Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Turkey’ Category

Turkey Sloppy Joes with Hoisin and Cilantro

Posted in Easy Weeknight Meals, Main Dish, Meat, Sandwiches, Turkey, tagged , , , , on January 21, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

Turkey Sloppy Joes with Hoisin and Cilantro

Sloppy joes are a great easy weeknight meal, and even though I have a favorite recipe for them, I can only eat them so often. There are so many other great recipes to try, plus we try not to eat too much beef in our house because it’s not the healthiest of the protein options out there. Which is why I’m so excited about these Turkey Sloppy Joes with Hoisin and Cilantro. Since these are made with red onion, ginger, hoisin, cilantro, and lime juice, they have a completely different (and delicious!) flavor profile than traditional sloppy joes. And, since they’re made with turkey rather than beef, I can feel good about serving them to my family on a regular basis.

I know at first glance, you might wonder if the flavors in this recipe really do combine into a tasty sloppy joe. Let me assure you, they do! I was a bit skeptical, and had my sister not made this recipe first and recommended it, I may not have tried it myself. I’m so glad I did give it a try, and I’ll definitely be making these again.

Turkey Sloppy Joes with Hoisin and Cilantro

Printable Recipe

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium red onion, chopped
  • 1 medium clove garlic, minced and then mashed to a paste with 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 3/4 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 8oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
  • 4 hamburger buns, preferably whole wheat, toasted

Directions:

  1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and cayenne and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the turkey and cook, stirring and breaking it up into small pieces, until it no longer looks raw, about 4 minutes.
  2. Add the tomato sauce and hoisin to the skillet, and stir to combine with the turkey mixture. Cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Taste and add more lime juice if desired. Serve in the toasted buns.

Source: Slightly adapted from Fine Cooking, Feb./March 2013

About these ads

Read Full Post »

Asian Turkey Meatballs with Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce

Posted in Easy Weeknight Meals, Main Dish, Meat, Turkey, tagged , , , on January 14, 2013 | 1 Comment »

asian turkey meatballs with lime sesame dipping sauce

Sometimes I shy away from making meatballs because I worry that it will take too much time out of an already busy day. Whenever I actually make them, though, I realize that they don’t take much time at all, especially if you bake them rather than cooking them in a skillet. I’ve found that cooking meatballs on the stove is a messy effort, and I usually end up with some of them sticking to the pan and breaking apart. When I just pop them in the oven, they still brown up nicely and I’m left with much less mess. So now when a recipe calls for browning meatballs on the stove, I skip that step and cook them in the oven (unless of course there is a really awesome reason for browning in a skillet, like when you’re going to make a delicious pasta sauce from the browned bits and pan drippings).

Here we have a recipe for meatballs that are not only very tasty, but easy enough that I would make them on a weeknight. They are made with ground turkey, so you can feel good about serving them to your family. I like to turn these into a healthy, balanced meal by serving them with some brown rice and steamed fresh vegetables. A lime sesame sauce is drizzled over the top of the meatballs and rice, adding another pop of flavor. Meatballs with an Asian flair? Yes, please!

Asian Turkey Meatballs with Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce

Printable Recipe

Makes 12 meatballs (about 4 servings)

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:

  • 1 1/4 pounds lean ground turkey
  • 1/4 cup panko crumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp. ginger, minced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 scallions, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. sesame oil

For the sauce:

  • 4 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbsp. water
  • 1 tbsp. chopped fresh scallion

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
  2. To make the meatballs, place all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl, mixing with your hands until well combined. Shape about 1/4 cup meat mixture into a ball, and transfer to a baking dish. Repeat with remaining mixture. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
  3. To make the dipping sauce, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, and water in a small bowl. Add chopped scallions.
  4. Serve meatballs over rice with a drizzle of the lime sesame sauce on top.

Source: The Culinary Couple, adapted from Skinnytaste.

Read Full Post »

Turkey Burgers

Posted in Easy Weeknight Meals, Main Dish, Meat, Sandwiches, Turkey, tagged , , on August 28, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

I’m really, really going to miss this warm summer weather when it’s gray, cold, and dreary outside. Today Julia, William, and I spent most of the morning outside in our backyard. We blew bubbles, which is still one of Julia’s favorite activities. Sometimes I wonder how she doesn’t pass out from blowing so many bubbles without a rest! Then Julia rode her tricycle around and around as William watched. He loves to be outside, and I totally agree when the weather is as perfect as it was this morning.  I feel so lucky to be able to work part-time, so that I can enjoy days like today at home with my two little kiddos.

Turkey burgers are a staple meal in our house, either grilled outdoors when the weather’s nice, or on the grill pan in the winter. When I need dinner to be especially quick and easy, I buy the premade turkey burger patties at the grocery store. If I have a few extra minutes to spare, though, I make my own patties using this recipe. While it does take a little more time and effort, the results are well worth it.

The turkey gets plenty of flavor from sauteed onions and garlic, plus some chopped parsley. My favorite way to top these burgers is with bbq sauce, red onion, lettuce, and tomato. Oh, and cheese of course! I generally like cheddar but Swiss is also good with bbq sauce.

