Tangy Turkey Breast Cutlets *heather

Take a look at this:

Now come a little closer...

Now take a look at this. Look at the red arrows; first on the left, and now the right.
Mama loves a big save. So to find this price on turkey cutlets was kinda exciting for me. This isn't usually a cut of meat I buy because I keep our grocery bill lean by buying only if it's less than $2/lb. And I stick to lean meats. So when I find a good sale on the lean, I stock up.

This morning I searched for a Cadillac recipe to prepare this Cadillac cut for our dinner. I found something new and was glad I tried it. It got an enthusiastic clink of the milk glass from the 4 year old at the table. So that's pretty good.


Marinade Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Dijon-style prepared mustard
2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed

Whisk ingredients in a bowl. Pour over turkey and marinate in a plastic bag, or bowl in the refrigerator for 1-4 hours.

Broil cutlets 4 inches from flame for 5 minutes on each side. OR, grill in stove top on open grill pan. Grill for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear.


For a side I sauteed up some brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. I also paired it with roasted sweet potatoes and a glass of chardonnay. The marinade leaves the turkey moist and tender with a big, tangy taste. Try it.

Cara's Moroccan Stew *heather

For this stew we can thank some woman named Cara. I've never met her, but she posted this recipe online and it's been a favorite of mine. I made two double batches this week. I brought some to a friend who needed a special hug and served it to my family on a snowy evening, and I still have some in the fridge and two portions in the freezer.

I like this soup because it's hearty, but meat-free which means it's light on the wallet. Nothing against meat, but sometimes it's nice to get our protein from other sources. It's also high in fiber which helps fill your tummy and stick to your ribs. No meat and high fiber with no added salt and no sugar means it's very heart healthy, as well.

Ingredients:
1 cup dry lentils
3 bay leaves
2 whole garlic cloves
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped zucchini
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 (8 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained
4 cups vegetable (or chicken or beef) stock

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Stir in lentils, bay leaves and whole garlic cloves. Return to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer lentils until they are cooked but still firm, about 10 minutes.Drain well; remove and discard whole garlic cloves and bay leaves. Place lentils in a bowl; toss with olive oil, thyme and 1 tablespoon chopped garlic.Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in chili flakes, cinnamon, cumin and coriander. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the spices. Add garlic, onion, celery, zucchini, red and yellow peppers, and squash; stir well to coat the veggies in the spices; cook 3-4 minutes until the veggies start to soften and their color brightens up and they turn a little translucent.




(it's good to have your veggies chopped before you start this step so you can add them to the spices in the pot as soon as the spices become fragrant. If the spices burn, it adds a little acrid flavor to the stew that isn't so nice.)

Mix in the lentils, tomatoes, chickpeas and stock. Raise heat to medium-high until stew just begins to boil; reduce heat to low and cover. Summer until squash is tender, about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice.


Cara suggests garnishing with a dollop of plain yogurt, some chopped mint and a pinch of cayenne pepper. I haven't really followed that suggestions. If you try it, let us know how you like it. If you're wondering about the heat of this dish, I will say that when I double the recipe I double all the spices except the red pepper flakes and the spice falls at "medium" heat equivalent to a medium store-bought salsa. So if you're making a single portion, the heat may be higher and you may want to halve the red pepper flakes.

Roasted Cauliflower and Butternut Squash Soup *melissa

What could be better than a bowl of hot soup to soothe away the chill of winter? I make a lot of soups in the fall and winter. Usually soups are very budget friendly and can easily be doubled to feed large groups. This is a new one that I tried this fall and it turned out to be a delicious hit!

1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced

1 head of cauliflower, cored and separated into florets

1 bunch of leeks

2 cloves of garlic, pressed

2 slices of bacon, chopped

2 heaping tsp curry

1 dash of cayenne pepper

6 cups chicken broth (more for thinning soup if desired)
1 can of evaporated milk

sharp cheddar, grated for garnishing

Set the oven to 350 degrees. Then, chop your leeks.

