Crockpot Turkey Chili

Once upon a time, chili was 1 of maybe 5  things that I could make with confidence. Back then my chili consisted of hamburger, tomato sauce, kidney beans and a packet of chili seasoning. I've tweaked it over the years and have put together a foolproof chili recipe, sure to please everyone! 

1 lb ground turkey

1 packet chili seasoning

1/2 white onion, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles

1 can *chili ready tomato sauce (Hunt's brand)

1 can *chili ready kidney beans 

Salt and pepper to taste 

*the chili ready indicates that it is seasoned and ready specifically for use in chili*

Combine all ingredients except the ground turkey in your crockpot. Stir together and cook on low for about 4-6 hours. Turn your crockpot to warmer and cook the ground turkey before adding it to the crockpot at well. Cook for another 30 minutes or so and serve. It's even better the next day...enjoy! 

Mardi Gras Fried Cabbage

I dubbed this dish Mardis Gras Fried Cabbage because the bright colors make it look like a party in a pan. I liked using the red cabbage instead of the regular green cabbage because it didn't wilt completely so there was still some crunch to each bite. It made for a more enjoyable texture in my opinion. 

You'll need:

1 package smoked turkey sausage, chopped

1/2 red cabbage, chopped

1/2 white onion, chopped

4-5 baby Bella mushrooms, chopped

2 tbsp minced garlic

2 tbsp fat (can be oil, bacon grease, lard...it's up to you!)

2 tbsp Nature's Seasons (seasoning)

Salt and Pepper to taste 

Melt your fat source in a skillet (I used cast iron) and then add your cabbage, onion, mushroom and garlic to sauté. In another skillet brown your sausage. After the veggies have fried for about 25-30 minutes, season them and add the sausage to the skillet and cook together for another 5-10 minutes. 

This turned out to be surprisingly filling and delicious. It was my first experience with fried cabbage and definitely won't be my last. Enjoy! 

Cajun Pork Cutlet & Mushrooms

Fried pork cutlet is my husband's favorite meal. Yes, I'm talking about the cheap, ground, $2 a pound pork cutlet. I give in and make it from time to time but tonight I decided to dress it up a little to make it more enjoyable for me. You'll need:

2 Pork cutlets (double recipe if needed)

1 cup Baby Bella mushrooms, chopped

2 tbsp butter 

2 tbsp whole wheat flour

2 tbsp Cajun seasoning

1 tsp garlic powder 

1 tbsp olive oil 

Melt butter in a skillet on medium. Coat pork cutlet lightly in flour and place it in the hot skillet. Season one side with Cajun seasoning. Flip after a few minutes and season the other side with more Cajun. Meanwhile in another small skillet sauté the mushrooms and add a tsp of garlic powder for extra flavor. Once your pork cutlets are golden brown and cooked through (about 10 minutes), pour mushrooms over the top and serve. 

This turned out delicious and was a very quick, simple and CHEAP meal. Enjoy! 

Best Baked Salmon

I've tried so many salmon recipes calling for flavor additives from ginger to lemon to honey and have been thoroughly disappointed with them all. When it comes to salmon, I've learned that less is more. You'll need:

Salmon, however many pieces you need to serve 

Butter

Salt and pepper 

See, less is more! Preheat your oven to 350. Take each piece of salmon and top it with a dollop (about a teaspoon) of butter. Salt and pepper it generously. Wrap each piece in foil and bake for 20-25 minutes. And voila, you're all done! I served it tonight with brussel sprouts and wild rice and enjoyed a delicious meal in 30 minutes. 

Balsamic Chicken & Mushrooms

Balsamic vinegar used for cooking has always intimidated me because the smell is so strong and I could never decide whether it was a smell that I wanted to discover the taste of. I decided to bite the  bullet and try making balsamic chicken and mushrooms. 

8 thawed chicken tenders, cut into chunks 

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tbsp butter or olive oil 

1 cup heavy cream 

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 

1 small package of baby bella mushrooms, chopped

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste 

Sauté your onion in the 2 tbsp butter or olive oil until carmelized. Add your chicken, salt and pepper and cook the chicken until lightly browned. Put the chicken and onion in a bowl and sit aside. Add your chicken broth to the skillet and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Pour in the heavy cream, balsamic vinegar and mushrooms and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add the chicken and onions back in along with the Parmesan cheese and cornstarch to thicken. Season with garlic powder and more salt and pepper if needed to suit your taste. Let simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring it often. (Note: you can always omit the cornstarch if you prefer a less thick sauce.) Serve over rice, pasta or spaghetti squash or eat it alone like I did. 

The verdict? Amazing! It's a perfect combination of flavors that your taste buds will thank you for. Enjoy! 

Showroom Chocolate Chip Cookies

*photo taken after 2 cookies were already inhaled. 

I call these showroom chocolate chip cookies because my husbands reaction upon seeing them was, "those look straight off the showroom floor." I am the queen of making ugly cookies so if I can create these, anyone can! These are very soft, chewy cookies so if you like them hard and crunchy you might want to move along because these aren't for you.

1 stick unsalted, softened butter 

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup Truvia

1 1/2 cups flour 

2 tsp cornstarch 

1 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 egg 

2 cups chocolate chips  

Preheat oven to 350. With a mixer (I used a hand mixer) cream together the butter, truvia and brown sugar. Add vanilla and egg and continue mixing. Add the flour, baking soda, cornstarch and mix some more. Last, pour in your chocolate chips, stir it all together and try to avoid devouring the bowl of dough. Line a silver cookie pan with parchment paper. Scoop 6 big scoops onto the pan and flatten them down. (If you have another pan do 6 more or you'll have to cook them in 2 batches.) Cook for 10 minutes. Pull them out and let them stand for about 10 minutes to firm up. They will seem like they aren't cooked all the way but after 10 minutes they are ready to go. Enjoy a dozen (hopefully not all at once!) chocolate chip cookies!  

Crockpot Pepper Steak

I've got chocolate chip cookies baking right now that I can only hope will rival this delicious supper from tonight. Pepper steak is another new meal for me...I had never eaten nor cooked it but I love steak and peppers so why not? I started out following a recipe but had definitely made it my own by the time we sat down to eat it. You'll need:

1 pack of stir fry beef (1.5-2 lbs)

1 green bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

1 orange bell pepper

1 red bell pepper 

*I liked the color variation but you can use all one color if you prefer.

1/2 onion, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes with onion, celery & green pepper added

1 package of Lipton Onion Mushroom soup mix

3 tbsp corn starch 

2 tbsp minced garlic

2 cups whole wheat egg noodles

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 tsp ginger paste 

1/2 cup beef broth 

1/2 cup sugar (I used a no-calorie artificial sweetener) 

Put meat into the crockpot. Mix soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sugar and onions together. Pour over the meat. Cut up all your peppers and add it to the crockpot as well. (If you prefer really crunchy peppers then wait to add them an hour prior to serving.) Pour in your beef broth and season with salt and pepper. Cook on low for 4 hours. After 4 hours pour in diced tomatoes and stir in soup mix and cornstarch. This will thicken the sauce.

Boil pasta until done and add it to the crockpot. Set to warmer for another 30 minutes and enjoy a hot, satisfying meal!