cottage cheese recipes: Main Dish

Showing posts with label Main Dish. Show all posts

Showing posts with label Main Dish. Show all posts

Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

I don't have many crock pot recipes so I'm excited to have found this keeper. The recipe comes from the blog, The Comfort of Cooking. It's so easy and really delicious! The only improvement I can think of, is to add steamed broccoli at the end as there is plenty of the yummy sauce to go around.

YIELD: Serves 4-5

INGREDIENTS:

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Pepper (no salt needed as soy sauce has enough salt)

1/2 cup diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup ketchup

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1/3 cup water

1/2 tablespoon (or more) sesame seeds

3 scallions (green onions), chopped

Serve with rice

DIRECTIONS:

Place chicken in Crock Pot and season both sides with pepper.

In a medium bowl, combine onion, garlic, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, oil and red pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 4 hours, or high for 3 hours.

Remove chicken to a cutting board. Shred chicken into bite-sized pieces; set aside.

In a small bowl, dissolve 4 teaspoons cornstarch in 1/3 cup water; add to crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Cover and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes, stirring often, until slightly thickened.

Add Chicken back into sauce and heat through. Serve over rice and top with scallions and sesame seeds.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Tenders with Fresh Sage

I love growing herbs during the summer. It's a great feeling when you need a certain herb and it's just growing right outside. I grow parsley, basil, mint, rosemary and sage. I don't make a lot with sage but I was glad I had it once I found this recipe. These Chicken tenders are so quick and simple to make. The sage leaves gives the chicken a lot of flavor and bacon just makes everything better! Once the bacon is crisp (about 6 minutes per side) the chicken tenders are moist and cooked perfectly.

Ingredients:
8 fresh sage leaves
8 chicken tenders (about 1 1/4 pounds)
8 slices bacon
1/2 teaspoon olive oil

Directions:

Place a sage leaf on each chicken tender, then wrap each with a bacon slice. You won't need a toothpick, once bacon is cooked on one side, it's easy to flip with a spatula. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add tenders, sage side down, and cook until fat is rendered and bacon is browned, about 6 minutes. Flip and cook until tenders are cooked through, 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate with paper towels to drain. Serves 4 (2 per servings)

Original recipe comes from Martha Stewart/Everyday Cooking

Pulled Pork Stuffed Sweet Potato

I subscribe to a LOT of food blogs and am inspired daily to make something different. This recipe comes from The Novice Chef Blog. Her food photography alone will have you drooling and she has so many great recipes. When I saw this recipe I was so excited because I had left over BBQ pork to use up. I LOVE sweet potatoes and BBQ pork so this combination is a winner. I just can't believe I didn't think of it myself! I will be making this every time I have leftover BBQ pork (or beef). Simple and delicious!

To bake sweet potatoes, preheat oven to 400. Scrub potatoes under water and wrap in foil. Very important to wrap potatoes in foil or bake on a foil lined pan as they will leak and the sweet syrup will burn on the bottom of your oven. Bake for about 1 hour. Larger potatoes will take longer. You want them to be very soft when you squeeze them. No need for butter as they are super soft and moist.

Ribeye Steak Dinner - No Recipe Needed!

As much as I love recipes, once in awhile, I love to make a NO recipe meal. A ribeye steak dinner served with a baked sweet potato, grilled asparagus and sauteed mushrooms is as easy as it gets. My husband, Kevin, does the grilling so all I had to do for this meal was put a sweet potato in the oven and saute some mushrooms. Crumble blue cheese over the steak to take it over the top. It's nice to go out for a steak now and again but it really doesn't get any better than this. We poured ourselves a glass of wine and enjoyed every bite.

Beef Stroganoff (Crockpot)

For our Christmas dinner I had made a tenderloin roast which I got for a crazy good deal at $6.99 lb for a whole tenderloin. I only used the center cut of the tenderloin to roast (which was delicious!) and cut up the ends and froze for a later use. So when I was thinking of how to use the leftover tenderloin this recipe came to mind. I got this recipe years ago from my sister-in-law Judy. I've made it many times over the years and was surprised when I realized I haven't shared this recipe on my blog. It's a crock pot recipe which makes it easy, comforting and delicious! The recipe calls for stew beef not tenderloin and is what I always use BUT if you have extra tenderloin that you got at a great price, why not, it was so good!

2 lbs stew beef, cut into pieces
2 envelopes dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup red wine (I use Pinot Noir or a Cabernet) (I always use red wine but beef broth is also good)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 (4 oz) cans sliced mushrooms, drained
1/4 -1/2 cup sour cream

Combine all (except sour cream) in crock pot; stir well. Cover and cook on low 8 hours. Before serving add sour cream and heat through. Serve over egg noodles. Serves 8

Note: If you have a small crock pot this can be halved for 4 servings. If using wine, use wine you will drink. Then compliment the meal with a glass of the same wine.

Asian Zing Wings

Have you ever had the Asian Zing Sauce at Buffalo Wild Wings? Well I've been craving their Asian Zing Wings and tonight I'm a happy girl as I made them at home. These wings were just what I was craving. I found the recipe here Food.com. These are spicy (but not too spicy) with a touch of sweetness.

Sauce Ingredients:

2 tsp cornstarch
4 tsp rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup chili garlic sauce (find this in the Asian section)
1 tbsp (low sodium) soy sauce
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1. Mix cornstarch and rice wine vinegar, set aside
2. Mix everything else in a sauce pan and heat on medium until steaming, add the cornstarch and vinegar mix.
3. Heat to a boil, stirring often. Take it off the heat. It will thicken as it cools. Once it cools, use or store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Wings:
3lbs Chicken Wing Sections

Directions:
1. Preheat oven 400 degrees.
2. Grease a baking sheet (with sides) lightlyt with vegtable oil.
3. Lay wings on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake 30 minutes.
4. Remove from oven, increase oven temperature to broil. Move oven racks closer to broiler (but not too close) Broil both sides until golden brown. Only takes about 3-5 minutes per side, watch closely so not to burn.
5. Transfer cooked wings to a large bowl and toss wings with the Asian Zing sauce.

Serves 3-4

Caramelized Salmon with Savory Mango Salsa and Cilantro Rice

I will admit I'm not a salmon lover mainly because I haven't found a good source to get good salmon. My brother told me to try the fresh salmon they sell at Sam's Club. So I did. I was sceptical but once I opened the package I noticed it smelled fresh, not fishy and it was already skinned, no waste. I cut it into 8 nice size portions. I just needed two portions for my husband and I so I just froze the rest.
This recipe is so good. Since I only needed two servings I halved the recipe with no problem. The cilantro rice, mango salsa and the caramelized salmon just go together perfectly. This entire meal can be ready to serve in less than 30 minutes. Start the rice first, then chop and assemble the salsa ingredients so the flavors have time to meld while the salmon cooks. The original recipe comes from Bella Online, Karen Hancock. Thanks Karen for this amazing recipe!

Caramelized Salmon with Savory Mango Salsa & Cilantro Rice

6 Servings

Cilantro Rice:

1 cup Rice
2 cups water
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lime juice
2-4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Savory Mango Salsa:

1 1/2 cups diced mango, (about 2 medium)
3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1/4 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 medium Roma tomato, diced
1 small jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Caramelized Salmon:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet, 1/2-3/4 " thick, cut into 6 serving pieces

Place the rice ingredients in the pan and cook according to rice instructions.

Meanwhile, mix the salsa ingredients in a small bowl and set aside for the flavors to blend.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet; medium heat.

Mix the sugar, salt, and pepper on a large plate; dip the salmon on both sides in the mixture.

Place the salmon in the heated skillet and cook until the salmon is caramelized on the underside.

Turn and cook until the other side is caramelized and the salmon is cooked through. The time will depend on how thick the pieces are. Do not overcook.

To serve, place a bed of rice on each of six serving plates, top with a piece of salmon. Scoop a spoonful of salsa over the salmon.

Chuck Roast Chili

I found this recipe in the "Morton's The Cookbook". I like that this recipe has tender chunks of beef instead of ground beef. The texture and beefy flavor makes this a keeper!

This recipe calls for 4 cups of chopped onions so I love to use my onion chopper. The onions are chopped in a snap!

My other shortcut is chopping the 18 cloves of garlic, I use my mini food processor.

Cutting the chuck roast takes time but it's worth it.

Serves 12 (half the recipe for 6 servings)

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 pounds yellow onions, chopped (about 4 cups)

1/3 cup minced garlic (about 18 cloves) (use mini food processor to mince garlic)

3 pounds boneless chuck roast, trimmed some of the fat and silver skin, cut into 1/4 inch dice (I get 4 lbs chuck roast) (this takes time but so worth it! Don't worry about some fat just cut off large pieces of fat)

1/4 cup chili powder

2 tablespoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper (I used only 1 teaspoon)

Four 14 1/2 ounce cans diced tomatoes with juice (I used petite diced)

Four 16 ounce cans spicy chili beans (I only use 3 cans)(also, if you don't want it too spicy just get mild chili beans)

2 cups water

Two 8 ounce cans tomato sauce

2 tablespoons beef base (bases are available in supermarkets in the soup isle)

2 bay leaves

Salt (I didn't use any salt)
Garnish:
shredded cheese
chopped onion
jalapeno peppers
sour Cream

1. In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften.
2. Add the beef, raise the heat to medium high, and stir for about 5 minutes as it begins to lose its pink color. Add the chili powder, cumin and pepper and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to let the flavors develop.
3. Add the tomatoes and their juice, beans and their juice, water, tomato sauce, and beef base. Stir to mix well and then add the bay leaves. Stir gently.
4. Reduce the heat to low and let the chili simmer gently for about 2-3 hours, or until the meat is tender. Stir frequently so the the chili does not stick to the bottom of the pot. Adjust the heat up or down to maintain a slow simmer.
5. Thin the chili with water, if necessary, and add salt to taste (I don't use any salt). Remove the bay leaves and serve. Serve with shredded cheese, chopped onion, jalapeno peppers and sour cream.
6. The chili can be cooled and refrigerated for up to 3 days and frozen for up to 1 month. Reheat it gently, stirring frequently.

With the leftovers we added some extra cheese on top and had chili nachos (sour cream and guacamole on the side). Lets just say, not one spoonful went to waste, it's that good.

Rotisserie Chicken

I got this basic rotisserie chicken recipe from allrecipes.com. It was delicious but I made two changes. First change is I don't cook directly over the flame but turn my middle burner off that lies under the chicken. This way you are cooking with indirect heat and the flames won't burn the chicken. Second change is to place a pan (with a little water) under the chicken to catch the fat.

1 (3 pound) whole chicken
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon paprika
1/4 tablespoon ground black pepper

Season the inside of the chicken with a pinch of salt. Place the chicken onto a rotisserie and set the grill on high. Cook for 10 minutes.
During that time, quickly mix together the butter, 1 tablespoon of salt, paprika and pepper. Turn the grill down to medium and turn off middle burner to cook with indirect heat. Place pan (with a little water) under the chicken to catch the fat. Baste the chicken with the butter mixture. Close the lid and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, basting occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F (83 degrees C) when taken in the thigh with a meat thermometer.
Remove from the rotisserie and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into pieces and serving.

Steak, King Crab and Bearnaise sauce

I LOVE summer grilling, makes cooking for two easy and fast. I made this steak dinner extra special with some King crab legs. Then over the steak and crab I spooned over some Bearnaise sauce. I didn't make the Bearnaise sauce from scratch but used Knor's brand as I really like it. I used a Ribeye steak (seasoned, grilled and sliced), King Crab (I get at Sam's Club, cooks up in minutes), Knor's Bearnaise sauce and served it all with fresh green beans. It was a easy, fast and delicious summer meal! If you have leftover Bearnaise sauce, don't waste it, serve it the next night on some roasted asparagus.

Tuscan-Style Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Spinach

I got this recipe from Rachael Ray's Cookbook, "Comfort Foods 30-Minute Meals". It was simple to make and came together quickly. We really like this, the crunchy chicken and the creamy spinach with just a touch of lemon. Made for an easy week night dinner.

Servings: 4

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast cutlets

2 large plastic food storage bags

3 large eggs, beaten

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

Coarse salt and black pepper, to taste

Vegetable or extra-virgin olive oil, for frying

1 large lemon, cut into wedges

Garnish - freshly shaved Parmesan cheese (I forgot to add it in the photo)

1 recipe Creamy Spinach (recipe follows)

Place cutlets in large food storage bags a few inches apart and lightly pound to 1/4-inch thickness.

Beat eggs in a shallow dish. Mix flour, poultry seasoning, and salt and pepper in a second dish.

Place a cookie sheet in oven on low heat, about 275 degrees F.

Heat 1/2 inch oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.

Dip chicken in egg and coat each cutlet in the flour mixture.. Add cutlets to oil, 2 or 3 at at time, and brown till lightly golden, 3 minutes on each side. Place cutlets in oven on low and repeat process until all the cutlets are done. Serve shaved parmesan and with lemon wedges (squeeze the lemon over chicken as it really adds to the flavor of this dish) and Creamy Spinach.

Creamy Spinach

16 oz tub, fresh spinach (this seems like a lot but it really cooks down)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons butter

1 medium shallot, peeled and chopped fine (I also added a clove of minced garlic)

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup milk (I used skim)

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (I didn't use as I don't care for nutmeg)

Coarse salt and black pepper, to taste

Sort spinach leaves and remove large, tough stems. Coarsely chop and set aside. (I used baby spinach so didn't chop)

Heat a deep large skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Add oil and butter. When butter melts, add shallot and sauté for 2 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 more minute. Whisk in flour and cook a minute before adding milk and then whisk until smooth. Add cream cheese and whisk until melted. Place spinach into the pan in stages. Turn spinach in sauce, and as it wilts, add more and more greens. Season with salt and pepper.

Go Bold with Butter, I did!

I am an Allrecipes.com Allstar Brand Ambassador (a voluntary position). As an Allstar I was very excited to be involved with the brand partnership GO BOLD WITH BUTTER campaign as we support the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board in partnership with America's Dairy Farmers. The website (www.goboldwithbutter.com) has great tips and recipes using natural butter. I love butter and never use any substitute or margarine. I did however grow up using margarine but after I was married started using REAL butter and I've been eating, cooking and baking with butter ever since. Only real butter for my family!

I've made a few recipes from their blog as our April Activity is that we prepare and photograph their recipes and share it with our network. Here are a few recipes I made. Go to Go Bold With Butter web page or their fb page to find these and other great recipes.


Deconstructed Chicken Kiev

The buttery garlic filling is on the outside of the Chicken as the coating, instead of hidden inside like Chicken Kiev. The chicken is served with roasted potatoes, tomato and Feta salsa, and fresh arugula. We were surprised how much we liked this recipe. I loved the coolness of the tomato and feta salsa with the warm flavorful chicken. The roasted potatoes seemed like an odd side dish, but it was a yummy dinner! Will make again.


Pesto, Plum & Fontina Panini

I really like this sandwich. Pesto, tomato, and fontina cheese grilled with butter on french bread, Yum! To make it extra simple use prepared pesto. I do love to make homemade pesto once I'm growing basil in my garden but until then I always have some prepared pesto in the fridge.


		Shrimp & Sweet Corn Maque Choux I followed the recipe exactly and thought it was too spicy. I would cut back on the Cajun spice if I was to make again. It made for a nice light meal. “I am an Allrecipes Allstar Brand Ambassador (a voluntary position) and I’m not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com. Products received from advertiser are only used for experienced-based reviews on my blog. The reviews, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of myself, Dawn.”

Mussels in White Wine

My first time making mussels and I have to say they were amazing! These compare to my favorite mussels I have at a Chicago restaurant. I combined a few recipes I found and came up with this recipe. Serve with crusty warm bread to sop up all the wine sauce and a nice chilled glass of white wine. I can't wait to make these again!

