Crock Pot Hawaiian Turkey Meatballs

This dinner blew our minds... best new recipe we have had in a very long time!   My kids even had second helpings.  We served it over rice to help absorb the amazing sauce.   This was easy to assemble, cheap to make and only took 4 hours in the crock. 

 

Ingredients:

Large package of precooked, frozen turkey meatballs (we only used about 12 meatballs - enough for dinner for 4 of us and some leftovers for lunch the next day.) 

large can of pineapple chunks (drained, put juice aside)
1 medium green pepper, diced
1 cup of brown sugar

3 Tbl. cornstarch
2/3 cup of white vinegar
3 1/2 TBS Soy sauce

Place meatballs in crock pot and top with green pepper and drained pineapple chunks.  In a separate bowl, mix reserved pineapple juice, brown sugar, cornstarch, vinegar and soy sauce.  Pour sauce over meatballs, pineapple and green peppers.  Cook on low for 3-4 hours or until heated through.  Serve over rice.   Enjoy!

Turkey Meatball and Spaghetti Soup

My family has never been huge on soups, unless they are hearty and the broth is pretty much nonexistent. Back when my daughter was born a neighbor delivered this delicious soup to me. I literally ate the entire container by myself. I have been dreaming of this soup for over 2 years and finally decided to make it. I added extra noodles and less broth in hopes to please my picky people. The verdict? They ate it and didn't complain! I even convinced Rich to keep some broth in his bowl (he tends to drain it all and go for the chunks) and he had seconds! I'm slowly converting them :) 

 

Ingredients:

For the soup:
7 cups low sodium, fat-free chicken broth
2 cups water
2 chopped cloves garlic, divided
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 onion, chopped, divided
8oz can of tomato sauce
pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
kosher salt and fresh pepper
12 oz dry cut up whole wheat spaghetti

For the meatballs:
16 oz 99% lean ground turkey
1 small egg
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
In a soup pot over medium heat, bring chicken broth, water, crushed garlic, italian seasoning, 1/4 of the chopped onion, tomato sauce, crushed red pepper flakes and fresh black pepper to a boil; simmer about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the meatballs by combining ground turkey, parmesan cheese, egg, garlic powder, remaining onion, italian seasoning, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Form into little 1 inch meatballs (about 36).

Drop meatballs into the broth, cook about 3 minutes; add pasta and cook according to package directions. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve with grated parmesan cheese.

recipe adapted from Skinny Taste

Italian Sausage Hoagies - kid approved

I got this recipe from my Cooking Light Magazine and this was a "kid tested & approved" recipe.  I thought I'd try it.  My 7 year old son is super picky but my 2 year old daughter eats anything, so it seemed like a good choice.   And the added plus is that one hoagie is only 300 calories and 7g of fat.  Super quick to make too.  We used 4 sausages to make this but since the kids only split one, we had enough for lunches for us adults the next day -- win win! 

Ingredients:
4 hoagie rolls, halved lengthwise (we only used 3 for dinner and saved the next one for lunch the next day)
4 links of sweet turkey italian sausage, cut into 1" thick pieces (they get a little mushy but it's ok)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion (to hide it from picky kids)
1 TSP minced garlic
1 cup marinara sauce (more or less depending on preference, we used a bit more)
1 small red pepper, finely chopped (again, to hide it from picky kids)
1/4 TSP black pepper
1 cup shredded part skim mozz cheese


1.  Preheat broiler to high.
2.  Hollow out the top halves of the rolls.   Arrange the rolls, cut sides up on a baking sheet.  Broil 1-2 minutes until toasted (pay close attention so they don't burn).  Set aside.
3.   Heat a large non stick skillet over medium high heat.  Add sausage to the pan, cook a few minutes or until slightly browned, stirring occasionally.  
4.  Add the onion & garlic to the sausage, cook 1 minute longer.
5.  Add the marinara sauce, bell pepper and black pepper.  Bring to a low boil.    Reduce heat and simmer until the pepper is tender (or in my case, let cook on "warm" on the stove for 30 minutes because the hubby was stuck in awful traffic, lol).
6. Arrange about 3/4 cup sausage mixture over bottom half of each roll, sprinkle each with some cheese.  
7.  Place on baking sheet, broil 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Top with the top halves of rolls.   

Crunchy Taco Casserole

We inhaled this taco casserole. Topped with tons of shredded lettuce, fresh salsa and a dollop of sour cream, with the crunchy crust on the bottom, it was like eating a super fresh taco salad. It is by far the best taco casserole I have made. From start to finish it took about 45 minutes to make - and well worth it!

