Lean and Mean

Just the thought of dieting makes me cranky, but after enjoying holidays filled with fudge, cookies, prime rib, creamy potato dishes, and lots of cake and pie, leaner food choices are prudent. For my submission at South Dakota Magazine this week, I shared Turkey Meatloaf as a delicious lean and mean option On My Plate.

Lean and Mean - Turkey Meatloaf

"South Dakota Magazine explores the state, looking for interesting people and places that define our culture, heritage, arts, nature and communities. The bi-monthly publication is written and headquartered at Yankton, the historic Missouri River city." Check out their redesigned website and even hop over and "like" their Facebook page for daily updates that peek into all corners of South Dakota life.

Thankfulness

It is Thanksgiving Eve, and I am busy with baking. The turkey is brining, and the cranberry sauce is made. It is time to get those pies in the oven for tomorrow's feast of thankfulness.

I have so much for which to be thankful. To use a phrase that often seems trite to me, I have been blessed. Life is rich and full and good. I am happy.

I am also thankful and happy to share with you that today, I debuted as an online contributor with South Dakota Magazine. It is a simple, little post featuring an idea for some of that leftover turkey we will soon be facing. I hope you hop over and read it and spend some time enjoying their site. They do a wonderful job of promoting and informing us about the great state of South Dakota. I am very thankful for this opportunity to join them.

Gobble, Gobble: Turkey and Apple Sandwiches
at South Dakota Magazine

Happy Thanksgiving and many blessings to you!

A Carnivore's Tale

We went out to dinner with some friends the other night and in the course of our chit chat this blog became a topic of conversation. My friend told me that she religiously checks out the photos of my fridge for Fridge Friday; then she carefully leaned in and asked, "But, where is the meat?" I laughed as she listed the veggies and condiments and milk and cheeses that are usual fixtures in my open fridge door posts, but had to admit that aside from a package or two of deli meat, there is seldom any meat in my refrigerator. (There is half of a roasted chicken in a Ziplock on the middle shelf of last Friday's post, though.)

You see, Hubs and I purchase most of our meat directly from the producers. We buy one-half or a full beef from an area rancher (usually a neighbor) and have it processed at the local locker. Pork is purchased the same way, with lamb coming directly from our farm. Whole chickens are supplied by a nearby Hutterite community. Chicken breasts and seafood are purchased at Sam's Club in bulk packaging with individually frozen portions. While my fridge is lacking, my freezer is usually overflowing with protein sources. Trust me. We are carnivores.

However, I am very guilty of the food safety sin of defrosting whatever I have determined will be that night's dinner on the kitchen counter. *I know.* It isn't the proper method. No need to hit me with a ton of comments about how I am going to poison everyone with my cooking. My kitchen is very cool (unless I am baking), and when the frozen product starts to thaw a little, I then will toss it in the fridge. But, most of my Fridge Friday shots are done in the morning before I really know what I will have for dinner that day, or while whatever has made the cut for that day's menu is still thawing on the counter. Therefore, my fridge doesn't reflect what true carnivores we are. Sorry. :-)

Now, this couldn't be a carnivore's tale without a meaty recipe, and Chipotle Meatloaf should please the most carnivorous among us. I adapted Cooking Light's version to use half ground turkey and half ground beef for a "meatier" flavor. Turkey alone is very lean, but doesn't always have the gusto that I want in my meatloaf, especially when paired with the spicy chipotle chiles. (Go ahead and use all ground turkey if you want a main dish lower in fat. There is nothing wrong with changing a recipe up to suit your own carnivore tastes.) You may not be able to locate the meat in my fridge, but here is some Chipotle Meatloaf On My Plate.

Chipotle Meatloaf

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 chipotle chile in adobo (freeze the rest for another use)
1 teaspoon adobo sauce (from the can of chipotle chiles)...use more, if you like the heat
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 egg whites
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground turkey
cooking spray
Sauce:
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

Preheat oven to 350.
Saute chopped onion in a bit of olive oil or cooking spray.
Chop the chile.
In a large bowl, combine with onions, adobo sauce, and remaining meatloaf ingredients (through ground turkey).
Place meatloaf mixture in a 9x5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.
Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl and brush over meatloaf.
Cover and bake 30 additional minutes.
Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. (Serves 6)

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving weekend is winding down, and while I didn't have time to blog any hints or tips for that grand holiday meal, I would still like to take a moment to confirm my profound thankfulness.

It has been a difficult year full of tremendous losses, but we have withstood them all and are so much more thankful for what remains. We have been blessed beyond measure, even in times of struggle. I am thankful. Very thankful.

I could be true to my over-sharing, rambling nature and go into detail, but really do I need to? We all face challenges. We all face loss. We all have people in our lives that make them better (and some that don't). We are all human, and though our experiences may vary, at the end of the day, we are all thankful for what we have (and some of what we don't). Life isn't easy, but life is good. I am thankful. Very thankful.

