easy and delicious side dish! We loved it and I can't believe I have never eaten potatoes this way before. My littlest even loved these and they have tons of great flavor! Great with any meal!



Ingredients:

4 medium baking potatoes
3 tablespoons tub butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

1. Scrub all the potatoes clean and pat dry. Cut potatoes crosswise into thin slices, but DO NOT cut all the way through. Go slow so you don't chop right through it. Line an 8x8 baking dish with foil and spray with non stick spray. Place potatoes in dish. Gently press down on potatoes to fan slightly.
2. Combine melted butter and garlic salt. Drizzle over potatoes. Bake, covered, in a 350 oven for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake about 15 more minutes or until tender.
3. Sprinkle with cheese and return to oven. Broil for just a minute or two. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn. Removed and transfer to plates and sprinkle with chives! YUM!!

* We had these with ham and cranberries. But these would be great with any dish! Grilled chicken or steak with steamed broccoli or salad. Or pork chops and homemade chunky applesauce. Just throw them in where you would have a baked potato.

Pumpkin Ring Cake

This is a great and different way to use pumpkin so everyone isn't sick of it by the end of the holidays. Super moist and really great! I made a glaze topping for ours but I bet a cream cheese frosting would be wonderful! It's a no-fail Betty Crocker recipe that I fixed a bit.... Perfect for fall!



Ingredients:

3 cups Heart Smart Bisquick® mix
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup applesauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup fat free milk
2 eggs and 2 egg whites
1 can (16 ounces) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1.Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan. Ok, I greased and floured it and it still stuck a little bit. I ALWAYS just spray my pans really well with non -stick spray and they turn out great, so I am going to try that next time.
2.Beat Bisquick, granulated sugar, brown sugar, applesauce, oil, pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 cup milk, eggs/egg whites and pumpkin in large bowl on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 3 minutes. Spread in pan.
3.Bake about 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; turn upside down onto heatproof plate or wire cooling rack. Remove pan and cool cake completely.
4.Stir glaze ingredients together until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over cake. Enjoy!

Tortellini Soup

This is so good and one of my favorite soups!! It is perfect for a fall day or a chilly night. I got this recipe from Adrienne and Taste the Joy and it is always a hit and super easy! Pair it up with some rolls or muffins and you can't go wrong!!



Ingredients:

1 lb. ground spicy turkey sausage (or regular turkey sausage is great too)
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 cup beef broth
1 8oz. can tomato sauce
8-16 oz. package cheese tortellini (I recommend and use the fresh pasta from the refrigerated section, it is the best!!)
1 16 oz. can chopped tomatoes, drained
1 zucchini, peeled and grated
1 carrot, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano

1. Ok ready, super easy!! Brown the sausage in a large soup pot. When cooked add the onion, garlic, carrot, green pepper and saute. Add all the remaining ingredients EXCEPT the tortellini and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir every so often.
2. Add the tortellini and cook 7-9 minutes until done. (If you add it with everything else they will over cook and they can be mussy or fall apart, not good :) When the pasta is done, dish up and dig in!

* Rolls are super good with this, perfect for dunking and sopping up soup. Make up a batch earlier in the day so when the soup is ready, so is everything else!
* Muffins are really great too! Cranberry or apple would be delicious and they have fat free mixes in the baking isle that are really good and I use them finish off a dinner.

Mac and Cheese

I LOVE this recipe! I have been making this since Rex and I were first married and we still love it to this day! Perfect for fall or a chilly day, warms you right up and you can't go wrong with mac and cheese :)



Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups uncooked short pasta
3 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups low-fat or fat free milk
1 teaspoon spicy mustard (I usually add a bit more because I love it)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or colby
1 cup cut up ham or hot dogs (my kids like hot dogs:)

1. Heat oven to 400. Cook and drain pasta.
2. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large skillet over low heat. Cook the garlic in the butter for about 30 seconds (don't let it burn it will be bitter) stirring frequently. Next stir in the flour and salt. When it is mixed together, it might be a bit lumpy, gradually add in the milk.
3. Using a whisk, stir in the milk. Continue stirring and turn the heat to boiling. Boil and stir about 1 minute until it has thickened up a bit.
4. Stir in the mustard and cheese. Cook and stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
5. Now your pasta should be done so drain it and return to pot. Add the sauce and ham/hot dogs it and stir. Pour into a greased 2 qt. casserole dish and bake for about 5-10 minutes until golden and browned on top.

* Serve this with a side salad or steamed green beans or broccoli. You are set!