• 16-20 oz ground turkey
• 1 medium onion
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 to 2 bottles not so sloppy (it all depends on how sloppy you like your joes)

Brown turkey with onion and garlic, add sauce. It’s as easy as that!

Last night stumbled arcross this blog, Kalyn’s Kitchen, looks like it has lots of great recipes and ideas I would like to try. Starting with this one, although first I will need to make a trip to Penzey’s.

Rosemary Salt
(makes about 4 cups)

3 cups sea salt crystals
1 1/2 cups dried rosemary (cracked rosemary is best)

(If you don’t have cracked rosemary, measure rosemary and put into food processor with steel blade attached. Process about 2 minutes, until rosemary is broken into small bits.)

Combine salt and rosemary in food processor and process with steel blade less than one minute, until salt and rosemary are well combined. Don’t process too long. You want this to still have a slightly chunky texture.

Suggested uses: Use sparingly, as you would regular salt. Sprinkle on fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, or avocado. An excellent seasoning for eggs, potatoes, butternut squash, or chicken. Delicious on any type of roasted or grilled vegetables.

Hot Crabmeat Appetizer

Simple, tasty appetizer, great for parties. I have used reduced fat cream cheese (cut back on the milk if you use reduced fat), but would not recommend fat-free. Best at room temperature.

Ingredients

• 8oz. cream cheese
• 2 6oz. cans crab meat
• 2 T finely chopped scallions
• 2 T milk
• 2 T cocktail sauce

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Combine all ingredients and spoon into a 9-inch pie plate or similar over safe dish.
3. Bake for 15 minutes or until bubbly.
4. Remove from oven, let cool to room temperature and serve with crackers.

Sweet and Sour Brisket

This brisket is so, so good. And easy.

Ingredients

• 1 (3-pound) beef brisket, first-cut or flat-half cut, trimmed of any excess fat
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 medium onion, cut in 1/2, then thinly sliced into 1/2 moons
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
• 15 oz. can tomato sauce
• 8oz beer or lager (or chicken broth)
• 3 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 6 black peppercorns
• 2 allspice berries

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Pat the brisket dry and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or braising pot. Sear the brisket until it is browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the brisket to a plate.
3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pot and cook the onion, stirring a few times, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add beer or broth. Add the tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, peppercorns, and allspice and stir to combine well. Bring mixture to a boil, return brisket and any accumulated juices to the pot, spoon some of the tomato-vinegar mixture over the brisket, cover tightly, and transfer to the oven. Cook until the brisket is fork tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
4. Remove the brisket from the oven, transfer the meat to a cutting board, and let rest for 10 to 20 minutes or, if serving later, cover and refrigerate the meat and sauce for several hours or overnight. When you are ready to serve, cut the meat against the grain into 1/4- inch thick slices.

Yield: 10 servings, serving size: 4-ounces brisket plus 3 tablespoons of sauce

Calories 360
Fat 12g
Total Carbohydrates 14g
Fiber 1g
Protein 46g

Protein Pancakes

These are the only pancakes you will ever need. Don’t let the name make you think they are icky tasting health food - they are absolutely delicious! Lighter than traditional pancakes - some say they are a cross between a crepe and a pancake.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (uncooked)
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 4 egg whites
• 1-2 tsp. Cinnamon
• Splenda or sugar (optional)
• Half scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)

Preparation

1. Put oats in blender or food processor and pulse to chop oats.
2. Add all other ingredients, blend well.
3. Pour onto hot griddle and cook 1-2 min per side.

Calories 320
Fat 2.5g
Total Carbohydrates 32g
Fiber 4g
Sugar 5g
Protein 34g (this doesn’t take into account the optional sugar and protein powder)

Last night I made a healthy version of shrimp scampi, taken from Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger. I watch the show on occasion, I like some of her dishes, I fast-forward through most of the show. This one is good - if you don’t expect it to taste much like scampi, i.e. full of butter (there is no butter in it). It should just be named “Shrimp with Artichokes”. I added aspargus as well, at the sime time as the shallots and garlic - very tasty. I also added some Spicy Montreal Steak Seasoning because I can’t seem to cook without it. This recipe would also be good with some whole-wheat angel hair pasta.

