Turkey Burgers with Roasted Eggplant

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 (8-ounce) eggplant
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, divided
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 pound turkey tenderloins, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon less-sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon Marmite
4 (1 1/2-ounce) hamburger buns, toasted
4 Bibb lettuce leaves
4 (1/4-inch-thick) tomato slices

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Lightly coat eggplant with cooking spray; wrap eggplant in foil. Place eggplant on a jelly-roll pan; bake at 400° for 45 minutes or until very tender, turning once. Remove from foil; cool slightly. Cut eggplant in half. Carefully scoop out pulp to measure 1 1/4 cups; discard skin. Place pulp in a food processor; process until smooth. Reserve 1/4 cup pureed pulp. Combine remaining pulp, 1 tablespoon parsley, 2 teaspoons oil, juice, and garlic. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; set aside.

3. To prepare grinder, place feed shaft, blade, and 1/4-inch die plate in freezer 30 minutes or until well chilled. Assemble the grinder just before grinding.

4. Arrange turkey pieces in a single layer on jelly-roll pan, leaving space between each piece. Freeze 15 minutes or until meat is firm but not frozen. Combine meat and remaining 2 teaspoons oil in large bowl; toss to combine. Pass meat through meat grinder completely. Immediately pass meat through grinder a second time. Combine reserved 1/4 cup eggplant puree, turkey, remaining 1 tablespoon parsley, soy sauce, and Marmite in a large bowl. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, gently shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Press a nickel-sized indentation in the center of each patty. Cover and chill until ready to grill.

5. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

6. Lightly coat patties with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place patties on grill rack, and grill 4 minutes until well marked. Carefully turn patties over, and grill 3 minutes or until done. Place 1 patty on bottom half of each bun; top each serving with 1 tablespoon eggplant mixture, 1 lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice, and top half of bun. (Reserve remaining eggplant mixture for another use.)

Comments:
Ok, who really grinds their own turkey? Please... quit making the rest of us look like lazy cooks. Go to the grocery store and buy Jennie O like a normal person. Anyway, a little time-consuming on the eggplant prep (I actually ended up roasting and pureeing it the night before.) Good results, if not exactly earth-shattering. The eggplant in the burger itself is pretty much invisible. The condiment on top is interesting, but not really the best thing I ever ate. I do have some leftover tortillas so I plan to use the leftovers as a dip. We'll see how that goes.

Sloppy Joes

From Eating Well



Ingredients:
12 ounces 90%-lean ground beef
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cups finely chopped cremini mushrooms, (about 4 ounces)
5 plum tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup chili sauce, such as Heinz
1/4 cup ketchup
8 whole-wheat hamburger buns, toasted if desired

Directions:
Crumble beef into a large nonstick skillet; cook over medium heat until it starts to sizzle, about 1 minute. Add onion and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables are soft and the moisture has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes and flour; stir to combine. Stir in water, vinegar, chili sauce and ketchup and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and the onion is very tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve warm on buns.

Comments:
A different spin on sloppy joes, and I've got to say these are MUCH better than the usual ground beef + prefab spice packet deal. I didn't even mind the mushrooms. Much. I'm still working on actually liking them. I think I went a little crazy with the chili sauce and it burned a little, but it was still good. Leftovers were great with tortilla chips too!

Turkey, Kale, and Rice Bake

From Eating Well



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only
1 cup thinly sliced celery
4 cups slivered kale leaves
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup low-fat, no-salt-added cottage cheese
1 cup instant or quick-cooking brown rice
6 ounces smoked turkey breast or smoked tofu, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
1 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add kale and tomatoes and cook, stirring, until the kale begins to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cottage cheese, rice, turkey (or tofu), water and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler.

3. Stir the rice mixture, increase the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 10 to 12 minutes. Spread cheese on top. Broil until the cheese is bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes.

