Crunchy Taco Cups

I had this as an appetizer at a get-together and decided to make it into a main dish. I really don't like pre-packaged taco seasoning, but if you want to speed things up go ahead and use it. But, you'll be missing out on the delicious fresh flavor of mixing in your own taco seasoning. Plus, it only takes about 1-2 extra minutes to make your own and it's so much tastier and healthier. We've had these divine little taco cups several times. I love the double layered wonton with the meat and cheese all nicely squished inside together. It's so much easier to eat than the classic taco too, way less mess! We also really enjoy how quick this is to make and how tasty it is to eat! This recipe makes 12 taco cups, but when we make this for our family of 8 we double the recipe.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground turkey
1 10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
1/4 tsp chili powder (add 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp for a hotter flavor)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

1 TBSP flour
24 Wonton wrappers
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheddar cheese
optional: sour cream, avocado, and chopped green onion

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously coat a standard size muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

2. Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat and add the ground turkey, breaking it up as you brown it. Drain off any extra liquid and then add the drained tomatoes, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. Heat and stir until all heated through, add the 1 TBSP flour and stir until no more liquid remains and it thickens up. Remove from the heat.

3. Line each prepared muffin tin with a wonton wrapper and press down into each muffin cup. Add 1 TBSP taco mixture to each wonton filled muffin cup, then add 1 TBSP cheese. Fill each 12 muffin cups this way. Then to make a second layer, place another wonton wrapper on top of the cheese and press down into the sides of each cup. Top with another 1 TBSP taco mixture and 1 TBSP cheese for the final layer.

4. Bake for 11-13 minutes until the cups are heated through and the edges are golden.

5. Remove each baked wonton taco cup from the muffin tin and set on a cooling rack so the bottoms can air a bit before being placed on a plate.

6. Top each taco cup with a dollop of sour cream, an avocado slice, and a few chopped green onions.

Breakfast Casserole

A few months ago we decided to jump onto the breakfast casserole bandwagon. We found a nice recipe online and made two pans, freezing one and baking the other. It tasted awful and we sadly tossed the leftovers and the uncooked frozen casserole in the trash. We found this recipe through a friend and our kids (even the pickiest ones) rave about it. We like turkey so much better so we subbed the ground sausage for turkey sausage. This one is a winner and now our regular Saturday morning family breakfast!

Ingredients

1 24 ounce bag of frozen hash browns
1 cup butter
1 lb. uncooked turkey sausage
9 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
3 cups grated cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Warm oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray, set aside.

2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the 1 cup butter and then add the hash browns. Cook for about 15 minutes, browning and stirring at regular intervals.

3. While the hash browns are cooking, warm another skillet to medium-high heat and brown the turkey sausage, breaking up the sausage as it cooks so that it's a crumbly texture.

4. Once the hash browns are nicely golden brown, put them in the bottom of the prepared 9x13 pan. Top them with the browned crumbled turkey sausage.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, sour cream, salt, garlic powder, and pepper until smooth. Then, stir in the grated cheddar cheese. Pour the wet ingredients over the hash browns and sausage. Stir all the ingredients together in the 9x13 pan.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve warm.

Shepherd's Pie

It was exactly 15 years ago that I sat at the table of a sweet elderly friend and ate Shepherd's Pie on an abnormally sunny day in West Yorkshire, England. Since then, I've tried to create that same comfortable meal and I feel like I've finally gotten pretty close. Now, if only I could transport all of you to a quaint British dining room with sheep herding on the green nearby hills. Then, you'd have the final ingredient to this Shepherd's Pie.

The meaty bottom layer and all it's gravy-ness is the perfect compliment to the mashed potatoes. Please, please (PLEASE!) don't wimp out on making the layer of mashed carrots. I know, it'd be easier to just throw in a bag of frozen peas and carrots or something, but the mashed carrots are perfect and don't take too much extra time to make.

This is a wonderful recipe to whip up with leftover gravy and mashed potatoes. Sometimes, when I made Sunday dinner I purposely make a huge amount of mashed potatoes just so I can save them in the fridge for making this delicious meal the following day or two. The leftover gravy could easily displace the 1 cup beef broth and turkey gravy packet.