Shrimp Scampi with Artichokes

This recipe would be good with some whole-wheat angel hair pasta. Asparagus optional.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
• 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 1/4 pounds large shrimp (about 20), peeled and deveined
• 1 (11-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, or 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained, and quartered
• 1/3 cup dry white wine (1/2 if adding asparagus)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed into 1-inch lengths

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots (and asparagus) and cook, stirring until softened but not browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Add shrimp, artichoke hearts, wine, and lemon juice and cook until the shrimp are cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Stir in the parsley, salt and pepper. Divide among 4 plates, garnish with additional parsley, and serve.

In January of 2006 my office hosted its yearly Chili Cook-off. Despite being crazy busy getting ready for the Olympics I made a pot of chili to enter. It won first place in the “Home Style” category (other categories included Spicy, White, Exotic, etc), beating out 5 or 6 other chilies in the same category. Several people asked for the recipe, but never being a person to follow a recipe I could not give it to them. Finally, today, I will try to put down the basics in a recipe.

Sherzy’s Award Winning Turkey Chili

Its really quite healthy, too! NOTE: all spice measurements are just guesses. Start with less, you can always add more (the whole “to taste” thing).

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped (try 1 yellow and 1 red)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1/4 red wine (real stuff please)
• 1 pkg. extra lean turkey (20 oz.)
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. cayanne
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp. ground pepper
• salt - to taste
• 2 14oz cans chili beans (I always use Bush’s bean, one hot, one mild)
• 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 14oz can diced tomatoes (preferably with some Mexican-type seasoning)
• 1 - 2 tbsp. brown sugar depending on taste, and how hot you made it (this is really the key to the “home style” taste)

Preparation

1. Heat oil over medium heat. Add turkey, cook until browned, adding some spices as it cooks. Remove turkey from pan, Add a bit more oil.
2. Add onions, garlic, and shallot cook until soft. Add spices, then wine. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add chili beans, tomatoes, and cooked turkey, simmer for about 20 minutes.
3. Taste chili, adjust spices and add brown sugar. Simmer 5 - 10 mintes. Enjoy with favorite chili toppers. Chili will be even better day after cooking.

I was in the mood for steak on Saturday night, so I tried out a recipe (really more of a method) I saw on Food 911. It turned out fabulous, and was very easy.

Filet Mignon with Mushrooms

Perfect steak. Be sure to start with a high quality filet. Based on Filet Mignon with Mushrooms and Sauce Pinot Noir. NOTE: requires butcher’s string

Ingredients

• 2 (6-ounce) filet mignon steaks
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 bacon strips
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound assorted mushrooms, such as shiitake, crimini, and chanterelle, stemmed and halved
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Season both sides of the filet mignon generously with salt and pepper. Wrap a piece of bacon around the sides of each steak and secure with butcher’s twine. In a large heavy, ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Place the steaks in the hot pan and cook until well seared on 1 side, about 3 minutes. Turn the steaks over, there should be a nice crust on top. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and rosemary; give everything a good stir. Transfer the pan to the oven. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes or until the steaks are cooked medium-rare.

A tasty, healthy salad that I originally had at Macaroni Grill (I don’t think it is currently on their menu). Features strawberries, feta, and red onions.

Insalata Rossa

A tasty, healthy salad from Macaroni Grill. Note: it is not currently on their menu

Ingredients

• Julienne spinach
• Baby arugula
• Julienne radicchio
• Red onions, sliced
• Chicken breast slices, grilled
• Fresh strawberries
• Feta cheese, fat free
• Strawberry Balsamic Dressing

Preparation

1. Strawberry balsamic dressing is a 2.1 mixture of pureed strawberries and balsamic vinegar. Note: I have used strawberry jam thinned with a little water in place of the pureed strawberries - worked great
2. Top greens with onion, chicken breast slices and fresh strawberries. Toss together in Strawberry balsamic dressing. Pile high and top with crumbled fat free feta cheese.