Happy Turkey Day!

Turkey Cupcakes!

Source: Betty Crocker

Ingredients:
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® devil's food cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
2 containers Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy milk chocolate frosting
1 tube (4.25 oz) Betty Crocker® white decorating icing
1 tube (0.68 oz) Betty Crocker® brown decorating gel
Candy corn
Chocolate candy sprinkles

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make and cool cake as directed on box for 24 cupcakes.
2. Frost cupcakes with frosting. Place remaining frosting in corner of resealable freezer plastic bag. Snip off small corner of bag.
3. To decorate each cupcake, pipe 1-inch mound of frosting on 1 side of cupcake to look like head of turkey. Make eyes with white decorating icing and brown decorating gel; add candy corn for beak. To make feathers, pipe frosting on opposite side to hold candy corn; place candy corn upright on frosting to look like feathers. Sprinkle chocolate candy sprinkles near head and at base of feathers. If desired, add candy corn at base of cupcake for feet. Store loosely covered.

Chicken Siciliana

I have been making this recipe in the winter months for about two years now. It's great to prepare it and just leave it in the oven for 45 minutes, then have a hot meal ready for ya. Totally delicious.

Source: BUITONI

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1.5 ounces) BUITONI® Refrigerated Freshly Shredded Parmesan or Romano Cheese divided
1/4 cup BUITONI® Refrigerated Pesto with Basil
2 tablespoons capers (I omitted)
4 (about 1 1/4 pounds total) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 container (15 ounces) BUITONI® Refrigerated Marinara Sauce (I used sauce I had on hand)
1 package (9 ounces) BUITONI® Refrigerated Fettuccine

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Line 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil.

COMBINE 1/4 cup cheese, pesto and capers in small bowl.

CUT each chicken breast horizontally three-fourths of the way through the meat creating a pocket for stuffing, being careful to not cut all the way through. Place 2 tablespoons pesto mixture into each breast pocket. Secure with wooden picks. Place chicken in prepared baking pan. Drizzle lemon juice over chicken; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. (I also added some shredded mozzarella cheese on top.)

BAKE for 30 to 35 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center or reaches an internal temperature of 165° F. (I cook for 45 minutes just to be safe.) Remove from oven.

PREPARE pasta according to package directions.

REMOVE wooden picks from chicken; cut into slices and serve over prepared pasta.

Tip: May assemble stuffed chicken ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. Before baking, drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with sauce and cheese.

End-of-Summer Pasta

Wow. Yum! The flavor of this marinade on the chicken is amazing! Make sure you take the time to marinade the chicken and leave it in the fridge 45 min before you begin cooking. It's worth it!

Source: MyRecipes.com

Ingredients:
1 cup olive oil
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 1/2 pounds boned, thin sliced chicken breast, rinsed
1 pound zucchini
2 red bell peppers (12 oz. total) (I used yellow)
2 portabella mushroom caps (I omitted this)
1 red onion (12 oz.) (I omitted this)
1 package (1 lb.) dried penne pasta (I used wheat)
1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt and fresh-ground pepper
1/2 cup slivered fresh basil leaves

Directions:
1. In a bowl, whisk together 2/3 cup olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar, mustard, and garlic. Reserve 1/2 cup marinade for basting vegetables; pour remaining into a 1-gallon zip-lock plastic bag. Cut chicken lengthwise into 1-inch-wide strips and add to bag. Seal bag and turn to coat. Chill about 45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, rinse zucchini, bell peppers, and mushroom caps. Slice zucchini lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Stem and seed bell peppers; quarter lengthwise. Peel onion and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Brush vegetables with reserved marinade.
3. Cooking in batches if necessary, lay vegetables and chicken (discard marinade) on a barbecue grill over a solid bed of hot coals or high heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand at grill level only 2 to 3 seconds); close lid on gas grill. Cook, turning once, until vegetables are slightly charred and chicken is no longer pink in center of thickest part (cut to test), 6 to 10 minutes total. Let cool a few minutes. Chop vegetables and chicken into 1-inch pieces.
4. Meanwhile, in a 6- to 8-quart pan over high heat, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add pasta, stir, and cook, uncovered, until barely tender to bite, 9 to 13 minutes. Drain.
5. In a large bowl, mix pasta with remaining 1/3 cup olive oil, parmesan cheese, half the chopped vegetables and chicken, and salt and pepper to taste. Top with remaining vegetables and chicken. Garnish with sliced basil.