And, on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, with my fridge still brimming with leftovers, I am thankful for leftover turkey to throw together a simple lunch during our day of chores and errands. Poblano, Ham, and Turkey Quesadillas, quite thankfully, rock. I served them today with some of the Basic Canned Salsa that I preserved from our summer garden. The roasted poblanos meld with the cheeses and the saltiness of the cured ham and really kick up the turkey. I give thanks for Poblano, Ham, and Turkey Quesadillas On My Plate.

Poblano, Ham, and Turkey Quesadilla

2 fresh poblano peppers

olive oil

mozzarella cheese, shredded (I used a mix of mozzarella and Monterrey Jack.) 

Queso Fresco, crumbled

thin sliced deli-style ham

sliced or shredded leftover Thanksgiving turkey

flour tortillas

unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 500F.
Place the whole peppers on a sheet pan and drizzle with oil to cover.
Roast for 10-15 minutes until the skins are completely wrinkled and the peppers are charred, turning them occasionally.
Remove the pan from the oven.
Immediately place chiles in a medium bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let stand 10 minutes.
Peel and seed chiles; cut into strips.
On each flour tortilla, layer cheese(s), ham, turkey, and poblano strips equally over one half.
Fold the filled tortillas in half.
Heat butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat.
When the butter starts to bubble, add a folded tortilla and toast until the cheese melts and tortilla is crisp, flipping half-way through. (I covered skillet while first side was crisping to help hold in the heat to melt the cheese.)
Repeat with remaining tortillas, adding butter to the skillet as necessary.

Eeny, Meeny, Zucchini, Panini

There are a lot of days that I just don't know what to cook. My fridge, freezer, and pantry are overstocked, but nothing will jump at me from their depths. Nothing will scream at me to be prepared and enjoyed. I am hungry, but don't have a clue what I am hungry for. It is like a game of Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe to chose what's for dinner.

On one of those recent days, I had been busy working at home all day and followed it up with a late afternoon dental appointment. Sitting in the chair in my little paper bib waiting for the dentist, I was doing a mental inventory of the groceries stuffed into my fridge and remembered purchasing some zucchini. Mmm. Zucchini Oven Fries would be good. They would be excellent with Paninis. Yum. What a great pairing. Ding. Ding. We have a winner.

Or, rather, I had a winner until I sent a text to Hubby announcing the menu. He wasn't feeling it. He wanted something else, but didn't know what. I was back at square one. Ugh.

I think that I gave up that night and let Hubby create some concoction with leftover Chipotle Pork. I know that I didn't starve, but whatever we had for dinner wasn't memorable, and certainly wasn't crispy with Parmesan on the outside while moist and tender on the inside Zucchini Oven Fries or layers of deli meat and melted, cheesy goodness inside the crunch of a perfectly grilled Panini. A craving had developed, and there was no need for Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe the next night. I had to have Zucchini Oven Fries and Our Favorite Paninis On My Plate.

Zucchini Oven Fries

1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
(I usually combine plain bread crumbs with garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning, all to taste.)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
(Honestly, the green can does work well for this, even though I prefer fresh grated.)
4-5 small zucchini
1 beaten egg

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Trim zucchini and cut in half lengthwise, then slice into 1/4 inch wide sticks resembling french fries.
Combine bread crumbs and grated cheese in a shallow bowl.
Beat egg in a 2nd shallow bowl and dip zucchini fries into egg, then into crumb mixture.
Place on baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray.
Bake at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and tender. (Serves 4)

Our Favorite Paninis

8 slices sourdough bread
2 tablespoons mayo
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 slices provolone (or mozzarella) cheese
4 slices cheddar cheese
1/2 lb deli turkey
1/2 lb deli ham
1/2 lb sandwich pepperoni
1/2 lb Genoa salami
pepperoncini peppers, cut

Preheat the panini grill.
Combine mayo and mustard together and spread on each slice of bread.
Layer remaining ingredients on each of 4 slices of the bread.
Start with Swiss cheese, then ham, cheddar cheese, then turkey, provolone (or mozzarella) cheese, then salami and pepperoni, and finally peppers before topping with remaining 4 slices of bread.
Brush the outside of each sandwich with butter and grill until crispy on the outside and melty on the inside. (Serves 4)

A Change Will Do You Good

I can't believe that it has been almost 2 months since my last blog post. By now, you must have given up on me. I apologize. Things happened. I didn't seem to have any time to agonize, philosophize, obsess about, or even enjoy what was On My Plate. But now, I have made some life changes, and hope to bring back my bad food puns and good recipes. My changes have been minor, but I really do believe that they will do me good. It was all more difficult in my own mind than what reality had actually thrown at me.

As for what has been On My Plate, I can tell you that my kitchen has been lonely. When Hubby and I weren't speed dialing for take-out, frozen pizza, blue box mac and cheese, and other convenience foods ruled. When I did venture away from ready to eat meals, I didn't put forth a lot of effort. Anything that didn't require thought, exertion, or a recipe landed On My Plate. I was a slug.

