Thanksgiving Burger

I've made Thanksgiving Burgers before, but when my friend Colleen posted a different variation, I had to try it. I really loved that hers was more of a all-inclusive patty rather than the messier option of having the extras on TOP of the burger.

Colleen mentioned omitting the gravy in favor of cheese; I chose to use both!

I had wanted to serve these with sweet potato fries to be a little more Thanksgiving-y, but the bag I thought I had in my freezer turned out to be regular fries. Oh well.


Thanksgiving Burgers
slightly adapted from Cooking This and That; originally adapted from Taste of Home

• 1 pounds ground turkey
  
• 1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
• 1 cup stuffing mix, dry
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• 1/2 cup turkey gravy, warmed
  
• 4 sandwich thins or hamburger buns
  

In large bowl, mix together turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing mix, cheese, and thyme. Form into 4 patties. Grill over medium-high heat, about 6-7 minutes a side or until cooked through. Top with gravy and serve immediately on buns.

Crockpot Meatball and Veggie Stew

One of the best things about having mom-friends is that you're all in the same boat with the same priorities.  As much as we love to cook, no one wants to spend hours in the kitchen prepping dinner when there are too many games of Uno to be played or pages to be colored or Lego towers to be built.  Yet, of course, it is important to keep our families' bellies full of nutritious food.

My friend Colleen recognizes the value of the crockpot as much as I do - I'm pretty sure I've said that before!  This stew she posted a few months ago really hit the spot during a snow storm.  I served it plain, but this would go great over egg noodles!

If you want to "lighten up" this meal, use turkey meatballs instead (store-bought or homemade) and low-fat gravy.

Crockpot Meatball and Vegetable Stew
from Better Homes and Gardens

• 1 16- to 18-ounce package frozen cooked meatballs
  
• 1/2 of a 16-ounce package (about 2 cups) loose-pack frozen broccoli, corn, and red sweet peppers, or other mixed vegetables
  
• 1 14-1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes with onion and garlic, or stewed tomatoes, undrained
  
• 1 12-ounce jar mushroom gravy
  
• 1/3 cup water
  
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed

Place meatballs and frozen vegetables in a 4 quart slow cooker.

In a medium bowl, stir together tomatoes, gravy, water, and basil; pour over meatballs and vegetables.

Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.

Rotini with Cheese

I'm not a bacon fan at all, but I've recently discovered that I do enjoy turkey bacon.  I don't know if it's truly healthier, but I definitely can appreciate the flavor it adds to my meals.

My good friend Jenn made this not too long ago, and though she didn't give it rave reviews, she liked it enough for me to give it a whirl.

Mine didn't look like either Jenn's photo or Cooking Light's, but I suppose that's not unusual.  I agree with Jenn that it is "good but not great" - I do feel like it's lacking something.  I just don't know what... stay tuned for a makeover!

Rotini with Cheese

from Jenn and Food: Perfect Together, who adapted it from Cooking Light

• 3 turkey bacon slices
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 TBSP all-purpose flour
• 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  
• salt & pepper
• 5 cups hot cooked rotini (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)
• 3/4 cup frozen green peas, thawed

1. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Increase heat to medium-high. Add butter and oil to drippings in pan; swirl to coat. Add onion; sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; sauté for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add flour, and sauté 1 minute, stirring frequently. Gradually add 1 cup milk, stirring constantly with a whisk, and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Let stand 3 minutes. Add cheeses, salt, and pepper, stirring with a whisk until smooth.

2. Place pan over low heat. Stir in bacon, pasta, and peas; cook for 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, tossing to coat.

Slow Cooked Asian Style Chicken

I say this all the time, but it's really worth repeating; there is NOTHING like working all day and coming home to a yummy-smelling kitchen where dinner is ready and waiting for us. I get embarrassingly excited when a new crockpot meal pops up in my google reader - I use the crockpot several times a week and it's so easy to get bored.

My friend Colleen has a similar love affair with her crockpot, and I know I'll love most of what she posts.  She made this with pork, but I'm not a huge pork fan so I subbed in chicken thighs instead.  Delish!


Slow Cooked Asian Style Chicken

slightly adapted from Cooking This and That

• 2-3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  
• 2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
  
• 1 (10-ounce) jar sweet and sour sauce
  
• 1 (16-ounce) package frozen broccoli stir-fry vegetables (broccoli, carrots, onions, red peppers, celery, water chestnuts, and mushrooms)
  
• 3 cups hot cooked rice or rice noodles 

Place chicken into 3 1/2-4 quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with tapioca; pour sweet and sour sauce over chicken in cooker.

Cover and cook on low heat for 7 to 8 hours or high heat for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. At the end of 7 to 8 hours, turn to high heat setting and stir in frozen vegetables. Cover and cook for additional 30 to 60 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Crockpot Pasta e Fagioli

As a working mom, there's probably nothing in my kitchen that I value as much as my crockpot. There is really nothing like stumbling home with all my school work, plus my two kids and all of THEIR stuff, to a kitchen that smells fantastic and has dinner waiting for me. And soups are just the epitome of fall cooking!

I think I prefer the stovetop version of pasta e fagioli, but putting it in a crockpot is definitely easier for me right now. And it's still so delicious... I see this soup making many more appearances in my kitchen this fall!


Pasta e Fagioli
adapted very, very slightly from Cooking This and That

Ingredients

• 1 can Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 quart beef broth
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon marjoram
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 3 cups dried pasta, cooked

Combine all ingredients but pasta in a 4 to 7-quart slow cooker. Cook on Low for 8-10 hours or High for 4-5 hours. At the end of cooking time, add the cooked pasta and serve immediately.

Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Tri Colore Orzo

I love pasta salads, and when I need a new one, I almost always turn to my friend Colleen's blog; I consider her a pasta salad guru!

I made this for a party, and I was astounded by how many compliments it received. It almost seems unfair since the most work this salad requires is boiling the orzo... but the flavor combination is just unreal and is perfect for a casual barbecue or a formal dinner party.


Ingredients

• 1 pound orzo pasta
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup
• 2 cups fresh arugula (about 3 ounces)
• 3/4 cup crumbled ricotta salata cheese (or feta cheese)
• 1/2 cup dried cherries (like Colleen, I used dried cranberries)
• 12 fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (I omitted)
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta and put the pasta on a large cookie sheet. Drizzle the pasta with 3 tablespoons olive oil, toss, spread out, and set aside to cool.

Once the orzo is cool, transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently to combine. Serve.

Crockpot Asian Beef and Noodles

This crockpot meal was another winner from my friend Colleen. There is nothing better than dumping stuff into a crockpot and sitting around a delicious-smelling house while an appliance cooks dinner for you!


I tried to heed her advice about finding a low-sodium stir-fry sauce, but alas, I was also unsuccessful. Later, I googled a recipe for making my own, so I will try one of them next time.

Saltiness aside, this was absolutely delicious, and I'll definitely make it again!

Sidenote: I've never before had Ramen noodles. I've heard people mention how cheap they are and how it's the major food group of college students and starving artists, but I had no idea exactly how cheap they are. Dude, I got a package of 6 for 99 cents! Wowzers!

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen stir fry vegetables
• 2 - 2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1" cubes
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle stir-fry sauce, any flavor
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 (3 ounce) packages ramen noodles, broken
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped

Coat a 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place frozen vegetables in the bottom and top with stew meat. In a medium bowl, stir together stir-fry sauce, water, and red pepper. Pour over stew meat and vegetables in cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours or on high for 4 1/2-5 hours (I recommend low, it will help to break the meat down more).

At the end of cooking time, discard spice packets from ramen noodles. Stir noodles and green onions into meat mixture. Cover and let stand 10 minutes more. Stir before serving. This can be kept on warm for 1-2 hours.

Zippy Turkey Bake

With a name like that, who cares what's in it? It just sounds so fun and delicious, and this dinner from Colleen absolutely lived up to its name.

As is usual for a casserole dish, the photo doesn't do the dinner justice. But this blend of cheese, rice, and summer veggies was perfect, and I know I'll make it again.

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 pound package lean ground turkey
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 3 medium zucchini or yellow squash, halved vertically and sliced
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 cups rice, cooked (I used a boil-in-the-bag rice which yielded 3 cups of cooked rice)
• 2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chilies
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 x 9 or two 8 x 8 baking dishes.

Cook turkey over medium heat in large skillet, drain. Add butter, zucchini, mushrooms, and green onions; cook and stir until vegetables are tender. Drain if necessary. Stir in chili powder, salt, and garlic powder. Remove from heat.

If the skillet is big enough, add rice, green chilies, sour cream, and 1 cup shredded cheese to turkey mixture and stir to combine. If not, add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix.Turn mixture into baking dishes. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, until heated through and slightly bubbly.

Taco Casserole

My friend Colleen came to visit Daniel after his birth, and in addition to the sweetest little overalls outfits, she brought a delicious Taco Casserole for us to have to dinner. Since then, every time I refer to her in conversation, my husband always says, "She's the one who brought us that good taco dinner, right?"


It was so delicious, and I couldn't wait until she posted it on her blog so I could cook it again.

I followed the recipe exactly (which she got from Taste and Tell) and heeded her recommendation to add salsa to the beef. Delish!


Ingredients

• 16 oz. taco sauce
• 12 ounce can buttermilk biscuits
• 4-6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
• 4-6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 can sliced olives, drained
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 jar salsa

Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease a 13x9 inch baking dish. Spread taco sauce evenly over bottom of dish.

Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Place biscuit pieces in hot sauce, turn to coat. Sprinkle biscuits with half of the cheese and the olives. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

In a large skillet, combine ground beef, peppers, mushrooms, cumin and chili powder. Cook until ground beef is cooked through and add the jar of salsa.

Sprinkle the ground beef mixture over the baked biscuit mixture. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake an additional 5-7 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Better-Than-Sex Cake

I wish I had better pics of this cake; what I have below does not do this dessert justice!

I had made this cake about a year ago for my husband's 30th birthday but never got around to blogging it. It popped up again not too long ago on my friend Colleen's blog, and I thought it would be a good one to bring up to my parents' house.

It was as good as I remembered, although it was very rich. I think in the future I would do something to the caramel/condensed milk combo - either use less or maybe unsweetened milk... it just seemed a tad too much.

Ingredients

• 1 box chocolate cake mix
• 1 (12 ounce) bag chocolate chips
• 1 (16 ounce) jar caramel sauce
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tub Cool Whip
• 1 (8 ounce) bar cream cheese
• 1/2 bag heath bar bits - I used M&Ms. Any kind of small or crushed candy would work well

Preheat oven as directed on cake box.

Prepare cake mix as directed on box. Add half the bag of chocolate chips, pour in cake pan and top with remaining chocolate chips. Bake as directed on the box.

Meanwhile, mix the caramel and the condensed milk together in a bowl. When the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes in the cake with a straw and then pour the caramel mix over the top and let sit until cool.

In medium bowl, beat Cool Whip and cream cheese until combined. Top cooled cake with Cool Whip mixture and the candy pieces.

Keep chilled before serving.

Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Salad

We had our families over to grill last weekend, and I was looking for a yummy side to go with everything else. I headed over to Colleen's blog, intending to get the recipe for the Tri-Colore Orzo she made when we got together a couple of weeks ago, but instead found this Corn, Tomato, and Avocado dish.

It was super quick to prepare, looked awesome on the table, and was delicious. I did think that the lime was a bit too overpowering for my taste, so next time I would just use slightly less. But there for sure WILL be a next time!

Ingredients

• 10 ounces frozen corn, thawed completely
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 avocado, diced
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon good quality olive oil
• kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper, to taste

Combine corn, tomatoes, scallions in large bowl. Whisk together lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour over vegetables. Chill for 1-4 hours.

When ready to serve, add gently fold in avocado and allow salad to come to room temperature. Season again with salt and pepper if needed.

Hummus

First of all, I can't say "hummus" without thinking, "Hummus! I got the Hummus!" I love Friends.

I first spotted Katie's hummus recipe on Colleen's blog and thought it would be a perfect little appetizer for our Memorial Day Weekend barbecue. I followed the recipe to the letter (well, sort of - the can of chickpeas I had was 15oz, not 12. Also, my garlic cloves were kind of little so I used 4) and was really impressed with how easy this was to throw together.

As is usual for a hostess, I didn't get to each much of this (just a little finger dip when it was fresh out of the food processor!) but it was quite a hit. It was definitely very garlicky, but that was quite alright with the crowd we had.


Ingredients

• 1 12-oz can chick peas
• 1-2 large cloves garlic
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp+ tahini (sesame paste)
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
Drain water from the can of chick peas into a small bowl and reserve.

In a food processor (or blender), mix together the chick peas with the remaining rest of the ingredients, being careful to add second half of lemon juice and tahini slowly, stopping to taste.

Slowly add some of the reserved liquid from beans and a bit of water for correct consistency,(about 1-2 minutes) until a smooth, slightly fluid paste is formed.

Refrigerate for at least 30 mins before serving. This changes the taste of the hummus by allowing the flavors to form.

Note: to dress the hummus up for the table, the traditional way of serving is on a plate, with an extra drizzle of olive oil on top and a sprinkle of paprika and chopped parsley.

Colleen's Chicken Salad

My taste buds were first introduced to this bowl of yumminess several weeks ago, when Colleen brought this Chicken Salad to my house for a brunch get-together.

I wanted something light and easy to take to work for lunches, and this is perfect. I actually planned to dice up an apple and throw it in there just for kicks, but totally forgot.

This was just so easy to prepare! I threw in a couple of additional chicken breasts onto the grill pan when making dinner, and the rest just came together in minutes. I will definitely be making this again.


Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts (about 1 pound), cooked and shredded
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1/3 to 1/2 of a large cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1/3 cup mayo, more or less to taste
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• kosher salt and coarse ground pepper to taste

Combine chicken, celery, and cucumber in large bowl.

In small bowl, combine mayo, mustard, and lemon juice. Pour over chicken mixture, season with salt and pepper; toss gently to coat.

Cover and chill for at least 1 hour, can be made up to 24 hours in advance.

Baked Orzo with Fontina

A few weeks ago, Brooke hosted a NJ get together with some of the local girls from our cooking board. We each made a different component of the meal, and I was "in charge" of pasta. Brooke (who made a pumpkin gingerbread trifle and hot apple toddies) and I have been friends in real life for a few years now, but it was SO nice to meet Jenn (chicken marsala), Colleen (pizza pockets), and Sarah (zesty broccoli casserole)! (Check out their blogs for some yummy food, as well as recaps of our day - Sarah did a great job!)

Since Jenn was making Chicken Marsala, I thought this dish for Giada's Baked Orzo with Fontina (via Elizabeth's Edibles) would be perfect.


Ingredients:

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 pound orzo pasta
• 3 tablespoons butter, plus more to grease the baking dish
• 1 onion, chopped
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup Marsala wine
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 ounces shredded fontina cheese (about 1 cup) (I ended up using all mozzarella because my husband he couldn't find fontina at the store...)
  
• 4 ounces diced fresh mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.

Bring the chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the orzo and cook until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Pour the orzo and the broth into a large bowl. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute until the mushrooms are beginning to turn golden around the edges, about 7 minutes. Add the Marsala. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan and cook until the Marsala has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the mushroom mixture to the orzo in the large bowl. Add the cream, fontina, mozzarella, peas, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and dried thyme. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture on top of the pasta. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I found this recipe for Sweet and Sour Chicken on Colleen's blog (I believe it originated here) and it was... interesting. It wasn't quite as crispy as I was hoping for, but it wasn't bad at all. I would definitely try this again!


Before I get to the recipe, let me just flaunt my adorable son who tried to show off his already-rotting pumpkin, and then stole some carrots:



Ingredients:
Chicken:

• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:

• ¾ cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons ketchup
• ½ cup vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.