Turkey Sliders

This is a healthier way to make sliders.
I love the red onion, cilantro,and cumin mixed in the turkey. It makes the Sliders very flavorful and simply delicous!
This meal was also very easy to throw together.
I used a indoor grill pan, but when the weather is warmer I use our outdoor grill.
My boys loved the Sliders! Something about food being in mini form, makes it just that much better!

Turkey Sliders
makes 10-12 sliders

What you Need:
-1 egg white, beaten
-1/2 cup red onion, minced
-1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
-1/4 teaspoon of salt
-1 pound of Ground Turkey
- 12 dinner rolls, whole wheat
-lettuce leaves, halved
-Plum Tomatoes, sliced
-1 avocado, sliced

How To Make:
1. Whisk together the egg white, onion, cilantro, cumin, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the turkey and mix until just blended. Shape into 10-12 burgers.

2. Heat a skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Cook the burgers, turning once, for 6 minutes or until done.

3. Place the bottoms of the dinner rolls on plates. Top with one 1 piece of lettuce and 1 tomato slice. Place 1 burger on each and top with the avocado and top of the roll.

Enjoy!

Source: Flat Belly Cookbook

Twice Baked Potatoes

My mom made these yummy twist on mashed potatoes when I was growing up.
I loved them then, and I love them now.
My little family also enjoys them, especially my husband.
This is a very easy side to make, and can be made apart of any meal.
Enjoy!



Twice Baked Potatoes

What you Need:

-4 large-ish russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
-2 tablespoons butter, melted
-2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 or 2 green onions, white and green parts thinly chopped
-1/2 cup sour cream
-1/4 cup milk
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

How To Make:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Pierce each potato three or four times with a fork and place in the oven (or on a baking sheet). Bake for about an hour, until a fork can easily be inserted into the potato. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Let them cool for about 5-10 minutes.

2. Carefully cut each potato in half lengthwise, so you get two “boat” shapes from each potato. Using an oven mitt or potholder, hold the potato in one hand and with a spoon scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Leave a thin border (a little less than 1/4-inch) of potato innards around the skin so that it isn’t too fragile to hold the pumped up potato mixture.

3. Mash the potato flesh with a potato masher or fork until mostly smooth. Stir in the melted butter, 1 cup cheese, green onions, sour cream, milk, salt and pepper. Mix well.

4. Preheat the broiler and move an oven rack about 3-4 inches away from the broiler heating element.

5. Scoop the potato filling into the shells, mounding each potato shell full of the good stuff. Sprinkle the potatoes with the remaining 1 cup cheese and broil the potatoes until the cheese is golden and bubbly, about 5 minutes.

Recipe Source: Adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

Steak Bites

The three boys in our house LOVE steak, and are always asking for it!
I don't cook it often because of the cost, and my lack of love for steak.
However, when I cook this recipe the Steak bites are gone very quickly.
Having steak cooked in bite sizes is a a fun and different way to serve steak, and also makes dinner cooking time quicker.
Serve with your favorite sides and enjoy!

Steak Bites

What You Need:

-1 sirloin steak

or

-1 pkg. pre-cut beef tips

-Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

-Butter

How To Make:

1. Trim off the large obvious pieces of fat that run along the side of the meat. Cut strips less than 1 inch wide. Cut into small bite-sized pieces. If you see anymore large chunks of fat, gristle or long silvery membranes cut them off.

2. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss the meat around a bit to thoroughly coat with the seasonings.

3. Heat the skillet over medium high to high heat. As the pan heats, add about 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Allow the butter to melt, then brown, before you add the meat.

4. Place some of the meat in the pan in a single layer. It should sizzle loudly when it hits the pan – if it doesn’t, the pan isn’t hot enough. Don’t stir or disrupt the meat for 30 to 45 seconds. You want it to sizzle and brown on one side. Now scoop as many steak bites as you can with your spatula and flip them over. Repeat until all the meat is turned. Cook for an additional 30 seconds or so – just long enough to sear the outside of the meat but NOT completley cook the inside, or in will be over-done.