Then rinse and soak in cold water while you prepare other ingredients. This allows all the sand and dirt to loosen.

Peel, remove seeds, and chop the squash...

Core and separate cauliflower into florets...

Line baking sheet or dish with foil and coat with cooking spray to prevent vegetables from sticking to the foil. Add vegetables and spread them out for even roasting. Place in oven and roast for about 15 minutes or until slight browning occurs. This roasting process starts to caramelize the sugars in the vegetables and adds a rich depth to the flavor of the soup.

Chop bacon and saute in heavy bottomed pot...

Drain leeks and press dry with clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Saute in bacon drippings. Season with black pepper. (There's plenty of salt in the bacon so I don't add any.) Add curry powder, stir to coat leeks and bacon.

Add about 1 cup of chicken broth to pot and deglaze by using a wooden spoon or spatula and scraping up the tasty brow bits on the bottom of the pan.

Add roasted vegetables, remainder of chicken broth and dash of cayenne pepper.

Simmer over medium heat for 30 to 40 min or until cauliflower is easily mashed with a fork. Puree with wand blender or in batches in a blender. Then add evaporated milk and stir until well incorporated.

Serve with shredded sharp cheddar cheese sprinkled to the top. If you really want to enhance the creaminess of this soup try it with a dollop of sour cream...even if it is a little greedy . Enjoy!

Grilled stuffed peppers *melissa

One of my favorite ways to prepare peppers in the summertime is to stuff and grill them. There are so many possibilities when stuffing peppers but I usually come back to this particular combination of ingredients....so tasty!

Ingredients:
bell peppers
plum or cherry tomatoes
green onions
sharp cheddar cheese
cayenne pepper
chipotle chile pepper (or regular chili powder)
cous cous OR quinoa (for a low glycemic/ high protien/ gluten free option) *check out the link for interesting facts about this stuff

 First, prepare cous cous or quinoa according to package directions. Let cool while prepping other ingredients.

Next, shred the cheese, chop the tomatoes and scallions...

Combine tomatoes, scallions, cous cous, and cheese in a medium sized bowl...

Time to add your spices. I usually go by taste but I would estimate a tsp of chile pepper and a dash of cayenne. Lightly combine with a fork.

Now, cut off the tops of your peppers like so....

FYI, this one had babies growing inside...

And this is my crazy cat who LOVES green peppers and comes running any time he hears them being cut. He practically  climbs up my legs every time to get a taste.

 Now, spoon mixture into peppers... 

 Place peppers on hot outdoor grill (OR if you don't have a grill place peppers in the oven on a low rack and broil on high, watching closely)...

On the outdoor grill, once the bottoms of the peppers start to brown and the skin bubbles move to upper rack or lower heat. Grill for about 2-3 more minutes. ENJOY!

Grilled chicken & summer squash pasta *melissa

When my vegetable garden started producing enough goodies to harvest I had to start getting creative in the kitchen. So far I have an overabundance of summer squash, a few cherry tomatoes and lots of basil. So, I came up with this concoction for dinner one night. 

Ingredients:
1 large chicken breast
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 
buffalo mozzarella, cubed
summer squash
1 cup frozen peas
bowtie pasta
Parmesan cheese 
olive oil
salt & pepper (to taste)
grill seasoning

 



Start with slicing the squash in strips from end to end, about 1/4" thick. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with grill seasoning or just plain sea salt and pepper.

Place on hot outdoor grill or stovetop grill pan. Butterfly the chicken breast, brush with olive oil to both sides and sprinkle with grill seasoning. Grill each side approximately 4-5 minutes depending on thickness.

 



While squash and chicken are grilling cook the pasta adding the frozen peas straight to the boiling pasta for the last two minutes. 

Slice up the squash and chicken into bite size pieces. 

In a large skillet on low heat 1 Tbs olive oil. Add pasta, peas, chicken, and tomatoes. Toss to coat in olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add basil, squash and diced buffalo mozzarella at the very end. Serve and enjoy!

**Key to a great tasting pasta...use a great tasting olive oil! I love Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil.