Turkey Vegetable Chili

It’s cold.

I’m sick.

Bubonic plague sick.

Oh, no, not the flu. The flu would be too simple. Here’s some drugs, get some sleep, you’ll be better.

I have the energy sapping, can’t keep your eyes open, will not go away virus that is sweeping the nation.

I needed to make something. Something warm. Something healthy. Something that freezes well.

The solution, this wonderful one-pot turkey vegetable chili. Filled with veggies and turkey. It’s hearty without being too much. Best part, it’s a Weight Watcher’s recipe and each one cup serving is only ONE POINT.  Okay, I made my Grandmother’s Biscuits to go with, so it’s no longer one point, but I’m ill and can afford the extra calories, and besides, I’m shooting for filling, healthy and yummy, not diet conscious.

There’s a lot of energy sapping chopping here, but the end result is totally worth it!

• 10 oz. extra lean ground turkey
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes (I use mexican style w/ green chiles)
• 2 medium zucchini – diced
• 2 medium yellow squash diced
• 15 oz can black beans – rinsed & drained
• 2 cans fat free low sodium beef broth
• 4 celery stalks diced
• 1 or 2 packages dry chili seasoning or to taste

NOTE: This is the original recipe. I usually use low sodium chicken broth. I use one packet of the chili seasoning.

Saute turkey, pepper, and onion in the bottom of a large stock pot until browned.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer over medium heat until veggies are tender (about 30 minutes).

I like to simmer mine for a while longer to help the flavors blend, but it’s definitely not necessary.

Makes approximately 20, one cup servings.

NOTE: When I freeze tis I freeze it in ziploc bags, laying flat, in both one and two cup portions.

Asian Marinated Salmon

When someone brings you a fish, you eat and you eat well! A friend brought back a beautiful salmon from a recent fishing trip and a recipe I had seen over at my addiction, Pinterest, came to mind. 

The original recipe called for garlic powder. I swapped out the garlic powder for ground ginger. Just not crazy about garlic on salmon.

A little whisking, a little marinating and dinner is there. You can do this in the oven as well, but at the time I made this I was still down an oven and this was really nice on a grill pan. I like the way it caramelized at the edges. I don’t think it would have done that in the oven.

• 1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets
• lemon pepper to taste
• ground ginger to taste
• salt to taste
• 1/3 C soy sauce
• 1/3 C brown sugar
• 1/3 C water
• 1/4 C vegetable oil

Season salmon fillets with lemon pepper, ground ginger, and salt.

In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and vegetable oil until sugar is dissolved. Place fish in a large resealable plastic bag with the soy sauce mixture, seal, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat grill for medium heat.

Lightly oil grill pan. Place salmon on the grill pan (discard marinade). Cook salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

NOTE: With the exception of the time to let the fish sit in the marinade, this is lightning fast to make. Great with any sides. I made a seaweed salad. Will post that later. Have to do it again, wasn’t happy with first results.

Vidalia Onion & Bacon Pie

One of my favorite features of the Sunday New York Daily News is Relish Magazine. The cooking sections in the New York area papers have become seriously lacking, so when Relish came along a number of years ago, it was a welcome addition.

I don’t remember if I saw this recipe on their website or in the magazine, but I knew instantly that this was something that needed to be made.

It’s a little preparation bogged down, but the end result is certainly worth the time. A friend of mine made this as well, but the bacon on only half as there is a vegetarian in the house. Though my non-red meat eating sister will tell you bacon doesn’t count. It is its own food group.

I have already been thinking of different twists on this and know I will come back to it again and again.

Crust:

• Cooking spray
• 1/2  C cornmeal
• 1/2  C all-purpose flour
• 1  t baking powder
• 1/2  t salt
• 1 egg
• 2  T butter
• 2 to 4  T ice water

NOTE: The crust needed something more. Maybe a little more salt. Maybe a little sugar. Oh, maybe a kick of cayenne. But the cornmeal crust was wonderful. Perfect for filling with tomatoes and mozzarella and basil.

Filling:

• 1  T butter
• 3  medium Vidalia or sweet onions, slivered
• 2  eggs
• 1/2  C half-and-half
• 1/2  t salt
• 1/4  t freshly ground black pepper, plus more for top
• 1  C (4-ounces) shredded white Cheddar cheese
• 1/2  C corn kernels, fresh or frozen
• 4  slices thick, smoky-style bacon, cooked and chopped

NOTE: FOUR? Only FOUR? Now, you know that would never do! I cheated, I used a a couple more.  I silvered the onions by cutting each in half and the thinly slicing them. Cutting through the pie, the slivers are too long and difficult to cut while slicing and eating. Next time maybe the slivers need to be cut a bit – most likely AFTER caramelizing them.

To prepare crust, coat a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with cooking spray

Place cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a pastry cutter blade; pulse to combine. Add egg and butter; pulse until mixed. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a dough ball forms. This will form a sticky mass of dough. Press into pan. If the dough is too sticky, add a little cornmeal.

NOTE:  I used nearly 2 tablespoons of water to form a ball. But when I took it out of the food processor it was really sticky. Instead of putting the blade back in and getting the sticky mess back into the bowl, I sprinkled cornmeal over the top and that kept the dough from sticking to my hands.

Preheat oven to 350F.

To prepare filling, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Drain if necessary.

NOTE: And – purely with an eye toward waste not want not  – I cooked the onions in the bacon fat.  I did still add the butter in – can you have enough butter or bacon? I don’t think so either!

Combine eggs, half-and-half, salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk well. On bottom of pie, sprinkle half the shredded cheese. Top with corn kernels,  onions and bacon.

Pour egg mixture over top. Top with remaining cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

Bake 40 minutes, until top is set and browned.

NOTES: Before baking, I sprinkled the top with chopped scallions. Be careful not to over bake. The cheese gets a little too dense if it gets too brown. I think this would be nice with leeks as well.

This is great as a side dish for grilled chicken, alone with a big salad … or just by itself because you cannot stop eating it and are VERY impressed with your own creation!