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 cups plus 4 to 5 tablespoons water, divided
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cold butter
1/2 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)  You can also use turkey or chicken
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
1/4 cup water
1 envelope low sodium taco seasoning
2 eggs, lightly beaten  (I use egg beaters)
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro (optional)
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup salsa
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

Directions:
In a small saucepan, cook rice according to package.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in enough remaining water to form a soft dough. On a floured surface, roll dough into a 12-in. x 8-in. rectangle. Press into a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. (Don't worry if there are holes) Bake at 400° for 13-15 minutes or until very lightly browned.

For filling, in a large nonstick skillet, cook the beef, onion, green pepper, black beans and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add water, taco seasoning and cooked rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in eggs. Spread over crust and top with cheese.

Bake uncovered for 15-17 minutes or until filling is set and cheese is bubbly. Cut into squares. Top with lettuce and tomatoes. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

recipe adapted from http://shrinkingkitchen.com/hearty-taco-casserole/

Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup

This soup is only 300 calories and 7 grams of fat per serving (2 cups!) It has all of the flavor of stuffed peppers but it takes half the time to prep! Also, it's great comfort food without being unhealthy. We all really enjoyed it (even the kids ate it without complaint!)

1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 cup diced onion
1 - 2 tsp minced garlic
28 oz can diced tomatoes w/ the juice
6 oz can tomato paste
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
3 cups chopped green pepper (i used 1 green pepper, 1 orange, 1 yellow
and 1 red)
2/3 cup uncooked brown rice
2 TBSP brown sugar, packed
1 tsp dried basil
ground black pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese (optional)

(it calls for 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon but i didn't add it)

In a large skillet, cook turkey, onion and garlic over medium heat
until browned / drain any juices and transfer mixture to a slow
cooker

Add remaining ingredients and stir gently to mix. Cook on low for 8-9
hours / add water to thin if necessary. The soup will really thicken up over the cooking period.

Serve over additional brown rice* and sprinkle with Parm cheese

Makes 6 cups.

I made additional brown rice to place in the bottom of our bowls to make it more hearty.

Spicy Hawaiian Turkey Burgers

I am a pretty awesome burger maker, if I do say so myself. These burgers were by far the best I have EVER made. Rich and I refused to put them down after we took our first bite. Seriously, they are THAT good. I made a teriyaki glaze to use as a spread and the combined spicy, sweet and tangy flavors were out of this world!

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey - makes 4 - 6 med/large burgers
1 can crushed pineapple, 2 TBSP in burgers and the rest for topping
Pepper jack cheese slices
whole wheat hamburger buns
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 clove garlic, minced


Combine the ground turkey, soy sauce, paprika, chili powder, cayenne, 2 TBSP crushed pineapple and garlic. Lightly mix with your hands and divide into 4 to 6 even patties. Form patties, making them slightly thinner in the middle. Refrigerate about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile make the Teriyaki Glaze:



1/4 c. unsweetened pineapple juice
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. red cooking wine
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

In a small saucepan combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, sherry, sugar, cornstarch, ginger root, and garlic. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Makes about 3/4 cup.


Cook burgers on grill. Top with pepper jack cheese slices and crushed pineapple. Spread teriyaki glaze on hamburger buns. Serve warm with your favorite side dish.

recipe adapted from here

Mexican Stuffed Shells

What do you get when you put Italian and Mexican cuisines together ? A meal that is nothing short of AMAZING! I wasn't sure what to expect from this dinner while I was assembling it, but it was seriously so good. We will definitely make this again!

Ingredients:
1 lb. turkey ground
1 package low-sodium taco seasoning
4 oz. fat free cream cheese
14-16 jumbo pasta shells
1.5 cup salsa
1 cup taco sauce
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup monterey jack cheese, I used pepper jack cheese to give it some kick (the kids didn't eat it)
Sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a frying pan cook turkey ground; add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions. Add cream cheese, cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Blend well. Set aside and cool completely. While ground beef is cooking, cook the pasta shells according to directions; drain. Set shells out individually on cutting board/baking sheet so that they don’t stick together.

Pour salsa on bottom of 9×13 baking dish. Stuff each shell with the meat mixture. Place shells in 9×13 pan open side up. Cover shells with taco sauce. Top with shredded cheeses.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and gets a little brown on top.

Top with any condiments you’d like (green onions, black olives, etc.) Serve with sour cream and/or more salsa.

recipe from The Way to His Heart

Baked Spaghetti

This spaghetti was so tasty. It reminded me of a spaghetti with bolognese sauce, because of the cream cheese. I like that you can sneak in veggies and the kids won't even know. I didn't use the french fried onions (I couldn't find them) but I think they would have added amazing flavor. The dish definitely doesn't need them though. The recipe makes a lot so you can freeze half, too! I'll definitely make this again, the kids inhaled it! 

