Turkey Bacon Double Cheese Burger with Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce

So, I saw this on Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals and it was so delish! I changed a couple of the spices to use what I had on hand. But really, it was the tomato sauce that made the meal.

Turkey Burgers

• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling plus 1 tablespoon
• 8 slices turkey bacon
• 2 1/2 pounds ground turkey breast
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• A handful cilantro, leaves finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons cayenne chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin powder
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons zest and the juice of 2 limes
• 8 slices pepper jack cheese, from the deli counter
• 4 large sandwich size English muffins, lightly toasted

Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce

• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, lightly drained
• 2 rounded tablespoon grainy mustard

Directions

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat and add the turkey bacon. Cook until crisp, 3 minutes on each side, remove to plate.

While the bacon cooks, combine the turkey breast, green onions, cilantro, cayenne, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper, lime zest and juice. Mix the turkey breast with seasonings and form 4 sections, from each, 2 patties. Place the first 4 patties in the pan; cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove from the skillet and place onto a plate and loosely cover with foil to keep warm

While the first batch of burgers cook heat 1 tablespoon oil in a sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and soften 3 to 4 minutes, season with salt and pepper and then add Worcestershire, brown sugar, tomatoes, and mustard. Let the sauce cook on low.

Add the second batch of burgers to the skillet and cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Top with a slice of cheese and 2 pieces bacon. Tent skillet with foil and cook on low to moderate heat to melt cheese, about 1 minute.

Place burgers on muffin bottoms. Top with bacon double cheese burgers, fire roasted tomato sauce and English muffin top.

Ahi Tuna Wasabi Salad

Wasabi Dressing

• 1 teaspoon Soy Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Wasabi Paste
• 3 tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Sesame Oil

1. Mix soy sauce, vinegar and sugar in bowl until sugar is disolved.
2. Add sesame oil and wasabi paste. Whisk well.
3. Chill before using.
   

Salad

• Mixed Greens
• 1 can Mandarin Oranges
• Slivered Almonds
• Sesame Seeds
  
• 1 package uncooked Wonton Wrappers (usually found near bagged salads), cut into strips
• Canola oil

1. Fry wonton strips in canola oil until they are golden. Drain on paper towels.
2. Assemble salad with oranges, almonds, fried wonton strips, and sesame seeds.

Ahi

• 2 Ahi Tuna Steaks
• Montreal Steak Seasoning

1. Coat all sides of the steaks in the seasoning.
2. Heat dry fry pan to medium-high heat.
3. Cook Ahi (no oil!!) in pan, 3 minutes per side for rare (Ahi should be eaten rare - otherwise you might as well save your money and buy canned tuna!)
4. Slice and serve on top of the salad.
   

Mango Salsa

I got this recipe from a Martha Stewart Weddings magazine a decade ago and have altered it. It remains one of my favorite salsas.

• 2 mangos, diced
• 1/2 jicama, diced
• 1 red onion, diced
• 3-5 jalapenos (adjust according to desired heat level), finely diced
• Juice of 1-2 limes
• 1/2 bunch Cilantro, chopped
• 1 large can of crushed pineapple, well drained.
• Salt, to taste

1. Combine all ingredients and enjoy.

Chimichurri

This sauce is from Argentina and perfect as a marinade for steaks, chicken and fish. We spread it on the meat and let it marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours then throw it on the BBQ. Last night, we used tilapia, and topped it with 2 slices of lime, put in in a parchment packet and wrapped it in aluminum foil. Yum.

• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 5-6 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
• 2-3 teaspoon salt (it should taste salty)
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 cup - 1 cup olive oil
  

1. Use food processor to finely chop parsley, cilantro and garlic.
2. Add cumin, hot pepper flakes, salt, vinegar and lime juice.
3. While food process is on, add olive oil until chimichurri has the texture of pesto.
4. Use as a marinade for meat of your choice. I like to keep some aside and top the meat or rice with after it is cooked.
   

