Cowboy Casserole

My mom used to make something like this when I was a kid so when I found the recipe on Pinterest I was super excited. I made some changes from the original recipe. We don't eat a lot of ground beef so I subbed for ground turkey as that's what we keep on hand. However, you could do half ground turkey and half ground beef.

Cowboy Casserole

1 1/2 Pounds Ground Turkey or Ground Hamburger
1 Medium Onion, chopped (I omitted this)
1 Bag Frozen Corn
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
2 Cups Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
1/2 Cup Milk
4 Tablespoons Sour Cream
1 Bag (30 oz) Frozen Tater Tots
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Garlic Salt

In a large skillet cook the onion until tender and translucent. Add the ground turkey and cook over medium heat until no longer pink. Add the frozen corn to the mixture to defrost. Drain the mixture and place into a large bowl and set aside.

In a small bowl combine the soup, milk and sour cream. Whisk until smooth. Add to ground turkey/corn mixture and stir to combine.

Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer half of the Crispy Crowns on the bottom, pour the ground turkey mixture over the top and then layer with the other half of the Crispy Crowns. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.

My Mom's Shepherd's Pie

My mom used to make this all the time when my brother and I were growing up. I loved it so much that I now make it. I have however changed the recipe to what we like. We don't eat ground hamburger so I use ground turkey which tastes better anyways.

Shepherd's Pie

2-3 Packages Ground Turkey
2 Cans Tomato Sauce
3 Cans Green Beans
Mashed Potatoes
Shredded Cheese
Sea Salt
Pepper
Garlic Salt

1. Boil your red potatoes until soft. Drain the water and put into a mixing bowl. Added sea salt, pepper and garlic salt to taste. Then add butter and sour cream to taste. I'd say I put in 1/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup sour cream. I would just add until you feel that's enough for your taste. Mix with hand mixer and set aside.

A. My mom used to use instant mashed potatoes I believe, however, we LOVE red potatoes. So I buy a bag of red potatoes and cut them up and boil them until they are soft enough to mix into mashed potatoes. Since I don't measure I can't give you the exact amount. I usually cook up the whole bag and just put the remaining mashed potatoes in the fridge for later. 

2. While the potatoes are boiling brown the turkey meat in a pan adding in the sea salt, pepper and garlic salt to taste. You can add other spices if you wish. Once meat is all the way cooked add the tomato sauce and let warm in the pan with the meat.

3. Put the meat mixture into the bottom of a x11 pan (I use a glass pan) and spread it out evenly. Drain the water from your cans of green beans and dump the green beans in on top of the meat mixture. Spread out evenly as the second layer. Then layer your mashed potatoes on the very top. I usually put these kind of thick on top. Spread them out evenly so you don't see the green beans layer.

4. Top the dish off with a layer of cheese (I use shredded chedder). Bake at 350* for 25 minutes. Since everything is warm except the green beans and cheese don't go over the 25 minutes or the cheese will burn.

Ground Turkey and Hominy

So I needed a new recipe that used ground turkey meat. I used my allrecipes.com app on my iPad and found this recipe. However, I didn't have hominy and I didn't know what it was so I looked it up and it's sort of like corn kernals but not haha. Anyways, I just used frozen corn instead and added black beans.

I've made this twice now the first time I added rice to Chad's bowl and noodles to mine. Last night when I made it we ate it in burrito shells.

Ground Turkey and Hominy
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Servings: 8

1 1/2 LBS Ground Turkey - I just use two packages of Foster Farms Ground Turkey Breast
1 Teaspoon Minced Garlic
2 Cans Diced Tomatoes, undrained - I skipped this one.
1 1/2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Mustard
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Large Onion, Chopped - I skipped this too
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Allspice
2 Cans Hominy - I subbed with a bag of frozen corn
2 Cans Black Beans (drained and rinsed) - The original recipe doesn't call for this but I add black beans whenever I can.

In a large skillet, cook the turkey, onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomatoes and seasonings; heat through. Add hominy and heat through.

I don't drain mine and I add the seasonings while the meat is still raw so the seasonings cook into the meat. Once the meat is no longer pink I add the frozen corn and drained and rinsed black beans; cover and heat until corn is no longer frozen. Roughly 5 minutes.

Quick & Easy Turkey Enchiladas Suizas

I got this recipe from my Woman's Day magazine. We've been trying new recipes lately in an attempt to have more variety. This recipe is extremely easy and very quick. Takes me about 10-15 minutes to put together and get into the oven. This recipe is made to make ahead of time. I don't normally do this but you can if you'd like...you can also freeze it!

Turkey Enchiladas Suizas

1 1/4 Cups Green Salsa

1/2 Cup Reduced-Fat Sour Cream

1/4 Cup Chopped Cilantro (I don't add this)

1 1/2 Cups Diced Cooked Turkey or Chicken (I use ground turkey because it's quicker and easier)

1 Cup Shredded Reduced-Fat Swiss Cheese

7-oz Jar of Roasted Peppers, sliced

8 Warm Corn Tortillas

Prep: Mix grean salsa, sour cream and chopped cilantro in a bowl. Spread 1/2 cup over bottom of a 2 to 2 1/2 quart baking dish. Combine turkey, shredded cheese and roasted peppers. Fill each of the 8 warm corn tortillas with scant 1/2 cup, then place seam side down in baking dish. Top with remaining salsa mixture and 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

Store: Refrigerator: Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days. Freezer: Wrap with plastic wrap, then foil and freeze up to 6 weeks.

Serve: If refrigerated: Remove plastic wrap and cover with foil. Bake in a 350*F oven 30 to 40 minutes until heated through. Top with diced tomato and sliced scallions if desired. If Frozen: Thaw overnight in refrigerator, then bake as directed above.

To Bake Straight from Freezer: Remove plastic wrap; replace with foil. Bake in a 350*F oven 1 hour 15 minutes or until heated through.

Mini Meat Loaves Recipe

I got this recipe from Woman's Day online. I tend to modify most recipes I find - my modifications are below the recipes.

Mini Meat Loaves


3 Slices whole-grain bread
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 lb lean ground beef
Whites from 2 large eggs
1/4 tsp each garlic powder and salt
1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
6 tbsp ketchup


Preparation:
1. Heat oven to 425*F. You'll need a rimmed backing sheet lined with nonstick foil.

2. Tear bread into food processor. Pulse to make course crumbs. Add remaining ingredients and 2 tbsp of the ketchup (we use organic ketchup - tastes much better). Pulse just until blended. Form into 6 loaves on lined pan (I buy the little foil loaf pans at the store because it's much easier - fill about half to 3/4 full).

3. Evenly spread tops with remaining 4 tbsp ketchup. Bake 20 minutes until cooked through and instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 160*F. In my oven it was roughly 30 minutes in the oven.


**I also add: minced garlic, black pepper, and sea salt.
**You could also add shredded carrots or any other veggie that you can shred and add in.

Hearty Taco Chili

This is a really good dish. I make it all the time. I add a little extra stuff to make the recipe bigger so there are more leftovers. It's very filling. (I do two cans of the beans)

Hearty Taco Chili

2 Pounds Ground Turkey Meat (Recipe calls for Beef but we try to not eat a lot of red meat)

1 Can Kidney Beans - Rinsed and Drained

1 Can Pinto Beans - Rinsed and Drained

1 Can Black Beans - Rinsed and Drained

1 Can Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies, undrained

1 Can Tomato Sauce

1 Small Onion (I don't put onion in mine)

1 Envelope Ranch Salad Dressing Mix (I use Uncle Dan's)

1 Envelope Taco Seasoning (I use the organic packet at Safeway)

1/2 Teaspoon Pepper

2 Cans Diced Tomatoes, undrained
1 Can Chopped Green Chilies

(Corn chips, sour cream and shredded chedder cheese, optional)

1. In a large skillet, cook turkey meat over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, onion, salad dressing mix, taco seasoning and pepper.

2. In a blender, combine diced tomatoes and green chilies; cover and process until smooth. Add to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

3. Serve with corn chips, sour cream and cheese if desired.

Now, I change up this recipe a little bit.

A. I always add two cans of each bean.

B. I don't cook for 6 hours on low - I cook it on high for about an hour or two.

C. I make white rice to mix into the chili once it's done. I cook the rice in my rice cooker. (Sticky Rice)