Quick Turkey Chili

2 ½ - 3lbs ground turkey breast
1-½ packets McCormick Hot Chili Seasoning Mix

3 cans sliced stewed tomatoes (unsalted)

2 cans black bean (drained)

1 can dark red kidney beans (drained)

½ cup sugar

4 tbs. black pepper

4 tbs. granulated garlic poweder

4 tbs. Lawry'’s all season salt
1 large red onion
3-4 garlic cloves minced
¼ soy sauce (low sodium)
2 cups brown rice

Brown ground turkey in saucepan.  When cooking with turkey, remember that turkey has fewer flavors than beef, so you should season the ground turkey well as you brown it.  Combine red onion, 2 tbs. garlic powder, 2 tbs. ground black pepper, 2 tbs. lawry’s all season salt and soy sauce in pan with meat. Brown turkey slowly (low to medium heat).

While you’re waiting for the meat to brown, put the kidney beans, black beans, and stewed tomatoes in large pot.  DO NOT cook yet; just prep for the ground turkey. Also, make sure to clean those can tops well.  You don’t know what crawled around on those cans while they were sitting in some warehouse.  I know it sounds crazy, but I’m anal about that kind of stuff.

Once ground turkey is browned, spoon the turkey into the pot with the tomatoes and beans.  Add remaining spices, garlic sugar, and chili seasoning mix; stir well and cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes.   I’m still getting use to measuring ingredients, so I am estimating on the spices.  Please bear with me and remember to taste it as you go along, and season it to YOUR taste.

I prefer my chili served over brown rice; which is healthier than white rice, but eat yours however you like it.  My plan was to have salad tonight, but the salad section was cleaned out yesterday and I didn’t feel like going out today, so we’re having spinach instead of salad and some cornbread.

Enjoy! 

Pre-Fab Ravioli & Peas & Carrots Dinner

Ravioli (cook last)
1/2 pkg or 32 oz. (or full bag) of Mama's Home Style Jumbo Cheese Ravioli (BJ's wholesale Club)
1 tsp olive oil (to prevent pasta from sticking)


Bring water and oil to a boil.  Add pasta.  Bag instructions say to cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender.  I figured out that they float to the top when they're cooked.

Sauce

1 45 oz jar of Francesco Rinaldi Tomato, Garlic and Onion sauce (or your favorite sauce)

1 14.5 oz. can sliced stewed tomatoes (unsalted)
3 Tbs sugar (brown)
3 tsp granulated garlic powder


Pour sauce and stewed tomatoes in a pot.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cook on high for 10-15 minutes, then simmer on low while pasta cooks.




Vegetables
1 16 oz. bag frozen baby carrots
1 16 oz. bag baby peas
2 Tbs honey (leave out if you don't like)
2 Tbs margarine or olive oil
1/4 cup of water (I forgot to measure, but enough so that your vege's don't stick to the pot)


Literally throw frozen vege's in a pot.  Add margarine, honey, and garlic powder.  Cook on medium until tender.  I don't like my vege's mushy, if you prefer yours softer, then cook them longer.  

Final Dish!   

By the way, I finished dinner just in time to learn that, due to the rain, tonight's soccer practice was cancelled!  Of course, it would work out that way.   If you decide to try it, please let me know how you made out and what you think of the receipe.  And PLEASE... if you have a decent and quick recipe, please share it with the rest of us.  I'm certain that I'm not the only woman out there looking for a new quick dish for dinner. 

Enjoy and "Think Forward!"

BBQ Shredded Turkey

Sorry, but I don't have a picture for this one, but the next time I prepare this dish, I'll make sure to take a picture and post it.

1 1/2 lbs  turkey tenderloins
12 fresh garlic cloves (minced)
1 each red, green and orange pepper (only if you have time    
   to cut up)
1red onion (skip if you don't have time-- the garlic does
    does the trick)
1-2 tbsp Smokey Mesquite Seasoning (Durkee Grill Creations)
1-2 tbsp crushed red peppers
1 tbsp Lawry's Season Salt
1 tbsp brown sugar
8 oz. KC Masterpiece BBQ or YOUR favorite BBQ sauce.
1 crock pot or slower cooker (is there a difference?)

Quickly throw everything in the pot!   Wait!  Seriously, take about half the minced garlic, peppers and onions and place in the bottom of the crock-pot.  Place the tenderloins on top of  spices.  Put remaining garlic, peppers and onions on top of the tenderloins. Sprinkle other spices and sugar on top. Pour BBQ sauce over the tenderloin (don't stir).  Today I cooked it on high for about five hours, but usually I prefer cooking on slow for just a little longer.   You'll know that it's cook well enough when you can take two forks and pull the tenderloins apart.  The tenderloins will look shredded when you're done.

Today I served the BBQ tenderloin over No-Yolk Egg Noodles, but you can serve it over whatever you like- rice, potatoes, or other pasta.   Serve with a quick salad or your favorite vegetable.  I didn't remember to snap a photo until after we finished eating!  I'll try to remember to take a picture next time.  Enjoy dinner!

Quick Shrimp Salad

I love a hearty lettuce salad and could eat salad every day of the week.  For most people, that’s just a bit too much salad.  This is one of my quick favorites.

1 cup shelled pecans (crumbled)
1 pint cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1-2 cups peeled shrimp**
2 cucumbers
1-15 oz. can chick peas - garbanzos beans (rinsed in water
  and drained)

1 medium size sliced red onion (sliced)
1 bag dole field greens*
1 bag dole tender garden greens*
1 tsp granulated garlic power
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ cup margarine
1 tbsp old bay seasoning   
Ken’s Honey mustard salad dressing (lite)

*I enjoy a mix of lettuce & baby spinach in my salad.  Buying pre-washed bagged lettuce that are already mixed & include carrots, radish, and other treats saves me times. 

**You can substitute the shrimp with grilled salmon, grilled chicken, or any type of meat of your choice.  That’s what I love about salads, you can make them when your favorite ingredients.

You will need a large salad bowl.  Place, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, sliced red onions, and chick peas in salad bowl.  Sprinkle with garlic and black pepper.  Toss salad.

For shrimp, if you have a steamer; lucky you.  If not, bring a pot of water (approximately 1 cup) to boil, add margarine and shrimp.  Cook shrimp until pink.  Drain shrimp and add more margarine, old bay, garlic and pepper to taste.  Cool shrimp and top your salad with the shrimp.

  I use a variety of salad dressing; this time I used Ken’s Honey Mustard.  If you’re going to bother eating the salad, I strongly recommend that you go light on the dressing.  By light, I mean a small amount.  Drowning your salad in dressing adds unnecessary calories to your meal.

Speaking of calories.  This recipe doesn’t include calories, fat, sodium, etc… but soon each recipe will provide that information.  I am looking for a good website to help me with this information.  If you can recommend a site, please contact me.