5. Remove the meat to a clean plate. Add a little more butter to the pan and repeat the cooking process with the next batch just as before. Lastly when all the meat is nicely browned and removed to the plate pour all that browned/blackened butter and drippings all over the meat.

Serve with Vegies, potatoes, or any other side.

Enjoy!

7- Layer Dip

7 - Layer dip is so good!
A great appetizer to make for parties, or fun get-togethers with family and friends.
One thing that I don't like about the traditional 7 layer dip is the way you just plop the can of beans into the pan and them spread them around. That process just grosses me out. :-)
So I heat them in a pan and add a few yummy ingredients to make the beans a bit tastier.
The Pico De Gallo also makes this dip just that much tastier. You can see my Pico De Gallo recipe here.
This dip should be eaten with in 24 hours of making, it does not keep well after that.
I have never had many leftover past 24 hours anyways. This dip is eaten up fast!
ENJOY!

7 - Layer Dip

1st Layer-
-1 can of refried Beans
-1 small can of diced green chilies
-1/2 to 1 teaspoon of Tabasco (or other hot sauce)
-1/2 teaspoon of cumin
*Begin by putting the refried beans into a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the chilies, Tabasco, and cumin. Mix well.
*Spread into a glass pan, or larger plate.

2nd Layer-
-1 cup of Shredded Sharp cheddar cheese
*Layer on top of beans

3rd Layer-
-1 cup of sour cream (or enough to spread a complete layer)
*Layer on top of Cheese

4th Layer-
-2 avocados (mashes)
-3 spoon fulls of sour cream
-1 cup of pico de gallo
*Combine all together and make guacamole, add on top of sour cream layer.

5th Layer-
-1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese
*Layer on top of guacamole

6th Layer-
-chopped black olives

7th Layer-
- 1/2 cup of pico de gallo

Serve with Tortilla Chips and ENJOY!

Pico de Gallo

I love Pico de Gallo!
It is fresh, healthy, and so easy to make.
You can serve it with Tortilla chips, add it to Guacamole, or 7-layer dip.
Yummy.



Pico de Gallo

-5 plum OR Roma tomatoes (firm, not soft)
- 1/2 large or 1 small onion
- 2 jalapeno peppers
- 1 medium bunch of cilantro
- 1/2 of a lime
- salt

How To Make:

1. Dice tomatoes and onions put in a bowl.

2. Cut the ends off of the jalapenos, scrape the seeds from the jalapenos and discard them. Dice the jalapenos, and to the tomato and onion mixture.

3. Now chop up the bunch of cilantro. You can cut off the long stems before you start, but there’s no need to peel the leaves from the stems. Add to the bowl

4. Squeeze half of the small lime into the bowl. Season with salt (to taste).

*Serve with Tortilla Chips.

*You can also add this mixture to 2 mashed avocados with one or two scoops of sour cream for a yummy Guacamole!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

This soup is AMAZING!
The taste and texture is fabulous.
Huge bonus is that it is super fast and easy to make.
By the end of dinner, Andy and my two kiddos were bargaining on who got to have what was left in the pot.
Next time, I think I better double the recipe.
Once again, a big thank you to Melanie over at My Kitchen Cafe for this yummy soup.



Broccoli Cheese Soup
adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

What you Need:

1 can chicken broth (you can use 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of Shirley J Chicken Bullion)
1 small onion, diced

1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. butter
1/2 teaspoon of pepper

2 c. milk (whatever kind you have)
1 1/2 c. shredded of extra Sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 c. shredded swiss cheese
3-4 cups of steamed chopped broccoli

How to Make:

Simmer chicken broth and chopped onion for 15-20 minutes in a covered small saucepan, until onions are soft. Heat milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes. In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour and pepper. Cook together for a couple of minutes, then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium-high heat until soup starts to thicken. Next add chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheeses and steamed broccoli. Serve immediately.