Ingredients
1 box whole wheat spaghetti, cooked al dente
1 pound turkey ground (you can use lean ground beef)
1 large can spaghetti sauce (26.5 ounces)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped red peppers
1/3 cup chopped onions
8 ounces fat free cream cheese
2 tablespoons fat free milk
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
French Fried Onions (small can)

Directions
Cook spaghetti according to directions on the package. Cook to al dente, drain and set aside.
Brown turkey ground. Add spaghetti sauce to skillet and heat.
Combine onions, peppers and butter in pan and sauté until soft. Add cream cheese and milk to vegetables and stir well.
Using a 9x13 dish, assemble in the following order:
Thin layer of meat sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish.
Spaghetti
Cream cheese/vegetable mixture
Spaghetti sauce
Parmesan Cheese (amount subject to your own taste)
French Fried Onions (added during last 5 minutes of cooking)
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Top with French Fried onion and continue baking 5 more minutes. (This is the secret ingredient–don’t let them burn.)


Notes:
Make this ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze without the French Fried onions. Don’t forget to add them 5 minutes before casserole is finished cooking.



recipe adapted from Salad in a Jar

Inside Out Turkey Cheese Burger

I absolutely love creating new turkey burgers. Last night I decided to make a "stuffed" turkey burger filled with cheddar cheese cubes. They were super yummy and very fun to eat with the cheese oozing out of the center!

Ingredients:

1lb of lean turkey ground
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1 egg (or egg substitute)
1 TBSP of Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
cubes of sharp cheddar cheese (or your favorite cheese)

Directions:
Combine first 5 ingredients and form into patties. Make a dent with your thumb and insert 2 cheese cubes. Form the meat around the cubes to seal them inside. Grill until internal temp is 170. Make sure you're taking the temperature of the meat, not the cheese!

Sloppy Janes

Friday night is usually pizza night at our house but this week I wanted to change it up. I had a pound of turkey ground thawed and wasn't really sure what to do with it. I decided to make a homemade version of Sloppy Joe's. This is so good. It has sweet and spicy flavors to it. Kids and adults will both love it!

Ingredients:

EVOO
1 med onion, chopped
1 med green pepper, chopped
1 lb turkey ground
1 can of diced tomatoes with green chilies
3/4 cup of ketchup
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp mustard
1 tsp minced garlic

Directions:

Sautee' onion and pepper in EVOO. Brown turkey ground and add can of diced tomatoes with green chilies. Stir in ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and garlic. Let simmer 10 to 15 minutes for all of the flavors to incorporate.

Serve on your favorite bread!

Skinny Italian Spinach Meatballs

We absolutely love these meatballs. They are delicious, packed with flavor, healthy, super easy to make and they sneak in veggies, too! We like to place ours on top of a bed of whole grain ziti, sprinkled with a little shredded italian cheese. Yum!

With 1 pound of ground turkey you can get anywhere from 24 to 30 meatballs.

Ingredients:
1 lb turkey ground
1 tbsp olive oil
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained of all liquid
2 slices whole wheat bread
1 large egg
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh parsley
1/2 cup Reduced Fat Parmesan Cheese
salt and pepper

Directions:
Wet bread with water then mash up with your hands. Add to large bowl and combine with ground turkey, chopped spinach, egg, garlic, parsley, grated cheese, salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients well until thoroughly combined. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, measure meat, then divide in two so that each meatball is 1/8th of a cup. Roll into little meatballs.

Heat oven to 400. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and drizzle with EVOO. Place each meatball on the baking sheet. Bake until meatballs are golden brown and reach 170 degrees internal temperature, about 30 minutes.

recipe adapted from Skinny Taste 

Creamy Taco Mac (Healthy Hamburger Helper)

This is a healthy version of what could be called a 'box dinner replica.' It was nice and easy for a weeknight and we all really enjoyed it! It makes a lot too; so plan on leftovers!

Ingredients:
1¼ lbs. ground turkey
8 oz. whole wheat pasta shapes (any shape)
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14 oz.) can reduced sodium diced tomatoes, drained
4 tbsp. taco seasoning
3 oz. fat free cream cheese
½ cup fat free sour cream
pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional) - I didn't add this and we didn't miss it.

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the ground turkey over medium-high heat until no longer pink. A few minutes before the turkey is cooked through, add the chopped onion to the skillet. Once the turkey is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit. Remove from the heat and top with shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.

Buffalo Turkey (or Chicken) Burgers

Want the taste of buffalo wings without all of the fat? Look no further! These burgers were so tasty and very satisfying!

Ingredients:

* 1 pound Turkey Ground (or chicken)

* ½ teaspoons Pepper
* 1 Tablespoon egg substitute
* ½ Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
* ¼ cups Parmesan Cheese
* 2 Tablespoon Panko Bread Crumbs
* dash of garlic powder
* ¼ cups Buffalo Wing Sauce (I use Frank's Red Hot) Plus More For Drizzling
* 2 ounces, weight Sharp Cheddar Cheese (i used fat free)
* 4 whole Wheat Buns
* ¼ cups Ranch Dressing For Drizzling (or Blue Cheese)

Instructions

Preheat grill or skillet.

