Turkey Lasagna

I love a good lasagna but I've laid off of it for the last 6 months or so while trying to eat healthy. I couldn't resist any longer. The changing of the weather makes me want to eat hearty casseroles and soups and I've learned it's best to not deny yourself a craving. I did however make a couple tweaks to make this healthier than any lasagna I've made in the past. I made this in an 8x12 pan but you could make it in a more common 9x13 by adding 2 more lasagna noodles and 1/4 cup more cheeses. 

6 Dreamfields brand low-carb lasagna noodles (you could also do whole wheat)

1 lb ground turkey

1 can spaghetti sauce 

1/2 onion, chopped

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup cottage cheese

1 cup mozzarella 

2 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp italian seasoning

1 tsp oregano

Salt and pepper to taste 

Bring lasagna noodles to a boil and cook until almost done. Brown your ground turkey in a skillet with onions. Drain any grease and then add seasonings. Pour just enough spaghetti sauce over the meat to coat it. Combine ricotta, Parmesan and cottage cheeses and whisk together. 

In a greased baking dish put down 3 lasagna noodles followed by a layer of spaghetti sauce, cheese and meat mixtures. Lay down 3 more noodles and repeat the layers. Spread out mozzarella over the top, cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove the tin foil and set your broiler to low to brown the cheese. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn. This should take no longer than 3-5 minutes. Serve with salad and/or garlic bread and enjoy! 

Glazed Banana Bread

This morning when I noticed that my last 3 bananas were way too soft and spotty to eat, I decided to make banana bread instead of tossing them in the trash. I officially feel like a grown up now! This is a simple, easy to follow recipe and it's fairly fool-proof to end up with moist, delicious banana bread. Preheat your oven to 350 before starting.

Dry Ingredients:

2 cups wheat flour

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

Wet Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup mashed banana (about 3 regular sized bananas)

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

2 eggs 

6 tbsp butter, melted

2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Fold in the wet ingredients and then pour into a well-greased glass loaf dish. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and prepare your glaze...

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tbsp honey

2 1/2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp heavy cream (a healthy heavy cream substitute would be mixing together 1/2 cup low-fat milk, 1 tbsp cornstarch and 1/2 tbsp whole wheat flour, which makes about 1/2 cup of heavy cream)

Combine all the ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let sit for about 5 minutes before pouring onto the banana bread loaf. It will set and harden. Serve warm and enjoy a delicious treat! 

Crockpot Cream of Mushroom Pork Chops

I've found yet another extremely non-photogenic food, but I promise the taste of these will make up for their lack of beauty. We took a weekend trip to Chicago so I was exhausted and definitely didn't want to put a lot of effort into supper. I had pork chops thawed out so I threw together this concoction and was very pleased with the outcome! 

4 boneless pork chops, fat trimmed off

1 can cream of mushroom

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tbsp garlic powder

2 tbsp flour

salt and pepper to taste

Put your pork chops into the crockpot and pour chicken broth around them. Season the pork chops and then pour a can of cream of mushroom over the top. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Add your flour to the mixture to thicken it up and let it sit for another 10-15 minutes. And that's all she wrote. They are creamy, delicious, melt in your mouth chops. Enjoy! 

Crockpot Spicy Cabbage Soup

Cabbage soup. I had never attempted to make cabbage soup. I had never eaten cabbage soup. But, this morning cabbage soup sounded like a great idea. I put the following ingredients into the crockpot...

1/2 head of cabbage, chopped

1 can of crushed tomatoes with green pepper, onion and celery 

3 cups beef broth 

1 cup matchstick carrots

2 stalks celery, chopped

1-2 tsp crushed red pepper (depending on how spicy you like it)

2 tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp Mrs. Dash table blend seasoning

Salt & pepper to taste

Cook on low for 6-8 hours and then brown 1 pack of chopped smoked turkey sausage and 1/2 cup of chopped onions in a skillet with 1 tbsp of olive oil and add it to the crockpot as well and let simmer for another 15-30 minutes. I could only hope that these 12 ingredients would come together and produce cabbage soup at the end of the day. 

Well, I'm happy to report that this was a major success! Probably right up there in my top 3-5 favorite recipes. It's perfect for a cold fall or winter day and it's minimal effort to create a delicious meal. Enjoy! 

Tavern Style Crockpot Pot Roast

You could probably put "tavern style" before any food and I would automatically just assume that it tastes better. That's why I cheated a little with this pot roast. I was cruising the grocery store aisles and saw this Campbell's Slow Cooker Sauce in the form of Tavern Style Pot Roast. "Just Add Beef" it says. Anyone who knows what a good pot roast tastes like, knows that it's going to take more than beef, but the sauce itself sounded promising. 




Ingredients:

Beef roast of some kind, 2-3 lb
Campbell's Slow Cooker Sauce-tavern style pot roast
2 stalks of celery
1 small bag of baby carrots
1 large sweet potato, cut into chunks

Add all of these ingredients to the crockpot, saving the sauce for last to pour over the top. Set your crockpot to low for 8 hours and when you return, you will have a delicious pot roast supper waiting for you. I'm not saying that I'll never use my traditional method of cooking a pot roast again, but this Campbell's sauce won me over! It's seasoned just right so that no other sauces or spices are required. It is literally ready to go with very little effort on your part. Enjoy! 

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

If you're trying to cut carbs, sandwiches can be a major loss. Philly cheesesteak sandwiches in particular. I mean, who doesn't love steak, onion and peppers smothered in cheese on a big, greasy bun? While there's no filling bread in this recipe, you can still get satisfaction from all the other ingredients and rest rags knowing it's a lot healthier for you. 

Green bell peppers

Sliced roast beef

1/2 onion, chopped 

Provolone cheese

1 tbsp olive oil

That's all you need! Cut the top off of your peppers and remove the seeds and filling in the middle. Boil until they're fork tender. Preheat your oven to 350. Shred up the roast beef and add it to a skillet with the oil and onion. Cook until onions are translucent. In your pepper put a slice of provolone with the beef and onion mix on top followed by another slice of cheese. Fill all your peppers and place in a baking dish. Put them into your oven long enough to melt the cheese and then enjoy a very simple and delicious meal in 30 minutes! 

White Chicken Chili

Blaming the changing of seasons, I've been on a chili kick lately. I could probably eat it 4 out of the 7 days a week, but if I don't disguise it every once in awhile, my family will kick me out of the kitchen. I had heard of white chicken chili before. I had even been at a gathering where it was served but opted for the traditional recipe instead. After trying this, I'm kind of sad that I've missed out all these years! You will need:

4-5 frozen chicken tenders

1 cup green salsa verde

1 can white beans

1 can corn

1/2 onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup cheese (I used monterey jack)

1 tsp cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Put everything in the crockpot except for the cheese and set it on low. Cook for about 6-8 hours. Shred your chicken once it is cooked through. 15 minutes before you're ready to serve, add your cheese and let it melt into the chili. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy! 

Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

All the taste of a cheeseburger in comforting soup form! Tonight was my first time making this and it definitely landed on the "make again" list. It's full of ingredients, making this a wonderfully filling fall meal. 

1 lb extra lean ground chuck

1 package of pre-cooked Oscar Meyer bacon, chopped

1 cup onions, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes

1 cup carrots, shredded

2 cups potatoes, cubed

1/2 cup celery, chopped

8 oz fat free cream cheese, cubed

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups cheddar cheese

1/4 cup flour

1 cup milk

1 tbsp ground mustard

1 tbsp garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Brown your hamburger and saute your onions in a skillet together. Put all of the other ingredients, except the flour, milk and cheddar cheese into a pot. Once your hamburger and onions are done, add that to it as well. Turn your burner halfway between low and medium and cook for at least 2 hours. Prepare your thickening agent by mixing the flour and milk together. Stir into the pot and then add the cheddar cheese. Cook for another 10-15 minutes on low and then serve. 