Makes 3-4 servings

Perfect Cornbread & Honey Butter

I always like to make a Halloween home-made dinner before we go out
Trick-or-Treating with the kids.
I figure the kids will be getting enough junk food, so I want to make sure they get something healthy in their stomachs before they head out the door.
This year I made my all -time favorite Turkey Chili recipe found here.
To go with the chili I made this Perfect Cornbread and Honey butter.
My family loved this cornbread. I am picky about cornbread. I do not care for cornbread that is dry or crumbly. This cornbread is very moist and flavorful. This is my new go-to cornbread recipe.
And the honey butter is to die for! The best honey Butter I have ever made. We had a lot of the honey butter left over, and are now using it in place of butter on our toast. So good!
Thanks to Melanie over at My Kitchen Cafe for her delicious recipes.

Perfect Cornbread & Honey Butter
from My Kitchen Cafe

Cornbread:
½ cup cornmeal
1 ½ cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 ¼ cup milk

Add dry ingredients, make a well and add oil, butter, eggs, and milk into the center. Stir until just mixed (batter will be runny - don't be alarmed!). Bake in an 8” square pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
(You can double in a 9 by 13 pan)

Honey Butter:
2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff

Whip all together with an electric mixer and serve at room temperature (can be refrigerated and softened).

Grilled Vegetables

Now is the season to find yourself some squash and zucchini.
This recipe is so easy and simple.
I was pleasantly surprised how grilling these vegie's with olive oil and herb's brings out a sweetness in them.
They were good enough for my 6 year old to actually eat them and LIKE them!
Makes a great side dish.

Grilled Vegetables

2-3 medium-sized zucchini
2-3 medium-sized yellow squash

1 onion quartered

1-2 tablespoons olive oil, enough to coat
kosher salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper, to taste
Italian Seasoning

Directions:

- Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high heat.
- Slice the zucchini and yellow squash on a diagonal into slices roughly 1/4 inch thick. Cut onion in quarters.
- In a large bowl, toss the sliced zucchini, squash, and onoin with the olive oil, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
- Using a pair of tongs, place the coated vegetable slices on the hot grill pan. Cook until dark char marks appear. Flip the slices using the tongs and cook the other side until charred.
- Serve warm as a side dish or use cold in a vegetarian sandwich or wrap.

Porter Rockwell Salsa

I made this tasty Salsa to go with our taco dinner tonight,
oh yummy it turned out so good.
Very easy to make, healthy, and a great excuse to eat Tortilla Chips!
Enjoy!

Porter Rockwell Salsa
Adapted from
Janelle's Cookbook

2 cups frozen petite corn- thawed

1- 15oz can black beans - drained and rinsed

1 diced avocado

2/3 cup green onion diced

3 diced Roma tomatoes

1/3 - 2/3 cup chopped cilantro

2 clove garlic- minced

1-2 tsp hot sauce - to taste (if you like it spicy, totally optional)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2-1 tsp salt - to taste

1/2-1 tsp lime or lemon juice

2 Tbs red wine vinegar

1 1/2 tsp olive oil

Mix together and chill for 1 -2 hours.
We ate it right after I made it, and it tasted really good with out the chilling part.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Spinach Artichoke Dip:
from: My Kitchen Cafe

-5 garlic cloves
-1 10 oz. bottle store-bought alfredo sauce
-1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
-1/2 cup parmesan cheese
-1 10 oz. package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
-1 14.5 oz. can artichoke hearts (non-marinated), roughly chopped
-1 8 oz. package cream cheese (softened)

*Wrap the garlic cloves in tin foil and bake them at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. When they are cool to the touch, squeeze them out of their skins and finely chop.
*Mix all the ingredients in a medium bowl. It's ok to have clumps of cream cheese. The mixture won't be completely smooth.
*Spread the mixture into an 8X8 pan and bake at 350 degrees until bubbly and hot. Serve with chips or baguette slices.

~Ok, so I just made this dip for my Craft Group and it was so yummy. I have to say that this is the best Spinach Artichoke Dip that I have ever made. It was a hit, so I had to share it with you girls :-)