Turkey Meatball Hoagie

In the past I don't know how many months, I have been cooking more and more with ground turkey. It's such a great alternative to hamburger and I've actually grown quite fond of it.

My husband was not as eagerly on board in the very beginning, but after threatening, I mean, tasting several meals I made him eat, well lets just say he actually likes it...a lot.

Here's how I made them.

Mix meatball ingredients and form into balls the size of golf balls, then place on a greased pan. Personally I always use greased tinfoil because I love the easy clean-up.

Bake for 8 minutes then turn and bake another 8 minutes. At this point, it's not so 

important that they be cooked through because we're going to finish them off in 

the tomato sauce. I just like to get a good brown on a couple sides. 

While the meatballs bake, start the sauce.

Saute onion, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes in olive oil.

Add crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning and thyme.

Add meatballs and cover with tomato sauce. Cook covered with the lid vented 

until meatballs are cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.

At this point the sauce will have thickened nicely. 

Most of the time I like mine with just a shaving of fresh Parmesan, 

but my son loves cheese melted off in the broiler.

Turkey Meatball Hoagie

1.2 lb ground turkey, 80/20

1 egg

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

2 tbsp Worcestershire

1/3 cup Parmesan, grated

2 lg garlic cloves, grated

2/3 cup dry Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup milk

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp dry minced onion

1/8-1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Heat oven to 400* 

Beat the egg in a large bowl. Add rest of ingredients except turkey. Mix well. Crumble turkey into bowl and use a fork to blend just until mixed. Don't over mix.

Form into golf ball size meatballs and place on a greased foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 7 minutes, turn and cook for 6-8 minutes more. While meatballs cook prepare sauce.

TOMATO SAUCE

1/2 onion, diced small

2 garlic cloves, minced

2-3 tbsp olive oil

32oz can of crushed tomatoes

salt and pepper

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp thyme

Saute onion and garlic in hot oil. Add all ingredients and simmer.

Place meatballs and any juice into tomato sauce covering meatballs with sauce. Simmer covered with lid vented 10-15 minutes or until meatballs are fully cooked and sauce is thickened.

Serve meatballs on a toasted hoagie, 3 meatballs per sandwich. Top with additional grated Parmesan if desired.

Stuffed Peppers

My family loved these stuffed peppers.

Super easy to make too.

Just brown off your turkey in some olive oil. 

Just before it's all the way done add the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning 

and salt/pepper. Cook until the onions start getting soft.

Add the mushrooms and cook until they start releasing their liquid. 

Once that happens they will automatically start deglazing the pan.

Spoon out 1/2 of 1 of the cans of tomatoes, a little juice is ok too, and the rest of the ingredients. 

The rest of the tomatoes are going to be added later. 

While this is all heating through stir up your bread crumb topping.

Cut your peppers in half length wise and clean them out. 

Fill them with the meat mixture and then spoon all the remaining tomatoes around the bottom. 

When I put the peppers in the oven I started thinking I should have added some spices or something to the canned tomatoes, but as it turns out, I wouldn't change a thing. Cooking them like that just intensified and deepened their flavor, and the juices from the peppers mingled all together with the tomato juices and perfection happened.

Top the peppers with your prepared bread crumbs.

Cover and cook them in a preheated 375* oven for 30 minutes, uncover and cook 10 minutes more.

Serve them with the tomato sauce spooned over the top.

DELICIOUS!!

STUFFED PEPPERS

3 large red or green peppers

1 lb ground turkey

2 tsp olive oil

1 med. onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp Italian Seasoning

Salt and Pepper, to taste

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

2 cans petite diced tomatoes, separated

2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1/3 cup frozen corn

1 cup brown rice, cooked

¼ cup parmigiano regianno cheese, grated

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Bread Crumb Topping:

1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

2 tbsp parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Salt and Pepper, to taste

2-3 tsp olive oil

Directions:
Heat oven to 375*

Brown turkey in olive oil. Just before it’s completely done add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper. Continue cooking 4-5 minutes more.

Add mushrooms and cook until they start to soften and release their juices, then spoon out 1/2 of one can of petite diced tomatoes, it’s ok if some of the juice comes along. Add remaining ingredients, saving the other 1 1/2 cans of tomatoes, and heat through.

To prepare crumb mixture simply stir all ingredients together.

Cut the peppers length wise and clean out seeds and membranes. Fill with the meat mixture and top with the bread crumbs; place in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Spoon the rest of the 1 1/2 cans of tomatoes around the peppers; cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes.

To serve, spoon the tomato sauce from the bottom of the pan over the peppers.

Oatmeal Cookies

OATMEAL COOKIES

1 ¾ cups brown sugar

1 egg

2 egg whites

¼ c. vegetable oil

1 ½ c. rolled oats

1 cup whole wheat flour

½ cup wheat germ

1 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

¼ c. raisins

¼ c. walnuts

Zest of 1 orange

Whisk sugar and eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in oil; stir in oats, flour, wheat germ, soda and salt. Add raisins, walnuts and zest. Drop large spoonfuls onto lined baking sheets and gently flatten; bake at 350*, 12-15 minutes. I cooked them for 10-11 in my oven.

Satisfying Meatless Spaghetti Sauce

I love this simple recipe for spaghetti sauce.

It's low in fat, full of vegetables and easy to make.

It's got a wonderfully chunky consistency too.

You won't even miss the meat.

SATISFYING MEATLESS SPAGHETTI SAUCE

3 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups button mushrooms, quartered
1 medium yellow squash, chopped
2 large carrots, grated
1 tsp basil
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
28 oz crushed tomatoes
Salt & Pepper

In a large skillet or pot, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until the onion starts to soften.

Add button mushrooms, yellow squash, carrots, red pepper flakes, pinch of salt and pepper, basil and Italian seasoning. Continue sauteing until mushrooms start to render there juices and turn color.

Add red wine and simmer for 3-4 minutes.

Add chicken broth and crushed tomatoes.  Cover and simmer 20-30 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if desired.

Serve over whole wheat noodles.

Split Pea Soup

I love winter. It's probably my favorite season. 

I love everything about it. 

The holidays, the weather, and the food. 

Comfort food is a good thing! 

And speaking of  good things....I made the most delicious split pea soup the other day. Maybe 

it was just the fact that I haven't eaten it for a long time, but it seemed better than usual.

Fast and easy too.

Linked with Weekend Potluck.

SPLIT PEA SOUP

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
2 carrots, chopped small
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 ham hocks
1 lb of split peas, rinsed
6 1/2 cups chicken broth, plus more if needed
Salt
Pepper

Heat a large pot over medium heat.

Add olive oil, onion, garlic, carrots, bay leaves and some red pepper flakes; saute until slightly softened.

Add ham hocks, making sure they touch the bottom of pot and brown on both sides a few minutes.

Add 1 bag of split peas, and 6 1/2 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until peas start to break down and are tender, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  Add more broth or water if it gets to thick.

Remove hocks and cut off any desired meat and add back to soup.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with croutons.