Cobb Salad Sandwich

Ingredients:
1/3 c. olive oil
1/2 c. blue cheese, crumbled (I don't like blue cheese so I use feta)
2 T. red wine vinegar
1 t. Dijon
salt and pepper to taste
1 turkey tenderloin, lightly coated with oil, seasoned with salt and pepper (you could also use chicken breast)
4 strips sliced bacon
1 loaf focaccia, halved horizontally
2 T. olive oil
2 cups arugula, or spinach
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced

Directions:
Preheat grill.
Whisk 1/3 c. oil, blue cheese, vinegar, Dijon, salt and pepper in a small bowl for the vinaigrette.
Grill tenderloin over high heat, turning occasionally, until it registers 180. About 10 minutes per side. Remove from grill and let rest 5 minutes, then carve across the grain into 1/4" thick slices.
Meanwhile cook bacon until crisp in a skillet.
Brush cut sides of focaccia with 2 T. oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill, cut side down, over low heat until toasted.
Brush focaccia with vinaigrette; toss arugula with 3 T. vinaigrette to coat.
Layer avocado, tomatoes, turkey, eggs, bacon, and arugula on bottom half of focaccia. Drizzle with remaining vinaigrette, top with remaining focaccia, and cut into 6 wedges.

Makes 6 servings. Total time 30 minutes.

Verdict:
I like this sandwich. I like that there are so many variations that you can make. I sometimes exchange the turkey for chicken, the focaccia for french bread, the arugula for spinach, and the blue cheese for feta. The one thing that remains the same is the vinaigrette.

Southwestern Turkey Club

Ingredients:
8 slices of bacon
1 lb. sliced deli turkey
1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
2 T. lime juice
1-2 T. pickled jalapeno chiles, chopped
12 slices whole wheat sandwich bread, lightly toasted
1 tomato, thinly sliced

Directions:
Cook bacon in a large skillet until brown and crisp, 6-8 minutes; transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Pour off all but 2 T. rendered fat from skillet.
In a small bowl, mash avocado, lime juice, and chilies with a fork; season with salt and pepper.
Using the rendered fat from the bacon heat turkey in skillet until warmed through.
Spread avocado mixture on one side of each slice of toast. Layer turkey, bacon, tomato, and toast to form four triple decker sandwiches. To serve, skewer with toothpicks; slice in half with a serrated knife.

Makes 4 sandwiches. Total time 20 minutes.

Verdict:
We have eaten these a few times before. We are sandwich fans at our house so this makes a good fast dinner. The kids don't normally eat this (they eat PB&J) but Blake and I really like them. If using the bacon grease to heat up your turkey grosses you out you could omit it. But I won't lie when I say it adds good flavor.

Tex-Mex Turkey and Bean Chili

Ingredients:
4 slices of bacon, cut in to 1/2 inch strips
3 lbs. ground turkey
4 onions, coarsely chopped
2 jalapenos, minced, ribs and seeds removed for less heat if desired
3 T. chili powder
3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
4 t. ground cumin
2 cans (28 oz. each) whole peeled tomatoes in puree
2 T. unsulfured molasses
1 c. water
3 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Assorted toppings: cheddar cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro

Directions:
Heat a dutch oven or heavy 5 quart pot over medium. Add bacon; cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 6-8 minutes. Raise heat to high; add turkey. Cook, stirring and breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, 8-10 minutes.
Add onions, garlic, and jalapenos; cook until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cocoa and cumin; cook stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Break up tomatoes with kitchen shears or your hands, and add them to the pot along with the puree. Add molasses, the water, and 4 t. salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer; cook partially covered, 30 minutes.
Add beans; continue cooking (uncovered) until turkey is very tender and liquid has thickened, about 30 minutes more. Serve hot, with assorted toppings if desired.

Makes 8 servings. Total time 1 hour 30 minutes.

Verdict:
My sister got me a cast iron pot for my birthday and this was the first thing I made in it and I loved it. It made cooking the chili really easy. I also like that it doesn't take much effort, just a little bit of stirring here and there. The flavor was good and I enjoyed it. Blake is not a huge fan of chili so he just thought it was OK but he did say we could eat it again. It made so much that we froze half of it to eat another day when I don't feel like making dinner. One more thing. I don't know what the difference is between unsulfured molasses and regular molasses so I just used regular.

Favorite Turkey Burger

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey
1/2 c. Gruyere cheese, grated
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 c. dried breadcrumbs
1/4 c. Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
coarse salt and pepper
Vegetable oil for grates
4 hamburger buns

Suggested accompaniments:
cheese slices
sliced tomatoes
red or white onion
ketchup
mustard
pickles
mayonnaise
lettuce

Directions:
Heat the grill to high. In a medium bowl, use a fork to gently combine the turkey with the Gruyere, green onions, breadcrumbs, Dijon, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Dividing the mixture evenly, gently form the mixture into four 1 inch thick patties.
Lightly oil the grill. Place the patties on the hottest part of the grill; sear until browned, 1-2 minutes per side. Move the patties to the cooler part of the grill; continue grilling until cooked through, 5-10 minutes per side.
Split the hamburger buns and toast on the grill if you like; place a burger on each bun and serve with the desired accompaniments.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 35 minutes.

Verdict:
The flavor was good on these unfortunately the BBQ destroyed them. They did not come out looking like burgers, more like broken off pieces of meat. Never the less, we enjoyed them, and so did the kids. I think that these would work well if you cooked them on the stove top.

Crockpot Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps

For the chicken or turkey:
1 T. sesame oil
2 lb. ground chicken or turkey
1 T. minced gingerroot
1/4 c. dry sherry
1/2 c. hoisin sauce
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. chili garlic sauce
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped (8oz)
2 T. rice vinegar
kosher salt to taste

For the wraps:
1/2 c. red bell pepper, diced
1/4 c. green onions, minced
2 T. toasted sesame seeds
12 Bibb small lettuce leaves

Directions:
Heat oil in a skillet. Add chicken; cook for 10 minutes, breaking up chunks. Add gingerroot; cook 2 minutes. Deglaze skillet with sherry, cooking until liquid is evaporated. Transfer mixture to a 2 1/2 to 3 qt. slow cooker.
Combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce in a measuring cup with a pour spout; stir into meat mixture. Cover; cook on high heat setting for 2-3 hours or on low heat for 3-4 hours. Stir in water chestnuts, vinegar, and salt.
Combine red bell pepper, green onion, and sesame seeds for the garnish.
To serve, spoon 1/2 c. portions of the chicken mixture into each lettuce leaf; top with some of the garnish mixture.

Makes 6 servings. Total time 2-3 hours on high.

Verdict:
Not bad. I used turkey and more seasame oil than they called for but that is only because I like it. I took these as dinner for someone else too. We most likely will eat these again. They were just so easy.

Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Gravy

For the meatballs:
1/2 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/3 c. Parmesan, grated
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 1/4 lb. ground turkey
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. chicken broth

For the gravy:
2 c. fresh or frozen cranberries
1 c. orange juice
1 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. sugar

For the meatballs:
Preheat oven to 450.
Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper and pepper flakes in a large bowl. Add turkey. Mix by hand until ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Add milk and 1/4 c. broth to bowl; stir to combine. Form mixture into 2-inch balls (about 2 Tbsp. each).
Coat a nonstick skillet with nonstick spray. Saute meatballs over high heat until browned all around. Transfer meatballs to a baking sheet. Bake meatballs until cooked through, about 10 minutes.

For the gravy:
Combine all ingredients for gravy in the skillet used to cook the meatballs. Simmer gravy over high heat until liquid is reduced by half and berries pop, 7-8 minutes. Serve with meatballs.

Makes 4 servings (16 meatballs and 1 1/2 c. gravy) Total time 45 minutes.

Verdict:
I love these. They are so good. Blake is not a big fan of meatballs but he really likes these. Well he likes the meatballs not the gravy. I, on the other hand, could and have eaten the gravy by the spoonful.

Turkey Burger With Roasted Poblano and Onions

Ingredients:

1 poblano chile

4 t. vegetable oil

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise

coarse salt and pepper

1 1/4 lbs turkey, ground

4 slices sharp cheddar cheese

2 t. butter, room temperature

4 buns, split

Directions:

Over a gas flame or under the broiler, roast chile until charred, about 10 minutes, turning frequently. Place in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let chile steam for 20 minutes.

Rub chile with a paper towel to remove skin. Remove seeds and stem.

Slice chile into strips and return to bowl.

Heat oil in a large skillet and cook onions, seasoning with salt and pepper, until soft and translucent about 10 minutes. Add onion to bowl with chile and stir to combine.

