Turkey Bolognese

I love pasta dishes. They are super easy to make and you can let your imagination run wild. I was watching a cooking show and was inspired by a dish that I saw being made. I knew that I wanted to make it but it needed some changes for mine and my families tastes. Here is what I came up with. I hope you like it!!! FYI this is a lot of sauce. I take half and put it in the freezer for another meal. You can half the sauce if you do not want to make enough for another night however if you can I would suggest it. Makes another night super easy!

Turkey Bolognese

4 Tbs. Olive oil, divided
2 lbs. ground turkey breast
6-8 cloves of garlic, minced 
2 Tbs. dried oregano 
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 cups red wine (I used a yummy Merlot)
2 (28 oz.) cans of crushed tomatoes (I used organic fire roasted)
1 (6 oz.) can of tomato paste (I used organic)
1 (8 oz.) can of tomato sauce (I used organic)
1 (1 lb.) box of dried pasta (I used small shells so the sauce could get into the pasta)
1 tsp. dried nutmeg
1/2-1 cup of fresh basil chopped
1 cup of heavy cream
1 cup parmesan cheese (more for serving)
salt and pepper to taste

Heat half of the olive oil in a skillet pan at med-high heat and add the turkey crumbling the meat until browned and no longer pink.
Drain any water from the turkey breast.
Stir in the garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes cooking for at least a minute.
Pour in the wine scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato sauce along with some salt and pepper, stirring until combined.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
While the sauce is simmering bring a large pot of water to a boil along with the remaining olive oil and some salt.
Add pasta and cook according to the box directions.
While the pasta cooks add the nutmeg, basil, and heavy cream to the tomato sauce and simmer for another 15 minutes until thickened.
Take half of your sauce and put it in a freezer safe container and store in your freezer for another meal (just add to warm pasta on that day).
Drain pasta, add it to the remaining sauce along with the pamesan cheese, toss well.
Serve in a large pasta bowl for a nice presentation for your table along with parmesan cheese on the side for each individual bowl.
Add basil leaves for a garnish to make it look beautiful for your table. 

Enjoy!!!

Apricot Glazed Chicken Bake

As I have said in the past I am on a tight budget so we eat a lot of chicken. I have cooked it in so many different ways it has become a chore to find other ways to make it. Apricot chicken is one way my kids really enjoy and it is super simple...chicken, apricot preserves and garlic, bake until done. This way is yummy I just wanted to do something a little different. I came across a recipe and the glaze peaked my interest but it needed some tweaking. I wanted more sweet less tangy so I played around with it, added a few things, took away a few things and this is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!!

Apricot Glazed Chicken Bake


5-6 chicken thighs (you can use any cut of the chicken, will just have a different cook time)
3/4 cup apricot preserves
2 Tbs. soy sauce
3 Tbs. brown sugar
1 Tbs. spicy brown mustard
dash of garlic powder
salt to taste
1 tbs. olive oil

Preheat oven to 400.
In a skillet, heat oil to med-high.
Sprinkle the salt on the raw chicken.
Once the oil is hot place chicken skin side down in the oil for about 5 minutes to get a good seer on the skin (golden brown).
Place chicken on a foiled baking sheet skin side up(makes for easy clean up), if you have racks use them.
In a medium bowl combine apricot preserves, soy sauce, brown sugar, mustard and garlic powder and whisk until sugar is dissolved.
Drizzle the 3/4 of the glaze on top of the chicken.
Place in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes, until the juices from the chicken run clear.
Drizzle the remaining glaze on top of the chicken and let sit for about 10 minutes. 
Serve and enjoy!!
We served it with parmesan roasted cauliflower (http://yumm-yumm-foodie.blogspot.com/2013/05/parmesan-roasted-cauliflower.html)

Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

I have always been a fan of cauliflower, but to be honest I never liked it cooked. The way I grew up in the south veggies were always cooked to death and for some veggies that is yummy but for cauliflower not so much. I had tried it many different ways and it was always slimy and mushy so I kinda gave up on it unless it was raw in a salad. I had heard of different recipes such as cauliflower mash so I thought it was time that I try again. I have been roasting veggies a lot lately such as green beans and broccoli so I thought why not. I went on a quest to find a recipe and tried a few different ones but they all were missing something. Through trial and error this is what I came up with. The first time I served this to my kids in the place of fries they thought I was crazy. Then they tasted it and have been loving it ever since. I hope you enjoy!!! As for the picture, lets just say I really need a new camera! 

Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower cut into bite sized pieces (I usually cut off the stems)

1/4 cup of olive oil (you really need just enough to cover the cauliflower so the rest of the ingredients stick)

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 Tbs garlic powder

salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400.

In a large bowl toss all of the ingredients together making sure that each piece is coated well.

Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes, until golden brown like below.

Enjoy!!

Flaming Yawns

I know you are thinking wow what a weird name flaming yawns...especially for a steak. It kinda came out of thin air for a buddy of mine Tony who loves my fillet mignon on the grill so he named it this. This recipe I came up with from trial and error...well more trial less error since it is really hard to mess up the flavor of a steak especially of this cut! Yes the fillet is a little pricey but I promise you it is worth it! Make sure that you get your meat from a meat market/butcher. I find that the grocery store version of the fillet is more like an expensive bacon wrapped burger. The key to this steak is the dry rub. I have tried making it many times without it and it just was not the same. You can find this brand at just about any store or you can get it online @ (http://allseasoning.com/lysander.htm#Meat_Rubs) (pictured below). I hope that you enjoy this as much as we do!!

Flaming Yawns

6 (8 oz.) fillet mignon
1/2 cup Lysanders beef rub, divided in half (if you cant find you can use any beef rub)
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sweet bbq sauce (I normally use sonny's sweet bbq sauce)
3 cloves garlic, minced


Take half of your meat rub and rub the steaks liberally until they look kinda like this and set aside in the fridge for about an hour.

Light your charcoal grill making sure that the coals are surrounding the outside leaving the middle bare for indirect heating like below.

While your charcoal is heating, take a medium saucepan and combine the other half of the rub, the bbq sauce, butter and minced garlic and put it on medium heat until melted and garlic is slightly tender or about 5 minutes.

Once your coals are ready (they will be white in color), place steaks on the "indirect zone" on the grill and brush your marinade on the tops making sure to drip some on the coals, this will make them smoke which flavors the meat!

Turn them every 4-5 minutes until desired doneness.

Rule of thumb rare will have some give in the middle and read at 135-140 in the middle, med rare will have a little more bounce in the middle and read at 145, medium should feel springy in the middle and read at 160 and well done will be firm in the middle and read at 170.

Let steaks set on a rack or a wooden cutting board for about 10 minutes after giving the meat a chance to soak back up those yummy juices!!! 

Enjoy!!

Lysander's meat rub will look like this 

Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken

I love my crock pot  If it were up to me I would use it for every meal! The only things my parents would use their crock pot for was roast, soups or stews so when I got my first crock pot I had no idea the endless possibilities that could come from it. As I have mentioned in the past I have 4 kids and with that comes a tight budget. Chicken is always reasonably priced and you can do so much with it. While experimenting I came up with this yummy favorite! We love it served with coconut rice which I will give you the recipe below! Hope you love it! Excuse the bad picture I promise to take a better one next time I make it! 

Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken

6 chicken thighs (you can use boneless skinless and you can use breast if you like)
1 (15 oz.) can of pineapple chunks drained, reserve liquid
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbs. lemon juice
1/4 tsp minced ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup corn starch
salt as desired

Place chicken in crock pot, sprinkle with salt.
Pour pineapple chunks over the chicken.
In a small bowl combine pineapple juice, brown sugar, lemon juice, ginger, soy sauce, and corn starch and stir until combined.
Pour over chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Serve on a bed of coconut rice (recipe below).