Chicken Schnitzel

Serves 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Chicken

• 2 large eggs
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 chicken cutlets (about 6 ounces each), pounded to an even 1/4-inch thickness
• Cooking spray

Sauce

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup canned reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. In a wide shallow bowl, beat eggs with garlic, parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, combine Panko and Parmesan. Dip each cutlet into egg mixture to coat completely, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture, patting it on with your fingers.
2. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and arrange cutlets on sheet. Bake for 20 minutes (the first 10 minutes at 350, the second 10 minutes at 400)
3. Heat butter in skillet until melted. Add wine; heat 30 seconds. Stir in broth and lemon juice; simmer 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, pour broth mixture over cutlets.
4. For a side dish, toss cooked egg noodles with some butter, and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve with lemon wedges that can be squeezed over the chicken.

Notes

• You can use regular breadcrumbs if you don't have Panko, but it won't be nearly as crispy.
  
• I usually double or triple the sauce as it goes quickly on the the noodles. I also added Wondra to the sauce to thicken it. You could use cornstarch or flour. Make sure you mix the Wondra with cold water or cold stock BEFORE you add it to the hot sauce. Otherwise you get a clumpy mess.
  

Crockpot Chicken ala Stacey

So, Stacey is a wonder at throwing things together and coming out with a fabulous meal. I had this at her house a couple of months ago and loved it. Here's my version.

• 1 large jar of salsa (I've used everything from Pace to a smokey pineapple salsa to mango salsa
• 2-4 chicken breasts (depending on how chickeney you want it)
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (I use low sodium)
• 1 big can pineapple tidbits or fresh pineapple
• 1 can water chestnuts, drained
  
• 1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper

1. Place salsa, beans, water chestnuts, bell pepper and pineapple (including juice) in crock pot and combine.
2. Add chicken breasts - I make sure they are completely covered by mixture.
3. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. You could probably cook on high for 4-6, but I haven't tried it.
4. Shred chicken in crockpot with 2 forks, combine.
5. Serve over grain of your choice: brown rice, jasmine rice, quinoa or bulgar.
   

Chewy Sugar Cookies

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 to 4 Tbsp buttermilk
Sprinkles or colored sugar, for decorating

• Preheat oven to 375.
• In a small bowl, stir together flou, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, crem butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in dry ingredients. Add enough of the buttermilk to moisten the dough and make it soft, not wet (typically 3 Tbsp).
• Roll rounded teaspoons of dough into balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. With a brush or fingers, moisten the top of each cookie with the remaining buttermilk and slightly flatten the top of each cookie (I used the bottom of a glass). Sprinkle with raw sugar or colored sprinkles.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly golden. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing to cool on a rack.

I'm on a hunt for the best sugar cookie and this one is in first place so far for taste and consistentcy. Bummer is that they aren't rolled, so you can't make fun shapes! I frosted some as well and they were a hit.

Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup butter (although you can substitute margarine, you will have the best results with butter. The cookie will have a richer taste and will be crisper around the edges)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 11-12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (for variation of this cookie, substitute milk chocolate chips for semi-sweet and/or add 1 ½ cups chopped walnuts or macadamia nuts before baking)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla.
3. Sift together the flour, salt baking powder and baking soda.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. With your fingers, place golf ball size dough portions 2” apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 9 minutes or until edges are light brown. Note: It is very important you do not exceed the cooking time given above, even if the cookies appear to be under baked. When the cookies are removed from the oven, the sugar in them will stay hot and continue the cooking process. The finish product should be soft in the middle and crunchy around the edges.

Peanut Butter Chip Chocolate Cookies

1 cup butter
1 ½ cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon salt
2 cup peanut butter chips

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla.
• Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture.
• Fold in peanut butter chips.
• Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Sweet Corn Tomalito

Steamed Corn Pudding, a traditional Tex-Mex side dish.

Serves 8

5 tablespoons Margarine

1/4 cup masa harina

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

2 cup whole-kernel frozen corn, thawed

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons milk

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the margarine, masa flour and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. In a food processor or blender, blend one cup of the corn kernels with the water and cornmeal just until smooth. Stir into the masa mixture.
   
3. Mix in the remaining the remaining corn, baking powder, salt and milk until the batter is smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
4. Microwave for 10-13 minutes at 90% power level. Stir pudding before serving to give it a consistent texture.