Easy Turkey Dinner

I made this one up when I had turkey lunch meat that really needed to be used in the fridge.   It has become a staple that we really love throwing together.  It kinda reminds me of school lunch turkey dinners.    If you want you can use homemade versions, but this is meant to be really quick so we pull out the cans and boxes from storage.  :)

Quick and Easy Turkey Dinner

Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Total Time: 20 min

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 ¹⁄₂ lbs sliced deli turkey meat
• 2 pcts turkey gravy
• 1 pkg stuffing mix
• 1 can cranberry sauce
• 1 pkg dinner rolls
• 1 can green beans
• other veggies as desired

Directions

1. Make stuffing according to package directions (microwave)
2. In large skillet make gravy according to package directions.  Add sliced turkey meat and continue to mix until heated through
3. Prep veggies, and open cranberry sauce.
4. Serve meat and gravy with rolls sauce and veggies on the side.

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Cashew Chicken

A favorite chicken recipe of ours.  So easy!  It is from Leanne Ely's book Saving Dinner.  A great book if you want recipes, side dishes, menus and shopping lists all in one!  She also has a website.  check it out!  I found her through the Flylady website, if you are anything like me, uh, not so organized!!  You will like the flylady! 

I hope you enjoy this recipe.

3/4 cup orange juice
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 T cornstarch
1 t ground ginger
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t pepper
2 T vegetable oil, divided
2 large carrots, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch strips
1 cup cashews

Combine juice, honey, soysauce, cornstarch and seasonings. 
In a large skilet, heat 1 T oil until it begins to smoke.  Stir-fry vegtables for several minutes until the vegetables become bright.  Set aside and keep warm.

In the same skillet, heat another tablespoon of oil until smoking and stir-fry chicken strips until browned and tender.
Add cooked vegetables, cashews and sauce mixture.  Continue cooking until sauce bubbles and thickens.

You can add 4 green onions, chopped--I left it out due to my hubby's extreme dislike 

Serve with brown rice and spinach salad

Serves 6

265 calories
15 g fat
5 g Protein
31 g carb
3 g fiber

Veggie sketti

I got inspired today and decided to create something for lunch. Yum! All veggies and so hearty I couldn't finish it! Let me know what you think.

1 onion chopped
Put into skillet with 1 T olive oil. Sauté until almost soft. Add
2 large tomatoes chopped
2 portobello mushrooms cleaned and chopped
2 large handfuls of spinach roughly chopped
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste.

Sauté all ingredients until soft pour over bed of spaghetti squash. Top with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Skillet Macaroni and Cheese

Skillet Macaroni and Cheese  The perfect comfort food.

1quart water
3 tsp Salt
3 1/2 cups macaroni
1 tsp onion grated
4 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 tsp mustard
 2 cups milk
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Measure water, salt, macaroni, and onion into large non stick skillet.  Cover.  Simmer, stirring occasionally 8-10 minutes or until macaroni is tender and water is absorbed.  Add cheese, mustard, Worchestershire sauce, and milk.  Cook, covered, on very low heat for 20-30 minutes until thick and delicious.  (Too high heat makes cheese curdle.)  Serves 8

Chow Mein Casserole

This is yet another staple from my childhood. So good with yummy veggies on the side! Usually I make it with the option of the extra rice. I love rice! But in the interest of time I didn't today. Try it and let me know what you think!

Chow Mein Casserole
1 lb hamburger browned and drained
1Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp dry onion
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup rice

Combine ingredients in a 2 quart casserole dish. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and spread one can chow mien noodles on top. Return to oven for 15 minutes, Uncovered. You can increase the rice to one cup and the water to three cups just cook for 45 min to an hour instead.

Dinner tonight: Enchiladas

Since this is a forcast post, I will put up pictures later, not like I have been putting up a ton of pics lately anyway...  I really like enchiladas in fact I have multiple recipes that I alternate.  I will put up the two I use the most.  The first is a more cheesy version with a salsa taste.  The second is more of the creamy sauce.  Both are very good!

Chicken Enchiladas

2 cups cooked chopped chicken
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 pkg 8 oz cream cheese, cubed
8 oz salsa divided
8 6 inch flour tortillas
12 oz cheddar cheese cubed
1/4 cup milk

Stir chicken, bell pepper, cream cheese and 1/2 cup salsa in saucepan on low heat until cream cheese is melted.  Spoon 1/3 cup chiken mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up.  Place, seam side down in lightly greased 12x 8 baking dish.  Stir cheese and milk in sauce pan over low heat until smooth.  Pour over tortillas.  Cover with foil.  Bake at 350 for 20 min.  Or until thoroughly heated.  Pour remaining salsa over tortillas.

