Turkey Meatballs

We love these meatballs. Yesterday I made spaghetti for the 1st time in the almost-7-years we've been married. My husband isn't a huge fan of spaghetti, but I figured if I made spaghetti and meatballs, maybe it would go over a little better. And it did. We LOVE these (I've actually made them for me and the kids, but never for the hubby). Now if I could just find an AMAZING spaghetti sauce to go with it, we'd be set. So if you have a good one...please post it!

Meatballs
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 tbs Parmesan cheese
1 tbs Worcestershire
1 slice of bread (ripped or cut into small pieces, I use the end piece that nobody will use for a sandwich)
1 egg

Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Form meatballs (I use a cookie scoop to make them about the same size). Bake on 350 degrees for 45 minutes. I served with angel hair pasta, spaghetti sauce, salad, and breadsticks. Makes about 20 meatballs. YUM :)

Amazing Thanksgiving Turkey Rub

Last year for Thanksgiving I couldn't find a rub that was what I was looking for, so I took a few different recipes and came up with my own. It is SO good! It always makes me feel good when my husband takes a bite of food and says, Oh yum! That's so good! He even made the comment for the first 3 or 4 bites of turkey! Yum! I used it again for our Thanksgiving Turkey this year. I wanted to brine my turkey using THIS recipe, but unfortunately, my grandpa unexpectedly passed away, so I found myself traveling for the 3 days before Thanksgiving. I got home Wednesday afternoon in time enough for a little bit of prep, then my hubby and I went to see Wicked!! Anyway, the bottom line is, this rub is so delicious, and it is so easy!! We will be making a turkey again for Christmas (I got a free one from my work!).

Mindy's Thanksgiving Turkey and Rub (I had a 18 lb turkey, so I doubled the rub)
Ingredients for the rub:
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp sage
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbs brown sugar
5 slices bacon (I use turkey bacon), cooked and crumbled
1 tbs Worcestershire

Other ingredients:
Turkey (whole, or turkey breast)
Carrots
Onion, sliced
Celery, diced
Worcestershire sauce, a few dashes
2 tbs butter
2 tbs flour (for your oven bag)
Oven/Turkey bag
1 cup water or chicken broth

1. Mix ingredients for the rub in a small bowl. I add the Worcestershire last. Use your hand to loosen the skin from the turkey (NOT frozen, I thaw in fridge for a few days before). Make sure that you don't remove the skin...you are just going to (literally) rub your rub between the turkey and the skin. Cover with plastic and return to the fridge for 4-24 hours (this is a rough estimate. If you don't have time, it's OKAY to rub the turkey and immediately cook it!)

 2. Put flour into oven bag and shake around (this ensures that the bag doesn't burst). Place whole baby carrots, sliced onion, and diced celery in the bottom of the bag, and set into your roasting pan

3.Take your turkey and place on top of the veggies in the bag. Cut your 2 tbs of butter into several smaller pieces and press them onto the top of the turkey (on top of the skin). Sprinkle with a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Pour you water into the bottom of the bag. You can also sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper as desired.

4. Tie your bag with the included ties. Cut a 6 2" slits into your bag (that's the directions that the oven bags I bought gave) to release steam. Place pan in the oven and cook according to the directions on your turkey (it depends on how large it is. I generally reduce the head by 25 degrees, and cook for an extra 30 minutes).
5. When finished, remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before carving. Make the most AMAZING gravy. YUM!

**You can also cook a turkey in the crockpot...just cover tightly with foil instead of using the lid!!! Prepare with rub as above. Place a crockpot liner in your crockpot. Put veggies and water in the bottom. Put turkey in and cover tightly with foil. I usually stick my meat thermometer right through the foil so I don't have to lift the foil and release heat. If your turkey has a pop-up timer, just note where it is at so you can notice it when it pops!

(I realize that the final-product picture isn't the BEST picture, but it's the best one I have, sorry!). Trust me, this tastes amazing, and makes phenomenal gravy!

Chipotle Chocolate Chili

I know what you are thinking, "chocolate chili?" I thought it too. But, since I wanted to try something different I wanted to give this recipe a whirl. This isn't your common chili. It has a spicy smokey kick but a tiny hint of sweetness. Don't worry, it doesn't taste like chocolate! It's different, but it was delicious!

Chipotle Chocolate Chili (Our Best Bites)

1 lb. lean ground turkey

1 large onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, minced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes

2 14.5-oz. cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-oz. can beef broth

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

Chipotle sauce (from the can of chipotle chilies)

1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate (1/2 unsweetened baking cube), chopped (optional; use to taste as needed; be careful, because too much will make your chili bitter) I didn't have any, so I omitted.

Light sour cream

Chopped green onions
avocado

3-4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Shredded cheddar cheese

Heat about 1 TB of olive oil in a pot and saute the onions, minced bell pepper, and garlic. Add ground turkey and after it is cooked through add brown sugar, salt, pepper, chili powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, chipotle sauce, beef broth, tomatoes, and beans.

**If you can't tolerate spicy I would use half a can of the chipotle sauce. I think the best way to get the sauce off the chipotle peppers is to pour a little beef broth in the can with the chipotle peppers, stir it around and pour it out. Repeat to get more sauce out if you want.

Let all the ingredients simmer for 30-40 minutes, uncovered. When it has reached your desired thickness add the red wine vinegar and the chopped chocolate, if using. You can add more vinegar to cut the sweetness. Add your toppings and enjoy!

Lemon-Basil Turkey Breast

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs grated lemon peel
1 boneless turkey breast half (about 1 1/2 lbs) or use thin turkey cutlets (about 6)
2 large lemons, sliced
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrots
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water

Preheat oven to 325. In small bowl combine basil, garlic, and lemon peel. Mix well. Starting from short edge, gently loosen skin of turkey breast with fingertips. Spread basil mixture under skin, and arrange lemon slices on tip of basil mixture. (If using turkey cutlets, simply top with basil mixture and lemon slices, then fold each cutlet in half. Bake as directed for 25 minutes).
In large roasting pan, combine vegetables, broth, and water. Set a roasting rack over vegetables. Place turkey on rack; roast about 1 hour, until internal temperature is 170. Baste frequently with pan juices. Place turkey on carving board. Let stand for 20 minutes. Carve and remove skin to serve.
For an easy sauce, drain vegetables from roasting pan; place in a food processor fitted with metal blade (discard juices). Add 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken brother to vegetables and process until smooth. Warm puree in saucepan over low heat.

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

I love the chicken wraps from PF Changs. Now, these aren't really like those...but they are absolutely delicious. And they are super easy! Can't beat that!!

Turkey Lettuce Wraps
1 tbs peanut oil
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup shredded carrots (I usually just slice baby carrots into rounds)
1/4 cup water chestnuts (I like to chop them just a little bit, and I usually use more like 1/2 cup)
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup Asian Peanut Sauce
1 tbs soy sauce

Serving Sauce (we like to put a little in our wrap rather than dip them. It also makes a TON, so I usually make only about a half or quarter of the sauce)
1 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce

1. Saute ground turkey in the oil until cooked. Add carrots, water chestnuts, and green onions. Cook for 1-2 minutes until vegetables start to soften. Add Asian sauce and 1 tbs soy sauce. Heat for another few minutes until warm.

2. Mix serving sauce ingredients. Serve with wraps.

Roll turkey in lettuce leaves and serve with dipping sauce. May add rice of desired. YUM!!!