Lulu's Recipe Box

Stuffed

Well, is everyone out of their food coma yet? I was stuffed after our big meal yesterday, but it was absolutely delicious. TC and I were very happy to have visitors this year. Thanksgiving break is too short for us to travel back to Iowa, so we convinced his mom and sister to come to us this year! The past two years, it has just been TC and I, so it was wonderful to have the company!

I spent the whole morning in the kitchen whipping up my traditional Thanksgiving favorites. TC was a wonderful helper!

Before dinner, we snacked on some appetizers and sipped champagne. Becca and I went for the big bottle at the store and the four of us finished the entire thing off by the end of the night! : )

TC was the turkey master, checking the temperature, basting and carving the beautiful bird! I used the same recipe from Giada de Laurentis and it was flavorful and very moist.

My absolute favorite stuffing and the only recipe I make is my Grandma Gray's. We ate the entire pan!

These mashed potatoes are to die for! You must make them at Christmas. The cream cheese and sour cream make them the creamiest mashed potatoes! I'll post the recipe soon!

And finally the green beans with bacon, and sauteed onion and portabello mushrooms. The bacon and mushrooms really take these green beans to the next level!

Look how good it all looks on my plate with some homemade gravy on top! Thanksgiving really is one of the best meals ever.

Last but not least, the dessert. Wonderful pumpkin pie made by Ann.

Cheers to a Thanksgiving with family and good food! Lots to be thankful for! : )

I hope you all had a safe and tasty Thanksgiving! I'll be back with some of these recipes this weekend!

 

Turkey Meatballs

I have been stuck in a cooking rut lately, trying to find simple and new recipes to try and blog about. As I was looking through all of my recipe binders the other day, I came across this one for turkey meatballs. I believe the original recipe is from Real Simple, but I got it quite a while ago from my friend Liz. They were indeed real simple and I was able to use up the leftover ground turkey in the freezer from the turkey enchiladas I had made a few weeks before. I love using up the food in the freezer. It makes me feel like I'm saving money and opening up space in our tiny freezer for all the Christmas cookies I am making. These were not only simple, but extremely moist and flavorful. The recipe made enough meatballs to freeze more than half of them for future meals. Tonight I served them with pasta but you could certainly eat them plain with a fresh salad, as an appetizer with dipping sauce or on a sandwich with some bbq sauce. They are very versatile and delicious! 

 

Printable Version

Makes about 20 meatballs 

Ingredients:

3 slices of whole grain bread, finely grated in food processor 
1 egg
2 Tbsp freshly chopped parsley (could use 2 tsp. dry parsley)
2 small garlic cloves, minced
3 scallions, finely chopped 
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds extra-lean ground turkey 
1/4 c. milk 

Directions:

Blend bread slices in processor. Combine crumbs and milk in small bowl and let sit for at least 5 mins. In larger bowl, combine turkey, egg and seasonings. Stir in crumbs and milk with fork. 

Line an edged cookie sheet with parchment paper. Roll meatballs between hands to make rows on the sheet. Meatballs should be about 2 heaping tablespoons each. Put cookie sheet in freezer for one hour to let the meatballs hold their shape. 

Store meatballs in airtight container in freezer or to prepare, saute in olive oil, bake in oven, or add to crock pot until cooked thoroughly, depending on how you will be serving them.

Turkey Spinach Enchiladas

Let me introduce you to a new spin on your regular enchiladas....Turkey Spinach Enchiladas! These are absolutely delicious, rich, flavorful, and very filling. I always cut the recipe in half for TC and I because I can only eat one or one and a half as a meal. They make yummy leftovers though if you make the whole batch! The other thing I love about these enchiladas is the easy preparation. Unlike your typical shredded chicken enchiladas, you brown some ground turkey and add cream cheese,frozen spinach and salsa to the skillet. So simple! I encourage you to try these the next time you are digging through your recipe box for your go-to enchiladas. You won't regret it and you might just discover a new favorite for your dinner rotation! 

 

This is the filling for the tortillas.

 

 

Sorry for the blurry photo here.

Printable Version

Ingredients:

Makes 8-10 enchiladas

16 oz. ground turkey

1 - 10 oz. package chopped frozen spinach

1 - 8 oz. package cream cheese

1 package tortilla shells (8-10)

1-2 tsp. ground cumin

1-2 1/2 cups salsa

1-2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

Brown the turkey in a large saute pan, breaking it into smaller pieces as it cooks. Cube the cream cheese and mix with turkey. Add the spinach and 1-2 cups salsa. Add cumin. Simmer until most of the liquid evaporates. It should be creamy. Put 1/3 cup of the mixture in the center of each tortilla shell. You will fill about 8-10 tortilla shells. Roll and place seam down in a 9 x13 sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle the top of the enchiladas with the grated cheddar cheese and extra salsa. You can add as much as you desire. Garnish with lettuce, sour cream, olive, whatever you like!

***From the kitchen of my sister, Sarah Ramsey