In a large bowl combine ground turkey, pepper, egg substitute, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, Parmesan, 1oz of cheddar cheese, and buffalo wing sauce. Mix until just combined. Form into 4  patties.

Grill or pan-fry patties until brown on both sides and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Brush on buffalo sauce while cooking. In the last 2 minutes, place 1/2 ounce of cheddar cheese on each burger. Place burgers on whole wheat buns and top with a drizzle of ranch.

We also topped ours with lettuce - you could finely chop celery and put that on top as well.

Apple-Cheddar & Turkey Meatballs

This recipe comes from crockpot365. I baked the meatballs instead of using the crockpot because they seemed a little mushy and I wasn't sure how they would cook up and not form one huge ball of meat.

The Ingredients
--1 1/2 pound extra lean ground turkey
--1 egg
-- 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
--1 tsp kosher salt
--1 tsp ground black pepper
--1 tsp onion powder
--1 green apple, peeled and shredded
--1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
--1/2 cup dried unsweetened cranberries

The Directions.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the ground turkey with the ingredients. I used my hands.

Make golf-ball sized meatballs, and drop them onto a foil lined baking sheet. Bake on 375 for about 30 minutes - or until the internal temp reaches 170.

I served mine with rice and glazed carrots and we gobbled them up!

Italian Turkey Sausage Grinders

This recipe is from the Taste of Home Magazine. It was yummy and easy to make. My husband can't wait to make these for his next football tailgate. So much flavor! (We had extra sauce left over and I used it the next night over spaghetti.)

Ingredients:
5 Turkey Sausage Links (I used the hot ones but sweet works too)
3 TBS Olive Oil
1/2 cup water
1 can (6oz) tomato paste
1 can (8oz) tomato sauce (I used the sauce with italian seasoning already added)
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp each dried basil, oregano, and parsley flakes
5 sub rolls, split and toasted
1/4 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese

How to make:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large skillet, brown the sausages in the olive oil. Drain well. Stir in the water, tomato paste, tomato sauce, garlic, sugar and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the sausages are no longer pink.

Meanwhile, split the sub rolls and put them directly on oven rack to toast (usually only takes a few minutes).

Serve the sausages on the rolls with sauce. Then sprinkle with the Mozzarella Cheese.
Enjoy!

Taco Bake (Bisquick)

Another delicious and easy mexican dish! 

Ingredients:

1 lb Ground beef or turkey ground 
1/2 c Chopped onion
1 Taco seasoning mix (1 1/4
Oz)
1 cn Tomato sauce (15 oz)
1 cn Whole kernel corn, drained
(15 1/4 oz)
2 c Cheddar cheese (shredded)
2 c "BISQUICK" Baking mix
1 c Milk
2 Eggs

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook ground beef and onion until beef is brown; drain. Spoon into ungreased 13x9x2" baking dish. Stir in taco seasoning mix (dry), tomato sauce and corn. Sprinkle with cheese. Stir remaining ingredients until blended. Pour over beef mixture. Bake 35 min or until light golden brown. Serve with sour cream, chopped tomato and shredded lettuce if desired.

Muffin Tin Biscuit Cups

This is a super kid friendly meal. I put the whole thing together in about 15 minutes and it only takes about 11 minutes to cook so it's great for a weeknight, too! The turkey ground is a little sweet from the brown sugar, but the buttery biscuit and cheese make them savory.

Ingredients:
1lb ground turkey

1/4 cup ketchup
2 TBSP mustard
1 TBSP minced garlic
1/2 med onion, diced
2 tbsp of brown sugar
1 container of biscuits (Grands flaky work great)
shredded cheddar cheese


Directions:
Cook meat in skillet with diced onion until browned. Add ketchup, mustard, garlic and brown sugar.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Press biscuits in well greased muffin tins. I use a large muffin pan.
Fill biscuit "cups" with meat mixture. Top with cheese and bake for 11 to 13 minutes!

Makes 6 to 8

Weight Watchers Turkey Burgers

This came from Recipes.net

Ingredients

3/4 lb ground turkey
1/3 cup Monterey Jack cheese
2 scallions or green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation
1. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients (except the cheese).
2. Blend in the cheese.
3. Form into 4 patties.
4. Spray a frying pan with cooking spray.
5. Cook the patties until done.
6. Serve on hamburger buns with lettuce and tomatoes.

WW POINTS per serving: 4
Nutritional information per serving: 171 calories, 9.9g fat, 0.3g fiber