Turkey-Thyme Meatloaf Patties with Mashed Sweet Potatoes

This is a Rachael Ray 30 Minute Meal...but it took me a good hour to make and my kitchen was a disaster. As I was making the sauce, I thought for sure it would be gross...it did not look appetizing, throwing in so many ingredients into the sauce. But to my surpirse, it was pretty damn delicious!!! I will definitley make this again.

Source: Rachael Ray

Ingredients:
4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced
Salt & Pepper
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
2/3 cup breadcrumbs (a couple of generous handfuls)
2 scallions, white and green parts only, finely chopped (I omitted this)
1/3 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (a generous handful)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped (I used dried)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon whole milk or half-and-half
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 tablespoons butter
1 small red onion or 1 large shallot, chopped (I omitted this, I hate onions)
Juice of 1 orange plus 2 teaspoons grated peel
1 tablespoon flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon spicy mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce

Directions:
1. In a deep pot, add the sweet potatoes and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, salt the water and cook the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain.
2. While the potatoes are working, in a bowl, season the turkey with salt and pepper. Add the breadcrumbs, scallions, parsley and thyme. In a small bowl, beat the egg with the milk; mix into the turkey mixture. Shape the meat into 4 oval patties about 1 inch thick. In a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, over mediumhigh heat. Add the patties and cook, turning once, until browned, about 15 minutes.
3. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the orange peel and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour on the red onion and cook for 1 minute, then whisk in 3/4 cup chicken broth and the orange juice; cook until thickened, 30 seconds. Whisk in 2 tablespoons brown sugar, the ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Mash the potatoes with 1 to 1 1/4 cups chicken broth. (Stir the broth in a little at a time so you don't make it too watery). Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar; season with salt and pepper. Serve with the turkey patties and the gravy on top.

Lighter General Tso's Chicken

This was tasty, but not the best stir-fry I've ever made.

Source: reservationsnotrequired.blogspot.com

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups long-grain brown rice
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 pound broccoli or snow peas
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated and peeled
3 tablespoons light-brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 large egg white
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions
1) In a medium size bowl, whisk together egg whites, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken, and toss to coat.
2) In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Lift half the chicken from egg-white mixture (shaking off excess), and add to skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining oil and chicken, and set aside (reserve skillet). (I was able to cook all of my chicken in one shot...depends on how much chicken you have & the size of your skillet.)
3) Cook rice according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1/2 cup cold water until smooth. Add broccoli or snow peas, garlic, ginger, sugar, soy sauce, and red-pepper flakes; toss to combine, and set aside.
4) Add broccoli or snow pea mixture to skillet. Cover; cook until broccoli or snow peas are tender and sauce has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Return chicken to skillet (with any juices); toss to coat. Serve with rice.

Turkey Meatballs

Feel free to add pasta to this dish, but I ate them alone! YUM!!!

Source: Martha Stewart + my own twist!!

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
large can of diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
sprinkle of red pepper flakes (for heat)
salt & pepper
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/3 cup fresh parsley
1 pond ground turkey
pasta, if you prefer

Directions:
Make the sauce: In a large nonstick skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, oregano, and thyme. Season with salt & pepper and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes.
Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, whisk together egg, milk, salt, pepper, with a fork. Stir in breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley. Add turkey, mixing until combined. Form 1 1/2 inch balls.
Add meatballs to the skillet, spooning sauce over to coat. Cover, cook over medium heat until meatballs are cooked through, about 10 - 15 minutes.
Optional: Toss with pasta.
Serve with additional cheese.