Comments:
Adam picked this one after we got a Nook subscription to the magazine. Kind of surprised me, actually. This doesn't seem like his usual area of food choices. It was ok, I guess. I'm not too big a fan of the dark, leafy greens so the kale was a struggle, but overall it was fine. Not sure I'd make it again. Awful lot of prep and effort for something just so-so...

Slim Chicken Parm with Spaghetti (Squash)

From Everyday With Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
8 ounces whole wheat penne pasta
4 5 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 28 ounce can chopped tomatoes
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain.
2. Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned, about 8 minutes; transfer to a plate.
3. In the same skillet, cook the garlic over medium heat until golden, about 1 minute. Add the wine, bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and simmer until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Return the chicken and any juices to the skillet, turning to coat. Top each piece of chicken with some of the mozzarella and 1 teaspoon parmesan, cover and cook until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes; transfer to a platter.
4. Add the pasta and parsley to the skillet, toss and season with salt. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and serve alongside the chicken.

Comments:
I've made this one before, but this time I swapped out the pasta for some spaghetti squash. This was my first time cooking a spaghetti squash and I was amazed at how easy it is. Cut it (ok, so this wasn't easy - I called in the big guns (ie Adam)), put it on a baking sheet, bake in the oven at 350 for an hour, scrape the guts into a bowl, and voila. Fake spaghetti. It's just a little bit sweet so it goes well with the acidic tomato-based sauce. Overall, a success. I'm excited about all the other possibilities for spaghetti squash.

Pantry Pasta

From The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond via FoodNetwork



Ingredients:
1/2 whole red onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1/3 cup chicken stock or white wine
1/3 cup assorted olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1 whole jar artichoke hearts, halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces pasta, cooked al dente and drained
2 to 3 tablespoons jarred pesto
1/2 cup fork-chunked feta
3 tablespoons dry-toasted pine nuts

Directions:
Add the onions into a skillet with the olive oil over medium heat. Saute for a few minutes, and then add in the diced tomatoes, chicken stock, olives, artichoke hearts and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and stir to combine with the sauce. Mix in the pesto. Toss in the feta and top with the pine nuts.

Comments:
I don't know that I've ever made anything from The Pioneer Woman that I haven't totally loved. I caught this recipe on her new(ish) show on the Food Network and I knew it was right up my alley. A local Italian restaurant makes a version of this and I love it and this is what I always get at Stone Cellar as well. Olives and tomatoes and artichokes and pasta = Heaven! I did leave out the pesto since I'm not particularly a fan. I also used some Garden Delight Ronzoni in an effort to up the healthy components. I'm not sure about the two servings thing though - this makes a whole lot, and unlike Ree, I don't live on a working ranch and chase cows around all day.

Indian-Style Apricot Chicken

From CrockPot Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes



Ingredients:
6 skinless chicken thighs, rinsed and patted dry
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup chicken broth
1 8oz package dried apricots
1 pinch saffron threads (optional)
Hot basmati rice

Directions:
1. Coat slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Brown chicken on all sides. Transfer to prepared slow cooker.

2. Add onion to skillet. Cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until translucent. Stir in garlic, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice. Cook and stir 15 to 30 seconds longer or until mixture is fragrant. Add tomatoes with juice and broth. Cook 2 or 3 minutes or until mixture is heated through. Pour into clow cooker.

3. Add apricots and saffron, if desired. Cover; cook on LOW 5 to 6 hours (HIGH 3 to 4 hours) or until chicken is tender. Add salt and pepper, if desired. Serve with basmati rice.

Comments:
We weren't sold on this one. Adam wasn't a fan of all the tomato action. I didn't like the cinnamon part. We ate it, but probably wouldn't make it again.

Broiled Tilapia Gyros

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
Fish:
1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

Tzatziki:
3/4 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced

Remaining ingredients:
4 (2.75-ounce) Mediterranean-style wheat flatbreads (such as Toufayan)
1/2 cup vertically sliced red onion (about 1/2 small onion)
1 ripe avocado, peeled and cut into 12 thin slices
1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
1/2 small English cucumber, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler.

2. To prepare fish, brush fish with oil; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place fish on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or desired degree of doneness.

3. To prepare tzatziki, combine yogurt and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor or blender; pulse until smooth.

4. Spread 2 tablespoons tzatziki in the center of each flatbread. Divide fish evenly among flatbreads. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons onion, 3 avocado slices, 2 tomato slices, and about 6 cucumber slices; fold in half.

Comments:
A couple steps, but overall not too hard. I left some stuff out, but it seemed to be ok. Of course, I don't know firsthand, but Adam didn't complain!

Edamame Succotash

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 slice center-cut bacon
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups chopped sweet onion
2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen, shelled edamame, thawed
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons torn basil

Directions:
1. Cook bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan; coarsely chop bacon.

2. Increase the heat to medium-high. Melt butter in drippings in pan. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add corn kernels; sauté for 3 minutes or until lightly charred. Add edamame, and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in vinegar and next 5 ingredients (through bell pepper); cook 30 seconds, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with bacon and basil

Comments:
This was really good. All kinds of flavors and textures, the vinegar gives it a nice zing. It reheats well too, which is important in a two-person household. I admit I doubled the amount of bacon, but Adam still thought it could use more. :-)

Feta Shrimp Skillet

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup white wine, optional
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
In a large nonstick skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the tomatoes, wine if desired, oregano, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-7 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.

Stir in shrimp and parsley. Cook and stir over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Remove from the heat; sprinkle with cheese. Cover and let stand for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is softened.

Comments:
This was really easy to make and Adam really liked it. Not much else to say since I didn't eat this. Not a shrimp fan.

BLT Pasta Bake

From Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats, recipe #36



Ingredients:
1 lb macaroni
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
8 slices bacon, coarsely chopped
2 large leeks, trimmed of roots and dark green tops
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
3 cups whole milk
1 cup chicken stock
3 1/2 cups gruyere cheese, grated
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 pint cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs

Directions:
Place a pot of water on to boil for the pasta, once boiling add some salt and the pasta and cook until al dente.

Heat large skillet over medium heat, add the EVOO and chopped bacon and cook until crisp.

While bacon is cooking, split leeks in half lengthwise and slice thinly into half moons. Clean cut leeks thoroughly, drain, and dry. Add leeks to pan with bacon, season with salt and pepper; cook until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Heat a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add the butter and melt. Add the flour, cayenne, and paprika and whisk together until the roux bubbles; cook one minute more. Whisk in milk and stock and raise the heat a little. Bring sauce to a quick boil and simmer to thicken, about 5 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and whisk in 3 cups of the grated cheese and the mustard. Set aside.

Add the cherry tomatoes to the leeks and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve.
Preheat broiler.

Combine leek mixture, cheese sauce, and pasta; salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to baking dish, combine remaining 1/2 cheese with bread crumbs and top pasta. Place under broiler until cheese melts and crumbs are brown.

Comments:
This is really good, although I managed to burn the top under the broiler a little. Ok a lot. But it was salvagable. This recipes makes a whole lotta pasta so I threw the leftovers in the freezer. They should defrost well.

Steak Burritos

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2 beef flank steaks (about 1 pound each)
2 envelopes taco seasoning
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
1 tablespoon white vinegar
10 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1-1/2 cups chopped seeded plum tomatoes
3/4 cup sour cream

Directions:
Cut steaks in half; rub with taco seasoning. Place in a 3-qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Top with onion, chilies and vinegar.

Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until meat is tender.

Remove steaks and cool slightly; shred meat with two forks. Return to slow cooker; heat through.

Spoon about 1/2 cup meat mixture down the center of each tortilla. Top with cheese, tomato and sour cream. Fold ends and sides over filling.

Comments:
These were easy and pretty good. Not sure I'd make them again - the taco seasoning was kind of overpowering and I halved the recipe and didn't even use one whole envelope. I might just stick with an onion soup kind of base instead.