This is my recipe of choice for tonight only I am going to use the full fat cream soup and plain greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
Lower Fat Chicken Enchiladas

1 package flour tortillas
2 cups cooked chicken breast cut in chunks
2 cans low fat cream of chicken soup
1 cup lioght or non-fat sour cream
2 1/2 cups light cheddar or mozzarella cheese
1 can green chiles
1/2 cup milk

Combine chicken, 1 can soup sour cream, 2 c cheese and chiles.  Mix well.
Warm tortillas; fill each with about 2 Tbsp chicken mixture.  Fold in ends and roll up.  Lay rolls, seam side down in 9 x 13 inch pan, sprayed with pam. 
Mix remaining filling with other can of soup, 1/2 c cheese and milk.  Pour over top of enchiladas.  Cover lightly with foil and bake 30 minutes at 350.

Zucchini Dinner

Possibly my most favorite zucchini main meal.  A definite staple while we were growing up.

1 pkg Stove Top stuffing mix
3 cup zucchini, diced or grated
1/4 onion, diced or grated
1 c carrots, dicd or grated
2 Tbsp margarine or butter
1 tsp salt

Mix together:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c sour cream
1 cup chicken or turkey, cut up
1 cup grated cheese

Melt maragrine in bottom of pan and carefully cook veggies until tender.  Add a little water if necessary.  Add this to veggies and pour in casserole dish.  Pour bread crumbs from stuffing mix on top.  Bring to a boil 1 1/2 cups water with seasoning packet (if it has it)  pour over bread crumbs, moistening each one.  Bake at 300 for 30 minutes.

Tamale Pie

Another great way to use zucchini.  If you want the quick version of this you can just use premade chili...

1/2 lb browned ground beef
1/2 c onion
1/2 c chopped green peopper
2 cups shredded zucchini
1/4 c diced black olives (optional)
2 c cooked lentils
1 c corn (optional)
1 c tomato sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
3 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
2 c grated cheddar cheese
1 recipe for corn bread (for a 9x9 pan)

Brown ground beef.  Add onion, green peopper, and zucchini; cook until onion is transparent.  Add remaining ingredients except cheese and corn bread. Pour 1/2 corn bread batter into greased 9x13 pan/  Add the hot beef mixture and cheese, then top with remaining batter.  Bake at 425 for 25 minutes.

Meat Pasties

These are a bit like hot pockets only homemade.  I didn't care for them as a child but have grown fonder as I have gotten older.  I would try mozzerella cheese if you aren't a swiss fan, it could change the whole experience.

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 c shredded cabbage
2 c shredded zucchini
1 tsp minced garlic
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 tsp basil
swiss cheese
frozen texas rolls, thawed or your favorite roll recipe

Brown ground beef; drain fat.  Add onion, cabbage, and zucchini.  Cook until vegetables are tender.  Drain off any extra liquid.  Add garlic, tomato sauce, and basil.  Mix well.  Roll out rolls in flattened circle 1/2 to 1/4 inch thick.  Place 1 inch square slice swiss cheese on edge of roll.  Place spoonful  (3 Tablespoons) of beef mixture on top of cheese.  Fold dough over the top and crimp edges to seal.  Place on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until bottom is browned.  Serve warm or cold.

Creamy Chicken Soup

This recipe is a tasty creamy soup.  If you leave out the cheese it saves you 200 calories a serving.  But then this soup wouldn't be nearly as good!  I am a cheese lover I guess.  It sure warms the soul on a cold day, and is quite easy.  I adapted it to use my powdered milk, but if you prefer regular milk just use 4 cups instead of the powdered and water.  Let me know what you think!

Creamy Chicken Soup

2T butter
3 stalks celery

1 cup chopped carrots

5 T cornstarch
4 cups water
12 T Powdered milk  (wisk with water)
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
8 oz sharp cheddar shredded or cut in small chunks
1 12.5 oz can chicken breast
2 tsp worcesterchire sauce
2 tsp fresh black pepper

In a six quart dutch oven, saute vegies in butter until crisp tender.  About 10 minutes.  Stir in cornstarch.  Slowly add milk (or reconstituted powdered milk), chicken broth, worcestershire sauce and black pepper.  Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.  Stir in chicken and cheese.  Allow cheese to melt, stirring frequently.  Then Enjoy!

Serves 4

Cals 580
Fat 28.6
Carbs 26.1
Fiber 1.3
Protein 52.5

Mom's Chicken Fajitas

Ohhhh, so good!  These are the best fajitas!  What really makes them the best is the southwest seasoning we use from Penzey's spices.  They are good with chili powder but the Southwest seasoning makes them that much better!  We have cooked these on the smoker, bbq, and under the broiler.  The bbq by far makes them the most tasty but all versions are good!  We usually make extra and have the chicken on pizza in salad or anything else you can imagine.

3 lbs.  boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Marinade:

1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup lime and or lemon juice.  Lime works the best
2 tsp sugar
4 tsp oregano
4 tsp chili powder (or southwest seasoning)
4 cloves chopped garlic (2 tsp garlic powder)
1-2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Mix oil, lime juice and spices together for marinade.  Put chicken in a gallon zip-lock bag.  Pour marinade over chicken.  Seal and place bag in flat container.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, no longer than 24 hours, turning bag over at least once.