Makes 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:
for mashed potatoes - you could also use leftover mashed potatoes
6 large potatoes, peeled, and cubed
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup Milk, half and half, or cream
Salt and Pepper to taste

for mashed carrots
10 medium carrotts, peeled, and sliced
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons milk
Salt and Pepper to taste

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 of a medium-sized onion, chopped
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup beef broth
1 packet of turkey gravy
1 - 1 1/2 cups peas
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Set oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9 x 13 glass pan and set it aside. Side note: I find it best to do steps 2 and 3 at the same time to save some time.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cubed potatoes and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and add butter, milk (or half and half or cream), and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

3. Bring a medium sized pot of salted water to boil. Add sliced carrots and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain carrots and add butter, milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

4. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and ground turkey and cook until it is well browned. Pour off excess fat. Stir in the flour, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, and turkey gravy packet. Cook for about 2-4 minutes or until thickened.

5. Spread the meat mixture into the bottom of the 9 x 13 glass pan. Evenly top the meat with peas. Carefully spread a layer of mashed carrots over the peas and meat using a rubber spatula. Top it with an evenly spread layer of mashed potatoes. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the mashed potatoes.

6. Make in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for about 5 minutes and then serve.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

We whipped these little delights up today by mixing two of our favorite recipes.  The texture on the meatballs is divine - the key is the ground turkey!  Better than any other homemade meatball or store bought meatball.  Recipe makes about thirty 1-inch meatballs.

Meatball Recipe:
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1 large egg
1 tsp dry minced onion
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix with your hands until completely incorporated.  Lightly spray a large skillet with cooking spray.  Brown the meatballs in the large skillet on medium-high heat.  Carefully turn each ball with a fork to brown three to four of the sides.  While meatballs are browning, make the Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe below.

Sweet and Sour Recipe:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup soy sauce
2/3 cup water
2 TBSP cornstarch

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix with a wire whisk.  When the meatballs are browned on 3-4 sides pour the Sweet and Sour Sauce Mixture over the meatballs.  Let the sauce and meatballs gently simmer for 5 minutes, don't let it boil to fiercely or the sauce will all evaporate and you'll have a thick gloomy sauce.  If you see the sauce getting to thick add a little water, 1/4 cup at a time.  After 5 minutes, cover the skillet with a lid and let the meatballs and sauce lightly simmer for another 3-5 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Turkey Strganoff

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 8 ounces sliced white button mushrooms
• 4 ounces light cream cheese, cubed
• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1/2 cup lowfat milk
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cooked egg noodles or rice for serving

Directions

1. In a large nonstick skillet, cook the meat, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to break up the meat into small pieces, until the meat is almost cooked through but still slightly pink, about 5 minutes. Drain excess grease. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are soft and browned and the meat is cooked through, another 5 minutes or so.
2. Add the cubed cream cheese and let the cream cheese melt over medium heat, about 2-3 minutes, before stirring in. Mix gently until the cream cheese is incorporated throughout the meat mixture. In a large liquid measuring cup, combine the beef broth and milk. Whisk in the flour until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps of flour remaining.
3. Stir the beef broth/milk mixture into the meat and cook over medium or medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Let the mixture bubble and simmer until slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve over cooked egg noodles or hot, cooked rice. Sprinkle each serving with fresh parsley, if desired.

Turkey Stroganoff (Dairy Free)

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey

1/2 cup diced onions

1 tsp salt

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp pepper

8 ounces sliced mushrooms

2 cups beef broth

3 TBSP flour

1/2 cup plant-based sour cream alternative

Cooked egg noodles

Directions:

1. In a large nonstick skillet, cook the ground turkey, onion, salt, garlic, and pepper, on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to break up the meat into small pieces, until the meat is almost cooked through but still slightly pink, about 5 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms and cook 1-2 minutes.
2. Add the beef broth. Sprinkle the 3 TBSP flour over the mixture and then stir it in and let it simmer until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the sour cream alternative and add additional salt and pepper to taste.
3. Serve over cooked egg noodles.