Ingredients:

2 lbs. FRESH mussels, scrubbed and debearded

2 Tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup white wine

2 tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons chopped shallots

1 small bunch Italian fresh parsley, chopped

3-4 roma tomatoes, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

To clean the mussels, place mussels in a large bowl with cold water to cover. Add the flour and soak for 30 minutes, or until the mussels disgorge any sand. Drain the mussels, then remove the “beard” from each with your fingers. If they’re dirty, scrub the mussels with a brush under running water. Discard any mussels whose shells aren’t tightly shut.

Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-low heat. Add the chopped shallot and cook for 5 minutes; then add the garlic and cook for 3 more minutes. Add the tomatoes, and cook until almost tender. Pour in the white wine, and stir in the parsley and butter. Bring to a boil, and allow to boil until the liquid has reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the mussels to the pot, stir well then cover and allow to cook until the shells are opened, about 7 minutes. Transfer the mussels and sauce to a large serving bowl, discarding any unopened shells.

Serves 2

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Stir Fry

I had some small red, yellow and orange peppers in the fridge to use up so I made this stir fry. It has a light sweet and spicy sauce that flavors the stir fry nicely. This is one of those meals that comes together quickly. I start cooking the rice, then start the stir fry and they both are done at the same time.

1 pound thinly sliced, boneless chicken breasts

1-2 clove garlic, minced

2 cup broccoli florets

1 cup red, yellow or orange peppers (about 1 cup), thinly sliced

1/2 cup onion, thinly sliced

1 cup sugar snap peas

3 Tablespoons olive oil

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 cup honey

1 Tablespoons oyster sauce

1 Tablespoons Siriacha hot sauce

Prepare and slice all veggies. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add veggies and saute for about 5 minutes, until crisp tender Remove from skillet and set aside in a bowl.

Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat and add remaining olive oil. Saute Chicken and garlic about 5-7 minutes until chicken is no longer pink. Once chicken is cooked, add veggies back in the skillet. Add honey, soy sauce, oyster sauce and Siriacha. Thoroughly mix to combine. Serve with rice. Enjoy!

Lasagne Rolls with Spinach and Italian Sausage

I'm making a meal for a friend that is recovering after surgery. I decided to make my lasagne rolls because they freeze well so that she can bake them whenever she'll need a meal for her family. I've made these for her family before and her son Daniel loves these so here's to you Daniel, enjoy!


In the picture of ingredients I left out one can of Hunts spaghetti sauce, I used two. You can also make your own spaghetti sauce if that's how you roll : )

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

12 lasagna noodles

1 pound Johnsonville Italian sausage

2 (26.5 ounce) cans Hunt Spaghetti Sauce (any flavor)

2 cups ricotta cheese or cottage cheese (I personally like cottage cheese)

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (I use a clean kitchen towel, place spinach in towel and twist squeezing out all the liquid)

8 oz. (2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg

1/8 teaspoon pepper (you don't need salt as the Parmesan is salty enough)

Directions:

1. Cook noodles according to package direction; drain. Place noodles (lay flat) on a large sheet of wax paper or parchment paper.

2. Cook sausage (while the noodles are boiling), in large skillet until done; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer while you make rolls.

3. Combine ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese), spinach, Parmesan cheese, egg, and pepper. Spread about 1/3 cup cheese mixture over each noodle then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese; roll up.

4. Place seam side down in 13x9 inch baking dish. Pour sauce over rolls. If you have any remaining mozzarella sprinkle over top of sauce. Cover with foil and bake in preheated 350 degree F oven, 35 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Note: If you are going to split up portions just refrigerate or freeze in the pan size you will need. I will often buy the small foil (disposable) pans and split up into two rolls per pan (cover with foil) and freeze. My son loves to get these at college. Thaw them from the freezer and bake 350 for an hour.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

My family loves tuna noodle casserole and this is the recipe they like best.

1 8 oz pkg. wide egg noodles
1 Tablespoon butter
1 large celery stalk, chopped
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 - 6.4 oz pkg. of Sta-kist premium chunk light tuna in a no drain pkg. (I like to use Starkist Albacore White Tuna)
3 Tablespoons butter
4 slices white bread, crust removed (I put it in a food processor or just break up bread into pieces)

1. Prepare noodles as label directs.
2. Meanwhile, in large saucepan over medium heat, in butter sauté celery and onion until tender. (use a large enough saucepan to hold the whole casserole)
3. Preheat oven to 350. Into vegetables in saucepan, stir in soup, milk and mayo. Drain noodles; add with tuna to the saucepan and toss to coat. Spoon mixture into deep 2 qt casserole.
4. In saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Tear bread into small pieces and toss with melted butter. Sprinkle bread crumbs over noodle mixture. (can also melt butter in microwave and toss with bread) Bake casserole 30 minutes or until hot.

Hint You can use a 13 oz can of turn drained instead of pkg. tuna and instead of bread crumbs you can use potato chips crumbled on top. You can also add 1 cup shredded cheddar if you have it in the refrigerator. Serves 6

Turkey - The best we've ever had!!!

I hosted Thanksgiving this year. This was only the second turkey I've cooked in my life. I happened to watch a video on allrecipes.com - Chef John recipe - Cooking Turkey for Chickens. Well, I was chicken but the video gave me courage! I followed the method and recipe and it turned out amazing! The breast meat was so tender,moist and flavorful and the dark meat was cooked to perfection. I have found a keeper and will never look further for a turkey recipe. My son Michael said this morning, "I never want turkey again unless you make it just like you did yesterday, it was the best."

Watch Chef John's Video here

Ingredients:

Turkey (I had a 25 lb - Butter Ball)
1 tbsp black pepper
2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp poultry seasoning (fresh, not from 1997)
2 onions
3 ribs celery
2 carrots
3 rosemary sprigs (I don't care for rosemary so I didn't use)
1/2 bunch sage
1 bay leaf
Flavored butter recipe (below)

Ingredients Flavored butter:

1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup), room temperature (I used 3/4 cup butter because I had a large turkey)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp fresh ground black pepper
2 tbsp fresh thyme, minced
1/4 cup fresh sage, minced
1 clove garlic, crushed very fine (I used 2 cloves)

Preparation:

In a small bowl combine all ingredients and mash with a fork until completely mixed.
Position the turkey so that the cavity is facing you and you are working forward towards the neck. Using a long, thin flexible rubber or silicon spatula, slowly slide the tool between the skin and the flesh of the breasts on both side of the breastbone.
The skin is fairly tough and won't tear if you go slowly and carefully. You can pretty much separate the skin all the way from the cavity, where you started, to the front of the breast, and down toward the wing joint. Do this on both side of the breast, but leave the skin attached along the center of breastbone itself.
Then simple divide the butter mixture in half and stuff it under the skin on both sides and massage it down toward the front of the bird. Spread as evenly as possible, but don't worry about getting it perfect, as it will melt and spread out as the turkey roasts. Before roasting lay a piece of foil loosely over the breasts.
Roast the bird. (I roasted the turkey at 350 and truned down to 325 after two hours. Took foil off breast about 30 minutes before it was done. When the meat thermometer read 165 (took 5 hours), took turkey out of the oven and covered the whole turkey with foil and left to rest for 30 minutes.

Pot Roast

I remember seeing Pioneer Woman (Ree) making pot roast on Good Morning America and I went out that same day to buy a chuck roast because it looked so good. Well it was, comfort food at it's best. I was reminded of this pot roast on Saturday morning when Ree made it again but this time on her very own show on Food Network. I'm loving the show and again was inspired to make this recipe for pot roast. Check out her website here.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 4 Hours

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 10

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 whole (4 To 5 Pounds) Chuck Roast (I used a 3lb Chuck Roast and it served 5)
2 whole Onions
6 whole Carrots (Up To 8 Carrots)
Salt To Taste
Pepper To Taste
1 cup Red Wine (optional, You Can Use Beef Broth Instead) (I used all Beef Broth)
2 cups To 3 Cups Beef Stock
3 sprigs Fresh Thyme, or more to taste (I used dried Thyme 1/4 teaspoon)
3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary, or more to taste (I used dried Rosemary 1/2 teaspoon)

Preparation Instructions

First and foremost, choose a nicely marbled piece of meat. This will enhance the flavor of your pot roast like nothing else. Generously salt and pepper your chuck roast.

