Meatballs

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Makes: 16 meatballs

Ingredients
1.25 lbs. lean ground beef
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped

1/3 cup fresh spinach, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions

Combine onion, bell pepper, garlic, basil, parsley, oregano, and pepper in a large bowl.

Add beef and egg. Mix well.

Form into 1 inch thick meatballs and place in nonstick pan.

Cook for 10-15 minutes over medium heat, covered, turning once halfway through.

Serve with marinara sauce and spaghetti.

Turkey Enchiladas

Prep: 35 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
Sauce:
1 & 1/4 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chiles
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream (I use 1/3 cup fat free sour cream instead)
1/4 tsp. pepper

Enchiladas:
3/4 lb. ground turkey
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup of salsa
1 Tbsp. cornmeal
2 tsp. chili powder
1 & 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. pepper
6 flour tortillas, warmed (Ilike to use whole wheat)
shredded Mexican blend cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Combine all ingredients for sauce in a food processor and pulse until blended.

In a large skillet, cook turkey, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.

Stir in salsa, cornmeal, and seasonings.

 Spoon 1/3 cup turkey mixture down each tortilla, sprinkle a little bit of cheese, roll up and place seam side down in a greased baking dish. Spoon corn mixture over top and sprinkle with cheese.

Cover and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5-10 minutes longer.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep: 30 minutes
Bake: 8 minutes per batch
Oven: 375 F
Makes: 4-5 Dozen

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-12 oz. package of semisweet chocolate chips (I like to use the miniature chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.

Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat until mixture is combined, scraping the sides of the bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.

Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer, then stir in the rest by hand. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by the rounded teaspoon (I like to do tablespoon size) 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-9 minutes or until edges are light brown. Transfer to wire rack; cool.

Nutrition Facts per cookie
Calories: 92
Fat: 5 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 1 g

Recipe adapted from: The New Cook Book Bridal Edition

Sesame Teriyaki Tilapia

Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
4-4oz. fresh or frozen sea bass, tilapia, rockfish, or other fillets, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 cup sweet rice wine (mirin), can substitute sherry sweetened with 1 Tbsp. Splenda
2 tsp. honey
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. sesame seeds

Directions
Thaw fish, rinse, pat dry. Sprinkle fish with pepper, then set aside.
For glaze, combine soy sauce, rice wine, and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to boiling, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes; set aside.

 In a large nonstick skillet cook fish in hot sesame oil over medium heat until fish is golden and begins to flake when tested with a fork. (4-6 minutes per 1/2 inch thickness).

Drain on paper towel.

To serve, transfer fish to platter, drizzle with glaze and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Pairs well with edamame and sesame green beans.

Nutrition Facts per fillet
Calories: 196
Fat: 5 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 23 g

Recipe adapted from New Cook Book Bridal Edition

Chili

Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 4-6 hours (crock pot) or 20 minutes (stove top)
Serves 8

Ingredients
1 & 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef (I like to use ground turkey)
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can of kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 14.5-oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Directions
Brown meat with onion, bell peppers and garlic. (if preparing stove top, brown in a 4 quart Dutch over).

Drain fat. Combine all ingredients in crock pot, stir and cook on high for 4-6 hours, stirring occasionally.

If preparing stove top, combine all ingredients in Dutch oven, bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes.

Nutrition facts per 1 & 1/2 cups chili
Calories: 288
Fat: 8 g
Fiber: 8 g
Protein: 24 g

Recipe adapted from: New Cook Book Bridal Edition

Yoshida's Meatloaf with Grandma Judy's Balsamic Glazed Asparagus

Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 1 hour
Serves: 8

Ingredients
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 cup plain dry bread crumbs (I like to substitute 1 cup of pureed carrots)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup Mr. Yoshida's Original Gourmet Marinade

Directions

Preheat Oven to 375 F

In a large bowl mix together beef, bread crumbs (or carrots), onion, eggs, and 1/2 cup Yoshida's Marinade.

Place in a loaf pan, or form into the shape of a loaf and place in a baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes. Brush top with remaining 1/2 cup of Yoshida's Marinade and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Directions for Grandma Judy's Balsamic Glazed Asparagus

Preheat over to 400 F. Wash asparagus and break off ends. Lay on a foil lined baking sheet.

Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with pepper and garlic power. Use your fingers to mix around the asparagus, to coat each one.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on thickness of asparagus and desired tenderness. Turn once halfway through baking time.

Enjoy!

Recipes adapted from: Smart Cooking the Costco Way and Grandma Judy of course :)

Grilled Chicken with Cuban Chimichurri

Prep/total time: 20 minutes
Yields: about 1 cup of Chimichurri sauce

Ingredients:
7 garlic cloves, peeled
1 & 1/4 cups packed fresh cilantro leaves, washed
3/4 cup packed fresh parsley, washed
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
2. Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. fresh grated lime peel
1/4 cup olive oil
grilled chicken

Directions
Place garlic in a food processor, cover and chop.

Add cilantro, parsley, pepper flakes, and pepper; cover and process until finely chopped.

 Add vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce and lime peel. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream.

Season chicken with pepper and garlic powder. Grill chicken.

Pour Chimichurri over chicken and enjoy!

I chopped my chicken and put it on some mixed salad greens, and then used the Chimichurri as a dressing. That was very tasty, but be warned, have breath mints, gum, toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, etc. handy after eating this meal because you will taste it all night :) Luckily it is delicious!

Recipe adapted from: Taste of Home Magazine, June and July 2011 issue

Lentil Medley

Prep: 40 minutes
Serves: 9 as side dish, 5 as main dish

Ingredients
1 cup dreid lentils, rinsed
2 cups water
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 large cucumber, cubed
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, not packed in oil
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup minced fresh mint
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
4 oz. crumbled feta cheese
4 turkey bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Directions
In a small saucepan, bring lentils and water to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes.

Drain and rinse in cold water. Transfer to a large bowl, add cucumber, mushrooms, onion and tomatoes.

Whisk together the vinegar, mint, oil, honey, basil and oregano.

Drizzle over lentil mixture and toss to coat. Add spinach cheese and bacon. Toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts per 1 & 1/4 cups
Calories: 215
Grams of Fat:7
Cholesterol: 11mg
Fiber: 10 grams
Protein: 12 grams

Adapted from: Taste of Home Magazine, June and July Issue

Cashew Beef with Sesame Green Beans

Total Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
4 tsp. cornstarch
4 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
Dash of cayenne pepper
1/2 cup cold water
1 lb. beef top sirloin steak, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
4-8 green onions cut into 1 inch pieces
2/3 cup cashews
2 garlic cloves minced
hot cooked rice

Directions
In a small bowl, combine first 7 ingredients and whisk until smooth; set aside

In a large skillet or wok, stir fry beef in 1 Tbsp. sesame oil until no longer pink.

Remove and keep warm. Stir fry onions, cashews, and garlic in remaining oil for 1 minute. Stir cornstarch mixture and add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Add Beef and heat through.

For Sesame Green Beans
Coat 1 lb. fresh green beans and 1 sweet red pepper (thinly sliced) with 1 Tbsp. each of sesame seeds, rice vinegar, sesame oil and soy sauce. Place on greased baking sheet and bake at 425 F for 20 minutes.

 Serve Cashew Beef with rice and Sesame Green Beans.

Recipes adapted from: Taste of Home Magazine June and July 2011 issue

Southwest Turkey Burgers

Prep: 20 minutes
Broil: 15 minutes
Serves: 5

Ingredients
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup salsa flavored chips or plain tortilla chips
3 Tbsp. canned green chiles
3/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 lb. ground turkey
2 oz. pepper jack cheese
5 sandwich thins toasted
1 avocado sliced
4 lettuce leaves
2 Tbsp. cilantro
1/4 cup salsa

Directions
Preheat broiler (I was able to use the broiler function on my toaster over and it worked perfectly without heating up my whole house). In a medium bowl, stir together egg, chips, green chiles, chili powder, and pepper. Add turkey and mix well. Shape mixture into 5 patties. Place patties on unheated rack of broiler pan. Broil 4-5 inches from heat for 15 minutes (or until no longer pink and internal temperature reaches 165 F) turning once halfway through. Top burgers with cheese and broil 1 minute longer. Serve on toasted sandwich thins with avocado, lettuce, cilantro, and salsa.

Nutritional Facts (Per sandwich)
470 calories

Recipe adapted from: New Cook Book Bridal Edition

Mongolian Beef

Ingredients
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
3/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth (once again, I prefer homemade, but store bought works too)
2 Tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 lb. boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
1 Tbsp. olive oil, divided (I like to use sesame oil for this instead)
5 green onion cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups hot cooked rice
1 package of edamame

Directions
In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and broth until smooth. Stir in hoisin sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil, set aside. In a large, non-stick skillet or wok, cook beef in 1 1/2 tsp hot oil (Olive or sesame, whichever you prefer) until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, stir fry the onions in the remaining oil for 3-4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir the cornstarch mixture and add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat. Add beef and heat through. Serve with rice and edamame.

Recipe from Taste of Home Prize Winning Beef

Crispy Orzo with Broccoli

Ingredients
1 box orzo pasta
5 cups small broccoli florets
6 Tbsp. butter (can substitute margarine)
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves of garlic sliced very thin, or minced
3/4 cup chicken broth (I use homemade chicken broth, but store bought works just as well)
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Recipe calls for use of a broiler, but mine currently does not work, so I just baked this dish at 425 F. Preheat broiler or oven. In a large pot, cook pasta until almost done, then add broccoli and cook 3 minutes more, or until pasta is tender and broccoli is crisp-tender. Drain and return to pot. Mix in butter and vinegar. In a medium skillet, heat oil. Add garlic and saute until light golden, then add broth, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Pour over pasta mixture and add half of the Parmesan cheese. Stir. Transfer to a broiler pan covered with foil, or a casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Broil (or bake) covered until cheese and pasta are slightly crisp and browned. Tun pan several times for evenness. If baking, uncover for last 3-5 minutes to crisp cheese and pasta.

Recipe compliments of Auntie Jenny :)