Pumpkin & Chocolate Chip Muffins

YUM! I can't resist pumpkin and chocolate!

Source: http://lovestoeat.wordpress.com/

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease thirty-six 2 1/2-inch muffin cups or line with paper bake cups.

COMBINE all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl. Combine eggs and sugar in large bowl. Add pumpkin and oil; mix well. Stir in flour mixture until moistened. Stir in morsels. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

BAKE for 20 to 25 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes; remove from pans.

Turkey Chili

This was the first time I ever made chili, or even ate chili! It was ssoooo good and I'll definitely be making it again in the winter months ahead! And it makes enough for leftovers! Score!

Recipe from Rachael Ray

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
2 1/2 pounds ground turkey breast (99 percent lean), 2 packages
4 tablespoons dark chili powder, 2 palm fulls
2 tablespoons grill seasoning blend, any brand, 1 palm full
1 tablespoon cumin, 1/2 palm full
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 to 3 tablespoons hot sauce, medium to extra-spicy
2 large peppers, any color combination, red, green, yellow or orange, chopped
1/2 bottle beer (the alcohol cooks out), about 1 cup
1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup smoky barbecue sauce
can of black beans
2 cups frozen corn kernels
(chopped onion, optional)

Directions
Heat a pot over medium to medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, and the turkey meat. Season the meat with: chili powder, grill seasoning, cumin, Worcestershire and hot sauce. Break up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon into small crumbles.
Brown meat 5 minutes, then add (onions, optional) and chopped bell peppers and cook 10 minutes more. Add beer and deglaze the pan, scraping up the drippings and cooking off the alcohol. Add tomato sauce and barbecue sauce and bring to a bubble. If using corn kernels or black beans add them now. Let chili simmer 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings and heat level to your taste. Remove from heat and serve.

Dipper Options
Choose from any or all of the following for dipping and scooping into your chili:
Pretzel Rods
Yellow, Red or Blue Corn Tortilla Chips, any flavor
Black Bean Tortilla Chips
Polenta Chips, Plain or Guacamole flavor
Pita Chips, Plain or Spicy flavors
Yukon Gold, Red Bliss or Blue Potato Chips, any flavor
All of the above can be found on either snack aisle or natural foods snack section in your market.

Topper Options
Choose from any or all of the following for topping your chili:
Shredded Cheeses: smoked white sharp cheddar, such as Cabot brand, pepper jack, chipotle Cheddar, 5 peppercorn Cheddar, Monterey jack
Sliced canned jalapenos, drained
Salsas
Sour cream
Chopped raw onion
Chopped green olives and pimentos
Chopped cilantro leaves
Diced tomatoes
Defrosted frozen corn or leftover corn on the cob, scraped from cob

Penne with Pumpkin Cream Sauce

This was a pleasant surprise! I was dying to try this recipe, but was also unsure how it would turn out. I paired it with asparagus, which I put on a cookie sheet, drizzled with evoo, salt & pepper, and chopped garlic. Into the oven for about 15 minutes. We had BlueMoon HarvestMoon Beer with it, and it was perfecto! I definitely recommend making this!

Recipe from Rachael Ray

Ingredients:
1 pound wheat penne pasta
2 tablespoons butter
salt & pepper
15 ounce can pure pumpkin puree
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus more for topping
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Directions:
1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water. 2. In the same pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Season with salt and pepper; stir until melted. Stir in the pumpkin and heavy cream and bring to a boil. Return the pasta to the pot along with the reserved pasta cooking water and toss. Stir in the parmesan; season with salt and pepper. 3. Top the pasta with the parsley and more parmesan.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

This bread is delish! I am a chocolate lover, so the idea of mixing fabulous pumpkin with chocolate was amazing! I will definitely be making this again!

Recipe from Taste Of Home

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups canned pumpkin
1-1/2 cups vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips


Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. In another bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into two greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves.