Healthy Turkey Meatloaf

This is a recipe that my mom used to make frequently when my brother and I were younger. It's healthy, quick to come together, and really delicious. Even my meat loving husband loves it. I really have no idea where the original recipe came from, but I've always remembered how to make it from memory. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Ingredients
Source: My Mom

1 package ground turkey (around 1.25 lbs)
1 egg white
1 carrot, shredded
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 - 3/4 cup italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup marinara sauce
shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
salt
pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a loaf pan with non stick spray. In a large bowl, combine turkey, egg white, carrot, celery, onion, garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and bread crumbs. Mix with your hands until well combined and put in loaf pan. Drizzle marinara sauce over loaf and spread using a spoon. Sprinkle as much mozzarella cheese as you want over the whole loaf. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. Slice and serve!

Herb and Shallot Grilled Turkey Burgers

This burger was simply a combination of things I had on hand. It turned out to be very flavorful and was overall just a great turkey burger. The combination of the different herbs worked very well together and it was very easy to make... definitely a good one to give to your husband to grill! In addition, I added sharp cheddar to the top of the burgers for added flavor and because I just like cheese! Overall, this is a great weeknight burger!
Ingredients
1 lb. ground turkey breast
4-6 large leaves of fresh sage
1/2 - 1 tsp. dried or fresh rosemary
1/2 - 1 tsp. Herbs de Provence
1/2 large shallot, finely minced
1 -2 cloves garlic, minced
4 slices sharp cheddar (optional)
salt
pepper
Directions
Mix all ingredients (except cheese) together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Form into patties, and grill until completely cooked in the center, about 20 minutes. Add cheese and cook until melted and serve on fresh hamburger buns.

Mediterranean Turkey Burgers

Now that the weather is half way decent up here in the north, my husband and I have been craving burgers on the grill. However, I'm not the kind of girl that can have a regular beef burger a lot...I get bored. So to switch it up I've been making different kinds of turkey burgers. Much healthier and you can really get creative! So when I saw these Mediterranean Turkey Burgers on Vintage Victuals, I was anxious to give them a try. Unfortunately, I didn't have any Greek Seasoning so I did a lot of subbing with some fresh herbs and added quite a few other things that happened to be in my kitchen but the result was really fantastic! I put a slice of gouda cheese on my burger for extra cheesiness (and because it's probably going to go bad soon), but to be honest it didn't add much because the burger itself was so flavorful. That being said, these burgers are loaded with flavor in every bite and totally hit the spot. They were the something different I crave, relatively healthy, and absolutely delicious. Overall, a great turkey burger!

Ingredients
Adapted from Vintage Victuals

1 lb. ground turkey breast

2 ounces feta cheese, cubed or crumbled (I used fat-free crumbled)

1/2 shallot, minced
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 sprig fresh rosemary, minced
2-3 sage leaves, minced
1/2 onion, sliced

Salt
Pepper
pinch of sugar
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon, very lightly juiced (About 1-2 tsp.)

2 hamburger buns

Directions
In a large bowl, combine turkey, shallot, garlic, rosemary, sage, salt, pepper and lemon juice until thoroughly combined. Form into 4 equal sized thin patties, and in the center of 2 patties sprinkle as much feta cheese as desired. Put remaining 2 patties over the patties with feta and completely seal edges. Grill burgers until cooked throughout. Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan add olive oil and onion slices. Sprinkle with sugar. Cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes until caramelized, stirring frequently. Server burgers on toasted buns and top with caramelized onions.

Thai Turkey Burgers

It's that time of the year where the grill is finally uncovered, cleaned up and brought to its proper place. The days are longer, the sun is brighter and the men are ready to start grilling. That's why I thought these Thai Turkey Burgers as seen on Cara's Cravings would be a perfect meal for my husband to grill up for dinner.

They were quick to come together and had all of the great Thai flavors that my husband and I love so very much. All of the flavors worked perfectly together which resulted in a very flavorful burger. I topped the burger with a Cilantro Lime Aioli which lent itself perfectly to the flavors of the burger. Honestly, this is one of the best burgers I've personally had; I absolutely loved it. But while my husband said he liked it, he didn't think that it could compete with an old fashioned beef and cheese burger. Oh, men. But he did say I could make it again which is lucky for him because I am going to make it again!!!

Overall, a great burger and fantastic departure from the traditional "beef and cheese" burger. Packed with flavor, this burger was definitely a winner in my book!


Ingredients
Adapted from Cara's Cravings
Originally from A Good Appetite

1 package ground turkey
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 large scallion, minced
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp red curry paste (I added this)
2 tbsp peanut butter (I used reduced fat)
freshly ground salt & pepper
1/2 tsp ground ginger (I used a small piece of freshly grated ginger)
2 cloves garlic, minced (I added this)
1 small bunch cilantro, minced (I added this)
Juice of 1/4 to 1/2 a lime (I added this)


Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and form into patties. Grill burgers until they are done in the center. Or you can heat a skillet over medium-high heat and cook for about 7-10 minutes per side, until cooked through. Serve with Cilantro Lime Aioli on fresh hamburger buns.

Roast Turkey

Well Thanksgiving is done and over! It was a great time and all my food came out great. It was especially wonderful to spend time with our families. So I'll post a few Thanksgiving recipes since many of them can be used throughout the year. Enjoy!

This recipe comes from Martha Stewart. This is the 4th year I've used it and I've never been disappointed. It's a great recipe that I will be using many more years, since everyone (including me) just loves it!!

Ingredients

Serves 12 to 14

• 1 twenty- to-twenty-one-pound fresh whole turkey, giblets and neck removed from cavity and reserved
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 750-ml bottle dry white wine
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• Classic Stuffing
• 1 cup dry red or white wine, for gravy (optional)
• Giblet Stock

Directions

1. Rinse turkey with cool water, and dry with paper towels. Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature.
2. Place rack on lowest level in oven. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine melted butter and white wine in a bowl. Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut it into a 17-inch, four-layer square. Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine; let soak.
3. Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan. If the turkey comes with a pop-up timer, remove it; an instant-read thermometer is a much more accurate indication of doneness. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Fill large cavity and neck cavity loosely with as much stuffing as they hold comfortably; do not pack tightly. (Cook remaining stuffing in a buttered baking dish for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.) Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string (a bow will be easy to untie later). Fold neck flap under, and secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey with the softened butter, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper.
4. Lift cheesecloth out of liquid, and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp. Spread it evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can cover some of the leg area. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Using a pastry brush, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter and wine. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. and continue to cook for 2 1/2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes and watching pan juices; if the pan gets too full, spoon out juices, reserving them for gravy.
5. After this third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth. Turn roasting pan so that the breast is facing the back of the oven. Baste turkey with pan juices. If there are not enough juices, continue to use butter and wine. The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully. Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 minutes.
6. After this fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Do not poke into a bone. The temperature should reach 180 degrees.(stuffing should be between 140 degrees.and 160 degrees. and the turkey should be golden brown. The breast does not need to be checked for temperature. If legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20 to 30 minutes.
7. When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter, and let rest for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Pour all the pan juices into a glass measuring cup. Let stand until grease rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, then skim it off. Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup dry red or white wine, or water, to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the pan until liquid boils and all the crisp bits are unstuck from pan. Add giblet stock to pan. Stir well, and bring back to a boil. Cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the defatted pan juices, and cook over medium-high heat 10 minutes more. You will have about 2 1/2 cups of gravy. Season to taste, strain into a warm gravy boat, and serve with turkey.