Italian Market Meat Loaf

1 package (3 ounces) sun-dried tomatoes (dry-pack)
2 1/2 pounds 99 % lean ground turkey breast
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup fine bread crumbs made from Italian bread
1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
1/4 cup snipped fresh Italian parsley
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce, divided
1 egg
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup red currant jelly, melted

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover sun-dried tomatoes with boiling water; let stand 10 minutes. Drain; coarsely chop.

2. Place turkey in large bowl. Chop onion, grate bread into fine crumbs, grate parmesan cheese. Add tomatoes, onion, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce, egg, garlic, seasoning, salt and black pepper to turkey. Mix lightly but thoroughly. Shap meat mixture into loaf pan. Bake 1 hour.

3. Place jelly in microwave, uncovered, on high, 30-45 seconds or until jelly is melted and smooth, stirring after each 15-second interval. Stir in remaining tomato sauce; spoon over meat loaf. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink in center of loaf and internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.

Remove meat loaf form pan to serving platter; let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Yields: 10 servings

...page 71 of The Pampered Chef "It's Good For You" cookbook.

Teriyaki Pork Stir-Fry

2/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons peeled, finely chopped fresh gingerroot
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound boneless pork loin chops, cut into 1/8" strips
2 cups uncooked instant whole grain brown rice
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1/4" strips
6 ounces fresh snow peas, trimmed
1 bunch green onions with tops, cut into 1" pieces (about 6-8)
1 teaspoon sesame oil, divided
1 can (8 ounces) bamboo shoots, drained

1. In small bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar and cornstarch; whisk until blended. Finely chop gingerroot. Add gingerroot, garlic and red pepper flakes to soy sauce mixture.

2. Cut pork into 1/8" thick strips. Add pork to soy sauce mixture; toss to coat. Cover; refrigerate 15 minutes to marinate.

3. Meanwhile, cook rice in small saucepan according to package directions. Cut bell pepper into 1/4" strips; trim snow peas and cut green onions into 1" pieces.

4. Heat 1/2 teaspoon of the oil in a skillet over high heat until hot. Remove pork from marinade; add to skillet, reserving marinade. Stir-fry 1-2 minutes or until pork is no longer pink. Remove from skillet; keep warm.

5. Heat remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil in same skillet. Add bell pepper, snow peas and green onions. Stir-fry 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Return pork to skillet. Stir in reserved marinade and bamboo shoots. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir 1 minute or until sauce is thickened. Serve over rice.

Yields: 6 servings

Page 68 of the Pampered Chef, It's Good For You cookbook.

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

This soup typically uses eggs to thicken the broth. It's lightened up here by using fat-free cream of chicken soup, but to make it gluten-free, use the eggs!

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped cooked chicken (I usually just boil mine)
2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1-2 lemons (I use 1/4 cup of lemon juice, because I may or may not be lazy)
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, pressed (I use 1 Tbl minced garlic from a can - again, the lazy)
1 can (10 3/4 oz) 98% fat-free reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup (I use two)
3 cans (14 1/2 oz ea) 100% fat-free chicken broth (I use the equivalent amount of bouillon
cubes - no sodium!)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2/3 cup uncooked long-grain white rice (I use 1 cup uncooked brown rice then cook it following
package directions before I add it to the soup)

1. Chop chicken, carrots and onion. Zest one lemon to measure 1 tsp zest. Finely snip zest. Juice lemons to measure 1/4 cup juice. Snip parsley; set aside.

2. Heat a 4qt pot over medium heat until hot. Lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add carrots, onion and garlic; cook and stir 2 minutes. Stir in chicken, lemon zest, lemon juice, soup, chicken broth, and black pepper; bring to a boil. Stir in rice; reduce heat. Cover; simmer over low heat 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat; stir parsley into soup just before serving.

Yield: 8 servings

page 35 of The Pampered Chef "It's good for you" cookbook.

Stuffed Pork Chops

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 leeks, white part only, rinsed and chopped (you could also use white onions)
1 McIntosh or Granny Smith apple, cored and diced
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
salt and pepper
4 (5oz) boneless pork chops, about 1" thick, trimmed of fat

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leek and apple and saute 4 minutes, until tender and golden. Add oregano, rosemary, and salt and pepper, to taste and stir to coat. Remove from heat.

Using a sharp knife, slice pockets into chops by slicing horizontally into the side, and almost through to the other side. Season the outside with salt and pepper. Stuff chops with apple mixture, allowing stuffing to overflow out of pockets.

Heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chops and sear on one side until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip chops and transfer to oven to finish cooking for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cooked through.

Serves 4

* Weight Watchers Core meal
* Adapted from Quick Fixes with Robin Miller, Food TV

Roasted Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives

Serves 4

1 lemon
2 pints grape tomatoes
1 head garlic, cloves separated
1 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 3-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 small loaf country bread, warmed (optional)

* Heat oven to 425 degrees. Using a vegetable peeler, remove strips of zest from the lemon (reserve the lemon).

* In a large roasting pan, toss the tomatoes, garlic, olives, thyme, and lemon zest with 1 Tbsp of the oil

* Nestle the chicken, skin-side up, among the vegetables and drizzle with the remaining Tbsp of oil. Season the chicken and vegetables with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Roast until the chicken is cooked through, 35-40 minutes

* Remove the chicken from the hot roasting pan. Squeeze the juice from the lemon into the roasting pan and add the wine. Gently stir, scraping up any buts stuck to the pan. Serve the chicken and vegetables with the pan juices and bread (if using).

From Real Simple March 2010, page 191

Crockpot Tamale Pie

(From crockpot365.blogspot.com)

Cornbread Topping:

3/4 cup cornmeal
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 t. baking powder
1 cup milk
1 egg
2 T. oil

Filling:

1 can drained and rinsed black beans
1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 can drained corn
1 T chili powder
1 t. cumin
1 t. onion powder (or 1/4 cup fresh)
1/2 cup shredded cheese (like cheddar)

Spray your crockpot with Pam. Add filling ingredients and stir well.

Mix together topping in a small bowl. Pour evenly over filling.

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or high for 2-4 (mine usually finishes in just under 4 on high).

Serve with salsa and sour cream.

*You can also add browned ground meat to this if you want to bulk it up a little. I like it the way it is though, and even my carnivorous husband enjoys it! :)

Chili

Here is my basic recipe-- no real measurements, just to taste.

crushed tomatoes
diced tomatoes
ground beef
diced peppers
diced onions
beans (kidney, navy, garbanzo, black...whatever you want!)
cumin
chili powder
salt to taste

Brown beef together with peppers and onions. Drain fat. Combine in crockpot with the other ingredients. Cook on low all day. Serve with cornbread or corn chips, sour cream, cheese, etc...yum!

Cheesy Crockpot Potato and Corn Chowder

**Warning: this is not a healthy recipe due to Velveeta, but it's yummy!**

Ingredients:
2 T butter
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
3 cups broth
3 cups peeled and cubed potatos
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn (drained)
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles (you can leave these out if you aren't crazy about chile peppers. They do add a lot of flavor!)
1 (2.5 ounce) package country-style gravy mix
2 cups milk
1 cup Velveeta, cubed

Directions:
Saute celery and onion in butter till lightly browned and tender. Add to crockpot with broth and potatos. Cook 4-5 hours on low. Add corn, chiles, milk, gravy mix and cheese. Stir well. Cook on high for one more hour. Enjoy with biscuits!

Grilled Maple Chipotle Pork Chops

1/2 cup barbecue sauce (I'm a sucker for Maulls Sweet & Smoky)
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, seeded and minced (you can find this in the "Latin Foods" section of your grocery store)
1 tsp adobo sauce from can
6 (1 1/4 inch thick) bone in pork loin chops
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

* Whisk together first 4 ingredients and set aside
* Sprinkle pork chops evenly with salt and pepper
* Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350-400) 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 155 degrees, turning once. Baste with half of sauce mixture the last 5 minutes of cooking or when meat thermometer registers 145 degrees. Let pork stand until thermometer registers 160 degrees.
* Plate pork chops and drizzle evenly with remaining barbecue sauce mixture

Yield: 6 servings

Goes great over Smoked Gouda Grits and with Sweet Potato Biscuits, or with Green Bean Alfredo with Cheese Ravioli.

courtesy of Southern Living Our Readers Top-Rated Recipes

Whole Chicken Crock Pot Recipe

Tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken! Omit the overnight refrigeration if you are in a hurry. For variety, eliminate the onion and substitute a quartered lemon or two, stuffed into the chicken cavity.

4 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 large roasting chicken (with pop-up timer if possible)
1 cup onions, chopped

~ In a small bowl, combine the spices

~ Remove any giblets from chicken and clean chicken

~ Rub spice mixture onto the chicken

~ Place in resealable plastic bag and refrigerate overnight

~ When ready to cook, put chopped onion in bottom of crock pot

~ Add chicken

~ No liquid is needed, the chicken will make its own juices

~ Cook on low 4-8 hours

This is a great go-to meal and it really is fall-off-the-bone tender! This picture just doesn't do it justice! I never realized how hard it is to photograph food!

courtesy of Kathy at Recipezaar

Beef Stew

1-2 lbs of stew meat
2-3 Tbsp EVOO
1/2 tsp of garlic powder or 2 cloves of garlic finely diced
2 cups of water
2 beef buillion cubes
1 can of green beans
1-2 cups of baby carrots, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 medium russett potatoes, chopped
2-3 tsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp marjaram
1/2 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf

Cut stew meat into bite sized pieces and coat with flour. Brown in EVOO, remove from pan, and drain on paper towels. Saute onion in left over oil for 5-6 mins (add more oil if neccessary), add garlic, cook for one addtl minute.

Meanwhile, boil buillion cubes in the water until dissolved and pour into crock pot. Add chopped potato, carrots, green beans (do not drain), tomato paste, marjoram, oregano, and bay leaf.
Add browned stew meat, and sauted onions to the crock pot. Cook for 30 mins on high and then another 1-2 hours on low or until potatoes and carrots are tender. Salt and pepper to taste

submitted by reader, Jessica

Asian Noodle Bowl

2 cups diced cooked chicken (I used boneless pork chops and it worked very well)
2 cups thinly sliced bok choy
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions with tops
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup julienne-cut carrots - one inch long
1 1-inch piece peeled fresh gingerroot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, pressed
3 cups water
1 can (14 oz) 100% fat-free vegetable broth
2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 package (3 oz) oriental-flavor ramen noodles

~ Dice chicken and thinly slice bok choy and green onions. Slice mushrooms. Cut carrot into julienne strips; cutstrips into 1-inch pieces. Peel and finely chop gingerroot and garlic.

~ Place mushrooms, carrots, gingerroot and garlic in a 4qt pot. Add water, broth, soy sauce and seasoning packet from ramen noodles; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add chicken, bok choy, onions and noodles. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

This was super delicious and pretty appetizing as a main dish. I served it just by itself. The pork tasted great, too!



from The Pampered Chef "It's good for you" cookbook

Spicy Sausage & Peppers Penne

8 oz uncooked penne pasta (I use Barilla whole wheat)
1 pound Italian turkey sausage (your choice; hot, sweet, mild) about 4 links
1 each: medium green, red and yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves; pressed
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes in sauce, undrained
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/4 cup (1 oz) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

~ Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and keep warm.

~ Meanwhile, cook sausage in skillet, over medium-high heat 14-16 minutes or until sausage is lightly browned and no longer pink, turning occasionally. Remove sausages from skillet; cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces and set aside. Cut bell peppers into 1/4-inch strips. Coarsely chop onion.

~ In same skillet, cook bell peppers, onion and pressed garlic over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Add sausage, tomatoes, tomato sauce and seasoning. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until heated through.

~ Place pasta in large bowl; pour sauce mixture over pasta, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

This was super yum-o, definitely going to be a go-to recipe in our house!

from The Pampered Chef "It's good for you" cookbook

CJ's Chuckwagon Stew

1 1/2 pounds cubed beef stew meat
1/2 pound smoked sausage, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
4-5 potatos, peeled and cubed
1 (28 ounce) can barbeque baked beans

Place meats, onion and potatos in slow cooker. Stir together. Spoon baked beans evenly over top. Cover, and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4-5 hours.

Serve with extra bbq sauce, cornbread and salad.

Slow-Cooker Mexican Style Meat

This is a yummy pork dish that can be served in a variety of ways: with tostadas/tortillas, or as a base for enchiladas, etc. Top with fresh spinach, guacamole, tomatos, cheese, etc. You can adjust the "heat" to your personal taste.

1 (4 pound) pork loin (can also use beef or chicken)
1 t salt
1 t black pepper
2 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 can diced green chiles
1 t chili powder
1 t ground cayenne
1 (5 ounce) bottle hot pepper sauce
1 t garlic powder

Trim the meat of any excess fat, and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet. Place meat in hot skillet, browning quickly on all sides.

