Fire Roasted Flank Steak with Cheesy Grits

I totally made this recipe up this week - but we loved it! It is so easy, I swear I might make it once a week from now on! The steak ends up being like pulled beef it becomes so tender. This would be good for tacos too...

Ingredients for Steak

1 - 1.5 to 2lb flank steak
1 jar of Kroger brand Fire-Roasted Red Enchilada Sauce

Preparation for Steak

Put steak in crockpot, pour enchilada sauce over meat, turn crockpot on high and cook for 6 hours. That's it!

Ingredients for Grits

3/4 cup of quick cooking grits
3 cups of "liquid" (water works, but I use chicken broth for more flavor)
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika

Cook grits according to package and add the cheese, garlic powder and smoked paprika during last minute of cooking time.

Serve pulled beef over cheesy grits!

Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Mustard Sauce

Made this tonight and it was fast, easy, different and delicious! I served with wild rice vs. the potatos, as recommended in the origninal recipe - either would be yummy!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3/8 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth, divided
1/4 cup unfiltered apple cider
2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; add to pan. Cook 3 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken; place pan in oven. Bake at 450° for 9 minutes or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Heat pan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup broth and cider; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 4 minutes or until thickened. Whisk in mustard, 1 tablespoon butter, and parsley.
3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add Brussels sprouts; sauté 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Add remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup broth to pan; cover and cook 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Serve sprouts with chicken and sauce.

Robin Bashinsky, Cooking Light DECEMBER 2011

North Woods Bean Soup

I am pretty sure someone made this for an early meal exchange but I can't remember who! It is a really easy and filling soup. I made it last week and I plan on making it again this week! I used frozen carrots and onions to make it even faster and next time I will use frozen spinach! I also think I will add an extra can of beans to the puree to make it a little thicker next time!

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 cup baby carrots, halved
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
7 ounces turkey kielbasa, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 (15.8-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 (6-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach leaves

Preparation

Heat a large saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion, garlic, and kielbasa; sauté 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes. Add the broth, Italian seasoning, pepper, and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.

Place 2 cups of the soup in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth. Return the pureed mixture to pan. Simmer an additional 5 minutes. Remove soup from heat. Add the spinach, stirring until spinach wilts.

Spinach Chicken Enchiladas

I made these a few weeks ago and they were delicious. I have been craving Mexican food, so I try to make a mexican dish at least once a week! This recipe is a keeper!

Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients

2 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles
4 skinned and boned chicken breast halves
1 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened and cut into pieces
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 cup cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
10 (6-inch) flour tortillas
Toppings: chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado

Preparation

Combine 1 can tomatoes and green chiles, chicken, and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Drain remaining 1 can tomatoes and green chiles, and add liquid to saucepan. Set drained tomatoes and green chiles aside.
Bring chicken mixture to a boil; reduce heat, and cook 10 to 15 minutes. Remove chicken, and strain cooking liquid, reserving 2 1/2 cups liquid and diced tomatoes and green chiles. Cool chicken slightly, and chop.
Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in reserved tomato liquid until blended. Add cream cheese, and cook, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Spread 1 cup sauce into bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
Press spinach between paper towels to remove excess moisture. Stir together spinach, chicken, half of reserved diced tomatoes and green chiles, cottage cheese, sour cream, and 1 cup cheese blend. Spoon mixture down center of each flour tortilla; roll up. Place, seam side down, in dish. Top with remaining sauce.
Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes; sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese, and bake 5 more minutes. Sprinkle with remaining tomatoes and green chiles. Sprinkle with toppings.

Southern Living, SEPTEMBER 1997

Chicken Cacciatore with Crisp Polenta

My sister and Michael told me about this recipe and they way they described it, we had to try it. We really enjoyed it! It has a completely different taste and is perfect when you want something outside of the norm. I did use regular chicken breasts because our lovely Norwood Kroger did not have the boneless, skinless chicken thighs (oh and I am not a fan of chicken with bones - even if the recipe calls for it). Norwood Kroger also did not have polenta, so I substituted with Country Mush - haha. It worked, but just annoyed me enough to say I wouldn't go back to the Norwood Kroger again! Hate it! Anyway, we liked the meal so much that I am making it again tonight - this time with the boneless, skinless chicken thighs.

Ingredients
Serves 4

3 tablespoons olive oil
8 skinless chicken thighs (about 3 pounds total)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes in juice, broken up with a spoon
1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
2 medium onions, each cut into 8 wedges
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1/3 cup pitted green olives, halved
1 tube (16 ounces) plain prepared polenta, sliced into 12 rounds

Directions

1. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Working in two batches, sear chicken, meaty side down, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a plate (chicken will cook more in step 2).
2. Add mushrooms to pot; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add flour, and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes (with their juice), wine, onions, garlic, olives, and chicken (with any juices). Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Season stew with salt and pepper.
3. While stew is cooking, heat broiler. On a rimmed baking sheet, brush both sides of polenta slices with remaining oil; season with salt and pepper. Broil, without turning, until deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve chicken cacciatore over polenta.

From Everyday Food, October 2008
Marthastewart.com: Chicken Cacciatore with Crisp Polenta - Martha Stewart Recipes

Chili-Beef Skewers

Stacie made these for the June meal exchange and this was the first meal I tried! It had awesome flavors and was very easy. I served it with more veggies - frozen Asian Green Beans - super easy meal from the freezer!

yield: makes 4 servings

ingredients:

8 wooden skewers
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp grated orange zest
1 tsp sriracha
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1 lb lean beef sirloin, cut into 1/8-inch strips
1 each red, green and yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 2 1/2-inch pieces (optional)
Vegetable oil cooking spray Dipping sauce
1/2 cup lowfat mayonnaise
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp fish sauce

directions:

Soak skewers for 30 minutes. Puree cilantro, garlic, soy sauce, orange zest, sriracha, fish sauce and sugar in a food processor. Transfer marinade to a resealable plastic bag; add beef. Seal bag, toss and set aside up to 30 minutes. Combine dipping sauce ingredients in a bowl. Thread 4 pieces of pepper and 2 beef strips on each skewer, alternating beef and peppers. Coat grill rack with cooking spray; heat grill to high; cook until meat is no longer pink, about 3 minutes.

SELF, MAY 2008 - Adapted by Marge Perry
From: Epicurious

Chicken Shish Kababs

Deb made these for the June meal exchange - they sound easy and delicious. Love the summer grilling theme!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of cooking oil
Juice of 1 lemon
2-3 cloves of crushed garlic
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 skinless chicken breasts
Various vegetables for grilling

Directions:

Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes. Combine all ingredients and marinate for 1 hour.

Thread chicken and vegetables on skewers and girll on each side for 4 minutes or until cooked thoroughly.

Serve with rice.

Chicken (or Turkey) Burgers with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Holly brought this for our June 2010 meal exchange and I am so excited to try them. She was making them the other night when we stopped by to play and they smelled yummy!

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds ground chicken
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons very finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for brushing
2 teaspoons chile powder
Salt
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons hot water
2 tablespoons chopped salted peanuts
4 round ciabatta rolls, split and toasted
Lettuce, for serving

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine the ground chicken with 1/4 cup of the chopped onion, 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon of the chile powder, 1 teaspoon of salt and the garam masala. Using slightly moistened hands, form the ground-chicken mixture into four 4-inch patties.
In a medium saucepan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of chopped onion and 1 teaspoon of chile powder and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the peanut butter and hot water. Stir in the peanuts and season the sauce lightly with salt.

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Brush the chicken burgers with vegetable oil and grill over moderately high heat, turning once, until they are golden and crusty and just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Spread the peanut sauce on the rolls. Top with the burgers and lettuce, close and serve.

Recipe by Grace Parisi, Food & Wine Magazine

Burgers Stuffed with Goat Cheese, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Basil

This was my contribution to the most recent meal exchange (June 2010). When we made these on the trial run, Tim got the grill too hot and he charred them a little (sorry, honey - they were still good). The sausage has some fat and it is easy to get a good flame going on these, so either use lower heat for longer or maybe even cook them on the stovetop. I think if you cook them in a pan on the stove, with the lid on - they would cook through and retain all the juices vs. them all dripping out on the grill.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef sirloin
1/2 pound raw Italian sausage removed from the casing(s)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces soft goat cheese
3 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
3 fresh basil leaves, sliced
4+ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions:

Mix the beef, sausage and salt together. Be careful not to over-work the mixture. It can be helpful to coarsely chop the beef and sausage with a knife and then loosely toss together before mixing more thoroughly with the salt.

Divide into four equal 1/2-pound pieces. Remove about 1/5 of each half-pound portion and set the small pieces aside. Use your hands to shape each of the remaining four portions into a "flattened bowl" shape into which you can put the filling.

Remove the sun-dried tomatoes from the oil and slice.

Place 1/4 of the goat cheese into each burger, and then top with sun-dried tomatoes and basil.

Flatten each of the four small reserved pieces of burger mixture into flat disks. Place a disk on top of the filling for each burger, and then work the burger mixture closed with your fingers.

Flatten the burgers further as much as possible without risking breaking the seal to the stuffing.

Throw them on the grill. Enjoy!

These burgers must be fully cooked because of the sausage used in the mixture.

Author: Russ Faulk, Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet

Scallop Piccata with Sautéed Spinach

Tim and I had this tonight and it was great! It would be good with chicken too! I used angel hair pasta. Will definitely try it again!

Serve on a bed of angel hair pasta, linguine, or brown rice, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1/3 cup spinach, 3 scallops, and 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce)

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds sea scallops (about 12)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 cup vermouth
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
4 teaspoons capers
1 (10-ounce) package fresh baby spinach

Preparation
1. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Pat scallops dry with paper towels. Sprinkle salt and freshly ground pepper over scallops. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add scallops; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned and done. Remove from pan; keep warm.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped garlic to pan; cook 10 seconds. Add vermouth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat. Add parsley, fresh lemon juice, butter, and capers, stirring until butter melts. Pour sauce in a bowl.
3. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add spinach; sauté 30 seconds or until spinach almost wilts. Drizzle sauce over scallops; serve with spinach.

Ivy Manning, Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2009

Chicken & Dumplings

This is a Shonda original - meaning, I just wing it, but I did follow it pretty closely to make five meals for the December meal exchange.

3 big chicken breasts (cubed)
1 bag of frozen mix of celery, onions and carrots
1 small can of mushrooms
1 large box of chicken broth plus 1 can (I use low sodium)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
Bisquick Mix
Low-fat milk
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Boil check breasts and cut into cubes. Saute celery, onions, carrot mix and mushrooms in olive oil until tender. Combine chicken and vegetables in large stock pot. Add the chicken broth, cream of chicken and cream of celery soup. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 20 - 25 minutes. While the soup mixture is simmering, make the dumplings. There is a recipe on the Bisquick box for dumplings. I usually make three batches. Each batch is 2/3 cup of Bisquick milk and 3 tablespoons of milk. After the soup has simmered, return it to a boil. Drop the dumplings into the boiling soup a tablespoon at a time. With a large spoon, dunk the dumplings in the broth. They will be finished in about 5 - 8 minutes. Turn the heat to low and allow the mixture time to thicken, usually another 10 - 15 minutes. Depending on the consistency you like, you may want to thicken it using cornstarch and milk.

Curried Salmon Cakes

I love Salmon, but it is not Tim's favorite... I have been thinking of creative ways to make it, so during a boring meeting at work the other day, Elizabeth and I found this recipe! It was really good and Tim liked it a lot, Alex even liked it! I did change some things though. I used two pieces of fresh salmon and put that in the food processor. I also put the apple in the food processor. I increased the bread crumbs to 3/4 - 1 cup (I think you have to eyeball this to get the mixture to the right consistency). I also just baked them on 375 degrees for 35 minutes.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 large eggs
2 pouches (about 7 oz. each) boned, skinned pink salmon, or 1 can (about 15 oz.) red or pink salmon, drained, skin removed
1/2 cup finely chopped apple
1/4 cup fine dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Beat eggs with a fork. Add salmon and break up. Stir in apple, bread crumbs, onions, mayonnaise, curry powder, paprika, and pepper. Shape into four cakes (3/4 in. thick); place on a piece of plastic wrap.
2. Set a 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add oil, then salmon cakes. Cook until well browned on the bottom, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn cakes over and cook until browned on the other side, 3 to 5 minutes longer.

Erin Winemiller, Portland, Oregon, Sunset, MARCH 2005

Eggplant Parmesan

I really like Eggplant Parmesan and decided to make some tonight - this is the recipe I used and it was really yummy!

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

3 large eggs
3 tablespoons water
3/4 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 (8-ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
3 cups Pasta Sauce

Preparation

Whisk together eggs and 3 tablespoons water until blended.
Combine breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.
Dip eggplant slices into egg mixture; dredge in breadcrumb mixture.
Cook eggplant, in 3 batches, in 1 tablespoon hot oil (per batch) in a large skillet over medium heat 4 minutes on each side or until tender.
Arrange one-third of eggplant in a single layer in a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers twice. Spoon 3 cups Pasta Sauce over top.
Bake, covered, at 375° for 35 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake 10 more minutes or until cheese melts.

Southern Living, MARCH 2001

Marinated Pork Kabobs

I usually follow a recipe for the meal exchange, but not this time. However, I do have a list of ingredients that I used and some directions to follow.

1 pork loin, divided into 1 - 2 inch cubes (about a 2lb loin would work for 5 - 6 skewers)
1/2 bottle Andy's Mediterranean Grill All Natural Marinade (I could only find at Biggs)
1 medium bell pepper (i used green)
1 medium red onion
1 package of whole mushrooms (i discarded the stems)
1 pkg of wooden skewers

Marinate the cubes of meat in Andy's marinade over night. Assemble skewers by alternating veggie and meat (I always started and ended with a veggie to anchor the skewer). Spray kabobs with cooking spray prior to grilling. Grill kabobs, covered with grill lid, over medium heat (300° to 350°) 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until done.

Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine

This is Deb's contribution to the September Meal Exchange - looks awesome! She referred to it as "fancy mac n' cheese".


Yield 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)



Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil
Cooking spray
3 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 cups chopped fresh spinach
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (16-ounce) carton 2% low-fat cottage cheese
4 cups hot cooked penne (about 8 ounces uncooked tube-shaped pasta)
2 cups shredded roasted skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup, undiluted



Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°.
Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add spinach, oregano, and black pepper; sauté 3 minutes or just until spinach wilts.
Place cottage cheese in a food processor; process until very smooth. Combine spinach mixture, cottage cheese, pasta, chicken, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, milk, and soup in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.

Cooking Light, March 2006

Tortilla Casserole

6 medium flour tortillas
3 cooked chicken breasts, cut up (I used frozen tenderloins that come in the 3-lb. bag)
1 8 oz. can chopped green chilies
1 8 oz. can chopped black olives
6 green onions, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use cream of chicken)
1 can water
1 package taco seasoning powder
1 tomato chopped
6 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
6 oz. shredded monterey jack cheese
sour cream for topping
taco sauce for topping

In a 9 x 13 casserole place tortillas on bottom. Mix the soup with 2 cans of water and taco seasoning. Heat and blend with wire whisk. Spoon 2 T of soup mixture on top of tortillas. Add 1/3 of chicken pieces, 1/3 of the olives, chilies, and onion. Top with 1/3 of cheese. Place 2 more tortillas on top and repeat process. Add last 2 tortillas and put remaining ingredients on top. Pour remaining soup mixture over top and add all the chopped tomato. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves 6 to 8. Top with sour cream and taco sauce if desired.

Mexican Chicken Lasagna

I made this for the March meal exchange and tried ours the night that I made them. This was really tasty and we had it for leftovers the next day, however, next time I make it - I will add corn and beans to the chicken and onion layer to get some vegetables in there. Also - if you notice below - the original recipe has you microwave the casserole. For the meal exchange, since they are in foil pans - microwaving will not work :) Defrost the casserole overnight in the fridge and then cook covered for 35 - 40 minutes at 375 degrees or until bubbly. When I made mine, I baked it and think that it is just better that way vs. microwaving it! For the chicken in this casserole I made it ahead in the crockpot with some broth, the onion and a packet of low sodium taco seasoning. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, lightly packed
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
2 cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded, divided
1 medium onion (about 2/3 cup chopped)
1 (28 ounce) can enchilada sauce (I used green enchilada sauce)
12 (6 inch) corn tortillas
3 cups cooked chicken (diced or shredded)
Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Chop cilantro. Place cream cheese in microwaveable bowl and microwave on HIGH 30-45 seconds or until very soft. Add cilantro and 1½ cups of the Monterey Jack cheese; mix well. Chop onion; set aside. Spread 2/3 cup of the enchilada sauce over bottom of baking dish. Pour remaining enchilada sauce into mixing bowl; set aside.
2. To assemble lasagna, dip four tortillas into enchilada sauce in mixing bowl and arrange over sauce in baker overlapping as necessary. Scoop half of the cream cheese mixture over tortillas; spread. Top with 1 cup of the chicken and one-third of the onion. Repeat layers one time. Dip remaining four tortillas into sauce and arrange over second layer. Top with remaining chicken and onion. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over lasagna and sprinkle with remaining ½ cup Monterey Jack cheese.
3. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 12-15 minutes or until center is hot. Let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle with additional chopped cilantro. Cut into squares.

Tarragon Turkey Burgers

Can't wait to try these - Deb made them for the May meal exchange!

Yield 8 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds ground turkey
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup finely shredded zucchini
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray
8 (1 1/2-ounce) hamburger buns

Preparation

Preheat broiler.
Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Divide turkey mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Place patties on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 6 minutes on each side or until thoroughly cooked. Serve on hamburger buns with desired toppings.

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2002

Mexican Pizza

This recipe is from Tara - she prepared it for the May meal exchange and since it wasn't frozen when I picked it up today - we just had it for lunch today! This was awesome and I will definitely make it again!

Need:

Pizza crust
1 tablespoon olive oil
fajita seasoning
2 cooked chicken breasts, diced (I bake chicken with fajita seasonings)
1 can black beans, drained and mashed a little
1 can corn, drained
1 can rotel, drained
1-2 cups shredded cheesesour cream (for garnish)

Cook pizza crust according to package directions. Before throwing in oven, I spread olive oil on it and dust a little fajita seasoning on it. Once crust is golden brown, take out and spread mashy black beans over the entire crust. Then sprinkle desired amounts of corn and rotel. The more rotel you use, the spicier it will be. You can use mild rotel if you want. Spread desired amount of cheese on top and then the chicken. Bake at 350 degrees until melty and heated through. We cut and serve with sour cream on the side. If you're going for presentation, pipe sour cream in diagonal lines over entire pizza before cutting. (that's how they do it at the restaurant we stole this from)

Spiced Pork Chops with Apple Chutney

This was Holly's meal for the May meal exchange and I actually tried it out tonight and it was fantastic! Everyone loved it and Alex especially loved the chutney with the yummy apples and cranberries!

Yield 4 servings (serving size: 1 chop and about 1/3 cup chutney)

Ingredients

Chutney:
1 tablespoon butter
5 cups (1/4-inch) cubed peeled apple (about 3 apples)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

Pork:
3/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut pork loin chops, trimmed
Cooking spray

Preparation
1. To prepare chutney, melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple; sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add cranberries and the next 6 ingredients (through allspice); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until apples are tender; stir occasionally.
2. To prepare pork, while chutney simmers, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Combine chipotle and next 4 ingredients (through black pepper); sprinkle over pork. Coat grill pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with chutney.
Slender haricots verts are a pretty and quick-cooking complement to the meal. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 12 ounces haricots verts to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves; cook 5 minutes or until garlic is lightly browned.

David Bonom, Cooking Light, MARCH 2009