Crockpot Turkey Sloppy Joes

Photo from Family Circle mag

1 pkg (20.8 oz) ground turkey
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
hamburger buns

In a slow cooker, stir together all the ingredients.  Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours, stirring turkey mixture halfway through.  Season with more salt, if necessary.

Goat Cheese Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Photo from Better Homes & Gardens mag

Ever since I heard sweet potatoes are the MOST nutritious vegetable (it's true!  look it up!), I've been trying to give them to the kids at least a few times a month.  They always have them at Trader Joes, and they are SO easy to prepare- you can just poke them and stick them in the microwave- and you can eat them plain, and they are still good!  So although this recipe isn't the healthiest, it is delicious and much better for you than plain mashed potatoes.

3 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup butter
2 oz. goat cheese
1/2 cup toasted pistachios
Salt

Simmer the potatoes until tender, drain.  Heat the half-and-half and butter together and mash into the potatoes.  Stir in the goat cheese.  Season with salt to taste.  Sprinkle with pistachios.

*You can really just make this to taste.  I didn't weigh the potatoes- I just used 3 large ones.  I added the butter to taste and added a bit more than 2 oz. goat cheese.  I did NOT top it with pistachios.

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Green Beans

Photo from Real Simple

I made this tonight, and aside from the fact that it is delicious, it was one of the most simple recipes I've ever made!  I adapted it slightly from Real Simple, and some of their reviews weren't good (people said it was too lemon-y), but I found the lemon perfect (I used less than directed).  This is definitely a new go to!

Another plus: it makes your house smell divine!  I left it in the oven when I went to pick up the kids, and when we came home, it smelled so good!  Even Ella said, "what's that smell, mommy?"

INGREDIENTS
6 tbsp. olive oil
1 lemon (half thinly sliced, half juiced)
4 garlic cloves, minced (or 2 tsp. crushed garlic)
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 lbs. green beans (I used about half or 3/4 of the bag of TJ's frozen French green beans- I blanched them first so they weren't frozen when I put them in the casserole dish)
24 oz. (1 lb. 8 oz.) bag baby red potatoes, quartered
3-4 chicken breasts (I used 3, about 1.3 lbs.)
Chicken broth

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 450.  Coat a large baking dish with 1 tbsp of the olive oil.  Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish or skillet.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice (I used only about 1 tsp), garlic, salt and pepper; add the green beans and toss to coat.  Using a slotted spoon (or your hands!), remove the green beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices.  Add the potatoes to the same oil mixture and toss to coat.  Remove the potatoes and arrange around the edge of the dish over the green beans.  Place the chicken in the oil mixture and coat thoroughly.  Place chicken in dish on top of green beans.  Pour any of the remaining oil mixture over the chicken.  At this point, I pour about 3/4 cup of chicken broth into the baking dish.

Roast for 50 minutes.

Brussels Sprouts and Steak Stir-Fry

This is the photo from Bon Appetit Magazine

This is really delicious.  Gary loved it, and even Ella ate it.  Everett spit every bite out of his mouth that I forced in, but he just doesn't know a great stir-fry sauce when he tastes one!

3 tbsp. oyster sauce
3 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
4 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
1 lb. brussels sprouts, halved
8 oz. flank or skirt stead, thinly sliced against the grain
Kosher salt
4 scallions, whites chopped, greens sliced
3 garlic cloves, sliced (I used 1.5 tsp. crushed garlic)
2 tbsp. chopped peeled ginger (I grated the ginger)
2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
Steamed brown rice

Whisk oyster sauce, soy sauce, vinegar and 1/4 cup water in a small bowl; set aside.

Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add brussels sprouts and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, about 4 minutes.  Cover and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes longer.  Transfer to a plate; wipe out skillet.

Season steak with salt.  Heat 1 tbsp. oil in same skillet over high heat until just beginning to smoke.  Add steak in a single layer;  cook until browned, about 3 minutes.  Turn and cook until nearly cooked through, about 30 seconds.  Add to brussels sprouts.

Heat remaining 1 tbsp. oil in same skillet.  Add scallion whites, garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute, adjusting heat as needed.  Add carrots and cook, tossing occasionally, until carrots are slightly softened, about 2 minutes.

Return brussels sprouts and steak to skillet and add sauce.  Cook, tossing occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes.  Serve with steamed rice and garnish with scallion greens.

Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

I made this one tonight- VERY easy and VERY delicious.  Gary loved it!!  So did Everett.  Ella liked the rice and broccoli but declared that she no longer likes chicken because it's "gross".  Nice.

I slightly altered the recipe from this blog.

4 chicken breasts (I used only 3)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced (or 1 tsp. crushed garlic)
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
Pinch red pepper flakes
Cooked brown rice
Sesame seeds
2 scallions, chopped

Place chicken in crock pot and lightly season with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, combine onion, garlic, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, oil and pepper flakes.  Pour over chicken.  Cook on low 3-4 hours or high for 2 hours.  Shred chicken in crock pot.  Serve over rice.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions.

As you see, I served it with broccoli, which was delicious mixed in with the rice and chicken!

Light No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie

Photo & recipe from skinnytaste

I made this pie to take to dinner with friends, and everyone loved it!  You would never guess that it's light.  This is my new go-to dessert for sure.

5 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, at room temp
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter (or "Better n Peanut Butter" from TJ's to save even more calories)
8 oz. light Cool Whip
1 reduced fat graham cracker pie crust
Chocolate syrup or melted milk chocolate chips

Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl.  Beat in peanut butter on medium until smooth.  Beat in Cool Whip on low.  Pour into crust and refrigerate until firm 2-3 hours.  Drizzle with chocolate.

Bolognese

I made this tonight, and the kids loved it!  I adapted it slightly from Mario Batali's recipe.

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 ribs celetry, finely chopped
1 carrot, grated or finely chopped
2 tsp. crushed garlic (or 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped)
1 lb. ground turkey (or beef)
1/2 (4.5 oz.) tube of tomato paste
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 tbsp. dried parsley
1/4 cup parmesan
1 lb. brown rice pasta

Boil pasta to al dente while making the sauce.

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil and butter until melted.  Add the onions, celery, carrot and garlic, season with salt and cook until vegetables are translucent but not browned, about 5 minutes.

Add the turkey, increase heat to high and brown meat, stirring frequently for about 10-15 minutes.  Add the tomato paste and stir.  Add the milk and cook until almost reduced.  Add the wine, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes.  Add 3/4 cup to 1 cup pasta water to sauce.  Add parsley.  Season with salt.

Stir pasta into sauce and serve topped with parmesan.