To put them together:

Fresh limes
10 large flour tortillas
2 onions sliced
2 green re or yellow bell peppers, cut into 1/4 inch strips
salsa or picante sauce
shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
guacamole or avocado slices
sour cream
shredded lettuce
chopped fresh tomato

Place chicken on broiler or grill.  Sprinkle with southwest seasoning or chili powder.  Broil until chicken is beginning to blacken.  Turn pieces and broil 5-10 minutes longer until cooked through.  Slice meat in thin strips.  Squeeze fresh lime juice over meat.  Saute onions and peppers until crisp-tender in saute pan sprayed with oil spray.  Squeeze fresh lime juice over vegetables when just ready to take off heat.  Wrap tortillas in foil and heat in 325 oven until warm, or warm one at a time over open flame on gas stove, being careful to watch so they don't burn.  Immediately place in foil wrapped in a towel.

To serve:  Place some chicken onion mixture, salsa cheese, guacamole, sour cream and lettuce in center of tortilla.  Fold 1 end up about 1 inch over mixture; fold right and left sides over folded end.

This is best served buffet style. 

I hope you enjoy these as much as we do!

Corned Beef Reuben Sandwiches

My husband had never eaten one of these until he met me.  One of the exotic foods I introduced him to.  Reubens are great and really easy.  By my calculations it was about 400 calories for the sandwich using low fat swiss cheese. 

First cook a corned beef--the best we have found are from Costco or Sams club.  Put it in a crockpot on high with a little water and the seasoning packet for at least 12 hours.  The longer it cooks the more tender and tasty it is.  For some reason we have found we like it better cold.

Corned Beef Reuben Sandwich

Corned beef, previously cooked
Rye bread  (our favorite is orowheat dill rye)
Saurkraut
Swiss Cheese
Thousand Island Dressing

Take a slice of Rye bread and spread with about a Tablespoon of Thousand Island dressing.  Place on baking sheet dressing side up and then layer corned beef, saurkraut and swiss cheese on top.  Repeat for as many sandwiches as you want to make.  Broil in Oven until cheese starts to bubble and bread starts to brown.  Allow to cool slightly and then enjoy!

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu and Shirley Caziers Chicken

This is a fantastic recipe that is a version of one I usually make called Shirley Caziers Chicken.  I found this on the everyday food storage website, take a look if you want to see how she did it.  I have made a few variations of my own.  When I made it I used Magic mix which is a combination of Powdered milk, butter and cornstarch that you can use in place of cream soups.  Check out this link to learn more about that.  I used regular cream of chicken soup in my nutrition calculations so I will leave the recipe that way.

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

8 Boneless Chicken Breasts
4 oz or 8 thin slices of ham
8 oz or 8 thin slices swiss cheese
1-1/2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup water
1 box Stove top for chicken Stuffing
1/2 cup water more

Layer chicken, cheese and ham in a 9 x 13 baking dish.   Mix soup with water and pour over chicken.  Sprinkle stovetop over mixture in baking dish.  Boil second cup of water pour over stovetop being sure to get all bread crumbs moist.  Bake covered at 350 for 45 minutes.  Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer.

Makes 8 servings.  (220 grams each)

437 cals, 22.7 carbs, 20.4 grams fat, 1 gram fiber

Shirley Caziers Chicken has been a staple in our house for a long time.  My husband calls it one of his favorites.  The only real difference between these two recipes is the ham.  They are pretty tasty!  Also this version uses sour cream and one cup of cream soup instead of the 1 1/2 cans of the other.  The taste is pretty comparable.   I think I am going to have to try to make this one with the magic mix!

8 boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 slices swiss cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 can milk or sour cream
1 package chicken flavored stuffing mix

Place chicken breasts in a 9x13 pan sprayed with non stick spray.  Place a slice of swiss cheese over each breast.  Mix soup and milk or sour cream and pour over the chicken and cheese.  Mix the stuffing according to the package directions.  Spread the stuffing over the top of the chicken and cheese.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Makes 8 servings  (7 Weight watchers points per serving)

Both recipes are very tasty and very easy.  Give them a try and tell me what you think!

Meatloaf

I ate this meatloaf quite frequently growing up.  It was a little drier than I remember, but then I was a little skimpy on the topping,  I usually double the topping recipe as it is my favorite part.  This also made more than I remember and I put it in two loaf pans,  I think it would have been better in just one pan--thicker.  Try it and enjoy.  It is great for sandwiches the next day too!

2 lb lean ground beef  (or half turkey half beef)
1 cup tomato sauce
1 2/3 cup oatmeal
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

1/3 cup catsup
1 Tbsp brown sugar or molasses
1 Tbsp mustard

Combine all ingredients;  mix well.  Shape to form 2 loaves (or just one)  Place in 9 x9 inch galss baking dish or loaf tins.  Mix barbecue sauce topping ingredients together and spread over top of loaves.   Bake in preheated oven at 350 for 1& 1/2 hours.