Stuffing Stuffed Peppers

This was a crowd-pleaser at a recent dinner party with friends.  So much so that I didn't have a chance to get a photo :)  This would also make a great meal for the day after Thanksgiving to use up that extra stuffing!!

Ingredients:
6 large red bell peppers
4 c stuffing *
2 c gravy
Shredded gruyere cheese
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper


1.  Preheat oven to 375.
2.  Cut the top off each pepper, remove stem, seeds and ribs from inside.
3.  Drizzle olive oil in each pepper and season with salt and pepper.
4.  In a large bowl, toss together the stuffing and gravy.  Spoon mixture into peppers until full.
5.  Place peppers in a greased baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes.
6.  Remove dish from the oven and top each pepper with cheese.
7.  Turn the oven to broil and put peppers back in for 2-3 minutes.



* I used this version with ground Italian sausage added in.  You could use any stuffing recipe you like and consider adding in leftover turkey instead of the sausage.

Turkey Taco Salad

This is quick, healthy, and delicious - my personal favorite combination! This recipe made enough for 2 full meals for my family and we all (even the kids!) liked it so much that we ate it 2 night a row!

Turkey Taco Salad

Ingredients:
-1 pkg ground turkey (usually 1 1/2lbs)
-salsa
-1 can of black beans
-shredded cheese (I like colby jack)
-shredded lettuce (I prefer to shred my own organic mix instead of the variety that is sold already shredded)
-guacamole
-chips

1. Brown turkey over medium heat.
2. Once brown add beans and enough salsa to thoroughly coat the meat. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
3. In a bowl layer meat mixture, shredded cheese, lettuce, and then guacamole. Mix thoroughly.
4. Serve with chips for scooping!

Thanksgiving Leftover Ideas

I apologize for not getting this posted sooner. By now, your leftovers are or should be gone (don't keep that turkey for too long, it's not healthy!). I am posting regardless of my tardiness so I can remember these good ideas for next year!

Thanksgiving Stromboli (pictured here)
Roll out refrigerated pizza dough (I prefer the whole wheat version from Trader Joes). Spread leftover cranberry sauce, leftover turkey chopped or shredded thin, and crumbled leftover stuffing. Roll into a log and place on a cookie sheet. Brush the dough with an egg wash (beaten egg mixed with a little water) and bake according to dough directions. Cut into slices and serve.

Homemade Turkey Nuggets
You can easily sub turkey for chicken in this homemade nugget recipe.

Turkey Salad
Ditto on the subbing turkey for chicken in this salad recipe!

My Turkey Chilli

I've been making this recipe for years. I still remember the first time I made it - Superbowl 2004 - but I can't for the life of me remember where I got it from! I'm not kidding when I say that everyone I share this recipe with makes it their new favorite chilli. I LOVE LOVE LOVE making the first batch of this when the weather starts to cool and the cooler temps combined with college football (and a win for the Hawkeyes!) made today the perfect seasonal debut for this dish.

Turkey Chilli

Ingredients:
-2 lbs ground turkey
-1 large onion, chopped
-3/4 c. red wine (can sub chicken stock)
-4 c. tomato sauce
-4 cloves of garlic, minced or chopped
-1 green pepper, diced
-3 15oz cans of black beans, drained
-7 oz. can chipolte peppers in adobe sauce, pureed*
-1 tsp. cumin
-1 Tbs. cocoa powder, unsweetened
-1 Tbs. peanut butter
-colby jack cheese

1. Brown turkey and onion until cooked through.
2. Add all other ingredients, cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes
3. Serve topped with colby jack cheese.

*ALL of the heat of this dish lies in this ingredient. You can use a little, some, or none at all. The past couple of years, I've omitted this ingredient entirely, and served it on the side; this way my 5-year old will eat it and my hubby can add as much heat to his own bowl as he wishes. IF you omit the chipolte peppers/adobe sauce ALSO omit the cocoa powder; the powder is in there to balance the heat and isn't needed if you are leaving the heat out.

THIS DISH FREEZES WELL!!

Mini Meatball Calzones

My food photography on this one is particularly bad. I'm going to let the notes below speak for themselves :)

Mini Meatball Calzones

Ingredients:
-1 10-oz box of frozen spinach, defrosted and wrung of excess water
-1 lb. ground beef, turkey, or chicken
-chopped onion
-minced or chopped garlic
-2 large eggs
-3/4c. breadcrumbs
-2 c. shredded motz
-salt and pepper
-refrigerated pizza dough
-marinara for dipping

In a bowl, mix together:
EVERYTHING except 1 of the eggs and the marinara. Roll the mixture into meatballs.

Then:
Split your pizza dough into 3" squares or circles.
Place 1 meatball inside each piece of dough and wrap dough around the meatball.
Place mini calzones on a baking sheet and bake at 425 for 15 minutes.
Serve with warmed marinara for dipping.

NOTE: This is a great one for the kids. You can pack all kinds of good stuff into the meat mixture (don't feel limited to what's listed above) and they gobble them up because they are "dippable".