It is time to shake that poor menu plan and the crutch of convenience foods. It is time to make a change On My Plate for the better. I wouldn't want to shock my system, though. It has become accustomed to junk. I need to ease myself back into a healthier diet. I think that just a minor change can make a big difference in moving into a good direction with my food choices. I will start by changing out the ground beef of my burgers for the lower fat alternative of ground turkey. I can still savour a juicy and flavorful burger, and it isn't even really much more effort than dialing for a greasy cheeseburger from the bar.

Fajita Turkey Burgers
¼ cup tomatillo salsa
1 avocado, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
2 slices white bread
½ cup onions, finely chopped
½ cup red and green peppers, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fajita seasoning mix, divided
¼ teaspoon salt, divided
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 pound ground turkey
1 egg white
4 whole wheat hamburger buns, toasted

Combine the tomatillo salsa, avocado, and cilantro in a small bowl; set aside.
Place bread slices in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 cup.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat and spray with nonstick spray.
Add onion and bell peppers; saute for 5 min or until tender.
Stir in 1/2 tsp fajita seasoning and 1/8 tsp salt. Cool.
Combine breadcrumbs, onion mixture, remaining 1 1/2 tsp fajita seasoning, remaining 1/8 tsp salt, tomato paste, turkey, and egg white in a large bowl.
Using damp hands, divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 3/4-inch thick patty.
Heat pan over medium heat and recoat with nonstick spray.
Add patties and cook for 4 min on each side or until done.
Place 1 patty on bottom half of each bun, top with 1 1/2 Tbs of the salsa mixture and top half of the bun.

Give Me a Shovel

Sometimes I think that we need to dig into what we have buried. Sometimes, I think the past needs to come back to the light of day. Good memories and bad need a chance to breathe and be a part of who we are. Life needs to unfold around the foundation of the past and form our future. Sometimes, all I really need a shovel.

For years, I have claimed a dislike of goulash. I grew up with it. It was a mainstay on my mother's quick and easy menu rotation. But, I came to despise it. Hunks of cooked tomato? Yuck. Gristly, grainy ground beef? Yuck. Tasteless, mushy macaroni? Yuck. I didn't want anything to do with it. I would have used a shovel to bury it, if I could.

However, recently, the past seemed to be coming back to haunt me. I had a desire for a soup that was so much like the goulash of my childhood, that it amazed me that I even considered it. Someone planted the thought of it in my mind, and I couldn't shake it. I HAD TO have it.

And, guess what? It wasn't so bad. In fact, my creation was really pretty good. There was no need to feed it to the dogs, or send it out into the backyard for a burial. It was a hearty soup worthy of savoring. I won't claim it to be a culinary masterpiece, but it is a simple, comfort type of food that does restore memories of families gathering around the table for dinner. It reminds me of simpler times of homework, kissing boys, giggles, and security. Sometimes all I need is a shovel to uncover the past On My Plate.

Goulash Soup
1 10.75 oz. can condensed Tomato Soup
1 10.75 oz. can water
1/2 pound ground turkey
1/4-1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup cooked macaroni
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, or more to taste
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, for serving, if desired

Prepare Tomato Soup with water as directed on can.
Brown ground turkey with chopped onion and minced garlic.
Stir frozen corn into Tomato Soup, add seasonings and heat gently.
Stir browned ground turkey, onion and garlic mixture into the soup.
Add the macaroni and simmer to blend flavors.
Serve warm, topped with shredded cheddar, if desired. (Serves 4)

Revisiting the Turkey

What would the week after Thanksgiving be without a recipe for leftover turkey? I try to limit the foreign objects that float around in my refrigerator by purchasing extra Gladware before any holiday meal. As the table is cleared, I can package up leftovers for everyone. My guests leave with the makings of a couple of meals at the ready, and I don't have to worry about what to do with too much turkey.

Not that I worry too much, anyway. Turkey adapts pretty well to any recipe that calls for cooked chicken. Chicken noodle soup becomes turkey noodle, and chicken salad is reinvented as turkey salad with the wave of a wooden spoon. My lunch today is one of many variations of turkey salad sandwiches. This one combines pesto and roasted red peppers to optimize flavors. I had an Asiago herb bread on hand that worked beautifully for a sandwich so good that you wouldn't know it is turkey revisited.

Pesto Turkey Salad Sandwiches

¼ cup low-fat mayonnaise
¼ cup plain fat-free yogurt
¼ cup pesto sauce
¾ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups cubed cooked turkey
½ cup diced celery
focaccia bread, cut in half horizontally, toasted, and sliced
3-4 tablespoons chopped roasted red peppers (from bottle)
romaine lettuce leaves

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in turkey and celery.
Spread 1/2 cup of salad onto half of bread slices. Top each serving with chopped roasted red peppers, lettuce leaf, and remaining bread. (May sub rotisserie chicken for the turkey for a quick year-round alternative.) (Makes 5 sandwiches.)