Turkey Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Recipe courtesy of Inspired Taste.

Ingredients:
Tomato Basil Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 large basil sprig plus 2 tablespoons torn basil leaves

Turkey Meatballs
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 egg

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound ground turkey (93% lean)

Directions:
In a large skillet with sides, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes then cook 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes and tomato paste then bring to a simmer. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and add basil spring. Allow sauce to simmer gently while preparing meatballs.

To make meatballs, combine panko breadcrumbs and milk in a large bowl, and then let sit 5 minutes.

Add egg, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, parsley, oregano and salt to bowl. Stir until combined.
Next, add turkey then use a fork or fingers to mix everything together until barely combined. For tender meatballs, try not to over mix.

Wet your hands and form mixture into 1-inch meatballs. This should make about 24 meatballs.Gently drop meatballs into tomato sauce. (It’s okay if some are not completely covered by the sauce). Cover skillet with a lid and cook 20 minutes then gently shimmy or shake the skillet to move the meatballs around a little. Cook another 5 to 10 minutes or until turkey is cooked through. Before serving, scatter about 2 tablespoons of torn basil leaves over meatballs and sauce.

Baked Turkey and Jack Cheese Chimichangas

Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers.

Ingredients:
2 spray(s) cooking spray
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1/2 pound(s) uncooked ground turkey breast
16 oz fat free canned refried beans
1 3/4 cup(s) fat free salsa
4 1/2 oz canned green chili peppers, mild, drained and diced
1 tsp chili powder
3 Tbsp uncooked scallion(s), thinly sliced
1 cup(s) reduced-fat shredded Monterey Jack cheese
8 item(s) (large) burrito-size wheat flour tortilla(s)
1 cup(s) fat free salsa (Optional)
1/2 cup(s) fat free sour cream (Optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Coat a 13- X 9- X 2-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Add garlic, zucchini, pepper, and onion to skillet and cook over medium-high heat until softened. Add turkey to skillet and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Drain any excess liquid from pan and then add beans, 1 3/4 cups of salsa, chili peppers, chili powder and scallions. Cook until heated through, about 3 minutes; stir in most of the cheese (reserve about 1/4 cup to sprinkle on top of chimichangas).

Assemble chimichangas by spooning about 1/2 cup of turkey mixture onto each tortilla; fold in sides and roll up.

Place chimichangas, seam-side down, in prepared baking dish. Bake, uncovered, until tortillas are crisp and browned, about 20 minutes. Serve each topped with 2 tablespoons of salsa and 1 tablespoon of sour cream, if desired.

Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Recipe courtesy of Serious Eats.I made a few alterations based on what I had at home.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 pound ground turkey
1 (14.5 ounce) jar salsa  

1 (14.5 ounce) can red kidney beans 

1 cups (1/2 of a 14.5 ounce can) pumpkin puree
3/4 tablespoons chili powder
1/4 tablespoon cumin 

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper to taste (at least 3 good shakes)
 

Directions: 

Heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Saute the onion, green bell pepper, and garlic until tender, about 10 minutes. Make room in the center of the skillet, add turkey, and brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in salsa, beans, and pumpkin. Season with chili powder, cumin, pepper, salt, and cayenne.

Reduce heat and simmer at least 20 minutes.

Leftover Turkey Soup: Part Duex

Another year, another Thanksgiving, another chance to make Leftover Turkey Soup! This year I didn't have any good leftover veggies to add into the soup, so I roasted some Sweet Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts while the broth simmered.

Ingredients:
Broth:
Turkey carcass
2 quarters of a large onion (or 4 quarters of a medium onion)
Celery tops/leaves
Sprig of fresh thyme
Sprig of fresh rosemary
A few leaves of fresh sage
Bay leaf
Salt and pepper

Soup:
Leftover turkey, shredded or cut into bite-size pieces
Large onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped

2 sweet potatoes
1 lb Brussel Sprouts

Directions:
Cover turkey carcass in soup pot with water. Add remaining broth ingredients. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, chop sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Toss in 1 tbsp olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper  and roast at 300 degrees for 30 minutes. Cut Brussel Sprouts in half. Toss with 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp balsamic, salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Remove stock from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve, saving the liquid, and throwing away the carcass, vegetables, and herbs.

In the soup pot, add a bit of oil and cook onions and celery over medium heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add strained stock. Add the turkey and remaining vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle the soup into serving bowls.

Turkey Chili

Recipe courtesy of Food Network!



Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey
1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 tablespoon paprika
3/4 tablespoon cumin
2 large cloves garlic, sliced
3/4 tablespoon salt
3/4 tablespoon black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 small white onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
1-2 green onions, chopped
1 (14 ounce) can whole stewed tomatoes
2 whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 cup fresh corn (I used frozen)
1 cup finely chopped zucchini
1 cup chicken stock

Directions:
Preferably using a cast-iron skillet, brown the turkey in the oil for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Add all the ingredients except the vegetables and chicken stock, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vegetables and stock, and cook for approximately 5 to 10 minutes.

Turkey Waldorf Salad

This Thanksgiving Leftover recipe brought to you by Food Network.

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded leftover turkey meat
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 crisp apple, such as Gala or Macintosh, cored and chopped
1 cup red seedless grapes, halved
1/2 cup pecans, toasted, and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup non-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper
Lettuce

Directions:
In a large bowl, gently toss the turkey, celery, apple, grapes, and pecans until combined. In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well combined. Add the dressing to the turkey mixture, season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to evenly dress the salad. Serve on top of lettuce.

Leftover Turkey Soup

November was a pretty slow cooking month for me - the beginning of the month was my birthday and the various celebrations that surrounds that date, then we went on vacation for 9 days, which was immediately followed by Thanksgiving! All of which means that post-TDay is the first opportunity I've really had to cook all month, and what a better way than to make use of delicious leftovers! The first leftover dish I made was Turkey Soup, the idea of which came from this Food Network recipe, with my own little twists.



Ingredients:
Broth:
Turkey carcass
2 quarters of a large onion (or 4 quarters of a medium onion)
Celery tops/leaves
Sprig of fresh thyme
Sprig of fresh rosemary
A few leaves of fresh sage
Bay leaf
Salt and pepper

Soup:
Leftover turkey, shredded or cut into bite-size pieces
Half of a large onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
Box of frozen corn
Leftover vegetables (I had leftover roasted potatoes which I quartered)

Directions:
Cover turkey carcass in soup pot with water. Add remaining broth ingredients. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 1 hour.

Remove stock from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve, saving the liquid, and throwing away the carcass, vegetables, and herbs.

In the soup pot, add a bit of oil and cook onions and celery over medium heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add strained stock. Add the turkey and remaining vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle the soup into serving bowls.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1 pound ground turkey meat
1 1/2 cups Italian Seasoned breadcrumbs
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup tomato sauce
2 large cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1 box (16 ounces) whole-wheat spaghetti
Tomato sauce

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine the turkey with all other ingredients in a large work bowl. Shape into 1 inch balls and place on baking sheet. Bake 35 Minutes, until browned.

Meanwhile prepare pasta. Once cooked, drain and return to pot. Add tomato sauce (as much or as little as you personally like.) Serve spaghetti and top with meatballs!