Coconut Rice

2 cups Thai jasmine scented rice
2 cups good quality coconut milk (I use canned make sure it is not light or reduced fat)
1 3/4 cups water
2 tbs. shredded coconut
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp coconut oil
optional: toasted coconut for garnish

Melt and heat oil in a pot. 
Place rice, coconut milk, water, shredded coconut and salt in the pot and set heat to med-high stirring to make sure that rice does not stick to the bottom. 
Once it begins to boil, reduce heat to low and place a tight fitting lid on the pot.
Let simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Remove from heat and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
Serve!

Enjoy!!!

Crock Pot Spinach Lasagna

About a year ago me along with my family had to stay somewhere for a short time without an oven. I did not realize how much I would miss one. So when my family started craving lasagna I knew I needed to get creative. I had seen crock pot lasagna's before but I was feeling inventive. I wanted it to be different and a little bit healthier (mind you with all of the cheese it is not healthy by any means but I tried to cut calories where I could). What I came up with has become a favorite. The picture came out terrible last time I made it but I promise that when I make it next I will get better pictures! I hope love it as much as we do!

1 lb. ground turkey breast (you can use beef we just wanted to go healthy)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce (normally I make my own but for this I used prego)
1 15 oz. tub of light ricotta cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 tsp. parsley
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. black pepper
1 pkg. (8oz.) no boil lasagna noodled (I used barilla)
8 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 of a 6 oz. bag of baby spinach
 1 jar (15 oz.) of your favorite alfredo sauce

In a skillet brown the ground turkey, onion and garlic over medium heat for about 8 minutes until meat is no longer pink, drain.
Stir in spaghetti sauce and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
In a bowl combine ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, parsley, basil and pepper.
Spread 1 cup of meat mixture into the bottom of a 5-6 qt. slow cooker. 
Place 4 noodles over the sauce breaking them if needed to fit.
Layer with half of the ricotta mixture, 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese and 1 cup of the meat mixture.
Top with 4 noodles, spinach, alfredo sauce, and 2 cups of mozzarella cheese.
Place 4 more noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, and 1 cup of meat mixture.
Add the remaining noodles if any, top with the remaining meat mixture, and mozzarella cheese.
Cook covered on low for 4-5 hours or until noodles are tender. 


Enjoy!!

Poor Man's Steak

Like most families, mine is on a tight budget. So when I saw that lean ground beef was on sale I started thinking of the different ways to use it. I went over the usual things such as chili, spaghetti, and burgers but these are things that we do often and typically use ground turkey breast in place of beef. My parents both were great cooks so I started thinking of the things that they would have made. My dad was 100% Portuguese and grew up in Massachusetts so he would have made some sort of soup or pasta dish. My mom was born and raised in Atlanta Georgia as was I and she was big into soul food and comfort food. I remember growing up, she would make a dish with hamburger patties filled with green pepper and onions served with a brown gravy on top. To me this was the ultimate comfort food. It had so much flavor. I knew I wanted to make this however my daughter is not a fan of green pepper so I had to hide them. This was the result! They were AMAZING and she could not tell that the peppers were there, she just kept asking what was in them to make It taste so yummy!!! The picture looks horrible and for that I am sorry. I will be taking a new one next time I make them! I hope you love this as much as we do!  

Poor Man's Steak

2 lb. ground beef
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 eggs
1 sleeve of saltine crackers, crushed
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
2 tbs. garlic powder
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 pkt. brown gravy mix
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can condensed french onion soup
1/2 cup water
2 tbs. corn starch

In a food processor or blender add bell pepper, onion,  eggs, worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper and blend until most of the chunks are gone.
In a bowl combine the beef, crackers and contents of the blender and work with your hands until combined together well.
Make into patties and set aside (they will look a little green).
Heat up a skillet on medium-high, if you are using a non stick skillet you may want to spray it with a non stick spray.
Brown patties on both sides for about 3-4 minutes on each side then take out of the pan and set aside.
In the pan combine the brown gravy mix, corn starch, cream of chicken soup, french onion soup and water.
Whisk well making sure to remove the lumps and get the cooked pieces from the patties off the bottom (this gives your gravy extra flavor).
Once gravy is combined, place your patties into the pan making sure to spoon gravy over the top. 
Cover and simmer on low for about 10 minutes then serve with your favorite side (we love egg noodles).

Enjoy!!