Turkey Taquitos

Looking for a way to use up the leftover turkey? Try turkey taquitos.

2 cups leftover turkey (This works well with shredded chicken also)
4 oz. cream cheese
4-6 oz. fresh grated monterey jack cheese or pepper jack (about 1 cup, if using pre-shredded)
10-20 corn tortillas
1/4 cup salsa
2 TBS green Tabasco
3-4 chopped green onions
2 TBS fresh cilantro, chopped
1 TBS lime juice
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
olive oil or spray

Soften cream cheese in microwave. Add salsa, Tabasco, and seasonings. Mix together, then add chicken and cheese. Warm tortillas in a damp towel. Place about 2 TBS filling on each tortilla, and roll tightly. Place seem side down on a pan sprayed or brushed with oil. If tortillas are dry or cracking, you can brush/spray with oil before heating to make them easier to work with.

Bake at 450 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

I was in a hurry so filled mine fuller than is proper for a taquito. To use as an appetizer, use less filling so they are about 3/4 inch in diameter and cut in half. Serve with guacamole, sour cream, and/or salsa.

Gluten Free Meatloaf

2 lbs. ground beef or turkey
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup quinoa, cooked
1 small onion, chopped
1 TBS ginger, peeled and grated
1 1/2 tsp. salt
fresh ground pepper

Topping:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup

Rinse quinoa.  In a small saucepan, boil 1/3 cup of water.  Add quinoa, cover, and turn to low for 12 minutes.  Let sit a few minutes.  Mix meat with the rest of the ingredients (except topping.) I use a 2 prong fork or my hands.  Add quinoa.

Spray 1 large or 2 small loaf pans with non-stick spray. Add meat and shape. Spread ketchup over meat and top with the brown sugar. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour or until juice is clear. Let set 5 minutes before slicing.

I was pleased with the results using quinoa.  I tried making meatloaf with gluten free crackers, but it turned out mushy.

New Chili

I added another photo to this recipe. It is gluten free and makes a lovely fall soup. You can make it with chicken tenders instead of turkey-which is what I did today. I posted this back in February of 2008, but am updating gluten free recipes, so thought I'd post it again. Eliminate the turkey/chicken and it can be vegetarian.

I was reading Heth's Blog about a new chili recipe she tried. It looked so lovely, I just had to try it. She posted pictures of each of her children tasting it and what they thought. It was hilarious. Check it out.

The original recipe comes from Better Homes & Garden and is called New World Chili. I did my best to follow the recipe. Here are the very attractive ingredients. (Heth displayed them so lovely I thought I'd try the same.)

1 lb. turkey breast tenderloin, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup peeled, seeded and cubed butternut squash or pumpkin
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth (gluten free)
1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 fresh jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 cups shredded fresh spinach
4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers, shredded (1 cup)

In a 5-quart slow cooker combine turkey, undrained tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, squash, onion, the 1/2 cup chicken broth, corn, cranberries, jalapeño pepper, chili powder, and garlic.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 12 hours or on high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours. If desired, stir in additional broth to reach desired consistency. Stir in spinach just before serving. Sprinkle each serving with cheese. Makes 6 servings.

I used 1 1/2 lbs turkey tenderloin and browned in 1 TBS olive oil with onions and garlic before placing in crockpot. I cooked it on high. I added 2 cups additional broth. I considered using hot green chilies or canned jalapeños, but opted to stick with as close to the original as I could.

Leftover Turkey Casserole

Leftover turkey, woohoo! We eat a ton of turkey sandwiches. Sometimes we are lucky enough to have more than what we could possibly eat in sandwiches. This time, since it wasn't even Thanksgiving, I not only froze one whole breast for sandwiches later, but I had plenty to giveaway, have sandwiches, and prepare 2 meals. Yes, I did. Unfortunately, one of those days fell on a snow day. I wanted to make turkey enchiladas, but didn't have corn tortillas. So this is what I did instead. The next day, I mixed up turkey tacos to satisfy the Mexican food craving.

2 cups of leftover turkey, chopped

1 can cream soup

1/2 cup sour cream (or milk)

1 cup salsa or 1 can tomatoes w/green chilies

1/2 cup chopped onion

1-2 cups shredded cheese

1 12 oz. bag of pasta, kluski are my favorite

1 TBS fresh cilantro or parsley

Mix cream soup, sour cream, & salsa together. Add onion and turkey. Cook pasta. Spray a 9x13 inch pan with non-stick spray. Add pasta and sauce, mixing gently. Top with cheese and cilantro. Bake 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Another Chili Dish

2 lbs. ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 can black beans

1 can pinto beans
1 can tomato sauce

1 12 oz. bottle beer
1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped red or green pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 tsp. sugar

Brown ground beef, adding onion powder and garlic salt. When almost cooked, add onion and garlic. Drain off any fat. Add beans, tomato sauce, beer, & remaining spices. Simmer for 30 minutes or throw into crockpot on low until ready to eat. Usually I add tomatoes, green chilies and such for chili, but I had to use what I had on hand. I served this with Lisa's One Hour French Bread.

Roast Turkey

The secret to a deliciously moist turkey? Very simply:

Seriously, this is all it takes. Oh, throw in

a 20 lb. turkey

1 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. onion powder

Fresh ground pepper

1 TBS flour

Homemade Stuffing (and yes, you stuff it inside the bird) if not stuffing, use an onion cut into quarters to stuff inside. Either way, you're gonna stuff it.

Wash and dry your turkey. Make sure it is completely thawed, when not using fresh turkey. Take out your cooking bag, and as per instructions, add 1 TBS flour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stuff your turkey, stitching it closed to keep the stuffing inside. Or just throw the onion into the cavity.

Now get out that big bottle of olive oil. You're going to get your hands messy. Slather the oil onto the turkey the way you did the baby oil years ago when you wanted a good tan. (If you're that fussy, or don't recall those days, you can pour some of the oil into a mug and brush it on with a basting brush. But it won't come out quite so nice.) You can wash your hands here, but if you have an extra set of hands, don't bother just yet. And in case you are wondering, I used 1 TBS of oil. It looks like more and feels like more. But it isn't.

Pop the turkey into the bag with the flour and seal with the twist tie. Cut obligatory slits into the top of the bag. Place into a roasting pan and set in oven. Bake according to instructions inside the baking box, or approximately 3 hours for unstuffed, 3 1/2 hours for stuffed. Let set 5-10 minutes before carving.

(I consider this a frugal meal when you get a good buy on a turkey. This one was 49 cents a pound. I plan to make several meals, including sandwiches.)

Baked Ziti

1 16 ounce box of ziti, mostaccioli noodles, or penne pasta
3-4 cups of grated parmesan cheese
2 packages of sliced provolone cheese or 18 slices from the deli
3 to 4 cups of grated mozzarella cheese
1 lb. sausage or ground beef (optional)

Italian Sauce:
1 – 6 ounce can of tomato paste
3-15 oz cans of tomato sauce
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 cloves minced garlic
1 TBS fresh chopped parsley
1 TBS oregano
1 TBS basil (if using fresh, increase to 3 TBS each)
1-2 tsp. crushed fennel seeds

Brown sausage in a medium saucepan. Drain any oil. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 1-2 hours. For dishes like baked ziti, simmering isn't necessary and can be assembled right away. If sauce becomes to thick, thin with additional wine.

Spoon a layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Add a layer of noodles, enough so you can’t see the bottom of the pan. Layer each of the following:

1 cup of shredded mozzarella
1 cup of grated parmesan
6 slices of provolone

Add another layer of sauce and repeat layers.T op with a little sauce and shredded cheese. Bake 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Meat & Tomato Bolognese Pasta

2 pounds ground turkey or beef
1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 cup fresh chopped tomatoes (2 cans tomatoes can be used or 2-3 cups fresh. I only had one can, but thought it needed more tomatoes, so chopped up fresh.)
1-2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
1 small can diced hot green chilies or 2 tablespoons minced jalapeno peppers
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups white wine (I use white zinfandel or white merlot)
1 lb thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta
Parmesan cheese, feta, or other grated cheese if desired.
Salt to taste

Brown ground meat. Drain off any fat. Add onion, garlic, carrots, basil and peppers and stir-fry until onion is soft. Pour in milk and mix. Most should be absorbed by meat. Add wine and simmer 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer on low heat for a couple of hours, or throw it all in the crockpot until ready to eat.

Serve over cooked pasta and top with cheese.

Chili

2 lbs. ground beef, turkey or any combination (I used 1/2 of each for this batch.)
1 TBS chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp cumin
1 large onion chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. MSG (optional)

1/2 tsp. oregano
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 tsp. paprika
1 TBS wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 small can diced green chilies
1-2 cans kidney beans (almost any bean can be substituted)

Brown ground beef/turkey. (I almost always sprinkle a bit of onion powder and garlic salt, while cooking. It is a habit I just can't break.) Drain off any fat. Add chili powder, salt, cumin, MSG, garlic and chopped onions. Cook 30 minutes, stirring often. Add water 1/4 cup at a time to keep from drying out. But use as little as possible. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 1 hour, add water if needed.

Or, after browing meat, add everything to the crockpot and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4.


Serve with dollop of cottage cheese. Also good with cornbread and honey butter.

Turkey Meatloaf

With the addition of fresh ginger, topped with brown sugar & made with ground turkey, this is a nice change from the usual meatloaf. (I have to note, most of my kids do NOT like any kind of meatloaf. I make this one for Michael, as he loves anything with ginger.)





INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs. ground turkey
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1 cup finely crushed saltine crackers
1 small onion, chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 1/2 tsp. salt
fresh ground pepper


Topping:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup

Mix turkey with the rest of the ingredients (except topping.) I use a 2 prong fork or my hands. If you don't have a very large loaf pan, use 2 smaller ones. You don't want to overfill the pan. Spray pans with non-stick spray. Add meat and shape. Spread ketchup over meat and top with the brown sugar. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour or until juice is clear.

Mexican Lasagne/Burrito Pie

2 pounds ground turkey or beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 (16 ounce) cans refried beans
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes
(tomatoes w/green chilies) Reg. or mild*
2 cups salsa-mild or hotter, depends on your preference
1 (2 ounce) can black olives, sliced*
6-10 flour tortillas
2-3 cups shredded cheddar or colby/jack cheese
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Salt*

*optional
Brown ground meat. Sprinkle with garlic salt and a bit of onion powder if desired. Add onions and garlic. Stir-fry until onion is soft. If using beef, drain off any oil. Add refried beans, green chilies, tomatoes, salsa & olives. Mix thoroughly and heat through.

In a large casserole dish or 13 x 9 pan, spread a thin layer of the meat mixture. Top with a tortilla layer and sprinkle with cheese. Continue layering with tortilla/meat/cheese.

Bake 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serves 12-16

(Just for fun, I added a second photo. I don't always make things the same way every time.)