Pantry Chili

Tonight was one of those nights that I got home late from yoga, didn't really have any time to make a big dinner but I wanted something hearty and comforting. I decided to throw together some chili with ingredients I already had in my pantry.

1 lb ground turkey

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can diced tomatoes (mine had garlic in them)

1 can corn, drained

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 an onion, diced

1 tablespoon oregano

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons pepper

2 teaspoons cumin

1 medium size can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon pepper flakes
1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper (optional if you are scared of a little heat!)

2-3 chilies (I had some chilies, no idea what they were called from Farmers Market, see pic below)

3 tablespoons chili powder

Directions: 

• In a large pot add the ground turkey and cook until it is done. 
• When the meat is done, add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. 
• Cook for about 15 minutes and then serve!
• If I have all the ingredients, I always like to top it with a little cheese, sour cream, green onions, and cilantro- Yum!!
• Also- tonight for the first time I served my chili up with some slightly pan fried tortillas, it was delicious. I always make corn bread but didn't have any so this was an awesome substitution.

Amazing Turkey Meatloaf

Poor meatloaf. I think it gets a bad rap sometimes, people think of meatloaf as a hard, tasteless brick, but it doesn't have to be that way. I have been making my meatloaf with ground turkey for years. It is a nice alternative to beef because it is lower in calories and fat, and really takes on the flavors that you add to it. I think the tricks to making a moist and delicious meatloaf is adding enough liquid to the mix, not over mixing the meatloaf and not overcooking it. You must try this recipe, I have to admit, I think its pretty amazing. Meatloaf is definitely one of my top comfort foods. I usually just eyeball my meatloaf recipe, but I measured everything this time so I could share it :)  Next time I make this recipe, I am going to try it in the crock pot, I have heard it is possible and what better way to get a meal on the table than a crock pot!?

2 lbs ground turkey

1/2 cup fresh shredded Parmesan (I have used Kraft's grated before, use 1/4 cup)

1/2 cup onion, chopped very small

5 cloves garlic, minced

3 teaspoons black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

3 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 egg

3 tablespoons Worcestershire

2 tablespoons milk

ketchup or tomato sauce

As you can kind of see, I only did Ketchup
to 1/2 the loaf- Stephen prefers to put it
on after its cooked.

Finished product on the plate! Complete
with mashed cauliflower and potatoes
and sauteed Parmesan Swiss Chard!

Directions:

•  Add all the ingredients, except the turkey and ketchup (or tomato sauce) into a large bowl and mix all together.
• Add the ground turkey meat and using the best tools you have in the kitchen (your hands) mix the seasoning/liquid mix with the turkey meat, careful, as soon as it looks all incorporated, stop. You don't want to over mix.
• If you have time (this isn't a crucial step) put it in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the seasonings all meld together.
• Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and put the meatloaf mix into the pan. Shape into a loaf. Cover with aluminum foil. 
• Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 45 minutes. Open the oven and spread a thin layer of ketchup over the top of the meatloaf. Keep the aluminum foil off and return the meatloaf to oven.
• When the meat is cooked, it will be slightly firm to the touch (about 15-20 more minutes) or be about 155 degrees when tested with a meat thermometer.
• Slice up and serve! I usually serve it with some homemade mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes and a veggie.



Easy Greek Pasta

Made this for a girls night in with Lauren, it was so yummy! Word of advice, I bought the Kalamata olives at Albertsons for $6.79, and right after went to Trader Joes to get some other stuff and the olives were $2.99!! Motto of this story, always go to Traders first. This recipe is SO easy and a must try to bring a little freshness into your day.

1 cup Italian parsley, chopped

1 cup feta cheese

7 cloves garlic, minced

1 box angel hair (would also be great with a penne or corkcrew pasta)

1 pint of tomatoes, I used grape tomatoes cut in 1/2

1/2 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

Directions:

• Cook the noodles according to the instructions.
• Put the olive oil in a pan and start to saute the garlic, careful not to burn.
• Add the tomatoes to the oil and begin to cook until they are just soft. Then add the pasta to the oil and stir.
• Put the pasta mix in a bowl and add the feta, olives, salt and pepper and fresh herbs and mix to incorporate
• Another good addition to this dish would be slightly chopped capers- would add a great zing to the pasta!
• Serve up with a yummy side salad for a perfect, quick and easy dinner.

Cream of Mushroom Chicken

This meal is definitely my go-to meal because of its simplicity, I almost always have every ingredient and its so incredibly simple. 3 ingredients (not including the standard salt and pepper) and you are done! I made this recipe for years like the Campbells can told me to... not in the crock pot. However, about 3 years ago I started making it in the crock pot and never went back! It is hard to make this dish look exciting, its a lot of beige but I always add some colorful veggies on the side!

Pack of chicken breasts (I usually get a 3 pack for me and Steve and leftovers)

1 large can + 1 small can cream of mushroom soup

salt and pepper

rice

Directions:

• Put the soup and chicken in the crock pot. Add 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon salt and walk away for 8 hours!
• Shred the chicken in the crock pot, stir up.
• Cook the rice, serve under the cream of mushroom chicken and you are done!
• Delicious!!



Pulled Pork Sammys and Coleslaw

I have always loved this meal and with my new crock pot, I am actually able to make a large amount of pulled pork at once! This is a must try :)

Pulled Pork:

Pork Roast (I trimmed off the fat before cooking)

3/4 bottle of bbq sauce

8 oz sprite or 7up

Coleslaw (below makes for 4 people):

1/2 head of cabbage

2 large carrots (If you have shredded carrots all the better)

2 green onions

1/4 cup mayo

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon carraway seeds

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Directions:

•  Put the pork, bbq sauce and sprite in a crock pot and cook on low 8 hours.
• Shred the pork when it is done and remove some of the excess liquid. If you want it to be a little bit more bbqy (that a word? haha) add the rest of the bbq sauce after remove excess liquid.
• Chop the carrots, onion and cabbage and put in a bowl.
• In a small mixing bowl add the mayo, sugar, carraway seeds, s & p and vinegar and mix. Do a quick taste test to make sure its how you like it and pour over the cabbage mix.



Broccoli & Beef Lo Mein

Tonight I was craving Panda Express and didn't want to spend the money, calories, or time in getting it. I decided to make a beef and broccoli lo mein, inspired from a recipe I found on a Disney site (go figure). Its delicious and I think this will be a mainstay in our house! Next time I make it, I am going to use brown rice spaghetti, I think the extra starch it has to offer will be awesome. This meal makes plenty for 4-6 people depending on how big your eaters are.

1 12 oz package of angel hair

2 teaspoons sesame oil

3 tablespoons veggie oil

1 medium or large onion, sliced

2-3 cups chopped broccoli

2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger ( I don't even peel it)
1 pack of baby shitaki mushrooms, sliced
1 cup bean sprouts

7 cloves of garlic, minced

1 flank steak, cut crosswise into thin strips

1/4 + 1 tablespoon cup beef broth

1/4 cup  soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons oyster sauce (this is an awesome ingredient to always have on hand)

Directions:

• Boil the water for the spaghetti, add a dash of salt and cook until al dente.
• After you drain the noodles put them back in the pot and add the sesame oil. 
• Heat the veggie oil in a large skillet and add the mushrooms, broccoli and onion to cook for about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and continue to stir about a minute. 
• Add the flank steak (or whatever beef you prefer, chicken could even work too just make sure it is cooked all the way through) and cook it, stirring often for 5 minutes until it is no longer pink. Add the bean sprouts and stir.
• In a small bowl, mix the broth, soy sauce, brown sugar and oyster sauce. Add the mix and the pasta to skillet and cook for about 3 more minutes, stirring often, until everything is heated through. 
• Serve it up hot and enjoy!
• I served it with a spicy spicy garlic chili sauce (like Sriracha) SO GOOD!

Crock Pot Orange Chicken

So this is no Panda Express Orange Chicken (I LOVE Panda Express chicken) but it is definitely yummy and so easy! I served this up with some Jasmine rice and Trader Joe's Sweet Chili Sauce. I think the next time I make this I am going to make it a little spicier, it was like something was missing. I added a sprinkling of red pepper flakes near the end of cooking, but adding them when it starts would give it a more intense flavor. If you are up for it, add 1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes!

1 12 ounce can condensed OJ, thawed

4 chicken breasts cut into cubes

1/2 cup flour

1 tablespoon salt

1/3 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup brown sugar

olive oil

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons ketchup

1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

• Cube the chicken breasts and put in a plastic bag with the flour. Shake the bag to fully coat all of the chicken.
• Begin to heat a pan with 2 tablespoons oil. Once the chicken is coated, brown the flour coated chicken. No need to worry about cooking it all the way through, it will cook in the crock pot.
• Put the OJ, brown sugar, pepper, salt, pepper flakes, balsamic vinegar, and ketchup in a small bowl and mix together.
• When the chicken is done, put the chicken and sauce mix in the crock pot and cook on low for 5-6 hours (or high 2-3).
• When done, serve over some rice. I also made some yummy veggies to go with it.
• Who needs Panda Express when you have this right? YUM!