Form ground turkey into four 4-inch wide patties and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over med-high heat. Add 2 t. vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Working in batches, cook burgers 2 minutes. Flip, top each with cheese and cook until cooked through, about 4 minutes more.

Meanwhile heat broiler. Butter inside of buns and place on a baking sheet buttered side up. Toast under a broiler. Place burgers on buns and top with onion and chile mixture.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 50 minutes.

Verdict:

I think these are yummy. The poblano gives the mixture a little kick, not a lot. I think these are a nice switch up from regular burgers.

Southwestern Egg Rolls With Chipotle Cream Dip

For the egg rolls:
1 1/2 c. turkey, ground
1 t. each ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder
2 T. olive oil
4 c. fresh spinach
1/4 c. frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/4 c. canned black beans, drained, rinsed
1/4 c. roasted red peppers, sliced
1/4 c. green onions, chopped
2 T. jalapeno, seeded, minced
1/2 c. monterey jack, shredded
egg roll wrappers
1 egg, beaten with 1 T. water

For the chipotle cream dip:
1/2 c. sour cream
2 T. lime juice
1 T. honey
1/2 t. adobo sauce from canned chipotle in adobo

For the egg rolls:
Saute turkey and spices in oil in a large nonstick skillet until cooked through. Stir in spinach, corn, beans, red pepper, scallions, and jalapeno.
Cook until spinach wilts. off heat add cheese and salt.
Assemble by laying wrapper on work surface with a corner toward you. Brush edges with egg wash . Place 1/4 c. filling on wrapper and fold bottom corner over filling, tucking tightly. Fold in sides and roll to the end. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
Heat 2 c. vegetable oil for frying. Fry egg rolls until crisp. Drain on paper towels.

For dipping sauce:
Combine all ingredients. Serve with egg rolls.

Makes 8-12 egg rolls. Total time 35 minutes.

Verdict:
I changed a couple of things in this recipe. First I used a whole package of ground turkey so naturally I added more of all the other ingredients. I also added more spices. Sarah made the dipping sauce and she used more adobo sauce then what it called for. We also used this as a dip too. Have you ever had the southwestern egg rolls from Chili's? Those are exactly what these taste like.

Tex-Mex Turkey Burgers With Zucchini Salad

For the zucchini salad:
2 T. vegetable oil
3 medium zucchini or yellow squash, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
3 T. lime juice
coarse salt and pepper

For the burgers:
1 1/2 lb. ground turkey
2 t. chili powder
4 oz. sliced pepper jack cheese
4 slices country bread, halved
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
store bought salsa for topping

For the salad:
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Let zucchini salad marinate at room temperature for 15 min. (or refrigerate up to 1 day.)

For the burger:
Preheat grill.
Form turkey into four patties. Using your thumb make and indentation in center to prevent burgers from rounding on top. Sprinkle patties with chili powder and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the patties are cooked through out.
Top burgers with cheese. Continue to grill until cheese has melted. Meanwhile grill bread until lightly charred. Place burger on a piece of bread top with avocado, and salsa. Serve with zucchini salad.

Makes 4 burgers. Total time 30 min.

Verdict:
We ate these burgers open faced with toasted french bread. I enjoyed them quite a lot. Turkey good. Jalapeno cheese good. Avocado good. We ran out of propane in our grill so I had to cook them on the stove top in a skillet but they still were delicious.

Turkey Sloppy Joes

For the meat:
2 T. olive oil
1 c. carrots, diced
1 c. celery, diced
1 c. onion, diced
2 pkg. ground turkey breast (19.2 oz. each)
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper

For the sauce:
3 T. stone-ground mustard
1 can tomato sauce (16 oz.)
1 can tomato paste (6 oz.)
3 T. red wine vinegar
2 T. worcestershire sauce
1 T. brown sugar
8 hamburger buns

For the meat:
Heat oil in saute pan. Add carrots, onion, and celery cook 2-3 minutes. Add turkey and cook completely. Transfer to crock pot.
Combine all sauce ingredients and add to meat.
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Serve on buns.

Makes 8 sandwiches. Total time 4 1/2 hrs.

Verdict:
I have tried hundreds of sloppy joe recipes. I always think I am going to like them and then I end up just thinking they are OK. This one I like. It wasn't greasy. It had a good flavor and it was fast. I made it even faster by using a food processor for the vegetables.