One year ago:  Sweet and Sour Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Turkey Burgers

Printable Recipe

Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients:

  • 1.25 lbs. ground turkey
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • 1/2 cup minced onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
  • Salt and pepper

For serving:

  • 4 burger buns
  • Cheese slices
  • Lettuce
  • Tomato slices
  • Sliced red onion
  • BBQ sauce or condiments of your choice

Directions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Saute onion until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat to cool.
  2. Place the turkey in a large bowl. Add the onion, garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until well combined. Form the meat into four equal sized patties.
  3. Grill over medium heat until cooked through. During the last two minutes of cooking, top each burger with a slice of cheese. Slice each bun in half and toast the insides. Serve burgers on toasted buns with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and BBQ sauce.

Source: Kristine’s Kitchen

Read Full Post »

Pasta and Meatballs

Posted in Main Dish, Meat, Pasta, Turkey, tagged , , on February 21, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

Pasta and meatballs is one of those classic meals for which you need a great recipe in your repertoire. I know that many recipes call for a combination of meats, typically beef, veal, and pork, to create a rich flavor, but I’ve never been a fan of multiple meats together (or veal, for that matter). Plus, I like to cook as healthfully as I can, which in this case means using ground turkey for my meatballs.

Don’t start thinking that this meal is lacking in flavor because the meatballs are made with turkey, though. The meatballs are everything I expect a meatball to be. And the sauce? The sauce is amazing (and so easy!) The key to the sauce is that it is cooked in the same pan that you browned the meatballs in, so it’s full of those wonderful little browned bits of flavor left from the meatballs. The meatballs also finish cooking in the sauce, further infusing both meatballs and sauce with great flavor.

I highly recommend that you try this recipe, and soon. My only regret? That I didn’t make a double batch. It would have been really nice to have some leftovers in my freezer.

One year ago:  Baked Potato Soup

Pasta and Meatballs

Printable Recipe

Makes 4 servings

A few notes:

  • It is important to use 93% lean ground turkey in this recipe; if you use ground turkey breast (99% fat-free) the meatballs will taste dry.
  • Remember to plan ahead and allow time to chill the meatballs for about an hour before cooking them. This helps them to firm up a bit, so they will be less likely to break up when cooking.
  • Cooked meatballs and sauce can be frozen for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Thaw and gently reheat in a covered pot over medium-low heat.

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:

  • 1 slice high-quality white sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces (I used a slice of whole wheat bread)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. milk
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 tbsp. minced fresh parsley (I used 1 tbsp. dried parsley)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 pound 93 percent lean ground turkey
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil

For the pasta and sauce:

  • 1 onion, minced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 12 ounces whole-wheat pasta
  • Salt
  • 3 tbsp. chopped fresh basil, if you have some on hand

Directions:

  1. To make the meatballs, mash the bread and milk together in a large bowl to a smooth paste. Stir in the Parmesan, parsley, egg yolk, garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Add the ground turkey and combine with your hands until the mixture is uniform. Gently form the mixture into 1 1/2-inch round meatballs (about 12 meatballs), and refrigerate them until firm, about 1 hour.
  2. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Brown the meatballs on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the skillet.
  3. To make the pasta and sauce, add the onion to the fat left in the skillet and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes with their juice. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
  4. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer, turning the meatballs occasionally, until they are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the pasta and 1 tbsp. salt and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
  6. Add the basil (if using) and several large spoonfuls of the sauce (without the meatballs) to the pasta and toss to combine, adding some of the reserved cooking water if needed to loosen the sauce. Divide the pasta between four individual bowls, top each bowl with 3 meatballs and additional sauce, and serve.

Recipe slightly adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Read Full Post »

Pasta with Mini Turkey Meatballs

Posted in Main Dish, Meat, Pasta, Turkey, tagged , , , on June 29, 2010 | 4 Comments »

Pasta with Mini Turkey Meatballs

Lately I have been looking for recipes that Julia would enjoy as much as Brad and myself. She’s been somewhat of a picky eater recently, but continues to like foods that are topped with tomato sauce. She’s also loved meatballs in the past, so I thought this recipe from the “(Not) Just for Kids” section of Giada’s cookbook, Giada’s Kitchen, would be perfect.

All three of us really enjoyed this dish! The meatballs were flavorful and there was just the right amount of cheesiness to accompany the pasta and tomato sauce. We have enough leftovers for two more meals, so we will be eating this for at least one more dinner and maybe a lunch. I am looking forward to enjoying the leftovers and having a night off from cooking!

Pasta with Mini Turkey Meatballs

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 pound pasta (I used medium shells)
  • 1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 cup and 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) petite diced tomatoes, with juices
  • 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes
  • 1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions:

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, milk, ketchup, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Add the turkey and combine well. Roll mixture in your hands to form 3/4-inch mini meatballs.
  3. Heat the oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs and cook without moving until brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn the meatballs and brown the tops, about 2 minutes longer. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until meatballs are cooked through and sauce thickens a bit, about 10 minutes.
  4. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the pan with the meatballs and sauce. Sprinkle 1/2 cup Parmesan over the pasta and toss, adding a little pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Add the cubed mozzarella and 1/2 cup chopped basil and toss to combine. Place in a serving dish and top with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and the remaining basil.

Recipe significantly adapted from Giada’s Kitchen: New Italian Favorites

Read Full Post »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 136 other followers

%d bloggers like this: