Spicy Beans with Turkey Sausage

Spicy Beans with Turkey Sausage

Ingredients

1 lb. smoked turkey sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 can (16 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15.5 oz.) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth (enough to fill pot at least halfway)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin


You can also make this on the stove top. Sauté the onions and green peppers in a stock pot that has been sprayed with cooking spray until soft prior to adding the other ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 30 minutes.

Number of Servings: 6

Nutritional Info
Calories:376.4
Fat: 7.4g
Carbohydrates: 52.9g
Protein: 24.4g


You can also put all of the ingredients in a slow cooker, turn on to low, and cook for 5-6 hours.

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This was delicious and filling! I loved that it was full of fiber and protein. I used a salsa that was a little too hot for the kids; next time I will be sure to use a milder salsa so that the preschooler will eat it.

White Chili

I think I have perfected my white chili recipe. You can use cooked turkey or chicken in this recipe. I opted for turkey as I made one yesterday and we had leftover meat. The taste is so delicious and, apparently, gravity really likes this as well as the floor claimed two bowls and the counter tried to get its share as well! Oops! At least it makes a fair amount so it still fed the family.

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
2 15.5 ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups cooked chicken or turkey, cubed
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 4 ounce can diced green chiles, undrained
1 14.5 ounce can fat-free chicken broth
3/4 can of water
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded lowfat Monterey Jack cheese



In a dutch oven or stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once it is hot, add the onions and the garlic.





Stir the onions and garlic frequently, until softened. This will take about 5 minutes. Next, add the can of green chiles.



Stir in the spices.



Stir the mixture until everything is coated and softened, about 2 minutes.



Add the chopped turkey (or chicken).



Next, add the chicken broth.



Bring the tomatoes to the party!



To extend the recipe a bit I add about 3/4 of a can of water.



Add the rinsed and drained beans.



Finally, add the mashed beans.



Stir everything together and bring to a boil.



Let the chili simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. After the time is up, add 4 ounces of reduced fat Monterey Jack cheese. Add it a few handfuls at a time, stirring while you add it so it doesn't clump all together.



Serve. You can garnish with sour cream and green onions like I did here. You can also put crumbled chips, cilantro, more Jack cheese, jalapeños, or, well, just about anything you'd like on top of this chili.



This was so delicious and easy, especially for a weeknight meal. The kids all loved it, even the preschooler!

Ramen Soup

I wanted ramen tonight but knew I would also have to cook the kids and husband dinner. I decided to make soup (usually I drain the water) because we needed to use up extra vegetables in the refrigerator. I did go to the store for tofu.

My ingredients:
Ramen
Medium/soft tofu
Green onions
Red bell pepper
Frozen corn
Frozen green beans
Broccoli slaw
Water
Two secret ingredients to be revealed later!



Pour about 10 cups of water into the pot.



Put the vegetables into the pot with the cold water.











Cut up your tofu but do not add it quite yet.



See what it looks like in the pot? It looks delicious already!



Add the flavor packets from the ramen. I used four of them.



Add about a teaspoon of sesame oil (secret ingredient #1!).



Add about a tablespoon or so of Gomasio (secret ingredient #2!).



When the water is almost boiling, go ahead and add the ramen.



You can also add the tofu at this time. Incidentally, you can use cooked chicken if you'd like.



And soup is ready!




It was very tasty. Mr. Mary Cooks said it was "pedestrian". I said, "Well, yeah! It's ramen!" The middle child loved it and had seconds. The preschooler ate most of hers. The teenager liked it (of course!).

The nice thing about this soup is that it is ripe for customization. Don't have the exact veggies I had? No problem! Use what you have on hand! Use chicken or beef or pork instead of tofu. Or use no meat whatsoever.

Pasta e Fagioli Soup

Pasta e fagioli soup and cheddar biscuit. Completely delicious!

The soup was from a base by Bean Cuisine:



I added homemade turkey broth, turkey Italian sausages, and vegetables (onion, garlic, yellow bell pepper, carrots, celery). I also added a can of stewed tomatoes. The soup was divine!

I also made some cheddar biscuits from a recipe I found on the internet and seems to be highly replicated (replicated? duplicated?). Anyway, it's supposed to mirror Red Lobster's cheddar biscuits. I don't know if they do as I have never eaten there but the biscuits were very good. Here's the recipe:

Cheddar Bay Biscuits
like Red Lobster's®
Garlic and cheddar make a flavorful addition to basic drop biscuits.

Serves: 8
Prep. Time: 0:15

2 cups Bisquick® baking mix
2/3 cup milk - low fat okay
1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese - low fat okay
1/4 cup butter OR margarine - melted
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
parsley flakes - as needed

-Combine Bisquick®, milk, and cheddar and beat with a wooden spoon for about 30 seconds.
-Spoon onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.
-Bake in 450 degree oven for 8 - 10 minutes.
-Combine butter and garlic powder and pour over hot biscuits; sprinkle with parsley.

Notes: As we all know, restaurants have access to ingredients home cooks do not. In this case, I've been told Red Lobster® uses their Shrimp Scampi butter mix (a powder) to flavor their biscuits. So, this recipe is as close as a home cook can get to the real thing.

Butternut Squash Soup

Tonight's dinner was fantastic. It was Butternut Squash Soup and the recipe comes from Alton Brown. It is amazingly delicious and tastes like little pillows of goodness going into your mouth. I love this soup and definitely should make it more than once a year.

Squash Soup
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Show: Good Eats
Episode: Squash Court

6 cups (about 2 large squash) seeded 2-inch wide chunks butternut squash
Melted butter, for brushing
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, plus 1/2 teaspoon
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
4 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon minced ginger
4 ounces heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Brush the flesh of the squash with a little butter and season with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper. On a sheet pan lay the squash flesh side up. Roast for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the flesh is nice and soft.

Scoop the flesh from the skin into a pot and add the stock, honey, and ginger. Bring to a simmer and puree using a stick blender. Stir in the heavy cream and return to a low simmer. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.