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil (or you can do a butter/olive oil split).

Cut two onions in half and cut 6 to 8 carrots into 2-inch slices (you can peel them, but you don’t have to). When the oil in the pot is very hot (but not smoking), add in the halved onions, browning them on one side and then the other. Remove the onions to a plate. Throw the carrots into the same very hot pan and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so.

If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pan. Place the meat in the pan and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate.

With the burner still on high, use either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a whisk to get all of that wonderful flavor up. When the bottom of the pan is sufficiently deglazed, place the roast back into the pan and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway (about 2 to 3 cups). Add in the onion and the carrots, as well as 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary and about 3 sprigs of fresh thyme.

Put the lid on, then roast in a 275F oven for 3 hours (for a 3-pound roast). For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on 4 hours.

To make the gravy - Mix 2 tablespoons flour with 1/4 cup water. I put this in a jar with lid and shake until well mixed. After taking out roast, carrots and onion leave broth in pan and bring to a boil. Add flour mixture slowly and stir until thickened. Only use enough flour mixture to thicken to your liking.

Margherita Pizza

Every once in a while it's so nice when someone cooks for me. Well, my husband (Kevin) has been doing just that, as he has been making pizzas. This Margherita pizza has become our favorite. What makes this pizza so good was the fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and fresh basil. Using a pre-made Boboli crust makes it easy for him to make pizza whenever he has the urge!

Ingredients:

12 inches thin pizza crust ( I use Boboli)
pizza sauce (small can-use only enough to lightly cover crust)
2 small roma tomatoes, cut thinly (salt and pepper tomatoes, to taste)
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
2-3 tablespoons fresh parmesan cheese
3-4 large basil leaves, cut into strips

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Spread pizza sauce lightly over the pizza shell.
Place the thinly sliced tomatoes across the entire pizza.
Place the mozzarella cheese over the top.
Sprinkle on parmesan.
Cook the pizza in the oven for about 8 minutes and then spread basil over hot pizza.
Cook a few more minutes until sufficiently crispy and melted to your liking.

Add a little more Parmesan cheese if you like : )

Hint: It's also good to add some basil pesto to the sauce before spreading on the pizza shell.

Meatballs stuffed with Fresh Mozzarella (Crockpot)

My sister-in-law, Judy, told me about this really good meatball recipe. It originated from a Paula Dean recipe found here (Slow Cooker Cheese Stuffed Meatballs and Sauce). The Change Judy made was to use ground turkey instead of the ground beef. She also adds ground pork. I halved the recipe using only ground turkey and the recipe made 19 meatballs. Making the meatballs with turkey you don't have to brown the meatballs first, just put them in the crock pot with the sauce and they cook up moist and tender. Make sure you use fresh mozzarella, it makes for a creamy center. First night we had meatballs with spaghetti and then with the leftovers we made meatball subs. I'm not big on leftovers but I looked forward to these!

Ingredients:

Tomato & Basil

1 pkg (1.25 lb). ground turkey (use lean not extra lean)
4 tablespoons fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cups Italian dry bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped or 1/2 teaspoon dried
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 oz. fresh mozzarella, divided into 16-19 pieces
2 jars of your favorite red sauce

Directions

In a large mixing bowl combine ground turkey, parmesan, bread crumbs, eggs, salt, pepper, garlic, basil, parsley and dried oregano. Form mixture into 16-19 balls using your thumb to press a hole in the center. Insert a piece of the fresh mozzarella into the hole and close the hole by pushing the meatball mixture around it to secure the mozzarella inside each ball. (I like to use an ice cream scoop to make meatballs) Transfer meatballs into a slow cooker. Pour red sauce over the meatballs and cook on LOW for approximately 5-6 hours. Serve the stuffed meatballs and sauce over spaghetti.

Makes 16-19 meatballs. I like them on the smaller size so they fit a bun for meatball sandwiches.