This is really simple to throw together and it makes a perfect Sunday dinner after a lazy day of watching football and spending quality time with the family. Enjoy! 

Kalua Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Want the taste of a slow-cooked pig Hawaiian-style at home? If so, fire up your crockpot and get the results in a few easy steps! The picture from above doesn't do it justice...pulled pork sandwiches aren't very photogenic.

I started with a 3 lb pork butt. Stick it in your crockpot and take a knife and stab it all over. (This doubles as an anger outlet!) After you're finished stabbing, rub it down with sea salt...not regular salt, but sea salt. Drizzle 3 tbsp of hickory liquid smoke over it and 4 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce around it. 

Cook it on low about 8 hours or all day, pull it out, shred it and you have a simple, deliciously filling meal for supper! The icing on the cake...leftovers taste even better. Enjoy! 

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

I've had more than one person turn up their nose at the mention of a pizza crust made from cauliflower. It does sound a little absurd but it's real and it's life-changing for pizza addicts who have had a lapse in metabolism speed! It's simple to prepare and you can literally eat a half (or whole!) pizza by yourself and not feel like you're headed to your death bed. It's filling but not overwhelming like a typical pizza. So, preheat your oven to 450 and get started! 

 You will need:

2 cups riced cauliflower (riced cauliflower is obtained by putting florets into a food processor or blender and chopping into a rice-like texture)

1/4 cup egg whites

1 cup cheese (I've used mozzarella and parmesan)

1 tbsp italian seasoning

1 tbsp garlic powder

toppings of your choice

Microwave the 2 cups of riced cauliflower for 6-8 minutes. When you take it out of the microwave, do everything in your power to remove excess moisture. Get it as dry as possible. Add egg whites, cheese and seasoning. Mix it all together and then roll it out as thin as possible on a piece of wax paper covering your pizza stone or pan. That's your crust. Pop it in your 450 degree oven for 25-35 minutes. Around 20 minutes start checking to make sure it isn't burning. It will be normal to see blackness around the edge but the bottom of your pizza won't be burnt. Get it to the desired level of brown and pull it out of the oven. Set your broiler to high. Add whatever toppings your heart desires. The picture above is just a simple turkey sausage and mozzarella pizza with red sauce but I've gotten more creative with it in the past. Make sure that all meat and vegetables are cooked prior to this step. Decorate your pizza and then pop it back in the oven to melt the cheese. The broiler will cause it to burn fast so don't stray too far away. Once your cheese is melted, pull it out, cut it up and enjoy a guilt free pizza! 

Chicken Enchilada Quesadillas

When I tossed some frozen chicken, a can of green chiles and tomatoes and enchilada sauce in my crockpot this morning, I wasn't really sure what I was going to do with it. I came and checked on it a few hours later and decided that it was going to need a thickening agent so I added a package of low-fat cream cheese. I seasoned it with some cumin, salt and pepper and brainstormed a little more. By the time I shredded the chicken and got the final product, I knew quesadillas were the answer! 

4-5 frozen chicken tenders

1 can green chiles and tomatoes

1 can enchilada sauce 

1 package (8 oz) of low fat cream cheese

1 tbsp cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

Whole wheat tortillas

Olive oil

Mild cheddar cheese, shredded

Jalapeño (optional)

Place chicken tenders in your crock pot and cover with enchilada sauce, green chiles and tomatoes. Cook on low for 4 hours. Shred the chicken, add a package of cream cheese, cumin and salt and pepper and turn your crockpot to the warmer. Let the cream cheese melt and thicken. 

Brush olive oil on one side of the tortilla and place in a greased skillet, oil side down. Put a layer of cheese and a layer of chicken mixture. Add jalepeno if you would like. Put another lay of cheese down and then add a tortilla to the top that's been brushed with olive oil. Olive oil side should be facing up now. (Hey, there might be someone out there that doesn't know these things!) Fry on medium heat until golden brown and then carefully flip over to the other side. Fry this side until golden brown and then you're ready to go! Cut it up into triangles with a pizza cutter and enjoy a simple, delicious meal. I made two quesadillas and have leftovers to make about 2-3 more so take the number of people you're serving into consideration when preparing. 