Place meat in crockpot, and sprinkle with onion. Add remaining ingredients. Add enough water to cover 1/3 of the roast.

Cover, and cook on high for 6 hours. Reduce heat to low, and conitnue cooking for 2-4 hours, or until meat is tender and falls apart.

from allrecipes.com

Burrito Casserole

Filling:
1 lb ground beef, drained
1 can refried beans
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 pkg taco seasoning
garlic/onion powder

Sauce:
2 cups plain yogurt
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup salsa
chili powder
shredded cheese

Spray a 13x9. Fill 10-12 tortillas, roll up and place in pan. Spread with sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 325 till bubbly and hot.

UMW Taco Soup

2 lbs. lean ground beef
medium onion; chopped
1 large can Ranch Style Black Beans
1 can Rotel tomatoes (you choose; original, mild, hot)
(2) 15 oz cans stewed tomatoes (chopped) including juices
1 can water (rinsed in/out of beans can to get all flavor)
1 can niblet yellow corn with juice
1 packet Ranch Style Dressing powder
1 packet taco seasoning

~ In a soup pot, brown meat; add onion until tender. Add in remaining ingredients. Stir thoroughly and simmer for 30 minutes. Will be thick and hearty.

~ Serve with tortilla chips

submitted by reader Jamie

Chicken Enchiladas

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package soft taco size flour tortillas
1 quart heavy cream
1 - 1 1/2 bricks cream cheese; softened
1 stick of butter
1 small can chopped green chilies
8 oz brick of Monterrey Jack Cheese - grated (pepper jack is also good!)
Salt / Pepper to taste

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 glass backing dish with Pam.

~ Cook the chicken breasts until white all the way through. Dice the chicken into bite sized pieces and put into a bowl. When the chicken is cool, add the softened cream cheese and the chilies. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

~ Melt the butter in a shallow bowl. Dip the tortillas in the butter and coat completely. Rub them down with the butter, if necessary. This keeps the tortillas form getting dried out when baking.

~ Spoon approximately 3-4 tsps of chicken mixture onto the tortilla in a line. Roll the tortilla up and place in the baking dish. Repeat until all the tortillas and chicken mixture are gone. Usually about 10 enchiladas and the pan will be full.

~ Next, pour about 2/3 of the pint of heavy cream over the tops and ends of the enchiladas. Then top the enchiladas and cream with the grated Monterrey Jack Cheese.

~ Spray one side of a piece of foil with Pam and place sprayed side down on the top of the baking dish and tightly cover pan. This keeps the cheese from sticking.

~ Bake for about 40 minutes or until bubbly. You will want to remove the foil for the last 10 minutes or so for light browning.

~ Serve with tortilla chips and salsa - ENJOY!

Reheating: Move the remaining enchiladas to the middle of the pan and coat with the remaining heavy cream. Tightly cover top with foila nd pop in the oven on 275 degrees for about an hour. The reheated enchiladas will come out soft and tasty!

submitted by reader Jamie

Sweet and Sour Chicken

6 half chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 (13.5 oz) can pineapple chunks (reserve juice)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp sugar
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch strips

~ Coat chicken with flour and brown in oil in skillet. Remove to roasting pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

~ Drain pineapple, pouring juice into a 2 cup measure. Add water to make 1 1/4 cups. In saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and bouillon cube. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil 2 minutes; then pour over chicken. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Baste occasionally.

~ Add pineapple and green peppers. Bake 30 minutes longer, or until chicken is tender. Place chicken on serving platter, on bed of rice if desired. Pour on juices and pieces of pineapple and green pepper over chicken.

~ Serve immediately.

submitted by reader Katie

Chicken and Asparagus Kabobs

Dipping Sauce:
2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp white pepper

Kabobs:
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp minced fresh gingerroot
1 - 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-1 1/2 inch pieces
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

~ In a bowl, combine the sauce ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.

~ In a large re-sealable plastic bag, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, sesame oil, pepper flakes and ginger. Add the chicken; seal the bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 2 hours, turning occasionally.

~ Drain and discard marinade. In a brown bag, toss the asparagus with olive oil and salt. On six metal or wooden soaked skewers, alternating, thread one piece of chicken and two pieces asparagus. Grill, covered, over medium heat 4-5 minutes on each side or until chicken juices run clear and asparagus is crisp and tender.

~ Serve with dipping sauce.

originally from Taste of Home Magazine, submitted by reader Katie.