Cranberry-Chipotle Chicken

From Better Homes & Gardens Simple Slow Cooker Recipes



Ingredients:
8 oz bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup chopped onion
1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped roma tomatoes
1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1 (16oz) can whole cranberry sauce
1 canned chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1 tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1. In a large skillet cook bacon and onion over medium heat until bacon is crisp. Drain off fat.

2. Transfer bacon mixture to a 3 1/2 - 4 quart slow cooker. Stir in black beans, cannellini beans, tomatoes, rice, chicken broth, 1/2 tsp salt, cumin, cinnamon, and garlic. Add chicken.

3. In a small bowl combine the cranberry sauce, pepper, lime juice, and 1/4 tsp salt. Pour over mixture in cooker.

4. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 7 hours (high 3 to 3 1/2.)

Comments:
I don't know about this one. I didn't really like it much. I did sub a habenero for the chipotle and some frozen cranberries for the canned stuff, but that shouldn't have changed the overall taste too much. Not sure what exactly it was, but it wasn't good. Won't make this again.

Tuscan Chicken Frittata

From a Philly ad in Taste of Home (can't find a direct link)



Ingredients:
8 eggs
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup minced fresh basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
8 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, patted dry and chopped
1 cup shredded cooked chicken

Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, basil, 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir in cream cheese and tomatoes.

Heat an ovenproof skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat; pour in egg mixture. As eggs set, lift edges to allow uncooked portion to flow underneath. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until frittata begins to set.

Sprinkle with chicken and remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until eggs are completely set. Let stand for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges.

Comments:
I cannot stand sun-dried tomatoes so I used about half of a large, normal tomato. It worked out fine. This turned out pretty well and was pretty easy to make. Adam suggested goat cheese in place of the cream cheese (has more of a tang) and he's not alone since most of the recipes I found while looking for a link for this one use goat cheese. This was an ad for cream cheese though, so that's probably why they made the swap.

Cheese-Stuffed Manicotti

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5oz) can tomato puree
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped parsley
12 manicotti shells, cooked

Directions:
1. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Saute the garlic until golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree, oregano, basil, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350; spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, egg, and parsley. Fill the manicotti shells with the cheese mixture; place in the baking dish. Pour sauce over shells. Bake until browned and bubbling, 30-40 minutes.

Serves 6. POINTS Value per serving: 8

Comments:
I didn't get 12 shell from this filling - I got 9. So either I overfilled or they want half the shell empty.

In any case, Adam thought the sauce was bland - and it is - it's just tomato and some spices. He wanted meat in it, which was no surprise to me at all. The manicotti itself was good. Just a little bored with the sauce.

Nuevo Cubano

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
4 (3-ounce) whole-wheat sub rolls, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 pound thinly sliced reduced-sodium deli ham
1 peeled mango or 2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 pound thinly sliced provolone cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Directions:
1. Hollow out top and bottom halves of bread, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell; reserve torn bread for another use.

2. Combine cilantro, lime juice, chili powder, garlic, and black beans in a food processor; process until almost smooth and spreadable, adding a few drops of water, if necessary. Spread bean mixture evenly on bottom halves of the prepared rolls. Layer rolls evenly with ham, mango or tomatoes, and provolone cheese; replace top halves of rolls.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add 2 sandwiches to pan; place a cast-iron or other heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; press gently. Cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until sandwiches are golden brown (leave cast-iron skillet on sandwiches while they cook). Remove sandwiches from pan; repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 2 sandwiches.

Comments:
Left out the cilantro and used the panini press instead of cooking them in a skillet. Other than that, kept to the plan. I used the mango option rather than the tomato and I think that was definitely the right choice. Added just the right touch of sweetness. Overall, pretty good. Go easy on the garlic though - it was really overpowering.

Southwest Turkey Burgers

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
2 poblano chiles (about 1/2 pound)
1 ounce French bread baguette
1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon chili powder, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 pound ground turkey breast
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
4 (1 1/2-ounce) hamburger buns, toasted
4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices tomato
4 green leaf lettuce leaves

Directions:
1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. Cut poblanos in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place poblanos, skin sides down, on grill rack; grill 10 minutes or until blackened. Place poblanos in a small zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel and dice.

3. Place bread in a food processor; pulse 5 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1/2 cup. Combine breadcrumbs and milk in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add poblanos, 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, cumin, and next 4 ingredients (through turkey); gently mix just until combined. Divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions; shape each portion into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Place patties on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until done.

4. Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon chili powder and mayonnaise. Top bottom half of each bun with 1 tomato slice, 1 lettuce leaf, 1 patty, about 1 1/2 teaspoons mayonnaise mixture, and 1 bun top.

Comments:
I ended up making these indoors since it was pouring out the night they were on the menu. Worked out ok that way. These are spicy, no doubt about it. But still very good.

Mozzarella, Ham, (and Basil) Paninis

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 (16-ounce) loaf ciabatta, cut in half horizontally
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/3 cups (8 ounces) thinly sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
12 basil leaves
8 ounces sliced 33%-less-sodium cooked deli ham (such as Boar's Head)
2 sweetened hot cherry peppers, sliced
1 large plum tomato, thinly sliced
Cooking spray

Directions:
1. Brush cut side of the bottom bread half with mustard; brush cut side of top half with vinegar. Top bottom half with mozzarella, basil, ham, peppers, and tomato. Top with remaining bread half.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sandwich to pan; top with another heavy skillet. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Cut sandwich into 6 wedges.

Comments:
Left out the basil and cherry peppers, but actually used ciabatta bread! We made a stop at Manderfields for brat buns last week and since we were there I decided to splurge and get fancy bread. I had them slice it though so that's why it looks different from the picture on the CL website. Worked out well. These were really good sandwiches.

Pasta with Edamame and Arugula

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
8 ounces uncooked whole-wheat penne (tube-shaped pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans), thawed
2 cups loosely packed baby arugula
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 ounces fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain.

2. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add edamame to pan; cook 2 minutes or until edamame are thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Combine pasta and edamame in a large bowl. Stir in arugula and next 6 ingredients (through salt), tossing well. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.

Comments:
This was very easy to make - cook pasta, heat edamame, chop tomatoes. But it was gross. Maybe it was the arugula - I didn't think Adam would like it but he wanted to try it. Maybe it was the whole-wheat pasta. I don't know. But we won't make this one again.

Greek Chicken Pasta

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked penne pasta
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 cups cubed rotisserie chicken
1 jar (7-1/2 ounces) marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/3 cup sliced pitted Greek olives
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large ovenproof skillet, melt butter. Add onion; saute until tender. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the chicken, artichoke hearts, cheese, tomatoes and olives.

Drain pasta; stir into the pan. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 5-7 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Sprinkle with parsley.

Comments:
I omitted the olives since Adam doesn't like them and used a drained can of diced tomatoes rather than sun-dried. I also used plain artichoke hearts instead of marinated ones. Overall this was very good. I think it would have been even better with the olives, so if I make it again I might add them to my bowl. I added some salt and a lot of pepper to my dish because without something else it was pretty bland.

Hamburger Noodle Bake

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked egg noodles
1/2 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
Dash pepper
1/4 cup cream-style cottage cheese
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onion
1 tablespoon chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon sour cream
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook noodles according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Remove from the heat; stir in the tomato sauce, sugar, salt, garlic salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the cottage cheese, cream cheese, green onion, green pepper and sour cream.

Drain noodles; place half of noodles in a greased 1-qt. baking dish. Spoon half of beef mixture over the top. Layer with cottage cheese mixture and remaining noodles. Top with remaining beef mixture; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Cover and bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Comments:
This was ok. The mixture of cottage cheese and the noodles and beef was kind of weird. Maybe it's just that I don't like cottage cheese that much in the first place. The scallions really added a good secondary layer of flavor though. I don't know that I'd make this again.