Crockpot Sesame Chicken

Who doesn't love Chinese food? I can think of a few people but I think even they  could be swayed after trying this sesame chicken! It's so good and so...wait for it...simple! Just the way I like it. Crockpot creation número I've lost count. 

4-5 frozen chicken tenders

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup light soy sauce

2 tbsp ketchup

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp dried, minced onion

2 tsp cornstarch

3 tbsp water 

Sesame seeds

Spray your crockpot and put chicken in the bottom. Mix together your soy sauce, honey, ketchup, dried onion, garlic powder and oil and pour over the chicken. Cook on low about 4 hours, remove the chicken and cut into pieces. Return it to the crockpot. Dissolve the cornstarch in water and add it to thicken up your sauce. Cook another 10 minutes or so, sprinkle sesame seeds over it and serve over rice or Asian noodles. 

That couldn't be any easier! It's also a lot healthier and cheaper than Chinese takeout. Think, no MSG! So, next time you're wanting to hit the buffet, try this recipe instead and thank me later. 

Best Ever Crockpot Beef Ribs

I generally dislike the term, "best ever" at the beginning of a recipe title. So much so, in fact, that I usually assume it's the worst ever and move on. But when it comes to my ribs, I would put them up next to any ribs I've tried and call them the "best ever." They are so simple to make and they will literally melt in your mouth. You will need:

Boneless beef ribs, country style (I make a 6 pack)

Sea salt

Hickory liquid smoke

Worcestershire sauce

Generously pat sea salt onto both sides of the ribs and place in the crockpot. Drizzle 3 tbsp of liquid smoke over them, followed by 4 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce around them. You may need a little more if you make more ribs. Set crockpot on low and cook about 6 hours. After they cook, they're ready to serve! 

This recipe could probably be used for pork ribs as well, but the beef is so delicious I haven't considered switching it up. Enjoy!

Crockpot Chicken Cordon Bleu

I love chicken cordon bleu but hate the effort I have to put into it and if I'm being honest, it never turns out right anyway. I decided to just mix all of those flavors together and turn it into an easy crockpot creation. Minimal effort, maximum taste...exactly what I was going for! 

4 frozen chicken tenders

1-2 cups chopped ham

1 can cream of chicken

1 cup chicken broth OR 1 tbsp chicken granules dissolved in hot water (whichever is easier for you)

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 cups whole wheat egg noodles

1-2 cups mozzarella 

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix cream of chicken, chicken broth and ham cubes together and put into the crockpot. Lay chicken tenders over the mix and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Shred the chicken. Cook your noodles and add noodles, Greek yogurt and cheese to the crockpot. Stir and cook for an additional 30 minutes or so. The next part is super simple...eat and enjoy! 

Mexican Chili

This is a little bit chili and a little bit taco soup, so I'm going to call it Mexican Chili. I've made this before with chicken and now I'm making it with ground turkey. It's a pretty close call as to who will reign champion because they're both delicious! This is a crock pot creation with minimal time required at a stove, which is a plus. If you're totally anti-stove, then just throw frozen chicken tenders in the crock pot when you start it and come back later to shred the chicken. Here goes...

1 lb ground turkey 

1 can low sodium black beans

1 can mild tomatoes & green chiles 

1 can mexi-corn (the corn with red and green peppers mixed in)

1 can tomato sauce

1 packet chili seasoning 

1/2 onion, chopped 

Salt, pepper, garlic powder and chili powder to taste

Throw all the canned goods and the onion into the crockpot. Stir in the chili seasoning and let it all cook on low for about 4-6 hours. Brown your ground turkey and add it to the crockpot and then add salt, pepper, garlic powder and chili powder to suit your taste. The chili powder is optional as it definitely spices the dish up. Let it cook for an additional 30 minutes or so and then serve however you like. Be creative and enjoy!